*All words in italics represent sentences spoken in the Elven language*
Love’s
Immortality
Rain poured down hard along the
Although the
rain could be blinding, the Elves saw clearly into the distance with their keen
vision. Their sensitive ears kept alert
for any sounds of something more than raindrops.
They rode on
for what seemed like hours in the cold wet weather, however, they had only
traveled a mere mile from the borders of Mirkwood. And it was as they came to be at the most two
miles, the leader of this group of Elves saw something
he did not like.
Pulling on the
reins, which attached themselves to the halter of his horse, he held up his hand
to command the others to copy his actions.
“What is it,
Haldir?” One of the soldiers asked as his own
horse stopped next to that of his leader’s.
Haldir, the leader of this pack also happened to be the
high march warden of Lórien. His light blonde hair hung past his
shoulders, half of it pulled into a tight braid and a single thin braid hung
behind both of his pointed ears. His
face was stern, yet very proud as his deep blue eyes scanned the sight that
stopped him in the first place.
“Evil,”
was his only reply to his companions.
The horses were
commanded to move cautiously forward as all six of the Elves prepared their
bows and took an arrow from the quivers on their backs.
Haldir listened carefully, but even the hearing of an Elf
would detect that the only thing to be heard was the sound of the rain pounding
the earth beneath them.
As they went
closer to the scene, they found the body of an Orc, a
hideous creature that descended from tortured Elves, with a dagger in its
back.
“A battle has
taken place here,” Haldir told the others. He jumped off his horse with ease and studied
the body. “A Man
blade.”
“I wonder who
was victorious,” one of the others said.
“The Orcs,” the march warden said as he
pointed to other bodies in the area.
There were only
a few, and that summarized the situation with two possibilities: the entire
group of Men was killed, or their party continued on leaving the corpses.
“Haldir,” called one of the Elves from a few feet over. “There is a woman here and she is still
alive!”
Haldir and the other quickly rushed over. He knelt down next to her and haphazardly
picked up her limp body so she would talk.
“What has happened?”
She opened her
eyes, which seemed to be very shallow.
But even in the darkness of the day Haldir
could see a ray of hope sparkling in them as she looked upon the golden-haired
Elf. “They attacked us,” she
whispered. It was obvious that her
strength was diminishing and her life was soon to be over.
“We were
bringing her home…her father’s…” she struggled to continue.
“Who? Who were you
bringing home and to where?” came Haldir’s demanding
voice.
“Please bring
her to her people in the forest…don’t let her die.” At first Haldir
thought the woman had died, but her eyes opened again and looked at him
pleadingly. “Her father’s people can
protect her better than I. Please bring
her there.”
Haldir said a short Elvish
prayer as he rested the dead body on the soddened
ground. Her words had made no sense to
him at all. There were no other signs of
life for miles other than that of his own group.
And then he
heard a small cry only a few feet from where the woman lay. He rushed to the source and was completely
appalled at what he found. A small
child wrapped in wet blankets squirmed around on her back as she cried from the
cold and rain.
“A child?” One of his own asked as they too came upon the
child.
“We cannot
leave her here, if it was the mother’s wish to bring her to safety,” another
reminded.
Haldir hesitated before kneeling down to scoop the babe in
his arms. And to his total amazement,
the child’s cries could no longer be heard.
Her blue eyes looked up at his own with tears
and raindrops trickling down her face.
And to bring even more shock into his mind, he noticed that she was of Elven heritage for her ears were like his.
“Check to see
if the mother is Elven,” he commanded to one. The answer of no came to his ears. Haldir continued to
stare at the child, but finally his senses came back to him.
“We will return
to Mirkwood at once!” He said as he hurried himself
back to his horse. He mounted the animal
carefully while still holding the small Elven child
in one arm then drawing his cloak around him to shelter the child from further
rain.
The arrival of Haldir and the other five was very
unexpected in Thranduil’s house. The guards of the Realm led them to the king
with questions of their own from the sight of Haldir
hiding something from beneath his cloak.
The king
permitted him admittance. Haldir alone followed the Elven
king inside the halls of his house.
“What is it
that you have discovered that you hide beneath your cloak?” the older Elf
asked.
Haldir pushed away the fabric, revealing the child who
remained silent. “We came upon a group
of Men that had been slain by Orcs. The women believed to be the mother of this
child told us in her dying breath that she and her people were bringing this
child to her father’s people. What is
odd is that this child is of the Elven kind.”
King Thranduil studied the features of the child as she squirmed
uncomfortably in Haldir’s arms. He sighed and paced the room for a brief
moment before turning to the Lórien Elf. “The child may remain here. The journey to your own home is far to long for a child of such age.” He paused a moment and put his hands behind
his back. “I will find a suitable
she-Elf who will raise her as her own child.”
He motioned for Haldir to follow him up a
staircase to a second floor.
They walked
down an open hall-like bridge to another building where three or four she-Elves
were busy sitting around painting.
“Jelleth,” the king summoned and the tall, blonde Elf came
forward bowing to her king. “I ask of
you to pause a moment from your painting to feed and properly cloth this
child. I will decide after where she
will go from there.”
Jelleth nodded her head slightly and turned towards Haldir to take the baby from his arms. For a brief moment, the Lórien
Elf felt a sort of possession towards the child and hesitated before giving her
to the waiting she-Elf.
