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sociallyawkwardinfj · 2 years

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Daring Greatly - Chapter 4 : The Arena

A Haldir x Female character fiction

Summary: Haldir, a simple marchwarden of Lothlorien gets swept up into the quest and eventual battle of the one ring.

Note: I am new to the Tolkien fanbase, so my knowledge of actual lore and Sindarin is basic, this is also my first ever piece of writing being sent out into the world… so go easy on me. I have changed the story of the Hobbit and of the LOTR to fit an arc that gives Haldir more time to shine. Its going to be a long slow-burn, so buckle in your seatbelts! Warning for eventual battle scenes, and gore as the chapters progress.

Previous chapter available to read here

Chapter 4 : The Arena

Haldir awoke before the sun was up, in the very early hours of the morning. His mind already turning in preparation for their first day in the arena. He knew he should try and rest some more, but who was he kidding? Now that he was awake there was no chance he was going to be able to get back to sleep. After a while of some furious tossing and turning, he saw the first rays of sunshine appear above the horizon, and decided to get up and moving. Maybe he should take advantage of being a natural early-bird by practising a little in the arena before the others arrived? He got dressed into his full battle armour, that he had meticulously polished the night before until it gleamed, complete with an emerald green cape. While putting on his boots, his bow and arrows that he always kept by the door caught his eye. He was tempted to take them with him, even though he knew that the princess had ordered for all weapons to stay at home. After some deliberation, he decided to take them so he could do some early target practise. Shooting arrows always had a way of calming his mind. He would then bring the weapons back to his Talan before the training session starts. With one last glance in the mirror, he pulled back his shoulders, and walked out the door.

He had always liked early mornings. The morning mist slowly lifting as if to greet the rising sun. Yes, there was certainly something about the peace and tranquility of a world still fast asleep. “The calm before the storm”, he thought to himself. The training arena is about a 5 min brisk walk outside of the city. A huge clearing in the forest, around 150m long and 100m wide. Perfect for large training sessions without the risk of accidentally injuring a civilian.

As he approached the arena, he heard the clashing sound of metal on metal.

A sword fight was in progress. It was certainly a surprise, he hadn’t expected anyone else to be up this early. He softened his footsteps so that he could take a peek at who it was without disturbing them.

It was the princess Qira vigorously practising with her uncle, the general Matthias. He crouched behind a bush near the edge of the clearing, so that he could observe without being noticed. Given the speed of the fight, and the way that they each were able to block the others moves, instinctually knowing what the other person would do next, it was obvious that they had spent hundreds of years practising together. After a few more minutes the princess ran at the general, ducked the head-height swing of his sword, and quick as a flash had slid on the ground through his legs and then held her sword to his throat. Matthias gave a hearty laugh at his niece, “well done, that was an impressive move.”

“Of course it was, uncle. I invented it!” Qira gave a bow in a jokingly arrogant way “you know you’ll never be able to beat me” she teased. Matthias then walked over to Qira waving a piece of black material “Well, maybe it’s time that we even the playing field. Let’s make it a fair fight.”

“So be it.” agreed Qira as she tied the black material around her head and over her eyes. “A blindfold?” Thought Haldir, “surely not, that’s far too dangerous.” This worried him, and he considered revealing himself to stop this absurdity. But then he thought better, and decided to see how it played out.

The blindfolded princess got ready in a battle stance : one leg in front of the other, knees bent, one sword held vertically in her left hand, and the other sword in her right hand held horizontally in a backwards grip. Haldir could see her taking deep breaths steadying herself, concentrating fully on the environment around her. The General slowly circled her, like a shark encircling his prey. With every step he took, she moved her head to face him, somehow knowing instinctively where he was without seeing him. And then Matthias charged at his niece, and moved his swords towards her with full force. Miraculously Qira blocked them with her own swords, and the battle between them continued just as before. Haldir watched with his mouth open in both shock and awe at the abilities of the red-haired princess. She was continuing as if she wasn’t even wearing a blindfold! He had heard stories and rumours over the years, but he had never expected her skills to be this impressive.

After a few more minutes of the intense scene before him, he realised his leg was starting to cramp from crouching. As he moved, he accidentally cracked a twig beneath his feet “damn!” He thought. The noise startled Qira, and she realised she could sense Haldir’s presence nearby, causing her heart to race. In the brief second of the distraction, Matthias quickly moved and cut her stomach with his sword “Ow!” she yelped, and took off her blindfold. The General who wasn’t aware of what had caused his niece to be distracted was bent backwards laughing, overjoyed that he had beaten her. Haldir realised he needed to get out from behind the bush before it made him look creepy. He discretely made it back to the main path, and then continued noisily down it until he reached the entrance of the arena, acting as if he had only just arrived.

