Through the Window

Chapter Seven

“I saw him!” Niamh’s voice rose in a shreik as she remembered how vividly Rumil had stood before her, his blood flowing greatly from him though none would fall upon the floor.
Was her worry for her lover so great that it caused her to go mad? This is what she feared and over this she shreiked suddenly when Celeborn said that Rumil was dying.

Niamh struggled to break free of Celeborn’s strong grasp, but it was to no avail for he held her still and held her there until she calmed herself.
He shook her slightly and struck her sharply upon her cheek, as one of the hand-maidens had done before to wake her from her deathly sleep. She hung her head and breathed quieter.

“I saw him.” She mumbled, “Perhaps I am so worried for....” but she stopped herself, for she did not know if Celeborn would approve of her love for Haldir, his most trustworthy Marchwarden.
“Worry?” Celeborn asked as he lay her upon her bed and the hand-maidens covered her with blankets, “Who now, young one, do you worry for?” though Niamh could see that he was not utterly unknowing, for some sort of light was in his eyes, though it was what he knew about, Niamh did NOT know nor could suspect for he hid the answer well.

Celeborn stood beside Niamh as she lay to sleep and with a wave of his hand he bid the hand-maiden leaves them and they did, obediantly with no word of protest.
When they had all of them gone, Celeborn turned to Niamh and smiled.
“I wish to speak with you,” He said, “for Haldir as of late has been acting rather strange, lady, and I would hope that it was only for your sake.”
Hope? Niamh blushed faintly and smiled a bit as she said: “Well, my lord, he has been well bent upon protecting me and such he has done well.”

“It shocks me that he should be so giving.” Celeborn replied shortly. He looked away from the girl and sighed.

“I donot know how it is I saw this, lady, but indeed I saw it and it troubles me greatly.” He looked to her once more and his eyes were firmer now and not so soft as they had once been.

“I saw Haldir give you his love beneath the trees, as you hid from some strange persuer.”
Niamh’s eyes grew wide and her mouth opened though no words she spoke.

Celeborn looked upon her with a sudden distaste and he rose to his feet. “As I said,” He began, “I do not know how it was that I saw this, but by your eyes I see that it is true. You love Haldir, no?” Niamh hung her head and turned away as Celeborn chose to continue thus:
“You do. This canot be, lady, this cannot be. Haldir is my most trusted soldier... I had hoped that when first you had been brought here you would cause no trouble, that is what I hoped, indeed, but it seems that you have caused greater trouble than I had thought ‘twas possible for a mortal. Rumil lies dying, there is evil in this Golden Wood, and you have stolen the heart of my greatest soldier.”

Celeborn sighed and turned slowly away, making his way to Niamh’s door. Once more he turned and looked upon her as he opened the door for it had been closed.

“I had hoped,” He said, “that what I saw had been merely the dream of a
worry... it is not.” and he stepped onto the silver ladder, leaving the maidne’s door open wide to the chilled night air.

Niamh rose from her bed all in a hurry to follow after the elven lord and ask his forgivness for something she could never help, but when she rose to her feet, she fell to the floor.
“No.” She sighed as she lay her head down. Her legs would not move. Oh, fie! Curse her weakness, curse the weakness in her knees when she was frightened or distressed. As she lay, she blamed this weakness upon her mother who was born with the same diffection as her daughter.

“Oh...” She moaned, raising her head to look to the door. There was no sign of anyone else and she sighed as she rose to her elbows and heard the songs of the birds as they sang to the light of the rising sun. Never had she heard the birds sing, never had she the mind to, but now she did and she thought their song fairer than aught else at the moment...though there was not much that was bound to occur to the poor girl save for strange, grim and foul things.

Niamh raised herself slowly to her knees, but felt her legs quiver beneath her and so she knew they would not bear her full weight when ever she stood upon them.
“Oh, fie!” She hissed, grinding her teeth together as she pondered her pitifull state. “Pray, someone find me.”
Then, at the very moment her plea was uttered, there came a pull upon the silver ladder of twine that fell from her door as if in answer.
She looked and saw a young elf climbing to her flet. He bore in his teeth a parchment paper which he held there until he had reached Niamh’s door.
TAP, TAP, TAP... he rapped upon the door and pushed it slightly ajar; Niamh wondered at his boldness to enter so familiarly.

