Strange Allies

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A/N: WOW! A hundred reviews! You all are AWESOME!

Sandra - Oh, man! I am very sorry to hear about your appendix! Glad you came thru it ok. What a surprise! Ugh! No fun at all! Ah, you're only for "poor Haldir" because you've got the "hawts" for him. LOL! Believe me, if you had to deal with him you'd change your tune! He gets what he deserves! If this were MY story - oh, man, he'd be getting some serious shit! LOL! I dunno about a "happy" ending. It's sort of a "zero sum game". I mean, either Haldir loses or Legolas loses. Or maybe even Annowe could lose. But hopefully things will turn out for the best.

Naira - what are you confuzzled about, hon?

Michelle - yes, well, she still refuses to acknowledge the ENTIRE truth. Heh. She will have to, tho, eventually. Aw, you know things always get worse before they get better. Besides, maybe I wanna torture "poor Haldir" a little more. LOL! Oh, my! Too funny!

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Tom nodded to Goldberry and she joined him near the fire. The two of them spoke in low voices as Tom revealed his plan to Goldberry. The naiad giggled and nodded as she cast covert glances at the elf. Yes, it would work and hopefully the two of them would finally be forced to admit their feelings to each other.

Haldir could hear them murmuring but he paid no attention to them, intent on watching to make sure Annowe did not try to slip out into the forest before daybreak. He could not allow her to leave without speaking to her! How could he have let this go so far without telling her?

Once again he cursed his pride and foolishness! If only he had been able to admit to himself the depths of his feelings for her sooner he would not be in this situation. But what if she did not return his affection? What if Tom were wrong and Annowe’s feelings were not what he wished? What if she truly did love Legolas and not him?

He licked his lips nervously and looked over his shoulder. Tom and Goldberry had gone to bed and had banked the fire. The warm glow cast flickering shadows over the walls. He was alone now – alone with his thoughts and fears.

The moon climbed higher into the sky and he could see the forest closing in as the mist swirled between the stable and the house. It was so close and yet so far. If he opened the door and walked out into the night he might very well be lost. After the eerie scratching he had heard the night before he was more anxious for Annowe than himself. But she knew this place and would remain safe in the stable.

Goldberry had told him that Annowe would not leave without saying goodbye to him but he wondered just the same. Could she slip out a side door at daybreak? Why would she? Would her guilt over betraying Legolas drive her to do something foolish? Haldir pushed the thought from his mind. He did not want to think what she might do to punish herself. He had a feeling that sleeping in the stable was the only punishment she could grasp at the moment and for that he was thankful. But she would be alone with her thoughts for the entire night. He knew she would be trying to think of a suitable way to prove her love for Legolas and punish her own actions.

Why had she not come to him? He needed her to be with him now at the end of his journey. Why couldn’t she see that? It would be a long lonely trip to Valinor and he would miss her. He bit his lip and closed his eyes briefly as the full sensation of the admission sank into him. He would miss her. He would miss her terribly. No one else had touched him in quite the same way.

Why must it always be like this for him? Finding the one who could bond with him so completely and then losing them? Was it his fate? Or was it his own pride that kept him from speaking his heart? Why could she not see it in him? How could she not know when they had bonded?

He wanted to scream in frustration at the situation. All of his scheming, planning and manipulating would be lost if she left. Yes, he had gotten what he wanted but now he wanted more. He wanted her completely but she might never know that. She might be too angry with herself and at him to allow him to get close to her again.

If he could just feel her in his arms one more time and touch her heart with his desire he knew he would have the strength to see her fully. He would know who truly resided in her heart. Yes! He must see it! He must be patient and wait for Tom and be ready with his desire for her!

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“Yes, that’s a good girl,” Annowe murmured soothingly as she brushed the horse’s flanks. Brushing the animal kept her mind off of Haldir and Legolas. And now that she understood what the glow meant that was one less troublesome matter on her mind.

But still she could not completely understand how she would suddenly begin to glow when she had not been with Legolas in several cycles of the moon. Perhaps it took a while for her to begin to miss him and the glow to manifest its self. Still, it was rather odd for such a length of time to have passed.

Her mind kept slipping back to the question “what if? What if it were not Legolas?” She refused to consider it. It could only be Legolas! That was the end of the matter! She could not - she would not consider any other alternative. It would make a quagmire of everything and that was just unacceptable!

When daybreak came she would leave. Yes, that is what she must do. Let Goldberry take Haldir to the Havens. She knew the way. It was not far.

Annowe would leave the horse and creep out the back door of the stable and into the forest before the mist completely retreated at daybreak. She would hide in the mist and slip into the nearest stream and be gone! Safe away from Haldir! He would not be able to find her if he even thought to come after her. She would be gone.

She was smiling at the thought when Galadriel’s words came back to her as clearly as if the White Lady were standing next to her, “Haldir needs you . . . it is your duty to take him to the Havens safely.”

Annowe’s smile immediately faded at the recollection and she sighed heavily. The March Warden did not need her! He only needed a guide and Goldberry could guide him. But why did Galadriel insist that SHE must take him?

What if there was more danger to him on the way to the Havens? Is that what Galadriel meant when she said that Haldir needed her? Goldberry would not be able to help him if they were attacked. No, she had spent her peaceful life here with Tom never knowing the true horror of the world outside.

Annowe sighed. She knew she would never be able to live with herself if anything happened to Goldberry while she was guiding Haldir to the Havens. She grunted in annoyance. How much trouble could he find on the way to the Havens? He was almost there now what danger could await him?

Yet was Annowe willing to sacrifice Goldberry for her own pride? She sighed heavily and leaned her head against the horse’s side. Its coarse tail flicked over her as her thoughts drifted. She would have to take him. She had promised Galadriel. And she could not risk Goldberrys safety for her own selfish reasons. She moaned softly to herself. This was torturous!

How much longer would she have to endure Haldir? When would she be free to return to Legolas? Slowly she made her way out of the stall, laying the brush aside and flopped down into a soft bed of straw, stretching out on her back and gazing up at the ancient rafters. How had she ever ended up in this situation?

She groaned and closed her eyes. She knew all too well how she had ended up in this situation. She had believed Haldir’s seductive words and had fallen under his physical spell. Now she must break free of him – break free of his spell once and for all. It should be easy. He would not try to seduce her near Tom and Goldberry. All she had to do was stay near them and she was safe.

Perhaps she could talk Goldberry into accompanying her and Haldir to the Havens. Yes, that would be good. Annowe smiled at the thought. He would not try to seduce her with her sister near. She must speak to Goldberry and tell her the truth – that they had bonded and now she wished to return to Legolas. It was that simple.

Yes, and now that Goldberry knew how smitten she was she was sure her sister would accompany her. Haldir would not try his tricks when others were around. No, he was too proud to be seen as a wanton in the eyes of others. Let them think what they wished but he would not behave in such a coarse manner.

That is what she would do. She would keep her word to Galadriel by taking him to the Havens but she would also have Goldberry there with her as support. Her thoughts drifted and she relaxed, her mind at ease now that she would soon be rid of Haldir. Slowly, sleep crept over her on silent feet and she drifted off into a deep slumber.

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