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xstephaniebrown · 2 years

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The Willow Maiden (Chapter two)

Title: The Willow Maiden

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings

Haldir x Original Character

Arwen, also known as Undómiel to her people, usually resided with her father and brothers in Imladris, west of the Misty Mountains. However, with relatives so dear to the east, it was not surprising that she took a few years in Lothlórien with her grandparents.

She knew that her father cared a lot for her, and so did her overprotective siblings, and she couldn't blame them after the terrible incident that left her mother Celebrian scarred, who had had to leave early for the shores of Aman to recover from her bad memories.

And while Arwen did not dismiss her concern, it never seemed to her that any evil force could penetrate the barriers of the golden forest… until today.

She knew her grandmother very well, even when her eyes hid so many secrets from the first ages and much further back from her, and she knew that something troubled her about the girl who had arrived in such strange conditions in Lothlórien.

"What did you see in her?" She asked quietly as they waited a few feet from the mortal child.

The maids were busy grooming her a little and putting some of her clothes on her. Unfortunately Rose was too short to fit into any of Arwen's dresses, so she couldn't dream of the White Lady, so they had to borrow one of the sylvan elves.

Galadriel watched intently, smiling at her granddaughter's suspicion, who somehow reminded her of Celebrian when something caught her interest. Except that Arwen was even sweeter and more compassionate than her daughter, so she had to keep her warned and protected.

"I am more concerned about what I cannot see." He explained with a slightly absent voice, as it happened when his mind traveled to the past, to places that no one alive in Middle-earth had ever been able to see. "Her 'fëa' seems detached from her body, although it remains inside her. As if something or someone had made her unstable within herself. Her wounds don't bleed, and she makes me suspect that all else is equal."

"What do you mean?"

"That despite being an atani, and in theory a mortal woman… her time is stopped." A shadow of sadness crossed Galadriel's eyes, but she left as soon as she came, noticing how Rose was trying to adjust to her new clothes. Although of course, I'm not going to prove such a thing, she may be wrong.

"You said that something or someone did this to her." Undómiel replied, after suffering a shiver at the prospect. Men had the freedom that elves did not have, independence from the world of Ilúvatar… so then, somehow, that poor girl was bound without choice, just like the eldar. “Who could have such power, and why? I would? She is just a girl."

Galadriel did not reply. She did not have an answer to those questions, but she urged him to get it at any cost, because she had been able to feel, even for a brief moment, that something dark was stirring between her body and the young woman's fëa.

"That will be enough for now." Galadriel dismissed the maids with a dainty wave as they sat Rose down to attend to her hair, coming over to take her place. "I'll take care of the rest."

The elves bowed to the White Lady as Arwen approached her grandmother, very attentive to her actions and gestures.

Rose seemed more awake than she had been before, but no doubt just as confused. She was like she had never worn clothes before, or maybe something like that. She still allowed Galadriel to hold the cascade of chocolate-colored hair, using a pearl comb to remove any residue of earth and forest.

Arwen looked at the girl's reflection. She might not even have reached the adulthood of men, but she seemed to be trying very hard not to succumb to the panic and despair of not being able to remember anything about herself.

To reassure her, Arwen sat down beside her and began to sing a soft Quenya tune. She could see that Rose didn't understand the dialect, but it had the desired effect when she started to smile.

When she was ready, the elleth ushered her into a more private room, which was usually used only by members of the family for dinners and small gatherings. Dinner had already been served for them, adding an extra space next to Arwen's seat.

"I imagine you must be hungry." The lady of Imladris said to the mortal, who looked at her with a slightly embarrassed smile. "Don't worry, my grandparents may seem somewhat severe but they will never put you in evidence."

Rose didn't say anything as they sat together, but after a maid filled her goblet with her own wine, she leaned over and murmured her thanks.

It was then that the doors opened and Celeborn was admitted, looking as suspicious as at first, though grateful that his guest had been dressed and coiffed appropriately.

"Arrangements are made." The Sindar elf said, sitting down next to his wife. "Haldir's men will sweep the entire western part of the river and report to me in a few days. In the meantime…” Celeborn eyed Rose like the mystery she was, trying unsuccessfully to find a satisfactory solution to her situation. “A room will have to be prepared for you, little one."

Rose's discomfort was not lost on anyone, but while it was understandable, none of them knew what to do to make her trust them and her intentions.

Then one more person entered the room, and Arwen was surprised by the girl's lightened expression as she recognized Haldir, who approached his master with a nervous gesture, as if he, too, were in a strange place.

“Haldir is joining us for dinner tonight." Galadriel declared, addressing everyone and no one in particular. As usual, he handled the situation with commanding finesse; a very prominent trait among the Noldor. And to break the ice and start the dinner, the White Lady addressed her guardian. "Will your brothers be part of the reconnaissance squad?"

