“Dearest, you need to learn to be stealthier if you are going to steal from the batter bowl.” Galadriel picked up a washrag and dabbed Haldir’s chin where a bit of glaze had dripped.
As soon as Galadriel had turned, Haldir leaned forward, skimming his finger across the thick buttery syrup.
“Haldir!” The elfling nearly fell from the stool he sat upon. His nana took the bowl away from his reach and scowled at him. “Why do you not find your sister and play with her?”
“She is with Adar. He is teaching her to shoot arrows.” Haldir waited until Galadriel had her back to him once again, then licked his thumb and stuck it into the sugar bowl.
Galadriel nodded to herself. “Your Ada has wanted to spend some time alone with Celebrian. I suppose it will not do to send you out to the archery fields.”
“Can I do something with you, Nana?” Haldir sucked the sugar off his thumb, waiting her answer.
“Haldir, I would very much like to play games with you this day, but I must finish this baking.” Galadriel tilted her head, as if she had just had a thought. She turned to look at her son and asked, “Would you like to help me?”
Haldir nodded, and pulled his thumb from his mouth. “Ah, ah, let us have you wash these first,” insisted Galadriel, prodding him to the water basin. Once she was satisfied his hands were clean, she led him back to the table, where he now sat down on one of the chairs. She sat across from him.
“Can we make lembas?” he asked, inspecting the various ingredients on the table.
“I wish we could, but I…uhm…I do not have everything needed to make it,” she said with a smile. “And I have already begun to make glazed sweet rolls.” She motioned to the trays cooling on a counter nearby.
Haldir accepted this answer and began to help out with the tasks Galadriel assigned. Years later, he would be crushed to find out that he would never be allowed to know how to make lembas, even though his sister learned the secrets.
“Nana?”
“Yes, Haldir?”
“Is this too much sugar?” he asked, holding the cup steady over the bowl.
“It is just enough,” she said, sprinkling spices into the mixture.
“Nana?”
“Yes, Haldir?”
“Do you think we should try these before Celebrian and Ada get back?” he asked, poking at the sticky, doughy buns.
“A good cook always tastes the fruit of their labors,” she said, retrieving two plates from the shelf.
- - -
‘Nana!’
But there was no answer, and he was not sure he had even spoken. One moment, he was fighting, calling for the troops to fall back, searching for them. The next, he felt a painful jab in his side, spreading through his body. He knew he should ignore it, fight on. That stopping meant death. He had seen the mistake made by beasts he had hunted in the forest. And now, he had made the mistake himself.
It was just as he had regained his senses that he was struck by something from behind. There was no pain, just shock, as he fell to his knees and his reflex was to call out to his mother, but no sound came. Only vaguely was he aware of the battle now, and only just now did he realize how many others had fallen before him. His one relief was that his brothers were not among them. He had left them behind, safe in Lothlorien - his only regret that he had not said goodbye to them when he left.