The young elf entered the chamber with a quick glance about him, but he did not care to look upon the floor as he walked to Niamh’s bed. He lay the parchment upon her sheets and looked once more about him. Niamh watched with some sort of anger and annoyance that he should be so bold as he was, and she called out to him: “Oi! Elf!”

The elf looked about him with a start as he heard Niamh’s angered voice. he looked all about him and even out of her little window, but he saw no one.
“Well now,” Niamh continued, “looking about for tall folk is not going to do you any good, sir elf.” and it was then the elf spotted her lying upon the floor.

“Now m’lady,” The elf laughed as he knelt beside her and offered her his hand, “it is not wise to lay upon the floor. Nor can I think of why you woul do such a thing.” but Niamh only glared upon him as she took his hand roughly in her own and made to lift herslef to her feet which now felt far more stable.
The elf aided to steady her as she regained her legs as her own and stood silently towering now over him.
The angered question in her eye was reason enough for him to give her answer to his rude entrance within her chamber.
“Forgive me, lady,” He said, “I am called Teirin, and I was sent by your... lover, sir Haldir my captain, for he bore unto me a message which I was to give unto you.” while he motioned one slender hand to Niamh’s bed, whereupon lay the folded peice of parchment.

Teirin rose to his feet and led the girl to her bed, taking for her the parchment and reading it aloud to her while she listened intently; her heart had leapt to her throat as she heard that the letter had been sent by her Haldir and she smiled broadly as the young elf read it.

Niamh forgot her wories for Celeborn’s distaste of her love for Haldir, and she forgot that her very love was gone from her now as Teirin read the letter to her:
“Melamin,

The days have been many and the nights long. I told you that I longed to hold you in my arms e’er the nights come on, but now that longing is far greater when you are far from me...”

Teirin paused a moment and and looked uon Niamh with an amused grin. “Such love letters as what I have begun to read should be read by the receiver alone. Do you wish me o continue?”

“Yes.” Niamh said, and she flushed faintly as she said, “I cannot read, sir elf.” and sat upon the bed.

“Very well.” Teirin continued with the letter in his speedy tongue and read it with the utmost passion... read it as fi it were Haldir reading the letter of love to his lady:

“...in the shelter of the Lord and the Lady of Light. You will be safe there until we have slain the evil that haunts you and so in knowig such I sleep a bit easier a night. Oh, but how my arms long for you! My lips long for the caress of your fingertips. It would seem that you have spoiled my emotions; they have grown accustomed to your carress.
I have written to tell you, Niamh, that if you will have it, I will come to you this night. Give word unto Teirin of your answer.

My heart shall weep until it sees thee again...

Teirin finished with a sigh and a wry smile as he saw that Niamh’s cheeks were flushed and darkly at that as she pondered the letter. She laughed slightly and wnt to Teirin, laying a hand upon his shoulder, she whispered: “Come to me my love.” and stepped back a moment as Teirin bowed low before her.

“I will tell my captain.” The young elf said, but Niamh could not see the mischeivious light in his eye as he went to the door and climbed down the silver ladder. “I will tell my captain...”
*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**
“Quietly go now, elves!” Hissed a soft voice as the leaves of the golden Mallorn shuddered breifly.
The faerie had been spotted, lying down upon the green grass, holding his wound in pain as he gasped for breath. Oorphin looked upon the sight with disgust and turned to haldir who bore upon his face no better expression.
“Watch as he befouls our grass with his black blood.” Haldir spat quietly as he glared down upon the faerie laying there, wallowing in his pain.

“Captain,” Asked one soldier who had come quietly beside Orophin and Haldir, “shall we slay him now?” but Haldir winced and shook his head slowly to the elfin soldier.
“Nay,” He said, “for our mere steel weapons cannot slay him. If ever I had struck a finer blow I cannot remember... ny strike should have killed him, but it did not.”
“How, then, shall we slay it?” Orophin asked urgently, “If we cannot use our swords nor our arrows then we are helpless.” and Haldir saw that this was true.
“Perhaps,” Said he thoughtfully, “if he is naught but the blackest of evils, aught that is good will NOT slay him....” and he bent his head in thought. Soon, though, he returned to speak with his brother quietly.
“We shall keep him prisoner within our halls. Lock him away with iron lock and key and let no soul pass his way. This will grant us time enough to conjour a plan to slay him... by some miracle.”