Before leaving
the king’s quarters, Thranduil rested a hand on Haldir’s shoulders and smiled. “That was a very noble thing to do,” he
commented. “That child will be thankful
in the future when she learns that you saved her life.”
“I hardly did such
a thing, my lord,” he responded.
“Saving the
life of another is very noble, Haldir.”
As they walked
to the entrance, Haldir was stopped once again by the
king’s voice. “It is only fitting that
you name her seeing that you found her.”
Haldir stopped cold, his mind
thinking of so many odd things at once.
He had never been asked such a question.
He thought for the longest moment before the first name to come to mind
rolled from his tongue. “Anitra.”
The king
smiled. “The name of
your mother. I’m sure she would
be proud if she still dwelt amongst us in Middle Earth.”
Haldir gave a final bow before he set out for a second time
from the Woodland Realm and this time promising himself that they would not
stop until they reached the borders of Lothlórien.
“““
Time changed yet a little in two hundred years. Evil forces still remained a threat as they
harbored further into
Two hundred years passing seems a
rather long time to one of a mortal life, but to an Elf, it means life has just
begun. However, the two-hundredth
birthday of any Elf was important for it was the day they were seen as a young
adult in the eyes of others.
.
One Woodland
Elf in particular was very blissful today, for it was her 200th
birthday. She stood around the height of
five feet six inches, which was a tad smaller than that of other
she-Elves. However, it could be
expected, for she also had the blood of Man running through her veins.
This Elf’s hair
was long, (for it reached her waist), and dark for a Woodland Elf being that of
a dark brown. Her eyes were blue as the
ocean and were as youthful as could be.
Her delicate features portrayed her to be more an Elf than that of a
child born from a human mother.
Young Anitra journeyed through the trees that surrounded her home
in the Woodland Realm. Her long pale
blue dress flowed with her sleek movements like that of an angel. Her feet brought her up a flight of stairs to
a landing where another Elf sat reading a book.
“Greetings,
Legolas,” she said to the other.
The older Elf
looked over his book with similar blue eyes and fine blonde hair. He smiled to the visitor and stood up bowing
slightly.
“It is I that
should bow to you,” Anitra replied with a laugh as he
kissed her hand gently.
“Ah, but today
is your 200th birthday, and even a prince of the land should respect
such a special day.” He invited her to
sit with him as he lounged back into his seat extending his legs to another
chair that was turned for this very purpose.
“Is the book
good?” Anitra asked.
Whenever she saw her friend, the Prince of Mirkwood,
she would ask this very question if he was in fact reading. And his answer would always be the same.
“Of course—” he
paused for the briefest of moments, “—it is not.”
Anitra laughed. “It seems you should choose more carefully
when you’re in the library, prince.”
“And that is coming from a mouth which
rarely utters the words from a book.”
“I happened to
have read twice the amounts of books that you have in my lesser years.”
“How do I
manage to over look that?” was Legolas’ answer.
The two would
commonly go about a conversation like this.
They had known each other since Anitra was
brought to the kingdom 199 years ago.
As the time
slipped by, Anitra had sat back and relaxed in her
chair to watch the leaves of the trees blow with a small summers
breeze. Her mind wondered to various
things, such as the dinner that was being held in her honor that very night to
the wonderful people in her life and then to something that she thought of more
often than not: exactly how she came to
be here.
Anitra knew that it was not right to ask Legolas such a question, but she felt more comfortable
around him to ask these types of questions.
“Legolas,” she said quietly.
“Hmm?” he
replied turning a page of his book.
“Please tell me
how I came here.”
Legolas looked up from his reading and studied her serious
expression. “I do not think I should be
the one to tell you, Anitra.”
“I must
know. It has been kept from me all these
years who my parents really were and why so many are unsure if I belong to the
Woodland Elves. I know you know. Surely your father has told you, seeing that
he was the one to place me with Jelleth.”
Legolas closed the book and sat on the edge of his seat as
he thought of the right words. “Well,
the only knowledge that I have of your heritage is that you were found amongst
the sight of a dozen people of human kind.
The woman thought to have been your mother told one of the Elves that
she was bringing you to your father’s people where you would be much safer than
with her. That very Elf who heard this
from your mother’s mouth found you and brought you here for it was closest.
“My father took
you from that Elf and gave you to Jelleth who agreed
from then on to raise you as her own child, which she did if I am not
mistaken.”
Anitra remained silent for a few moments while his words
repeated quickly in her head. “It is
common knowledge that my mother was human and my father was an Elf. It’s a shame no one knows why she felt she
had to bring me here.”
“Dark forces
move in quickly, Anitra,” Legolas
told her. “Where you were could have
very well been in danger and your mother saw it best to bring you here amongst
the safety of the Elves.”
Another moment
of silence passed them by before Anitra asked her
next question.
“Who was the
one that brought me here?”
“My father
never told me his name. All I know is
that he resides in Lothlórien.”
During the
dinner, many Elves congratulated Anitra on her
birthday. The entire party was filled
with laughter and delicious foods and Elvish
wine. There was a time when they danced
and a time where they mainly dined, but nonetheless Anitra
enjoyed herself immensely.
