Chapter 2 - Part 2

­­Part 2

I stood on the talan that I was assigned to. I looked down with my bow readily strung and my quiver on my back. I looked down from the platform and saw Haldir climbing up.

He silently pointed to a figure that was just coming into view. It wore a dark cloak and rode a black horse. It reminded me of the Nazgûl that I had heard of in legends.

We jumped from branch to branch until we were on the ground. And then waited for him to come to us. When he was close we surrounded him with arrows in our bows.

`What is your purpose here?' Haldir demanded.

The cloaked man did not reply.

Haidir jumped from the talan and stood by me. `Show yourself.'

The figure leant forwards towards me so I could see his face behind the hood that cast dark shadows. `Lantathae knows who I am.'

Haldir looked at me with raised eyebrows and some questioning surprise on his face. `Well?' he asked impatiently.

`It is all right.' I said and indicated for the elves to lower their loaded bows. `I met him in Rivendel, his name is Daedhel.'

Haldir looked at him with a look that said `What sort of a name is that?'

`May I pass or not?' Asked Daedhel.

Haldir looked at me. `Make it so that he goes straight.' Haldir nodded at me and ordered the rest of the guard back onto the talans.

The horse went at walking pace so that I could stay at its side with ease. `Why are you here?' I asked once I knew that there was no one that could over hear us. `Do you wish to speak to the Lady?' I asked referring to my mother.

`Yes.' He replied simply.

We arrived at the entrance of Calas Galadhon and I left him pointing out where the stables were.

`Will you not come?' He asked, dismounting from his horse.

`I can't go any closer.' I answered him and left.

***

I saw Daedhel the next day. He sat on a fallen log hardly visible but I could see him.

`What do you think of Lorien?' I asked when he saw me.

`I can not say. It has so much beauty to it.' He said looking up at me and then at the rest of the forest. `You seem as much a part of it was the trees themselves.' He stood and stretched.

I stepped back. `You are a woodelf. How dose this compare to other places you have been?'

`All woods are different.' He answered; he looked around to descried Lorien. `This one is full of light, old, tall, gold and silver. There are other places I have been where all the trees cast shadows and have dark leaves, and some are still young and I know that they will be beautiful in years to come, I just hope that I can go back and see it progress.'

`How long do you think you will stay here for?'

`I don't know… some number of years of your mother and father will allow me.'

`If they don't you can be like me.' I joked. `It is a good thing to be able to hide here. Scouting parties come regularly from Moria.'

He grimaced at the name of the mines. `I do not know how they can live in there.'

I had never been to the mines, all I knew was that the dwarves had make then and some still lived there, fighting off hordes of goblin scum and that there was a small part on the edge where Haradrim and Easterlings dwelled.

Daedhel sat back down on the fallen tree. `I also came here to apologise to you… for my rudeness the last time we met.'

`You are forgiven but I do not know what for.' I was confused.

`You wanted to know my name before I was called Daedhel.'

`Yes, but only out of curiosity. I did not think that the name suited you.'

`Everyone else thinks shadow elf suits me.'

`But you were so nice to me, underneath, I know you are good.'

He stood back up and walked over to me. `I think you should know…' He began. `My real name is… Tirndur.'

I smiled at his old name. He came to me and raised his hand and touched my jaw. He ran his thumb across it and held the back of my neck; his hand was soft and warm. I melted into his embrace and looked up at him. He was no longer Daedhel, cold and mysteries, he was just an elf like me who loved the forests of the world and was shunned for it. He placed his lips on mine and we kissed gently. He relaxed his grasp and silently we untangled but I did not go.

We sat in silence on the fallen tree. I rested my head on his shoulder and in such peace I fell asleep.

***

I went to Imladris the second time so that I could take my sister back with me. Haldir would not let me go alone so Tirndur. He was to me like his name, devoted watcher which could also mean grey warmth, both were like him in my eyes. We left early and went the long way to Riverndel; passing through the gap of Rohan I first saw the Rohirim. The horse lords were slightly cold but greeted us and I was in awe of their horse control and their fine beasts. I remembered the style of the saddle that I had found Thinarien in and realised that he had come from Rohan and I could tell by his excitement that he remembered being here. I had thought about leaving him there but even in his home he followed me.

I was sad to leave Rohan but anxious to see my sister and her three children. I could not imagine being their aunt.

When we reached Imaldris I cried tears of happiness with Celebrian. Too many years we had been apart. I met my nephews who were twins, Elladin and Elrohir both sharp shooters and well train warriors. My niece was Arwen who indeed had much beauty. Tirndur was not received coldly but he felt out of place in the family reunion.

We soon left for Lothlorien going the way above the Misty Mountains upon Caladhras. I stood in front so that I could look to see any ambushing parties of goblins through the snow but I could see nothing through the thick snow. I had dismounted from Thinarien so that I would be ready.

