Killing Beauty

Riding north they came to a ferry late in the day that crossed the Anduin river a day's ride south of Hoarwell Fork. Haldir wanted to swim the river and save the money, but Ashva convinced him that to do so would arouse the suspitions of the of the men waiting to cross. He reluctantly gave her the money to pay the ferryman and then made sure his hood covered as much of his head as he could practically get away with.


On the river, the ferryman was known to be as old as Anduin itself and given to talking to himself, but he stopped when the ranger woman approached seeking passage for herself, her companion and their horses. "I've seen you before," he announced suddenly and glanced past her at the hooded man waiting with the animals. "You've crossed me before."

Ashva had not been this way in quite a few years and said, "You must be mistaken, or mistaking me for someone else." But the ferryman eyed her closely with his one good eye, a frown creasing his dirty brown face. He said nothing else but waved them on board; he had other passengers to collect money from. Ashva breathed easier when he turned away.

Haldir didn't like being around so many men he did not know, but he respected her wishes and led his horse on board the ferry behind her. It was little more than a large raft with pull ropes, and the horses did not seem to care for it, but they quieted quickly when Ashva assured them all would be all right. She turned back to Haldir and found him studying her with a lazy smile on his face. She couldn't wait for nightcamp.

The ferryman climbed on board with two strappling youths who grabbed the ropes and started pulling the ferry across the river. It was horribly slow and full of dirty men, but Haldir bit his tongue until someone rough housing with another man jostled him. Not a bad fellow, the burly traveler stood up straight and said, "Excuse me."

"No problem," Haldir replied and gave Ashva a look that indicated he was not pleased with her choice.

But there were others on board who eyed the ranger woman with greedy eyes. A woman like that would be entertainment enough for quite awhile, and when they got tired of her, there were markets that traded in female flesh. Ashva became aware of their dark stares when they were half way across the river, but believing it wiser to avoid trouble, she used Haldir to shield her from their eyes. Perhaps they would look at the elf and decide against any mischief.

Haldir smelled the man approaching them and turned just his head to see who it was. The man had two equally filthy companions and they were armed with the sort of daggers one found on poor dirty humans.

"I like your woman," the man said directly to Haldir.

"I do too," Haldir answered, his words dripping off his tongue like ice. And if the man had had any sense, he would have read the danger in the elf's eyes and backed down. But some men are born fools.

The second man at Haldir's back growled, "Perhaps you might want to sell her," He chuckled and peeked around Haldir at Ashva, who had her hand on the longest dagger under her cloak. She was not so conceited as to think she could handle a sword, but the dagger she carried was long enough to gut a man with one swipe. She knew Haldir's hand was on his sword hidden behind his cloak. His bow was secured to is saddle, a mistake he wasn't going to make anymore.

Still keeping Ashva behind him, Haldir turned to face the three toothless grinning jaeckals. Their stench was almost overwhelming. "Don't be fools, good gentlemen," he cautioned them. "My lady is not interested in your company, nor am I."

"He talks sweet," the third fool spoke up, identifying himself as one.

Haldir smiled. He was clearly in control of himself, but these three jackasses were trying his patience. "What would I have to do to make you go away and leave us along?" he asked, almost hearing Ashva's chuckle.

Believing they had him intimidated, either too stupid or too blind to see otherwise, the leader of the idiots said, "Let your lady give us a kiss."

Haldir smiled and glanced back at Ashva who was finding this all quite amusing now that they were almost across the river. "Do you want to kiss them?" he asked with mock curiosity.

"No, not really," she answered.

Haldir turned back to the idiots and patiently said, "My lady says no."

"Maybe we will take it then," the first idiot said and actually had the nerve to pull his dagger out of its scabbard and point it at Haldir. "Step aside," he threatened.

Haldir sighed with disappointment and looked at Ashva. She could see the twinkle in his beautiful eyes, and the next thing she knew, Haldir had the first idiot by the wrist and was flipping him into the water. His companions tried to rush him, but they were soon in the current with their misguided friend.

"They needed a bath anyway," Haldir commented and looked back at the fools floundering in the water, but Ashva had her eyes on the other passengers. They were staring at Haldir. Men just didn't move that quickly.

On the other bank, they unloaded their horses, mounted up and galloped away before anything else could happen. "I'm glad you didn't hurt them," Ashva yelled at him as they continued northwards.

"I would not have been able get the smell off my tunic if I had," he yelled back at her, the hood blowing back as his own long hair whipped in the sun like spun gold. Ashva was beginning to think there was no one more beautiful than Haldir of Lothlorien. And then she frowned. He would be noticed where they were going.

It was almost dark when they came to another river. Haldir decided to wait until morning to wade the horses across, and it was going to be another cold camp, but Ashva did'nt care, she suspected there would be enough fire to last the night. Lured to the stream by the sound of gently running water, she let down her guard and did not notice that no animal, frog or bird moved or made noise. All she could smell was the cool damp earth and the stream itself. Willow trees grew along the sandy banks, and in the blazing light of sunset, they beckoned to her with promises of sweet embraces. Finding a shallow sandy pool off from the stream, she decided she was tired of smelling like leather saddles and horse. Laying her bow and quiver in the sand beside her, she slipped out of the cloak and tunic and boots. The cool breeze felt good on her hot skin and when she knelt in the sun warmed water, she found it came up to her waist. Scooping up handfuls fo water, she poured it over her breasts and down her neck. Too late she heard the soft grunt of something very dangerous, a warg.

"Haldir!" she yelled and reached for her own bow as the creature stepped out of the thicket and curled it's savage muzzle in a many toothed snarl. She had the arrow knocked but not drawn when the creature charged her. Fear made her clumbsy as she tried to get out of the water but she ended up tripping over her own clothes. Any moment the wag would be on her, and she had actually readied herself to die, when an arrow struck the beast between the eyes and knocked him back on its haunches. It growled loudly and shook its head as another arrow embedded in its mouth and a third threw it over backwards into a growing pool of its own blood.

Ashva, her eyes fixed on the dieing beast, untangled her foot and stood up. She turned to Haldir and saw blazing anger in his eyes. Instinctively she shrank back and snapped, "Don't touch me!" She had no intention of doing anything if he chose to ignore her command, but he stopped so suddenly it surprised her.

"As you wish," he said with an odd smile and turned away.

Ashva dressed and returned to the cold camp. Haldir was using his saddle as a pillow and chewing on some lambeas bread. He didn't seem to notice her.

"Thank-you for saving me," she said, sensing she had hurt his feelings by being so short with him, but he had really frightened her.

"We are even," he said distantly.

She smiled and knelt beside him. "Can't we kiss and make up?" she asked playfully.

"That would involve touching you," he reminded her, his eyes telling her that he had every intention of honoring her command.

"You're sulking," she countered in disbelief. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." The corner of his sensuous mouth curled in such a way that told her she was going to pay for that too.

Haldir didn't care if she was right or not. No elleth or woman dared speak to him that way, not after he had just saved her lovely skin from being devoured by a wag. If she hadn't yelled at him, she would be getting what she wanted right now. As it was, she was going to have to convince him that she was really sorry for upsetting him. She was going to have to lick his lips and beg for his forgiveness like one of her wolves. Wrapping himself in his cloak, he pulled the hood low and willed himself to sleep. He wondered how she was going to sleep. Right now he didn't care.

Ashva returned to her bed roll and wrapped herself in her cloak. Of all the arrogant bastards! She had said she was sorry. They were too old to playing these games. Picking up a pebble, she threw it at him. It bounced off his leg. Very slowly he raised his hood and looked at her. He smiled and then lowered it again.