The story of
her journey to Mirkwood was forgotten; until, that
is, she met with Jelleth after the party.
“I’m very proud
of you,” Jelleth had started the conversation.
“And I owe it
all to you, Jelleth.”
Anitra sat down on a cushioned stool as she
brushed her long hair. “Jelleth, I must ask you.”
The she-Elf
turned to the younger one with a puzzled look.
“Something is on your mind, I’ve noticed. What has been troubling you?”
Anitra felt terrible that she would even mention something
like this, but heart desired to do this action more than anything at this
moment. “I would like to meet the one
who brought me here. The Elf that talked
to my mother and who had fulfilled her dying wish.”
Jelleth seemed quite concerned at the words she had just
heard. She sat down on Anitra’s bed and looked at the beautiful face of the girl
she raised. “Why do you ask such a thing
now?”
“I’ve waited,
hoping that one day someone would come along and tell me that they were the one
to bring me here. I’m not really sure
why my heart desires this, but I know that this is the only chance to hear
about my mother for no one else would know.”
Silence
overtook the room. Finally Jelleth took Anitra’s hand in her
own. “He lives in Lothlórien,
which I might remind you is a five day journey from here.”
“Please. Let me go.
I will find someone who would go with me.”
“The one you
seek is named Haldir,” King Thranduil
told Anitra, as she was about to depart from the
Woodland Realm with Kardel, who agreed to take her to
the woods of Lothlórien. “I wish you the best of luck.”
“Thank you,
your majesty,” she bowed to him as Legolas came
towards her.
“Good-bye,
Legolas,” she said with a small smile. She gave him a large hug, which he returned
without hesitation.
Anitra said her goodbyes to Jelleth
along with her friends. Mounting the
horse and taking up the reins, Anitra followed Kardel towards the outer walls of the
The journey was
no doubt long and tiresome. Anitra had never been on a horse for so long in her entire
life and she was starting to feel the stress on her legs. Kardel also wasn’t
the easiest person to ride with, however he himself
had lived many years in Lothlórien and was well known
there.
On the fourth
day of the ride, Kardel became very worrisome. It wasn’t normal to come across a sword with
fresh blood on it.
“We must be
very cautious,” he told her continuously.
They rode for
several hours without a single rest. Anitra could feel her stomach begin to growl with hunger
and her head started to hurt. She was
praying that this trip would be worthwhile and this Haldir
is still around.
“Stop…”
Anitra quickly pulled the reins and Kardel
took hold of his bow and an arrow. “What
is it?” She whispered to him.
Her question
was quickly answered. The loud growls of
a dozen Orcs were closing in, and fast.
“Get out of
here!” Kardel yelled at her.
“What about
you?”
“I said
go! Continue the path and you’ll find
the woods—they’re close now!” Kardel pulled the reins
of the horse to the right and used his heels to command the horse to get going
at a high speed.
Anitra didn’t know what to do. She watched the Orcs
coming over the hill and she knew she didn’t stand a chance of defending
herself. The young Elven
girl spoke quickly to her horse in her native tongue and rode to the forest.
She had never
been on a horse that was running so fast.
The wind was blowing her hair wildly and she could feel it tugging at
her dress and scrapping her face. It was
an invigorating moment, indeed.
Almost
there, she thought to herself. She
knew that once she reached the border she would be safe. She could be safe already, but she was too
afraid to look back and possibly see the dark and hideous face of a monster.
Nearly the
moment the horse’s hooves touched the ground that circled the trees it came to
a slow canter. The young she-Elf was
amazed at the beauty of these woods.
Each plant seemed to shimmer a gold and silver
tint from the sunshine that poured down from above. A fresh fragrance filled Anitra’s
nose and she immediately fell under its spell of warmth.
However, during
her moment of tranquility, Anitra didn’t notice a
swarm of Elves surrounded her. They each
wore the same tunics and cloaks and held a beautifully crafted long bow with an
arrow aimed towards her.
The horse came
to a complete stop; nudging its head up and taking a step back at the sudden
movements of the Elves.
Anitra looked around nervously at the Elves, each who
stared her down and waited for her to make a wrong move. But the only movement she made was turning
her head to face forward when another Elf came through the circle of bows.
The Elf was
tall and very handsome, with long silver-blonde hair that hung past his
shoulders and his blue eyes stared at her intensely. He stood up very straight and proud, and his
face seemed stern.
“Speak now, or
suffer the consequences,” he said in a smooth and soft voice, although she was
able to sense that he was very serious.
“What business do you have in these woods?”
Anitra looked at him nervously and was afraid to answer.
The sound of
heavy hooves caught everyone’s attention, except for the Elf that had
spoken. He kept a firm watch on Anitra.
“Forgive the
intrusion,” Kardel said. He seemed to be a little short on
breath. “I told her to continue forward
to the safety of your home.”
“And why do you
ride so close to the borders?” The Elf asked.
“Anitra has come seeking someone from her past who dwells in
these very woods,” Kardel answered nodding his head
towards the girl.
The Elf stared
at her for the longest time before waving his hand to signal the others to
lower their weapons. Anitra
let out a deep and silent sigh.
“I ask you to
dismount your horses. They will be
tended to,” he said and looked at two others that stood next to him. They nodded and took the reins once the
riders’ feet were on the ground.