Orophin thought upon this and he smiled approvingly, his eyes alight as he took from about his belt a great leangth of silver elven twine.
“This will keep him bound.” He said quietly, going weightlessly to the edge of the bough whereupon they all of them sat and tossed the silver rope to the ground. He climbed down its leangth as though he were as light as the very air which covered him, standing at the end of it to look upon the faerie grim who bled before him.

“Back away from me, you fools!”Donnaghue hissed, coughing blood from his lips as he opened his befouled mouth to speak so harshly as he did.
But Orophin did not heed his words and only stepped nearer to him, pulling the elven rope to him, wrapped about his arm as he looked to the faerie with a mescheivious grin.

“W-what are you... doin’, lad?” The faerie asked as Orophin whistled loudly to the trees. He was soon joined by Haldir who looked upon the faerie with disgust and utter hatred that the faerie had not known could be beheld within the eyes of the kind elves.
“Ah!” The faerie laughed brutally, his breath coming to him in rapid gasps as fear soon began to rise in him at the ever growing closeness of the two elves, “Young Haldir!”

Haldir’sears twitched as he heard his name uttered by the foul faerie, and he lay his gaze upon it with a penetrating stare.
“Do not speak with me, you faerie.” Haldir said in nary more than a low whisper. “You have injured my younger brother, you have haunted the love of mine and you have followed her with no cause but to soothe the desire of your lust.”

“Aye, that I have, lad,” The faerie chuckled, “that I have. But come now, you do not say that you, too, have not lusted for the girl? You have longed--”
“Silence, you wreatch!” Haldir said harshly as he rushed forth and struck the faerie fully upon his face. The faerie cried out and fell to his face in the grass, writhing and coughing blood from his lips.


Orophin went to Haldir as the young elf made to rush forth once more and the elder held the younger still as he attempted to pull away, rage burning hot within his eyes.
“No!” Orophin cried as Haldir would not calm his rage. The faerie laughed mercilessly at the fury of the gentle elf and this only angered Haldir all the more.
“I do not lust for my love!” Haldir spat as he calmed himself and regained his posture, pushing away his brother’s arms. “If I wish to beat this wreatch, Orophin,” He began coldly with a glare to his elder brother, “then I pray that you do not hinder me in doing so.” but upon these words, the faerie burst out in laughter anew and Haldir turned to him with a stare that was of ice.

“You may beat me, elf,” Said the wreatched thing, “and you may torture me. Such humiliation I will bear and nobly, but, I pray you, do not attemt to slay me.” He spat yet more blood from his dog-sharp teeth and smiled grimly a bloody grin. “If you try to do such a thing, then I shall be angered.”

“You will be far too weak, master faerie, to relieve your anger.” Haldir said, bending down and wrenching the faerie to his full stance simply by taking hold of the braid which fell tassled down his ebony tresses.

“Oh, yes,” Replied the faerie, “I will be, and I do not doubt that. I do not doubt that you and your soldiers will cause me to suffer very horribly and that I will be far to weak to , indeed, relieve my anger... with my own hands.” and he cast a hatefull glance about him as he saw the scattered about in the trees, watching him they were all of them looking upon him with distaste and hate. “There is anotherin this pathetic wood of yours who will serve my purpose well. And, he is willing to do my bidding.”

Orophin gasped as he thought of Teirin and Haldir looked upon him as he heard the sharp breath. “Brother?” He asked, but Orophin only shook his head quickly as if to dismiss the matter, and waved his hand for the faerie to continue.

“See now,” The faerie continued, “itis that your brother has met this heathen yet! That is marvelous! Then you know him and it will be all the more miserable to you...” and he looked about him once more to the elves that sat in the trees about him. Slowly, he moved his slender hand into his robes and fumbled about for a moment before he sighed at last and withdrew his hand.

The faerie held within veiw a small, shimmering and shuddering orb that flew over the palm of his hand as if it wished to escape but was hinderd by some unseen wall.

