When least expected

Chapter nine Moving out.

It was already going against noon when Celeborn finally came out his room to have breakfast. After Haldir had left and thinking everything through he had fallen asleep.

Right now he blessed the solitude his life had become. He did not have to invent silly excuses for his swollen nose. Haldir had hit him good.

Eyeing his breakfast he suddenly heard someone approaching. Looking up he saw it was Rumil. He smiled fondly at him and waved him closer.

“Rumil?” After what happened last night, Celeborn was unsure as what to expect. And seeing Rumil shuffling did not ease his worries.

“My lord, could you come? Please?”

Celeborn immediately heard the underlining fear and stood to follow. “My dear boy, what is wrong? What happened?”

Rumil smiled. It had been ages since Celeborn had called him boy, and he had greatly missed it. Not that he would ever admit it. “Haldir and Orophin. I….they…please, hurry.”

Celeborn shook his head, realising he would not get any sensible answer out of Rumil and followed him as fast as his robes allowed.

When they came closer to the brother’s talan he could hear raised voices. Haldir and Orophin were screaming at each other.

“No, you can’t go. Ah, I should never have told you.” Celeborn had believed he had gotten the worst shouting Haldir had possessed last night, but now he found himself wrong. This volume was far worse.

But Orophin’s was evenly matched. “You did and I am.”

“No!”

“Yes.”

“ No!” And now clothes came flying down. Apparently Haldir applied some force to his words. The items landed before Celeborn’s feet. He looked at Rumil. “I take it this is unusual?”

Rumil merely nodded, he was close to tears. Celeborn grasped his shoulders and told the ‘boy’ to follow him up. He would put an end to this, but he might have to use Rumil to achieve it.

Meanwhile the arguing continued. “Aaargh. You can’t leave. You are needed here. Orophin!”

“I am going to tell that…that…bitch what I think of her.”

“You can’t. You can’t.” Haldir was fuming. He could not believe he had told his brothers everything. He should have realised Orophin would flip.

Celeborn had to stop himself from getting into a laughing fit. The arguing brothers put on a really nice show. Orophin was walking from the shared wardrobe to his package, stuffing everything in. Haldir just as energetically followed Orophin back and forth, taking out all the items his brother had just put inside. It was driving Orophin mad. “Haldir! Stop it. I am going, with or without clothes!”

“I’ll rather shoot you!”

“Stop it, the two of you. you are acting like elflings.” Celeborn interrupted before it got out of hand.

Haldir and Orophin were startled by his voice. They had not seen or heard him enter. In fact, they had not even noticed Rumil’s leaving earlier.

Haldir froze immediately and knelt to the floor. “My lord, I apologize….” He wanted to apologize for his behaviour last night, but Celeborn didn’t let him finish. “It takes two to fight, Haldir.” He knew Haldir was referring to last night, but right now, all that mattered was what happened in this room. “Will someone please explain to me what is going on here?”

Haldir was in complete awe. Celeborn had never looked so regal as he did right now. Of course Haldir was still kneeling on the floor, but that did little to stop him from staring up. Orophin, after acknowledging Celeborn’s presence, merely continued packing. This time without Haldir unpacking.

“Orophin. Do you have the desire to leave? I always had the impression you loved it here?”

“I do, my lord, and I am not leaving forever. But I -am- going.” The last words were thrown at Haldir.

For a moment Celeborn did not understand any of it, but then he remembered these brothers shared everything. He knew the fight he had with Haldir would have upset the guardian. And most likely his brothers would have noticed and, knowing them, they wouldn’t have stopped jagging until Haldir confessed what was bothering him. And merely stating he had had a fight with Celeborn would not suffice, Celeborn knew that as well. No, Haldir would have had to spit out the whole ordeal. When you tell something to one of the brothers, you tell all three.

But then why would Orophin leave? Just then his eyes widened as realisation sunk in. “Orophin, stop packing. You are not leaving. You’re needed here.”

“No, my lord, I will follow every order but this one.” Orophin continued packing, his face set grim.

“Orophin. I will not stand by while your brothers lose you.”

Now Orophin stopped packing. He looked at Celeborn in wonder. “I -am- coming back.”

“No, you are not.” Celeborn’s voice held just as much conviction as Orophin’s, if not more. “You are -not- coming back.”

“I will.”

Orophin’s stubbornness was getting to his nerves. “Orophin. I forbid you to leave if I have to.”

“I already said I will disobey that order.”

“Why are you so intend on going?” Now Orophin looked at Haldir, who was still kneeling down. He was silently asking permission to speak. But Celeborn did not wait for that. “You are not going to Valinor to yell at Galadriel.” All three looked stunned at these words. “It’s common knowledge that when you tell one of you something, all three of you know. And now stop packing. I do not see any reason for you to go and yell at her.”

Now Orophin exploded. “What?! How can you say something like that? First she leaves you. Do you not grief her? Do you not miss her? Well? And now we learn that is not the first time she deliberately hurt you. Leaving for Valinor is one, but betrayal I will not tolerate. And…”

“Enough!!” Celeborn too exploded and shouted back at the startled warrior. “You will not talk about anyone in such a manner, least of all the woman I wed. I suggest you cool down, before you find yourself at -my- mercy.” Celeborn turned to go and accidentally kno ove over Haldir, who had rose as soon as Orophin had flipped.

The landing was not so fortunate for Haldir. He released a strangled whimper and Rumil, still standing outside quickly entered. “Haldir!” Now it was Celeborn’s turn to be shoved aside. His first instinct was to lash out at Rumil as well, but when he saw what he himself had done he weakened and was besides Haldir before Rumil was. “Haldir, ai, I am so sorry. I…I have not seen you. I…”

“It’s alright, my lord.” Haldir interrupted. “I guess we are even now?” Even though the words were cheeky, his face showed none of the cockiness Haldir possessed.