“Now,” the Elf
started. “Whom do you seek and what is
your reason?”
Anitra felt that if she started to speak words would still
fail her. She was intimidated by this
he-Elf and knew that every move was an act of judgment. Finally, she spoke, “I have come to meet the
one called Haldir.”
The march warden knew of what she wanted before she even spoke
it. The name was what told him who she
was and why she was there.
Turning to Kardel he said, “You will follow me.” Then he took a step forward, his shadow
draping over Anitra.
“I will take you to Haldir.” With that he
turned quickly and continued on foot, Kardel
following them.
Anitra followed the Elf up and over a small hill where they
arrived in a darker place only with the silvery lights that illuminated the
area. He pointed in the direction where Kardel could clean up and rest after his battle, and told Anitra to come with him.
They walked up
several flights of stairs that circled an extremely tall tree and stopped on a
platform that over looked the entire area.
The Elf stood
for a moment in silence only giving Anitra the view
of his quiver full of white-feathered arrows that was strapped to his
back. When he turned, he seemed just as
arrogant as before.
“You seek Haldir for the mere fact that he took you to Mirkwood when Orcs killed your
mother,” he said as his right eyebrow rose slightly.
“You know him
well then,” Anitra spoke quickly with a sound of joy
in her voice.
“That would be
because I am the one you wish to see. I
am Haldir of Lórien.”
Anitra could feel her lips part a small bit and her mind
was reiterating what he had just said.
She could not believe that this Elf was him. Haldir.
“How,” she
started, her mind still swimming with excitement and wonder. “How did you know it was me before I told you
anything?”
“Your name,” he
said not moving from his current spot. “Kardel spoke of it and I immediately knew who you were, for
I was the one who gave you that name. It
was only fitting that someone named Anitra came
looking for me.”
Anitra didn’t know what to say. He was very smart and resourceful, she could
see that already. But there was
something about his body movements that told her to be careful.
“I will have
dinner brought to you and a bed made. It
will be up to my Lady on how long you are welcome here,” he said and started to
go back down the stairs.
“Wait!” Anitra called after him.
He paused and turned half around.
“Why won’t you let me talk to you?”
“There is
nothing to talk about, Anitra. You saw the one who brought you to Mirkwood. What more
do you want from me?” Haldir continued down the
stairs, Anitra following after him.
“But you are
the only one that saw my mother! The
only one that knows the entire story by heart for you were there! Please, I beg of you not to turn me away.”
“I am not
turning you away for you were never here to turn away. Your mother died telling me of you and that
is all. I do not remember her face, nor
do I care to at this moment.”
“Why are you
afraid to talk to me?” Anitra asked before thinking
it over in her head first.
Haldir turned quickly around to meet her face to face. “I am not afraid of anything.” He looked at
her with cold eyes and then turned away once again.
“The Lady
Galadriel will speak with you when she is ready. She will decide when it would be time for you
to return to your home.”
Anitra silently followed Haldir
through more trees and up another hill. When
they came to a clearing, she noticed a large group of trees huddled together,
and that seemed to be their destination.
She once again had to climb flights of winding stairs up to an area
where she was to meet Galadriel.
Anitra had heard of the Lady of Light, but never had the
opportunity to meet such a well-known she-Elf.
It would be an honor indeed.
“You will wait
here,” Haldir commanded and then disappeared up more
stairs.
Anitra was looking around at the beauty that surrounded
her. Although she loved her home in the
Woodland Realm, Lórien was a lovely and magnificent
place to see.
It was some
time before small footsteps were heard descending steps. Anitra turned her
head to see a glimmer of light and then a tall and beautiful Elf walking towards
her.
Lady Galadriel
stood before her with very long golden hair and a remarkable white dress. Her face seemed friendly and very wise.
“Welcome to the
woods of Lothlórien, Anitra
of Mirkwood. Haldir has told me of your coming,” she spoke gently.
“My lady,” Anitra curtsied. “I
know not of what to do now. I came to
see someone and they have decided to ignore my presence.”
Galadriel
smiled. “Do not trouble yourself with Haldir and his ways.
He does mean well.”
“But he does
not care.”
“My child, he
cares more than he lets be known. Haldir is a very secretive person. He will talk to you in time and I’m sure a
strong friendship will blossom before your time here is up. And I do welcome you to stay as long as you would
like.”
“Thank-you,” Anitra said. Then
she thought for a moment. “When will I
have the chance to speak with him again?”
“Haldir is a march warden of the
woods. He and others guard our borders
against any evil that might try to force their way through. All in do time, my child.” Galadriel’s smile
brought comfort to Anitra and she settled with the
answer, although it was not straightforward.
Two days
passed, and Anitra found great pleasure in her
stay. There were many Elves whom she had
become acquainted with. She told the
ones who had never seen Mirkwood and the Woodland
Realm of her home, and they did the same for her. Every night there seemed to be a large dinner
for all who wished to attend, although the two nights that Anitra
ate at these dinners, Haldir was nowhere to be seen.
It wasn’t until
later that she saw him. He happened to
have come up to her while she sat on a marble bench next to a fountain shaped
into the form of a fairy.
“I ask for your
forgiveness on my harshness towards you upon your arrival. I spoke out of line to a lady,” he said still
showing the haughty expression on his face.
