~ Interlude – Lothlorien – The Night Before the Archers Left for the Deep ~
“You will be staying here?” asked the elleth.
The elf nodded. “We can’t leave Lothlorien defenseless.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t left you in charge of the Galadhrim while he is gone,” she said.
Shaking his head and coming around to the elleth, he replied, “Someone has to keep the inner city safe. I think he worries that there could be retaliation, and that the city could be breached. He wants someone in front of that mallorn who would be ready to give their life to protect the Lord and Lady.”
“Are you ready, if it should come to that?” pressed the elleth.
The warden sat down on his bed. “If you would have asked me that when I took this position…” He answered by shaking his head. “Now, without a second thought.”
“Will you not see your brother off?” pleaded the elleth again. “This may be the final time you see him. He asked for you to come.”
Closing his eyes, the elf said, “I thought I wasn’t supposed to go back there ever again.”
“Your father is worried,” the elleth admitted as she sat down next to her younger son. “He didn’t really mean what he said that day.”
“What about all of the days before that?” He sighed. “He hates me. Lothir hates me. I hope things go well for him in Rohan, but I don’t think I need to see him before he goes.”
The elleth began to wring her hands and suddenly broke into sobs. Heaving a heavier sigh, the warden drew his mother closer and pressed kisses on the top of her head. “I will come with you, but only for a short time.”
They walked silently from the Lesser Mallorn to telain further from the inner city. Many of the telain were still lit, those inside preparing for the coming march and battle, and spending time with loved ones before leaving. Grasping the rope, the elf bit his lip as he climbed to the lowest of the flets, where candles glowed in the early evening. He was surprised to find an elleth he was not familiar with sitting in the parlor.
Lothinal turned in time to see his wife coming onto the flet after their son, and though he looked ready to throw the unexpected guest from the tree, he was stopped by their other son.
Approaching slowly, Lothir hesitantly said, “Brother?”
The other elf nodded.
“I suppose you’ve heard, then,” he said.
“Nana said you were leaving. I came to…see you off,” answered the younger. Sitting silently off to the side until now, the unknown elleth suddenly burst into tears.
Lothir rushed to her side, gently easing her up from the couch. “Brother, you have yet to meet my lovely bride,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. The elleth held out one hand in greeting, while the other helped to restrain her sobs.
Taking her hand, their guest kissed it and then bowed. “I suppose that would make you my sister, in some way,” he said, and the elleth did little more than nod. “When did the blessed event occur, if I may ask, or is it still to come?”
“Just today,” answered Lothir. “Well, we had discussed it for some time, but it seemed the opportunity might be lost if we waited.” He shifted one foot against the floor and said as he stared at the ground, “I should have asked for you to come.”
Smiling, his brother placed a hand onto Lothir’s shoulder. “It means so very much that you have invited me here and told me your news.” Not wanting to outstay the welcome, he added, “I wish you both the very best in the years to come, and safety to you on your journey and task ahead. For now, I must return to the city.”
Lothir nodded. “Maybe when I return, we could talk a bit more,” suggested Lothir, and his brother’s smile widened and he gave a nod.
It took him little time to climb back to the bottom of the tree, but as he was about to leave, he heard a rustling of the leaves, which caught his attention. He walked back to the ladder, and steadied it as his mother made her descent.
She stood there, wringing her hands once again that evening. “I have a favor to ask you,” she said. “Go in his place. Please.”
“I have a duty to this city. Lothir does not know what needs to be done here, but I do. He can, however, march to Rohan and fight.”
“He can’t fight,” whispered the elleth. “He did not keep up with it after you became a warden. Compared to the experience you have, he will be useless in the battle.”
Narrowing his eyes, he said, “What is it, really.”
“What? Nothing, I-“
“Does father fear losing his favored – I’m sorry, his ONLY son?” he countered with raised voice. “Am I still of no use to him but to die? So that he can claim his son a victim of a noble battle he cares nothing about?”
“She is pregnant.”
He stopped with his mouth open and blinked. “They only just…today, they…”
His mother nodded. “I know. They married and they bonded, without telling any of us. Now, she is pregnant, and he will leave. He is too proud to talk to the Captain and explain. Please, Dinendal,” she appealed to her son, “you have a chance. Give them a chance, too.”
He backed against the tree and slid down to sit at its base. “I need time to think on this news,” he said quietly. His mother nodded, and climbed the tree to leave him alone.
There he sat for a great long time, watching as the lights in the surrounding telain were dimmed, and then, as the last of the city drifted into a state of reverie, twinklings of light came from some again. Candles were lit to guide those who would leave before dawn. As the elves who were leaving began to climb to the ground, Dinendal felt someone move next to him, and he looked to see that the lady – THE lady – was standing just to his right. He stood to bow to her properly, and she in turn bowed her head to him in an extreme concession on her part. Dinendal blinked, for no matter how close he thought he got to understanding her, it seemed there was always one more thing he just could not figure out.
She placed her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. “You must make your choice,” she told him. “The hour draws near.”
“Such a simple decision. To stay or to go, and yet, I feel I would not have the time to decide even if I had to the end of Arda,” he said sadly.
“Perhaps I can help you.” She leaned closer and whispered a name into his ear, then drew back with a sad sort of smile.
He tried not to look surprised, but he was surprised, and either way, he knew she knew this. “I finally understand,” he said, looking at the talan above his head. “I say often I would give my life to protect this forest, but what I have meant is… that I would fight for it.” Boldly, he put his hand on her cheek, kissing her brow. “What you have told me, though, I would gladly die for.”
“Then you know what you must do,” she said, stroking his face.
Dinendal looked at the talan above him and nodded. One of the scouts suddenly came to the tree and looked up about to climb, but he was touched on the shoulder by Galadriel, and with a nod, he moved away.
“They call for those willing to protect Arda,” she said.
“I will answer that call.” Dinendal grasped the rope and turned once more. “Thank you, my lady. Until I see you again,” he said, bowing his head.
She nodded back and turned to go, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Dinendal had come back down the ladder for a moment, and gave her a hopeful look. “Can you say it… just once more, please?”
Galadriel took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. “Fight bravely, Gimlin Haldirion.”
Dinendal suppressed the urge to throw his arms around her. Nodding once more, he took hold of the rope and climbed swiftly back up into the tree.
