Set in Stone - Haldir's Story -

Chapter 13 - One of the Three

It was different to the first time when both their senses had been clouded by Miruvor and neither had really been thinking about what they were doing. Now though they knew. They knew very well, but they didn't mind. The kiss became more demanding with every second and there was nothing Daëra wanted more than give herself to him, everything she was and had been and would be. After what seemed an eternity, Daëra pulled back a little to whisper: "I should not keep you from your duty." She felt more than she saw that he was smiling. "Do not worry about me. As March Warden my duty never really ends which means that my time is at my own disposal." – She went to her tiptoes to brush his lips with hers briefly and then added: "I suppose then it is good I expected to have competition."

Haldir realised once again how right Daëra was to name his job her competition when something started tugging at his conscious, trying to bring his senses back to reality. It is nothing, he told himself and concentrated again on her lips moving against his, the touch of her fingers on his chest, playing with the buckle of his cloak... The tugging didn't stop, though, and finally Haldir tore himself away from Daëra to listen out. For a few seconds he couldn't hear anything except their own heavy breathing, but he felt... felt something... Birds flying in the middle of the night, coming from the border; a scent – slight, but dirty, non-Lórien; a noise, perhaps the ruffling of leaves, breaking of twigs... "Orcs, a bigger group," Haldir whispered. "They're coming here." He put his quiver back on, took an arrow out, drew his bow and shot it somewhere into the Woods, probably alarming the other wardens. Then he turned to Daëra. "Are you armed?" As an answer she revealed a short sword on her belt. Haldir nodded and said – almost mockingly –: "Normally I would say that the Golden Wood it safe enough for anyone to wander within its borders without needing a sword, yet this time I am rather glad you brought one." He hesitated and then added: "Or of course I could have you escorted back to Caras Galadhon, once the other wardens have arrived..." – "No," she almost exclaimed. Haldir frowned. "I thought you were not eager to fight? – Rumil, take a few wardens and make sure there is not another attack coming from a different direction while we are occupied here." Haldir had got used to leading several conversations at the same time – although it had needed a bit of practice, he found it quite useful. Daëra's eyes were darting between him and where his brother had just arrived and was now turning again to leave without having said a single word. "I am not... eager to fight." In fact, she was slightly trembling, Haldir noticed. – "You need your men here where the fighting is... or will be. Besides, I can help healing later." – Haldir nodded, taking the chance. "I agree – you had best climb up into one of our flets and wait there until the worst is over." He didn't want her to get hurt. He hated orcs, when he remembered what they had done to Valnin prior to and even after his death he felt sick.

For some reason though, Daëra didn't move and before Haldir could tell her to wait on the flet some more wardens arrived. There were coming from the direction of the approaching orcs. "How many?" Haldir asked briefly. – "A hundred, I would guess. Yet they are not organised: we listened to their talk and it seems they killed their leader when he would not let them raid a Rohan village. Now they are just looting. Mostly, they are carrying swords, but they have got a few archers as well." – Haldir frowned. "We should have known they were coming. How come we did not know?" – Orophin, who had been amongst the newly arrived wardens, pointed in the directions where the orcs where coming from. "We did not expect any orcs to be approaching at the Rohan border." – Haldir nodded. "We will have to form scout groups that keep a close eye on the countryside beyond Lórien. More wardens are to be placed at the Rohan border as well. Into the trees, they are coming."

The noises were louder now; a soft glow of light had the huge trees throwing shadows, breaking the powder-blue light of dusk. Torches, Haldir thought. They could not possibly know where they were if they were stupid enough to bring light along with them – making it even easier for the elves to shoot them with well-aimed arrows. More wardens were arriving by the second, jumping easily from one branch to the next with bows in hand. Haldir only had to give a quiet sign with his hand and a deadly rain descended upon the orcs. The orcs carrying bows sent a few black arrows back, but since the elves were outside the flares of the orcs' torches, they were invisible to them. Maybe we can just shoot them all from up here, Haldir hoped. The arrows kept coming and coming, sending the orcs into loud fits of panic. They very well might all have been killed by arrows, had not one of the brighter creatures hold up his torch, screaming: "We will light up your cursed forest!" He only had to shout a few times, before the other orcs with torches joined him and started to wave their thoughts dangerously close to the trees.