This vignette is a prequel to “The Eye of The Storm”, my LOTR epic. Since Aislinn has no interaction with her parents in EOTS, I thought I’d write this. This is mostly about Haldir, though, I guess. My one true gripe about “The Two Towers” would be Haldir, the Uruk-hai, and the axe. Grr . . .

Um. If the Elvish isn’t correct, forgive me. I’m not 100-percent sure how to string the words together, so I made a go at it based on the way things were spoken in the films.

We don’t own Celeborn, Galadriel, or Haldir, no, precious, we don’t. They belongs to Tolkien, and Peter Jackson, and New Line Cinema, and a bunch of other nice peoples, they does, *gollum*! 😀 Sorry ’bout that, evil little thing likes to peck at the keyboard . . .

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“Fenuial” by Aislinn Malmeril of Lórien ([email protected])

Letting her go was the last thing he wanted to do.

Haldir knew he had to do it, and it wasn’t as if they hadn’t been apart before, in the two and a half millenia they had been married.

But something was different now. He hadn’t been headed to battle before, and Eilis . . . Eilis had never left his side before, when she was in such a condition.

His long fingers grasped the long white mane of the horse he stood beside, Fellandar. This horse belonged to his daughter, his sweet, headstrong Aislinn. He did not want to send her away, either.

Fear for his family chilled his blood. He tried to tell himself that he had no reason to worry, that Eilis and Aislinn would be safe in Mirkwood, far safer than here, so close to Mordor. If only Celebrion had not- No, that did not bear thinking of, not now.

Haldir turned as he heard someone call his name. He slowly smiled, feeling ridiculous, as he saw his wife. Her golden hair had been braided for travel, and she held onto Aislinn’s arm as she descended the last few steps to where he waited for them.

Even after so long, he found himself falling in love with Eilis all over again every time he looked at her. It made him feel very, very young again, to see her. He, who had been alive for so long, felt like a child whenever Eilis was near.

He didn’t feel so young when he looked at Aislinn, though. She actually resembled himself strongly, and had the same impulsiveness he had had at her age. She had caused everyone no small amount of trouble growing up, and was only now losing her brasher impulses.

Haldir kissed Eilis lightly. “Suilannad, bess,” he murmured.

“Han maer aur, hervenn,” she replied softly.

Aislinn tried not to roll her eyes as she turned from her parents to greet Fellandar. “Suilannad, Fellandar.”

The horse turned his massive head and nudged her, as if pushing her in the direction of her parents. She laughed and rubbed the steed’s nose.

Haldir, an arm still around his wife’s shoulders, turned to Aislinn.

His daughter was surprisingly petite for an elf. Must have been inherited from Celeborn. Her hair, a shade darker than that of Eilis, had been half-gathered in braids. He tried to keep from smiling at the hairstyle, so much like his own. She was obviously trying to emulate him, since she had to be the protector on their journey.

In Sindarin, Haldir said, “Aislinn, I must speak with you.”

Aislinn fought an odd sinking feeling in her stomach as she followed her father some distance away, out of earshot of Eilis. “Atar?” she inquired.

“You know I do not like sending the two of you away.”

“Yes, father, you’ve made that obvious often enough,” she said wryly.

He looked at her for a moment, then permitted himself a small smile. “Yes, I suppose I have.”

After several moments, in which Aislinn let her father think, Haldir spoke again. “I told your mother I suspect I will go to Helm’s Deep. That is not true. I know I am going. I am to leave tomorrow for Helm’s Deep.”

Aislinn sucked in a breath. For several moments, she just stared at him with wide, lavender-blue eyes. Then she asked quietly, “What is it you want me to do?”

“Look after your mother. If anything happens . . .”

He paused, and gazed across the small clearing at his wife, who stood with Fellandar and her own horse, Gwilwileth. She stood straight and tall, despite her burden. Suddenly, he wanted to run over, grab her, and spirit her away to Valinor, where Mordor couldn’t reach them, where death couldn’t reach them. He would take Aislinn, too, if not for the words of Galadriel earlier this day.

He remembered his conversation with his mother, that Aislinn would follow a path like that of her parents, but it would also be vastly different. She’d said the words as if struck by melancholy, and had said a few other . . . disturbing things. Things Haldir did not want to think about.

“Ada?” Aislinn prompted.

Without looking at his daughter, he said, “If something happens, to your mother or the child, ride to Helm’s Deep and find me. Take the west shore of the Anduin.”

Aislinn nodded. “I will, father.”

