Tumgik
#haldir fanfiction
kat651 · 2 months
Text
elves having sensitive ears (pt 2)
Tumblr media
Celeborn:
he slumped into a seat and ran his fingers through his long white hair, pushing it out of his face as he let out a long sigh and looked down at the document in his hands, scanning the content.
Celeborn pushed his hair from his face again and it fell and he sighed, clearly he’d had a long day.
his hair continued to fall in his face, agitating him more and more. You chucked and walked over, pulling his hair out of his face before becoming mesmerized by the softness.
Celeborn glanced at you before looking back at the document. You smiled and tucked his hair behind his ear, causing him to drop the document and grab your wrists gently.
“y/n, the ears of and elf are far more sensitive than you could ever imagine…”
your face heated up. “I’m sorry!”
Celeborn gave you a soft smile. “I never said I didn’t like it…”
Tumblr media
Haldir:
you came up behind him as he was sharpening his sword, this was the only time you could ever catch him off his guard.
you pulled the hair from his face and placed a kiss on his cheek.
you watched his lips go into an o shape before he fixed his composure. “I assume your prepared for war then?”
“war? Why are you always so seriou-” next thing you knew you where in his lap, his lips on yours and sword long forgotten.
“if anyone sees me like this, I’ll never live it down…” he mumbled as he fell onto his back in the soft grass, tour lips still on his.
your arms went around his neck, getting lost on his hair. Your lips left his and blazed a trail up his jaw until you reached his pointed ear, nipping at it playfully. he grabbed the back of your shirt in two fistfuls and let out a whine that he tried to suppress.
you knew instantly that you’d found his weak spot and planed on using it against him when needed.
pt one here
193 notes · View notes
gloomwitchwrites · 2 months
Text
Gentle Dark
Haldir x Female Reader
Content & Warnings: romantic tension, yearning, passionate kissing, fade to black, admission of feelings, fluff, light angst
Word Count: 1.3k
On a patrol together, Haldir confronts you about your feelings for him even though you’re promised to another.
A/N: For @childofyuggoth
ao3 // taglist // main masterlist
Tumblr media
The stars twinkle through the gnarled canopy. White. Bright. Bathing the forest floor with iridescent light. You close your eyes and inhale deeply, savoring the scents of the forest around you. Caras Galadhon dwells behind you, sleeping and silent in the peaceful dark.
You are attuned to every sound in the deep wood, and as you filter through it all, you find nothing out of place or suspicious. But the disturbance of the wood is not of your immediate concern. There are greater trials and closer bodies that seek your attention other than the animals that softly move through the underbrush.
Haldir of Lórien is a beacon in the dark. You sense him before you see him, standing just shy of your right shoulder.
“The night is quiet,” he whispers.
You open your eyes, turn to face him. “It is indeed.”
Haldir’s gaze casually drops to your lips and then back to your eyes. A gentle heat radiates up your body to encompass you in its embrace. You have little control over your body’s reaction to him.
The answering of your flesh when he is in your presence is unfair. It is a cruel joke. You are promised to another, but not one of your choosing. If you had a choice, you would pick Haldir.
Always.
But that is not to be. That is not the path set out before you.
Him standing here next to you, alone in the gentle dark, is agony. The heat of him is so near, so alive that it sends your senses tingling with anticipation. The clashing beat within you is a deafening drum.
Can Haldir hear the racing of your heart? Can he sense your need and your aching tremble?
You hope he can’t, but you also silently hope that he does. What would he do then?
Haldir’s gaze finally leaves you to glance out into the wood. “We should begin the patrol.”
“Of course,” you murmur, inclining your head, allowing Haldir to take the lead.
He returns his gaze to you briefly before taking a step forward to walk between two trees. You follow him at a short distance, watching the distance, keeping a constant pivot. The two of you walk in relative silence, moving like phantoms amongst the towering trees.
At a small clearing, Haldir pauses. You cozy up beside him, a question starting to form on your lips.
“Do you remember this place?” he asks softly, gaze fixated at the center of the clearing. A sharp beam of moonlight illuminates the ground. The flowers glow under its lunar light.
You do know this place. On one of your many patrols with Haldir, he confessed his love in this very clearing. He held your hands in his, kissed your knuckles and each of your fingers. He whispered in a longing of gentle song that soothed your nerves and calmed your soul. In that moment, you didn’t want anyone else, you only wished for him.
But how things change.
“It is etched upon my heart,” you answer truthfully.
Haldir’s silver hair shines like starlight. “I’d like to stay here. My memories of this place are happy ones.”
The two of you have come to this clearing on multiple occasions. It is no coincidence that Haldir’s patrol includes you. He selects you on purpose, and you go with him willingly because you desire the closeness. It will not last forever, not when you’re promised to another.
“We can only linger here for so long,” you remind him.
Haldir sighs heavily, and turns to face you. He has always been stoic. Calm. Even in your presence, even when he whispered gentle words of love to you, Haldir never appeared…desperate.
The look on his face now is anything but calm. It is intense—a billowing storm tightly contained.
“Stop looking at me like that,” you murmur, startled by the sudden change.
Haldir’s gaze goes to your lips, lingers, and then flicks up to your eyes. “Why do you deny yourself what you want?” he asks.
You swallow and tuck your clenched fist behind your back. Haldir’s directness is too much. He knows that this is not of your own choosing.
“You cannot ask this of me,” you answer, hating yourself for sounding so weak.
Haldir entirely shifts his body in your direction. Taking a step forward, he moves into your space. Your back bumps up against the tree next to you. Haldir places his hand against the trunk next to your head.
You are trapped, but by all the stars in the night sky, you do not care.
His scent is woodsy and clean. You lean in a bit, inhaling, attempting to remember his smell since this might be your last opportunity to do so.
“You stay loyal to him.” Haldir bends at the elbow, pressing in. “And yet you know that he lusts after another.” The center of his brow furrows slightly. “Why not be with someone who will always worship you?”
Him. Him, meaning, your betrothed. The one you’re supposed to be with in the end. The selection made for you. This is an expectation placed upon you.
And Haldir is right. He does not love you. While you intend to be loyal in your upcoming marriage, you also know his heart will yearn for another. But you also yearn for someone else, and Haldir is standing right here, questioning all of this, wanting to know why you won’t pick him.
“Sometimes duty comes before happiness,” you reply softly, gaze cast downward.
“Does it?” he counters quickly.
You keep your face turned toward the ground. Stare at your feet.
The two of you have lain in this clearing, limbs draped over and around each other. There has always been closeness between the two of you. There has always been touching, skin pressed to skin, lips brushing but never fully meeting. Yet, the two of you have never completed the act itself.
That is binding. That is forever.
But you see it in Haldir’s eyes now as you sneak a peek of him. That desperate hunger. The desire to be with one person for the end of your days. It is an arrow through the heart, piercing and sharp and stinging.
You wish to satiated it, to admit to what you want most in this world. Because it is him. It is Haldir that you crave more than anyone else.
“I would be breaking my oath,” you reply softly, finally having the courage to look at him directly.
“Would you?” he asks. “You have made no vow. You have created no bond. The choice is yours. Utterly.” He gestures at himself with his free hand. “And I am right here.”
With a shaking hand, you reach up to cradle his cheek. Haldir turns into your touch, sighing gently, and that snaps your resolve, dissolves it like the winter snows melting in the sun. Haldir must sense the change, because the two of you meet, lips finally joining in what they’ve been longing for.
He tastes perfect. Wonderful. A match made for the ages.
Haldir’s hand upon the tree departs, leaving the bark to encircle your waist, to draw your body against his. You do not resist. You surrender to him, opening like a flower, wanting nothing more than to forget all your fears and sorrows in this little clearing.
The night is long, but it is not forever. For now, the two of you can have this.
Haldir drags you even closer, pressing you firmly against him as he learns the contours of your lips. His hands discover the planes of your body, and yet it’s not enough for him. Haldir is charged like lightening across the sky.
The two of you have been denying these mutual feelings for far too long.
This is a tremor. Earth-shaking. A star bursting into dust.
Haldir guides you to the center of the clearing, easily removing his cloak with one hand. He breaks away a moment to lay it down on the dewy grass, reaching for you the moment it fans out to hold the two of you.
You sink down with him, buckles and straps, and armor disappearing as you go.
It is everything.
It is nothing.
It is all you need in the gentle dark.
taglist:
@foxxy-126 @glassgulls @km-ffluv @firelightinferno @glitterypirateduck @tiredmetalenthusiast @protosslady @childofyuggoth @coffeecaketornado @berarenado @therealbloom @ninman82 @thewulf @ferns-fics @beebeechaos
170 notes · View notes
glassgulls · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Sweet Conversations
Fandom: Lord Of The Rings Return of the King
Pairing: Haldir x fem!reader
Warnings: Mutual pining, lots of kissing some not very innocent. Nothing explicit but please be advised this spicier than general audience.
Summary: A chance conversation leads to a simple game with the sweetest of prizes.
Comments: This was inspired by this prompt list "let me teach you what a real kiss is". The thought of Haldir saying that to me seems to have short circuited my brain as this was supposed to be a drabble but ran away from me, hopefully not to the detriment of the piece. I also would very much like to be chased down by Haldir. I have no chill.
Word count: 5, 359
Your eyes were fluttered closed as thumbs smoothed over your cheek bones. The strong hands that are cupping your face so tenderly tilt it up slightly. Your parted lips are trembling as the whisper of breath fans over your face. 
You feel the shift of the body in front of you as they press closer, a nose nuzzles against your cheek and you whimper softly as chapped lips brush the corner of your own.
“Haldir.” You plead softly, your hands reach up and curl your fingers into his tunic, breath catching in anticipation of his touch. 
His voice was a low purr as he speaks your name, making you quiver. He has barely touched you but your heart is thundering in your chest you're sure Haldir's sharp ears can hear it. 
Your fingers grip his clothing, holding on to try to ground you in the moment. His lips trailed up to press softly against your temple.
His name tumbles from your lips like a plea, a prayer. Let him have mercy on you and finally kiss you like he had promised.
"Let me teach you what a real kiss is." The Marchwarden had stated earlier. Moving slowly closer into your personal space. The apex predator closing in on his cornered prey. 
His steps had been slow and cautious, always giving you time to refuse but you hadn't. You had taken a step back so your back was flush with one of the decorated columns in this secluded vista. Back arching slightly to bend your body towards him. Welcoming his approach, encouraging him closer, a luring siren. No one would pass by at this time of evening. It was why you had run here, leading Haldir on a merry chase so you two could finally be alone. 
Your heart had been full of courage then, all breathy laughs and gasps as you had weaved around the various areas of Lórien. Turning every now and then to make sure he was still there and thrilled to see the glimpse of him moving with an unhurried pace behind. But always within sight, once or twice within grasp but had not reached out. You knew he just wanted you to know that he could finish this in a moment. It was sheer indulgence on his part or perhaps he was just looking to see you finally tired out and close in with ease. 
You had giggled and squealed as you turned a corner to see him already there leaning on a wall with a ghost of a smile and had danced away to change direction. You knew your destination, you were positive that Haldir also knew but was corralling you along more quieter routes, neither of you wanted anyone disturbing your game.
You had paused at a small ornamental garden with a delicate fountain in the centre with flowers of heady scents planted in a careful pattern around the area. The beautiful statue holding a vase that was pouring gurgling waters in the centre shone in the early moonlight. Swiftly hiding behind the fountain you placed a hand on your chest to catch your breath, your heart beating frantically under your touch and you let your eyes flutter closed for a second to try to calm its frantic pace and listen for any approaching noise. 
Silence.
Opening your eyes you had caught the full moon gloriously starting its climb across the night sky. It’s silver visage reminding you of the blue eyes of your pursuer. A sharp blue under the sun but at night a brilliant flash of quicksilver whenever your gazes met. 
You had bitten your lip at the flash of memory as Haldir had openly stared at you at the party earlier in honour of you and companions. The flush of alcohol in your system had made you more playful than usual as you had joined in on the teasing chatter of your companions. 
“Who was your best kiss?” 
It had made you frown and dip your head down as the others had whispered the lurid details of the treasured moments. But when it had been your turn you had only sighed in melancholy. 
“I’ve never-” You had started and then Pippin had jumped in spluttering his drink everywhere.
“You’ve never been kissed?!” His shrill tone making people turn towards your group.
“No, of course I have!” You shouted a little too loudly and dropped your voice low again in a conspiratorial whisper. “They’ve just been nothing to write home about.” You shrugged and your gaze had flicked up to see a certain elf watching your group, watching you with a look that had made you suck on your lower lip and heat rush to your face. 
You recognised him of course, Haldir the Marchwarden of Lorien. He who had escorted you and your group through the forest now dressed tonight in a more casual tunic and leggings of grey and green. Haldir who had approached you later to ask your name and gave you a tour of the main part of the beautiful Elven city. Haldir that you now had nightly dreams about driving him quite mad with desire and shaking his famous composure.
Haldir who had clearly heard the drunken conversation and was pinning you where you stood with his blue eyes. Perhaps you were not the only one who was dreaming of less than innocent thoughts. 
You had excused yourself to get another drink and while at the serving table you had felt a presence at your elbow. You knew who it would be immediately. After all, being in your every waking and dreaming thought had made you hyper away of him.
“Marchwarden.” You spoke and let your gaze flick to him. He had already grabbed the bottle you were reaching for and offering to pour you a drink. His voice was calm and quiet as he spoke your name. Placing the bottle back down again you took a small sip and let your eyelashes flutter up at him, noticing the way his jaw clenched at the action.
“I couldn't help overhear your conversation from before.” He spoke with such a blase tone you had a hard time reconciling it with the way his fingers tightened around the bottle, knuckles going white when you had let your tongue peek out to chase the wine on your lips.
“Did you wish to contribute to the conversation?” You had asked in a careful tone and moved closer to him. Purposely brushing against his arm to reach for a plate of strawberries and smiling in relief at the way his body shivered at the contact. 
"Not with the rest of your companions, no.” He stated simply in a low tone that seemed to suggest a hint of collusion. An air of secrecy between you and him. The implications of that made you hum in excited satisfaction and gaze up at him. Girlish fancy bubbling up in you at the prospect that you and the handsome ellon would share something together. You finish the wine in your glass and delicately place it down.
Biting into the strawberry you couldn't help the sigh of content at its sweet taste and looked to the side as if deep in thought.
“Then perhaps it is something you would like to converse about somewhere more quiet?” You felt the low rumble of agreement rather than with your ear, it makes you wonder if he takes it for granted that you don’t have the sharp hearing of him and his kin.
“If that would please you, my lady.” He says, looking over the party with an aching parody of drollness that it makes you giggle under your breath. 
The ellon takes a strawberry also and lets his gaze flick back to you while taking a small bite from it. There’s a sizzle of tension between you both, hot and heavy like before a thunderstorm. Feeling the brave courage of the wine in your veins you scan the room to make sure there was no audience to you and Haldir's little game. 
Seeing no spectators you arched an eyebrow and plucked the strawberry from his hand and let it tap at your bottom lip a second before sinking your teeth into it and letting the juice almost fall from your lips. Haldir had watched you with rapt attention the whole time, made you revel in the dark cast of his brilliant blue eyes. Pupils swallowing the iris till they drowned the blue.
“Very well, I’m going outside to take some air.” You announced to him, your voice thick with desire before brushing past him. A trail of fingertips against his hand still by his side you had walked over to your friends and told them you were going to retire to your rooms and sauntered out fully aware you were being watched.
Outside you had taken a deep breath and tried to cool the blistering heat of want that sat under your skin. The drink, you imagine, was not the wisest choice to do while this clearly besotted with a near stranger.
Walking to the little railing that overlooked the city below you stopped, resting your hands on it. The sound of a footstep approached from behind made you smile and you resisted the urge to turn to them as they stood a hair's breadth away.
“Marchwarden.” You said again and risked a glance at him. He was staring below with a tint to his cheeks that you assumed was from the heat of the party inside.
“Haldir,” He corrected softly, then ducked his head down a moment and gave a small cough. “While we’re alone you may call me by my name.” Haldir paused. "If you should desire." He gave the correction as if he wasn't completely convinced of your intentions.
"I greatly desire that Haldir.” You breathed and gave a thrilled grin. The ellon beside you tightened his grip on the railing when you had spoken his name so you tried it again. Letting it draw from your lips slowly and deliciously, tasting it on your tongue. 
“You wished to discuss something with me, my lady?” Haldir spoke through gritted teeth. You tutted and tilted your head at him.
“You should call me by my name also Haldir like we are friends.” You chided him and watched as his knuckles went white gripping the railing.
“You wish, we should be friends?” He muttered quietly and you dropped the teasing smile from your face.
“No.” You confessed with the groan of yearning you had harboured for the ellon who stood next to you.
“Good,” He whispered with what seemed like a relieved exhale. You let your hand move closer to his own on the railing, just a soft brush of the tips of your fingertips had him shuddering. “You are playing a dangerous game.” Haldir let out with a soft growl like distant thunder. The rumble made you shiver and your toes curled at the forbidden images it stirred in you. 
“If it’s a game you want to play I shall oblige you Haldir,” You had teased softly letting the evening breeze carry your voice away. 
Pulling away from the railing Haldir had followed the movement with a puzzled expression. Standing there with your hands clasped behind your back you felt the breeze flutter the skirt of your dress as you looked at the ellon with liquid courage in your belly.
“We can continue our conversation after.” You finished and attempted a coy smile but it shrank when he stood and loomed over you. A hot flame of unbridled lust hit you, licked up your spine at the sheer presence Haldir had. 
“And what is the game?” Haldir asked, tilting his head and with a curious voice.
"We can continue once you catch me." You breathed rising up and down slightly on your tiptoes. Haldir's stance changed, the curious puzzlement shifted into a coiled hunch. His head tilted again and it made you think of the large beasts in the forest. Eyes quick and teeth sharp ready to chase down and strike. 
You ran your tongue over one of your canine teeth. A show of bravado, a taste of your intent, a glimpse who you really were. You were no child to tease and run. You were a woman who knew what she wanted and more than capable of biting back. 
Haldir stands completely still and poised, awaiting the rules of the game. The only glimpse of emotion was that the ellon  swallowed hard at your action, his adam's apple bobbing.
"What prize do I win when I catch you?" Haldir asked and you know your own eyes are mirroring his own dilated with desire.
"Perhaps you shall be able to give me the kiss I shall always think of." You responded sweetly and his lips curled for a split second.
"I accept," He stated calmly without hesitation. "I will teach you what a real kiss is." He promised.
You can't help the rush of excitement, the arousal his gaze ignites in you as he takes one step forward. 
Taking one step back you had bitten your lip to stop the gasping giggle of nerves in your chest. He was still staring, unblinking, muscles clearly bunched and coiled even under the loose tunic. Broad shoulders rolled with anticipation and, Eru, that made you feverish with want. 
"Will you grant me a head start Marchwarden?" You ask breathely and Haldir's unwavering stare slowly blinks. Like he's engrained the sight of you behind his eyes. He gave a soft hum of acknowledgement and nod of his head.
Then with a slight curtsy and cocky grin you turned on your heel and sprinted into the evening.
That was how you had ended up hiding behind the fountain. Your anticipation of his promised kiss made you almost falter in your steps so he would finally catch you. But you would play this game, race to the finish line and win your prize. 
A light step stirred from behind and you held your breath. You had taken a peek from your hiding spot and gasped when long strong fingers were curled on the corner of the fountain behind you. The index finger tapped twice before sliding to hide again. You failed to hold back a giggle escaping you and strained your ears to pinpoint his next move. Your heartbeat thundered in your chest, fingers gripped your skirts in readiness to bolt again. 
A flash of blond hair from your right and you fled yelping and laughing. Reaching the other side of the garden you turn and see Haldir where you had been hiding, his hand on the spot where your body had been seeming to memorise the warmth your body had been. He looked up to see you there and there's a look of such longing that it knocked the breath from you. The urge to run to him filled your bones, thrummed in your veins, choking off your breath.
Instead you had given him a smile, brimming with your own yearning, your desperate need. There had been a long moment when you both stood there trying to convey to one another your heart's desire.
After a heartbeat Haldir stood straight again and smirked, alerting you immediately. Maintaining eye contact he made a deliberate step forward. Tensing up you gave another squeak of excitement and bounded off into the dark. 
Running, the night air whipped around you as you weaved through the familiar paths. Your feet made light work as you neared the end goal, your final destination.
Moonlight suddenly enveloped you as you reached the end goal. You had seen this remote spot in an earlier visit with your handsome tour guide. A small garden with columns surrounding a bench with sweet scented roses. 
Stopping in the garden close to one of the columns you spun around, your dress swirling at your waist. Behind in the dark of the pathway you caught a glimpse of silver hair, raising a hand to your chest you try to calm your chittering nerves.
Slowly, step by step Haldir crept into the garden. You were clearly reminded of who he is, what he is, Marchwarden and guardian of this place. Lifetimes trained to defend, a sentinel of silent deadliness. A hunter who now had his eyes trained on you. 
You fail to suppress the shudder that goes through you, goosebumps rippling across your skin as you finally make eye contact with him. Shadows gave way, falling from him, as Haldir was finally fully bathed in moonlight. 
He approached slowly, seeming to sense the excitement in you. Whether the ellon wanted to make certain you were still sure of your earlier intent or perhaps it was in his nature as a hunter to approach his prey with caution? A cornered animal is at its most dangerous then after all.
So with that you lifted your chin up and taken another step back to feel the reassuring presence of the stone column behind you. Your eyes never strayed from the ellon coming towards you, the thundering in your chest is now not because of the chase. Haldir tilted his head again and paused.
"You give up?" He asked, curious and almost disappointed that you had stopped.
"We will be alone here, yes?" You counter and Haldir nods, blinking slowly.
"No one visits here at this time." He confirms and you relaxed against the column.
"Good," Your voice was barely a whisper as you threw him a reassuring smile. "No one to interrupt our discussion." You finished grinning at him.
Haldir hovered a little closer and gave a little laugh.
"You are very different." He said and moved into your personal space. Tilting your head back to keep his gaze you pouted a little.
"Is that bad?" You asked.
"No," he breathed and let one arm lean on the column you rested on. Leaning down he crowds in on you, and your breath quickened. You could smell his scent, wild and fresh like the forest surrounding this haven. 
"No, living as long as I have, different, should be celebrated." He explained moving to bring his lips to your ear, his nose traced the shell of it. The tremble that it elicits causes you to bite your lip with a catch of breath. 
"Will you claim your prize?" You ask hoarsely, your eyelashes fluttered as he pressed closer. Tilting your head again you let your lips brush against the alluring column of Haldir's neck. Your mouth close enough to his skin you could taste him on your lips. He hummed deeply in his chest, the vibrations rumbled through you both. 
"Soon." He promised his breath against your ear making you whimper. "I will teach you what a real kiss is."
Haldir shifted his body and with a little trepidation ran his hands along your jaw. You let your eyes open to see his gaze studying you. Those impossible blue, now sliver regarding you closely, to gauge any discomfort on your part. 
Raising your own hands you let them rest on his, your thumbs stroking against the battle  scarred skin of his. Through parted lips you darted your tongue out to wet them and couldn't help the sense of satisfaction at his sharp intake of breath at your action. 
"You tease me." He muttered in an accusatory tone.
"I don't know what you mean Marchwarden." Your laugh is an indecent purr. 
