The Silverleaf (LOTR Fanfiction)

The Shadow Has a Name

                       Tulië (Spring) 1rst month, year 1101

"Rîniel."

"Yes Haldir?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Rîniel sighed and looked up at her friend. He frowned at her, his calloused hands absently fondling the leaf in his hand. His leather jerkin was still on from training the troops, but he had washed his hair and face. His eyes pierced hers. He had always known when she was thinking, but lately he had been trying to draw her out of her thoughts.

It had been a long time since the healing halls had finally emptied of the people fleeing the forests and wood, but she had never forgotten the lesson she had learned that day with Gwin. So much death, sickness, hurt, pain.

She wondered how many times she would have to feel that pain again, as she was left behind, to walk the path of the earth as it turned ever forward.

She was sitting up in a tree, high above the ground. The white stone pathways looked like tiny white ribbons from the height they were. Her feet dangled from the bough she was resting on. "Yes Haldir, I am listening now." Her clear eyes continued to stare away in the empty air around them.

She heard a gentle sigh as he shifted and jumped down from his perch. She felt him kneel beside her and take her hand in his, rubbing each finger slowly. The tiny pressure did seem to relax her. Neither spoke.

"Rîniel." Her name sounded musical from his lips. So tender and friendly...yet there was a deeper inflection to it that seemed to become more prevalent as time passed. She could not understand it.

"You need to stop thinking for a moment and just listen to my words, dear friend." She turned to face him, the perusal of the white ribbons finally over with. His eyes look earnestly into hers. "You are strong. Gifted with the grace and courage of the Valar. Why can you not just be happy, my friend?"

"I cannot." She whispered. "I am happy, truly I am, Haldir. But there is so much for me to question, to figure out. There is so much out there," she waved her hand towards the borders of the forest, "that I have no knowledge of, not even from my memories. So thinking about those things will bring me memories to learn from."

"But you cannot simply sit and think all day, my lady!" He insisted. "Look." He pulled her up and showed her the butterfly that was sitting on the branch above them. "Most young ladies of my acquaintance would have pointed that out right away, or remarked on how much they would enjoy a flower from the ground below, meaning that the ellon in accompaniment should climb down and give them yet another thing to admire, and then they would gossip about the way he moved, how strong he is, or something of that matter the we ellyn have absolutely no reason to understand." She laughed, and he smiled at her, continuing to try and boost her spirits. "And then they would play with the flower they wanted so badly, and speak and giggle about every romantically inclined thing under the sun." He looked out at the city below them. "You are allowed to be like that sometimes, you know."

She sighed, her giggling fit over. "But I am not that way. You know this as well as I." She averted her face from him. "Would you rather me be like that, my lord Haldir?"

"Nay." He took her hand again and kissed it. "You are my friend because of the way you are. But I would enjoy hearing you speak over my accomplishments or feats in battle like any lady friend would boast of her champion." He smirked when she laughed out loud again, pulling away from him and walking down the bough.