Author's Note: This was written for the HaldirLover's challenge to write a story about Haldir meeting with folk in another land. I've dedicated this story to Alassiel who is particularly fond of this sort of tale. Many hugs to you!

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They were allowed to ride horses at least, which helped to speed up the journey to this quiet out of the way place in the middle of…well in the middle some place obscure just the way Gildor Inglorion seemed to like it. There were woods, and they were near the base of a mountain and somewhere in the distance a waterfall announced its presence.

Haldir was most displeased as were those warriors accompanying him. He was a march warden so why was he being sent to this…this place to deliver a message to Gildor? Why did the Lady Galadriel even care what Gildor had to say about anything? Yet she had sent Haldir and his company to deliver the message and await a response. And Eru only knew how long it would take to a get a response out of Gildor Inglorion about anything! 

The ellon was ponderous and stubborn and transient and well…such a complete Noldo it was a wonder that the Galadhrim had need to converse with him. He was completely unable to stay in a place long enough to know every branch of every tree and truly appreciate the land as one of the Galadhrim could. And the ellon did not seem to bother much with defenses, judging from the gross lack of a border patrol (were there actually any perceivable borders to this place to begin with?), no warrior escort for Haldir’s party, no apparent concern for any of the dangers against which Haldir and his ellyn were ever vigilant.

Rúmil finally spoke up after the many hours of silent riding this last day of the journey. “Tell me again why the Lady Galadriel sent us here? Did we displease her in some way that we are being forced to interact diplomatically with…” he didn’t bother saying the name. “Why was our company pulled away from our duties on the borders where we have been slaying orcs quite happily on a regular basis to go and be messengers?”

Many grumblings of agreement and further unhappy comments rumbled through the group echoing Rúmil’s discontent.

“I truly do not know,” Haldir replied, sighing irritably in agreement. “Perhaps it will be over quickly and we can go home and kill orcs in peace again.”

“Up ahead,” Orophin called as he gestured.

With a nod, Haldir encouraged his horse to move a little more quickly. The sooner he delivered this message the sooner he could go home again.

Within a respectable distance of the reception party, Haldir dismounted and strode forward, message in hand, while his escort remained on their horses, eying their surroundings for potential threats.

A tall golden-haired ellon garbed in green bowed cordially from amidst a group of dark-haired ellith and ellyn. “Greetings to you brother Galadhrim from Lothlórien, and welcome. I am Gildor Inglorion as some of you already know. I see some familiar faces among you. What brings you here?”

Haldir cringed inwardly at being called brother by this ellon, but smoothed his features and gave a respectable greeting in reply, adding, “The Lady Galadriel has a message for you. We are to await your reply and then we will be on our way again immediately.”

Gildor looked on him shrewdly and took the missive from Haldir’s outstretched hand. Reading it carefully, he then showed it to the elleth clad in blue and silver standing beside him. The corners of her mouth quirked a bit as she paused in her reading and glanced at Haldir before handing the parchment on to another ellon beside her.

“Well, Captain, you will not be departing today. Our council must discuss this carefully before we give the Lady our reply. This is, after all, a most important matter,” Gildor said gravely. He gestured and several ellyn and ellith came forward, many of whom sported the bright eyes of the Eldar of Valinor . “My people will see to your horses. My wife Tathariel and our daughter will take you and your warriors to a place where you will find refreshment while you wait.”

Turning away from Gildor and his folk momentarily, Haldir rolled his eyes then sighed in unspoken apology to his warriors. They nodded to him and dismounted, carefully masking their reluctance.

“Thank you,” He said cordially. “Please lead the way.”

The ellith nodded graciously and walked deeper into the wood.

Stiff and sore from days of riding, Haldir rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck as soon as he was out of the view of the group who had welcomed them. Glancing behind him, he noticed the rest of his ellyn doing the same, yet he could tell they remained vigilant, ready to draw swords or bows at a moment’s notice if need be.

Seeming to perceive his thought, Tathariel commented, “You will not be needing those here. I can assure you we are all quite safe here.”

“My warriors are always vigilant. It is our way in these dangerous times,” Haldir replied.

The elleth shook her head sadly, “It is most unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate, but true,” Haldir replied, scanning his surroundings for threats. “Does no one protect your borders, ah…such as they are?”

Both ellith laughed gaily, as the younger elleth replied, “Oh they are protected, Captain. Rest assured, they are protected.”

Haldir raised an eyebrow at that but did not voice his doubts. The sound of the waterfall grew louder as they wound their way through the trees. After about an hour more, the canopy above suddenly opened up, revealing intensely bright blue sky.  Shading his eyes until they adjusted, Haldir looked about, noting the waterfall and its pool. A veritable feast lay spread near the pool on brightly colored blankets. Other blankets were bare, obviously awaiting diners.

After washing up, the warriors sat down to eat in silence. The food was delicious, especially after their long journey. Each warrior thanked the hostesses many times. As he nibbled on his second helping of berry pie and sipped some miruvor, Haldir decided it would be polite to strike up a conversation with Gildor’s wife and daughter who sat nearby.

“Are all of the folk here from Valinor?” he asked, pointing to his eyes in reference to the common distinction of the Eldar who had brighter than normal eyes.

“Many of us are.  And there are many here who were born in Middle-earth who desire to learn what we would teach,” she replied smiling beautifully.

Haldir looked around, noting the simple clothing of the folk and their other remarkable ornamentation of silver, gold, and jewels. “And what would you teach? The arts and sciences of Valinor? The methods of industry and craft perhaps?”

“Some come here to learn those things. But most come here to learn something else.”