His eyes roll white a moment at the way you address him as a violent tremble shaked him. When Haldir looks at you again the tease in you curls up as his gaze ripped through you, stripping you bare to bone. Naked and vulnerable under the watchful moon, those hunters' eyes are almost black. 
A small ancestral part of you hisses danger to you. Run, run, little thing before you get gobbled up, consumed in one bite.
Another grin tugs your lips, showing teeth wide and bright. You're no little mouse to hide, you have your own claws, your own hunger. Haldir's lips twitch then curl into a small smile before he whispers your name. Soft like velvet across your skin, a dark caress that fills your mind, that has you close your eyes to savour the sensation.
The adrenaline is a heady concoction with the earlier wine, feeling daring you move your hands from his and let them rest on Haldirs chest. Your fingers smoothed over the hard defined muscle under his loose tunic. 
The ellons own had moved to tilt your face up, calloused worn thumbs swept over your cheekbones. Haldir's name rolled off your tongue as it always did in your dreams of him, full of want and longing. It felt strange to say it aloud, sacrilegious to be able to speak it so. This perfect being you had fantasised about was now holding you, caressing you like he had dreamed of this also.
The scent of roses clung to his skin as you both stood curled around each other. Neither wanting it to end, let the night hold you like this forever and that is how you had stayed. Haldir pressing soft kisses to your cheeks, eyelids and brow. You grew more feverish and whimpered for him to finally bestow the finishing blow and kiss you fully.
Your fingers tangle in his tunic dragging him close, loathed to let any space between you both. 
Haldir sings your name and you open your eyes to see him watching you. There's a wrinkle in his brow, a tension to his shoulders as a hand moves to cup your jaw. Sweeping your hands you curl them around his neck and let your nails drag softly against his skin. He seems nervous, or as close to an approximation to it that you can tell. It's a sharp contrast from his usual stoic demeanour. 
Silken hair cascades over your fingers, like silver moonlight. Curling your fingers through it you ventured this was as close as to holding starlight, it's utterly bewitching. The fingers that still brush softly at the nape of Haldir's neck dip tantalising below the neck of his tunic. There's a hint of that bulk of muscle shifting again, like the roll of thunder, a force of nature. 
The fluttering if your heart beats out a frantic tattoo as Haldir's arms wrap around you. It's with a delicate care, testing your boundaries when you feel his fingers stroke your waist. A soft gasp escapes you as his free hand slides up to cradle the back of your head, strong fingers tangling in your hair as he tugs your heads back exposing your neck. 
Haldir's name chokes out your dry throat, when his breath fans across your pulse point, his nose nuzzling just under your ear. A whimper reverberates through you at plush lips pressed against your neck, the sensation as they made a slow trail along to your jugular and the fingers in your hair strong and insistent to keep you in place make you giddy.
Instinctively drag your nails along the perfect skin under your fingertips making Haldir groan softly. Your reward is the sharp scrape of his teeth that rips a sound from you that borders on animalistic. 
Haldir presses soft open mouthed kisses in a soothing gesture but it's too late for you. The feverish dizziness consumes you, shaking you to the core. Heady intoxication from wine is a poor comparison to the way your blood sings in your veins under his touch. You hold Haldir tight to you, convinced you can both stay like this forever, drunk on each other under the moon.
The fingers on your waist splay out, the searing heat of them surely branding you. Haldir nips at your throat again letting out a low pitched moan that you answer with your own. He must be leaving marks that a deep animalistic part of you craves. Dipping your fingers under the neck of his tunic again you claw at Haldir making him grunt and press you hard against the column. 
Arching against him you give a keening cry and eyes roll in your head at a hot sensation on your skin. A questing tongue flicking and dragging against your neck tasting you, his lips moving higher to your ear.
Haldir's nose nuzzles against you again, his own breath hurried as his fingers tighten on you. There's a sense of proud accomplishment that you of all people have caused this transformation in the Marchwarden. He's whispering in a low purr words you can't understand but the tone you can, it mirrors your own gasping pleas of want. 
"Please." You beg with no mind to your pride. Haldir groans low in his throat and the fingers on your waist disappear but before you mourn their loss you feel them again on your jaw. Haldir's thumb presses on your bottom lip and you instinctively nip and lick at it. A shudder rips through the ellon wrapped around you at your action.
The fingers on your jaw tighten for a second before twisting your face to his own. His lips are so close to your own you feel his panting breath, the heat of his already kiss swollen lips. Opening your eyes you look at him with a teary gaze, unable to hide the sheer desperation in them. 
Haldir meets your gaze with dark eyes, pupils blown wide.
"Haldir," you groan. "Please have pity on me." His eyes dip to your lips as you lick them.
"Yes meleth nin," Haldir's usual calm composed voice now choked out and gruff. "I shall take pity on us both." He stated.
Giving a rattled breath your eyes flutter close as Haldir presses his lips to your own, you both sigh in sated anticipation. His kiss is a lingering taste to savour you as he nips and sucks at your plush lips. Long and careful movements that unravel you with precision. Nothing can compare to this, your dreams and fantasies are poor fare to the reality. 
With your soft hiccups and moans Haldir's resolve starts to waver. What started out as a soft press of lips quickly evolves into a messy clash of teeth and tongue. Your fingers in Haldir's hair tug insistently, a warning not to stop. Haldir grunts and his fingers on your jaw near the border on bruising, but you have no mind to care. You'll wear them and his other marks with quiet pride.
Sliding your tongue against Haldir's you gasp which Haldir swiftly swallows. Sucking on his bottom lips causes a growl from the Marchwarden that makes your toes curl before he dives back in at you again. 
His ministrations make you reel, like a leaf in a storm whipped around. Hypoxia bleeds into your vision as you shiver and moan, Haldir stealing your breath. You pull away a moment and gulp air inelegantly, your hand not trapped in Haldir's hair cups his jaw, then move to trace his swollen lips to keep contact with him. 
Haldir presses soft kisses to your fingertips and when he sees you have your breath returned pushes past your hand to claim your lips again. Your fingers twitch and grapple to find purchase in Haldir's onslaught. 
You finally settle on his jaw again letting them flutter up to trace his ears. The reaction is visceral, violent shivers rocks through Haldir as he moans loudly. His chest heaves against your own as you meld into one another. Another desperate grapple at one another ensues to conquer, to consume the other, to become one.
Before you can press this advantage Haldir pulls away abruptly causing you to fall forward into him. He pulls you against his chest, letting you catch your breath. 
Tilting your head up you look to him confused but he's looking away into the darkness of the corridors beyond.
"Someone was approaching," he says softly, his fingers rubbing softly at the base of your head. You let your head rest against his chest, tucked safely under his chin. Words are beyond you as you try to reclaim your wits again but sure you're punch drunk. 
"It is getting late, perhaps we should continue our conversation tomorrow?" He states his question wavered with hope.
"Yes, tomorrow." You whisper into his chest loathed to move from his scent.
"I know of a place where no one will interrupt us, some place I would like to share with you."  Haldir states softly running a hand up your back, tracing your spine. 
You press yourself against him and sigh with content at the promise of tomorrow. Of Haldir wanting to share something precious of his life with you. 
"I would like that very much, Haldir." You reply and feel him shift slightly. The hand on your back moves to tilt your face up to look at him again. There's a look of satisfaction on his face for a mere moment at your appearance, soft doe-eyed and docile in his arms.
"Will you allow me to escort you back to your room?" He asks and you stifle a laugh. After what you had both just done, how he had reduced you to a quivering mess, to have him sound so proper was equal parts amusing and heartwarming.
"Please." You reply and take a moment to figure out if your legs will cooperate after the heady onslaught of a moment ago.
As you pull back slightly you straighten your clothing and idly hope you don't run into anyone on the way back. You must look like a complete shambles. Seemingly reading your thoughts Haldir reaches out and tucks some errant hair behind your ear before pressing close to kiss you again.
You squeak in surprise before melting against him again. The frantic energy from before still sizzles under your skin but Haldir seems to have a presence of mind to pull back again. 
Standing stupefied you feel Haldir tuck your arm through his own and whisk you away along unfamiliar paths. There's a sharp pang of grief of having to leave the sanctuary of moonlight and roses. But Haldir's presence at your side eases it immediately. 
There's twists and turns along darkened corridors that you are eternally grateful for being empty. Though you knew that was due to your guide's expertise in stealth, his feet lead you seemingly by second nature on desolate paths.
Soon enough you saw the familiar door of your room and a dread filled you at the realisation of having to separate from the ellon at your side.
Slowing down you both reach the door and begrudgingly you slip your arm free from Haldir. There's the distant noise of the party still in the throes of going on but all you want is the next day to come. 
Standing before Haldir you feel suddenly coy. Looking up at him under your lashes you fold your hands primly in front of you. You're sure anyone who may see would be adequately fooled into thinking you a chaste soul. And not the raging maelstrom of lust that the handsome Marchwarden stirs in you. 
Haldir tilts his head at your act and there's a moment of his eyes darkening again before he takes control of himself.
"Thank you for the tour, I enjoyed our conversation." You say saccharin sweet, Haldir ducks his head down a moment to hide the huff of a laugh.
"Hopefully it was memorable." He quips and you can't stop the small giggle escaping you as he glances up at you again.
"It was," you reply "Though I'm afraid my memory may fail me and I will need reminding Marchwarden." You confess softly and can see the twitch of his lips before his expression falls back into the easy mask of composure.
"I'm at your disposal my lady." Haldir pledges. Giving a small bow to you, he rises and you see the twinkle of mirth and promise in those beautiful blue eyes.
"Till tomorrow then?" You ask with baited breath. Haldir breaths quietly and you're quite sure he's fighting the urge to kiss you again. 
"Tomorrow and many more." He vows.
649 notes · View notes
quillofspirit · 3 months
Text
2023 fic recs
If there's one thing to know about me, is that I love to read! and I love to share the good fics, so I figured I would put them all on one list💚
pssst! it's my first time doing anything like this, so if you have recommendations for the format, please do leave them in the comments or drop me a message! thanks xx
Tumblr media
Key 🍬 fluff 🧯 spicy 🌡️ smut ⛈️ angst 🌪️ all
For people I have tagged, please let me know if there is anything you’d like me to add or remove — like a link to another account. It’ll be my pleasure☺️
Lord of the Rings (and related)
Tumblr media
⛈️🧯Fuck the Forbidden pt. 1 by @entishramblings
Boromir x mermaidfem!oc Teens and Up but read the warnings carefully 9,500 words
Now I want mermaids in everything. why aren’t there mermaids in everything? The descriptions are so well done, everything is so vividly easy to visualize, oh I just loved it.
I am so hyped for pt 2!!
Tumblr media
🍬⛈️ Healing Touch by @ass-deep-in-demons
Boromir x fem!oc Teens and Up 4,350 words
My film studies degree was very happy about the descriptions of movement in this one - it’s a little specific but hear me out. It’s much easier to see the actors playing the scene when it’s described this well! THAT ENDING, I have to say I joined Legolas, and I don’t have excuses.
I cannot wait to read the rest of the adventures of Joanna!
Tumblr media
🍬 I Might Need to Kiss You by @fizzyxcustard
Thorin Oakenshield x fem!reader 400 words
I was squealing, this is so sweet. like the perfect little pick me up when you need a reminder, and Thorin is nothing if not a good king to his subjects 😇
Tumblr media
🍬 Sweet Conversations by @glassgulls
Haldir x fem!reader Teens and Up 5,360 words
did I almost break my mouse when I clicked on this? noooo
Would I do it again? approximately 5 times since ☺️
Who doesn’t love sneaking around and kissing pretty elves, especially when they propose the idea so nicely… Just read it, you’re welcome
Tumblr media
⛈️🧯Transformed by @sotwk
Thranduil’s son OC x fem!reader Teens and Up 2,400 words
There are at least two werewolves! When I tell you I read it three nights in a row, just to truly catch all the little things that made me go absolutely feral this so lovely to read. Yes, there’s gore (only a little bit) and there’s angst, but there’s also dialogue that would be made into gifs were it a movie.
Pirates of the Caribbeans
Tumblr media
🌪️Catch the Wind by eriathiel (@esta-elavaris)
James Norrington x fem!oc Explicit 418,000 words
101 chapters of epic, pirates, and sweetness. The definition of you will suffer and you will like it. I finished this in like two days, because I couldn’t put it down, like a child on Halloween night going through their whole bag of candy.
Tumblr media
⛈️🍬 Fallen Through Time by eriathiel (@esta-elavaris)
Catch the Wind AU Mature Ongoing; 34,000 words
12 Chapters so far, but it’s probably going to make me want to read everything about Theodora again. I am very normal about this character. 😌
Other fandoms
Tumblr media
🌡️One of Those days by @capricornafterdark
Jason Todd x fem!reader Explicit 750 words
Sometimes you need to be taken care of, and sometimes its easier to take care of others.
Tumblr media
🍬Patience by @velvetcloxds
Charlie Swan x fem!reader Just straight cuteness 600 words
A cute yet serious conversation with Charlie
Tumblr media
🌡️That Takes Trust Darlin by @capricornafterdark
Jason Todd x transmasc!reader Explicit 1,950 words
It takes a lot of trust to tell a person about your desires, and even more when you spend your time catching villains.
Tumblr media
🌪️ What Happens After You? by StrengthBeforeWeakness
Ominis Gaunt x fem!oc Mature 219,000 words
A badass Ravenclaw, sweet sweet Garreth, and dark!Sebastian. I am tempted to say it’s almost a Hogwarts Legacy AU because the lore in this fic is so incredible, it feels new again.
Tumblr media
These are my headers and dividers, please do not use them.
45 notes · View notes
Text
Thranduil and Josie Pt. 168- Gypsy Origins Part 1 of 3
Summary: Haldir's patience is tested during a long, bitter journey. A hypnotic tale of past truths be told.
*Chapter Warnings* language, angst, blood, violence, death, child death
Chapter characters: Haldir, Delphine(Jocelyn), Rumil, Orophin, Harker, Jemma, Zeddicus, Jessie, Thomas, Ravenna, Finn,
Chapter word count: 7,000
Stories Stories Stories Masterlist:
As the dawn of the new winter day shone it's light through the sky reaching bare trees, Jocelyn reluctantly surfaced from under a sizeable pile of brush where she had sought shelter through the cold black night from the evil enchantments of the dark forest and the wicked ones that dwelled within it's borders. Still weakened from the burning cross branded onto her chest by the nutty nun's red hot iron bar, the witch doctor slowly and cautiously crept over the pathless snow covered forest floor, squinting her light strained eyes as she searched for the way out before the befoul breeze consumed her thoughts and lungs for it's morning breakfast. Being accustomed to the lifeless woodlands of the Dorwinion realm, Jocelyn soon found the hidden exit only seen by the trained eye and as she crossed over, trained eyes were watching her. Six of them, all blazing blue, belonging to Haldir, Rumil and Orophin whom were all armed with engaged arrows upon her.
Tumblr media
Gasping, her hues, also of blue, frantically darted beyond the trio of platinum locks in search for Bash.
"Where...where's Bash???"
Haldir, being the leading Marchwarden of Lorien and the only Silvan elf of the three that spoke Westron due to all his travels, chose to toy with the witch that he was undeniably unfond of.
"One could only presume his flesh has been ripped from his warlock bones and his soul stripped of his rotting carcass. It is usually the outcome of being left at the mercy of the devil himself."
Her brow raised as she smirked at Haldir's rather serious expression.
"And I can only presume that you are lying through your pretty white elven teeth. Any fool can see that you deeply care for Josie and you would not allow harm to come to those who have risked their lives to help her, even if those I refer to are warlocks who happen to be relatives of the notorious Lord Narcisse, who's reputation highly precedes him in not being a very liked man, but compared to Rahl, Stephane is a fucking saint. I know that you did not leave Bash and that young boy to die and I also know that as wicked as Rahl is, he would not kill his brother and son. His father yes, because the wretched warlock deserved it. Rahl was merely toying with them as you toy with me. I did not willingly leave them. I..."
"You ran for your wicked little life." Haldir scoffed.
Jocelyn bravely marched right up to the poison tipped arrows that were still held upon her and defended herself.
"I am not wicked!! And...what would you have had me do??? YOU were the ones with weapons, not me! Now where are Bash and Charles??"
"Being escorted by the others back to the castle as you now will be. You will follow me. Jo needs you. She's waiting."
Haldir swiftly departed as Rumil and Orophin held their armed stances, while Jocelyn huffed and stomped off to follow the Marchwarden.
Tumblr media
After a few minutes, Jocelyn became annoyed at the two brothers behind her and glanced back at them with a scowl.
"Can you please give me some elbow room??" she snapped. "You know, personal space, ever heard of it??"
Ignoring her complaints, the two elves silently carried on behind her with flat expressions which only riled her up even more as she offered them another scowl.
"You know, my mother used to tell me that always having a resting bitch face could end up with it becoming stuck like that. In your case, I can see that to be true. Do you speak? Have you ever? Do you even know how??"
Still, there was not a single word from any of the three elves.
"UNbelievable!"
Jocelyn shook her head and then ran up beside Haldir.
"Am I going to have these arrows in my back the entire way? Why am I being treated like a prisoner?? I have done nothing wrong!"
"Haven't you?" Haldir snarked as he kept his eyes straight ahead.
"Ok, I can clearly tell that you do not like me which is probably because, like all the other fools, you believe the UNTRUE stories you have heard about me."
"I do not like you because you reek of deceit and you insult myself and my brothers."
"Well hello pot, meet kettle...you certainly have been no prince charming."
"I am no Prince. Personal space." Haldir snarked and sped up his large strides in which Jocelyn now angrily trotted behind him.
"Yes. I can tell. Princess may be a better term. And what do you mean deceit? I have deceived no one. If anything, "I" have been deceived here. I would much rather resume my torture at the nunnery than to be forced to return to the lion's den per se OR to be anywhere near the likes of you and your bow happy brothers!"
Haldir spun around so fast that she bounced right off of his chest and tumbled with a hard thud onto her ass.
"Is that all your witch lips do is babble? My goal is to bring you to Jo who needs your help and who I thought you cared for and who in this moment, you remind me VERY much of."
Her gaping eyes then turned to a glare. "Call off your guard dogs or you will have to carry me for I will go no further!"
Haldir thought of you again in that moment, how you had refused to get out of his way and he had picked you straight up and moved you himself. The memory had the Marchwarden chuckling inside of his mind, but on the outside, his face matched the solemn spirits of his brothers who now stood behind him as they all leered down at her.
Tumblr media
Haldir's tone was ominous as he spoke through slitted lips. "That could be arranged."
Their piercing eyes now had the feisty brunette quite anxious.
"I dare you to try sprite. Maybe you should heed all the rumors as they say I am poisonous and I do believe elves can be poisoned. Who will help you then? It's a long walk back to the imported Mirkwood healing water. Go ahead...touch me."
The silence and the stares between the four were intensely long and then Haldir finally lifted his hand and motioned for his brothers to lower their weapons.
A smug smirk grew on Jocelyn's lips as the two elves complied. "Good boys. As if you would have shot me anyways Haldy. You need me."
"Jo needs you. I can always shoot you in the leg."
"And then you WILL have to carry me." she quipped and hopped to her feet and walked off to a tree and pulled out a knife.
The arrows swiftly rose again, this time by all three elves.
"What are you doing?!" Haldir growled as she began to cut into the tree.
"It's Spruce bark, which I would have figured a wood elf would know of. It has medicinal purposes, although I don't think it can do anything for that stick up your ass." she replied in a mordacious manner as she cut the pulp out and ate it while gazing in the exasperated elf's eyes. "Would you like to try a piece for good meas...."
Before she could finish her sentence or even blink, Haldir swiftly swiped the knife clean from her hand with an elven move completely invisible to the eye.
"It would seem there was good cause for our weapons. Bo cín té witch (On your way witch)."
Jocelyn's mouth hung open at her empty hand and then her eyes fumed at him before she stormed off. "This is bullshit!"
Haldir mumbled under his breath as the elves now followed her. "Yes it is."
An hour had went by as all walked in silence and Jocelyn's steps were slowing, for the tree bark's energy boosting properties were wearing off and the area of the forest they trekked through became all too familiar to her.
"Could I please have my knife back? I need more of the pulp. My chest is on fire, yet I am freezing and I am tiring." she asked in a defeated tone.
"How is it that you are chilled with the fur of a dead animal constricting your neck?"
Tumblr media
"It is not real. I am not some savage like you think me to be. I am just someone who was thrown into a world I did not ask for. Now please...are you not an elf of light? If you have a heart under that tough guy act, which I think you do, for you are doing all of this for Josie, then help me before I collapse or you you really will have to carry me. I need to be stronger to help her. God..I still cannot believe she is here in Dorwinion, but it was inevitable that she would cross paths with Stephane at some point since Jul....never mind. I don't want to talk anymore. I...I feel sick."
Jocelyn sat on a fallen tree, lightly panting and then began to weep.
Haldir stopped and cut a large chunk of the bark, then removed the pulp and chopped it into bite size pieces for the ailing witch.
"Tha...thank you." she sniffled as she took it and kept her eyes to the ground as she nibbled. "Why...do you think I am deceitful?"
"The scent of secrets spill from your pores. For many years, Jo has known and believed your daughter Sarah to be simply her human neighbor and best friend in the mundane world, which included you and I now believe that to be of no coincidence, for now here you are, a witch, in middle earth's magical realm and I have since learned that lady Lola is also your daughter. You also claim you are in fear of a recently deceased Caroline and that you should not speak of Jo. Why is that? Jo has been deeply hurt by that wretched witch turned vampire for she too was full of secrets and lies as you clearly are. I will not let you hurt her too. Speak the truth or as I mentioned, I can and will force you. What is your involvement with Caroline and why is Harker after you? Something happened here. I feel it."
"Here I thought you could actually be nice. So interesting. You speak of deceit as if you have not swam in it yourself. You can sense light and darkness and force truth from others and I... I can see all of that in their eyes, the windows to the soul and yours speak loudly. Jo...you...you love her....intimately you have been when she was not yours to be with. It would also seem...yessss, that you were also intimate with her mother. Now who reeks of deceit?"
Haldir's jaw clenched and his nose flared. "Wicked you are! I have had enough of your deflection."
Jocelyn's breath was lost as her eyes were taken against their will by the unseen power in Haldir's hypnotic glare. She could not pull them free from his wild, dilated blues. She could not even blink as tears dripped down her cheeks like a leaking faucet. She could not move from the log beneath her, only tremble and whimper as the magical elf's lips began to move.
"Im orth- i fána o nin eyes. Ennas na- baw dolen hen faer tur- deli-. Im orth- i fána o nin eyes. On- nin i dolen hen faer hides." (I raise the veil from my eyes. There is no secret her soul can hide. I raise the veil from my eyes. Give me the secrets her soul hides).
Haldir raised his chin and stared down the slope of his nose at the vulnerable woman.
"Tell me about Harker. All that you know and have experienced."
The memories began to play like a movie and Haldir could see them all as they were transferred from her eyes to his while she told the story in her trance like state. It was if she were reliving it right there in the present.
I...I'm in bed. I don't feel well. I can't sleep. My stomach is cramping and my sheets are bloodied. I have become a woman on my 13th Birthday. It's the night of the summer solstice celebration, the longest night of the year and I am the only child there. My older brother Jeremy is away.