There were suddenly a million things Haldir wanted to say, to Aislinn and to Eilis, but he couldn’t find the words. It was as if he were struck dumb.

Haldir turned to Aislinn and gripped her shoulders. “Aislinn, listen to me. If anything happens, go to Helm’s Deep and find the Fellowship. Find Legolas, the Prince of Mirkwood, and his companions. There should be four hobbits, a dwarf, two humans, and Mithrandir, if he has found them. If you cannot find me, find them. They will keep you safe.”

Impulsively, he hugged Aislinn. “Gerich meleth nîn, iell.”

Aislinn returned the hug. “A le, ada.”

Then he let her go just as swiftly. “Go, Aislinn, finish preparing. I must speak with your mother.”

She disappeared up the main staircase, built around a massive, ancient tree. Haldir watched her go, then turned to Eilis.

Eilis’ blue eyes regarded him calmly. “Did you speak to her about Legolas?”

“Yes,” he replied, but did not tell her it hadn’t been in the manner she was assuming. He had not been able to, not right now.

Eilis placed a hand on her swollen stomach as she walked over. “Do not worry so, Haldir. It will be fine. Aislinn and I will be safe in Mirkwood while you go off to Helm’s Deep.”

He frowned.

“Oh, do not give me that look. I know you. You cannot hide from me, Haldir.” Eilis smiled sadly. “I know you are going to battle. And I do not blame you for trying to keep me from worry.”

He drew her into his arms. “These are dark times, melethril. I fear for you and Aislinn.”

Eilis smiled, her full lips curving. “It is only natural, husband. If you did not worry, it would mean you did not care.”

She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder. “Haldir, you cannot protect everyone from everything. There is no certain way to stop the dark from coming, but your best chance is at Helm’s Deep. I do not want to go, but I will because you feel it is for the best.”

He stood there for several minutes, which only felt like seconds. He only let her go when the baby started kicking and Eilis pulled away, laughing.

“He does not want to go, either,” she said, almost wistfully.

“I promise I will be there for our son’s birth,” he whispered.

“I do not doubt it,” she replied.

Aislinn, returning from her chambers, stopped when she saw her parents. She felt a tight squeeze around her heart, not only from wishing she had someone, like her parents had each other, but because she was afraid suddenly. Afraid that she would lose her father, afraid that something would happen to her mother. Just . . . afraid.

Eilis reached up and undid the clasp of the silver chain that hung around her neck. A squarish pendant, set with a single white crystal in the centre, graced the chain. She pressed the necklace into his hands.

“Eilis, no. Galadriel gave you this,” he protest.

“And I can give it to whom I will,” she replied. “Keep it. It will protect you, perhaps. It will, at least, serve as a reminder to kill all the orcs and hurry back to us.”

Haldir laughed, a sound that was rare these days. “There is no possibility that I will ever forget you, or Aislinn.”

“Still, I wish you to wear it.”

He sighed, then nodded. “As you like.”

Aislinn didn’t want to interrupt the moment, but she needed to finish packing her saddlebag. She cleared her throat as she approached, to make certain they knew she was there. She smiled a little apologetically as they turned to her.

“Do not mind me,” she said. “Please, continue your public display of affection.”

Eilis laughed. “Little Aislinn, are you embarrassed by your parents?”

Aislinn raised a single eyebrow. Eilis snuck a look at Haldir and saw he wore an identical expression. Neither one knew why she smiled so broadly.

All three turned as they sensed the approach of Celeborn and Galadriel. The Lord and Lady wore calm, serene expressions, but there was something in Galadriel’s eyes that snatched away the comfortable feeling Haldir had just begun to have.

“We came to see you off,” Celeborn said. He put an arm around Aislinn, then embraced Eilis. “Mae lend, ionovess.”

Celeborn turned again to Aislinn. “A le, meril.”

“Namarië,” Aislinn murmured.

After they’d finished their good-byes, Aislinn swung up on Fellandar as her father helped her mother mount Gwilwileth. Aislinn adjusted her grey-green cloak over her long, golden hair, then she and her mother rode out.

Haldir felt a sharp squeeze somewhere inside.

He closed his eyes for only a moment, then forced himself to watch them leave.

Something told him, like a whisper on the wind, that he would not see them again.

Somewhere above him, the elves began singing a song to mark the departure.

Thelei golend palandor
Maerist ti Galadhrim
A! Oronihae
A! Arnadsinn
A! I fenuial . . .

No one saw the marchwarden cry.

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end