The elleth seemed to be about as non-forthcoming as her husband, Haldir thought in minor irritation. “And what would that be?”

 “We will show you.” She smiled coyly, almost knowingly, and gracefully rose to her feet. “Many of us gathered here served the Valar directly when we dwelt in Valinor. I served Elbereth as did my daughter and those over there garbed in blue and silver. Miriel here served Yavanna as did those others garbed in greens and yellows. Those in white served Nienna...” And she went on naming the different groups of servants and denoting their colors.

Elves Haldir had not previously noticed gathered somewhere off to his left with harps, flutes, and viols and began playing softly. The different servants of the Valar soon congregated in groups arranged according to the Vala they served. Haldir reclined on his side, deciding he may as well relax a bit while they waited for Gildor to hurry up with his meeting and craft a reply. 

“We all know the story of creation and the songs which called all into being,” Tatherial said for all to hear, “however did you know that each Vala was responsible for a different aspect of creation and for maintaining that aspect? Likewise, there are songs which apply to each aspect which are sung for the maintenance and healing of that aspect.”

“Wonderful,” Rúmil muttered from the blanket adjacent to Haldir’s, “Now they are going to preach to us about how the elves of Valinor are superior to the rest of us just because they sat at the feet of the Valar for a while. I would rather be riding back than listening to this nonsense.”

“We are not preaching,” Tathariel said with a laugh seeming oddly unphased by Rumil’s comment, “and we certainly are not superior. But there are things that some of you who never left these shores have forgotten or simply never knew. You have some time right now, so sit and listen. You may be surprised at what you learn.”

“First we will sing to you of the water,” an ellon dressed in blue and green announced. Many others clad similarly to him came forth and began to sway in time to the plunge of the water at the falls. The musicians picked up the rhythm and music rushed and flowed around everyone. The group started singing, quietly at first, as the group wandered close together and then spread out almost as if a pool were forming and then flowing away. Soon Haldir found himself caught up in the flow, feeling as if he were a drop of water in that pool.

When the music ended, no one applauded and Haldir felt too bewildered to respond himself for he was too busy struggling with the realization that he was just an ellon reclining on a blanket. He shifted his position trying to get comfortable again but then another song started.

This one, danced and sung by folk in green and yellow, spoke of the land and things that grow. Soon the sense of the water completely left him and he felt the call of the soil and stems and leaves and flowers. In his mind and all around him he knew the things that grow, feeling himself expanding and reaching, rejoicing in air and sunlight. Again when the song ended, being an elf on a blanket seemed wrong to him.

Another group sang and he felt himself take to the air as a bird and to the forest floor as a wolf and to the water again as a fish. When he came to himself again he found himself lying on his back staring at the stars. Somewhere a voice spoke, lilting about how this was the first sight beheld by elves when they first awoke in Cuiviénen.  Then drops of song like starlight on dew shimmered around him. He lay enraptured as if he were seeing the stars not for the first time himself but as the first ellon saw them for the first time. Never had he beheld something so beautiful in all of his many ennin. Or had he only know a few years? Or had he only known this moment now? He no longer cared for the joy he felt and the peaceful wonder at seeing such silver glory on black velvet.

When that song ended, he could not move, dared not for fear of losing the feeling and losing the moment, losing that first moment.  Another song started then sung by the servants of Nienna  and tears flowed down his face for he suddenly remembered everything – all he had done, all he had seen, every battle he had faced, everyone he had lost. What was this cruel existence that had been forced upon him, the choices, the decisions, the gains and the losses? The weight of his pain and sorrow crushed him and he wondered why this was happening to him and why he had allowed it and how he ever could have endured it in his life. With all of his being he wanted to have back those feelings from those other songs from before, but a warrior must give up those things and be strong and go on and put it all away so he can fight another day.

“But why?” an elleth’s voice asked. Gently she stroked Haldir’s hair and he realized his head rested in her lap while his arms clutched her to him. “You need to take some time and remember who and what you are. You are a part of every song you just heard. You are an elf who is also a warrior not a warrior who is also an elf.”

He did not answer, but his tears continued to flow and at some point he fell asleep.

The next day, he and his comrades put aside their uniforms and dressed in the simple garb the folk gave them. The songs began again and again he watched and listened and wondered along with his comrades. For days this was the way of it: eat, listen, dream, weep, sleep. Then one day he and a few of the others tried to enter the songs, first on harps and then with the words. The singers encouraged them to find the song which suited them best each day and they learned the words and melodies. Once they were comfortable with those, they learned the dances as well. After a time, they simply ended the singing and dancing with sleep for no more tears were necessary.

A few days after that, Gildor Inglorion came to Haldir. “I am now prepared to send the Lady of the Golden Wood my response. You will leave on the morrow and take my message to her.”

Haldir nodded his understanding, disappointed that he had to depart.

The next day the warriors assembled on their horses, prepared to leave.  Sunlight playfully brushed the trees as a breeze teased the bushes and leaves. Gildor handed Haldir a simple piece of folded parchment addressed to the Lady of Lothlórien.

Haldir smiled curiously as he took the missive and placed it in his leather satchel. “It has been more than a month. I know not what was in the message my Lady sent to you, but after all this time, this is all that you have as a response?”

Gildor nodded. “Indeed. My response consists of only a few words.”

Haldir hesitated, fearing to offend, but asked anyway, “If I may be so bold, what might those words be?”

Gildor smiled joyfully as he replied, “My Lady, they are healed.”

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Ennin – a period of 144 years

Elleth/ellith – female elf/elves

Ellon/ellyn - male elf/elves