The Archers Heart

11 - What the future holds...

Pov Elrond:

I watched from a far, as Leia guided Haldir through the realm, Lindir a few steps behind me. He sighed deeply, once he realized what had caused my attention again. "Is it really necessary to follow them?" He asked me, but I just kept on smiling and walking. We were too far away to see what they were talking about, but based on the nervousness that was visible on Leias features for miles, I took a very educated guess.

Now seeing Haldir reach out for her hand had me take every ounce of self-control I had to not jump up and down on the spot. Lindir besides me just groaned again. "My lord. Not to be invasive, but aren't the two of them old enough to figure it out on their own?" I turned to look at him with an expression that was in between a scowl and amusement. "Apparently not. You have seen how they interact with each other. And yet they still remain oblivious. I think a little nudge here and there isn't wrong."

"I think its stupid." He complained with a deep breath, but I ignored him. Far to invested in what was happening in front of my eyes.

But what happened next, made my brows furrow. Leia pulled her hands away, bringing some distance between her and Haldir, while the marchwarden looked like he had seen a ghost. Leia obviously taken aback by his actions turned on her heels and raced down the path. "Oh perfect... He ruined it..." I grumbled to myself, shaking my head. Turning to walk back to my study as well, I waved Lindir to follow me. The young ellon just scoffed at what he had seen. "I never thought of the Commander being so oblivious. But it seems like he has as well his flaws."

"Quite a few of them... Now I have to start the plan all over again." I mumbled, deeply in thought on how to lead the two together once more. "Do you know how much effort it took to get both of those stupid, unsocial elves to meet at one place? How many times I had to literally bribe Legolas into forcing Haldir to come? How much I had to talk to Leia to get her to join Arwen's birthday?"

"I know quite well. You made me do all the footwork in having things planned out..." Linidr sighed, stepping behind me to let some other elves pass. "Maybe they aren't meant for each other? Your visions can be wrong sometimes, my Lord."

"Nonsense." I retorted. "It was as clear as the ones regarding Arwen and Aragon. I never have such clear visions of people outside of my family. They must be true."

"And yet they still are visions. It takes interpretation to read them. Perhaps you made a mistake." Lindirs words made me stop dead in my track and turn at the young elf with a passion in my eyes, I was barely able to hide. "Are you questioning my ability, Lindir?" I asked, wording it harsher than I intended to. The young ellon gulped deeply, before ducking his head. "No, my Lord. I was just wondering, that maybe they are meant to be friends and not mates..."

"I know what I have seen. They are undeniably meant to be lifetime partners. I can feel their bond. It is as strong as it is between Aragon and my daughter." I argued, starting to walk again. Lindir still kept his ground, even if he put it into softer words. "I believe you do, my Lord. Put your interventions seem to overtake your responsibility for your people."

"Leia is one of my people. Her happiness is as important as anyone elses. And I know I can do enough to push them together." I finally reached my study. Ripping the door open. But I only came so far, when another vision hit me hard.

I saw the faint images of a rebuilt town, then Leia training a young human boy in archery, Erebors walls were the last thing that I saw, before I hit reality again. Lindir had his arms on my shoulder, clearly holding me upright. I turned at him, with fury in my eyes. "Quick. What is the town near Erebor called. Once it were ruins, now they have rebuilt it."

"My Lord?" Lindir looked at me confused, but I just rushed into the library, ignoring him. Searching through several scrolls before I found a map of the land around Erebor. "There!" I pointed on a small village. "Dale. She is in Dale. Go! Find Haldir. Let him know where she went and tell him I ordered him to ride there. Find him a small guard as well. I need him to arrive safely." Lindir looked at me with a raised brow, but once he saw how important it was for me, he turned, rushing out of the door to fulfill what I had ordered him to do.