“You are
forgiven,” Anitra answered with a small smile looking
up at him from her seat.
“Would you be
interested in a walk before I return to my duty? Then we may talk about what you came for.”
Anitra agreed, but was slightly surprised that he did not
offer a hand to assist her to her feet like most would. It was a few moments before either spoke for
the moment felt a little awkward for both.
“So,” Anitra started, glancing up to him to see that he paid her
no eye contact. “How long have you lived
here?”
Haldir looked at her with amusement.
“Sorry,” she
quickly said. “That was a silly
question.”
“I understand,”
he said with a small smile. “I was born
and raised here.”
They came to a
deserted spot. It was a small courtyard
entered through a stone arch. There was
a small fountain against one of the walls and ivy bombarded almost every inch
of the four walls that surrounded the courtyard.
Anitra stopped walking and turned to Haldir. “Tell me what happened that day?” She said in
a barely noticeable pleading voice.
Haldir sighed and walked a few steps ahead of her and then
faced her. “I and five others were
leaving Mirkwood to return home. We found the bodies of a few Orcs and the people that were your mother’s company.
“One of my
Elves found your mother was still alive.
When I went over to her I tried to get her to speak of the
incident. She would only talk about
getting her child to its father’s home where she’d be safe from danger.
“We found out
that your mother and her people were attacked on their travels. Why they were going to Mirkwood,
no one knows. When we discovered you and
saw that you were of Elven heritage, it was apparent
that the reason they picked Mirkwood as a safe-haven
was because of your father who must have been Elvish. I carried you in my own arms to King Thranduil and from there you were taken in and raised among
the
Anitra had expected almost every word. But now that she knew everything, she didn’t
quite know why she came out here now. It
was in a way worthless. Haldir told her everything he knew; yet she probably
could’ve been able to ask Thranduil to tell her the
story.
There was only
one more thing she could think of to ask him.
“Why did you give me the name you did?”
Haldir was silent for a moment as she studied her. Then he raised his head a little and said,
“It was my own mother’s name.”
Anitra felt honored, but yet she didn’t feel like talking
about this anymore. What must he think
of her?
She took a seat
on a bench that was surrounded by ferns.
“You must think it was really foolish of me to come all this way for
those few words you said.”
Surprisingly, Haldir smiled and joined her on the bench. He didn’t look at her, but rather outward
towards the ground. “I don’t find it
foolish. I have been running from my
past almost my entire life.”
Anitra looked up with curiosity. “Forgive me for intruding on your personal
life, but what do you mean?”
“My father was
killed in battle. It is unclear if it
was from an ax belonging to an Orc or a Dwarf.”
“Dwarf? This must
have been long ago. The Elves have not
spoken to Dwarfs for centuries.”
“Yes, it was
long ago. However, many had told my
mother that he was being too noble and proud for his own good. They had said he went needlessly into a brawl
and it killed him,” Haldir explained. He let out a sigh and looked straight ahead.
“After hearing
such news, my mother was in grief for the rest of her days. She stayed with me until I was old enough to
take care of my brothers and myself, but the thought of all three of her sons
following the footsteps of her dead husband was too much for her to bear. She departed for the Grey Havens the day
after my 418th birthday and I have not heard from her since.
“Even now some
mock me and say that I am too proud for my own good and the older ones that
knew my father say that I will suffer the same fate. I refuse their words, of course, and try very
hard to prove myself to them.”
Anitra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Now she understood what Galadriel was talking
about. “I’m so sorry to hear this. I feel terrible for asking.”
“It is
something I have to live with. I have
learned to deal with it, so it really isn’t a bother anymore.” Haldir stood up and paced for a moment before resting his
eyes on the young maiden before him. He
smiled at her youthful beauty and was glad she came so he could lay his eyes on
something so breathtaking.
“I will admit
something to you,” he said with a small smile.
“I did not want to hand you over to Thranduil
when I brought you to Mirkwood.”
Anitra gave him a questioning look.
“I felt that
I’d be leaving you in a world you were still unfamiliar with, much like my own
mother did. However, the journey from Mirkwood to Lórien is much too
far for a young child like you were. I
had no other choice.”
Anitra stood up and reached her hand to his face and
caressed his cheek. He didn’t move an
inch, but let her do what she wanted.
“Thank you for telling me. Your
secrets are safe with me. And from what
I hear, I think you have become a wonderful person.”
Haldir practically forced himself to not smile and to keep
a dignified expression. He took her hand
in his and swiftly brought it to his lips, laying a gentle kiss on her
fingers. He let her hand slip away as he
moved backwards and then left the courtyard to return to his duties at the
borders.
Anitra looked at her fingers and could feel a sensation
growing in her heart. She knew that she
was starting to grow much more than just fond of Haldir.
“““
The sun rose over the lands much like it
did every day. Lothlórien
was a sight to behold during sunrise.
Morning dew scattered every leaf and it glistened in the rays of the
sun. Birds would chirp or the sweet
voice of an Elf singing was carried through the air to make way for another
day.
Anitra awoke this morning to find that her heart ached from
homesickness. She so wanted to return to
the Woodland Realm to see her friends once more. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Lothlórien. No, it
was more that she loved it so much she feared that she would never return to
her childhood home.