I hear violin music and my father's obnoxious laughter from the traveling carnival outside. I see people drinking and dancing around a bonfire from the window of our trailer. My gypsy mother is giving tarot readings. They're all gypsies, even my grandfather but I knew they were much more than that. He's coming in to check on me. I can smell his old spice cologne.
Tumblr media
He's bringing me a potion for pain. It's glowing. I ask him as I always did, are you a witch? Is this magic? He's laughing. He says...
A witch doctor. It's hocus pocus my child.
He watches me drink and then, there is no more sound. The music has stopped. The laughing has stopped. I hear gasping. My mother is shouting for my grandfather.
Papa!
I'm watching once again from the window as he goes to her. She's clinging to my father while others stand near, staring at a man I have never seen. He wears black leather, his hair is light and his eyes are blue, but they hold darkness. He is not wanted here. I'm listening to my grandfather and the man speak.
Be gone warlock! Your kind does not belong here.
Oh but I do. You see, I too enjoy a good carnival. In fact, like you, I have my own traveling funfair, but I must say, it is much more...fun...than this. Maybe you have heard of it? Harker's World of Wonders?
It is a circus of freaks, all like you. You steal children and their souls.
I do not steal them. They are given to me. Just as you are going to give me yours. I smell her.
He looks at me in the window. I am so scared. I..I have peed myself.
And I see something else you're going to give me as well. Mmmm, I wish that I had Jessie's girl.
My father's name is Jessie.
I see the man ogling my mother. He runs his tongue over his teeth. My mother shouts at him.
I will give you nothing!
Jemma, Jemma, Jemma...you will, or everyone here will die in a matter of seconds. Do you want all of their blood on your hands? It's simple really. Give yourself and your daughter to me and I will let them all live.
I'm watching my mother. She is stringing her slingshot behind my grandfather's back while the warlock speaks. She lunges forward and shoots a rock clean though his hand. She screams at him.
Get out of here! Leave this camp you murdering bastard!
He's angry. He clenches his fist and blood pours out.
Tumblr media
I warned you witch. Now be still and watch.
I'm shaking, too scared to watch...but I do. His injured hand forms the shape of a gun and real bullets spray and shatter the trailer next to me. There's an explosion and so much fire. There's so much screaming. I hear my mother's screams. I cover my ears and scream too.
Tumblr media
Many are dead in seconds like he said. I see my mother and grandfather. They're alive, but I do not see my father. Now I see him. He's running to me! I hear him shout for me. Joss!!!
I'm screaming and banging on the window. Daddy no!! Get down!!
I hear more bullets firing and I watch him fall. My mother and grandfather watch him fall. I..I can't breathe. I can't move. I hear my mother screaming again. I see her running to him, crying out his name. Jessie!!!
She falls onto him, pleading for him to wake up... but he doesn't.
Tumblr media
I run from the trailer in my nightgown to go to my dad and the evil man grabs me. My mother panics and begs him to let me go.
Your father will be next. DO you give yourself and the child to me???!!
Just take me! Leave my child with her grandfather.
NO Momma!!! I cry and try to free myself, but he is too strong.
Two for the price of one is the deal...or DIE!
My grandfather curses him. The man laughs and twirls his finger. My grandfather begins to bleed from his eyes.
Your magic does not work on me old fool Zeddicus!!
My mother pleads for him to stop. She agrees to his deal.
You can have us!!! Please stop!!
We ride off with the warlock on his black horse and never see my grandfather again for many years."
Haldir's heart slightly palpitated when she finished, for it saddened him deeply what had happened to her and family, but he knew he had to make her continue, for there was much more he needed to know.
"Tell me all that transpired after."
Jocelyn's flooded eyes fluttered but remained locked in the Marchwarden's as she resumed her terrifying tale.
"I'm waking up. I don't know where I am. I don't see my mother, only other children, lots of them, boys and girls, all of different ages and skin color. They're scared. Some are crying. I'm looking around. I think I'm in a stable? I'm not sure. The walls are wooden. It smells. The floor is dirt. I see daylight creeping through the cracks in the walls.
Tumblr media
An older woman speaks to me. She's dressed like a servant.
Come child. We must clean you up and then you will sit quietly with the others until it is time for your bread and water.
I tell her my name and ask her what hers is. She says names do not matter here. I am a number and to do as I'm told.
She bathes me in a stall. The water is dirty and cold. She makes me wear a large cloth for my undergarment, pinned like a diaper. She's brushing my tangled hair. It hurts. She's not gentle like my mother. I hear noise outside. When the woman tends to another child, I sneak to the wall and peek through a small hole. I see lots of me. I think they are guards and I see strange looking people, carnies I suppose, some with physical ailments, almost animal like, dressed for circus acts. I see Harker's trailer. His name is on it. He's coming out with my mother! She's crying, her hair is a mess, her clothes are torn and he is smiling and groping her. I yell to her.
Momma!!
A clammy hand covers my mouth and I'm pulled away from the wall. It's the servant.
Hush child!! Do not draw attention to yourself. You are to be seen and not heard or you will moved up the waiting line.
Wh...what is that?? I ask her.
To be taken to the witch in the woods and you will never return.
But..but I want to see my mother!
You cannot. Ever. She belongs to the master now as do we all. Now go sit down. It is time to eat. You must stay in reasonable shape for when your time comes. If you are rejected, you will suffer dearly.
I'm shaking and crying. I can't stop. Night falls and I hear the most frightening sounds outside. Screaming, moaning, laughing. I cry myself to sleep. Every day is the same. Every night is the same. Every 3 days, I watch children from different groups, nine of them, leave at dusk in a wooden cage on wheels with iron bars. They are replaced with new ones by Harker over the 3 days after and the cycle repeats. He does the work. His men make the delivery.
We travel to new places each week. Places I do not recognize. I don't think I am near home anymore. I scratch marks into the walls each night with a rock to keep track of the days. When we move, I count the marks and memorize the number and then start all over again.
352 days have went by and I am 14 now. It is the summer solstice again. I think I am the oldest of all the children. I am lucky I have not been chosen yet but I wish I would be so I could see the sky and breathe the air again, even if it was for the last time. I regret my thoughts. Dusk is settling in and the wagon is being prepared. Harker comes for me and two others from my group. We're all screaming and crying as we are dragged to our wooden chariot. I...I hear my mother!!! She's still alive!! She's shouting my name and running to me.
NO!!! Please!!! Not her!!
Harker strikes her. She falls to the ground. Her lip is bleeding. He orders the guards to take her away. They carry her off, barely conscious as she reaches for me. I am picked up and violently thrown into the wagon. The children are huddling in the back while I sit alone at the door being gawked at by the two guards who follow.
Tumblr media
The journey is long and hot. We are traveling on winding narrow paths near a raging ocean. One of the children had lived in the area. Thomas is his name. His eyes are chocolate like his skin. He calls the inland sea a black sea of death. It eats the living and the dead. On the North-West side is the Dorwinion realm, a land of Warlocks and humans. He says the King is of both light and darkness. Some say he has an evil twin but the boy is not sure. He then tells me that one of the witch Queen's castles dwells on the cliffs of the South-Eastern side and that her King is a King of Goblins who dwells in the Misty mountains far away to the North-West and he also says Harker is his brother. They are both evil but not nearly as their mother, a winter witch.
He looks to the North and reveals that a very powerful Elvenking of light reigns there over the vast woodland realm of Mirkwood. He points to a very hard to see island in the North-East, Devil's Island he quietly calls it, and claims it is an isle of vicious vampires with it's own King, for the true ruler of them all and the most ruthless, reigns in the central Misty mountains. Aren't all vampires? I ask him. He says only if their heart is vicious. His finger sways to the South-East and says a younger more modern vampire, a notorious recluse, lives at the top of the mountain and leads a smaller clan. It is rumored that his mind and heart are at war over humans and that is why he hides in the shadows until he must feed. The boy ends his navigational story of the monsters that circle us by telling me that somewhere, deep in the dark forest, unseen to the eye, there's a hidden realm called the Wander Woods, ruled by a twisted Faerie Queen. I want to laugh because all these things are not supposed to be real, but I cant I cry instead because I know after meeting Harker that they are very real and that I'm about to die. I'm not in Kansas anymore and no wizard will save me. This is another fairy tale. The dark one of Hansel and Gretel.
I see the castle. It almost touches the full moon from high upon the cliff. The wagon stops at the gates. All nine of us are clutching each other and screaming. The guards are poking us with poles and tell us to remain silent. Our breaths must be preserved. We are chained in a single file and led inside. I am first.
Myself and the two behind me are unchained. Thomas is one of them. Servants scurry up to us and drag us off. They mock us as we are primped and polished. They tell us the Queen will not eat what is ugly. I'm staring out the window into the brightly moonlit ocean. There's a giant vessel. Oh my god!! They're throwing the lifeless bodies of children overboard! I pee myself again. Luckily it buys me time but it shortens Thomas's and the other child's. They take them first as I am roughly and speedily cleaned up.
They take me up to the top of the sky scraping tower. The room is prodigious and round, lit by a fire pit in the center. A woman of golden hair, pinned up under a brass crown, stands at a mirror. Her back is to me. She is weeping. There's a man of short ivory hair at her side, holding her up and comforting her.
Time is running out brother. Where is the third child!!??
A grandfather clock echoes two chimes. It is 11:30.
She is here now sister.
The woman turns and stares at us. Her blue eyes are young but evil and her skin is aging. She wears an abundance of jewelry. Upon the ring and pinky finger of her left hand are a metal claws.
Tumblr media
I accidentally gasp and she glares at me with a wicked smile. Her voice is soft but it makes my skin crawl. She tells me I will be saved for last since I am the heaviest. I don't understand.
She approaches Thomas. He's small, maybe 10 years old and stands only to my shoulders. I squeeze his hand as she squeezes his face in to a pucker. She tells him he has beautiful skin and likes how it shimmers of youth in the light. Her smile and her gaze turns dark.
Tumblr media
Thomas's hand slips from mine as he is lifted by his face up to her face. His feet are kicking as he helplessly dangles in the air. I...I can't breathe. I can't watch. I squish my eyes shut as I hear a sucking noise and then a thud. My eyes pop open and Thomas lies still at her feet. His skin is all shriveled. A servant drags him away and the other child is brought forward by her face. It happens again. I still do no do not watch. I feel her approach me and then she speaks to me.
Open your eyes child. I must see all of you, closely. Every detail. You must be of perfection.
I can't stop myself from opening them. She looks different. Her skin is healing. She is stronger. Now I understand why I am last. Now I understand it all. She is eating our souls to feed and preserve her youth and power.
Ahhh yes. You will do just fine fair one.
She grabs me under my chin and lifts me from the ground. I feel paralyzed. I can't even kick my legs. Her grip is so tight, I am choking and it forces my mouth open. Her mouth opens, unrealistically wide and she begins to suck my soul into her body. I feel my skin tightening. I'm slowly imploding as the air in my lungs is sucked dry. Something else is happening. Something that is not supposed to. I see it in her widened eyes as he hand loosens it's grip. I feel my skin reforming and my breath returning. I see my soul's essence flow from her mouth, back into mine. It has a fiery color swirling in it that it didn't have before. It burns my chest and then becomes cool and tingly. She gasps for air and drops me.
Tumblr media
She stumbles back into her brother's awaiting arms and her eyes are gaping mad as she watches me slowly sit up.
Ravenna, my sister, what is it??!! her befuddled brother asks as he too gapes at me.
Help me up Finn. Now!
She's assisted to her feet and she grabs a fistful of my hair as she screams at me.
How OLD are you!!!!!???
Again, I do not understand.
I...I...I am...f..ff...fourteen.
This cannot be! She merely looks 12!" the brother proclaims. "Harker would never send anyone over 13!
She glances at the clock. It is 5 minutes till midnight.
Give me one of the other children! Quickly!
A servant rushes off and comes back with a girl who looks no more than 8. Ravenna finishes her ritual with only seconds to spare. The clock then chimes twelve times as her youthful image is restored.
Ravenna is telling Harker's guards to have Harker return with her next shipment to answer for his mistake and send an extra child to replace me. They are not pleased. She is now ordering Finn to throw me in the sea with the other bodies, but he stops the guards and argues with her.
Sister. I cannot. You must send her back. She survived which means she still belongs to Harker. Not only will it now be considered taking from a warlock, but it is a rule of the spell Jadis has placed. You must never rid of a survivor. It is an omen. There will be consequences, for the girl has consumed some of your magic.
Damn that jealous woman!! It is the only reason she has done this to me!
Sister...I believe bedding the King Jasper was the cause. Look what she allowed Jareth to do to him and his men. You should consider yourself fortunate that Jareth wanted you alive.
Fortunate brother?!!! I had to pay this price to live!! Enough. Today is your lucky day little girl but do not think I will ever forget this, nor forgive it. With that said, you will remain here until Harker arrives to answer for this!!
Harker's men are angry as Finn is dragging me off. I am happy to have escaped death but I do not know what will happen to me now. I feel so desperate."
Jocelyn stopped and Haldir thought for a moment as her eyes remained a prisoner of his. Her story only darkened with the more she revealed and he knew she would remember all of this when he freed her of his mind manipulation and may be traumatized from it, but still...there was so much more he must extract from her memories, for even the simplest of information could be highly useful at some point and...she had all the answers to your questions of the past regarding Sarah and now even Lola and Narcisse were involved. They both were too close to you and Leeanduil, so it had to be done. He had come this far. There was no turning back now.
Haldir's dilated pupils pulsed as the thin ring of blue around them glowed like an eclipse.
Tumblr media
He then spoke one word.
"Continue."
More tears rushed upon her flushed cheeks from her immobilized eyes as she obeyed his command.
"I am being locked in a dungeon, only it is not underground. It is in a tower. The door is grated iron. There is only one small window with no glass. It is so hot. There is no bed. I'm so tired. I fall instantly asleep on the filthy floor. My face is burning. I open my eyes and the sun is shining on me. It is morning. I am searching the room for something, anything to help me escape but there is nothing. I feel like I am suffocating. I need air.
I am climbing up to the window. If I could fit through, it would not matter. It has two iron bars in it and there is nowhere to go but hundreds of feet down to my death. It is all a rubble of rocks on the ocean's edge. I see something. What is...that?? It is a large loose iron nail. I...I think I can reach it. I am stretching my arm through the window. I...I've got it! But it's hard to pull and it's hot from the sun I assume. I'm pulling and pulling. It finally comes out. I am looking it over, thinking of what I can do with it. Maybe I can pick the l...oh god! Someone is coming!
Tumblr media
I see Finn approaching with food. I'm hiding the nail behind my back as he comes in. Now I realize what I can do with it, but am I brave enough to try?? If I am caught, what will happen to me? I don't care. I have to get away. I don't like how he is looking at my breasts. It is now or never.
He is walking up to me. He touches my bare chest and licks his lips. I am shaking and becoming very angry. The nail is still hot. I cannot hold it anymore. I am clenching it tight and I...I swing the pointed edge at his face. It slices his cheek from his eye to his jaw. He is screaming and I am running out the door he left open. I don't know where I am going. I just keep running. I see an opening with light but when I get there, it is only a drop off to the ground.
Tumblr media
I turn and run the other way. I hear Finn's voice and other guards nearby. Corner after corner. I keep going, looking for stairs. I find some and rush down them but now I...I am lost and even more desperate. I see a courtyard and more light coming from a small opening with water on the ground outside of it, but there are guards everywhere. They see me and begin shouting and chasing me and now I have no choice but to run to the hole. One of them almost catches me. I dive into the opening and I am now sliding right into a flooded drainage tunnel. I'm soaked and wading my way through it to the light. I crawl over the edge and I am now on the side of the cliff with nothing but the raging ocean below. They're coming through the water. I have no choice but to jump. I close my eyes tightly shut and force my feet forward. I'm falling. I plunge into the black sea of death. I think my heart has stopped beating.
Tumblr media
I'm fighting the current, trying to swim up for air. It's pulling me in the opposite direction. I am going to drown. I can see the light above me. Is it the light we see when we die?
A strong surge pushes me up and I surface, gasping for breath. There are rocks. I cling to them while my lungs fill back up with air. I look up and see a pathway around the cliff.
Tumblr media
I'm running again. There are horses tied to a post. I see guards in the distance relieving themselves. I sneak up and untie one of the horses. I have never ridden a horse. I am climbing on and horns begin blowing. The guards see me and begin racing towards me. The horse is startled and he gallops off. I don't know how to control him. He is heading towards the forest that I see in the far distance so I just hold on tight and pray.
I am nearing the forest and the horse stops so fast that I fall off. I see the guards coming. Lots of them. I try to climb back up but the horse moves to the side and shakes his head. He won't let me. Something is frightening him. I pull his reigns to get him to follow me into the forest but he lunges up on his back legs and neighs loudly, then runs off. I turn and run into the forest. I soon find out what the horse was scared of. I am in Ravenna's dark forest.
All the trees are dead. The air is murky and stinks. There's barely any light. I begin to run again when I hear the sound of something screeching. I fall and a mist of sparkles spray into my eyes. It's poison. I'm hallucinating. I keep going, stumbling, trying not to pass out. I fall into a stream and crawl through the mud to get out and now I'm laying on dead birds. There are figures in black cloaks, all watching me. Black beetles are crawling everywhere. Tar is seeping from the trees and dead plants. I am swarmed by bats. Is...is that a dragon or a...a gargoyle in the tree?? It flies down and strikes me with it's wings. Everything goes black.
I'm waking up. I don't know how long I have been here. I realize it has not been long because I hear the voices of guards. I run off to hide under a pile of brush. One of them walks by. I can see through the branches. It is one of Harker's men. I don't know which is worse, him or Ravenna's men.
I stay silent until I cannot see him anymore but he already knew I was there. He drags me out. I cannot free myself from his firm grip on my arm. Finn and three of his armed men come. The gash on his face is gone. I try to run but Harker's man pulls me close to him. Finn extends his hand to me and tells me to come.
I beg the warlock. No. NO! Please don't give me to him!
He holds his weapon out at Finn. Back away. The girl comes with me.
The Queen says otherwise. She has given you your orders warlock.
I do not answer to her. I have my orders. Any rejections go back to Harker. She still belongs to him. You said so yourself.
Tumblr media
And she will. After the Queen speaks with him.
4 more of Harker's men show up. One speaks for all.
That is not how the arrangement goes. Your sister knows it. She has no authority to alter the rules. The girl survived. She will rightfully come with us. The Queen cannot be trusted not to harm her. Do you wish to jeopardize your sister's means of receiving what she needs? I know YOU are certainly not going to provide for her on a daily basis. You're merely a man, unlike Harker, and can only travel so far with limited time and resources, that being of the slim to no children in the area. Choose as you will, but we are taking her, with or without a fight.
Finn scowls at us and leaves with his men. I feel better with the outcome but I still fear for my life.
The warlock guards take me straight back to Harker. It is late in the day and they are on edge. I sense they fear his reaction for returning me. They are right to fear him. A wolf like growl escapes through his clenched teeth. His fingertips grow claws of bloody daggers.
Tumblr media
I fearfully fall to my knees at his feet as the men push me towards him. They explain all that happened and he orders them to bring him my mother. They drag her down the hall of his trailer and force her to her knees beside me. We cling to each other, shaking and crying. He demands answers from my mother. He is pacing and snarling like a dog between his sentences.
You have been here one year. You know the routine, yet you fail to inform me of your spawn's age!
I...I...did not know it mattered my Master. I swear it!
If it did not matter, then I would give YOU to her!! You see ALL of the children here! Not a one, or so I believed, is over 13 years of age. It is forbidden! My brother is her King and he, along with the Queen will now believe I attempted to kill her! My camps could be raided by his armies of orcs, goblins and wendigos and if that happens, I will feed you and your offspring to them! You better say your little prayers that I can make Ravenna understand and that she was not harmed, for she is far more unforgiving than myself and my brother combined.
He is grabbing her by her hair and pulling her to her feet. Something is happening inside of me. A rage that I have never felt. My eyes uncontrollably dart to a shiny object on his desk as if I knew it was there and knew what it would do. It is a small silver dagger. I run to it. I take it and I spin around, slicing his hand that clenches her hair. He releases her and backs away. An indescribable scream, almost deafening, spews from his mouth with a visible steam like a piping hot tea kettle.
Tumblr media
I am reprimanded by his men and the blade is taken. I'm ordered to be locked up in iron chains. I don't see Harker for 2 days. I am in a small cave chained by my ankle to a rock wall. My skin is burning under the shackle and I feel weak. I'm having horrifying dreams of Ravenna. I feel myself changing, internally and physically. I am remembering Finn's words, that I consumed some of her magic."
@redeemer46
youtube
22 notes · View notes
tamurilofrivendell · 1 year
Text
The First Meeting || Tamuril & Haldir
꧁ A Heart of Stone prequel ꧂
summary: as simple as the title states, this is the very first time that Haldir and Tamuril meet, when she travels to Lothlórien with Arwen 
a/n: basically, I wanted to start writing out the past relationship between these two, so this will be part one. while a few chapters of HoS will have flashbacks, it won’t really be this in depth, I don’t think. also, they’re cute, so.
Tumblr media
It was the beginning of summer when Tamuril and Arwen arrived in Lothlórien. Arwen was on one of her usual trips to stay with her grandparents, to spend time with her beloved mother’s side of the family, and Tamuril had tagged along for a little change of scenery. As much as she loved Rivendell, she was growing far too used to her routine and was steadily becoming more and more restless by the day. Elrond, seeing it, had decided that it would do her good to change things up a little, visit another realm, and Lothlórien had always sounded so pretty and Arwen always came back with such fond memories that Tamuril had not taken too much convincing.
Since her mother was killed by orcs when she was but a child and Lord Elrond had taken her under his wing, Tamuril had grown into a bright, joyful half-elven woman. She adored animals and had a keen interest in writing poetry, and in reading, often spending lots of time in the library with Elrond, who had become half father-figure, half friend to her over the years. Tamuril also loved music and she enjoying singing, her voice a thing of true beauty. Many dinners passed where Elrond would ask her to sing along with the harpists and she was always more than happy to oblige. Tamuril was always laughing and exploring the gardens. She was just happy.
The journey to Lothlórien had been longer than she had anticipated. Tamuril had not truly ever left the borders of Rivendell, leading quite a sheltered life there under Elrond’s care. Sure, she had wandered into the wilds with Elladan and Elrohir but they had still stayed rather close to the valley. Besides, there had never been much real reason for her to leave, even within the borders there was all the wildlife she could wish for and pockets of wilderness to explore. Tamuril had never needed to leave home.
Still, she was not without a sense of adventure and as much as the trip was longer and more winding than she would have imagained, the sense of wonder she felt at all these new sights outshone any exasperation or exhaustion she may have felt. The world was indeed wide and beautiful and she decided quite quickly that she was going to accompany Arwen on her trips to her grandparents realm as often as the other woman would have her.
When they finally reached the borders, they dismounted their horses and left them to linger in the grass. Tamuril was loath to leave Willow, her beloved mare, but the guards assured her that she would be quite safe and happy with the others, meandering around by the river and munching on grass.
The woods of Lothlórien were so beautiful and so quiet. Tamuril moved away from the group after one of the guards had ventured further into the forest to announce their presence (though they never needed to bother as eyes had seen them approach from miles back). She slipped behind a tree and ventured a little further into the wood.
“Tamuril!” Arwen’s voice followed her as the older she-elf came hurrying after her. “Come on, there will be plenty of time for exploration when we reach Caras Galadhon.”