“Good morning Marchwarden” greeted Matthias as he saw him enter the clearing, “If you had been here a few moments ago, you would have witnessed me slaughter the princess in a sword fight!”. “Yeah, yeah, yeah” groaned the princess, “actually you would have witnessed me allowing him to win!” She countered back with some banter. She held the open wound with her hand to stop the bleeding. Her uncle continued engaging with Haldir in some polite conversation, while she walked away to the side of the arena where there were a few tables, benches, and the many unopened boxes of supplies that the Rivendell elves had brought with them. She sat on the edge of one of the wooden tables, and opened her box of medical supplies. She then took off her brown leather battle vest, and slowly lifted up the corner of her shirt to take a look at her injury. Not too bad, she thought, she had certainly had worse. It probably just needs a couple of stitches.

As she started cleaning the bleeding cut, her uncle approached to check out the injury. “Here, lean back a bit, and I will stitch it up for you” he said to her gently. Haldir also walked over to see if there was anything he could do to help. Qira grimaced and groaned, her face slightly contorted due to the pain of being stitched up without pain relief. After a brief moment she looked down at her uncle and laughed “get that smug look of your face! You are looking far too happy for someone inflicting pain on their military commander! Surely that must be a criminal offence”.

Matthias responded with a cheeky grin “I’m not going to apologise for savouring the moment. We both know that out of the two of us, its usually me being stitched back up. Consider it pay-back!”. Haldir laughed at the friendly banter between the pair of them. Their familiarity with each other made him feel at ease in their presence.

“Haldir, do you mind giving me an extra hand?” Asked the general “I need you to hold the wound together while I finish the final stitches.” “Of course sir.” Replied Haldir as he knelt down in front of the princess. He carefully placed both hands on Qira’s bare stomach to hold the cut together. The feel of Haldir’s touch sent a bolt of electricity up and down her body, and hitched her breathing. Matthias misinterpreted her body language as pain, and tried to reassure her that he was nearly finished. But Haldir locked eyes with Qira, and recognised that it was the same thing that had happened when they touched hands in the forest the day before. He saw softness and desire in her emerald green eyes. There was now no doubt in his heart that she felt it too !

Matthias stood up after he had finished - oblivious to the secret revealed between Qira and the blond-haired marchwarden - “Right then, we should get the arena prepared before the rest of the soldiers arrive. Have you had breakfast yet, Haldir?” Haldir then realised that he had not. Qira then added mysteriously “Well then, marchwarden, I suggest you head to the food hall and eat as much as you can before the games begin.” She finished with a wink. Now he was really baffled. What on earth had they planned? He bowed his head to them both, and headed over to the food hall…. “I guess I had better do what they say” he decided.

He was just finishing the last few mouthfuls of perhaps the biggest breakfast he had ever eaten, when the horns sounded. It was certainly quite a sight for the citizens of Caras Galadhon. Hundreds of elven warriors in full armour marched through the streets making their way to the arena, as if war itself had been announced. Upon entering the arena, the elves organised themselves into two separate columns lined next to each other. The elves of Lothlorien on one other side, all identical in matching armour apart from the colours of their capes. The wardens-in-training wore distinct blue capes, border wardens wore yellow/gold, Haldir as Marchwarden and second in command wore dark green, and the commander Eli wore a cape of scarlet red.

Qira’s platoon was on the other side. It was only now, seeing them all in their different styles of armour, that Haldir realised just half of her platoon were from Rivendell. The other half were elves from different realms spread throughout Middle Earth. He now recognised some armour from Dorthonion, Nevrast, Eregion, as well as others that he did not know. Despite their cultural differences, there was a strong sense of visible camaraderie between them all, with many patting each other on the back and wishing each other well for what was about to come to pass.

After allowing a few moments for the warriors to settle into line, Qira stepped up onto a small wooden platform that had been erected in front of both teams. She took a few seconds to look over the soldiers set before her. She wore a golden tiara weaved in her hair, with an intricate pattern of braids designed to keep her hair away from her face. As well as the same leather battle vest from earlier that morning, but this time with a green shirt underneath (Haldir liked that they now were matching), and some shimmering around her collarbone that indicated she also wore elven mithril for added protection. The atmosphere was thick with tension and anticipation, as she began her speech :

“It has come to my attention that some here today do not believe in our goal of creating a united Elven force. After all, why bother altering military tactics when they have worked so well throughout the ages of Middle Earth? It is true that each of the remaining Elven realms has a mighty force of wardens. Each capable of protecting their borders from outside threats. Lothlorien is no exception. Indeed, I have read the reports of your practise sessions with the General Matthias before my arrival. You are strong, talented and loyal to your commander and to your Lord and Lady. I have also seen first-hand your skills with bow and arrows.” She raised an eyebrow at Haldir, and to his wardens that had cornered her troops at the border the day before. This earned some laughter from the Lothlorien troops.

