Weaving a Song

Chapter 43

c.2810 TA

Haldir had her smiling only a mile into the forest and laughing softly in two. Almiel herself soon forgot what she was so fearful of with his small talk keeping her entertained and distracting her from the earlier events of the day. Twilight was falling and he pulled her closer. "I found this place shortly after you left last time." He said, his voice quiet as if in reverence. They stepped softly through a tree line and Almiel gasped. She looked wonderingly at Haldir and he smiled.

"What is this place?"

"I am not sure, but it has become my favorite." He said. A small creek babbled through the center of the hidden clearing and a small waterfall fell over the river stones. The water was clear and Almiel saw silver fish darting through the water. Strange flowers grew in the clearing and the trees formed a lens through which she could see the stars perfectly. She stepped to the edge of the creek and dipped her hand in the water. It was cool and refreshing and even the feel of it seemed to lift a burden from her shoulders. The water looked like liquid diamond as it ran over her hand.

"I have never even heard of such a place, even in legend, unless it be the courts of Eru himself." Almiel said. Haldir sat down next to her.

"I am convinced it is a piece of heaven here in Ennor." He said. Almiel leaned into him and he held her close once more. "When I first saw it I thought of you and what your face would be like when you saw it, I tried to figure out a way your father would let you out of his sight, though there were none that seemed sane enough." Almiel laughed softly.

"Well, my father admitted he was out of his mind right before I left so perhaps becoming insane is the key." Haldir smiled. Almiel was staring at the water, and then she gently cupped her hand in the water. She looked at it curiously, and then lifted her hand to her lips and sipped the water. Her eyes widened and she motioned for Haldir to do the same. He did so, and his eyes widened as well.

"Never in my life…" He said. "Not even the Nimrodel has such sweet water."

"I'm not convinced it is water." Almiel said, "For it tastes better than even my father's secret stores." Haldir laughed.

"You have such an experience?"

"Well… last I heard you were the one that ordered me to have some the first time." Haldir pretended to look offended.

"You think I would do such a thing?"

"To save my life perhaps." Almiel said.

"Hm," Haldir said pretending to think, "Then I probably did." He admitted, eyes twinkling.

"You are crazy." Almiel said. "Though I'm kind of glad you were." She said smiling at him.

"I am too." Haldir agreed.

They stayed there that entire night, staring up at the stars and the moon as it passed them by. It was around that time that Almiel fell into her trance laying in the grass still gazing at the stars. Haldir sat quietly next to her, one hand on her arm, making sure no nightmares plagued her this night. He did not think they would in Lórien, but, having come from the evil place she did, he was not quite so sure. Especially as he saw the fading dark taint on her fëa that encountering the Witch-King had caused. But even that was quickly fading.

Her face remained tranquil as she walked through her dreams, and in the moonlight he realized she had indeed grown up. Last time he had seen her, it was easy to still picture her as the small child she had been when he met her, the one who lay succumb to her inability to heal her own mother. The one who screamed for her mother to come back and found herself in her father's arms shortly after. This view of her was perhaps increased by the simple fact that she had been constantly drained by Elrond's son whom Haldir refused to name. That and, he had to act quickly after to save her life once more.