Because of You, I Am Afraid

Chapter 4
A/N: If you are Orophin, now would be a very good time to run. This chapter sees Haldir return. Great fun instore. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. Your reviews are very much appreciated.

Despite her initial misgivings, Imrhienna had more success in healing Rumil than any of the city healers ever could. Healing required peace, a complete surrendering of the mind. Something which Rumil, with all his countless thoughts, questions and schemes, had never been able to achieve.

Her method of healing however…it was entirely physical. Many wardens passed questioning looks her way, as they came to bring her food or supplies, to find her firmly massaging Rumil. But none questioned her methods. Slowly, he was regaining a little strength, and the wounds were beginning to loose some of their raw newness.

Orophin was a frequent visitor, and despite herself, she found herself liking the elf, who made her laugh. She could see the family resemblance between him and Rumil, who, on the odd occasion that he was awake, was so cheeky that once or twice she threatened to slap him for his insolence. (biting back a smile of course!) Orophin was quite forthcoming in her presence, telling her of his elleth in Lorien, whom he intended to wed. Any excuse, it seemed, would instantly send him into a tirade about the silk of his loves hair, or the crystal of her eyes. Indeed, Imrhienna felt she knew the elleth already.

When she had first been told of the situation concerning Rumil however, by a vaguely familiar Orophin, in the back of her mind, she knew that the third brother had to be around somewhere, and she wondered where Haldir might be, or even if he knew of her presence here. She shook such musings from her head. No good could come of them.

Orophin, however, knew exactly where he was. And as the days passed, and Haldirs return became immanent, he began to wonder whether or not his approach had been the best. He prayed to the Valar that Haldir was in a jovial mood when he returned, but he already knew that was asking for the impossible. He also knew that he had to speak to Haldir first, before any of the other wardens did, for otherwise, Haldir might hear the wrong story: such as, he thought with a slight wince, what really happened. The situation had to be handled delicately.

^&*^&*^&

Voices alerted him to his brothers return, three days after he had brought Imrhienna to his brother, and long before Rumils wounds had begun to properly knit. He sighed, resigning himself to a lifetime of border duty for this. But he felt no remorse for what he had done. If it meant Rumil lived, he would take whatever punishment Haldir gave willingly. Of course, to get to the punishment, an explanation was in order…The river was always nice this time of year, a swim would be most pleasant….

“OROPHIN!”

Haldir stalked towards his brother, looking angrier than he had seen him for a very long time.

“I have just returned from Lorien, with our greatest healer, who I may have inadvertently insulted in the process of waking him in the dead of night and forcing him to come, and when I arrive, I am told that you forced a village woman here to heal our brother in my absence. Explain yourself!”

“Well, brother….it was sort of an accident,”

“You accidentally saddled a horse, went riding, saw a village woman and-”

“Well, she looked as though she wanted to help.”

“You knocked her over the head with a piece of wood, and dragged her here whilst she was unconscious?!”

“I did not! Give me some credit. It was my sword and I put her over my horse!”

“So she did not even come here with the intention to heal Rumil, Orophin! Take her back to the villages immediately!”

“Excuse me!” an outraged feminine voice spoke up then. “You would not be astray to perhaps put some respect in your tone, Captain.”

Haldir looked at the elleth in front of him for a moment, unable to say anything at all. It was his dream come to life before him….
“What are you doing here?” he snapped bitterly, and then, his befuddled brain managed to put the pieces together. A village Healer….

“Like you said. I was hit over the head with a bit of wood and dragged here.”

“It was a sword and I put you over a horse, do you think me completely uncivilized?” Orophin murmured, shaking his head.

“Orophin, take her back. Now.”

“Brother, she was wrought only good! My methods may have been unconventional, but it saved Rumil-”

“SHE DID NOT DO IT BECAUSE SHE TO SAVE RUMIL, SHE DID IT BECAUSE SHE WAS PROBABLY STILL HALF UNCONSCIOUS!”
There was more fury in Haldir’s voce than Orophin had ever heard in all their lives together. It made even he quake.

She however, unable to stay quiet a moment longer in the face of Haldir’s degrading remarks, snapped.

“Ï would have come had he not moved me forcibly, Captain, I find I am unable to say no to those in aid.”

All wardens present winced at the barbed comment. All knew the base edge of the long seated turmoil between the mens healer and Haldir. Whilst few remembered that they had once loved each other, more remembered that there had always been one eldar that they were forbidden to allow to enter the forests of Lorien.

“Be that as it may, and I am sure my men all thank you for what you have done,’ the word thank you sounded as though he had to spit it out, “we have healers here now who will see to it that he is healed properly, so if you would be on your way, I am sure Orophin will have your payment-”

“Nay”, spluttered Rumil from his pallet on the wooden floor behind them, having woken during Haldirs tirade. “I’ll not have another touch me. Imrhienna has been far better than any of our healers Haldir, already I am regaining a little strength.”

Haldir glared pointedly at him, to try and get him to stop talking, before going to him and kneeling beside him, and whispering in words meant only for his ears.

“Rumil, I have brought the best from the city. Once you are fit to travel, the Lady herself will heal you! Even in your current state, will you let your cursed desire make all your decisions?”

“Haldir, she has done far better than any healer of the Wood ever has. She understands…she…I can’t explain it.”

“I can. Once you are well, I personally shall bring her to your talan, and you can have her as many times as you please.” There was a note of desperation creeping into the Marchwardens voice. “But until then, Rumil-”

“No Brother. If you want me to heal quickly, let her heal me.”

Suddenly, Haldir was aware of a presence at his side. And a scent he had tried long ago to block from his mind.

“Haldir, stop making him speak! You are ruining what good I have already done. See how pale he is? Either move away so I can change the bandage, or make yourself useful by fetching me a bowl of hot water!”

It took a moment for him to snap out of his shock. What?

“You heard me Captain.” Imrhienna then had the audacity to elbow him out of the way, in order to hold a cup of water to Rumils lips, and speaking in another kind of voice altogether, a soothing, warm voice that flooded and convinced the senses of all she spoke of, “Rumil, you must have something to drink now, and then you must try and sleep, alright?”

Haldir stood, and stalked from the talan angrily, cursing both of his brothers at once. And the little elleth who had, somewhere in the last five hundred years, developed a temper, and an infuriating capacity to argue. This elleth was not the same one who had left him all those years ago. That elleth had known her place. Under him. This one…she …was…infuriating!

He reached the base of the tree, to see Orophin standing there trying to look innocent. “How fares Rumil?” he asked lightly.

“Do not start the innocent parodies now, brother” Haldir snapped, still coming to terms with the little hell cat that had just not only had the audacity to order him from the room, but to physically assault him!

“Haldir, he would not have lasted another few days,” Orophin said quietly to Haldirs back.

Haldir stopped, leaning on a tree, his back to him. “He would of lasted. He is strong, he would of-”

“Brother, you know more than any that those wounds would have killed Rumil had Imrhienna not come when she did. I am sorry that her presence has been salt into long raw wounds, but Rumils wounds were greater.”

Haldir nodded again, before looking back at his brother.

“I do not bare you any malice brother, but next time, only use knocking her over the head as a last resort.” He said quietly, turning and walking away, before muttering under his breathe, “Valar knows I have wanted to do the same thing myself at times.”

Orophin looked after his brother with a hint of a grin on his face. So, the impenetrable Haldir may have been affected by the return of Imrhienna. Well, Orophin would see to it that this time, he would not be too pig headed to see her.

A/N: Feedback is not only greatly apprecaited, but would be considered essential at this point. thanks!