She continued “But how would you fare if you suddenly had to fight side-by-side with elves from Rivendell, Mirkwood, or Eregion whose ways and methods vary so differently from your own? The time will soon come when all of Middle Earth will look to the elves for strength, guidance and protection. That is indeed a huge responsibility. Do you feel 110% confident in your ability to fight against the forces of darkness when they arise? These points deserve much consideration, before you start to judge my assistance as interference.” She stared down each of the troops, and paused a few seconds for emphasis.

“But enough explaining. I have brought you to the arena today to show you why we are here. Today, we are all to participate in a game that many of my troops affectionately call “The Breaking-point Game”. But do not be deceived when I call it a game. This is a real-life battle simulation that will test each one of you to your absolute limit. The game is simple, there will be a battle held between the wardens of Lothlorien and my team, and the best army will win. You will be allowed 20 minutes before the games for your commander to issue your orders of strategy. Here are the rules that must be obeyed :

All players must remain within the boundaries of the pitch, set out by the white lines we have drawn around the edge of the arena.

You will only use the weapons that we have provided and laid out before you on the tables. These weapons have been doctored specially so that no real or lasting injuries will occur during play. The swords and daggers have been blunted, and the arrows carry a special tip that will not cut too far in your flesh.

Players will stay on the pitch until you have been knocked out of play. This happens when you have sustained an injury that causes you to bleed. Once blood has been spilt you are to immediately make your way off the pitch, where a group of healers will be waiting to check over your injury.

Any blows to the head will result in immediate disqualification.

You are to respect the 4 referees on the each edge of the pitch. They are there to ensure that there is no unnecessary violence.

And most importantly, remember this is a real-life enactment of a battle. There will be no breaks for food or water while you remain on the pitch. The “deceased” who have been knocked out, may drink water, but no food will be administered until the battle is over. You are to remain in the battle, until you are either “killed”, or until hunger and exhaustion overtake you…

General Matthias and the referees will be watching each one of you during play. This is a test of your skills, stamina, and ability to work as a team. You will be scored individually at the end of the games based on how long you last, and how many players you were able to knock out of the games. The battle will end either when you have “killed” all your opponents, or until they issue a surrender. Your 20 minutes start now. And Good Luck to you all.”

The wardens of Lothlorien gathered around their commander, Eli ; who was looking far too confident for Haldir’s liking. Eli glanced ed over at the left side of the pitch where Qira had begun gathering her troops together, and sneered. “Right well, this should be easy enough. We are 300 warriors, all united Lothloriens versus her 200 mismatch of elves - “.

Haldir interjected “excuse me, sir, but I don’t think we should take this too lightly. The princess’ platoon has experience of the game on their side while…” Eli interrupted him and looked ready to explode. He scolded Haldir for daring to interrupt him. Ever since Galadriel arranged for Haldir to meet the princess at the border instead of him, there had been a tension to their relationship that saddened Haldir. Until then, they had always worked well together. He had looked up to his commander with respect. Just as he was starting to feel deflated, Haldir caught Rumil’s eye as he stood behind the commander. Rumil pulled a face that earned a few smirks from other soldiers. His brothers always had a way of helping him back up.

Soon enough the 20 mins had run out, and all the soldiers began stocking up on weapons and getting into battle positions. Haldir was not feeling very confident in his commanders battle plan. But even still, he stood tall and proud - determined to do everything in his power to impress the princess.

Silence fell over the arena. Haldir could feel the nerves of each of his wardens behind him. All of the Lothlorien elves drew their bows, as they waited for the signal to release… The next few moments felt like a lifetime. He readied himself by taking long, deep breaths….. Then in an instant, the horns sounded. The battle had begun.

Playing to their strength, the elves of Lorien immediately released their soft-tipped arrows into the sky. Hundreds of them flew high into the air towards the other team. Just as they turned to make their way back down to Earth, he heard Qira shout “Shield Wall !!”. Prepared for such an obvious move, the Rivendell soldiers all lifted up their shields and formed an impenetrable barrier. The arrows simply bounced off to the ground without any effect. They tried a second time, arrows flying through the air only for the same result. This clearly wasn’t going to work, and soon they would run out of arrows if not careful. But Eli ignored this fact, and ordered a third round. This time the shield wall began moving towards them, and quick as a flash some shields broke away and revealed their own archers underneath. One layer of archers shot their arrows towards the Lothlorien soldiers, taking some out. But before they could retaliate, the shield wall was back together again. Moments later, the same happened again from the other side of the shield wall.

