Through the Window

Chapter Nine

Niamh sat quietly upon the floor of her chamber flet and held her face within her hands, weeping. In her heart she cried out into the daylight that was ever growing, ever warming and she felt that it mocked the cold the poor young girl felt within her body.

Niamh longed for Haldir now, she longed for him as she had never longed for aught else, but she was sure that he would never again come to her, for she had broken his heart. She loved him and she beat her self within her mind for the foolish answer she had given him, all in fear and nothing else. She feared to much, she feared what it was she could never avoid. She loved the elf... loved him with all her heart, and yet she had done something very foolish.

“Fie!” She mumbled to herself as she wiped the tears from her cheeks that were stained and wrought in grief. She tormented herself for the fear she felt within her at all times within this new world she was so unmercifully cast into. She sighed heavily. Perhaps she could think of this... Middle Earth as nothing different from her own home of Eire? She sighed once more and wiped her borw free of sweat.

“Oh, Haldir...” She thought as she lay her head down upon the silken pillows of her bed, “Forgive me... forgive me.” and she wept all the greater.

The day passed on and soon the light of day was fading into the darkness of night. The birds of the blessed day did not sing and now only the nightingale could be heard to sing out its sweet song as it watched the land of the elves with its fair, black eyes.

Niamh slept restlessly in her bed, covered by no blankets nor any shawl, her hair fell about her in torrents of knots and such, her face stained with tears still, for even in her sleep she wept.

In her sleep, Niamh thought that she heard the faint footsteps of her love coming to her from the edge of the flet, and she looked to see that this was not true. She lay her head back down and yet even as she slept she found that she needn’t close her eyes, for they were closed yet. She looked about her as she slept and still she saw nothing though she was sure that she had heard footsteps alike to those of her lover and it tore at her mind as she lay still until finally she rose from her bed and went to the edge of the flet to see what had awoken her... awoken her though she slept.

“Haldir?” She called, “Haldir is that you?” but there came no reply. She turned and entered her chamber once more. But then, all in a horrible fright, she cried out as she saw a tall, dark figure standing close to where she would have lain to sleep. His hair fell golden about his face and a black cloak was drawn over his shoulders.

“Haldir?” Niamh called once more, softer now and timid, for she remembered that she had saddened him greatly and his visit was surely not one of merry manner.

It was Haldir. He stood before Niamh with a small smile resting upon his arogant lips. He bowed slightly and beckoned Niamh come to him. Niamh did not wish to obey, for this was so very unlike her elf and she was wary of his pressence, but it seemed to her that he controlled her feet and that he drew her to him. He had no power such as this!

Niamh took hold of the bark of the tree wherein her chamber-flet was set and tried, in vain, to stop her wandering feet. She could not do this and so she gave way and willingly obeyed the elf as he pulled her to him with his mind.

“Haldir...” Niamh sighed as he took her into his arms. He lay his head upon her shoulder and placed a single kiss over her flesh at her neck and his kiss burned with passion and with longing. Niamh gasped and pulled her head away from him. He looked within her eyes and there was held within them a look of eternal love and joy. He did not seem in the least bit sad or angry and this releived Niamh greatly.

Haldir removed his cloak and it fell to the ground with a soft, silken sigh. He stood before now, clad in a flowing robe of green silk and ebony, his golden hair fell about his face and his sword was at his side. He stepped far away from her and drew the sword from its sheath.

He held it high into the air and waved it once over his head. He said nothing, but lifted Niamh’s eyes with his own as he watched the light of the setting sun play over the elven steel of the blade. He looked to Niamh once more and his gaze lingered upon her lips as he held a finger to his mouth... as if he told her to be silent as he continued to wave the sword over his head. “Shhhh...” He whispered and Niamh nodded her head slowly, her eyes traveling to his strong arm as the silk of his robes fell away from it. She looked to the blade once more and then to his face.

Niamh slowly stepped nearer to him. He did nothing in protest as she came to but a few feet before him, but as she made to reach out to him, he pushed her hand away softly. Shaking his head, he bent it and lowered his blade. Niamh watched puzzled as he lowered his blade yet again. He continued to shake his head and to watch her and very soon she became transfixed upon his silver eyes that held within them some magic this night, to capture and to keep her attention as they did.

“Shhhh...” He whispered once more, though now Niamh did not reply.

And then an awfull feeling niamh knew to well came to her slowly and yet surely. Fear suddenly pervaded her, fear that was soon followed by horror as she pulled her eyes away from Haldir’s and to his blade as it fell sharply down.

It fell suddenly and sharply and there was naught that Niamh could to prevent it.

“NO!” Niamh shreiked in horror as the blade severd his flesh and his silver eyes closed eternaly. His mouth fell open and his golden hair was soaked with blood as his head fell to the ground and his body soon to follow it. Niamh was covered with his blood as he fell before her eyes, dead.

“HALDIR!!!” Niamh screamed, covering her eyes as his head rolled to her feet. She stuttered and fell away, but when she scurried to the edge of the flet, she slipped in the red blood and fell into it, spitting it from her mouth as she quickly rose to her feet. She was silent as her eyes grew wide in terror, wiping what blood she could from her face and from her bodice, from her legs.

“No, no, no, no, no,” Niamh burst out in tears as she slowly was able to walk to the edge of the flet. “Haldir! Haldir! My love.... no!”