“I just want to see!” Tamuril insisted, lifting her hands to the tree trunk, running her fingers across the bark. She smirked as she looked up high into the foliage and then she grabbed hold of one of the branches and began to swing herself upwards.
“Tamuril!” Arwen sighed, shaking her head. Sometimes Tamuril got ideas into her head and would simply not be swayed to give them up. Arwen crossed her arms, trying to look as stern as her father would when scolding her as a child, but she couldn’t hide her amusement as she watched the elf she had come to see as a sister.
Tamuril chuckled as she climbed higher, coming to stand on a high branch. “Míra (lovely).” She breathed, looking around at the view from up high. In the distance, she was pretty sure she saw some movement in other trees, higher up, but she was distracted suddenly.
“My Lady!” A voice from below called and Tamuril glanced down. She had expected to look upon the face of one of the Rivendell guards but instead her gaze locked with the eyes of a fair haired elven male whom she had never seen before. “I was not made aware that there would be a half-squirrel in the company arriving from Rivendell.”
Tamuril immediately started laughing and the elf below broke out into a wide smile as he looked back at her. “If you would please return your feet to the ground, we will be escorting you through the woods now.”
“Well then, good sir, please turn around while I do so.” Tamuril called back, tilting her head, an amused smile still tugging at her lips. “Or do you wish to stare up my skirts as I climb down?”
With a smirk, the elf below gave her a little raise of his eyebrows and then turned so he was facing away from her.
Tamuril chuckled again, reaching for the branches that had supported her ascent into the tree. However, climbing up turned out to be much easier than climbing down. What started well enough soon turned into a mishap as Tamuril quickly lost her footing. She cursed as she felt herself falling through air but before she had too long for the panic to truly set in, she was caught, strong arms catching her firmly by the waist and setting her safe and sound upon the grass.
Arwen had been standing off to the side watching the exchange with mild amusement but she had turned to converse with others in their party and greet the Lothlórien elves, satisfied that Tamuril was now safely reigned in. She turned back when she heard the commotion as Tamuril fell, her eyes wide as she hurried back over. “Gods, Tamuril! Are you alright?!”
Tamuril was stunned briefly, blinking back up at her saviour - the golden haired elf who had been teasing her beforehand. His reflexes had served him well enough to spin around and catch her before she could hurt herself.
“Tamuril.” He smiled, testing her name in his mouth. “Meeting you has been quite the event. I am Haldir.” He let go of her, inclining his head just slightly as he stepped back, before he turned away to address his men.
Tamuril watched him go, her face flushing just slightly before she tore her eyes away and turned, finally, back to Arwen. The other woman was standing with an amused look in her eyes as she regarded Tamuril.
“What?!” Tamuril gave her a gentle nudge, shaking her head.
“Nothing.” Arwen replied innocently, giving her a soft smile as she led Tamuril back to the group so they could begin the final journey through the trees.
The journey through the wood was relaxing and easy enough. They took one rest, where Tamuril was pretty sure that she kept feeling eyes on her. Once, she glanced up and caught Haldir’s head turning. His expression remained neutral but she could have sworn there was the faintest flush of colour to the tips of his ears. Then they were off again soon enough. Tamuril found herself enamoured with the scenery, quite unlike Rivendell, and when she first set her sights upon the heart of the realm, she could scarcely believe her eyes.
“Welcome, nitya rasillo (little squirrel)...” Haldir spoke again then, turning to glance at Tamuril with a smile as he took in her awe of the realm he so loved. “...to Caras Galadhon.”
44 notes · View notes
luna-redamancy · 2 years
Note
HAPPY 4 YEARS LOVE!! THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US DESPITE ALL THE HARDSHIPS!!
If it may not be too much to ask for, can I request for 3. Gazing at reader’s lips while they’re talking. After a moment, Character can’t help themselves, they interrupt them with a kiss, with Haldir please?
Love u lots!
Hello, Nonnie! Thank you so much for the four-year celebration and for sticking around with me through them! I hope you enjoy:
He didn’t mean to ignore you, truly he didn’t. But Haldir couldn’t help but feel utterly captivated. 
The sunlight made a perfect halo around your head, giving you an ethereal light as you ranted about something that caused such passion in you. 
A new book, he thinks it was, but that thought was simply forgotten as you continued to speak, your lips looking pillowy and soft and your eyes twinkled like starlight. 
Haldir’s eyes honed in on your lips, a soft smile forming on his face as he watched them move. 
And then they stopped. 
“Are you even listening to me?” You teased, lips stretching into a wide grin as Haldir finally looked into your eyes again, a bashful smile on his face. 
“Now that I’ve gotten your attention,” you leaned forward in a playful manner before resuming the spacing between the two of you. 
“I was talking about this book that the library got in from Imladris-“
He was lost in you again, gazing intensely at your lips, his tongue flickering out to wet his bottom lip before gazing back up at your eyes for just the briefest moment. 
“And there’s this character named-“ Your gushing was interrupted as Haldir leaned forward, lips slotting against yours as his hand went to cup your cheek.
“Mmph-“ Your eyes widened before slipping shut, melting into him as he shifted his other hand to slot around your waist, pulling you against his frame. 
The kiss was intense and passionate as he tilted his head to kiss you so, so, deeply. 
As you two finally separated, your chest was heaving and Haldir had a wide grin on his face. 
“What was that for?”
Instead of saying anything, Haldir just continued to grin, shrugging his shoulders and keeping you close to him as he rested his forehead against yours. 
A soft laugh left you in amusement as you rubbed your nose against his. 
“Silly,” You teased before his lips pushed against yours again.
Tags-
Please note: Tags in Bold mean that Tumblr will not let me tag you, please check your blog visibility setting! If you don’t have your blog visible, Tumblr doesn’t allow people to tag you.
Forever tag-
@lady-of-lies @all-things-fandomstuck @fizzyxcustard @izzydaelleth @aquaangel18 @raindancer2004 @love-colorfulglittercollection @ladylouoflothlorien @ten-tenya-iida @legolaslovely @bthtallmadge2 @abesottedlass @wilhelmyna @tigereyesf @aspookybunny @keijibum @moony-artnstuff @sirkekselord @guardianofrivendell @fluffymadamina @izbelross @fandomhoe101 @acahope311 @kitkatd7 @mooseetx @themerriweathermage @elvish-sky @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @laurfilijames @frequentlychangingfandoms @cameronsails @linasofia @starryeyedrogue @shethereadinghobbit @beenovel @onlystarshere @fckmini @spidergirla5 @i-did-not-mean-to @lathalea @myselfandfantasy @strange-old-worlds @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore @broken-ghost @mbruben-stein
Haldir tag-
@moony-artnstuff @iwenttomordor
The Elves tag-
@eunoiaastralwings
158 notes · View notes
mirkwoodshewolf · 7 months
Text
IATCOD Chap. 25; The siege continues
*Author's note*
So confession time, I've had this chapter done for about a week or so but I wanted to rework some things because I've got a double update for you guys today. Now this was probably my fav. chapter to write bc I absolutely LOVE the battle of Pelennor fields scene, and I wanted to do it justice through Cain's POV. So I'll stop typing and let you guys get to reading :)
NEXT CHAPTER
Tumblr media
Taglist:
@plethora-of-things
@waddles03
@psychosupernatural
@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels
@queen-paladin
@thats-s0-ravenn
@gay-and-ready-to-cry
_____________________________________________________________
*Cain’s POV*
After our departure from Dunharrow we rode on till midday where Eomer and some other Rohirrim members went to meet with some scouts who went ahead towards Gondor to inform us about the severity of the White city.  From what I heard, it wasn’t looking good.  Orcs taking over the capital city of Osgiliath, the walls overrun with orcs, and all nine Nazgul raining down their terror upon their fellbeasts.
Suddenly my ears picked up a piercing scream.  I tensed inward as my face contorted into pain.  The screams were getting louder and louder until all that was left was this piercing ringing sound.
“Lord Cain?” I heard Gamling say my name in concern.  However his voice sounded muffled while some sounds like the horses huffing and eating sounded normal.  “Are you alright?”
“I-fine I’m-I’m fine.” I assured him as I stood up and walked over to Wysteria and felt around for my waterskin.  Things seemed to return to normal as I drank my water but then suddenly there was silence.  Absolutely silence.  I couldn’t hear anything, no wind, no voices, not even the sound of Wysteria’s heartbeat.  My body froze as my tastebuds were suddenly enhanced further than they’ve ever been before.  The taste of cooper and iron suddenly came across my upper lip, I knew the taste anywhere.  Blood.
I raised my hand and my sense of touch had picked up the feel of blood running down my nose.  My heart raced as now my hearing had finally been taken from me.  How was this even possible? And more importantly how long would it last?  I felt someone touch me and in fear I twisted the man’s arm before kicking them to the ground.
As I too collapsed to the ground, I felt through my hands the thundering sound of something surrounding me.  But without my eyes I couldn’t see just what or who was making that sound, and now without my hearing I—I can’t tell what is going on around me.  The only thing I really could do was scream as loud as I could until I was able to hear something.
*3rd Person POV*
Gamling quickly raced back towards Theoden and called out to him.
“My king, something’s wrong with Lord Cain!” Before Theoden could ask, Cain’s screaming was soon heard throughout the entire platoon.  He, Gamling, Eomer and the other leading captains raced towards Cain to see him lying on the floor on his back, screaming as loudly as he could.  His mare Wysteria was going frantic, not out of fear but she wasn’t allowing anyone to come near Cain.
She circled around him, stomping her hooves and rearing towards anyone who came near snarling and neighing protectively.
“What happened to him Gamling?” asked Theoden.
“I don’t know sire. He just—froze in his spot holding his ears in pain. He told me he was fine until one of our soldiers tried to grab him and he nearly broke his arm off.”
“There’s no point in going near him his mare won’t let anyone near him. I’ve seen this only once before with Brego and my son long ago. We’ll have to wait it out. Hopefully Lord Cain will come to his senses.” Theoden said.  That being said, Gamling ordered every man to not go anywhere near Lord Cain and to steer clear of Wysteria’s protective barrier she was making around him.
In the back of the crowd, Merry and Eowyn looked at each other worriedly, Merry most of all.  Eowyn wrapped an arm around the young halfling in assurance that Cain would somehow pull through.
After a few minutes, Lord Cain finally became calmer as he now just laid there on the grass, his hands resting over his stomach as he took calming, deep breaths.  Meditating and focusing on his breathing, Wysteria still circling around him.
*Cain’s POV*
After screaming didn’t help, all I could do now is do what Ajak taught me shortly after I had been resurrected and had lost my sight.  Whenever my senses became too heightened or the world became too much for my darkened eyes to take, she taught me how to focus my breathing and find peace within me.
I took deep, calming breaths and remained still.  After awhile the silence around me soon turned to muffled conversations until finally I heard Eomer say.
“How long do we have to wait?”
“Not anymore.” I spoke up.  I soon heard the sound of every man’s heartbeat that surrounded me pick up.  I then heard Wysteria’s hooves walk closer to me and she lowered her head nickering softly as I felt her warm breath at my face.  “I’m okay girl, thank you.” She knelt down softly whinnying and I reached out to her and allowed her to help me stand up.
“What happened Cain?” I heard Theoden ask me.
“The Celestial roar.” I answered.
“The what?”
“The Celestial roar. It’s not necessarily a power, but in pure, raw rage, a Celestial can let out a scream so loud and so thunderous, it is said to make the Misty Mountains themselves tremor. Only few Celestials in history have ever done such a scream, most of them being from Thena’s side. Something must’ve happened in Gondor to allow Hela to roar like that. Something bad, and I fear it’s not because of the city falling.”
“Lord Cain I must ask this, are you able to still fight? Or even ride?” Theoden asked to which I immediately responded.
“Yes. I know what all of you must be thinking, and I sincerely apologize to whoever it was that I hurt. But I am still able to fight and ride.” Theoden remained silent for awhile until he said to me.
“Very well. But if you should have an outburst like that again, I will have no choice but to order you to return to Dunharrow and recover under my niece’s care.” Little does he know that his niece is closer than he thinks.
“Yes my lord. Again I severely apologize for making everyone worry and for delaying our trip to Gondor.”
“We ride through the night.” Theoden told me.  “Sound the call!” I then heard the horns of the mark sound off and Wysteria nudged her face into my chest.  I patted her nose and got onto her back and soon we all rode in full gallop, long through the night and day without rest until we would reach the white city.
*My POV*
I had hoped I’d never even get within 20 feet of this place.  Ever since the Witch King took over this place, it brewed an aura so foul and evil, it made me tremble in fear at the mere mention of it’s name.  Now Haldir was inside this horrible place, who knows what tortures those council members have already done to him.
I took a deep breath and exhaled before finally taking that first step across the bridge and came to the doors.  Using Thena’s strength, I kicked the doors opened and it was so quiet.  No orc guards, no Nazgul, not even the torches were lit.
“Show yourselves cowards.” I hissed lowly.  I looked around as I summoned Aeglos to my hand and slowly walked further into Minas Morgul.  Already the dark magic of this place was starting to affect my mind as I heard the dark chants of not only the lost souls who had been trapped here after the fall of Minas Ithil, but also the Witch King himself.
Perfecting his dark incantations he’d use in battle long ago before his fall in Angmar.
“So, you’ve come at last.” I heard Deimos’ voice echo through the darkness.  “I was beginning to think you were too weak to come here to this place.”
“Why hide in the shadows like a snake in the grass?” I said looking around in every direction to where he could be hiding.
“We have nothing to hide.” Nergal’s voice soon spoke up.
“Then show yourselves.” I sneered.
“To find us, follow the cold shiver running down your spine, and the cold spots that cling to the back of your neck.” Nergal said, almost mocking me.  Then all went silent once again.
I slowly walked further into the fortress until I came to the stairs that led up to the watch tower.  Like Nergal said, I felt a cold spot as my breath suddenly became visible and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand up.  A shiver of fear ran up my spine as I made the climb up the stairs.  Finally I made it to the top level of the tower and I was horrified at what I saw.
Haldir lay there on his back unconscious and surrounding him looked to be the same symbol that I had seen branded on Théodred’s soul when he came as a hybrid Deviant back at Helm’s Deep.
“Haldir.” I quickly raced over to him and was shocked to see that his entire body had been cut with what almost appeared to be a thousand knives no not knives, they were too shallow to be knife wounds, thread? But how could thread do something like this? “Haldir? Haldir? Come back to me.”
He remained still, like he was in a deep sleep.  I pressed my lips to his forehead and remained there for a solid minute until I felt him awake choking and gasping for air.  His eyes (for the first time) showed true, blind fear as he frantically looked around.
“Hey, hey, hey look at me. Look right at me Haldir. It’s me, it’s Hela.”
“Hela….” He croaked.  His voice completely parched from lack of water.  “Y-you sho…..”
“Shhh, save your strength.” I whispered to him.  “I’m here to get you out. Can you stand?”
“Trap…..”
“What?”
“Trap……it’s a trap! They—they’re after you. They—AHHH!!!” suddenly Haldir’s body contorted itself inward before he was lifted into the air.
“Don’t you just hate it when puppets don’t do what they’re told?” I growled and summoned a whip and captured Nergal by the waist.
“Whatever spell you have him under release him now or I’ll have your bones crushed underneath this whip!”
“The smell of rage, yes. Almost as pleasant as the smell of fear.” Deimos soon came out from the darkness to my right.  Another pair of footsteps soon followed and there stood Perses just a few feet in front of me.
“That is a rush isn’t it? Knowing you have someone’s life under your will.” Perses spoke with a growl to his voice.  It was almost as chilling as Sauron’s voice itself.
“What do you want with me? And why bring Haldir into this? If you wanted me you should’ve come for me directly and left him out of this!” I snarled at Perses.
“Then you wouldn’t have felt what you’re feeling now. Can’t you feel it Hela? The power you had unleashed when you found out about your precious Elfling being brought here. The rage, the anger, it fueled you did it not? We heard it ourselves. The Celestial roar.”
“So what? You want it? Hate to tell you it’s not really a power that can be taken by any means.”
“No, you misunderstand me Hela. Much like you misunderstand why you and your kin were brought to Middle Earth.”
“What?”
“I’ve seen how she’s trapped you. Fighting the Valar’s ‘holy, moral mission’. Bringing peace to Middle Earth and guiding it’s new comers to a better world. That’s not the mission of the Celestials, let alone the mission of the Celestial of Death.”
“And what would you know of why I was brought here? You don’t know anything about me!”
“Don’t we?” Deimos said.
“Middle Earth doesn’t need you to save them, they don’t deserve your help!” Nergal said.  “What you are is not a curse, it’s a gift.”
“You three don’t know what you’re talking about.” I tried to ignore them and redirect the conversation elsewhere but Perses soon spoke again in that haunting grovel of his voice.
“I myself have watched you from behind Denethor’s cowardly eyes. Struggling to have everything you want. While the world makes you choose. Celestials don’t have to choose, we take.” Not wanting to hear another word, I threw Aeglos straight at Perses and saw as it pierced right through his chest but it had no effect on him.
A sadistic smile came across his face as his eyes grew wide and glowed pure white and his hands began to glow white and he fired a powerful magical blast right at me.  I summoned a Celestial shield to block it and I soon saw Deimos’ hands glow red as he began to fire at my other side.  I summoned another shield but together both of their blasts were too powerful for me to hold back.
Soon I had no choice but to disband the shields but using Makkari’s speed I got out of the way as their blasts hit each other creating an explosion of white and red.  I then saw as Nergal began twisting his hands around (much like my water elemental sisters did) and saw Haldir land to the ground on his feet, his hands going straight to his belt as he was forced to draw out his sword.
Against his will, he came at me swishing and slicing his sword frantically.  I dodged each of his attacks before flipping over him and used Makkari’s ability to chi-block.  Hitting each of Haldir’s pressure points hurt me but I had no other choice.
‘I’m sorry Haldir.’ I signed to him.
“You did what you had to do.” I felt the vibrations of his voice say.  Suddenly my arm began to twist backwards before it was pulled behind me.  I gripped my arm but I couldn’t bring it down, then I felt myself being forced to stand fully erect like a guard of the Watch tower.  I soon felt myself being lifted into the air and slowly being turned around to face Nergal.
“You should’ve learned this technique before you faced us. It’s impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I now control every muscle, even your very soul is mine to command.” With a twist of his hands and arms, I was jerked to the right before I felt my feet sliding across the floor towards the left only to feel both my arms being thrown behind my back to stop me.
My body contorting, almost spasming as I felt my entire body crumble then go erect before crumbling again.  Until finally I was forced down on my knees, tears falling down my face in pain.  In the pain, I was forced to let go of Makkari’s powers and I pleaded with Nergal.
“Stop……please.” Nergal only cackled at the sight of my agony.  But then through the pain, I felt this rush of power surging through me.  I breathed sharply through my pain as I used the magic that surrounded me.  I slowly stood on my feet and said, “You’ve underestimated me Nergal. You, Deimos and Perses all underestimated me. I am not the same Celestial of Death I once was, and technique is useless on me!”
Using my own Celestial magic, I drew in some of the dark power from this very fortress and converted it to my own personal brand of Celestial of Death magic and fired it at Nergal.  He took the beam and redirected it back towards me as well as drew in dark power from the fortress as well and all three beams of magic combined into one as it headed straight for me.
I took a strong front stance and did a palm-heel strike at the beam which dispersed and scattered around the fortress like millions of fireflies.  Nergal was shocked at what I had done then using Makkari’s speed I slammed right into him and repeatedly came at him punching and kicking him into the wall until he was all but unconscious.  A gleam soon caught my attention and I took his left wrist to see a vial with both a red and watery speck within.
The vial was what one of the Blue Wizards called a voodoo vial.  If someone’s blood or any form of fluid got into this vial, the magic bearer could control said person using their own fluids against them.  Nergal must’ve used both Haldir’s blood and the sweat from my armor after the battle of Osgiliath and put it into this vial.
But how he got it was the question, these vials hadn’t been seen since the Blue Wizards vanished from Middle Earth.  I tucked it away so that Nergal couldn’t use it again before racing back to Haldir.  I helped him up dropping Makkari’s powers and said to him.
“I’m sorry again about what I did earlier.”
“And as I said, you did what you had to do. I probably would’ve done the same thing.” I smiled softly and got us back towards the stairway and we tried to get out as fast as we could.
Once we had reached the main level, a powerful blast was shot behind us which threw both Haldir and I off our feet.  We both turned to see Perses and Deimos levitating above us.
“Haldir, run.”
“But Hela—”
“This is not up for debate, you’ve already been in this foul place long enough, I refuse to allow you to stay another second here!”
“My, my how adorable they are. Seems ashamed we’ll have to tear you both apart. Limb from limb.” Deimos mocked with a sadistic grin on his face.
“Haldir please. Just get out of here!”
“I won’t leave you to fight them alone!” Valar above Haldir don’t make me do this! I took the vial and thought my command.  Soon Haldir stood up, his eyes widened in shock.
“Go.” Then he turned and against his will, he ran out of Minas Morgul leaving me to fend off both Deimos and Perses.
“Such a noble cause, but he won’t get far.” Perses said to me monotonous, almost devoid of any feeling.
“If either of you want him, you’ll have to kill me first.” I summoned Aeglos back to my hand as well as used Kingo’s power to summon a cosmic energy ball.  Deimos soon summoned out his two sickles flipping the blades together making a clanking sound.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” He said lustfully.  Then the three of us charged at each other.
The battle lasted throughout the night, by the end Minas Morgul was left with various openings and cracks within its structure.  As we stood upon the highest tower once more, I was panting and breathing heavily, my body bleeding and bruised whilst both Perses and Deimos barely had a scratch on them.
How were they able to get by with barely a scratch?! They couldn’t be normal mages or sorcerers so just who or what were these men? Suddenly I became overwhelmed with the crying voices of the people of Gondor.  Hearing their heartbeats beat their last beat or feel the souls leaving their bodies as they were being slaughtered like pigs.
“Ohhh that is a delicious scent. Death. Feeling the souls of the departed and their blood pour out.” Deimos said taking a deep inhale before exhaling in pleasure.  His eyes seemed to glow redder as he slid his sickles across the ground and walked towards me.
“You’re even viler than Azog himself.” I muttered.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Deimos mocked.  I charged at them again but they quickly disbanded and took to the air.  I fired at Deimos using Kingo’s cosmic arrows firing them one after the other when I felt Perses coming at me from behind.  I quickly ducked his punch and went to punch him but he grabbed my wrist in his hand.
“Strong enough to have it all,” he then kneed me in the gut which knocked the wind out of me.  “Too weak to take it!” he then kicked me in the face sending me across the tower but I got back into a low crouching stance.  I then used the peaks of the tower to run up and capture Perses with my legs (a technique favored by Thena and Makkari).
I used my monetium to pin him to the wall and with as much force as I could I began punching Perses in the face repeatedly.  But what frightened me was that with each punch, he kept turning his head back towards me, a wicked smile spreading across his face almost as if he were enjoying it.  As he cackled I cried out and punched him harder even elbowing him straight down on the head.  But Perses held me by the back before finally slamming me down through the roof of the tower sending me falling straight back to the same room where I had found Haldir.
I groaned and coughed up some blood as I tried to pick myself off the ground.  I then felt a foot on my back and saw as a sickle came at my throat.