Dressing in an
off-white dress and braiding the top layers of her long hair, she set out for
something to eat.
Upon entering
one of the large dinning halls, Anitra found that Haldir was speaking in their native tongue to Kardel, the one who escorted Anitra
to these woods. She paused
her footsteps so that she may hear what they were saying.
“I did not know
that she would stay here for so long,” Kardel was
saying. “I must return to Mirkwood. There are
evil creatures that my kin are being forced to fight so that our homes may stay
safe.”
“And you
propose to take Anitra with you,” Haldir
responded. “That is her decision to
make.”
“If she wants
to go home with someone to protect her, then she will come with me.”
Anitra let out a small cough as she stepped into the
room. She smiled at both Elves and went
to the table where a large bowl of fruit was centered.
Kardel gave Haldir a look before
descending upon the young she-Elf. “Lady
Anitra, I have been called home by King Thranduil. I leave
within the hour, and I would like to know if you would be at my side on the
journey.”
“I heard your
words you spoke only a few minutes ago,” Anitra said
turning a pear over in her hands. “I
will go only because I would not like to impose on another to do the job of protecting
me.”
“It would be an
honor to escort you back to Mirkwood, milady,” Haldir said stepping up on her other side. “You would not be imposing.”
“I’ll go
today. I do miss my home and friends and
it would be nice to see them again.” She
got up and left the room without further words.
“I hope you’re
happy,” Haldir said and briskly walked away clutching
the sword at his side.
Like stated, Kardel was leaving within that hour. The horses they used to come were ready to
ride when the two Woodland Elves came out.
Haldir led the small group to the horses. Kardel went ahead
and checked his saddle out of habit. Anitra, on the other hand, waited a moment to speak with
the Lórien guardian.
“I will miss
you,” she said a tear streaming her face.
“Do not shed
worthless tears for me, milady. Our
paths will cross again,” the march warden
replied. His thumb reached over to catch
the falling tear.
Anitra took these last few seconds to stand on the tips of
her toes and let her lips meet Haldir’s. He did not jump back, but rather let the kiss
linger for a few moments before he took hold of her shoulders.
“Thank you for
everything, Haldir of Lórien,”
said Anitra and she went towards her horse.
Haldir gave her a small boost into the saddle and handed
her the reins. “I shall lead you to the
edge of the forest.”
With Haldir in front, and a small group of Elves behind, the
horses slowly walked over the soft ground of the forest. The trees were becoming less dense as the
approached the outskirts of the woods.
“This is where
I leave you,” Haldir told them. “Good luck on your journey home.”
Soon the two
horses broke into a gallop and the Lórien Elf watched
with sudden sadness dwelling in his heart.
“We should be
there in four days if we keep this pace,” Kardel said
with joy. He seemed to have wanted to
return more than Anitra when she awoke that
morning.
However, the
young girl was disappointed she did not take Haldir’s
offer. She would much rather see his
back before her than that of one who was indifferent about her company.
But her
thoughts were quickly shattered.
Out of nowhere Kardel fell off his horse as if he deliberately
jumped. And as Anitra
soon found out from the arrow sticking out of his chest, he did not do this on
his own.
A howl in the
distance could be heard and Anitra’s keen sight
picked out a small group of Orcs heading her way with
swords and bows raised in the air.
At first she
wondered why Orcs would be out in the daylight. But it soon occurred to her that storm clouds
had quickly moved overhead and a loud boom of thunder rumbled in the distance.
“Kardel!” Anitra
yelled down, trying to hold her horse steady.
“Kardel! Get up!”
But it was no use. He didn’t move
and she was left alone. Only one word
came to mind as she fought with her horse’s fright: “Help!”
The horse
started to rear slightly as the sound of the Orcs
drew closer and Kardel’s horse galloped away.
Meanwhile in
the forest, Haldir slowly moved back into the trees
with the other Elves. He felt terrible that
he didn’t confess his new feelings to her.
Perhaps she would have stayed.
“Help!”
Stopping
quickly, Haldir listened through the rain. It was unmistakably Anitra’s
cries. “We must turn back!” He ordered
the others as his legs swiftly carried him over logs and rocks and through the
trees. Please don’t let anything
happen to her…he thought.
The Orcs were at her now.
They seemed to be tempting her to run away as they surrounded her
terrified horse. Growls and hisses came
from all of their mouths as the seemed to be laughing at their catch.
But just as one started to advance with a raised sword, he fell
down into the mud. It was a
miracle that an Elven arrow pierced the monster’s
back and more followed.
One of the Orcs slashed at the horse, which reared up uncontrollably
into the air and fell with another blow.
Anitra was thrown off and looked into the
yellow eyes and terribly ugly face of the so seeing victor.
To Anitra’s great delight, however, someone’s sword connected
with the Orc’s arm and it hissed in pain.
“Anitra, hold onto me!” Haldir
commanded as he kneeled down to pick her up.
Just as she was to wrap her arms around his neck, the Orc jumped on the Elf’s back in an attempt to strangle him.
Haldir fought with it for a brief moment, twisting his body
around to loosen the grip that clutched him.
Finally it was thrown off and Haldir slashed
its neck with his sword.