All around him, his wardens were falling to the ground. They were losing players fast. Eli decided to change tactic, and ordered a charge towards the shield wall. The wardens of Lothlorien charged forwards at full speed towards the other side of the pitch. But just as they were halfway across, suddenly the shield wall split into two. Each half moved away from each other until one was blocking the left side of the Lothloriens, and the other blocked the right. Haldir and all his wardens were trapped in the middle of impenetrable shields. They needed to get them to break formation as quickly as possible, or else they were sitting ducks.

Haldir realised that the shields wouldn’t be much good in hand-to-hand combat, so he yelled as loud as he could “get your swords and aim for their legs, let’s break them up!” This tactic seemed to work. At once they all aimed to cut the legs of the Rivendell soldiers. They only needed to draw some blood to “kill off” players. And with the shields blocking their views of their opponents, the Rivendell team couldn’t see which direction the blows to their legs was coming from.

Seeing her team losing players, Qira realised she needed to change strategy, and ordered a break of the shieldwall. They broke off into teams of two, one protecting with a shield, while the other fought back with their weapon of choice. Hours passed, and the battle was still far from over. Haldir was getting tired and very thirsty. He was now down to half of his troops. Eli had left the pitch, which surprised Haldir because he didn’t look injured. “It must just be a minor cut” he thought. What he didn’t yet know was that Eli had simply had enough, and was too tired and grumpy to carry on, so he just walked off. The healers came to check him over, and when they saw that there was no blood, they signalled over to the General who wrote Eli’s name down.

“Damn, Qira was right” Matthias thought “Now I owe her the bloody cases of wine”. Eli, without any injury, was the first to “break”, that is to desert his team. But he was not the last. Many more also walked off from their team, too overcome of thirst and hunger to carry on any longer.

However after years of their training with Qira, the stamina of the Rivendell team was such that they carried on as if they had only been battling for five minutes, not five hours. Amidst the madness of the continual battle, Haldir was truly amazed at the capabilities of his opposing team. They were playing to the strengths of each Elven realm. They moved so in sync with each other, almost swarming like a murmuration of birds. They seemed to know instinctively when to all move together one way or the other, like they could read each others minds. But what Haldir and his team didn’t realise was that, through the power of her crystal, Qira was able to speak telepathically to all of her team at once. Giving precise instructions of which battle formation to go to next. But even without that, it was clear that out of the two teams, Qira’s was the most united. They thought collectively as a group, whereas Haldir realised that as talented as his wardens were, they were not trained to fight as one unit, but more as one-on-one.

The hours continued to tick by, and by then Qira was left on the pitch with around 40 of her team, and Haldir with around 25 wardens. Rumil had long since been injured and sent off, but Orophin remained close to Haldir as they did their best to keep going. They had never been so exhausted in their whole life. Every muscle crying out in agony. He was aching in places he didn’t even know he could ache. Despite being extremely hungry, he was grateful for the huge breakfast he had had that morning. Without it he would have collapsed hours earlier from exhaustion. But the thirst was getting unbearable, it felt like his whole throat was on fire. Anytime he would glance over to the “deceased” who had finished, he would see them drinking water, and some were even lying on the ground asleep. His body cried out to him to just give up. But then he would remember the look in Qira’s eyes from that morning, and that was enough to force him to carry on.

After cutting an opponent in the shoulder, he turned and looked for Qira. She was only 30m or so away, fighting two other Ellon on her own. She was unbelievable, cutting through soldiers like she was fighting against toddlers. He knew that the only way of having a chance of winning would be to get her out of the game. He made the decision to take her on himself.

There was a large scrum of opponents fighting it out in the middle of the pitch. Haldir carefully made his way around, and began charging at full speed towards her. Just as Qira had beaten both her opponents and kicked them away, she sensed Haldir coming and turned to face him. She grinned at the sight of him dirty and tired running towards her. The fire in his eyes made her excited in ways she had never felt before. Seeing her smiling at him nearly made Haldir’s knees buckle, but he urged his legs to keep moving with the last of his energy. Qira was ready for him, and easily blocked his first blows.

It was good that the scrum in the middle blocked the view of the soldiers on the sideline from seeing their battle too closely. Because it was clearly no ordinary dual of blades. They looked into each others eyes as they fought, and it quickly became a dance of sorts. A heated tango with swords. Both determined to gain the upper hand, but also not trying too hard because they didn’t want the moment to end. Qira was impressed at his skills at hand-to-hand combat, but could sense he was getting to the point of complete exhaustion. He saw a gleam in her eyes, and knew that there was no way he would be able to beat her without some sort of distraction, or intervention. It was taking everything he had just to keep pace with her. Their bodies kept moving much closer together than they should, both desperate for some kind of touch. Which gave Haldir an idea.