“I say it’s time we put an end to this little game of ours.” Deimos said to me.  Just as I felt the blade start to touch my neck, a horn was heard in the distance.  A horn that I knew all too well.  “Impossible!” Deimos growled and I let out a laugh.
“They’ve come.”
*Cain’s POV*
With the sound of the Horn of the Mark echoing through the sun’s rising in the East, we had finally arrived at Gondor open fields.  Our horses neighing and whinnying as we marched over the Pelennor fields and looked down upon Gondor.
Even though I couldn’t physically see the destruction that lay before us, I could easily compare it to one other city that had been this badly attacked.  The night Gondolin was attacked.  The fire, the panicked screams of the people, the smell of decaying flesh, it all came back to me as we stood upon the hill.
The haunting chants of the number of orcs that stood before the walls of the White city were probably the greatest I had ever felt in my lifetime.  Sauron was willing to take no chances to allow the city of Kings to remain standing.
Wysteria nickered and stamped her hooves nervously, and I could pick up the fear coming from Merry deep within the armies.  I patted Wysteria’s neck comfortingly and whispered to her.
“Steady girl, steady.” ‘You too Merry. This is what true war is like, but if you remember your training, you may yet survive this.’ I soon sent a telepathic message to Merry.
“Form ranks you maggots! Form ranks. Pikes in front, archers behind!” I heard a general orc command his army.  I heard as the orc armies got into position and I tightened my grip on Wysteria’s reins.  I then heard the thundering hooves of Theoden’s horse Snowmane and he gave out the orders.
“Eomer, take your eored down the left flank.”
“Flank ready!” Eomer called out to his section of the army.
“Gamling, follow the king’s banner down the center. Grimbold, take your company right after you’ve passed the wall. Forth, and fear no darkness!” The two men got into position and soon Theoden stopped before me and Wysteria, “Master Cain, you ride with me at my side. Together we lead our men to battle!” I nodded and urged Wysteria to follow Snowmane as Theoden proclaimed to one and all of his riders, pacing across the entire army of Rohan.  “Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered. A sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!”
The riders lowered their spears and I heard the orcs wielding their pikes get into full position crouching down with their pikes standing outward.  Snowmane soon rode onward and I urged Wysteria behind him, Theoden’s sword clanking with each spear as he gave his men the courage to ride forth into battle and death.
“Ride now! RIDE NOW! RIDE! RIDE FOR RUIN AND THE WORLD’S ENDING!!” When Theoden stopped at the middle of the army to lead us onward, he proclaimed out for one and all to hear, his sword raised. “DEATH!!”
“DEATH!” the men echoed back raising their own weapons.
“DEATH!” I then cried out.
“DEATH!” the men echoed back, accepting me as their Celestial General as they and their ancestors had done for Hela so long ago.
“DEATH!!!!” Both Theoden and I cried out once more and this time the riders, Merry and Eowyn echoed back death so loudly, the sun fully rose behind us.  Lighting up the darkness that had befallen Gondor and giving their people back their hope.
“FORTH EORLINGAS!” Theoden proclaimed as the Horns of the Mark pierced the dawning sky.  And with the final horn call, Theoden and I lead the charge as the riders all yelled and cried out a battle cry, I could swear it would’ve rivaled a Celestial’s roar.
Wysteria went from a slow trot to a run and finally a full on gallop.  I gripped my axe in my hand as I urged her to go faster.  My confidence urging her onward as she neighed fiercely.  I soon heard the orc general proclaim the archers to fire and the sound of whizzing arrows filled the skies, and the sound of horses tripping and falling as well as men being taken down off their horses.
But we did not stop.  We kept charging towards the orc armies head on.  As Theoden let out the full command to charge, I could already hear the shift in the air from the orcs.  More arrows continued to come down at us, but even the orcs soon realized that we weren’t retreating, they became shocked, nay frightened.
I raised my axe into the air and proclaimed out to Gamling and the rest of the men at the center.
“CHARGE!!!” The sound of the orcs’ heartbeats beated furiously with fear and some even started to retreat back but it was too late.
Like a tidal wave crashing down, the horses ploughed through the orcs like they were nothing.  I sliced every orc that was within range, relieving them of their heads or slicing their necks open.  Wysteria rammed down each orc and made sure to trample over each one she had knocked down as we continued to charge deeper within the ranks of the orc armies.
Rohan had come to Gondor’s aid, and the old Alliances of Men was finally reforged.
Swords clashed, spears broke, shields splintered, just as Theoden said but we managed to slay most of the front lines of orcs and free the gate of any orcs that tried to enter the city.
I beheaded two orcs one after the other before coming across another orc who tried to come at Wysteria.  I grabbed his spear and headbutted him before using his own spear to stab him through the heart.  Wysteria reared as she kicked another orc that came near us before riding onward.
“Drive them to the river!” I could hear Eomer’s voice call out and his men did as they told.  The orcs quickly retreating as Theoden proclaimed.
“Make safe the city!” that’s when a deep rumble was heard.  I knew I was the only one who could hear it because the Riders had yet to notice what was coming.  I knew those deep, thunderous footsteps well and just the smell of them coming I knew who was now here.
“Find Theoden Wysteria. Hyah!” she rode onward but it was too late.  Soon the fighting stopped as the sound of chants echoed through the plains.  The deep bellowing horn and the chants of the Men now became clear.
The Haradrim had come.
The spiked heartbeats of the men around me grew in fear as they now looked upon the beasts that stood before them.  The Mumakil or as my kin called them once Oliphaunts.  Long ago, the Celestials once bred them for helping to build our great castles and removing dead trees to make room for new ones.
But shortly after the Deviants destroyed our home, they had been scattered and found themselves into the hands of people of Harad.  Nowadays they bred the Oliphaunts as war-beasts.  Which soon earned them their new name, Mumakil.
Wysteria nickered and paced fearfully.  I patted her neck and urged her to find Theoden once more.  She huffed but obeyed my command.
“Reform the line! Reform the line!” I heard Theoden’s voice proclaim.  What no! Theoden you can’t lead these men in a direct attack against these Mumakil, you’ll be slaughtered!  The Oliphants’ soon roared out furiously as they now began to charge.
“THEODEN! THEODEN WAIT!” I cried out as I rode towards him but it was too late.
“Sound the charge! Take them head on! Charge!”
“NOOO!!” I cried out but my voice was drowned out with the Horn of the Mark and the cries of the Men as they charged head on towards the Haradrim soldiers.
Within seconds, the sound of horses being flung through the air, men falling to their deaths at great heights, and giant hooves squashing both men and horses bones were all I could hear.  Arrows whizzing from both Haradrim and Rohirrim soldiers silenced any and all (but I could mostly hear the Rohirrim being slaughtered).
I growled and urged Wysteria forward and as I got closer I advised to them.
“NOT THE BEASTS! TAKE DOWN THE RIDERS! AIM FOR THE HEAD RIDER! EOMER!! TAKE DOWN THE LEAD RIDER! BRING HIM DOWN!!” Eomer’s head turned to me and I felt him grip his spear tightly as I heard a Mumakil coming right towards him.  He waited and waited for the right time to strike, then he let out a grunt as he threw his spear straight at the lead rider bringing him down.
By killing the lead rider, you force the Mumakil to go wherever they go.  And since this one was now dangling dead to the right, the Mumakil he was controlling was forced to go right, straight into another Mumakil bringing them both down.  I rode to Eomer and told him.
“Nice throw.”
“Thank you.”
“Tell your men to either aim for the riders, the head or their lower legs and ankles with your swords and spears. Their skin is too think to use arrows anywhere else.”
“I take you’ve dealt with these soldiers before?” he asked.
“Unfortunately yes. Haradrim soldiers, they’re twisted, vile, and kill for the pleasure of it. If I had to say whose worse orcs or them, you’d be surprised to say I’d rather take my chances with the orcs before these men.”
“Thank you for the advice Lord Cain.” I nodded then urged Wysteria onward to find Theoden.  Taking my advice, I heard Eomer command the men to fire their arrows where I had told them to.  One Mumakil was getting ambushed on all sides having arrow after arrow being fired at him.  He reared up taking down some of the men before a spear to the leg finally brought him down and finally give the men enough fire power to kill him.
It was sad to see these once innocent creatures now being used for war but I couldn’t let it interfere with my part in the war.  I urged Wysteria onward and used my axe and orc spear to cut one Mumakil at the ankles which brought it down.
I then used the orc spear to take down one of the archers before he had a chance to take either me or Wysteria down.  I then heard Eowyn’s voice calling out for Merry in a panic.  No! What happened!
“Hyah!” I kicked Wysteria’s sides and she raced onward.  I followed Eowyn’s heartbeat and soon tracked her near Theoden who was surrounded by orcs.  But her love for her uncle fueled her fire to fight and defend him in battle.  That’s when I heard the sound of coughing nearby and the familiar choked grunts of Merry.  “Come on Wysteria! Ha!”
She raced ahead and I soon picked up Merry’s racing heartbeat and his labored breathing.  Surrounding him were three Haradrim Soldiers.  Two of which had him held prisoner, while the third was ready to behead him.  I urged Wysteria on and she raced ahead before rearing up and kicked the Haradrim soldier holding Merry by the neck hard in the head, breaking his neck.
I then sliced one of the soldiers holding Merry across the face before twirling it and threw it at the other one, silencing him.
“Master Cain!” I got off Wysteria and knelt down in front of him, cupping his face.
“Are you alright?”
“I am, thanks to you.” I sighed in relief and embraced the young hobbit tightly. 
I was forced to live with the fact that I had allowed Hela to be tortured by the Haradrim soldiers for an entire day just because I couldn’t allow anyone to see how a blind man could fight.  I refused to allow anyone else I care about fall victim to these vile men ever again.
“Are you okay?” I sniffled softly and separated from him and said.
“Yes. Now that I know you are.”
“I remembered what you taught me, but they came out of nowhere from the orcs that also came by to take advantage of me.”
“As I said, they’re clever but they also fight dirty. Come.” I took back my axe and whipped the blood off of it and put Merry on top of Wysteria and got on her back just behind Merry.  “Let’s finish this, Hyah!” together Merry and I rode into battle slaughtering any stray Haradrim soldier that came at us or aiding the men who needed help.
Suddenly a piercing screech filled the air which made me clench my ears in agony.  Wysteria reared in such a panic, she had bucked both Merry and I off her back.  I soon heard the growls of a fellbeast and the crunching of horse’s bones before hearing the cracks of Theoden’s lower back snapping in two.  With an injury like that, even if he did somehow survive, he’d never be able to walk again.
“What happened Master Cain? Why did you horse do that?”
“The Witch King. He is here, and he means to kill Theoden.” I then heard his haunting voice say.
‘Feast on his flesh.’ But then a heartbeat filled with both fear and anger stepped forward and I heard Eowyn say.
“I will kill you if you touch him!”
‘Do not come between the Nazgul and his prey.’
“No, Eowyn what are you doing?”
“Lady Eowyn is there? Facing that thing? I have to help her!”
“Merry no! You can’t. No man can beat the Witch King of Angmar. He’s too powerful.” I gripped his arm before he could run off.
“But I’m no man, I’m a hobbit. Please Master Cain, I have to help Lady Eowyn. She’s helped me just as much as you have. I’d never forgive myself if I let her die when I know I could’ve helped.” I looked at the halfling and nodded.  I released his arm and told him.
“I’ll cover you.” He quickly embraced me before racing off to find Lady Eowyn.  Any man or orc that set their eyes on Merry, I slaughtered them where they stood.  Until finally the evil aura of the Witch King was so close, I couldn’t take another step out of fear.
With no other choice I turned and ran the opposite way, hoping Merry would be alright.  That’s when I felt a strong spiritual wave overcome the fields of Pelennor.  The same ghostly presence I had felt back at Dunharrow just days ago.  They did it! Aragorn and them succeeded in bringing the Army of the dead to help aid us.  Knowing the dead cant be killed nor have anything else to die for, the armies of Sauron were doomed far worse than ever before.
I slayed a few Haradrim soldiers and as I was crossing blades with another one, our strengths equally matched until he headbutted me and sliced at my leg through my disorientation.  But before he could deliver the finishing blow, Wysteria came and kicked the soldier in the chest cracking his ribs and then trampled his face in.
She came up to me and helped me stand back up.  I patted her neck as I slowly got on her back once more praising her on saving my life once more.  She whinnied and charged onward while I beheaded or cut the throats of any enemy that came near us.  But as I relieved two orcs of their heads, three arrows whizzed and Wysteria suddenly collapsed rolling forward neighing in pain, sending me off her back and down in a crouch position, my axe held close to my chest.
I heard the heartbeats of six Haradrim soldiers surrounding me and I took out my small dagger kept behind my boot and with grace and agility, I sliced through each of their necks, ending their worthless lives before turning back to Wysteria.  I knelt down beside her and could hear her heartbeat starting to slow and her breathing was labored.
Tears filled my eyes as I stroked her neck and pressed my head to hers.
“You were very brave Wysteria. So very brave, and I am honored to called you my faithful steed. You can rest now. Be at peace wild mare of Rohan.” She nickered softly once more before her heart went still and her breathing stopped.  I kissed her muzzle and stroked her neck once more.
I wish I had more time to grieve but the battle still needed to be fought.  I ran away from Wysteria and continued fighting on foot, cutting down any enemy forces that came my way until I came across a few familiar heartbeats that I knew had come with the army of the dead.  I sliced off an orc’s head and proclaimed.
“Aragorn!” I heard him chuckle as the two of us came together and embraced each other.  “Glad to see your mission was a success.”
“Glad to see you’re still in one peace. Not that I doubted from Hela’s older brother.” We both chuckled.
“Hate to say you were wrong before but 6000 was enough to break the lines of Mordor. At least until the Haradrim came and tipped the scales with their Mumakil. But with you and the armies of the dead here, we may yet reclaim the city back in your name.”
“Yes. Fight at my side Lord Cain?”
“To the death, King Aragorn.” I said gripping my axe and dagger tighter and giving him a smirk.  Together we both charged at any enemy in range.
As the battle continued to rage on, I sensed something.  Something far beyond the fields and pass the White city but not at the gates of Mordor.  It was somewhere inbetween the two kingdoms, a dark fell place and suddenly there was a loud boom.  A boom so loud, it shook the very earth and I could hear what sounded like a building starting to crumble down.  More explosions followed and I turned to Aragorn and asked him.
“What do you see to the West?”
“A fog of green and black smoke. A shape of a skull now forms in the sky, just over Minas Morgul. I knew it was a fell place of dark magic but never before have I seen something like that before.”
“Seems we’ll have to wait till after the war to decide what it was that caused that explosion.”
“Agreed. We’re almost at victory, we can’t afford to stop now.” I nodded in agreement.  After a few more minutes of fighting, I felt as the army of the dead swept the city and all the orcs that had breached the city were silenced.  Soon all went quiet except for one faint heartbeat.
I followed it and soon discovered that it was Theoden King.  He was barely clinging to life even with his body broken.  I knelt down beside him and stroked his head softly, I could feel the muscles around his eyes struggle to open and soon he said.
“You have your sister’s heart.” I smiled softly.  “And her smile, Master Cain.” His voice was soft as his heartbeat was slowly beginning to fade.  His gloved fingers came to my cheek softly stroking it, “My eyes darken.”
“I know…..I know.” I softly told him.  “I’m sorry I cannot spare the pain of your passing like my sister can.”
“You already are.” He assured me.  As a tear slowly slid down my face, Theoden stroked the tear away.  “Master Cain, do not weep over me. For your sister has taught me to not fear death.” I smiled softly.
That was what I had hoped Hela would give to the world.  For if she befriended all races that live in Middle Earth, when death comes for them no matter what shape or form, Hela is the sign that death is not a path to fear, but to one day embrace.  And look to like one looks at a dear friend.
“I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not know of yet shame.” Ever so slowly his heart beat got quieter and quieter until he choked out my sister’s name before he went silent.  His heart beating no more.
Theoden King had now passed.
Tears fully ran down my face as I cupped the face of the now dead king and whispered to him.
“Be at peace, Theoden Horse-master.” I kissed the center of his forehead before closing his eyes forever.
*My POV*
With the arrival of Rohan coming to Gondor’s aid and the Alliances of Men finally being reforged, it seemed to anger both Deimos and Perses in a way I had never seen before.  It fueled their attacks which took a deep toll on my body.
I tried to fight back with all my strength but even that wasn’t enough for the two of them combined together.  At first their fighting style had been to toy with me in order to keep me here and not go back to aid Gondor.  Now, now they were fully out for blood.  They weren’t holding back on anything whether their physical attacks or their magic.
I had been thrown against the tower by Perses before he came at me holding me by the throat.  He then picked me up and together the two of us slammed through the walls of Minas Morgul until we came to the main level of the fortress once again.  As I slammed hard against the floor, creating a large crater-like dent in the floor, Perses and Deimos soon appeared on top of me, Deimos taking my hands and pinning them to the ground while Deimos squeezed my throat with both his hands.
“Your weakness Hela, is morality. It’s choking you!” Both of them stared me down with insane, wide eyes.  There was nothing I could do now, my body was practically beaten and my vision was quickly going black as the air from my lungs was quickly running out.
“Can’t you feel it?” Deimos taunted as he gripped my left wrist and snapped it within his palm.  I didn’t even have any air to scream as I could literally hear the bones in my wrist crack but then the both of them screamed and finally let me up.
I let out a loud gasp as coughed and crying were mixed together.  I looked up and had seen that Haldir had returned.  Deimos and Nergal growled lowly as they withdrew Haldir’s twin daggers out from their backs and tossed them aside.
“Stupid Elfling you really thought those daggers would work?!” Deimos snarled.  As I continued coughing and rolled over to my side cradling my broken wrist and slowly tried to stand up.
“Nergal was right! She got it from you that pathetic sickness that is love!” Perses snarled.  I then felt a foot slam into my back sending me face first back into the rubble of the marble floor.  Haldir stood his ground now wielding Aeglos.  Both Deimos and Perses forced me up gripping either my hair or shoulder roughly.
“The cunning warrior attacks neither body nor mind.” Deimos taunted me.
“Haldir go…..” I choked.
“They attack your heart.” He finished.
“Haldir……please…..” I pleaded.  But he stood his ground.  Then suddenly a fellbeast bursted through the main entrance of the fortress knocking Haldir off his feet and threw him across the room.  I cried out his name as the fellbeast flew around before landing.  Riding on top of it was Nergal, he gave me a smirk and soon joining with him on top of the fellbeast were Deimos and Perses.
“Hela, Hela, Hela. No good deed goes unpunished. You can thank us later.” Perses told me.  I saw as Haldir lay there on his side near one of the columns grimacing in pain.  I watched as Perses nodded to Nergal who took out a circular vial filled with green colored potion.  He tossed the vial towards Haldir but I leapt towards it.
But the second I touched it….BOOM!! Just like at Helm’s Deep, a large explosion happened everywhere and I was thrown across the other side of the fortress.  I heard two more additional explosions ring out and the last thing I saw before I briefly blacked out was nothing but green and black mist forming around me.
10 notes · View notes
aspendragon · 9 months
Text
Fernweh Part III Ch 23 The Wizard is now up!
Tumblr media
Fernweh A Lord of the Rings Fanfiction
Read from the beginning
Read Chapter 23: The Wizard
A Haldir x OC fanfiction
Fernweh (FEIRN-veyh): "An ache to get away and travel to a distant place, a feeling even stronger than wanderlust."
Leigh Anne, by all means is an introvert, is fed up with her 8-5 job, paying bills and being lonely so making the impulsive decision to fly to Germany for a year caught everyone, including herself, off guard. It started off well enough, until she accepted an invite from a new friend to stay in her parents' clock workshop on the outskirts of the Black Forest. There Leigh Anne discovers a mysterious silver horse in the woods, experiences a flight of terror through the trees and crashes headlong into a world not her own.
In Middle Earth a malicious strain of monsters is breeding in the darkest parts of the forest. Haldir dreads the news of missing comrades and is more wary of strange non-elves than ever. However Leigh Anne, a very strange human of a very strange land, may be of assistance for not just anyone can ride a Mearas.
PART 1 | COMPLETE --- PART 2 | COMPLETE --- PART 3 | IN PROGRESS --- Thank you to all my readers and their kind comments!
8 notes · View notes
Text
A Little Push- Haldir x OC
Haldir x Mirabella
Description: Rúmil and Orophin decide to play matchmakers with their brother and the head healer.
Word Count: 2.1k
“Morning Mira!” Rúmil and Orophin’s voices rang out through the medical wing, which made several others face them. While a few people shushed them, Mirabella only offered them a small smile upon looking at them.
“Good morning boys. What can I do for you?” She asked kindly. The two shot each other a mischievous smile before facing her again, which made her sigh.
“What did you do this time?” She continued her task of folding spare blankets as she asked it, and she didn’t have to look at them to know they had a dramatically shocked look on their faces.
“We’ve done absolutely nothing at all,” Rúmil all but exclaimed.
“I’m hurt that you would even suggest that we did something wrong,” Orophin continued in the same tone. “Do you really have that little faith in us?” The girl paused her movements and stared at them, raising an incredulous eyebrow. That immediately made them break.
“We tried to hide Haldir’s sword and it fell into the river,” Orophin explained in a defeated tone.
“He had to dive into the water to get it,” Rúmil added.
“Now he’s soaked and looking for us,” Orophin concluded. Mirabella’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped in shock.
“Boys!” She exclaimed, which made a few healers turn around and shush her. She offered them an apologetic smile before facing the brothers in front of her.
“Can you hide us?” Rúmil pleaded, making sure to keep his voice down.
“Just until he stops looking for us?” His brother added with a pleading expression. The girl visibly hesitated, which made them step closer to her.
“We’ll give you strawberry lembas cake for a week,” Orophin offered, which made her eyes narrow at him. Before she could answer, a voice came from outside the door.
“Rúmil! Orophin!” Haldir called, eerily calm. It sounded like he was walking toward the medical wing and the boys in question began to panic.
“Please, Mira!” Orophin begged, both he and Rúmil taking each of her hands. She thought about their offer for a moment then hummed.
“A month,” she bargained.
“Done,” Rúmil responded immediately. “Now please hide us.”
“Get into the broom closet,” she instructed. “Behind the uniforms.” They nodded and allowed her to lead them to the closet doors. Mirabella helped them inside then closed the door before making back to the rest of the unfolded blankets as the door opened. She didn’t have to look at him to know that he was walking towards her.
“Good morning Haldir,” she greeted calmly before turning around. Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance. He was soaked to the bone, clothes, hair and all. In his left hand he gripped his sword’s sheath with said sword in it tightly and he was shivering just a bit. Winter had come a bit early in Lothlórien, and Mirabella could see small crystals beginning to form in Haldir’s hair.
“Oh my, Haldir-”
“I’m pretty sure you already know what happened,” he cut her off in an unimpressed tone. “There’s no need to pretend like my brothers haven’t told you.”
“I was just going to say you’re going to catch a cold if you stay in those clothes,” the girl retorted, shooting him an unimpressed look before turning around and continuing to fold the blankets. She heard him sigh behind her before he responded.
“My apologies, my lady. I’m just a bit frustrated at the moment. Rúmil and Orophin are beginning to get on my last nerve. I fear this may have been the final straw,” he said much softer this time, which made Mirabella smile and glance back at him.
“That’s better. Now, what can I do for you?” She inquired, setting the now folded blankets aside before facing him fully.