Haldir found a place opposite Arwen and Rose, being served by a maid without delay.

“Only Orophin, my lady." The sindar drank from his cup of wine before tasting his plate of food, which showed his restlessness. "Rúmil and Aldagor will take charge of the western border while the squadron crosses the river. I'll join them to reshuffle the remaining archers."

Arwen caught, hardly by accident, the fleeting glance Haldir gave Rose. Although she could not presume to know the sindar as well as her brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, she was able to appreciate that the Guardian of Lórien was concerned or uneasy about the mortal girl. Did he have any suspicions? Maybe he thought having her there was a risk?

If Haldir was known for anything, it was usually his unyielding loyalty to his lords and his sternness to any outsider.

"Actually," Galadriel cut off Arwen's train of thought, capturing everyone's attention, "Haldir, I think you should stay in Caras Galadhon. Rúmil can take care of the regrouping and you can send him a message if necessary."

Celeborn cast a questioning glance at his wife, but Galadriel didn't even flinch. Haldir seemed genuinely confused by his mistress's decision, which was not really a suggestion, but Arwen immediately understood her grandmother's intentions. With Haldir close to her, Rose could let her guard down little by little, and they could find out more about her.

"Is she sure of that, my lady?" The Sindar didn't hold back from asking, earning one of those mischievous looks from Galadriel. The one that revealed a calculating and somewhat playful personality that very few knew.

"Arwen will take care of and accompany our guest until we hear from her family." The White Lady smiled when she looked at her granddaughter, sharing with her part of her evil plan. "I want you to accompany them everywhere, for her protection."

Arwen hardly required escorts when she was in Lothlórien, so she understood that it was a subtle way of keeping the Sindar close to the human without her being burdensome to either of them.

And of course, Haldir had no choice but to obey.

In the company of the strictest Sindar in all of Lórien, only after Celeborn himself, Arwen accompanied Rose to the middle of the talan, where long, thick branches connected the trees like support for graceful bridges, now illuminated by the golden light that fell. seeped through the treetops.

The peredhil thought it was an excellent idea to start the day with a walk, allowing the girl to explore and appreciate the beauty of the healthy golden forest.

The brunette watched everything with fascination, and although at first she suffered from height vertigo, she soon got used to it, running her hand over each surface as if it were the first time. And though she said nothing for a couple of hours, only allowing Arwen to tell her a few things about her home in Rivendell, the range of her facial expressions impressed the Sindar elf. He trailed a little behind them, initially intending to be inconspicuous, but after a while he couldn't help but join the evening star as she began to describe the story of the golden forest, garnering some of those shocked looks from her. part of the young

At noon, a Sylvan Elf came to them to deliver to Arwen a sealed letter just arrived from Imladris.

"It's from Elladan." She announced to her companions, and then smiled at the human. "My older brother. It's only been a couple of years since I've seen him, but he's very protective and will definitely want a quick answer. Do you mind if…?"

“Take your time, my lady Arwen." Haldir said seeing the shyness on Rose's face.

"We can meet for lunch." The peredhil suggested, before directing her intense blue eyes at the Sindar. "Please take care of Rose in the meantime. You shouldn't cancel the ride because of me."

Haldir frowned, but did not reply.

He did not understand why his mistress Galadriel and her granddaughter Undómiel seemed so interested in him spending time with the foreigner, although he supposed that because of her good heart, they wanted the girl to feel safe with them. And only Eru knew the reason, but Rose felt comfortable next to him.

After a brief farewell -Haldir managed to see Arwen excitedly opening her brother's letter-, the Sindar and the human continued their journey, now slower and in silence.

Haldir couldn't understand why he kept feeling that strange tingling in his fingertips as he escorted the girl, who now seemed more focused on her feet as she walked. She was beautiful, but not like an elf; her skin was fair but with an unusual color, deep pink on her cheeks and thick eyelashes, as dark as her hair and her eyes. The dress she wore that day was bottle green, with the sleeves long enough to cover the cuts on her wrists.

"What's that?" the girl asked suddenly, and Haldir wasn't quite sure what she meant until he saw her look up at a sound.

"They are Noldor elves." He told her, both of them stopping in the middle of a bridge to watch the procession happening a couple of trees away. At least half a dozen elves were walking in single file, descending the spiral stairs of the talan. All of them sang a soft and melancholic melody, while someone played a very special instrument, capable of recreating the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline. "Every day there are fewer of them left. I know most of you want to wait by Lady Galadriel's side, but I think many others can't stand nostalgia."

"Nostalgia for what?" Rose seemed interested and curious, more than anything else they had seen up to this point in the walk.

Haldir watched the Noldor in silence for a moment, enjoying the sound they made on the instrument. He closed his eyes and thought of the sea, the one he had never seen, and of long white shores full of light.