Orophin, seeing Haldir struggling, rushed over and tried to strike Qira from behind. She sensed him early and dodged his sword, but now that she was distracted, Haldir took the opportunity to take off the glove on his left hand. A few moments later he saw his younger brother limping off the pitch.

Turning back towards the blue-eyed marchwarden she now prepared again to strike. But Haldir grabbed her bare wrist with his gloveless hand before she had chance to carry out her attack. The shock of his bare touch once again made her loose her breath. Haldir used the distraction to his advantage and speedily put his dagger to her throat. Qira looked at him wild-eyed, shocked that he would use such an underhand move.

“Go on then blue eyes, make me bleed. You deserve the win.” With his dagger still at her throat, he gave her a wolfish grin, opened her hand and kissed the middle of her palm. The contact made Qira gasp. And then just as quickly as the kiss ended, he took his dagger and cut her palm. Blood was spilled. Her role in the games was over. Qira realised her mouth was open, in awe of his boldness. He cheekily blew her a kiss and waved at her as a signal to leave the pitch. This made her laugh, and she sauntered away with her hands in the air in a mock surrender.

Seeing that she had lost, many of the “deceased” on the sidelines cheered and applauded. After all it was extremely unusual for her to not be in the games until the very end. Matthias pulled an overly exaggerated shocked face, as she made her way over to him. “Come on then. Tell me, who is the hidden hero that knocked your majesty off of her throne” he teased.

Qira punched him playfully in the arm. “That would be the marchwarden Haldir.” She said with a dreamy smile on her face. Her uncle raised his eyebrows. There was something about the way she wouldn’t meet his eye that made him suspicious. But he chose not to say anything. Instead they carried on watching the games in silence.

The end was close now. Haldir was down to the last 5 of his men, while Rivendell still had 12 in play. He knew their loss was inevitable, but he was still determined to give everything he had. Qira admired him as he valiantly fought on. True he needed to work on his form somewhat, but no-one in the arena could doubt his courage and devotion to his team. She carried on smiling to herself as she watched him, captivated by his every move. But alas, eventually the inevitable happened, and the last 6 members of Lothlorien all fell together. The battle was won.

It was now past midnight. The games had lasted over 14 hours. Everyone looked completely and utterly broken as they hobbled and limped their way to the food hall. Some even collapsed, and had to be brought back to the city on stretchers. Haldir fell into a chair, so overcome with starvation that the only thing on his mind was food. The adrenaline wore off and his body was shaking so hard that he could barely hold a spoon. In the whole 5000 years of his life, he had never felt so exhausted.

He heard a male voice ask if a chair was taken. “No, feel free to sit down” he mumbled. It was taking everything he had just to keep his eyes open as he ate. He heard a throaty laugh, and he opened his eyes and saw Ezra, the dark-haired captain of the guard now sat across from him. “Tough day, marchwarden?”. “You have no idea, brother.” Was Haldir’s sarcastic response which earned another chuckle from Ezra.

They continued eating in silence for a few minutes, and then Qira entered the food hall with Matthias and the 4 referees in tow. She gave a small nod to their table, and then continued over to a long table in the corner that had been cordoned off. The referees laid sheets of paper on the table, reports of the days progress, and a box containing pieces of paper. Each piece of paper held a name of a participant in the days tournament.

“They’re discussing today’s game.” Explained Ezra. “Tonight they will go over the performance of each member of your team, strengths, weaknesses. And then they will divide you in all into groups for tomorrow’s training session.” Haldir groaned. He couldn’t even begin to imagine fighting again tomorrow.

“Don’t worry marcharden. The first day is a brutal but necessary evil. She will go a lot easier on you all tomorrow.” Haldir looked at him, and offered a small smile as way of thank you for his reassuring words, and then turned again to watch Qira.

She was talking in an animated way with her uncle, sneaking in some mouthfuls of food in between sentences. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but he admired her passion. She looked so tired leaning over the table.

Ezra seemed to know what he was thinking, “No rest for her. It’s going to be a long tonight. I don’t know how she does it. I have told her many times that she needs to go easier on herself, or she will burn out. But she never listens. She’s far too stubborn.” He finished with a small chuckle. Haldir could see how much Ezra cared for the princess’s well-being. His obvious close friendship with her made him envious, but he also respected him more for it.

“Look Ezra, I wanted to apologise for how we got off on the wrong foot yesterday -“ The captain of the guard interrupted him before he could finish “No, no Haldir, I am the one who should be apologising. I was way out of line speaking to you the way that I did.” Haldir chuckled “It is fine honestly. I am sure if I were in your shoes, I would have acted the same way at someone pointing an arrow at her head !” Ezra put his hand on Haldir’s shoulder, and all between them was forgiven.

