Celeborn's Nine - Riders of the Night

Thanks for the input. I hope I don't let you down.
Oh, and in order to make this story move, I had to invent some monsters and borrow a few others.
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Even a drunk elf is more agile than a man, and Aragorn had been a fool to think he could not find his wine cellar, although technically it was not a cellar. It was at the top. And Rumil and Orophin slept way too deep to be watching him. Only now he was lost, and the panic was trying to set in.

Clenching and unclenching his fists, Haldir looked around trying to get his bearings. The dark didn't bother him, he could see quite well in it, but he was turned around. Why did everything have to look the same? He hated walls. Do not panic, he told himself, do not panic. Keep walking, the floor has to go somewhere. Breathing was becoming difficult. He had to get out of there. Even his clothes were tormenting him. He had to get out of them. He had to get them off his burning skin.

Walking into a hallway, he saw an arch that led outside into a small garden. He could smell the flowers and the aromatic bushes. And he could see the sky. The sky, he could see the sky. Finding a small corner to sit in, he pulled off the riding clothes that burned his skin and collapsed.
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Rumil awoke first and looked over at Orophin who had shared the bed with Haldir, but after a moment's thought, he realized that Haldir was gone. "Orophin, wake up!" he said and jumped up, reaching for his clothes. "Haldir's gone!"

Sitting up, thwarted again, Orophin asked, "How does he manage to keep sneaking out?"
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Lady Eowyn walked down the steps into Queen Arwen's garden and noticed right away a pair of boots attached to a pair of knees sticking out from behind a low ornamental wall. Annoyed tht someone had passed out in the queen's garden, she approached the individual, intending to give him a good tongue lashing.

"Oh, my," she said and stopped. So they were right, Haldir was not in his right mind.

He heard her and awakened slowly. Letting his eyes focus, he glanced up at her and noticed she was blushing profusely. Raising his left foot, he asked, "Do you like my boots?"

"They are fine boots," she said. "They look familar."

"I got them in Endoras," he said and lowered his leg.

"The same man who makes my brother's boots," Eowyn stated. "That's why they look familar."

"Yes," Haldir answered and sat up. He ran his hand over the supple leather. "They are my reward."

Eowyn noticed the empty wine cask and asked, "How long have you been out here?"

"All night," Haldir replied and leaned back on his elbows. "I'd offer you a drink, but I don't have anymore."

"That's all right," she said. She knew she wouldn't be able to manage him by herself, but she didn't want him wandering off either. "If you promise not to leave, I will go find you some more wine."

Haldir smiled...sort of. "I will gladly wait for you."

Lady Eowyn hurried back inside the keep and headed for Arwen's private rooms. Rapping on the door, hoping the queen was there but not the king, she tapped her foot impatiently and waited.

Finally the queen answered the door. "Eowyn, what is it?"

"Your friend Haldir is in the garden, and we've just had a lovely conversation about his boots."

"And?"

"Ma'lady, that was all he was wearing."

Arwen groaned inside and bid Eowyn stay, while she took care of the problem. Grabbing a cloak, just in case she needed one, she hurried to the garden before anyone else saw him. She didn't say anything to him at first, as she threw the cloak over him and secured it.

"Do I embarrasse you now?" he asked softly.

"Once you were my friend," Arwen said and dared to meet his gaze. Aragorn was wrong. His eyes weren't dead, they were full of misery...unyielding, biting misery.

"Only a friend?" he asked.

Arwen blushed
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She pressed the arrow tip into his strong sleek throat and said, "I think I have caught a warden off guard."

He smiled and opened his eyes. "That's the fifth time you've used that line," he gently admonished her.

She dropped on the grass beside him and asked, "So now you are counting?"

"Because you are wearing it out," he teased and and sat up. She was so beautiful it hurt his eyes to look at her, Arwen Evenstar.

"So you were expecting me?" she asked and brushed his chin with her forefinger.

"I always expect you. Everywhere I look I see Lady Arwen."

