Friendly Wagers

Chapter Two

Aragorn, for his part, found things to be both bad and good the next morning. Gimli and Legolas had not forgotten their dispute, and in fact, were already deciding upon rules for their contest. Aragorn, however, would not be able to stay to find out the details, for word had come to him that he was needed at the keep.

That afternoon, it was an elf and a dwarf on a horse that set off toward the golden trees of Lothlórien. Gimli absently stroked the length of his beard as they rode, Legolas idly fingering his long silken strands, both unsure of whether they perhaps gambled too high the night before. Having let Gimli sit in front of him on the mare (for the dwarf swore that Legolas rode in front only so that he could block him from seeing the glorious scenery first), Legolas looked down now, tilted his head, and smiled.

“Gimli…” laughed Legolas.

“Hmm? What?”

“Gimli…That’s a horse’s mane.” Legolas smirked, adding, “Come now, Gimli, youldn’ldn’t have thought it was * that * long.”

Gimli looked down at his hands, which had continued past his own beard with each stroke, and down through the thick grey hair upon the mare’s neck. Quickly, he crossed his arms across his chest. “Hmph. You’re just jealous. You elves might have an abundance of hair upon your heads, but you greatly lack it upon your cheeks. No woman can resist a finely groomed beard, and for that reason, you will have quite a difficult time encouraging a female to take up with that arrogant guard.”

Legolas made an attempt to sort out the logic in Gimli’s statement, passing it off on the fact that dwarf was likely still suffering from last night’s imbibing. Instead, he began to concentrate on the path ahead. They were on the edge of Lothlórien, close to the Nimrodel. Legolas pulled the reigns back gently, then dismounted before helping Gimli off. “She will not do well to climb the trees to the flets, and I fear bringing her further into the forest without knowing what is ahead.”

“[Then leave her with us, cousin, and go as you please.]” Came a voice from above, so soft, that Gimli did indeed not hear it except as a whisper upon the wind.

Legolas shielded his eyes as he looked up into the branches. Gimli squinted, looking, too, for whatever it was Legolas was looking for. Both were tapped on the shoulder abruptly, and spun around, weapons drawn.

Orophin laughed silently, shaking his head. “Mae govannen, Legolas.”

“Mae govannen, Orophin o Lórien!” Legolas bowed his head a bit, replacing his bow. Orophin gave a deeper bow, then the two gave each other a hearty hug. Gimli rolled his eyes with a groan and a muffled comment about elves and being overly affectionate, while Rumil, silent the entire time, grasped hold of the mare’s reigns, comfortable to hold back with his limited vocabulary of Westron.

Legolas tilted his head slightly as he moved away from Orophin. “Your eldest brother, why is he not here? Do you not always guard as a trio?”

“Nay, Legolas, there are so few of us left in the golden wood, we must not crowd the posts with too many guards. He is not far from here, and likely knows already of your entering the woods. You are welcomed here by him, for he speaks for the Lord and Lady in their absence, and knows of your favor with them.” Explained Orophin slowly, cautious to get the correct words in Westron.

“How close is he to us? Is he able to hear us as we speak now?”

“Again, nay.” Orophin grinned a bit. “You seem to have something upon your mind that you wish to share, but not in the presence of our dear brother.”

Legolas did not hide his enthusiasm at telling Orophin and Rumil of the bet he had made with Gimli, speaking in Elvish so that it need not be translated for Rumil. He did, however, leave out the wager.

“I can tell you, from what I have seen, our brother is a lover of women, though he yet has found one that could stand to love him.” Orophin admitted, a little sadly. “I hesitated in announcing the joining to my beloved, Rumil waited even longer to declare his own intentions when he found the elf maiden who stole his heart, as we did not wish to pain our elder brother. It was hard for each of us when we each found our chosen partner, for though he hides his grief well, it was no less difficult for him. I fear he is not destined to find a mate here in Arda.”

Rumil spoke up, though still grooming the horse. His words were soft, and to the point, and in obvious disagreement with Orophin, even though Gimli could not understand the foreign tongue.

“What does he say?” Gimli asked, insistent he be told.

