Set in Stone - Haldir's Story -

Chapter 18 - 10,000

All of a sudden feeling tired again, Daëra sat on the edge of her bed. A fine mess she had brought herself into. What was she going to do now, with neither Haldir nor her being able to leave, her decision-day only six months away and no way of avoiding him all the time in the small realm of the Golden Wood?

It turned out to be easier than expected, especially with so much happening in the world as it was now – Daëra had forgotten the bigger picture for quite a while. To get her mind off her own mess, she tried to focus on the challenges Middle-Earth was facing at the moment. Daëra had gained a few glimpses at the fellowship, their ring-bearer. He was a hobbit, just about half Daëra's height – but still his ring was so much heavier than hers. Even though she couldn't deny that her own ring, Náre, had started to be quite a handful sometimes – more spirited than it had ever been before. Now, Daëra hardly ever wore Náre – the risk was too high she would forget to take it off and then the ring of power would burn her or set on fire whatever she was touching. As it was now, Daëra didn't even need to be agitated for that to happen. Some days it took most of her energy to contain Náre's powers within itself – on those occasions Daëra couldn't help but wonder how she would be coping with the ring if she were an elf, if it would be easier. She would have to find a way to bring it back to her father once she was human: Náre had been given to the elves; it could never be controlled by any other species.

It was about ten days after the fellowship had left down-river that Daëra felt an unnatural amount of movement within the forest. A clanking and whirling from the in- and the outside. Something was happening, something was approaching – and Daëra didn't like it. Didn't like it at all.

Orophin had been on patrol in and about Caras Galadhon for 48 hours without a break, and meeting his brother at the south gate when his shift finished was the first pleasant surprise in days. His middle brother looked beyond grim, though. – "Rumil! Do not tell me it is your turn guarding the city next?" Orophin's voice was full of pity. As well as their plan had – sort of – worked out in animating Daëra to break up with Haldir, as much it had strained their relationship with their brother. Orophin would never have thought him to react in such a childish way, but for the last three weeks he and Rumil had had to serve nothing but the most boring, longest shifts close to Caras Galadhon. The only good thing about spending most of their time within the walls of the city was – as Orophin had learned – that one heard things. Rumours and whispers, voices up in the trees... Elves had a talent to keep their secrets to themselves, yet they also possessed excellent hearing. Today, very interesting rumours had found their way into every ear...

At Orophin's question, Rumil merely shook his head. "I am not appointed to a shift until tonight. The new wardens will be joining service tomorrow morning." – Orophin was slightly hungry so they set off to find some food. He thought about the new wardens and looked at his brother with a spark in his eye. "I sincerely do hope among those greenhorns are some who will not object to guarding the city?" He sighed. "Haldir cannot be angry at us forever." – Rumil laughed dryly. "Not forever, yet certainly for quite a while. We ruined his life, after all." – Orophin helped himself to a bit of lembas and looked at his brother in disbelief. "Are you having a guilty conscience?! – Technically, it is not even our or Daëra's fault he found out... He did that all by himself." – Rumil shook his head energetically. "I am not feeling guilty. I know it was the right thing to do. He just seems to be just as angry at us as at Daëra – the reason for it I cannot figure out." Rumil took a piece of lembas as well, but just broke it to crumbles in his fingers. Orophin frowned. "You have not told me everything yet. What is bothering you?" – Rumil shot him an annoyed glance. "Have you not yet heard? What everyone is talking about?" – Orophin nodded. "Today they said Imladris means to go into battle. To help the free folk against Sauron, even though we elves are about to leave Middle-Earth forever."