It frightened Celeborn more than an army of countless uruks could have done. “No, we are not. I deserved it and you did not. Here lean on me. Rumil, go get the healer and Orophin,” his voice now changed from concerned to one that would not be denied, “unpack.”

When Orophin showed no signs of following that order Celeborn was about to lose his temper yet again, but Haldir’s wit intervened. “Orophin, brother, you do not want to lose your new titles, do you?” Haldir had wanted to use that threat before, but now that Celeborn was here it would work. It might instantly be carried out.

Haldir’s plan worked. Orophin actually started to unpack. “If you two insist. But I still do not like it.”

Now Celeborn laughed. “There is much we do not like. But still it happens and we have to bear it. Besides, as Haldir so kindly reminded me last night, I am not alone, am I?”

Haldir sat in the only large chair their talan possessed and was now being pampered by both Orophin and Celeborn who were both trying to make up for their errors. But when the healer was heard coming Celeborn quickly walked to the edge to help him up.

And now the most unfortunate, or fortunate - depending on your point of view - thing happened. Celebornl stl straight through the woodwork, scaring not only himself, but the approaching healer and Rumil as well. For they suddenly saw their lord’s feet dangerously falling through the bottom of the talan. Celeborn had gone through all the way to his waist and was dangerously close to falling all the way through.

Rumil and the healer saw the danger bherehere to far away.

Orophin and Haldir had heard the commotion but had no viewophiophin stood to go see but knocked himself out cold by stepping on a loose board, which landed in his face. Haldir growled at the unconscious elf. “Told you we needed to fix that.” But he still did not know what had just happened.

The wind suddenly entered the talan and caressed Haldir’s face. He could hear the whispered words of the tree. ‘hurry, brave one, he is leaving the wrong way.’

Whenever an elf left a talan any tree would consider it leaving. And coming back up, the elf came back. And the trees knew how they were supposed to come and go and to the tree that supported Haldir’s talan this elf was not leaving in the appropriate way.

Haldir stood, but fell over again. His leg hurt too much, so instead of walking he crawled and crept out onto the flet.

His breath got caught in his through when he saw the perilous position Celeborn was in. He quickly slid closer and reached out to grasp Celeborn’s shouldeAnd And not a moment too late. As soon as Haldir had grabbed him, Celeborn felt himself come lose and he would have plummeted to the ground, had Haldir not had a strong hold on him.

Haldir had not enough strength to pull him up though, so Celeborn’s leg would have to dangle in the air a little longer. Just until Rumil had arrived to take over the hold on Celeborn from Haldir. While Haldir’s leg was being examined Rumil pulled Celeborn to safety.

When Celeborn was once more out of danger Orophin came out through the doorway, rubbing his forehead. “What happened?” he asked no one special.

Celeborn answered. “It appears this flet is becoming dangerous and as you managed to knock yourself out cold with your own talan floor, I suggest you three come stay with me for the time being. Until this no longer threatens to end lives.” Celeborn figured that if he had them close, he could keep an eye on Orophin and make sure the guardian did not leave.

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Rielle was looking everywhere for her lord. It was time for his herbal tea. Not that he was sick any longer, but she was not going to take any more changes. She had loosened up once and that hadn’t resulted very well. And now she was getting frustrated, for she was unable to find him.

She was just about to run towards Haldir’s talan, to ask him if he could help her look, when she saw a funny parade coming her way.

Celeborn was leading the three Celebhrim towards the royal talan. Rumil was loaded with clothes, weapons and armours, while Orophin supported a limping Haldir and Celeborn himself was carrying the large amount of medical herbs the healer had given.

Rielle wondered what had happened and quickly approached. Because she was still holding her teapot, she herself was presenting the others with a humorous sight.

Celeborn smiled when he saw the teapot. “Rielle, dear, I don’t think missing one of your lovely drinks will do me harm, now will it? Will you please help me settle these three silly elves in? Their talan fell to pieces under my feet.”

Rielle’s eyes widened in shock. Both from learning Celeborn had been in danger and from having guest. She knew only one room was fit enough to live in and it was too small and tiny for three guardians.

Seeing her expression, Celeborn now remembered. “Ai! I forgot. What do you suggest, Rielle?”

She looked up with a twinkle in her eyes. One elf was going to hate her for this, but if she had seen right, hate might turn into thanks soon enough. “If one of them can share your room, my lord, I don’t think it will be a problem. And as Haldir is injured I suggest he’ll be it. We can hardly put a wounded elf in the other room.”

Celeborn agreed, but missed the underlying intention. “Aye, I agree, that is the only possible solution. Please show Rumil and Orophin to their rooms.” He moved to stand next to Haldir, to make Haldir lean on him instead of Orophin, so the other was free to follow Rielle and Rumil. “Oh, one more thing, Reille. I need your help ensuring Orophin doesn’t leave.” He now turned his attention to Haldir. “Come, Nastar, I will show you the way.”

But Haldir was stubborn. He wanted to do it alone. even though his leg did hurt, he would not lean onto Celeborn. He feared he would give himself away if he did.

But Celeborn pulled him close. “Come, lean on me. You are not to pressure it for a while. And do not feel guilty about taking space. I will enjoy your company and at least I won’t dine alone tonight.”

And while Haldir was almost carried upstairs he wondered what would happen the coming days. He prayed for strength and hoped he would not give himself away.

End chapter nine
TBC

Translations:
None that I have not already explained.

Note:
A flet is a balcony without a balustrade, or so I’ve been told. Anyway, it sounds absolutely lovely to be part of a talan. To bad this one has not been looked after. Gnagnagna