“Rumil thinks our brother to be the opposite, that he takes interest not in the fairer sex, but in those like himself.” Orophin gave Legolas a sideways look. “Then again, Rumil has often before been wrong.” Rumil, somehow aware that his brother was not supporting his idea, stuck out his tongue and wagged it in a very unelfly manner that only those youngest of siblings seem to be able to pull off.

Before Orophin was able to launch a comeback to Rum cha challenge, the two brothers turned their heads and listened. “He approaches us, but he is still at a distance.” Legolas trained his hearing on what the other elves were listening to. Indeed, there was an elf approaching, blending steps with the breeze. “Speak quickly of your plans, if any.” Advised Orophin, “for I do not think it would amuse Haldir to know that such a contest involving him was playing out.”

“Yet, you seem yourself amused.” Observed Legolas. “As for plans, I do not know of any as of yet, though I hope I shall think of something before he is upon on.”

“You may well think in haste, Legolas.” Orophin suggested.

“If only we had brought Aragorn. He has always had the gift for coming up with a fitting plan in a short amount of time.” Admitted Gimli.

“Aragorn…a plan…” mused Legolas, deep in thought. Rumil, Orophin, and Gimli looked at his expectantly. A moment passed, and then rather unexpectedly, an arrow pierced the ground at the center of the group. Gimli readied his axe, until noting the elves paid the shaft and feathers protruding from the ground no mind. It was a greeting from Haldir, still some ways off, and a warning to his brothers to keep more alert.

“There is little time now, for you or Estel, to devise a course of action.” Warned Orophin in a low voice to Legolas, then said no more, for fear his older brother might catch the words upon the wind.

Not long had they waited before Haldir strode out from behind a tree rather near to them, likely having traveled to their position from branch to branch. He regarded each brother with a nod and the dwarf with little more than a grunt. To Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, Haldir bowed, his hair nearly sweeping the forest floor. “Mavannvannen, Legolas. It is good to see you once again.”

“Mae govannen, Haldir o Lórien. It has been long since we last met.”

Gimli made a noise of discontent, followed by a short string of explicatives in his native tongue. Halhad had not the heart to tell the peculiar dwarf who had the Lady’s favor that he was fluent not only in the languages of elves or men. “What brings your…party…to the edge of the golden wood this day?” asked the march warden.

“We have been sent as messengers from Gondor. We deliver a message for your Lord, but it seems he is not present at this time.” Legolas explained.

Haldir nodded. “Lord Celeborn is, as my brothers may have mentioned, in Rivendell, spending time with his son-in-law, as is the Lady Galadriel. I am permitted to speak for my Lord and Lady in their absence, but if the message is one of a private matter, you would be best advised to continue to Rivendell.”

“On the contrary,” Legolas said, “the message is an invitation to a royal gathering the King of Gondor is holding – a month long festival of celebration.”

“A celebration of what?” Haldir asked with interest.

“A celebration of the harvest.” Legolas continued. “The harvest yet to come.” He added, considering the hot season was just beginning. Crop harvesting would not begin for months.

“It is rather peculiar, that men seem to create excuses for such gatherings when it would be simpler to gather only to do as such.”

Legolas nodded. “A curse upon men and their love for excuses.” He said with a smile. “Will you attend it as the delegate of Caras Galadon?”

“Nay, I can not leave the forest unattended.” Haldir answered, though the underlying sigh revealed a hint of regret.

Orophin punched his brother not so lightly in the shoulder, and scolded him as Haldir gave him a suspicious look. “Not to attend would be a dishonor to Gondor. And to us, brother, for not gracing Gondor with the presence of one of our own.”

“Then you shall go in my place.” Haldir decided. “You have an excellent grasp of Westron now, and you should use this opportunity to polish your skills in the speech of then men. Rumil and I shall split your guard duties between us. You may not get another chance such as this for some time.”

Orophin kept his sudden dismay at the turn of the situation in check, nodding politely. “I am honored, brother that you would think me fit to go, but I believe, as you are to speak for the Lord and Lady in their absence, it is you who should be rightfully on his way to Gondor. But, if this is your desire-“

“It is. I am indispensable here.” Haldir said flatly.

