A/N – Get ready for a long chapter… 9 pages in MicroWord… and the longest in the entire story… *grins* Happy New Year!

Chapter Five

***

“She really doesn’t understand that there are more than orcs out there. She’s just so confined to the small ideas presented in the Golden City.”

Rúmil and Orophin exchanged glances. For two days all it seemed Haldir could speak of was the Elven maiden who had healed him. They tried not to draw his attention to it, but it was getting a bit bothersome.

“You know, Haldir,” Orophin said, “it would seem to me that everyone in Caras Galadhon, save for the Lord and Lady, are sheltered. But it would also seem that the only one you speak of is the daughter of Celedaner.”

Rúmil shot his brother a “stop it right now,” look, but Orophin ignored it. “I think you fancy her.”

Haldir turned around and glared at Orophin before the younger elf had a chance to move. “You know nothing.”

“I know you haven’t stopped speaking of her,” Orophin said; despite the look on Haldir’s face warning him not to say another word.

“I am merely worried of what is to come of the Galadhrim if the outside world ever enters. The Lady’s ring of Adamant and Water cannot protect us from evil eyes forever.”

Orophin rolled his eyes. “Nenya hasn’t stopped protecting us yet, has it? Anyway, you do fancy her. If it were really the Galadhrim you were worried about, you would not speak exclusively of Corwyn.”

Haldir’s hand went to his dagger. Rúmil grabbed his arm. “Stop it, the both of you. We needn’t worry about the outside world destroying the Galadhrim, you two will do it all on your own!”

Orophin sighed and looked at the ground embarrassedly. Haldir crossed his arms and glared.

“And if you are worried, Haldir,” Rúmil continued, “why not invite her on one of our watches? Few Elves of Lorien ever get a chance to see the world outside of Caras Galadhon. Nothing will happen except her learning how different the world of orcs, men, and others is, compared to life in the city.”

Haldir thought about this. It didn’t seem like anything could go wrong, and perhaps then his mind would finally be free of her. He didn’t like to admit it, but he knew that Orophin was right on one count; he did talk of Corwyn frequently. But he didn’t fancy her. No, not a chance. “All right,” he replied, “I don’t see a problem with that.”

Orophin shrugged. “Fine with me. And I am sorry about my repartee, brother. Not that I could blame you for fancying her; she was quite charming. And you should have seen her, all the color just drained from her face upon seeing you on the ground, injured.” He pretended to look frightened. “What happened to him!?” he asked in a fake, high voice.

Haldir looked at Rúmil, who held up a hand. Let him be, Haldir.

Haldir gritted his teeth and went on with his watch.

***

Corwyn was humming softly to herself and bustling about in her study, putting all her books back in place. She began to sing a soft Elvish song, one about a warrior, and, as anticipated, her thoughts turned to Haldir. She sighed. It was beginning to get old, all her thoughts of him. Old and crazy. She tried to assure herself that he was only a patient, and she was just being natural to worry about him. She didn’t want to admit the truth, which was that she actually just wanted to see him again. There was something about his standoffish demeanor that attracted her. And the way he had talked about the outside, even if only for a moment, it had made her want to know more.

But she knew she shouldn’t go dreaming about the outside. Caras Galadhon was her home, and the only one she ever desired to have.

She was just about to sit down and read some old story about Melkor when she heard someone coming up the steps. She set the book down and walked over to the entrance of her telain. She reached the doorway at the same time her visitor reached it, and so they both stepped back in surprise.

“Haldir?” she asked, trying very hard to hide her delight.

The elf nodded. He looked down at her, being a good half-foot taller than she, and in the same high-and-mighty voice that she had been hearing in her head for the last two days, said, “Lady Corwyn, I’ve been thinking of something I had said to you on out last meeting.” He paused. “I said that you didn’t understand the outside world, not at all. Well, I was wondering if you might like to have that fact proved. I have watch this evening, and my brothers suggested that we take you along.”

Corwyn grinned. “I’d love to!” she said with a little squeal of happiness, throwing her arms about Haldir’s neck. He took a step backwards in surprise and shifted uncomfortably as she hugged him.

What are you doing, he’s a patient! Only a patient! Corwyn’s mind yelled at her. She immediately released him and backed up, studying the floor in awkwardness. “Well, thanks,” she murmured softly, taking a hand and anxiously putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

Haldir was equally stunned and merely gave her a nod, mumbled the time and place of meeting, and left.

Corwyn shook her head slowly. She was prepared to fight her feelings to ensure that Haldir remained a patient to her, but she the funniest feeling that it might be a battle that would be impossible to win.

***

The Wood right outside the boundary of Caras Galadhon was dark, deep, and mysterious. It was also a bit daunting. Corwyn stood next to the young sprig of a Mallorn that Haldir had instructed her to wait by. Daylight was fading fast, leaving colors bleached in the dusky shades of purple and gray. She shifted around impatiently, a bit worried about perhaps being forgotten about in this dark place, but also with some excitement. She had never been as far away from the city as Haldir and his brothers were taking her tonight.