They finished their meals continuing friendly conversation. After they had finished, Haldir spent a couple of minutes checking his brothers were alright, before leaving the food hall to trudge home. Entering his Talan he didn’t even have the energy to take off his armour. So he just ended up collapsing in a heap onto of his bed, falling into a deep sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow…..

#haldir #haldir x reader #haldir x y/n #fanfiction #lotr #lord of the rings #tolkien #elves #fantasy #lothlorien #caras galadhon #fotr #the hobbit #elvish #sindarin #fantasy story #ao3 #the one ring

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sociallyawkwardinfj · 2 years

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Daring Greatly - Chapter 3 : A Feast beneath the Stars

A Haldir x Female character fiction

Summary: Haldir, a simple marchwarden of Lothlorien gets swept up into the quest and eventual battle of the one ring.

Previous chapter available to read here

Chapter 3 : A Feast beneath the Stars

No matter how many cities, villages and realms the princess had travelled to, it was normal for the princess to feel nervous during her initial arrival. Not that she would ever show it, of course. In fact to the outside world, she always appeared in control, confident and regal. Her mother always raised her that royals were never to show anxiety in front of their subjects. She was always to remain poised and unflustered. But in reality, entering a new realm was pretty damn nerve-racking. Thousands of eyes upon you, watching every move you make, and listening to every word you say ; that kind of judgment, even if it is a harmless judgment, is a lot of pressure to take on her young shoulders. However this time had been different, all because of a certain Marchwarden that had greeted her at the border. There was something about the presence of the blue-eyed Haldir that was calming. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was, but having him by her side made her feel empowered. His aura was steady, peaceful and comforting. So this time, she actually enjoyed being guided through the streets of Caras Galadhon. With him by her side, she was able to take in the stunning beauty of this legendary elven realm without any cause for anxiety. Hundreds of elves lined the streets to warmly greet her. And rather than going through the crowds with her usual haste, she took the time to engage with the elves, especially some of the young elflings that brought her flowers.

Haldir patiently guided her up and up through the trees, all of them so meticulously carved into incredible architecture like nowhere else she had seen. He was trying to remain as professional as possible, but inside he was bursting with pride that he had the honour of escorting the princess through the great city. He saw some of the other wardens looking at him from the crowds, all envious that he was front and centre of the parade… something that never usually happens to him due to his naturally introverted demeanour.

“Qira!” Towards the top of the infrastructure, the General Mathias came over and immediately greeted the princess with a hug. “My dear uncle, it is good to see you!” The general Matthias (brother to the Lord Elrond), and the princess are incredibly close. He is her most trusted advisor. As soon as she became of age to lead the elven armies, Matthias took the princess under his wing, and trained her to be the great warrior she had become. In some ways she felt closer to him than her own father, due to her being more away more often than at home. As usual, he and a trusted group of elves and soldiers had been sent ahead of her arrival, in order to prepare the city for the lengthy training session coming their way. “Come my dear niece, let me introduce you to the lord and lady of the forest.” As her uncle led her away, Qira looked back at Haldir and gave a small bow of her head to show her gratitude for his warm welcome. Haldir then graciously stepped aside towards the edge of the platform, while the princess was greeted by Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel. He tried not to allow himself to feel too disappointed that the moment had ended. “After all” Haldir said to himself “this will be a treasured memory for many centuries to come.”

The late afternoon sun was beginning to fall lower in the sky as the great Lady of light addressed the crowd : “We wish to warmly welcome her highness the princess Qira of Rivendell. Her mission of creating a united Elven military force is also our own. So any and all diligence and cooperation is to be shown towards her and her elven warriors. May peace and unity remain for all eternity between our two great realms!” All in attendance bowed simultaneously in response to the great lady’s speech. Then facing towards Qira, Galadriel said “a great feast is to be held in your honour this eve. May you take some time to refresh yourself after your arduous journey”, she then gestured for Haldir (much to his surprise) to step forward. “Our Marchwarden Haldir will now escort you to your private quarters to rest for a while.” Galadriel gave Haldir a knowing look. It made him realise that her plan all along had been for Haldir to be the one to greet the princess. That thought both calmed and troubled him, bringing back previous anxieties of what the future may hold. Yet also allowed him to dare to hope in the one who was making his soul sing.

