Because of You, I Am Afraid

Chapter 9

Orophin winced visibly at the sight of his proud older brother slumped in his chair, nursing a glass of wine, and from all other appearances, his pride.

“What is it brother?” He asked a little warily. He had no desire for company this night.

“It is Imrhienna. She is leaving again. She is going back to the Village. Fires have reduced it to little more than ash.”

If Haldir felt anything, his expression gave away nothing, as he stared deep into his wine glass, as though it held all he could ever want.

“If she wants to return to the men, then far be it for us to stop her.” The severity of his tone was more than a little frightening.

“You will let her go again?” Orophin asked quietly, and Haldir did not answer, content to let his silence speak for itself. He swallowed the last of his wine, and poured another glass.

&(&(&8

Senma met her at the very edge of the forest.

“You came!” she cried, rushing over and pulling he into a tight hug. Imrhienna stiffened , before allowing herself to relax. The child smelt of wood smoke, and was covered in ash.

“Tell me what happened, she asked, kneeling so she was on the childs’ level. Senma had tears lining her face.

“The fields were so dry, no rain made them too dry….” She babbled, before Imrhienna grasped her chin, making her look at her.

“The people, Senma, where are they? Are they alright?”

Senma shook her head. “The men that were in the fields, they have not returned, and I can not find my mother!”

She took one last look at the tall silent boughs of the forest behind her, and turned her back to them once more. Then, rolling up her sleeves, she picked Senma up into her arms, and carried the weeping child into the charred remains of the Village Craigey. And with every step she took, she reassured herself once more that she could not love Haldir anymore. That it was time to forget. Because there was too much at stake now. Too much for her to lose to allow herself to think on her own selfish wants anymore.

Winter was fast approaching the Village of Craigey. No crops had survived the fires hunger, and what little stores they had had already been sorely taxed. What men returned were gravely injured, and she was hard pressed to tend them all. She did not eat, and could not sleep, knowing that each minute she took for herself, it was costing another. They would not last the winter, and Imrhienna knew it. She could not even beg the help of the Lady Galadriel, as her countless patients were all so ill from their burns, that if she left for even a day, they would perish. And she refused to let a single one of them go to the Shadow realms.

The Village was receiving aid from some of the surrounding villages, but it was poor fare at best, when other Villages where in the same predicament after years of drought. And whilst the rains had come, they came too late. Nothing would grow, without seed to grow it from. But still, Imrhienna refused to abandon the people.

And from the edge of the forest, Rumil watched now and then. Until, he too could see what she had seen. The plight of the people, and of Imrhienna, and resolved at long last, to take matters firmly into hand. Or at least, he thought grimly, his brother.

&(&(&89

“How much longer?” Rumil snapped, breaking Haldir out of his reverie. He reeled in shock for a second at his younger brothers tone, before fixing him with an icy glare.

“What was that brother?” he asked coldly.

“You heard me, brother.” Rumil ground out. “How much longer? How much longer are you going to wallow in self pity, and your own bitterness? You would think that two hundred years is more than enough, but you seem so determined to hold onto your own petty anger.”

Haldir looked at his brother in shock, before opening his mouth to make an angry retort, only to be cut off by Orophin, who had joined Rumil at the sound of Rumils harsh words.

“No, brother, you have no cause to speak! If you are so determined that you are the only one for her, and that you will never love anyone else, why are you being such a child about it? Why do you not do anything about it? Because she will not appear at the bottom of a wine bottle!”

“She left me! It is up to her to return!” Haldir snapped, his face red with fury.

“Honestly, Haldir, we thought you were not so stupid as to make the same mistake twice!”

“She had her chance!” Haldir turned his back to his brothers.

“Haldir, in all our years of being your brother, we thought it impossible that someone could be more stubborn or more…more….”

“Pigheaded?” Orophin supplied helpfully.

“Thank you. Yes. Pigheaded. More pig headed than you. But brother, she is the only one with any right to be angry, so you get yourself to the village this eve, and you throw yourself at her feet, and beg for her mercy, or I will have Orophin hit you over the head with a piece of wood and drag you there himself.”

“For the last time,” Orophin muttered a little frustrated, “It was my sword, and I put her over my horse!”

“As much as I care for you, brother, I am not here because of your happiness. As far as I am concerned, you do not deserve her. But for some odd reason, she still wants you, and I would see her happy.”

Haldir did not say anything for a very long time.

“Are you finished?” he finally managed to choke out dejectedly.

Orophin turned to Rumil. Both nodded.

“You think I do not know all you have said brothers?,” Haldir asked then, quietly. “That I know that it is I who must set right the events I myself set in motion? That I drove her away, and that I only brought this pain upon myself?”

“If you know all this, Haldir, than what is stopping you?” Rumil asked quietly, before both brothers turned to leave.

And then, so quietly, that neither heard his whisper, he confessed to the silent boughs.

“I am afraid.”

A/N: So, what do you think? Only a few more chapters to go now, feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much!!