Rumil looked at him with narrowed eyes. "The darkness is not only emerging from Mordor, my dear brother. Have you heard what they say about Dol Guldur?" – Shivers were running down Orophin's spine. "Our Dol Guldur? In Mirkwood?" – "I have not heard of another castle by that name," Rumil snapped harshly. "All we care about is Lothlórien when the Great Wood, our home, is threatened by the same force – just so much closer to destruction. So I went to see the Lord and Lady about it." – The bread in Orophin's mouth turned to ashes. What had Rumil done? Orophin swallowed the bite in his mouth with some difficulty. "What did they say?" – Rumil crossed his arms and turned his head up to the leafy canopy of the Wood. "Lord Celeborn was not there. Lady Galadriel was, though, and when I explained to her that my home was in need... she said I should leave." – "She expelled you?!" – Rumil's gaze flickered to his brother in an irritated manner. "She did not. She said if I wanted, I could leave to help save my home. Or we, for that matter." – Orophin briefly closed his eyes. They had been in Lórien for so long – he had never thought the day they were allowed to return to Mirkwood would actually come. "We will have to swear that ridiculous oath to Thranduil about how we are not going to leave his services for I do not know how long. It will be like swapping one prison for another." – Rumil nodded. "It is true, but I was wrong back then when we came to Lórien. I thought the Golden Wood would soften us and make us easy prey once we were back in Mirkwood. Yet now the time has come I do not feel like easy prey. Everything but." – Orophin looked at him from the corner of his eye. He looked dangerous. Dangerous, but bitter. Finally, Orophin sighed. "Haldir cannot come: he is March Warden. He at least is bound to Lórien." – "You are right. Yet I do not feel at the moment we would miss one another very much." – Orophin felt doubts nagging at his conscience. "He will stay bound to Lórien and so will we, only to Mirkwood. Even after all the ill-feeling has subsided." – "Not after we have moved on to the Undying Lands. Orophin – I have waited for this moment for too long to let the opportunity pass. Mirkwood is worth saving. I am leaving tomorrow afternoon. Are you coming?"

Orophin was running after his eldest brother, fury controlling every single of his movements. "What do you mean I cannot go?! I was not even asking your permission!" When Orophin had caught up enough to grab hold of Haldir's arm, the March Warden finally stopped. – "I said I was going.  After all this time, something is going on, something big, and I am not going to sit in Lórien and watch." Orophin searched his mind for more arguments. "Besides, you are going as well. You being older does not count. On what grounds are you prohibiting me to do things, anyway?" – Haldir met his glance and for a second he looked amused – but Orophin could only detect it because he had known Haldir all his life. – "I am March Warden. I am authorised to prohibit... things." – "Yet not without reason." – Haldir sighed. "I have a reason. Someone will have to take my place while I..." – "I am not second in charge. Someone else will be able to do it." – Haldir thought for a second. "Someone will have to have an eye on Lórien..." – Orophin crossed his arms. "I am sure second-in-charge will be pleased to conform to those wishes. Anything else?" – Haldir sighed. "I do not want you dead, Orophin. And I do need capable wardens to hold the line. If you are so eager to fight, you should go North." – "I will do no such thing. What is there for me, up in the North? – Precious nothing. If I had wanted to go back to Mirkwood I would have days ago, when Rumil left. I stayed down here for a reason, and the reason is not to guard Caras Galadhon for the rest of my life." – "I do not know how many will return," Haldir stated with a dark expression, "and I cannot take everyone with me. The Lady said she wanted you for her protection." – That took Orophin aback. "She did?" – Haldir nodded. "She said it was to be you and no one else. You see, your fighting skills are being acknowledged." – Orophin was at a loss of words and Haldir seized the opportunity to quickly say his farewells. "Keep an eye on the Golden Wood for me. And on Daëra."

Orophin let him go for now, without a proper farewell from his side. He was superstitious concerning that: he felt if he said good-bye to people he held dear it was just provoking the gods to have them never return. And no, the Valar weren't standing particular high in his opinion: too many bad things were happening in this world. To speak true, though, Orophin wasn't really concerned for his brother, knowing his skill in fighting and commanding. Yet on the other hand, Orophin knew that the fight to come was to be bigger than anything they had ever seen before. 10,000 orcs were on their way, the Lady had said. 10,000 orcs marching towards Helm's Deep.