Orophin nodded again, a string of curses in both Elvish and Westron flowing through his mind, but none of these did he speak. “I shall fetch my horse and return ready for the journey.” Orophin shot a look of desperation to Rumil and Legolas, hoping his elder brother did not see, before turning to head into the forest.

“Shall I help you to pack, Master Orophin?” Gimli asked. “For I would much enjoy to see the trees within the forest again.”

Orophin looked upon Haldir, silently readdressing the question to his brother. Haldir gave a lengthy pause, grinding his teeth a bit at the thought of a dwarf traipsing through his beloved forest, but gave permission with a gentle wave of his hand.

Orophin swiftly led Gimli into the city of trees. Few elves were around compared to Gimli’s first and last visit here, and the wood did not appear as magical to him as it once had.

“The woods are fading, just as we are.” Orophin explained when Gimli voiced his concerns. “We are not destined to stay in Arda much longer, and I fear the mellyrn shall fade without us.” Orophin’s home within the city was shared with his brothers at the top of a great mallorn, much too high up for Gimli to venture. Orophin sped to the top before Gimli knew the elf was off the ground. A pack fell to the ground shortly before Orophin landed beside it. “I do apologize for ruining your plans to lure my brother from the woods. It is my opinion that a holiday would do him some good, but he would never admit to such a thing.” Orophin whistled a few notes, and a proud white stallion trotted out from the cover of the trees.

“You have a fine horse, Master Orophin.” Gimli commented as the steed approached, head held high.

Orophin grinned. “It is not my horse, Master Gimli, but the horse of my older brother. I shall say mine had run off and could not be found. My hope is not yet lost that we might find a way to convince Haldir to go with you instead, and he would not think to ride any horse but his own.”

Thf mof mounted the stallion with ease, then reached down to grasp the pack Gimli held up for him, then Gimli himself. The two rode to the outskirts where they had left the rest of the group.

“Are you quite sure that you have seen your brother with the fairer sex before, and not with any who are male?” Asked the dwarf once they began to approach the others.

“That I am.” Orophin nodded. “He does not often do so, with periods of decades between his encounters, but he has chosen the glade where the mirror is kept as his favorite of spots. If he were to be anyone else, the Lady would surely have chased him away, but he is greatly in the Lady’s favor.”

“But is there not a chance that you are mistaken?” Gimli cringed, thinking he had come close to calling this elf a liar, but the other rider only laughed.

“I think, my friend, you have lost yourself a bet.”

Gimli scowled. “Until I see the proof with my own very eyes, I shall not believe such a thing.” They were coming very close to the group now, and Gimli began to worry. “But I do not think I shall have a chance if he is to stay here in Lothlórien, hidden by the trees.”

“I have tried to think of a plan, but I can not. As Haldir well knows, I am as fit now to fulfill such a duty as he.”
Gimli nearly gave a triumphant shout, but kept it to a gleeful growl. “That is it, Master Elf! What brilliance. You are fit now, but not if you were to fall from the horse and injure yourself. Then you would be unfit to travel.”

“And Haldir would insist on staying here as well to see to me. No thank you, Master Gimli, I shall not fall from this horse for this mischief that you and Legolas come up with.” Orophin concluded.

“What if you were to jump down from it and stub a toe? Such an injury that would not threaten your life would be manageable to allow you to stay here and not worry your brother to keep at your side.” Reasoned the dwarf.

“Nay, again, silly dwarf.” Laughed Orophin, looking over his shoulder at Gimli. “Such a minor injury would not be felt by an elf, and even if it were, would be easily healed over a short time.” Orophin would have continued his rebuttal, had he seen the branch before him and ducked. But his enjoyment over this light arguing with the dwarf cost him his senses for a moment, and he was hit was such force from it that both he and Gimli slver ver the back of the horse and down to the ground.

“Orophin!” Haldir had been watching the pair return, and now ran to the site where he had seen the two fall. Orophin sat upon the ground; both hands wrapped around an ankle, kneading it as he tried to bite back the pain. Gimli shook his head, merely dazed by the impact of hitting the ground. Haldir slid to a stop next to the younger elf, dropping to the ground to tend to his brother’s ankle.

“It is just a bump, it shall not keep me from my errand.” Orophin said through gritted teeth as Haldir felt the joint.