The faerie chuckled as he toyed with the shimmering orb and daddled it about through his fingers and over his palm. His eyes grew wide and dark as he smiled broadly and lifted the orb to Haldir’s face.
Haldir looked breifly to his elder brother with question, but Orophin seemed to know no more of the kind or reason of the orb than Haldir himself.

“You DO wish to slay me, do you not, elf?” The faerie asked, spitting yet more blood through his teeth. He was rewarded when he saw that Haldir’s gaze fluttered quickly over his whole appearance; though no words were spoken in reply, the faerie could read the hatred and disgust running through the fair elf’s eyes.

“Well,” Donnaghue continued airly, “If you attempt to slay me --note how I have the cofidence that you can do no such thing-- then this little thing, as lovely as it may be ,will be put to an eternal sleep as you wreatches would call.... death?”

“What is this devilry?” Haldir asked as he reached for the orb. The faerie pulled it away and hissed sharply, barring his teeth as sharp as knives.

“It is the life of your younger brother, Rumil!” The faerie laughed cruley, “And if you anger me then I will vanquish it and he will be no more.”

Haldir withdrew his hand with a start and cried out, panic srticken as he looked to his elder brother whose mouth hung open wide in shock.
“What are we to do, you faerie, that will not anger you!?” Haldir cried, wiping his brow free of sweat that had come to him from the terror of seeing his brother;s life held before him in the hands of such an evil as Donnaghue was.

“Give me the girl!” The faerie said, “Give her to me and you will have the life of your brother. Really, though, Haldir, which life is the greater to you? That which is of your lady love or that which is of you dear brother?” and he pocketed the orb, the life of Rumil, away once more as if it were a simple coin.

Haldir turned slowly and went to his brother. “I can sacrifice neither of them.” He mumbled, “For, oh, do I love them both the same! Orophin, aid me.”
But his brother only hung his head, he did not know what it was that should be done... he knew it as well as Haldir who knew nothing of the rightaway.

“Rumil, the lecherous soul,” Orophin laughed lightly and quietly, “would gladly lay down his life for to save a woman.” but Haldir shook his head.
“It is not well that he should lay down his life for what you and I have brought into this wood.” He said. “I will have no such wrongdoing here.”
Haldir wished to sacrifice the life of no one and so he was faced with a perilous decision.

Rumil had no right to die now in the hands of the evil that Orophin and Haldir had brought into the Golden Wood, but, also, Niamh had no reason to die.
Haldir hung his head and sat down upon the grass. That Orophin should so readily suggest giving away the life of his brother was un-nerving for Haldir and was all the more to think upon as he lay his head wearily in his hands.
Orophin joined him soon afterward as he had ordered the watching of the faerie to another elf.

“What shall we do, little brother?” Orophin asked, brushing the hair from his brow as he looked with an uneasy grin to the faerie. “Perhaps I have a solution... but it is not a fine one.”
Haldir looked to his elder brother hopefully and with only the slightest smile, but then he looked to the faerie quickly so as to see that the wreatch had not seen him smile with such a grin, for then the evil thing would know that they had conjoured a trick to better their wits against his own.

“What has passed your mind, Orophin?” Haldir asked quietly as His brother rose to his feet. Orophin shook his head slowly and shortly as he made his way to where the faerie stood in the grasp of the elven gaurd.

Donnaghue the faerie lord laughed faintly as he saw Orophin approach him and he folded his arms before him.
“What have you come to, elf?” The faerie asked with a wry grin, and Orophin answered with a malicious smile and wove his hands before his bow which lay tilted in his arms.

“We will give you the girl.” Orophin said lightly, his grin fading from his lips as he heard Haldir cry out.
“Orophin! What has--” but the young elf was stopped short by an icy stare given him by orophin as the elf glanced over his shoulder quickly. Haldir fell silent, though his heart sank lower than ever before he had felt as he thought that his lover would forever from him be gone. He held his hand to his brow in grief and fell back against the bark of a Mallorn that rose tall to catch him there... to catch him as the arms of his love would catch him as he fell from happpiness to grief. He had said that he would come to Niamh when e’er the night had come, but now that could not be. Haldir looked to his brother who kept his back turned to him and would not answer his penetrating stare though he felt it upon him.