Finally, dusk gave way to night, and all light faded away. The sky was cloudy and overcast, making it especially hard for Corwyn to see anything. She began to imagine hearing noises, and was about to turn and head back when she heard something behind her. She remembered Haldir’s words and was frightened.

She whirled around, and was suddenly aware that she was weaponless. But there was nothing there. She sighed and shook her head, but managed to set her foot on a loose clod of dirt that rolled away, making her lose her balance.

She waved her arms wildly, trying to stay upright, but knew it was hopeless. She was just about to hit the ground when a pair of strong arms caught her. She looked up into the friendly face of one of Haldir’s brothers, the one whose shoulder wound she had tried to examine. He smiled at her.

“Good evening, Corwyn Anelith,” he said, lifting her back onto her feet.

Corwyn smiled back and curtsied politely. “Good evening,” she looked at him a moment, “I’m sorry, I know your face, but I do not know your name.”

“I am Rúmil of Lorien, Haldir’s older brother.” He motioned to his left, where another elf stood, who gave Corwyn a smile. “That is Orophin, the youngest. Haldir has yet to arrive.”

“Haldir has arrived.” A smooth voice said from inside the forest. “And he has been here even longer than you, Rúmil.” Haldir jumped down softly from a low branch of a tree.

Rúmil smiled and explained something about where they were going to Corwyn, but she was too offended to heed. She could not believe that Haldir had been there, watching her uneasiness! And she could not believe he had not told her of his presence! She offered him a cold look and Rúmil led the way through the forest. He just raised one eyebrow and shrugged, but his motive was clear. I told you the outside was dangerous, and now I’ve proved it, you were frightened before even leaving the city, his eyes said. Corwyn frowned and took a step up to walk next to Rúmil, trying to forget about Haldir.

***

“You certainly are quiet tonight,” Haldir said in a low voice. His practiced eyes were scanning the horizon, not even looking at Corwyn, who sat on an adjacent branch of the large tree Haldir was keeping watch from.

Corwyn glowered at Haldir, but the look went to waste, he was busy watching the plains. She tried to keep her resolve to silence, which she had decided upon when Orophin had insisted they break up into two groups. She had tried to stay with Rúmil, but somehow she had ended up with Haldir. She crossed her arms and turned her head away. The night was turning out very different from how she had expected. She sighed. She couldn’t even see the plains that lay outside Lorien, for the night was black as coal and a thick layer of clouds covered the sky.

Haldir smiled in the darkness. Annoying this maiden was too easy. “Oh come now,” he continued, “your were quite talkative back at your telain. Or am I not an astalder to you anymore?”

Corwyn’s head snapped in Haldir’s direction so violently that he heard the rush of air. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Elven ears are not often deceived.”

Silence. Haldir smiled again, he glanced over at Corwyn. She sat on her branch, her head in her arms, fuming, by the looks of it.

Haldir stood watch silently for hours more; enjoying the fact that Corwyn was irate, when slowly, some time past midnight, light began to filter from the sky. The clouds were slowly moving away, and the starry sky beneath them was beginning to show though. The soft moonlight shone dappled light from its partially covered surface, making the grassy plains outside of Lorien, plains that led all the way to Khazad-Dum, all the way to the Great River Anduin, glow curiously. It was stunning, to say the least. Haldir glanced at Corwyn again, she was still not looking up. He sighed.

“Lady, look, the plains.” He said, watching her. She didn’t move. “Look up.”

Corwyn was trying hard to block out Haldir’s voice, but she did hear look, and plains. It made her curious, but she wasn’t about to respond to his commands. He said something else, and although she didn’t hear the words themselves she did hear his tone, which was irritated. That cheered her up a bit.

She sat for a few minutes more, and would have for longer, if she hadn’t been suddenly aware that there was moonlight shining. This spiked her curiosity, and she found herself peeking a bit through one hand.

As soon as her eyes fell upon the plain, she gasped. Her hand fell away and she sat up, turning to face the picture before her. She didn’t even notice Haldir’s triumphant smirk.

The waves of grasses extended further than she could see, and in the starlight and soft breeze they rippled and swayed as though they were alive. It captivated her. She had never been outside of Caras Galadhon, at any rate not this far out, and everything stretched before her was so different than the woodland she knew.

But something else struck Corwyn as she gazed out and saw, far in the distance, the formidable figure of Khazad-Dum rising into the air. And she knew what it was. Fear. Her eyes did not see anything to be feared, but her heart gave a leap as she looked at the mountain, and whenever she turned her head east, dread filled her.

“What is out there?” she asked, forgetting Haldir was near her. “What could possibly be out there?”