“Nay, you can not leave in this state.” Haldir gave him a sad little smile as he gently pressed the ankle, Orophin sucking in his breath to try not to show his misery. “Foolish little one, you have broken it. A high price to ride my steed – you know he is too tall for you, really.”

Orophin shrugged, knowing the words were not full meant, being he was the tallest of the three brothers. “I know you are upset, dear brother, but I knew your horse could carry both myself and the – stop touching that – the dwarf. Besides, my horse had not been – Haldir, stop! Daro! Daro!” Orophin rolled onto his back and away from Haldir, who had first slipped off his brother’s boot to get a better look at the injury, then had lightly tickled the bottom of Orophin’s foot to stop him from making excuses.

Haldir smirked as Orophin pulled himself out of range, then froze as he remembered Gimli was close by. The dwarf picked himself up from the ground, cursing in his own tongue. Haldir stiffened, and turned back to Orophin. “You will heal, worry not. I shall have to go to Gondor in your place, I suppose. Rumil is too young, and does not speak the language well.”

“But – you’re going to leave the patrol? Are you not worried of attack?” Orophin wondered aloud.

“If you think it best for me to stay-“ began Haldir.

“No, no, you’d best go to represent our city at the gathering. It should not take long for my wounds to heal, and I shall spend some time of it in the Nimrodel to help them along.” Orophin nodded in the direction of Legolas and Rumil as they approached, the Mirkwood elf’s horse following at a trot. “We shall have to inform them of the changed plans.”

“You have been injured.” Remarked Legolas with concern.

“Haldir thinks I shall live.” Grinned Orophin.

Haldir nodded. “Though if you think to steal my horse from me again, I promise to kill you myself.” Haldir stood, pulling Orophin to his feet at the same time. “Can you manage to climb the rope to the talan if we get you to the tree?”

“I shall try.” Orophin threw an arm around Haldir’s shoulder, and the two made their way to a tree not far off where they slept while on patrol in this area. Gimli held the reigns of Haldir’s steed, while Legolas and Rumil waited Haldir’s return.

“[Do you truly believe Haldir’s interests lie in males?]” Legolas inquired of Rumil. He worried not of Gimli hearing, for they spoke the entire time in the Elvish tongue.

Rumil grinned. “[He speaks in his sleep – in his time in reverie.]”

Legolas’ eyes widened. “[I have never heard of such a thing!]”

“[I swear it!]” Rumil earnestly placed a hand upon his heart as if vowing an oath. “[Do not speak to him of it, though, for he knows not of it. It is a…joke of sorts here in Lorien. The Lady does not allow him to travel alone outside of Lothlórien for fear some dark power might capture him, and but listen to him as he rests to learn of the secrets of our dwelling.]”

“[What has he said?]” Legolas insisted. “[Tell me of whom he speaks!]”

“[Nay, I can not.]” Rumil said, shaking his head. “[For the dwarf would know of the name which I speak.]” Legolas became evere ire interested with this new information presented. “[But what I can tell you is that many nights I have sat awake with Orophin listening to Haldir call out to someone, and never have I known that name to belong to a female.]”

Legolas would have further pressed Rumil for information, but for the fact that Haldir was returning. He also realized that Gimli was mumbling about elves being rude and not speaking so that everyone might know what was going on.

Haldir approached, hiding to himself a smile. It would be pleasant to have a few weeks break from his duties, even if he would not openly admit such a thing. Slung over his shoulder was a sack, containing a change of clothing and a few small items of necessity to him. In the other hand, he carried his bow and quiver, and stopped only to pluck from the ground the arrow he had fired early and adding it to those he already carried. “I shall not waste time in returning to the city to gather any further burdens for the trip. I am ready to go.” In Elvish, he added, “Rumil, our foolish brother will require tending for the next few days. I leave you in charge until he has recovered.” Rumil nodded, and Haldir mounted his steed, looking expectantly to Legolas and Gimli.

“Then we are off to Gondor.” Announced Legolas, helping Gimli climb onto his own horse before leaping on it’s back himself. Legolas spent the next few hours of riding wondering how he would convince Estel that there was a pre-harvest celebration in Gondor.