To all who are reading this, 1000x thank you!

***Sidenote #1: this chapter does not pick up where the other left off. It actually opens a few minutes before the end of chapter 75. This time, in Annalyn POV.

***Sidenote #2: If this story had a soundtrack, the song for this chapter would be "We Are" (Symphonic Tales) by HAEVN.

CHAPTER LXXVI

LIGHT AND HOPE

"Ninael, what do you see?"

"Hope," the Elf answered, her growing smile reaching her eyes. "I see hope."

As Annalyn sought to make sense of the scene below, the guards opened the gates, allowing the army to gain unchallenged entry into the fortress.

"Allies," Annalyn guessed at once. "Those men have come to our aid."

Elated but unable to make out who they were, she craned her neck and rose on her toes. "I cannot see their banners. Tell me, are they soldiers from Gondor?"

But Ninael shook her head, her smile undimmed. "Nay. They are not from Gondor."

"If not Gondor, then who—" The sentence ended abruptly, for a possibility had entered her mind. Annalyn's eyes widened, her mouth growing slack.

It cannot be…

Desperate to get a better view, she started along the parapet, and watched as the army marched all the way to the inner courtyard. Now that they were just below her, Annalyn could discern the grey of their cloaks, and the banners they carried.

Her breath fled, and her feet slowed to a stop.

Lothlórien.

The Galadhrim!

Tears immediately blurred her sight. When she blinked them away, her gaze fell upon a splash of crimson. A cloak. That of a Marchwarden. As her shaking hands found the top of the parapet, her vision expanded to include the Elf's noble face. She nearly fainted right then and there, for the leader was none other than her beloved.

Unlike his men, Haldir's hood was thrown back, showing his long golden hair. As he addressed the king, Annalyn found that she could neither move nor speak. Frozen, that's what she was. Frozen in joy and disbelief, but also in fear and anguish.

Haldir was here. By now it was clear that he and his brethren had marched all the way from Lothlórien to come to the aid of Rohan.

Her heart was racing, the urge to yell his name so overwhelming, she had to bite the inside of her cheek. Just a little longer, Annalyn cautioned herself. For Haldir was presently speaking to the king and others, doubtless conferring about the upcoming battle.

The battle…

The arrival of the Elves had given them hope, it was true. But a sobering fact remained. Even with the Galadhrim, they would be vastly outnumbered, in a ravine from which there was no avenue of retreat.

Will we even survive this night?

Fearing for her people, for her husband and all the Elves, Annalyn waited with bated breath. When her self-restraint frayed to the point of snapping, she leaned forward, and cried Haldir's name at last, not once but twice.

All eyes turned to her, including Haldir's. When he saw her, hope and fire flashed on his face. With half a step, he shouted, "Annalyn!"

Confused whispers arose. As people watched the unfolding scene, Annalyn pushed away from the parapet, and ran toward the inner courtyard as quickly as her feet would carry her.

Though it was a relatively short distance, the run seemed endless. When Annalyn rounded a corner, and the Elves finally came into view, Haldir's posture revealed a desperate need to go to her. But somehow, by discipline or sheer force of will, he waited until she reached him.

The moment they collided, his arms came around her waist, lifting her clean off her feet.

"Firiel."

"Haldir," she breathed into his hair as he whirled on the spot before setting her down.

Joy and sorrow besieged her. Only once she had gathered herself did Annalyn abandon the warmth of his neck. "How did you know to come?"

As she watched him with an upturned face, his hand rose, his thumb slowly sweeping a tear from her cheek. "The Lady allowed me a glimpse into her Mirror. She sent the Galadhrim in your hour of need."

Moved beyond belief, Annalyn closed her eyes, and embraced him once again. It was a welcome thing at that moment, for an unthinkable scenario had surfaced in her mind. What if he marched all the way out here only to fall in battle? No sooner had the question formed than she tightened her grip on him, cursing the stiff leather and armour that now separated them.

Remembering where they were, however—and the many eyes that were fixed onto them—it wasn't long before the two released their hold.

"Forgive me for interrupting, sire," Annalyn said to the king. "I am Annalyn, daughter of Éadmód. I am of the Westfold."

Théoden's gaze flickered between her and Haldir. "And you two know each other?" How, his eyes seemed to say.

"Yes, sire," Annalyn went on. "Ere they perished, my kin and I travelled far and wide. We journeyed to Rhovanion many months ago. It was there that we met Haldir and his brethren. It is a long story, but he and I walked a long and perilous road together. Friends we were. And now…" He is my husband, she marvelled inwardly, then ceded to Haldir who placed a loving hand on her shoulder.

"In the eyes of Manwë, Varda, and Eru Ilúvatar," he continued for her. "Annalyn and I are bound and wed."

Astonishment flashed on the face of the king, and on the faces of all who stood nearby. Annalyn, for her part, was filled with womanly pride. She simply couldn't help it.

"Ninael," Haldir said when he noticed the arrival of his third in command. When the two bowed in greeting, Annalyn caught their wordless exchange. Thank you, Haldir's eyes seemed to say. Since war was rapidly approaching, it wasn't long before he donned the proverbial mask required of his station. "Savo chûr an dagor!" he called to his soldiers, who turned in unison, and made for their posts at once.

As onlookers began to disperse, Annalyn and Haldir remained where they were.

"I am not dreaming," she began, her hand rising to cradle his cheek. "You are truly here."

With closing eyes, Haldir leaned into her lingering touch. "It has been too long. By the Valar, I have missed you."

"I have missed you as well, love. More than you can possibly imagine. I shouldn't have left you the way I did. I shouldn't have lied to you. I…" Her voice broke.

"And I should have been open and honest from the first," Haldir chided himself.

"All that time we wasted. And now here we are, reunited on the very brink of war. What if all is lost? What if—" Annalyn's breath hitched.

The next thing she knew, Haldir had closed the distance. His brow resting against hers, he reached for something around his neck.

It was a chain, she realised, with two silver rings.

Betrothal rings.

"On that last day, before everything fell apart," Haldir explained. "I had procured these for us. After you left, I wore them on this chain, and over my heart they remained. I know they are but betrothal rings, however…" A shaky breath revealed his nervousness. As she watched him through her lashes, he grasped the smaller of the two rings. After he had removed it from the chain, Haldir held it between them.

"Annalyn of Rohan, would you be willing to wear this token, at least until a proper switch can be made? For if we live through this, when we live through this," he amended, "it would make my life to stand in front of my kith and kin, declaring my undying love for you."

As emotions threatened to overwhelm her, Annalyn blinked, and sent another tear rolling down her cheek.

Because her voice had abandoned her, she answered by extending her trembling hand.

When Haldir slipped the ring on her finger, the rightness of it could not be described. For Annalyn, it mattered not that this was a betrothal ring and not a golden wedding ring. The promise was the same.

"Now your turn," she laughed and wept.

A twin to her own, his silver ring shone in the night. The moment it glided onto his finger, Haldir closed his eyes in joy and serenity.

"So, you truly think we shall live through this?" she found herself asking, the seriousness of their situation returning.

Haldir laid a kiss on the crown of her head, his voice edged with determination when he finally answered, "There is darkness in this world; that we know. But there is light as well, and hope. We must hold to it, firiel. And we must fight like we have never fought before. Agreed?"

Annalyn sniffled, and gave a nod. "Agreed."

With that, Haldir uplifted her chin, and kissed her mouth, neither caring where they were, or who might be watching.

*Savo chûr an dagor! – "Prepare for battle!"

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