New Life

Thank you again for beta-ing this chapter Enelya. In the future chapters will not likely be beta'ed as she sadly can no longer beta for me. If anyone out there truly knows Tolkien, and is good with punctuation and such...I could use a new beta. :-|

Anywho, still don't own the Elves, so don't sue(yes! this is a mary-sue!) meeeeee.


She stood below the tall silver boughs of the mallorn
trees, her eyes and ears taking in all that surrounded
her. Passing Elves stared in confusion, but none spoke
to her.

She was startled from her examination of the city by a
voice calling her name behind her. She turned to find
Rumil, Haldir's brother, behind her, a sad smile on
his face.

"Rumil!" she exclaimed, rushing to greet him.

"Welcome to Caras Galadhon, Lorelie! Have you been
surveying the city?"

She nodded her head excitedly. "It's wondrous; more so
than I could have ever imagined!"

He smiled, happy to see her joy at the sight of his
home.

"Where is my dear brother? Have you been abandoned for
one of his many admirerers?" he asked, looking around
for any sign of Haldir.

She shook her head turning to look up into the tree.

"No, he has led a strange party to see the Lord and
Lady. It was a matter of great importance, though he
has promised to return swiftly."

"That is well, then. I thought, perhaps, that I could
have had the pleasure of showing you our home. Alas,
my brother has beaten me to it. Another time, another
place, maybe. Lorelie, I have been thinking about what
happened on the border. I am truly sorry, I was naught
but an arrogant Elf. It seems that my brother is
indeed wearing off on me."

He bowed and, raising a hands to his lips, he placed a
kiss upon it.

"You are forgiven, Rumil, little harm was done. I am
well and the Orcs are gone."

He smiled, releasing her hand and pulling the other
into his. Placing it close to his heart, he nodded.

"I am grateful to have your forgiveness, Lorelie. I
know my brother loves you dearly and I would earn that
forgiveness should you allow me. When my brother has
finished with you, ask that he bring you to my talan.
I have a gift for you waiting there."

"Rumil, you don't have to-" she began, but he put a
finger to her lips, silencing her.

"I do, and I wish to, milady. I beg you to allow me
that," he pleaded, his eyes begging. He looked away
abruptly as the March Warden approached.

"What injury did my brother wish to inflict upon you
this time?" Haldir asked, coming to her side with a
frown.

Lorelie rolled her eyes and shook her head in
amusement.

"He wished only to apologize for his poor decision,
Haldir. He has also asked that, when you are finished
showing me around, you escourt me to his home."

Haldir's eyes widened. "He did not!" he cried, placing
his hands on her arms.

"You will not go to him Lorelie, he loves not. Females
are naught but conquests for my brother. I will not
take you to him!" He released her and paced in front
of her.

"Haldir, he does not wish to bed me, but to give me a
gift as an apology. You do not have to worry about my
well being so. I am capable of making my own decisions
and mistakes, Haldir." She placed a hand on his
shoulder, stopping his pacing.

He frowned and offered her his arm.

"Come, I will show you the great city of Caras
Galadhon. I worry for your well being as I love you
dearly. You know this, do you not?" he asked, taking
her arm and placing it in the crook of his own when
she did't move to take it.

She smiled, sighing to herself.

"I know it well Haldir. I know it well," she said,
thinking to herself 'if only it were true in the way I
wished it'. *this sentence makes no sense. What's she
talking about? Huh?*


Haldir showed Lorelie the many sights there were to
see in Lothlorien, taking great joy in the shock and
awe her face held at each. She was often so childlike,
she seemed to him no more than the eight year old he'd
rescued from Orcs years before, and not the young
woman standing before him.

Noticing that she appeared to grow tired of walking,
Haldir found a small bench near an ornate fountain
with Luthien and Beren's likeness crafted upon
the top.

He looked to her with a smile as she asked who the
figures were of, the curiousity and youthfullness of
the child still there within her eyes.

He turned once more to look upon the figures, an
elleth who had loved a mortal and her mate. He had
never understood her choice, but had always thought it
brave and terribly romantic.

The tale of the pair had always been his favorite as a
young Elfling and as he thought he recalled Lorelie
had agreed with him when he had told her the tale as a
young child.

Lorelie looked at him with confusion at his silence,
but smiled despite herself. His eyes would often
appear far off, even distant, as if he were in a
faraway land; a different time or reality. His eyes
took on that look now as he stared at her.

*flashback*

"Haldir!" the young girl screamed, running through the
tall grass at the top of a hill. "Catch me if you
can!" She giggled, falling to her knees and ducking
her head from his sight.

He could easily hear her panting breath, however, yet
he searched as if he knew not where she had gone.

"Lorelie, where are you?" he called out, his joy
apparent in his voice.

Since the day she had entered the border of the great
forest they had been inseperable. He found that his
mood lightened significantly when in her presence and
joy was great in his heart.