“The whereabouts of my brothers,” he answered simply. “I don’t doubt that they came to you for sanctuary again, and I’d like to know where you hid them this time.”
“I would never,” she lied, feigning innocence as she rested her hand against her chest. “Going behind the Marchwarden’s back? Inconceivable.” That brought the smallest smile to the elf’s face, which made Mirabella internally cheer. Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished and Haldir returned to what she liked to call his ‘Marchwarden role.’
“Not as inconceivable as you might think, considering this is the fourth time this month that they’ve pulled something like this then come to you. If you please, we all have rounds to make and I have a punishment planned for them.”
“After you’ve changed into something warm,” she added immediately, crossing her arms. “We can’t have Lothlórien’s best soldier getting sick because he put his job over his health.” It was Haldir’s turn to cross his arms and a small smirk appeared on his face.
“You think that I’m Lothlórien’s best soldier?” Mirabella blushed as her words were repeated back to her. Sure, she meant it, but it was still embarrassing to know that that’s what he focused on.
“Of course, you weren’t named Marchwarden because of your good looks,” she attempted to brush off before realizing what she said. Haldir seemed to take delight in her mortification because a small chuckle left his lips.
“Now I’m the handsome Marchwarden?” He teased. Mirabella was ready to just disappear into thin air at this very moment. She had no idea how much more she could take, so she decided to simply end it. She turned away from him rather abruptly and picked up the blankets.
“I don’t know where your brothers are,” she started, beginning to walk over to the shelves where they kept the blankets. “But you won’t find them here. You might want to try elsewhere.” As she walked by the uniform closet, she subtly nodded her head towards it. Haldir seemed to understand what she was doing because without another word he strode over to the closet and whipped the door open. Rúmil and Orophin screamed at their brother’s sudden appearance, but before they could attempt to run the eldest Silvan brother grabbed them each by one ear and began to drag them out of the room.
“Mira, help us!” Rúmil begged, earning a sympathetic smile and giggle from the girl.
“Sorry, I already tried!” That was where their conversation was forced to end as Haldir finally dragged them out of the room, closing the door behind them. Mirabella shook her head amusedly at them, then finally moved onto her next task.
Rúmil and Orophin were becoming annoyed. Four times this month they’d been attempting to find ways to bring their brother and Mirabella together. All of them had been in vain as the duo barely exchanged a few pleasant conversations outside of work before Rúmil and Orophin were caught. It was frustrating. The feelings between them were obviously there, anyone with eyes could see it. The longing looks they exchanged while passing by, the way they held onto each other’s word during meetings, when she checked on him first after long patrols, everything. They had to up the amp, so after their punishment was over, they began plotting. Usually they would never do anything more than something like this, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Mirabella was walking down the halls of Galadriel’s palace with a peaceful smile on her face. There was no work for her to do at the moment and the day was lovely enough to be spent walking around relaxedly. She didn’t have an idea of where she was going, instead simply allowing her feet to wander where they pleased. Her hand lightly grazed the wall as she walked until she reached the side entrance of the palace. It wasn’t until she reached the bottom of the staircase that the tranquility was disrupted.
“Mira!” Orophin shouted, almost breathlessly as he approached her. The panic in his voice is what made her stop mid-step and look around. She had to side step the elf when he reached her so they wouldn’t land in a heap on the ground. Rather than be worried at first, the girl only sighed.
“Oro, I can’t keep hiding you. Your brother’s already caught on to your habits,” she informed them. The elf shook his head vigorously, which made her furrow her brows.
“It’s Haldir,” Orophin said quickly. “He’s hurt.” Her eyes widened a bit as her adrenaline immediately began pumping.
“What? What happened? Where is he?” She questioned urgently.
“Follow me, I’ll explain on the way,” the boy exclaimed before the two of them took off in a run. Mirabella’s only panic increased as Orophin explained what happened. He, Haldir and Rúmil had been patrolling the border when they were attacked by a horde of Orcs. They managed to fight them off enough to flee, but Haldir had gotten badly injured in the process. He couldn’t move without becoming weaker so Rúmil offered to stay with him as Orophin ran to get help. They sped up as they got closer to the border.
“Just a little further,” Orophin informed her urgently as they pushed through branches and bushes.
Finally, after what felt like forever, they reached a small clearing. At the same time, Rúmil and Haldir emerged from the other side of the clearing, the latter looking just as panicked as Mirabella felt.
“Haldir!” She exclaimed worriedly, picking up her speed just a bit.
“Mira,” he spoke in the same tone as he copied her. They met each other halfway and the girl began to search Haldir of any injuries, barely registering that he was doing the same thing as their hands found each other.
“Are you okay?” She asked frantically, receiving a bewildered look from the elf.
“Are you okay?” He shot back. “Rúmil told me what happened, I-”
“Rúmil?” She repeated confusedly, finally looking up at him. “What do you mean? Orophin told me you had been injured after an Orc attack.” That made Haldir pause.
“Rúmil said the exact same thing happened to you,” he said, duplicating her expression. Mirabella’s confusion grew and she shook her head quickly.
“What? No, I’ve been in the palace all day. You know I never go to the borders,” she tailed off before realization hit her. “Wait, Orophin said that you were too weak to move.” Haldir’s worry faded away and he raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
“That’s exactly what Rúmil said,” he muttered before the two of them faced his brothers.
“Rúmil, Orophin, is there something you would like to tell us?” Mirabella questioned, almost too calm. The boys, upon realizing that they had been caught, glanced at each other before flashing cheeky grins at the duo.
“There is,” Rúmil answered. “We believe it’s high time you two began courting already.”
“The feelings are there, and we simply gave you the push you both needed,” Orophin added. Before either of them could process their words, the younger Silvans ran away.
“Thank us later!” Rúmil called faintly. Haldir shook his head in disbelief at them then faced the elf beside him.
“I sincerely apologize for their behavior, I’m appalled that they would pull something like this,” he said with a genuine look in his eyes. A small amused smile slowly spread onto Mirabella’s face and she looked at him.
“Me neither,” she responded before gently squeezing his hand. “But I can’t say that I don’t appreciate the effort. You have feelings for me?” A subtle blush settled on Haldir’s face and he shot her a teasing smile.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he retorted.
“And if I said I did?” She inquired with an innocent expression. She held back a gasp as he dropped her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
“Then I’d say that I happily return them, and I would ask you to court me,” he responded simply. Mirabella couldn’t help but giggle and she rested a hand on his chest.
“Then what are you waiting for?” That was when the widest smile she had ever seen on the Marchwarden’s face appeared.
“Mirabella Holidan, will you make me the happiest ellon (male elf) in the world and court me?” He inquired softly. Mirabella’s smile widened (if that were even possible) and she nodded without hesitation.
“I would love nothing more, Haldir.” Neither elf could be happier, and they found themselves taking their time in walking back to the castle.
“You know,” Mirabella started, swinging their enclosed hands a bit. “As much as Rúmil and Orophin annoy you, you can’t say they didn’t have a huge part in getting us together.” Haldir sighed softly, looking almost ashamed that he had to agree.
“I suppose. I don’t think either of us will ever live this down,” he grumbled.
“I think I can live with that,” the girl said with a giggle. The elf looked at her with a fond smile, then nodded.
“Me too.”
25 notes · View notes
Three Weeks on the Nimrodel
Well, here it is. My first (and oldest) piece of fic. I'm going against my brand here by posting something set in Lorien when Rohan is really my jam. But this is the first thing I ever wrote, so it seems fitting that it should be the first posted, too.
Tumblr media
Pairing: Haldir x reader (The reader is gender neutral beyond 2 uses of the descriptor "beautiful", which is still neutral to me but your mileage might vary.)
Genre: Romance, I guess
Summary: Two elves who are frequently misunderstood by others find the joy of having someone really see and value them for who they are.
Inspiration: This all came from the well loved gif above, in which Craig Parker does beautiful work communicating a whole emotional arc (surprise, confusion, acceptance, appreciation) when Aragorn unexpectedly shows Haldir some loving affection. In that half-second of screen time, I see an entire book of backstory about Haldir's character--about being someone who is very reserved by nature, who isn't necessarily comfortable freely expressing feelings and innermost thoughts, but who still feels deep emotional connections to others that can come out under the right circumstances. As a very reserved person myself, I can relate--if you tend to keep your thoughts and feelings close to the vest, people will make a lot of assumptions and judgments about you that probably aren't right, and that can be exhausting. When someone finally does understand you and allows you to be comfortable enough to open up on your own terms, it's a life changing experience. So that's what I tried to write.
Word count: approx 3200 (~ 6 pages)
**********
It is still early when you arrive in the center of Caras Galadhon, joining the crowd of elves waiting to find out where they will be posted for the next few weeks of guard duty. Most in the group are veteran marchwardens, deeply familiar with each other and the daily routine of life near the borders. By contrast, you are a city warden, often dedicated to the direct protection of the Lady of the Wood. But you have been asked to serve a temporary rotation on the borders while several of the regular marchwardens are away with Lord Celeborn on a visit to Mirkwood.
The change of pace is not unwelcome to you. While you love Caras Galadhon and are honored to spend time in the service of Lady Galadriel, you frequently find yourself craving distance from the city in favor of the quiet outlying areas, where it is easy to hear clear birdsong, the rustling steps of small animals scampering by, and the patter of light raindrops falling on mallorn leaves.
The crowd begins to murmur as the deputy captain appears and begins handing around sheets of paper with duty assignments. As the pages spread through the crowd, the murmurs turn to both sighs of disappointment and quiet expressions of satisfaction.
“All I want is to avoid the Nimrodel,” you overhear the elf next to you mutter to a friend of his. You recognize him as Calendil, who, like many of his companions, is well known for carousing around Caras Galadhon any time he is home on leave. As a group, the marchwardens are a boisterous company who seem always determined to pack several weeks of fun into the few days of free time they’ve been given. “Three weeks posted with the captain is more than can be asked of me.”
Your eyebrows shoot up in surprise at this mention of Captain Haldir. You know him a little–everyone in Lorien knows the leader of the marchwardens–and have never before heard a negative word uttered about him. Your path does not often cross with his, but you admire his impressive record of achievements and have never seen him treat another elf with anything but courteous respect.
“You speak truly,” replies Calendil’s companion. “I cannot spend so much time with someone who has so little to say. That much silence is enough to drive one a little mad.”
A wave of indignation rolls through your body. It is undeniably true that Haldir is very reserved. He says little that isn’t necessary to the conduct of his duties, and what he is truly thinking behind his large blue eyes is often a mystery. But that has never seemed a negative trait to you. Indeed, you appreciate that he does not talk simply for talk’s sake and that he does not seem concerned with always making his own opinions known. What’s more, you recognize a fair amount of his inherent reserve in your own nature. If you didn’t often force yourself to satisfy others’ expectations by taking on a more outgoing, sociable persona, perhaps your own wardens would describe you just as these elves have described their captain.
Calendil’s conversation comes to an abrupt end as a copy of the assignment sheet makes its way into his hands. Peering over his shoulder, you quickly find your own name allocated to a remote post near the edge of the Dimrill Dale. A glance further down the list confirms what you already know from the quiet groan that has just escaped from Calendil’s lips: he has been assigned to the Nimrodel post.
An idea quickly forms in your head, and you tap him on the shoulder. Why should he spend three weeks feeling miserable with his posting–and, no doubt, making anyone around him miserable as a result–when you have no particular attachment to your own assignment? Calendil can go to the Dimrill Dale, and you will spend your posting with Haldir instead.
“If such a trade is permitted within your ranks, I will gladly make the exchange,” you offer. “I have always loved the river. And I have no objection to the company of someone who takes his duty seriously and does not revel in idle chatter.”
Calendil’s face registers a moment of regret as he realizes that his prior conversation has been heard by others, but it is quickly replaced by a wide, beaming smile that reflects his rapid change of fortune. “It is permitted,” he says, “and I happily accept. Remind me the next time we are both on leave, and I will reward your generosity with some of my own!”
You doubt that whatever reward he has in mind will suit your inclinations, but there is no need to worry about that now. Calendil has already sprinted off toward the deputy captain to report the change, and you turn toward home to gather your supplies.
****
Two days later, you are approaching the Nimrodel post, which is located in a lovely old mallorn tree with twisted roots that hang over the river’s edge. You raise your hand to your lips and whistle the signal. The return call echoes off the trees before a slim rope ladder drops from the branches above you. You run lightly up the rungs, making easy work of the climb to the talan perched near the great tree’s crown, where it commands a wide view of the river and much of the western section of the border.
As you hoist yourself and your pack onto the platform, you look up to see a single figure standing a few feet away. It is Haldir, leaning against the wind screen with his bow slung loosely over his shoulder and his white-blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze.You are surprised to see him there alone; wardens generally keep watch in pairs or groups of three for safety. You are there to relieve Arthalion, who is due now to return home for a break, but there is no sign of Arthalion or his things.
“Mae govannen, Captain,” you say, placing your hand on your chest and bowing your head slightly. “Is everything well?”
Haldir returns the gesture with a small smile. “Yes. It has been blessedly uneventful. Perhaps it is the threat of the weather.”
This makes sense. Just last month, an orc party attempting a surprise attack during a thunderstorm found themselves nearly washed away by sudden flooding from the Celebrant. Since then, even the hint of rain has tended to keep them at bay.
“And Arthalion? Is he out on a task?”
Haldir shakes his head. “I sent him back early. You might have passed one another in the forest except that he planned to meet a small hunting party further north. As I said, things here were quiet, and he was anxious to join his friends.” He gives a small shrug and looks down. “I will do the same for you, if circumstances allow and you desire it. I do not wish to keep anyone from their enjoyments unless duty requires it.”
You permit yourself a brief moment to wonder what Haldir’s own enjoyments might be. You have heard that he is a talented artist, making detailed pencil sketches of the forest, but he does not often show his work to others.
“That is a thoughtful offer,” you say. “But I have no pressing need to return, and I would not have you out here alone, even if there is no other elf in Lorien better able to protect himself.”
He acknowledges this compliment with a modest smile and gestures toward a small shelf where you can store your belongings. His own are few in number but neatly stacked or folded with military precision. You note that he does, in fact, have a small bundle of pencils and a notebook, but, as expected, there is no sign of any actual drawings.
After stowing your things, you settle into a position opposite him on the talan, and a silence ensues. It is of no bother to you–you’re enjoying the smell of the damp air and the touch of the light wind on your face–but you soon notice that Haldir is looking increasingly discomfited as the quiet minutes slip by. His gaze shifts frequently between the horizon, his hands on his bow, and your face.
“Was…your journey here pleasant?” His face is studiously neutral, but his voice sounds strained and he picks at a splinter on his bow. You realize that he is trying to make conversation for your benefit, to fill in the noticeable silence with casual talk that clearly does not come easily to him. You feel a sudden rush of affection for him, this intensely quiet being who is making himself uncomfortable so that you will feel welcome. You wonder how best to put him at ease.
“It was very pleasant,” you reply. “I am so rarely outside of the city these days that any chance to enjoy the forest is a gift. I can understand why being a marchwarden is an attractive job, at least during times of relative peace.”
He looks up, reappraising your face, and nods his agreement.
You hesitate before speaking again, unsure about how directly to address his uneasiness.
“Captain,” you begin, “it sounds like we may have an uneventful tour here. If that is the case, please do not feel that you are obligated to occupy my time. I am quite comfortable with quiet activity and my own thoughts and would gladly afford you space for the same if that is something you wish.”
His cheeks and ears flush slightly but, despite his apparent embarrassment at being accurately perceived, he seems immediately relieved as well. “Thank you,” he says. “If you are as good a warden as you are a reader of people, I feel myself in safe hands indeed.”
The next several days pass by peacefully. Between occasional scouting trips up or down the riverbank and regularly monitoring the view from the talan, you mostly spend the time together in companionable silence. You take turns preparing simple meals, and during breaks in the intermittent rain you make minor repairs to nearby rope bridges and other hidden defenses in the area. In the evenings, you read a book by lantern light while Haldir sits next to his own lantern and sketches in his notebook, occasionally transferring completed drawings into a closed leather folio at his side. Every so often, you both glance up at the same time, and you give him a warm smile when your eyes meet before turning back to your respective pages.
*****
One evening, as you clean up the remains of your small dinner and take out your book again, Haldir lightly clears his throat.
“That book seems to engage you much,” he says. “May I ask what it is?”
Surprised, you hold it out to him, and he takes it, examining the cover and flipping through a few pages.
“I do not recognize this script,” he says, looking at it with curiosity.
“It is a representation of Rohirric,” you tell him. “My brother was a skilled linguist who passed on some small portion of his knowledge to me. He spent many months visiting a friend in the court at Edoras and helped them to start preserving some of their oral traditions with a system of letters. This is a copy of one of his first completed projects–the story of the founding of Rohan–which he sent to me as a gift.”
Haldir looks again with renewed interest at a few pages before handing the book back to you. “Your brother sounds like an impressive scholar,” he says. “Does he remain in Rohan?”
You hesitate slightly before responding. “In a way. Two years ago an orc band in search of horses raided a village near the Limlight while my brother happened to be visiting. They caught him and his hosts unaware. The Rohirrim buried his body in a place of honor with their people, though his spirit has surely gone to Mandos.”
You relate this with downcast eyes, tracing over your brother’s name on the cover of the book with your thumb. After a few moments, you look up again, expecting to see Haldir withdrawn from the conversation. You know that many elves are uncomfortable with death, which is an unnatural state for your kind, and there is nothing in your interactions so far to indicate that Haldir will want to continue such a personal discussion. You are surprised once again, however, to find that he is looking at you intently.
“I am deeply sorry,” he says. “Working as I do, I have known many elves who met a similar fate in battle, and it is never easy. My own brothers are a treasure to me, and I cannot imagine losing them. I hope I have not contributed to your suffering by unwittingly bringing up a painful subject.”
You blink back a few tears and smile. Through your sadness, you are moved by the warmth of his response and honored that he was willing to share something personal of himself. “Of course not,” you say. “Talking about my brother is one way to keep him with me. Thank you, Captain.” You reach forward and squeeze his hand. He flinches slightly at the unexpected touch, but then gently returns the squeeze.
“Please,” he says, “call me Haldir.”
*****
After that night, things are different between the two of you. You both speak more often, tentatively at first but then with increasing comfort. You trade stories about old adventures and talk about the joys and frustrations of your daily lives. You discover that he has much to say when he finally feels more at ease. He is even quite funny, with a dry wit that you did not expect but thoroughly enjoy. You walk together in the forest and rest your feet in the waters of the Nimrodel during the day, and in the evenings he asks you to read to him from your book. You happily relate tales of Cirion and Eorl and the coming of the Northmen to Calenardhon as he draws quietly, occasionally interjecting a question or a brief comment.
The time passes quickly and easily, and soon your rotation will be at an end. You realize there is a growing pain in your heart each time you think about your imminent departure. Your old life suddenly feels dull and uninteresting to you now. You do not want to go back to a time without his companionship. You debate whether to say this to him, but you cannot imagine how he might react to such a confession. Paralyzed by uncertainty, the last days of your assignment tick by.
On your final evening, you are preparing for one last opportunity to enjoy what has become your nightly routine. Just as he is about to settle with his notepad and folio, however, he notices your canteen is empty and insists on climbing down to fill it for you. As he reaches the ground and disappears over the riverbank, the wind changes direction and a sudden gust rips across the talan, flinging back the cover of the folio and sending papers flying out in all directions. You cry out in dismay and throw yourself desperately onto the pages whipping around you, seeking to hold them down long enough to gather them safely together.
It is only after you have retrieved all the loose pages and are preparing to neatly stack them that you first look at the drawings themselves and are stunned by what you see: beautiful illustrations of the stories you’ve been reading to him, the words of your brother’s book brought to vivid life in graceful pencil lines and delicate shading. You leaf through the stack in awed amazement only to nearly drop the whole pile again when you turn a page and find an image of yourself as you must look to him each night, sitting by your lantern with your book in your lap. You keep turning pages and find more of yourself…braiding your hair first thing in the morning, standing at the wind screen and scanning the horizon, unlacing your boots at the end of a day. Your breath catches in your throat as you absorb these images. You have never looked more beautiful than you do here, seen through his eyes.
A sudden noise behind you tears your attention from the papers in your hand, and you turn to find Haldir standing there. You are immediately overwhelmed by panic and begin to stammer out an explanation for how you came to be holding his personal things, violating his privacy. “I…the wind…they were blowing away and…”. Hot tears well up in your eyes and are soon spilling down your cheeks, partly from embarrassment at the situation but mostly as the feelings you’ve been keeping pent up threaten to come flooding out all at once. “I was not trying to…I…”. An involuntary sob robs you of the ability to finish your sentence, though you aren’t sure how you would have finished it had you been able.
At the sound of your sob, he moves forward, quickly closing the distance between you. He hesitantly cups a hand under your jaw and uses his thumb to brush a tear from your cheek. “Please do not cry,” he says. “I would not ever see you in pain if it were in my power to prevent it. I am not upset. These drawings were for you, for your book. You were meant to have them, except the last few, which I hoped to keep as a reminder of these days and how happy I have been.” Your eyes snap up to his face, searching for confirmation that you have correctly understood his words.
“You know that I am not much for talking,” he continues. “But I am a very good observer. I know that you see me for who I am, just as I see you. I see all of the ways that you are kind and interesting and intelligent and beautiful. I have no expectation that you return my feelings, and if all I ever have with you are these three weeks then I will cherish the memory of these weeks through all the long ages of my life. But I would….”
Before he can complete his thought, your body reacts on its own impulse, a pure release of elation. You throw your arms around his neck and bury your face in his broad chest, still crying but now with tears of joy. You hear a sharp intake of breath as he processes your reaction, and for a fraction of a moment he stands motionless and silent before breaking into a smile and wrapping you in his arms. You could live in those arms forever, and now perhaps you will.
218 notes · View notes
kat651 · 2 months
Text
imagine: saving Haldir during the battle at helm’s deep.
Tumblr media
You fought like your life depended on it (because it did). The rain fell hard and sounded like music as it hit your helmet. Your armor had a blue tint to it, thanks to the type of metal that it was made from. You were a fighter but not by choice. Being half elven was difficult, like Elrond, you lost your parents at a young age, you didn’t remember them well.
you spun to fight off an orc that tried to sneak up behind you. Your sword plunged into its neck, killing the beast instantly. You turned again and paused as to saw a golden haired elf face off agents an orc. You could tell he was a well trained warrior by the way he moved. You forgot the raging battle around you for a moment a you watched his graceful footing and deliberate movements. It was then that you realized it was Haldir, an elf you hadn’t seen in over a year.
You only snapped out of your trance when you saw an orc come up behind Haldir, preparing to kill him. You ran and pushed him out of the way to be met by a sharp pain in your side. You cried out as the blade was pulled out. You silently thanked the valar that your armor was thick and it stoped most of the blade’s momentum. You clutched your now bleeding side and spun, slicing the orc’s head clean off before falling to your knees.
you went to stand and found that someone was pulling you to to your feet. You looked up to see haldir gently holding you up.
“thank you…” you breathed.
he shook his head. “It’s I who should be thanking you, you saved my life…”
“it was nothing…” you said in a strained voice before your world went black.