“We will give unto you the girl...” Orophin continued, “...but only shall we do such a thing if you remain here for a single night more.” and he looked quickly to Haldir who would not meet his gaze, but nodded his head slowly.
“Time will it give tot he young lovers.” Orophin said quietly and pleadingly, “Pray, that you allow them one night if naught else.” and the faerie smiled broadly at this. Clearly, his wound troubled him no mroe and clearly he felt no more pain, and for this he smiled so widely. He thought the proposition set before him by the elves was a fair one and gracious, but the faerie sensed some other nature at work and he could not see what it was.

“What will become of me this night, if I am to agree to your terms?” The faerie asked humbly as he bowed his head slightly.
Orophin smiled and said: “You will be kept in a flet all your own.”

Haldir’sear twitched when his brother said this and he sighed. The faere could not be trusted to stay quietly in a mere elven flet. He would come for Niamh and attempt to take her before the morning sun ever rose.
But Haldir would not let him free with the young girl in his arms. The elf would fight for her... he would die for her, if need be, to save her from the faerie, for nothing but evil could come of his possesion of her.

As Orophin was done with his negotiations witht eh faerie, he bowed low before it and went to where a cluster of his soldiers stood, and when the faerie had been led away, he said to them, giving to them a leangth of elven rope and a small leather ssatchel engraved with ivy and leaves.

The elves looked to him with question and he said to thm as they inquired: “Join those who lead him to the Lone flet... the one that is never crossed but by only the birds of the trees. tell to him that to anyone passing through our wood, thhey must be blindfolded and led with our elven rope.” And the elves nodded quickly, making for to leave, but Orophin held them back.

“He holds in his possesion the life of your Marchwarden Rumil.” He continued, and the elve’s eyes grew wide as they stilled to listen intently.
“Blindfold him. Bind only his hands tightly so that he may not reach within his robes... lest he is angered. When he is within the Lone flet, tie the rope about his hands upon the wood of the tree so that he is bound there and cannot move. No one can break elven rope!
“Now, when you bind his hands to lead him through the wood, another of you should kneel down and softly bind his feet so that still he may walk and never know that he is bound by both hand and foot. When you bind his hands to the wood of the tree of his flet, do not remove his blindfold yet, but queitly climb down the ladder and from the ground there, pull with all your might upon the long rope that will trail behind the faerie, and the rope about his ankes will tighten unmercifully and he will not move from the Lone flet until lit is we choose to release him.”

The elves nodded quickly when Orophin had done and rushed into the trees to follow after those who led the faerie to his captivity.


Orophin turned and with satisfaction turned to Haldir. But to his dismay he saw his younger brother speaking with the only elf who was a deadly threat to the Golden Wood... Teirin.

Teirin stood before Haldir, speaking lowly as Haldir listened, and he told him of what his lady love had said in reply to his message: “She has said she has found another love and will be true allways to him.”

Haldir laughed slightly at this, thinking it mere foul play, but Teirin did not laugh. He hung his head. Little did Haldir know that the evil elf did not bend his head in dismay, but only to hide the light that was in his eyes, the light that he knew Haldir would see.

“You lie...!” Haldir breathed, “Niamh has no other love!” but Teirin only shrugged his shoulders and laughed, his voice cruel and peircing. The elf leapt into the branches high above him and called down to Haldir: “I must leave you now! I will leave you to your misery.”

But Haldir leapt into the trees as well and followed as Teirin ran from him, and he called out to the evil little imp: “Tell me who has won her heart that is not me!”

Teirin stopped suddenly and Haldir did as well so as not to colide with him, but in doing this, he nearly fel from the tree in which he stood.

Teirin smiled and said: “It was your brother Rumil.”

“That cannot be! He was never around her to confess for her his love! He wished to slayher with the faerie in his body and then he was wounded and lies even now in healing! He could not clain her heart in so little time!”

“This what she has told me.” Teirin replied, “that he has visited her in her dreams and in so doing has claimed her heart. She has vivtied him many a time these days you have been gone... and she has shared her precious kisses with him.” the elf then smiled, bowed lowly and left haldir swiftly, the young elf fell against the bark of the tree and tears welled within his eyes as he sawhis lover being taken from him in every way that was possible. Orophin would send her away ( His elder brother had not told him the whole of his plan as of yet, but soon will ) and Teirin had given him word of his lady’s second love... his little brother for whom she cared more than she cared for Haldir and his broken heart.