The blond-haired Ellon offered the princess his arm, and led her away from the crowds, and towards a large talan high up in one of the biggest and oldest trees in the whole of the Great Forest. He stopped outside the door, cleared his throat, and gave Qira a bow “rest well rìanya (my princess), I hope you enjoy the festivities prepared for you this evening.” The princess bit her lip in an attempt to hide a smile. She found his determination to remain stoic and galant to be utterly adorable, especially because she could sense how fast his heart was beating. “Thank you again Haldir for your warm welcome, it has been much appreciated”. At that he held a hand to his heart, and left her to settle into her new home for the next few months.

As Qira walked through the door, she was greeted by Katarìna, her black-haired cousin as well as Riona her friend and lady-in-waiting, who had also both been sent ahead of her arrival. “I have prepared you a bath Mellon (my friend), and some snacks. No doubt you are starving after your long day.” Qira let out a huge sigh of relief. After hugging both her cousin and close friend, she stepped into the deliciously hot bath. She could feel the tension leave her shoulders as she slipped below the water. Qira smiled to herself as she felt her body relax for the first time in weeks. Haldir. There is definitely something about him that fascinates her. When she first locked eyes with him in the forest, she had this overwhelming feeling deep in her bones. Some kind of certainty that somehow, this handsome Ellon was going to play a huge role in her life. But what exactly that role will be, is yet to be seen….

Her hand automatically stroked the crystal around her neck for comfort, something she often did while thinking. The crystal was a family heirloom, bestowed upon her great-great-great grandmother by the Valar themselves. Since then it has been passed through the family from daughter to daughter, until her own mother gifted it to her before her departure to the Undying Lands. The crystal, which was around 5cm in length, and shaped like a diamond, emits light, energy and almost a life of its own. It grants the wearer enhanced abilities, senses and instinct. It also enables her the power to heal wounds, and speak telepathically to others. There are other uses for the crystal, such as telekinesis, that Qira has not yet been shown how to do, as her mother had to depart suddenly before being able to fully train her daughter in the ways of the crystal. Given the amount of power in such a small item, a strong spell was placed upon the crystal, that only Qira herself is able to remove the jewel from her neck. Otherwise it could become a mighty weapon if it ever falls into the wrong hands…

Haldir slowly walked back towards his home, regularly stopping to take in deep breaths of the fresh forest air. It had felt like he had been holding his breath for most of the afternoon. And he couldn’t take his mind off her. As he passed through the city, the world could see him smiling to himself, lost in thought. As he reached the outside of his home, he could hear the sound of laughter from within. He sighed to himself. Clearly his two younger brothers - Rumil and Orophin - were waiting inside to hear all the news of his exciting day. He couldn’t blame them for their curiosity, but he had hoped for some alone time before the festival, to gather his thoughts and to make sense of his feelings for the beautiful red-haired princess.

As he walked through the door, he saw his youngest brother, Rumil busy cooking in his kitchen. The middle-sibling, Orophin was sat with his feet up by the fire. Both had clearly made themselves at home while waiting for his return. “You know, I am pretty certain both of you have your own kitchens in your homes. Why are you messing up mine?” Haldir’s comment earned laughter from his two brothers, both clearly amused at their eldest brother’s grumpy mood. “Because brother dear, yours is the biggest and therefore has the biggest kitchen.” Replied Rumil while he was cutting up some bread and cheese. “Also your wine is of better quality!” Chimed in Orophin while holding up his glass in a mock toast to Haldir. “Yes and it is also more expensive” muttered Haldir as he took off his cloak. Talking to Rumil, he said wearily “make sure you clean up after yourself. Last time you cooked here, it took me 3 hours to get the stains out of the woodwork!” “Yes brother, dear” replied the youngest with a mocking military salute. Despite his exaggerated grumpiness, he could never be mad at his brothers. The three of them had always been close, despite their large age-gaps, and even more so once their parents had sailed west ; leaving Haldir as the responsible one out of the three. “Well come on brother, don’t leave us in suspense, what is she like?” Urged Rumil as he arranged the bread and cheese on the table. Haldir looked longingly at the food. He realised he hadn’t eaten anything all day, and was famished. “Yeah come on Hal, don’t spare us any juicy details.” Orophin’s exaggeration on the last bit of the sentence earned a giggle from the youngest. Clearly Orophin who had been part of his team at the border, had already given a report to their youngest brother. “What was she laughing at while you spoke to her, brother?” Questioned Orophin. As quick as a flash, Rumil responded “because she took one look at that hideous balrog face of his!” This earned another eruption of laughter from the pair. Haldir threw a bit of bread at Rumil’s head. Despite the youngest’s quick reflexes, Haldir hit bullseye, right in the centre of his face. That made him feel better…. Why was it that he always felt like he was the butt of their inside jokes? Well, not this time, he was going to make them wait. So he spent some time slowly and purposely spreading some cheese on bread, and then carefully poured himself some wine. Then he started to meticulously eat the bread in front of them, all while maintaining a smug look on his face. His brothers immediately knew what he was doing, pay-back for messing up his impossibly tidy home. “Oh come on brother! We are dying here, we have been waiting for hours!” Rumil implored. OK he had teased them enough. Besides he realised he was actually bursting with excitement to talk about her, and couldn’t wait any longer to get it out. As he described to his brothers his meeting with the princess, the two younger siblings gave their full attention, not wanting to miss a single detail. Haldir was careful however to not give them any hint of his feelings towards her - the last thing he needed was for them to misbehave and show him up during the upcoming training sessions.