Haldir looked at her, but, as he had been moments ago, she was now focused fully on the picture before her. “Do you really want to know?” he asked.

Corwyn jumped a bit in surprise upon hearing his voice, but turned to face him. She looked at his face searchingly, and must have found something she trusted, for she gave a serious answer. “No… and yes. I do not wish to know what is there, there in the east, but I also must. I must.”

Haldir nodded and gathered his words. “The outside holds horrors that only our books now tell of. Balrogs,” from the corner of his eye he saw Corwyn recoil at the word, “Nazgul,” she wrapped her arms about herself and her green eyes flew involuntarily to the sky. But then her head turned to him. Her eyes flickered and she again searched his face.

“Nazgul,” she repeated in a whisper, “But Nazgul are ring-hunters, or properly, One Ring hunters. They only go after the Ring of Power, finding it for… Sauron.” She looked at him questioningly. “They cannot be out, they are kept in Mordor.”

Haldir turned his head and made eye contact with Corwyn. He squinted his eyes and this time he was the one searching her for something. He then turned his head away. “I would not tell you this if I did not know that you are a knowledge-keeper. The Lady would have you learning it soon, in any case.”

“Learning what?” Corwyn asked, not really wanting to know.

Haldir gazed out into the distance. “The Nazgul, they are out of Mordor.” He said. Corwyn gasped. “They crossed the River Isen on Midsummer’s Eve. Where they are headed is hidden even from the Lady and her Mirror. But they are traveling to wherever it is they are going at a swift pace. They are after the Ring of Power.” He looked at Corwyn to see how she handled this.

Her face looked oddly pale in the moonlight, her freckles standing out. “Then the Ring has been found? By whom?”

Haldir looked to the west, his eyes inquisitive. “That is not known to me, though it might be by our Lady and Lord. But they are not overly concerned for Lorien at this time, and so you must not be, either.”

“They are not on their flying monsters, are they?” Corwyn asked, her eyes again lifting to the sky.

“No,” Haldir replied. “They travel across Middle-earth as riders shrouded in black, mounted upon black steeds.”

If the topic at hand had been lighter, Haldir would almost have been amused at how Corwyn’s eyes turned so quickly from the sky to the ground upon hearing that the Nazgul were traveling on horseback. But it wasn’t a good time to laugh, and Haldir was aware of his own unease. He found himself looking down along with Corwyn. They both jumped, and Corwyn even let out a tiny scream, when a figure appeared below them, mounted on a horse. Haldir whipped out an arrow in surprise, but let it drop harmlessly when his eyes focused on the face of the rider. Orophin.

“Almost time for day watch to take over, Haldir,” his brother called, looking up into the tree. “The Lady sent us mounts, saying she didn’t want us traveling on our still injured bodies.” He grinned, “That’s the most counterfeit excuse I’ve ever heard, but I suppose I’ll count it to the luck of Earendil.” He smiled, patted his horse on the neck, and spoke softly to it. “Your mount is arriving, though there is only one. I’ll see you back at the city, eh?”

Haldir nodded, and Orophin and his mount cantered away. As soon as they had left, a new horse this time riderless trotted up and halted below the tree. It tossed its black mane, and pawed at the ground, then looking up into the tree and snorting. Haldir descended into relief as he climbed down from his perch. He had actually thought for a moment that there had been a Black Rider beneath him. Being a marchwarden makes the best of us paranoid, he thought to himself.

As he leapt from a low branch to the ground, and looked up to motion for Corwyn to come down, he got a clear vision of Lady Galadriel, and she smiled at him. He blinked and then it was gone, but he was left with the feeling that the Lady had sent the horses for more than helping her marchwardens with their now non-existent injuries.

***

Corwyn sat on the last branch of the tree and leapt neatly down. She walked over the horse’s nose, and put a hand on it while she examined him. He was pretty, but decidedly unremarkable. He was a plain bay, with no markings to speak of. He wasn’t particularly tall, she guessed perhaps fifteen hands, or grand. He was of good conformation, disposition, and looked to be of very good breeding, so Corwyn felt a bit sorry for him. Here he was, a steed of the herd of Lorien, perhaps even sired by the Lord’s stallion, and he had been born unadorned and unexceptional. She gazed into the horse’s dark eyes, and was lost in thought when Haldir disturbed her.

He let out a sharp, short whistle, making her look up. He was sitting on the horse’s bare back, and held out a hand for her to mount up behind him.

“The Lady only sent one,” he muttered, his eyes back to their cold selves.

Corwyn sighed, patted the horse one more time, and then placed her hand in Haldir’s. She was totally unprepared for the strength of him when he pulled her up onto the broad back of the horse, and almost fell off the other side. After a moment of straightening out her dress, she nodded, and Haldir whispered to the horse.