He worried greatly for her safety every morning as the
time grew near for her visit. He would often pace in a
flet near the border, his eyes ever watchful for any
possible danger to the child.

A giggle was heard in the grass near where he searched
and he had to stifle a laugh as he saw a hand cover
her mouth to stop it. When she began to crawl through
the tall grass away from him he stalked silently
behind her, arms outstretched, hands raised as if
claws.

Being human, the young girl made enough noise to alert
an army of Orcs to her presence, but he was at ease
playing with her. When she stopped and turned slightly
to be sure of where Haldir was she screamed and stood
to flee. He reached for her and scooped her up before
she could move away from him.

"Haaaldiir..." She giggled. "Put me down." He threw
her over his shoulder and carried her to a small
stream nearby. Once there he held her under her arms,
dangerously close to the water surface.

"Are you sure you wish for me to put you down,
Lorelie?" he asked sincerely, trying to keep the grin
from his face.

She shook her head furiously and screamed, "Noooo!"
She struggled against his grasp. "Don't put me down.
Don't drop me, Haldir! Pleaaase!" He smiled and moved
her slowly away from the surface of the stream.

"If that is your wish, young one. However, the water
is warm at this hour."

She giggled and shook her head, "Don't want to get wet
today. Rana braided my hair and put a flower in it.
See?" She reached up to feel for the flower and
frowned.

"Where is my flower?" she cried, searching the ground
about her.

Haldir raised an eyebrow. "Flower? I did not see it
fall Lorelie, I am sorry. I do not think you will find
it back in the field." She frowned more, if it were
possible, and her eyes welled with tears.

"But Rana picked it for me from her garden and." She
hesitated and turned away from him to hide her tears
as they fell. She wiped them away angry at herself for
becoming so emotional over a flower.

Haldir frowned and pulled her into his arms. "I am
sorry, little one. Your flower will bring life to
other flowers in the field. Perhaps one day a patch of
them will sprout from it's seeds. It will bring forth
new life and I hope that will help ease your pain at
it's loss."

His eyes searched the area around them and when they
found what he searched for he released her from his
embrace. He moved to a small patch of flowers near the
trees and plucked a flower from the ground; silently
thanking it for it's sacrifice.


"Lorelie, face me," he commanded, turning her by her
shoulders before she could comply.

He held the small white flower in his hand and held it
to her nose for her to smell it. She smiled and
wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace.

"Niphredil, the flower that heralded the coming of
Luthien. It bloomed on the eve of her birth and has
long grown in the forest of Lorien."

Turning her around, he wove the stalk of the flower
through her hair and, when finished, turned her to
place a small kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, Haldir. I love it," she whispered, her
cheeks red.

He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Come, let us return to the border, Lorelie. It is
growing late."

She frowned and sighed.

"Must we?" she asked; sadness in her voice.

"I am afraid so, child."

The two slowly began the hike back to the border,
silence between them.

"Haldir?" she spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yes Lorelie?" he asked, peering down at her out of
the corner of his eye.

"Who is Luthien?"

Haldir stopped in his tracks and frowned.

"You do not know?" he asked.

She shook her head.

And so Haldir told her the long story as they returned
to the border. He would hear her sniffle at certain
points, giggle at others, and sometimes she grew
angry.

When he finished the story they were very near the
border and the sun was near setting in the sky.

"Haldir, that was a wonderful story. They were both so
brave, yet the story was so sad. They both had to die.
It's just not fair. Elves should never die!"

Haldir smiled down at her.

"Nay, it was not fair, but their love was great, and
to be together they were willing to endure anything.
They did not fear death; only being apart from one
another."

She thought on that for several moments and shrugged
her shoulders, reached up and took his hand in hers.

"I will love an Elf one day. Like Beren and Luthien
our love will be great and tales will be told about
us."

Haldir simply smiled and squeezed her hand.

*end flashback*

Haldir returned to his senses and smiled.

"They are of Beren and Luthien. You recall their story
do you not? I told it to you years ago."

She opened her mouth slightly into an o shape, her
eyes wide with shock. Her cheeks reddened and she
nodded her head, closing her mouth slowly.

"I do recall the tale and have thought of it often
over the years. It has long been my favorite tale,
though I did not think it was real. I thought you only
to be telling tales to a bored young child."

Haldir shook his head and glanced again at the small
figures upon the fountain top.

"Nay, their story is well known to all Elves, Lorelie.
Elves are not bound to mortals often, and when it
happens it is shocking to all. It is a decision not to
be taken lightly by any, though I imagine there is no
decision to be made when you truly love another." He
smiled at Lorelie, shaking his head.

Standing, he offered her his hand to stand. She took
it and then placed her hand in the crook of his arm.

"Come, I shall escort you to my brother. Be on your
guard with that one, he has a way with women."