You woke to find yourself in a medical room, you went to sit up and a pain coursed through your body. You hissed and went limp.
you felt a hand on your shoulder and looked over to see Haldir. He had a rare smile on his face. “I was surprised when I found that the one beneath the mask was you, y/n…” he paused for a moment. “What are you doing here?”
you shrugged, a horrible mistake, you winced.
“rest, y/n, you need it…”
you felt a blush creep into your cheeks and looked away.
Haldir turned your face back to him. “Y/n, I owe you my life…”
“no you don-” you were cut short by a soft and tingly sensation, your eyes widened when you realized what it was. Lips. Haldir’s lips.
he pulled away slowly and you looked at him in awe. “H-haldir?”
he was blushing slightly as he gently ran his fingers through your hair. You blushed harder and grabbed his hand.
haldir smiled and brought your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles softly.
you placed your hand on his cheek, slowly sliding to the back of his neck and pulling him close for a second kiss. And a third… and a forth… and so on.
121 notes · View notes
epilogue-and-prologue · 7 months
Text
Holding On
Fandom: The Lord of the Rings Ship/Pairing: Haldir x Reader Trope: Best Friends to Lovers Note: Took advantage of the potentially invented elven tradition of gifting someone your most precious possession after your first kiss :D. Warnings: Angst/Miscommunication - damn you Haldir/Slight smut if you squint and zoom at the very end. Word count: 2 836 Tag-list: @heilith @asgardianhobbit98 @middleearthpixie @glassgulls @evenstaredits @fizzyxcustard @sotwk
Tumblr media
The gentle breeze brought a soft tune to your ears. Of course, he would be playing in the first hours of the night. What else could he do, before leaving for another long month of patrol? Certainly not seek you out. The bitter lingered.
Haldir was a dear and close friend of yours. He had drawn you in with his cheekiness and teasing words. You were lucky enough to know those sides of him, usually hidden. Unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of those same unruly sides, sometimes. It felt harder and harder with each joust of words to stop the ones you wanted to say from blurting out of your mouth. Today was about fixing that. Upon walking the narrow path, your eyes met his silhouette before he could see you. The length of his hair covered his face. His bow and arrows were left in the grass, carefully propped against a branch. His head rose, and he finally saw you. A flutter of wings came to life in your stomach. He smiled at you.
“What are you doing out this early, melon?”
You had no good answer for that. Knowing he was leaving was one thing. Seeing him do so, even in your dreams, was another. Every departure was a torment for you.
Your lips curled sadly with your next words.
“Why did you not say goodbye, Haldir?”
The underlying harshness of your tone startled him. He paled, his eyes growing wide. He did not expect that. Not from you. You who were gentle and kind. Soft-spoken and careful in all manners of life. He never wanted to disappoint you. Nor hurt you. After your first encounter, he knew very quickly your presence could never be replaced by anyone else. When he identified those feelings as more than friendship, he snuffed them out. The mere thought of losing you because of them was unbearable. Deep down, he knew you would not leave him so. Yet, he feared it all the same and kept himself quiet.
“I thought I did. What is happening to you?”
A heavy sigh. Again, your emotions had got the better of you. The loneliness he left behind was a most cruel sentiment to have. Or to hold on to. His hands had stopped playing, and he laid the instrument next to him.
“I am sorry. I fear my future loneliness at your departure is haunting me in advance.”
Haldir chuckled weakly. You always did have a way with words. Even more so since becoming a script here in the palace. Where he was the one leaving, you were always the one staying. It tore his heart in two to see you afflicted so. The Marchwarden did not know what to do to alleviate the sadness in your eyes. You stepped forward until he had to raise his head to look at you. Soon, you sat down in front of him. An itch went through him from his fingertips to his shoulder blade; how he wanted to touch you right now…
“And you woke up this early because of it? Have I altered your sleeping by my rudeness? — Do not flatter yourself that much, Haldir.”
Finally, a smile had made its way onto your face. You reckoned that being mad at him was not your best skill. Unwavering, he stared at you expectantly, wishing you would answer and share your troubles with him, as you always did. This time proved harder than the other ones.
“I have made a decision.”
His eyebrows rose.
“What kind of decision? — About… us.”
His heart skipped a beat, and his breath shortened. He frowned even more, at a loss for words.
“We have been friends for a long and appreciable time. — Yes, we have. — Please do not interrupt me, it is already so hard to do…”
You bit on your lip, your courage leaving as water out of its bed. His stare became more present, his fingers tapping an invisible rhythm against the earth. Could this be it? Or had he been a fool this whole time?
“As a token of my appreciation, I want you to have this.”
Out of your hand, a piece of paper neatly folded — just as you knew how to. He had had those notes before. When you wanted to see him but could not fetch him yourself. Or when you wanted to say anything to him while he was on patrol. He took the piece of paper, seemingly heavier than the lasts. It seemed to contain something. Before he could pry it open, you stopped him.
“I also want you to wait until you are at your post.”
He looked at you as if you had grown a second head.
“Humour me. — Oh, I will.”
You laughed with him this time, inclining your head on one side. He found it entirely too endearing.
“I will, I promise. — Thank you.”
The letter clutched in his hand, he found himself speechless again.
A loud sound announced his departure. A few of his comrades passed you by. They soon waited by the end of the path for him to follow.
“Goodbye, my friend.”
While saying the words, he grabbed what was his, placing your letter in an inside pocket close to his heart. You noticed. You smiled as brightly as you could.
“Safe travels, my friend.”
He smiled brightly back, always one to try to cheer you up. Before you could register what he had done, he grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckles. His steps were barely echoing around you anymore when you realised. The flutter in your stomach turned into a full storm.
*
The advanced post took them three whole days to reach. During those three days, Haldir could not help himself from touching and toying with the piece of paper you left him with. He was patient; you knew that. When it came to you, he could have waited another lifetime. Yet, this simple piece of paper and what it contained, almost weightless, made him more impatient and frustrated than the longest watch had ever done.
Finally, he reached his destination, and they relieved the others from their patrol. He waited the middle of the night to be alone and open the gift you had left him with. The paper unfolded easily enough. It almost toppled the thin ring left inside. The details were weaved around it, organised in rows of leaves and polished silver. It could not have belonged to you. The size was too big, and the ornaments were indicative of a skilled touch. He held the jewel in his palm for the longest time, almost losing track of what he was supposed to watch out for. Luckily, his brother had joined him and kept an extra eye out when he saw him entranced by what an object he could not see. Rúmil only hoped it would be a good thing. And made a mental note to ask about it later on.
On the paper, read the following.
“Dear friend,
I have known you for the longest time. I have cared for you for just as long. In truth, I have more than cared for you. My friendship was soon turned into affections and my affections turned into love. True unbearable, unbreakable love. This seems sudden, I know, and if you do not feel the same, I wish you would forget all about this affair and we will go back to the way things were. I promise not to bring it up again. In my heart, I know that no matter what, I will always be by your side. I believe you know in our tradition, a first show of affection is to be rewarded by that which is most precious to us. With the ring, I hope to offer a payment in advance. You see, this belonged to my father. Before him, my grandfather and before him, my great grandfather. It has seen better times. I hope it will see better times. He passed it onto me, as his only child. It is my most precious and meaningful possession. I want you to have it, for if you feel the way I do, there is no other way forward but to spend the rest of my life with you.
You have known me to be meek, but when I am with you, I become brave. I want to be brave with you.
Again, if you do not wish for me in those ways, I will understand. That ring, nevertheless, shall always be yours, for I will never love anyone else.
With love, Your friend.”
Haldir’s breath stopped. The shock must have shown on his face, for the comrade next to him shook his shoulder in the hopes of waking him up from his reverie. A wide smile had spread across his face, his heart beating anew.
“Are you alright? — I am. Now go back to your posts, please.”
Never before had he said please when giving orders. They figured this letter must have broken his skull, for he spent the rest of the month whistling and daydreaming, spending more time alone than with them. The oldest knew. The youngest were still asking questions. When they received no answers, they settled for quiet speculations.
None of them could have figured out what was happening in Haldir’s head the whole time.
*
You waited for an answer.
It never came.
Your days were spent writing and copying the history of your people, under a strict supervision. Celeborn would have no mistake be made, whereas Galadriel encouraged you in more positive ways. They were nervous, for those scrolls were to be sent to other countries for archiving. They were a testimony and inheritance of your people’s knowledge and myths. No room for errors.
Alas, you were distracted. On the first week, you were wondering if anything had happened to Haldir during his trip to his post. Then, news came that his group had safely arrived. The second week, you convinced yourself he did not return your attachment and cried yourself to sleep every night. It was cruel, but you had expected it. After all, he was a Marchwarden and you were a mere scribe. The third one, right before he was supposed to come back, you willed yourself to go back to the way it was. He was probably giving you the space to mourn and grieve for what would never be. You had to let things go, eventually.
On the day he did come back, Haldir made no specific announcement to you, nor did he arrive during daylight. Rúmil had warned him about showing up at this hour, himself having gone directly to bed. Of course, he did not listen to his brother. Especially when he was teasing him about the love-struck face, he had a hard time hiding, all the way back home. The first thing he did was seek you out. Despite his restlessness, the odd hour triumphed over him, and he could not find you anywhere. Straight away, he went to your room, which for this hour should not have been this cold, nor this lifeless. Your bed was undone, it was obvious you had trashed around in it, the sheets left in disarray. Your work clothes were scattered around the floor. The windows were open, a faint trace of flowers in the air. He did not recognise this to be you. His worry only grew when he found inks and quills, papers thrown about on the desk. All of them with his name, some angry, others drowned in tears. The library was empty, your usual meeting point by the pond too. No guard could tell him where you had gone. He almost snapped his bow under the pressure of his hands. A quick detour to his room and he dropped off his bags and weapon. It was his fault. All of it. Not knowing what you wanted him to do, he had tried to write letters, never sending them out. It was all his fault for not telling you, even in unwisely chosen words, how he truly felt. What an actual idiot he had been. Only then did he realise where you must have been and ran.
The scribes had all left their working space. And here you were, hunched over and scrapping paper after paper, in your usual measured manners. He halted his steps. From where he was, he could not see your face, nor your hands, yet he was sure they were covered in ink stains and sore from having been overused. His feet reached you rapidly. You were about to cry out when you turned around.
Haldir had been right. You were wearing a wrinkled nightdress, clinging onto your skin with the sweat, your eyes haggard, hands covered in small ink stains. You probably had touched your face too, for it had several spots of ink there too. One by your left eye, over your eyelid. Another on your cheek, spread in a wild sprawl. The last ones on both your temples, where you must have tried to erase a headache.
As well as tears. So much tears growing in your eyes dying on your lips, nesting in your throat, making your skin damp when he reached for your face. How could he had let this happen?
“Why are you here? — I love you.”
He figured that in the state you were in, brutality was the swiftest way of ripping this sadness away. He did not think far enough to predict the anger that would follow.
“And you’re only telling me now!”
You wanted to hit him. Badly. Even tried to slap him. If it were not for his stupid reflexes, you might have done so. He would have let you, if the need to embrace you had not been so overwhelming. He pressed a lingering kiss to your forehead before securing his arms around you. You relented, too tired to fight with him. Without warning, he picked you up a hand under your knees and the other on your back. Your hands secured against his neck as he carried you out. Haldir did not bother looking out for onlookers. They would have no answer from him anyway, too focused as he was on seeing your face for the first time in a month. It was lucky this mission had been this short, otherwise… He did not want to imagine otherwise. Your room was the closest, and he reached it first, settling you in bed. You were the one to stop him. Those pleading eyes he could not resist, and a need to rest his bones close to the person he wanted to be with. He laid down with you, and you fell asleep safe and sound in his arms.
* The next morning, he woke up with a back pain, in the bed only made for one. You were nowhere in sight. He sighed. Maybe you had gone to wash and would come back soon. He waited a little while before deciding he probably had the time to wash and change too until you arrived. As he had been previously, he was wrong.
When you came back an hour later — the ink had washed away with difficulty and you needed clean clothes — your room was empty. No traces left behind. Frustration took root within you. Where could he be? Showing up in the middle of the night, no notes, no nothing announcing his return. Not directly from him, at least. You had hoped for a letter or a missive. Something, anything.
He did not have another mission yet, as far as you knew. The only logical places he could be were the bathhouse or his chambers. You chose the latter. You stomped into his bedroom with no warning.
“You did not say goodbye, Haldir.”
A chill ran down his spine. His undressed state did not seem to phase you. But then again, he thought he was the only one in love in this relationship and it had proved wrong. Deciding against his first instincts, he put a light shirt on and walked to you. You wanted to slap the smirk off of his face. Just as much as you wanted to take that shirt off of him right this instant.
“No, you did not this time. — I did not?! How… — Please…”
This time, he was the one pleading for mercy. You were looking precious, like this. A nymph or a divine being, freshly out of the water, droplets dragging against your skin. Haldir’s thumb touched your lips lightly, plump and warm against his fingertips. Your breath shortened, anger drowned by him. By his arm around your waist, by his breath fanning over your cheek, his hair caressing your collarbones, your throat, firm hands mapping your back. The fire within you could not be stopped this time.
“If you start this… — I know.”
His lips touched yours, and the world was ablaze. He brought your legs against his hips. You could feel his desire against your core. Never before had you willingly surrendered to your feelings like this.
You felt the edge of a silver ring you knew by heart around his finger. You bit your lips hard and kissed him again, even harder.
There was no letting go now.
Only holding on.
204 notes · View notes
glassgulls · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Letters to My Love
Fandom: Lord Of The Rings Return of the King
Pairing: Haldir x fem!reader
Warnings: Mutual pining, angst, kissing, awful sugary fluff (I need a happy ending as life is a blackhole of existential dread).
Summary: You leave Lórien after spending time recuperating to visit your friend Eowyn and promise to send word back to your friend Haldir. Though you think of him more than that, does he feel the same though?
Word count: 6040
Comments: More Haldir for the Haldir throne! First longer piece in the LOTR fandom. Hopefully I've kept Haldir relatively in character. Thank you to @heilith for the encouragement and motivation to finish this and post. You're a wonderful inspiration.
Putting your quill down you stare at the ink now drying. Reading it over you frowned in concentration, trying to make sure there was a tone of friendship without any of your clear desire bleeding through. Friendly and precise was the aim as always in your now routine one sided correspondence. It was getting increasingly difficult with each letter though to tow that line especially with who the recipient was. 
You look at the envelope already set aside, Marchwarden Haldir in your neatly block printed handwriting followed by the address; it always gives you a small rush even to write his name.
You had left Lórien after promising Eowyn to visit her and her new betrothed and not wanting to outstay your welcome with your Elven hosts you had set off as soon as you were well enough to ride alone. But it had been a bittersweet parting. Of course you had wanted to come and congratulate your friend on her new love but you felt loath to leave the peaceful forest, and your new friends. 
Haldir had asked you to send word that you were safe when you had left Lórien, your logical mind telling you that it was out of friendship, but the slight frown as he had softly requested it had made your breathing hitch. It almost seemed for a moment as if he had been nervous to ask. The usual stoic mask he wore as Marchwarden slipped if but for a split second under the morning sun.
*****
"I promise my friend." You had replied after climbing on your horse smiling gently. After all it was the least you could do after being able to rest and recuperate after the battle with Sauron in the beautiful sanctuary of Lórien. 
You tried to ignore the traitorous voice in the back of your head whispering that you were a coward and running away. 
Gripping the reins tightly till your knuckles went white you swallowed hard. The growing feelings you had developed for the ellon in front of you were pushed down and sitting uncomfortable in your chest waiting to crawl up your throat and crow out to the world. 
Haldir had stood by your horse, hand on its neck stroking it softly as he went quiet, the morning breeze stirring his immaculate hair. It had seemed to you he had wanted to say something, his brows drawn into a small frown that you didn’t know when you had started to recognise.
“You must promise me to be safe, the roads are still dangerous,” He had spoken eventually into the horse's neck, fidgeting with a lock of its mane. You had opened your mouth to try to defend your skills but the words choked in your throat, your mouth shut promptly at the way his hand stilled with its incessant action. His head turned suddenly to you and the frown had deepened. 
“I do not doubt your skill,” He continued and he pressed closer to you, his blue eyes boring into your own. “Just promise me to be watchful.” Haldir finished, his free hand moved to your calf for a brief moment of contact but enough to feed your hunger for him. 
His gaze struck you dumb, a heat rising to your cheeks. All you could do was nod mutely in return, the blue of his eyes usually clear as the summer sky were troubled and stormy. Was the thought of your safety that important to him? Perhaps he thought of you also as more of a friend?
A watery smile tugged at your lips at the possibility, a foolish notion to be sure for someone so perfect to find attraction in the imperfections of a mortal such as yourself. You leaned down and the bittersweetness of causing him concern selfishly comforted you slightly in that you were not alone in the emotion when he had parted from you to go on patrols. Now before him, you missed him so and you had not even left his presence.
“I promise you Haldir,” You had spoken softly, proud that there was no wobble to your tone as you reached out and grasped his shoulder. Those blue eyes cleared of the storm for a moment. 
“I will write every time I stop, you shall receive so many letters you will regret asking me,” you tried laughing and you saw the corner of his lips curled up slightly. “You shall receive so many you will have to clear a bookcase to house them.” You giggled lightly at the image and he gave a breathy laugh that sounded more like a relieved exhale. His hand returned to your calf and squeezed lightly.
“I shall clear two.” He stated with the deadpan tone that you have come to crave. Tilting your head you stared at him a moment to engrave the way the sunlight played across his face, it lit the blue of his eyes in a blinding shade that you would willingly go sightless staring at. He seemed to be watching you just as carefully and you smiled softly at him, in the way that only he provoked from you. 
“Just as well, Rúmil and Orophin have gifted me enough supplies to paper your flet.” You smirked and watched as the mention of his brothers made Haldir grimace a moment. The hand on your calf moved to your hand resting on his shoulder.
“Best to put them to good use then, I shall hear no end of it if you do not.” Haldir had spoke in that exasperated tone he always used when speaking of his younger brothers. You couldn’t help the grin on your face though at the twitch of a smile on his lips that always betrayed his tone. 
A tightness in your chest returned then, you would miss them all, Rúmil and Orophin never failing to make you laugh at their antics. Their merciless teasing of Haldir stretched now to you in a way that gave you a sense of pride that the brothers felt comfortable enough to torment you.
Haldir's hand was warm against your own, the rough callous of his fingers a seductive rasp against your responsive skin. Goosebumps danced up your arm at the contact. Your gazes met again and a heavy silence fell over you both. The cool breeze in the trees whispered around you as the heat from earlier played across your cheeks again. 
Parting from him shouldn’t give you such pain, but knowing you would wake up the next morning not being able to see his face made your stomach turn in unease. Goodbyes were never such a heartbreak for you before with a life constantly on the road but now? Here where the breeze was sweet in your nose and the warm sun dappled on your skin this was a place that finally felt like a home now despite being a mere mortal. 
You let your eyes lower as you don’t want Haldir to see the sadness in your gaze, not when you were parting like this.
“Promise me you will stay safe also Haldir.” You whispered, his fingers had flinched when you spoke his name.
“I promise.” Haldir stated resolutely. Slowly raising yourself straight in the saddle you reluctantly withdrew your hand from his shoulder. Haldir stood watching you again with that inscrutable look for a heartbeat before raising a hand to his chest in a farewell gesture.
You mimic the gesture and force a smile on your face though you can feel the burn of tears behind it.
“Farewell Marchwarden Haldir.” You spoke, the forced smile started to crack. Moving your horse forward through the forest you had felt eyes watching you the whole time and knew it wasn’t your imagination.
*****
A knock and giggle from behind you snapped your mind to the present again as the door to your room opened.
Twisting around you see the familiar face of the servant girl Molly bustles in. Turning back you frown and rest your fingers on the letter in front of you again. Sighing softly you look out the window of your guest room in Minas Tirith. The sun starting to set it lit up the city below, throwing shadows across the stone you mind wanders off to tall trees and blue eyes. 
Lazily leaning on your hand the picture of Haldir gazing at you plays across your mind again. You had never seen a more perfect colour of blue than his eyes. No sky, ocean or flower could come close to his piercing gaze. It had not taken you long to understand it was not just the colour but the soul behind the eyes that made them so alluring. You felt a pull to him from the moment the two of you had met.
You counted yourself lucky that Haldir had given you the opportunity to become close. Though the act of saving the others' life in heavy battles, had helped forge a bond between you and the handsome ellon. It was he who had invited you to stay with him after Aragon's coronation having now no fixed plans. Your old companions had teased you mercilessly after finding out. 
"An invitation from the Marchwarden himself? A rare thing indeed." Aragon had asked with a large grin and a wink making flushed heat rush from head to toe as you stood beside the elf. Stealing a glance up at him you had noticed the twitch in Haldir's jaw.
You hear Molly clear her throat behind you and you blink away the memory.
“Sorry for disturbing you m’lady would you like me to lay your dress out?” Her warm voice makes you shake your thoughts.
Turning around again you face her smiling, glad of her company.
“Yes please and tell me any new gossip.” You grin. Molly clicks her tongue but throws a smile back at you.
“Of course, you need new material for your letter to your friend?” She asks but the sly look and emphasis on “friend” makes you glance at the floor as you try to squash the girlish giggle.
“I enjoy his company, he’s a very interesting person.” You try to insist as Molly opens the wardrobe and with an expert eye pulls out a long gown. 
“Of course he is,” She replies, her dark eyes are warm and clearly don’t believe you. “I caught a glimpse of him at the Kings coronation,” Molly continued plucking out accessories. Turning to you she raised an eyebrow and tried to look serious. “He looked very interesting.” She teased lightly.
“Oh stop you.” You grouse half heartedly. Standing up you make your way over to the bed and trail your fingers over the fine gown laid out. Surely it was a little over the top for a small party? You go to voice this but stop yourself after all Molly knows more than you ever could about court protocol and the younger woman had been a godsend in helping you navigate the intricate politics thus far.
“Does he answer back?” The other woman asks innocently. You stand over the dress still and go silent. Noticing your actions Molly turns from the hair pins laid out and tentatively steps over.
That was the thing, the thing that hit you like a gut punch and made you lie awake at night. All the letters you had written over the weeks you had not received any in return. You didn’t want to admit the thought made you not sleep for the last couple of weeks though the results were clear every time you saw your reflection.
“No.” You reply still gazing at the dress. Focusing on the delicate embroidery of flowers and vines it made you think of lush forests and your stomach lurched. You felt Mollys body hover near you.
“I’m sure he’s just been busy m’lady.” She voiced softly. 
“Yes, he has a lot of responsibilities.” You say carefully, feeling your throat constrict around the words. You hoped that was the case, he was on a long patrol and couldn’t write back. But what if he had been hurt or what if he just didn’t want to indulge a silly human and her infatuation? You clasp a hand to your chest at the dull ache hiding behind your ribs at the thought. Perhaps it was time to stop the letters. 
A hand drifted over your arm gently luring you away as the door knocked again.
“Come m’lady the bath is here then let's get you ready.”
You hum in agreement as the bedroom door opens and two other servants carry in a tub with jugs of hot water.
“Where is Eowyn?” You ask out of reflex, speaking to her always lifts your heart.
“Lady Eowyn went riding earlier. I’m sure she is getting ready now for tonight.”
You hum again, tonight’s party was to be a smaller affair. You hoped that it was for an announcement between Eowyn and Faramir’s wedding date. The way the two of them looked at each other, if they didn’t get married soon you were sure they would be announcing something other than a wedding.