"You make me sound wanton," she mused. "Can I help it if I can't get enough of your kisses?" And she leaned forward for one of his kisses. No one kissed like Haldir of Lorien, that she was certain of. And no one made love like Haldir of Lorien............................
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"What we had was long ago," Arwen said softly.

"Everything was long ago," Haldir echoed and laid his head on the ground. Life was long ago.

"You must get up and get dressed," she said and started gathering his discarded clothing. "Quick before someone sees you."

He cut his silver green eyes sharply towards her and hissed, "You think I care?"

"Well, I can't have you out here...." she stopped and looked away.

"Out here doing what?" Haldir asked coldly and cocked his head.

"You know," she replied, too embarrassed to keep discussing it.

"What? Pleasuring myself?" he asked bitterly. "I've made love to no one since before Helm's Deep. How many years has that been?" He stood, as beautiful in his misery as he had been in his pleasure. "I've died,"

Arwen was about to give up when Haldir's brothers popped up. "Lady Eowyn told us you were here," Rumil explained easily. Taking Haldir's clothes from Arwen, he handed them to his brother.

"And saved us no wine," Orophin teased and picked up the empty bottle. "My lady, Lord Aragorn must certainly have the best wine in all of Gondor."

"I will give him your regards," Arwen said, unable to tear her eyes away from Haldir, who turned his head slowly towards her. She saw now Aragorn's dead eyes.
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Celeborn and Glorfindel studied Aragorn's map in the king's personal library. "The beast was reported here?" Glorfindel asked and pointed to a mountainous location not far from Mordor.

"Those are my reports," Aragorn replied as Legolas and now Gimli looked on.

"A Morogryph," Celeborn said to no one in particular. "This will make the second one we've heard of."

"Bad business," Gimli spoke up gruffly. "Same size as a balrog but with a little more substance." Detecting the faint smile on the balrog slayer's lips, he said, "Sorry."

"Not a problem," Glorfindel replied easily. "When do you want to leave?"

"We need to be in place by dark," Celeborn said. Turning to Aragorn, he said, "I am expecting a message..."

"That is good, but I intend to come along," Aragorn spoke up quickly. "The beast thretens my lands as well."

Celeborn smiled. "We do not need your assistance," he assured the king. "We have out own methods."

"Still, I mean to come along," Aragorn stated firmly.

"Do they come with you?" Glorfindel asked and nodded at Legolas and Gimli.

"Try keeping us away," Gimli stated sharply.

"No more may come," Celeborn informed them. "If we showed up with an army, the beast would simply vanish in the mountains. We must convince it that it has a chance to defeat us."
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This all went over very well with the queen and Faramir, who believed it was his duty to attend the king on this dangerous journey. While Celeborn and Glorfindel tried to reason with Faramir, and Arwen, the other elves looked to their weapons. The beast they were going after was going to be a hard one to kill.

"Arwen," Elrohir said, "this will not be the place for a queen, or her attendants."

"I can come by myself," she protested.

"No," Aragorn said. "The Queen of Gondor can not ride around the countryside in the middle of the night."

"Even when my kin are?" she demanded.

Haldir, lying back on one of the finely carved reading tables, one long leg dangling over the side, the other raised and supported by his boot heel propped along the edge, said, "My Lord, we are wasting time. If we need to be there by dark, we need to go now."

Staring into beautiful Arwen's face, Aragorn said, "No, you can't come. Faramir, you stay as well. Lord Celeborn is expecting a message from Rivendell. Make sure you receive it." He grabbed his sword and motioned for the others to be off as well.

Haldir sat up and followed the others. At the door, he paused for a moment and glanced back at the queen, his hooded eyes unreadable. Arwen actually caught her breath. He turned back and walked away, so slowly and deliberately that it seemed he was in no hurry to find this beast.
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Arwen and Faramir watched them ride easily down the road towards the gate. Celeborn and Aragorn rode side by side, while Legolas and Gimli stayed beside Glorfindel. The twins followed them, and then the Galadhrim.
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Even after six years, the Shadow Mountains housed creatures that had once been a part of Sauron's plans. Tonight the elves were looking for one of them, a morogryph, a huge creature that resembled a winged troll with horns. Elrohir spotted it first high in a mountain crevice. Positioning everyone but Haldir and Glorfindel along a rocky trail, Celeborn told the two elves still mounted, "Bring it to us."

