Voices on the stairs above awoke Haldir and he lifted his head to better hear what was being said.
“We sent for Master Elrond. We need a healer,” came the stern sound of Nenniach’s voice, but he could tell it was wavering.
“I am a healer,” answered the deeper voice coolly. “Master Elrond is currently indisposed.”
“A healer? You fix thrown shoes and help birth foals, you don’t ‘heal’.”
“Then I shall return to Imladris and wish you the best of luck with your patient.”
“I will throttle you if you do,” threatened the elleth, close to tears.
“Dear Nenniach, I wouldn’t really...Ah, come here, child.”
Haldir settled his head back down. All of his eavesdropping had earned the tired warrior a little nap, so he did not hear the remaining conversation. However, he felt safe enough to be in the care of Nenniach and the elf who had arrived, and fell back into a light slumber.
- - -
At the top of the stairs, Erestor coaxed Nenniach into his arms and hugged her fiercely. “Sweet child, do not worry. He isn’t going to die. He is very much like I am – too ornery for Namo to deal with. The Valar would send him back immediately.”
“I know,” she sniffled. “I don’t worry about Haldir.” Nenniach shifted to look up at the dark elf, her surrogate father in many ways. Although he had not known her until she was grown, she had been shifted from one family to another after being orphaned at a young age, having had no other living kin. During her time in Imladris, she had apprenticed with Erestor briefly, and a fast friendship grew out of immense respect and common interests. He formally adopted her just prior to her marriage to Rumil. The event turned out to be quite amusing considering the entire ceremony had to be rewritten, as the ‘elfling’ Erestor adopted was hundreds of years old.
“Your husband will return, my child.” Erestor spoke soothingly as he stroked the hair on the top of her head. “Rumil will come back to you.”
Nenniach bowed her head. “I hate this waiting. He farspeaks to me when he can, between fighting and scouting. The battles are fierce. I worry for him. I worry for my son. Celebdreth went with him, he argued that if Elrond was not keeping his sons from fighting in this war, he would not be left behind. He has the stubborn nature of his grandmother.” She gave a half-hearted smile. “For my crazy brother-in-law and his wife, I worry not so much.”
“Valarda went as well?” questioned Erestor.
“Valarda stayed in Rohan,” Nenniach sighed. “I suppose she is having the same fears for her husband that I have for mine. I envy Lady Galadriel,” admitted the scribe. “Although I would be afraid beyond words to fight in battle, she will be beside her husband. They will be with each other...if one of them falls...”
Erestor hugged Nenniach tighter. “Do not say such things, sweet one, do not think them.” Erestor glanced down the steps. “I should see to his wounds, if you trust the healing skills of an old stable master.”
Nenniach nodded and pulled away, wringing her hands. “He was sleeping. We may have awoken him.”
Erestor took hold of Nenniach’s chin with his thumb and forefinger and peered deep into her eyes. “How long since you rested, child?” Nenniach shoved her hands into the pockets of her skirt and did not answer. Instead she squinted her face, thinking long and hard about the answer. “If it takes that long to remember, it has been far too long. To bed with you, and I would chase you there myself if I did not have work to do.”
“But Haldir-“
“But Haldir is not your responsibility until you have had reverie, a bath, and a hot meal. Off you go, then.” He gave her a final pat on the head before giving her a nudge in the direction of her tree.
Nenniach reluctantly took a few steps toward her flet before circling back to hug Erestor and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for coming. I shall send my deepest and most sincerest regards to Lord Elrond for sending you.”
“You shall do no such thing,” he scolded and Nenniach blinked in surprise. “Lord Elrond did not send me,” he explained. “He did not permit anyone to leave Imladris with the situation at hand. When he did not answer the summons, I came in his stead.”
“You disobeyed Elrond.” Nenniach’s voice was little more than a whisper, and she was in awe, but also fearful, of this revelation.
“He would not come, for he needs to protect his realm, and I cannot argue with that. My services, however, are of little need in Imladris at the current time.”
“I suppose he is greatly angered with you.”
Erestor smiled sadly and did not answer. “Off to bed, I will speak more to you when you have rested.” Nenniach nodded once more and left Erestor alone at the top of the stairs.
Having already left his horse to wander, Erestor lifted up the pack he had brought with him and made his descent into the gardens. Candles had been lit already by Nenniach, though some small amount of light from the sky still lingered in the lush green chamber of the Mirror of Galadriel. When he found Haldir, he settled his pack onto the grass and began to remove various items from it.
“Erestor?”
The dark haired elf nearly dropped a roll of cloth he was taking from the sack, thinking that Haldir had been asleep. He looked over his shoulder from where he was crouched down only a yard away. “Yes, penneth?” Haldir’s eyes were still closed, his breathing a slow mimicry of slumber.
“You did not tell Lord Elrond you were leaving Imladris,” guessed the captain. He had been awake since hearing them speak his name, and continued to listen to the rest of the conversation.
“No, penneth,” confirmed Erestor gravely, “I did not.”