Still holding
the blade in his hand, he retried the rescue and picked the young girl up. He yelled something to the others, which Anitra wasn’t paying attention to; she was too busy crying
in Haldir’s chest as he carried her back to the
forest.
The Elf did not
stop his sprint until they were back at the clearing inside one of the Elven structures atop a tree where it was much warmer and
dry.
Anitra was placed on a bed and Haldir
feel to his knees next to her, although she did not let go of his neck. Both were soaked, their clothes clinging to
their bodies and their breathing was quick and short.
“You’re safe
now,” Haldir’s soft voice rang in her ear. “They cannot get us here. My Elves are taking care of the remainder of
them as we speak.”
“I didn’t see
them! We didn’t stand a chance!” She
cried into his shoulder. “I’ve never
been so scared. I thought I was going to
die.”
“I would not
have let that happen, my love.”
Anitra looked up suddenly with tears pausing at her
eyelids. “What did you say?” She studied his face looking into his blue
eyes and noting the small smile that crept along his mouth.
“I did not want
you to go, Anitra.
I have grown very fond of you—and I couldn’t bare
to see you leave me on such short notice.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Haldir chuckled.
As Anitra brought him back to her for a large hug, her eyes
swept over a gash in his arm. “You’ve
been wounded!”
“It is nothing
that will not heal. I shall live,” he
joked while caressing her face with his hand.
“No, you must
have it looked at—” Anitra’s words were cut short
when his lips seized her own. Forgetting
about the wound completely, Anitra wrapped her wet
arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his drenched hair.
Haldir pulled away and stood up. “You must rest. I will have someone bring you dry
clothes.” He walked away, leaving Anitra feeling loved yet confused at his sudden departures.
“““
Anitra didn’t even
realize how late she had slept until she heard voices outside her door. She sat up and looked out into the day to
discover that the sun was in the south—it was far into the afternoon.
Hastily getting
up she noticed that she was no longer in the soaking wet attire she had been
the previous day. She must have changed
at some point, but did not know it.
The voices caught her attention once more. Opening the door slowly, she saw two Elves
standing at the edge of the talon holding a bow in the hands. They seemed to be talking about nothing
important, but Anitra noticed that Haldir was not amoungst them.
“Excuse me,” Anitra said as she took a few steps closer. They turned to her with a smile.
“Do you feel
better, milady?” the one on the right asked.
He was similar in size and color to Haldir,
but that was often the case of Elves of Lothlórien.
“Yes, thank
you.” Anitra
looked around to see if she had missed the one she sought. “Where is Haldir? I much desire to speak with him.”
“Haldir has gone on a scouting trip for the remainder of the
day. He will not return until well after
night fall,” said the other Elf.
“Oh.” Anitra suddenly remembered about the day before. “Where is Kardel? Is he alright?”
The two Elves
looked at the other and then back to the she-Elf before them. The Elf on the left spoke again as he brought
his hand up to his forehead and then back down to his chest. “Kardel is dead,
milady. He did not survive the battle.”
“Forgive us,
Lady Anitra,” said the one on the right.
Deep down, Anitra had known before she awoke. She saw Kardel fly
off the horse’s back and lay motionless on the ground. “Thank you,” she said and returned to her
room.
Anitra couldn’t help but blame herself for Kardel’s death.
After all, she was the one that wanted to come to Lothlórien
in the first place, and if she weren’t being so selfish, then none of this
would have happened.
Yes. None of this would have come to pass. Meeting Haldir, the
one Elf she was beginning to have deep feelings for, would never had passed her
mind twice if she had just stayed home.
Anitra spent the remainder of the day wondering around the
woods near the clearing she had been brought to by Haldir. So many thoughts polluted her mind at the
moment she didn’t know what to pass and what to think about.
Finally at dusk
she made her way back up the rope ladder and onto the flet
where two different Elves stood. The
others had gone home for the night.
“Is the lady
hungry?” One offered her pointing to some food that was set on a table towards
the side.
“Thank you, yes
I am.” Anitra
was offered to sit down while they took a few things and presented them to her
on a silver plate. She ate quietly by
herself keeping an eye out for Haldir, who was
nowhere in sight.
“How long does
a scouting take?” she asked suddenly breaking the silence.
“Depends on
what they have to look for and where they must go,” said one of the Elves who
did not look up from his plate.
The second, on
the other hand, glanced up to her with a small smile on his face. “You speak of Haldir,”
he stated. “He is due back within the
next few hours. There is no need to
worry, rarely does one come back wounded or further.”
Anitra wasn’t too convinced with his last comment, but she
chose to ignore it nonetheless.
After she ate, Anitra returned to the ground and wondered along a flat
path that led to a small creek. She
found a rock and sat on it while looking at the moon’s reflection in the
water.
She did not
know how long she had been looking when a voice was heard over the steady hoot
of an owl.
“Its not always safe to be out here alone at night.”
Anitra grinned from ear to ear. She stood up and looked at Haldir who stood before her in his usual black and gray
attire. He must have just returned for
his bow was still in his hand and his quiver was still fastened to his back,
along with his sword at his side.
“It is not very
polite to sneak up on a lady, sir,” Anitra told him.
“Nor is it not
polite to stand absentmindedly in front of someone who has been worried about
them all day,” Haldir answered.