"From their home." He said after a moment in a low voice. "The forest of gold is a safe haven thanks to Lady Galadriel. I and my brothers Orophil and Rúmil were born here, but we all yearn for what lies further west; As far west as you can go, they say the great ocean opens, and beyond the horizon the lands of our ancestors await us."

Haldir had thought a couple of times what it would be like, and like all eldar he had longed for the sea and the west. However, he did not wish for it in the near future. He loved Middle-earth and its people, its forests and rivers, and all the animals that shared the land with them.

To his surprise, when he looked back at the human girl, she was staring at him. Again he was amazed at the way her eyes shone, despite being so dark, like Varda's stars in the night sky. Or like the moon. Somehow, she reminded him of the moon.

“Uhm… We should go back to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel's house." He commented, unable to confront her. She was just a little girl, but the look on her face unbalanced him. "Mrs. Arwen will have already finished with her correspondence…"

"O'Connell." she heard Rose say without warning, and he looked at her blankly. "It's my… It's my last name, I think."

"Have you remembered?" Haldir took her arm gently, worrying her when she put a hand to her head, as if she had a migraine. Humans were so delicate and fleeting. “What else can you remember, Rose?"

She was straining, he could see it, and wanting to convey her support, the Sindar took both her hands.

"I don't remember how I got to the forest or why I was there." She admitted in a whisper. "But I vaguely remember my house, it was near the sea. I can remember the sound of the ships and the movement in the port; the seagulls, the cold wind and the smell of salt."

Haldir did not hide his shock from her. She had remembered so many things just from the sound of the waves.

"And… I remember my sisters." Rose added after a long pause, her bright eyes misting with tears. Her voice trailed off for an instant, and she didn't regain her composure until the elf stroked the back of her hand. “Angie, Sophie, and Alice…and my father. My family."

"They must be worried about you." Haldir looked down at her hands, but she responded with a listless laugh.

"I don't think so…"

Haldir wanted to reply, for he knew no one whose relatives would not be concerned by his absence. She was young, so at least her father had to feel sorry for her disappearance, but Rose's sour expression gave her the idea that it was better to drop the subject for now and ask no more.

"Lady Galadriel will want to speak with you if you have been able to remember where you came from." He told her in her place, gently pulling her to walk beside him. "Besides, it will do you good to eat something."

"Now I realize that the food here is very different from the one at home." Rose commented, appreciating the change of subject. It was the first time that Haldir had seen her smile that way, a little suspiciously, almost like Galadriel herself. “Less meat and more fruits of the forest."

"I don't think that's a bad thing." The Sindar replied, feeling his lips tighten into a smile. He didn't like being so casual, but the girl inspired him to lower his guard. “To be honest, I don't enjoy meat. I don't use it, in general."

"Never?" Rose raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She looked so taken aback that Haldir almost laughed. Almost.

“Not if I can help it."

They continued to chat about food as they made their way back to the huge flat of the lords of Lórien. More than one elf was surprised to see the serious Sindar guardian walk beside a young human girl, especially because of the humor in her countenance.

Thus Arwen found them when they reached the level of the hall, where she was conversing with a sylvan maiden.

"You've come back sooner than I expected." Mentioned the lady of Imladris, suppressing a smile when the guardian lagged behind a little, keeping her distance and recovering his characteristic seriousness and reverence. "I have been told that lunch will be served in a few minutes. Will you join us for lunch again, Haldir?"

"It would be an honor, my lady, but... I don't think I should neglect my duties on the border any longer." Answered the elf, taking a hand to his chest in a respectful gesture.

Rose turned to him with a barely concealed grimace, a gesture that Haldir found painful for some reason. He knew that Galadriel had entrusted him to remain in Caras Galadhon to accompany her, but beyond his duty as her guardian, Haldir was distressed by the sensations that came from being in Rose's company.

On this occasion, Arwen did not press his permanence and let him go with the best wishes to meet again soon.

For her part, the young mortal did not know how to say goodbye to the Sindar elf. Not when there was clearly a social distance between them that she didn't even fully understand. She wasn't sure if there was a hierarchy among the elves of Lothlórien, and if that hierarchy meant the same as it used to in her home. That didn't stop him from regretting her departure, and even fearing and suffering at the prospect of not seeing him again.

Her fear must have been reflected in her gaze, as Lady Undómiel approached her and gently placed her hands on her shoulders as a sign of affection and comfort.

"Don't worry, he'll be back sooner or later." she said quietly, as the Sindar left without looking back.

Rose thought to herself that it was a bit absurd to be comforted by the absence of a man she barely knew and that, in fact, she had her own obligations in who knows where. Still, she couldn't help but place a hand on Arwen's, lowering her head in thanks.

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