It had taken Orophin the better part of an hour to find Haldir. First, there were the piles of bodies – orc, man, elf, and horse - to contend with. Then, there was a moment of dread – Valarda brought him a sword. Beneath the thick smears of blood, he read the words to himself: Haldir o Lorien ~ Captain of the Galadhrim.
Valarda asked if he wanted to keep looking. Orophin told her it was a stupid question. They pulled bodies off of more bodies, dug into the carnage, hoping to find a familiar face, hoping to find him alive.
Orophin found himself walking in circles, sorting through the same bodies. It was near midday when he finally saw it – a glint of metal, and a hint of burgundy blowing in the wind. “What an idiot!” he began to curse as he marched over and through the death and debris, Valarda following close behind.
“What do you see?” she asked as they approached.
“My brother, the fool. He saves that cape for all these centuries, and wears it to a battle. He would have had more sense to wave it in front of a mad bull.” Orophin halted when he reached Haldir, kicking from his brother the legs of a Uruk that had happened to land atop of him, then dropped to his knees, placing his ear to the elf’s chest. “He breathes,” Orophin smiled in spite of everything that had happened and all he had seen.
Valarda helped her husband roll the unconscious elf onto his side. Estel had explained what he had seen to her, and she hissed when she saw Haldir’s back. “Your fool of a brother saved his life by this very cloak. It has kept the blood from spilling out. Do not remove it until there is a healer.” The thick fabric had acted as a seal, embedded between the skin and flesh that had been cleaved. Valarda carefully placed Haldir back onto his back and snaked a hand under the armor plates on his chest and torso. “Here is the cause for alarm – this wound could be fatal if he is not tended to.” Her eyes met Orophin’s. “He must get to Lothlorien. He can not be helped here.” Orophin nodded, taking off his own cloak.
“Help me wrap him in this, then see what you might find for the wound. And find out what news you can of the war.” Orophin quickly wrapped his brother in the cloak with Valarda’s assistance, then bent down to move Haldir while Valarda went in search of supplies.
“Mandos?” Haldir felt himself being lifted up, but whether it was his body or his soul, he could not tell.
“Not yet,” said a voice he had not expected to hear.
“Orophin?” Haldir winced as the pain in his back hit him, his senses ripped back into focus as he was moved from where he had fallen. “Orophin, you were not to come.” Haldir paused, gathering strength, then asked, “Rumil is still at home?”
“Still at home, yes, I believe so. Though I am sure he is furious with the both of us. You for running off, and I for running off with his horse.” Orophin walked slowly through the dead to what was left of the keep.
“Are you alright?” Haldir scanned over Orophin, worry in his eyes. “You have been injured,” he said, noting the bloody tear on the shoulder of Orophin’s tunic.
“I will be fine. You are worse off than I,” Orophin assured him.
“Brother, it could get infected.” Haldir’s speech was labored and Orophin shushed him.
“I will have Valarda look at it once we have finished with you,” he promised.
Haldir nodded, closing his eyes. “What about Legolas?”
“What about him?” Orophin asked.
“Is he alright? He was fighting here.”
“I am sure he is doing well, Haldir. I saw the old elf jumping around like a squirrel earlier, he can’t be too badly hurt if he’s still hopping around the place.”
“And Estel?”
“Estel. Yes, I am going to have to have a stern talk with him later. If he had not distracted you-”
“So he is alive and well, too.” Haldir breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, he mumbled something, and Orophin stopped, straining to hear as Haldir repeated himself. “And Gimli? Er, the dwarf?”
“Honestly, Haldir. Worry more about yourself than of others for the moment. The dwarf, last I saw, was checking on the well being of every woman and young maiden, and boring everyone with his talk of the caves of the Deep. If ever anyone survives a battle, it is a lusty little dwarf like that one.” Orophin found a clear spot and placed Haldir upon it. “Rest, Haldir. I will watch over you.” Before he had finished his reassurances, Haldir was asleep.
- - -
Haldir stared up through the leaves at the sky and stars overhead. The night was clear and through the skylight he counted the tiny sparkles in the sky. He listened intently to the sounds below, counted to one hundred (and five, for good measure), then threw off his covers and stealthfully made his way to the doorway. Again he listened, then quickly padded down the stairs until he reached the nursery that had been set up in a spare bedroom. Little had been done to the room thus far, so there was a rocking chair and a changing table with a dresser, but beside these, only one other thing stood in the room – a crib, positioned in the center. Haldir slid over to the edge, peering down at his new baby brother. He sighed and smiled and watched the little elfling breath as he slept, eyes open but unfocused.
Haldir began to feel sleepy himself, until he noticed that the elfling shifted slightly. Reaching a hand into the crib, he had to stand on the tips of his toes to reach him. He pointed one slender finger out and gently tapped the babe on the shoulder. “Oro? Oro, are you awake, Oro?” There was no response, so Haldir tried a different technique. Straining, he managed to place his hand on the tiny shoulder and rubbed it. “Oro? Are you okay? Are you alright?” When again nothing happened, Haldir then lifted himself up, placing his feet between the slats of the crib. Leaning halfway in, he gently tugged on the little one’s shoulder. “Oro? Oro? Are you awake?”
Orophin crinkled up his nose as he moved his tiny legs under the equally tiny blanket. Looking up, he landed a dazed expression on the elfling that curiously looked him over. He blinked a few times, and as his expression fell, he was picked up from the crib and taken over to the rocking chair.
“Don’t worry, Oro, don’t cry. I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe.” Haldir climbed onto the rocking chair, holding tightly to Orophin as he settled himself onto the seat. He repositioned himself and his bundle, cradling Orophin’s head on his chest. “Nothing to worry about. Haldir’s here.”
He heard a rustle in the hallway, and moments later, Celeborn appeared at the door. He spied the youngster in the chair, doing his best to rock and yet keep Orophin steady at the same time. “Haldir, it is late. Do you want me to take him?” offered the elf lord.
“No. I’m going to take care of him. I promised I would,” Haldir said solemnly.
- - -
“Halli? Halli, are you awake, Halli?” Haldir felt someone gently trying to rouse him from the first peaceful sleep he’d had in the longest of times. “Halli? Are you okay? Are you alright?” Someone was poking him now, jabbing a finger at his shoulder. This soon changed, and he grunted as he felt a hand shaking his shoulder. “Halli? Halli? Are you awake?”
Haldir wrinkled his nose, shifting his legs beneath the warm blanket that had been placed over him when it was realized he was still among the living. He opened one eye, and then the other, seeing Orophin crouched over him. He strained to move, to sit up, to stand, but nothing happened. His brother frowned, and so he frowned, and tried again. This time, his energy spent, he lay his head back, exhausted at the attempt, tears welling up in his eyes. A moment later, Orophin had tucked the blanket around him like a cocoon, and he felt his body being lifted, then carried, to his horse. He opened his mouth as if to protest, but no words came, and he felt his back ache, and the pain and sorrow hit him.
“Don’t worry, Halli, don’t cry. I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe.” Orophin climbed onto the horse, holding tightly to Haldir as he settled himself onto the saddle. He repositioned himself and his bundle, cradling Haldir’s head against his chest. “Nothing to worry about. Orophin’s here.”
He heard a rustle nearby, and moments later, Valarda appeared in front of the horse. She looked at Haldir, relief in her eyes, and at Orophin’s protective yet weary look. “Orophin, it is late. Do you want me to take him?” offered the she-elf.
“No. I’m going to take care of him. I promised I would,” Orophin said solemnly.