Anitra really didn’t know what to say next. She stepped up to him and gave him a hug,
which he graciously returned. His hand
crept up to her chin and held it up to cause her to look at him. Her blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight and
he wanted nothing more than to place kisses all over her beautiful face.
Haldir leaned down cautiously and kissed her gently. To his pleasant surprise, Anitra
leaned up and deepened the kiss holding his head in her hands while he held her
back. Not even the loud flutter of wings
from an owl overhead stopped them, nor did the sudden rustling of leaves when a
gush of wind swept by.
After long
moments of the same passionate kiss, Haldir broke it
as easily as it started. “Come with me,”
he said with a seductive-type smile.
“Where are we
going?” Anitra asked as Haldir
held her hand tightly and led her forward.
“You shall
see!” He said. He started to break into
a steady jog, although he made sure to let her keep up before he ended up
dragging her by the arm. “Almost there!”
They were now
running along the river that flowed through the heart of Lothlórien—the
Abruptly they
stopped next to large rocky hill that seemed to go up very high and the water
here seemed very deep.
“What’s so
important?”
“You shall
see,” Haldir said.
He unfastened the buckle of his quiver-belt and gently placed it on a
rock, then removed his sword and it joined the arrows along with the bow. Next he pulled the cloak off over his head
and let it fall to the ground and finally he removed his boots.
“What in the
world are you doing?” Anitra asked as she watched him
perform this task. “Are you going crazy
on me?”
“I suggest you
take your shoes off,” Haldir suggested. “They don’t feel very comfortable while
walking when they’re wet.”
Anitra looked at him oddly, but was rendered speechless
when he dove head and hands first into the water. She stepped up to the water’s edge and looked
down into the water, but saw nothing.
Haldir’s head poked through the surface and he treaded the
water with his arms and legs. “What’s
the matter?” he said lightheartedly. “Its only water!”
“Only water? Do you not remember what time it is? It must be freezing!”
“You’re not
afraid, are you? Do you think I’d lead
you into something I felt was dangerous?
Or do you have no trust for me whatsoever?”
Anitra smirked and pulled her shoes off and stuck her toe
in the water to test its temperature.
She felt much better to find that it wasn’t ice cold like she had
thought. She waded into the water and
swam next to Haldir who still waited patiently.
“Hold tightly
onto my hand and take a deep breath,” he told her as he extended his hand
beneath the water’s surface.
Anitra easily found it and they went under together, each
taking the deepest breath they could.
The two Elves
swam quickly and gracefully through the water, Haldir
leading the way towards a band of rocks.
At first Anitra though they were going to swim
straight into the solid wall, but the shadows atop were hiding a secret: a hidden cave in the hill of rocks.
Anitra followed Haldir to the
surface and they both quickly gasped for air.
They were now treading water in this cave settled in the river.
“This is so
amazing,” Anitra commented looking at Haldir. However his
sights were on other things. “Look up,”
he told her.
Anitra did so and what she saw was something only to be
seen in dreams. The walls and ceiling of
the cave shimmered with whites, blues, and purples. Each ripple of the water changed the shapes
of the colors and they sparkled even more.
“This is so
beautiful, Haldir!
Its nothing less than miraculous!”
Haldir must have found a rock to stand on because he
effortlessly pulled Anitra into his arms and was no
longer treading the water. She wrapped
her arms around his neck for support and looked deeply into his eyes.
“This is
nothing compared to your beauty,” he whispered. “You are more beautiful than the fairest
of flowers.”
“Its not polite to lie,” Anitra
replied in similar tone.
“Who said I was
lying?” At that moment he kissed her mouth and ran the back of his hand over
her cheek and ear. “I love you.”
It wasn’t long
before the two Elves emerged from the waters of the
“You’ll be cold
as well,” she told him as he did this.
“I have been in
worse conditions in my life, milady. I
shall be fine until I return to my flet.” Haldir slipped his
boots back on and picked up his weapon gear.
Anitra and Haldir walked side by
side until they reached a clearing where a good many of the march
warden Elves lived. It was well past
Anitra agreed to wait for Haldir
as he climbed up into the tree to his living quarters to change into dry
clothes. When he emerged, he carried
something small and white in his hand.
When he held it up it was clear that it was a flower. To be precise, it was niphredil—pale
white flowers that are only found in the Golden Wood.
Haldir tucked the soft flower stem behind Anitra’s right ear and kissed her forehead.
They walked
hand in hand now to Anitra’s guest flet and invited Haldir to come
up with her, (although he waited outside while she changed).
They didn’t
talk very long. Most of the time was
spent sitting on a bench with a high back and arms that was made out of smooth
white branches. Haldir
was used to staying awake throughout the night,
however Anitra had found it very hard indeed.
“Rest your
eyes,” Haldir whispered.
Anitra smiled with a slight yawn. “I’ll fall to sleep if I do.”
“Then sleep,”
he replied bringing her head to rest on his chest.
Anitra couldn’t fight the fatigue any longer. She tried her best to let it take her over
slowly as she listened to the steady beating of Haldir’s
heart and took in the scent of trees on his clothes, but the moment her eyes
closed she had fallen into a deep sleep.
Haldir smiled when he noticed. He gently picked up her hand and placed a
small kiss on her fingers. He too
relaxed his eyes while still holding her hand in his own.
“““