Aragorn looked up in surprise as the two elves rode out into the open. Celeborn was using them as bait! Glorifindel seemed to take fire, an unearthly glow emanating from him.

"What is happening?" Gimli asked Legolas.

"Elven fire, not many can do it," Legolas replied quickly as the glow seemed to travel around and through the elf lord, drawing the attention of the beast to him and Haldir. The fire seemed to slip down his arm and suspend itself between him and the other elf. The creature rose up and screamed at the elves.

The elven horses pranced and tossed their heads, their eyes rolling white as the beast raised it's leathery wings and swung it's heavy tail. It screamed again and glared, red eyed, at them. Haldir and Glorfendil were getting dangerously close. Suddenly the beast propelled itself off the cliff. Glorfindel turned his terrified horse and spurred it. Haldir hesitated, but his horse refused to be left behind and sprinted after its companion.

"Bring it to me,"Celeborn said as he readied his bow, the others following suit. Only Gimli was without a bow, but he was ready in case an axe was needed.

The two elves clattered past the ambushers as the morogryph extended its clawed feet towards Haldir.

"Now!" Celeborn shouted.

The beast screamed and tried to climb as its body was pierced, but there was no strength in the lift. Roaring, it crashed, but the fight was not out of it. Aragorn, closest to the creature, swung his sword at it, his blade biting into it. Gnashing its teeth, the beast slapped a clawed hand at the king and knocked him aside. Gimli took this as an excuse to sink his axe into the dark gray flesh.

Aragorn shook his head and rose to his knees as the elves poured arrows into the morogryph. Suddenly it reared up and screamed and tried to lift. It actually got off the ground before the fight went out of it. Aragorn looked up wild eyed as the thing descended swiftly towards him. Suddenly someone jerked him away, his horse adding momentum to the removal. Aragorn gasped as the creature crashed right where he had been standing. Staring up wildly at his rescuer, Aragorn's brow furrowed in disbelief. Haldir released him and rode away.

"Are you all right?" Legolas asked anxiously as he ran up. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," Aragorn said. "Stay here."

Wanting to thank Haldir for his timely intervention, he approached the elf, but Haldir gazed back at him and tonelessly said, "Leave me alone."

"You are still a pompous ass!" Grimli growled at him. "The king only wanted to thank-you."

Haldir stared at the dwarf, and for one brief moment, Aragorn prayed Haldir would be himself again. But the fire in his eyes died and Haldir rode away.
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Arwen refused to come inside until she saw her husband and father riding up the streets of Minas Tirith. Relieved to have her husband back in one piece, she caressed his face and kissed him in front of the others. Faramir, also on hand, stepped forward and said, "Lord Celeborn, your messenger is here."

The news had an electrifying effect on the elves. Celeborn handed the reins of his horse to one of Aragorn's men and then strode purposefully towards the keep.

The Rivendell elf bowed respectfully and handed Celeborn the message. The elflord opened it and read it with his grandsons and Glorfindel peering over his shoulder. "So it's true," he said as Aragorn and his group entered the room.

"What is true?" Aragorn asked.

"Khamul survived," Celeborn answered. "We are going after him."

Gimli stared at the elflord in amazement. "Khamul?" he asked in disbelief. "I did not know any of the Nazgul survived."

Leaning towards the dwarf, Haldir whispered, "You'd be surprised at what survived."
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Haldir refused to sleep inside and made his way towards Arwen's little garden. He shed the cloak and dark green tunic and laid them under him, but for the sake of not embarrassing any of Arwen's ladies, he left his leggings on. It didn't matter, clothed or not, there was no life in his body. He didn't deserve it.