The little bay picked up a smooth, long-strided trot, but did so with such momentum that Corwyn found herself grabbing at Haldir’s waist and holding on tightly. He didn’t seem to notice. He merely bumped the horse’s side with his left leg, and it moved just as quickly into a flowing canter. After a moment of getting used to the bay’s movement, Corwyn began to relax. The forest around her was beginning to acquire the dark grays of dawn’s first light, and everything seemed to flow past her. She didn’t even mind having to hold onto Haldir’s waist.

***

Haldir guided the little horse beneath him with his legs, helping it weave in and out of trees and paths like a little brook. He found it hard to believe it was morning already, but figured he had been too busy musing with Corwyn about the Nazgul to notice time. He squinted his eyes. The Nazgul, he had almost forgotten about them. He hoped that whoever had the Ring of Power would leave their home and find safety, and quickly... if there was any safety to be had. Sauron’s ringwraiths were not ones to trifle about with their task.

For a moment he envisioned the wraiths sitting around Barad-Dur, sipping ale and discussing their plans for the day. Sauron walked in and clapped his hands for attention, telling his fallen kings to remember to collect food items to be distributed to the poorer orcs, bring an item for show-and-tell on Tuesday, and to try to find the Ring in their spare time, but be gentle with the bearer, the poor dear. Oh yes, and don’t forget that Nazgul #3 is the line leader today, and Nazgul #7 is Sauron’s Special Helper.

He shook his head. No, the wraiths were about for one purpose: find the Ring, kill the bearer.

These dark thoughts filled his mind until the little bay horse commanded his attention by stumbling over a loose rock. It quickly regained its feet, and tossed its head afterwards in an “I didn’t do that” gesture, but Corwyn lost her balance. Haldir shifted his weight and put one hand back to help steady her, and the horse shifted his balance to stay beneath his riders.

By using his other arm, which was safely anchored in the long black mane of the horse, Haldir almost managed to heft both himself and Corwyn back into a safe position. Almost. But he had caught her too late; her balance was already too far gone for any amount of strength to stop her. With a little “oh!” of surprise, she tumbled off the horse and onto the ground.

Haldir didn’t even have to tell the little horse to turn around. As soon as one of his passengers was off, the bay shifted his weight to his haunches and did a quick turn to head back to where Corwyn lay. He slid to a halt next to her, and Haldir jumped off.

Corwyn had been lying on the ground stunned for a second, but as soon as she saw the horse halt, she slowly lifted herself from the ground. Haldir stepped over to her.

“Are you all right?” he asked, not sounding overly concerned, but his blue eyes questioning.

Corwyn nodded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Nothing more than my pride,” she muttered. “I suppose we should get back on?”

Haldir nodded and swung onto the horse’s back once more. He guided it to her and put a hand out. This time Corwyn did not almost fall over the other side.

The little horse seemed to take extra care after that, and the rest of the trip back was smooth.

“What a night,” Haldir said to himself, but his voice carried back on the wind to Corwyn.

“Yeah, marvelous,” she murmured, laying her head against his back, resting and regaining her breath.

And Haldir was a bit amazed that he didn’t object to it at all.

***

Corwyn awoke in the late afternoon. She sat up, surprised to find herself in her own bed. With a stretch, she rose, wondering if the whole night had been a dream, and walked over to a piece of parchment tucked into the side of her mirror that fluttered in the breeze.

Corwyn set the note down with a laugh. Orophin certainly had a brash, say-anything sense of humor, which she supposed was good, seeing as Haldir seemed to have none to speak of.

She sighed at the voice in her head. The answer was simple: she had no idea.

She didn’t even notice that she was no longer struggling with herself against admitting that she was falling for Haldir. Head-over-heels. She wondered briefly if he felt the same way, before her thoughts turned to something else, namely getting something to eat.

***

Haldir removed his quiver from his back, and set it, arrows clacking against each other, on the small table before him. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and trooped up to his room in the small telain he and his brothers shared.

He was fighting a battle on the inside, to love or not to love? He was finding that that was the question. He could remember the look in Orophin’s eyes when he had made the younger take Corwyn back to her telain. He remembered seeing it when Orophin had looked at Rúmil, and the look was one of And I thought we almost had him. And Rúmil’s reply had been clear, as well, Forget it, Orophin. This is Haldir you’re talking about.

Haldir sighed. Why was this so hard for him? He sat down in a chair in his room and stared out the window. He could feel two parts of him, the larger, cold part and the diminutive, but powerful, gentle one, battling it out. He had had a feeling, ever since first seeing Corwyn, that his larger part would at some time begin waving a white flag. He just hadn’t thought it would be so soon.

***

A/N – Just a quick thing. I realize that the whole Nazgul show-and-tell thing might be worded a bit to modernly, but I was on a sugar high when I wrote it, and it was so cute I couldn’t help but to keep it in… ^_^