I shivered in the cold. And out of the corner of my eye I say a dark shape above disappear behind a rock. I turned around just in time. `It's an attack.' I yelled as loud as I can and I saw the goblins and Haradrim attacking us. I ran o my sister to protect her. She had always been so kind, never full of evil thoughts. I saw her horse throw her off and she hit the ground. I put and arrow in my bow and shot the goblins that surrounded her until they were backing off. I took my sword out. My sister got up but as she stood she was hit by a black arrow.

A rage filled me and I ran to the figure that had shot Celebrian. I saw him, one of the haradrim. He looked at me and raised his bow once again. Through the snow I ran to him. But he had disappeared and I was left with Tirndur and my family. The haradrim and the goblins were gone.

I knelt by my sister and took her to my horse and sat her in front of me. there was very limited things I could do for her and I knew that her husband would be able to heal her. `I am going back to Imladris.' I announced and road off.

It did not take me too long to get there. Half the time it would normally and Thinarien was weary but kept going, sensing my urgency.

The rest of the party came soon after me; they were all as worried as I was. The poison arrow had hit Celebrian close to the heart but Elrond was healing her and she would soon be well again.

***

When she could walk again my sister came to see me first. I was on a balcony looking out at the beauty of Rivendel not letting myself go to the woods I stayed to learn of my new family. Still weak Celebrian sat by me and did not speak.

`Will you leave soon?' she finally asked.

`Not until you are well again, I have sent a messenger to our mother.' I replied.

`I will go.' She sighed.

`No,' I ordered her. `You are still weak, I told the messenger to bid mother and father to come here.'

`I do not mean to Lorien.' She spoke sadly.

`Then where?'

She sighed again. `To where... we can from. I will go across the sea.'

I wanted to say something but I could not.

`My beloved Elrond has saved my flesh from that wound but my heart will not change now. My joy for this land has become lost to me. My path to Valinor will give my soul peace. I see this land now as a grieving autumn that will soon give into the pitiful winter. I know there will come a day when Elrond will meet me their, and I give my children the choice to follow him or stay here.' Tears spilled from her and I embraced her strongly.

I was born in Middle Earth and I could think of no other home, but I had always been tempted by the legends of the Undying Lands, as I once saw the sea, mystirius and welcoming seemingly unending.

`Lantathae, I know your heart. You will not go or if you do it will be so long a time that I will not recognise you. Lant, I give you these last words of advice live in your forest, and always love it so you may not fall into the same despair as me.'

I could not stop crying. The thought of never seeing her again was unthinkable. It would be worse than death to know that she was alive and I could not see her ever again, only if I left Lorien for good. My heart ached and it seemed that all my life was sorrow after sorrow with no thought of happiness.

I said goodbye to my sister for the last time and watched her go standing next to our mother and father. The sea splashed little waves onto the side of the boat as it skimmed through the mist and out of site. I tired to think of the hope that she would be given by going back to her old land but I could only hope that I would never stop loving Middle Earth even with its faults.

***

I found no joy in myself as we passed through the Gap of Rohan and entered Lorien once again. I followed like a sheep into Calas Galadhon with no objection and to my old room, untouched by the years I had spent away except of the thick layer of dust.

I looked through old yellowing books but found myself uninterested until I stumbled across a book of Haradrim history. I felt disgusted by it but still read it.

In dreams I was shot by that man, and lay in the snow as the land about me seemed to twist with shadows until the land was a distorted nightmare.

I went to the armory and saw in a place of hounor was Gil-galad's. I looked up at it for a time and then sharpened my sword.

***

`Lantathae.' Tirndur demanded. `It has been three months, why can you not be happy once.

I looked up at him and sighed. `I know that it is not my fault. But when such things happen to me I can think of no one else to blame.'

`What are you talking about it was that-'

`It was not just then, where you in the Last Alliance?'

He nodded his head.

`I was not because my mother had seen that I would die and so she tricked me to stay and because of that it was not I who died but the High King… Gil-galad.'

Tirndur took a step back horrified.

`I know that to have revenge I must go to the mines. I can see no other way.'

`I will not let you do anything so stupid. Lantathae you go in and you will die.'

`Tirndur, you know of my visions the first one I ever saw was of that man that I saw kill my sister. I must do this or else forever live in this sadness.'

`I love you too much to let you go.'

`I must, and I must do it alone… so do not follow me.' I remembered my second vision of Tirndur in the same dark place being attacked.

I did not take my eyes off him. `Do not follow me.'

He said nothing but held me close to him and kissed me hard. Once again I melted into his arms. I swept hair from his face and closed my eyes savouring our love.

In the woods I loved so much and with the man I loved so much I wanted time to freaze and for this never to stop but my fate that I had put before my lerked like a shadow in front of my, and it would not go away.

We lay on soft ground for hours and I did not leave until he was asleep and I watched him, crying. Then ran through the darkness until I stood before Gil-galad's armour once again. I could not wear all of it as most of it was too big but I could wear items over the armour that had been made for me. I took his spear and went back into the night air. For once Calas Galadhon was empty and I could go unnoticed to take revenge for my sister and Gil-galad.

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