The bath is quickly set up and Molly closes the bedroom door softly behind the other servants, before coming back over. The scent of lavender and honey drifts over from the tub of water. Scents that should give you some comfort but the icy claws of doubt have struck deep in your chest.
“May I help you with your dress?” She asks, her hands neatly folded in front of her.
You nod silently still looking at the flowers on the dress, it was a beautiful gown gifted by Eowyn for tonight. Raising your hands to your face you pinch your cheeks lightly, this was no face for a party. Seeing your old companions would cheer you up, you were sure of it.
*****
The stone of the balcony was cold to your touch as you clutched in the night air. You had left the party and wandered outside to take a breath of fresh air, the ballrooms' heat with the tight corset of the dress you were wearing was not a happy match.
Earlier thoughts of distracting your mind with the welcomed company of your friends had worked for a little while. But after some time the world had seemed to shift, you were watching them laugh and dance as if you were looking through a window from outside. You felt an outsider lost, alone and unbearable cold in this sweltering hall. Taking your goblet you nodded to the others and whispered to Eowyn you needed a breath of air, her bright eyes had glanced at the closed main door before nodding her response.
“You look beautiful tonight.” She had whispered to you.
“I look tired.” You retorted. Her gaze is quick and sharp, little escaped her notice.
“Does something ail you?” Eowyn asked and you tried to open your mouth but one look into her eyes and you stopped. That knowing gaze, a mixture of sympathy and pity. You let a bitter smile twist on your face.
“Am I that obvious?” You asked and hoped the others wouldn’t come and pry. You know they mean well but the thought of having to talk about it fills you with an exhaustive dread.
“Only to me,” She said softly and made a show of smiling brightly, fingers running over the sleeve of your gown, pretending to comment on it. “I know that look too well my sister in arms,” You can ‘t help but smile at the honour of her calling you that. “I know because I wore it’s mirror image not that long ago.” 
Leaning close she pressed a soft kiss to your cheek she whispered softly making you close your eyes tight to shut out the threat of tears.
“I will see you happy again sister.” She finished, your closed eyes fluttered and missed the furtive glance she gave the door again.
“I’ll be back soon. I just need a moment to myself.” You said leaning back. Seeing her smile and nod, you had walked out.
Closing your eyes you feel the night air cool the sweat beading at your hairline after being in that ballroom. The heady scent of honeysuckle makes you dizzier than the wine at your elbow. The city beyond was quiet at this height, the twinkling lights below like stars. Perhaps you could make your life here now? You would be welcomed for sure. You should stop writing the letters now, let Haldir go, it could never work. He only saw you as a friend, a comrade in arms. Not as a woman, not as an equal in soul. 
Perhaps that was for the best, with how short a mortal could live compared to the age that elves did it would be selfish of you to ask for that love from him knowing it would be a blink of his eye and you would be old and grey. That you would be dead and dust and he would have to live on with that grief. 
No this would be for the best then. You nodded to yourself and picked up the wine to take a sip. Lost in your own thoughts you never notice the presence of someone approaching behind.
"Hiril vuin," comes a familiar voice from the shadows and you feel your breath hitch. Turning slowly you grip the goblet in your hand till your knuckles hurt, it can't be him? You're tired and thoughts are just added surely?
Silhouetted in the doorway stands a tall broad chested figure. The moonlight catches his features as he takes a step closer and whispers your name.
"Haldir?" You call with a pitiful whisper, praying you were not dreaming.
"Good evening," he says, all shadow and silver light.
You can't help but give an incredulous laugh and confused smile.
"I can't believe it!" You cry with a catch in your voice. "Am I dreaming?" You ask the night air as he moves to stand in front of you.
"I'm very real." he replies, smiling gently. The blond ellon is just as tall and perfect as you remember, dressed in his grey grab as Marchwarden. Reaching out a hand you let your fingertips graze his chest and sweep up to rest on his shoulder. There's a near perceptible shiver that runs through him at the physical contact. He watches you carefully, seemingly finding your giddy wonder amusing. 
“What are you doing here?” You ask, still not fully convinced this is a fanciful hallucination brought on by drink and the heat. 
He raises a perfect eyebrow and paces a hand on your own that is still on his chest. 
“I was invited and I came for an important task.” He responds, his voice low and calming as if to soothe an excitable child. Perhaps that’s what he saw you as. The thought makes the smile slip from your face and you try to pull away but his grip on your hand stops you. You pause and look at him quizzically.
“Important task?” You ask and he nods.
“Yes but now is not the moment to talk of it.” 
You press closer to him and let your trapped hand splay across the broad expanse of his chest. You can almost feel the quick thrumming of his heart, perhaps he arrived in a hurry.
“Aragon and the others are inside if it is that important.” You say and his expression gives nothing away. His eyes make you shiver though. The blue you love is a thin ring of silver in the moonlight, blond lashes catch the light like gossamer. This close you fancy you can see your desire for him in your own eyes reflected in his blown out pupils. The black expanse drawing you in.
Your earlier sensible thoughts of moving on from him are promptly forgotten now, you are a mere moth to the radiance that pours off him. It was foolish to ever think you could extract yourself from him. 
“Calad nin.” He whispers and his free hand reaches out carefully to touch your shoulder. The meaning of his words are not lost on you, you wonder if he could hear your thoughts about being drawn to his light. For surely he does not feel the same as you do.
“I have missed you.” You confess and the tell of his lips curling slightly makes you want to reach out and trace it. Engrain it in your memory till you can always feel it at your tips.
“As I have missed you.” He replies and the words alone make you grin wildly.
“You have?”
“You doubt me?” He retorts with a quirk of an eyebrow in a mockery of admonishment.
“Never.” You breathe out, a giggle escaping in the process, and fling yourself at him, clutching at him tightly. Your carefully pinned hair is surely a mess but you'll face Molly’s scolding later for wrecking her hard work.
It takes a moment before he responds. A strong arm wraps around you and drags you closer till you’re not sure where you start and he ends. If only it could always be like this. The evening wind whistles against the unforgiving stone as the two of you stand still clutched at each other.
“Did you get my letters?” You ask eventually breathing in his scent. The fresh smell of woodland and sandalwood makes you relax.
“Yes.” He responds, his arm around your waist has moved to the small of your back running his fingertips where your spine is hiding under the corset. Not moving your head you run your fingers over the edge of his robe.
“You never replied.” You say in a small voice you barely recognise as your own. You feel a sense of accomplishment you have kept out the hurt or accusation from the tone.
“When you left,” He started and then with a little protest from you he pulls you back a little so that he could see your face. “I was sent on patrol for a few weeks, you’re letters were passed on to me when they could but,” And he pauses and looks over you from head to toe as if only realising your state of dress. 
“You are truly a sight to behold,” He breathes out like a prayer. You grip his arms and feel the heat from your face rush below. Twisting your fingers in the bulky sleeves of his tunic you wet your bottom lip and don’t miss the narrow of his eyes on the action.
“You were saying?” You asked and tugged in his sleeves.
“Yes,” He continues and he looks momentarily embarrassed that he had his previous statement aloud. “I was on patrol till only a few days ago and my own stationary supply was very limited and couldn’t send my replies back,” He releases you a moment and digs into a pocket within the recesses of his robes. 
Letting go of his arms you fiddle with the sleeve of your gown as he extracts a bundle. Haldir passes it over to you solemnly like a great treasure and to you it is. Wrapped neatly with a green ribbon is a small stack of envelopes. You take them reverently and hold them in both hands. Your name is written neatly in a precise, strong hand that fits Haldir well. 
“You replied.” You say out loud as the doubts and heartbreak of unrequited affection are doused. 
“Did you think I would not?” He says and this time there is a tone of reproach to him.
“I- I know how busy you are, important,” You start and he takes a step forward to you as you stare at the bundle of letters not trusting yourself to be able to stop crying in relief if you look at him.
“With responsibilities other than replying to my silly letters.” You choke out and you curse yourself for getting so emotional. His hands are suddenly on your own cupping the letters between you both. The calluses on his fingertips trace up to your wrists causing another flush of heat to pool below.
“Nothing about you is silly.” He tells you and you close your eyes as his thumbs stroke across the pulse in your wrist. Eru, the things the ellon did to you with such a simple touch. 
“I feel it at times when it comes to you,” You say softly. “A silly human yearning for your attention.” His hands still and you bite your lip. You’ve gone too far. The hands on your wrist slide with deliberate slow ease, an illicit seductiveness.
“Look at me,” He commands and you lift your head immediately, your breath catches in your throat at his look. Silver hair and intense eyes as he moves a step closer making you tilt your head back to look up at him and keep eye contact.
“There you are,” He speaks and his voice is low like a purr. “I will only say this once, I never want you to put yourself down because you are human.”
You nod softly and bite your lip.
“The things you do to me,” He mutters. “The way you move me,” 
One of his hands trails up to your jaw tracing along it. All you can do is let out a soft whimper at the contact. “No one else has been able to do so in all my years, regardless of who or where they were born.” His thumb moves to swipe over your bottom lip.
“But I have only a short number of years Haldir compared to you. If we,” And you pause now not sure how to word your thoughts. 
“If we?” He asks provocatively.
“If we are together,” You continue and heat rushes to your face and down below at what that implies and he hums deep in his chest at the word. “How could I sleep with you beside me knowing the inevitability of what will happen to us? Of leaving you begrudgingly alone and I am nothing but bone and dust?” You raise one of your hands to cup his jaw and he leans into it his warm lips as they press against the delicate skin of your inner wrist. Goosebumps ripple along your arm and across your collarbone.
“Has this been troubling you?” He asks and rubs his nose to nuzzle your pulse.
You nod again as his gaze watches you carefully.
“I wish you had spoken to me sooner so I could ease your mind,” He states. “It is the nature of things that we will die.” He states calmly.
“But,” You start.
“Maybe it will be I who dies first.” He interrupts you.
“Haldir, that’s not funny.” You scold but he only looks at you with a flicker of surprise.
“I was trying to flatter you.”
“Flattery is telling me how pretty I look in this dress, not that there’s a chance you will leave me a grieving heartbroken woman.” You retort hotly and he presses his lips to the pounding pulse under your skin and smiles.
“You're breathtaking in that dress.” He corrects you.
“Haldir,” You start and his lips twitch into that smile.
“And when you’re angry,” He adds and you look at him with what can only be exasperation.
“You are not alone with those thoughts, I spent a long time thinking of the exact same thing.’ He continues and the irritation subsides in you. 
“And?” You say almost frightened at what his conclusion is.
He still has your hand and leans into its touch, closing his eyes a second seeming to savour it.
“That a life without you would grieve me more,” Haldir speaks softly. “In all my years I have given myself freely to the responsibilities of my position as an older brother then Marchwarden, it is something I will not ever regret,” His eyes open and flick to you and his a chaste brush of his lips to your fingertips he pulls your hand back to the letters you are both still holding. “Till I met you, grew to know you. I have never wanted anything for myself,” You watch his expression shift from contemplative to resolute.
“Neither of us knows the future and how long we have,” Haldir pauses. “But I do know that the future is meaningless without knowing your love. I shall continue to exist but it shall only be that.” He brings both your hands up to rest on his chest above his heart.
“A song does not last forever but to experience it let it live in you is what makes us alive, though we may mourn it’s end,” Haldir leans down so his nose rubs against your own softly and now it’s your turn to close your eyes to savour the action. 
“So will you take a chance and let us sing this song of ours together?” He whispers to you and you let your eyes flutter open. It should be intimidating to see his trademark intense gaze but it only makes your lip wobble and eyes fill with hot tears of happiness.
You move one of your hands from his grip and reach up to his jaw, fingers caressing it and watch as it tenses under your touch. You let it linger before following the line of Haldir's throat, his adam's apple bobbing as your fingers touch his jugular. You can feel his own heartbeat race under your skin.
“Yes Haldir.” You answer and his impassive mask breaks as he smiles as though he wasn’t sure you would agree.
“Yes?” He asks and exhales, letting his shoulders drop with a short soft laugh.
“Yes Marchwarden.” You repeat and close your eyes to let out a small giggle as he pulls you against him again. His arm tightens around your waist as he buries his nose in your hair. Your free hand wraps around his neck as you move your face to press a soft kiss to his jaw. Haldir lets out a low sound that vibrates through you and makes your toes curl. Moving slightly he presses his lips to your ear making you tremble.
“You shiver, are you cold?" He asks, his voice low and lilting. 
"No it's not the cold that makes me shiver." You say and turn to meet his gaze. Those ice blue eyes are burning and you revel in the fire.
Haldir's arm runs up your back as he mutters words in Sindarin too quickly for you to catch. His hand stops at the nape of your neck before cupping the base of your skull. His breath fans your cheeks and you close your eyes in anticipation of the handsome ellons kiss. Your ellon now, you licked your bottom lip at the realisation. 
There was a brief heartbeat before you felt his chapped lips brush against your own. The chaste action made you mewl softly and you felt the low groan from him before he pressed closer. His plush lips unforgiving against your own as you kissed back desperately. Your arm moves to loop around his neck to tug on his long hair and you're rewarded with a grunt and sigh from Haldir as he nips at your bottom lip. Sighing with content you grant him access to your own mouth which he ravishes with the keen precision he does in everything. 
You tug on his hair again and let out your own soft moan as he tilts his head to kiss you deeper. Both of you are teeth and tongue as you scrabble for one another. There’s a far away cheering and laughing over the start of a song that startles you both apart. 
You try to catch your breath but it’s difficult when you're tangled with Haldir in his vice-like grip. He’s gazing at you again with a softness that makes your chest feel like it will burst.
“If this is a dream don’t wake me.” You state to the universe and Haldir's lip curls slightly softening his usual steely expression.
"It should be I who asks if you are the dream." He finishes. 
"Why is that?" You say, your fingers moving from his hair to graze his jaw.
"Standing in the moonlight is how I often dream of you." He murmurs and nuzzles against your cheek. 
“And tell me, what do we do in these dreams, Marchwarden?” You tease and let out a breathy laugh as he lets out a shaky exhale.
“I would rather show you dearest.” He mutters his voice dark and delicious as his arm moves so his fingers hold your hip tight. 
The sound of laughing and music fades back in again interrupting 
“Maybe we should wait till we’re sure we won’t be interrupted?” You ask your throat going dry at the thought of being alone and playing out your own dreams with him. You hear him agree and press a chaste kiss to the corner of your lips.
Pulling back from each other you run a hand over your hair to try and see if it can be saved and do a half hearted attempt at fixing it. You had all you needed now, you could stand to play a little loose with propriety. Smoothing your gown down, you glance up to see him standing watching you with what only could be described as wolfishness that sent your pulse racing again. You reached up and smoothed his own hair and gasped as he grabbed your wrist. 
“Haldir?” You ask as he presses his lips against your wrist again.
“Your pulse flutters like a bird.” He states calmly.
“And who’s fault is that?” You accuse him which only makes him smile longingly at you.
“I shall bear the responsibility, I apologise I needed something to sustain me a while till we could be alone again.” He reports so matter of factly it makes you grin.
“And when shall I have time to read your replies my dearest?” You laugh and Haldir pauses a moment.
“That was the important matter I came here to discuss.” He tells you calmly and you frown.
“What is it?” You ask concerned. He steps closer again and brushes the back on his fingers against your hand which you immediately turn your own hand to clutch on to.
“On a desperate matter of if you should feel ready to return with me.” He whispers softly, leaning down so he is eye level with you.
“Return to Lórien?” You ask with a quiet excitement as he nods.
“To return home meleth nin.” He says and watches your reaction. You blink a moment as the words sink in. 
Home. 
Hot tears fall immediately but Haldir is already holding your face gently and wiping them away with his thumbs.
“Meleth nin?” He asks all serious and alarm. You can’t help but give a gasping laugh which makes him relax again.
“Of course I shall you silly ellon,” You mutter and close your eyes as he kisses you again though softly as if to remind himself you are truly saying those words. “I love you after all.” You confess and you feel his smile against your lips.
“I love you too.” He whispers then says something soft in Sindarian which you need no translation for. 
A loud applause erupts from inside as the music finishes.
“We should go back inside, I need to speak to Eowyn,” You say and pull back holding his hand to trail after you to the inside door. Pausing, you look at him, grinning wide and ecstatic. 
“I shall tell her I am needed and will be going home soon.” You explain with a mock primness. He glances down and in the moonlight you swear it almost seems he is blushing.
“Yes, you are very much needed.” He agrees with such solemnity. But even in this light you can see his telltale twitch of lips.
“After all, I have important correspondence to catch up on.” You murmur with a happy smile as you press the letters close to your heart.
Haldir smiles warmly and presses a kiss to your hand before letting go and stepping close.
“I shall clear another bookcase at home for them all meleth nin.” He whispers with a smile.
532 notes · View notes
sotwk · 14 days
Text
The Baker from Lórien (Haldir gen ficlet)
Tumblr media
Summary: A visitor from Lórien brings some excitement to the kitchens of the Elvenking's palace.
Word count: 1.1k
Content: Pure fluffy randomness, mother-son relationship, toddler Legolas
Rating: General (no warnings apply)
To Read on AO3: Link
A/N: I wrote this ficlet purely on a whim; I had no plans or strategy for it going in. It could be nonsense, or I could be onto something. XD It's most likely going to stay a random SotWK AU one-shot, but who knows. I pretty much just wanted to finally write any story featuring Haldir, whom I love dearly and firmly believe was one of the most desired bachelors east of the Mountains. Special thanks to my friend @creativity-of-death who inspired the concept of a Baker Haldir long ago!
Headcanons about Haldir in the SotWK AU: Any questions you might have about the background history in this fic would be answered HERE.
Tumblr media
The Baker from Lórien
Third Age 246 Spring
Bar Lasgalen, the Palace of the Elvenking
“Down and forward, turn, and fold over. Repeat. Remember to use the heel of your hand--this part, right here.”
The lump of dough felt pleasantly squishy in Legolas’s hands, and only with great self-restraint did the four-year-old elfling manage to resist playing with it like modeling clay, instead of following his instructor’s example. With eyes narrowed in determined concentration, he watched the steadily working hands of the elf across the table from him. After just a minute or so of observation, he began to mimic the brisk kneading motion.
“Yes, good! That is very good.” The visitor from Lórien seemed pleased, albeit surprised, by how quickly the child caught on.  
Legolas beamed at the ellon’s praise, and held the smooth ball of dough up high over his head in triumph. “Is it ready for the oven now?”
“Not quite.” The silver-haired ellon took the dough from Legolas and checked it with a few expert prods of his fingers. “It needs time to rest and rise. An hour at least, although up to three is much better, and then we can reshape it into loaves. Then it must rest again, before it can be baked.” 
“Three hours?!” Legolas exclaimed, already dismissive of whatever other steps came after. “Does bread really take that long to make every time?”
“The loaves should be fresh and hot out of the oven just in time for your Highness’s breakfast.” Legolas watched as his dough ball was placed into a large pan next to five others and covered with a dish cloth.  
“And a delicious breakfast is best preceded by a sound night’s sleep, is it not?” The voice that came from the kitchen doorway made Legolas scramble off his stool. He smiled sheepishly at his nursemaid, Ninniel, as she entered with a knowing smile and firm shake of her head for him.
The older ellon spoke up. “My apologies, Emmë. I should have realized the hour was too late.”
“It’s all right. It appears some valuable learning has been accomplished here, at least.” Ninniel took in the rather comical sight of her grown son towering next to her not-at-all-grown charge, both of them dusted in flour, and felt all her exasperation melt away. She dipped a tea towel into the washing basin and set to work wiping the sticky residue off Legolas’s fingers. 
“Will you come and get me when my loaf is finished baking, Halidr?”
“Well…” Haldir of Lórien glanced hesitantly at his mother. He was still unsure what to make of Thranduil’s sons, who all behaved without any regard or perhaps even awareness of their social rank. Legolas, in particular, had been unabashed in his fascination with Haldir ever since his arrival at Bar Lasgalen. Today was merely the first day of a month-long, overdue visit to his parents, and most of it had passed with the little prince turning up wherever Haldir happened to be, armed with a constant stream of questions. “It really is not my place to--”
“When your bread comes out of the oven, I will wake you to come and have it for  breakfast, with me and Haldir,” Ninniel interjected smoothly. “But the sooner you get to bed, the sooner you can rise refreshed for a new day, yes?”
“That sounds excellent!” Legolas threw his hands up, and wriggled his hips in a little sort of dance. “I shall be back in a few hours, Haldir! Please take care of my bread!” he called out to the bemused elf before bounding out the door. 
“Are you still finding everything all right, dearest?” Ninniel swept a light hand over her son’s broad back. In one touch she could tell Haldir was fairly relaxed, as she had hoped he would gradually become. Her eldest had always been the most serious of her children, and his nature only grew graver as the ages passed and the memories of hard years weighed on him. It had been far too long since his last visit to Eryn Galen, so rarely could he be persuaded to leave his post at the March, and Ninniel hoped the brief holiday away would be restful for his spirit. 
“Yes, everyone here at the palace has been… quite attentive.” Haldir smiled and planted a swift kiss over his mother’s hair. “The prince’s arrival sent them scurrying off, I fear, but I do not think he seemed to mind or notice.”
Ninniel shook her head. “The only thing they were running from was their own embarrassment,” she said. “I will let you return to your work, my love. Legolas and I will be back soon.”
And indeed, as soon as she exited the kitchen, she encountered the gaggle of young kitchen maids waiting in the hall, preparing to re-enter now that the royal Highness had left and gone to bed. 
“Lady Ninniel,” they curtsied to her, appearing only mildly abashed by her witness to their obvious intentions. But this was a small phenomenon Ninniel had grown accustomed to over the years, for it became clear early on that her handsome son elicited rather strong reactions from elleths, often without any encouragement. 
“My lady, if we may…” one of the girls blurted out. “We were wondering… that is, we wanted to make certain… do you know whether or not Lord Haldir…”
“He is not a lord, and he would not appreciate being addressed as one,” Ninniel corrected gently. “And as far as I know, he is not engaged, involved, or taken with anyone at present.” She gazed at the line of hopeful faces and pressed her lips to smother a chuckle. “Any of you are welcome to try and draw his interest, if that is your wish.”
But best of luck, indeed. Ninniel sighed as she departed, leaving the sounds of pitchy giggling behind her as the pack descended on her oblivious son. Whether there was any chance of a maiden in all of the Woodland Realm catching Haldir of Lórien’s eye, much less his elusive heart, she did not know. That hope had certainly not borne any fruit in over a thousand years of matchmaking attempts. But any diversion, any added source of joy outside of his work, his books, or his baking, could only be a good thing. 
Anything beyond that--dare say a betrothal, a marriage, or even a new precious grandchild--was something Ninniel was prepared to be completely surprised with. But a mother will always hope.
Tumblr media
For more SotWK Fanfiction: Fanfiction Masterlist
Elves Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @conversacomsmaug @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @fizzyxcustard @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @quickslvxrr @scyllas-revenge @stormchaser819 @talkdifferently6 @tamryniel @tamurilofrivendell
Tumblr media
Other useful links:
Introduction to SotWK
Headcanon Masterlist
Fanfiction Request Guidelines
64 notes · View notes
Text
For @redeemer46 and her Traversing Tolkien Tales
Thranduil, Legolas and Haldir
Tumblr media
Tumblr media
Tumblr media
31 notes · View notes