“Ezra seems real uptight” commented Orophin of the dark-haired elf that had been angered at their border inspection. Haldir hummed in agreement, “although, he is the captain of her personal guard. It is his responsibility to keep the princess safe. I guess I wouldn’t have been amused if someone had drawn a weapon at her if I were him” he reasoned. He had only known the princess a few hours, but he realised he would also be willing to lay down his life to protect her, so looking back he understood and respected the furious response from the captain. Lost in this thought, he only caught the end of what Orophin said next “…. Full battle armour and we are to leave all our weapons at home.” Snapped back to reality, he asked his brother what he meant. “For tomorrows first session. The princess gave orders that we are to present at the training arena in full battle armour, but without bringing our weapons. It’s a very strange request.” Indeed that was puzzling. Training sessions usually involved wearing their grey warden uniform and cloak, and they always brought their weapons with them. How can they train without them? he wondered. “I really hope this doesn’t mean we are going to be doing marching and parade drills.” Rumil’s remark made all three brothers groan. Marching drills were tedious and boring. “Whatever her plan is, I don’t think it’s going to be very fun” Orophon continued : “the Rivendell soldiers have been making peculiar comments in the food hall today about how we need to eat as much as we can now before tomorrow. They have all been joking about how gruelling the first day is, and we should all enjoy life now before we feel like death tomorrow. It’s like they are all in cahoots. They know something we don’t. It’s making me nervous. ”. “I guess we just have to trust in whatever the princess has planned for us tomorrow” decided Haldir. At that he stood up, and in one swift motion he grabbed the two brothers and shoved them both towards the front door, “right, off you go! I need to get myself ready for the feast tonight. Bye!” He shut the door behind them before they had chance to realise he was kicking them out. He leaned against the closed door with a sigh. He could hear Rumil complaining to Orophin behind the door that it wasn’t fair that he wasn’t invited tonight. “Sorry baby brother, Officers only this evening. So that doesn’t include you. Maybe you will get your chance in another thousand years or so.” The middle sibling continued teasing the young warden-in-training, as they both walked away towards the night.

It had taken ages for Haldir to decide on what to wear this evening. Not that he had many clothes by any means. But that was exactly the issue. Nothing he owned seemed to fit the occasion. He didn’t realise until now just how boring his wardrobe was. It was mostly various versions of his grey warden uniform. To be honest he hadn’t really needed much else until now, as his life revolved around his work and keeping the realm safe. Any time he had off, he was usually too tired to do much more than lounge around his talon. In the end he settled on a green embroidered tunic, and he would just have to hope he was not too underdressed. He gave himself one last check in the mirror, and then started making his way to the banquet. Everyone seemed to stare at him on the way, some whispering, and others would come over to him to ask about the princess. After all he was the first elf in Lorien to properly talk to her one-on-one. “This must be what is like for the princess all the time” He thought to himself.“ “The pressure must be unbearable”.

Eventually he made it to the feast. It was more of a clearing than a room, as there were 4 stone walls like a courtyard with carved wooden doors, but no ceiling - showing off the distant light of the stars above the tree branches. As usual the Lady of Light had created a beautiful atmosphere. Thousands of candles were lit throughout creating a romantic and calming glow. The sound of the nearby stream harmonised with the orchestra of elves playing harps, and flutes. Even the stars seemed brighter than usual, almost as if they had polished themselves in preparation of Qira’s arrival. The nerves and anticipation of seeing her again kicked in, and he felt a little dizzy. But once again he was quickly surrounded with elves interrogating him about his time with the princess. Just as he felt he was going to need to go outside for some air, the trumpets began to sound announcing Princess Qira’s arrival.

The guards opened both doors and in she came. Everyone automatically issued a respectful bow as she walked through the room. As Haldir bent back up, he was able to take in her beauty. She had chosen (eventually) to wear a yellow velvet gown with a low back. It was almost a golden colour, matching the golden autumn coloured trees surrounding the city. Her red hair was loose and cascading down her back, and upon her head was a gold elven crown with an emerald diamond at the front. Her crystal was on full display hanging from her delicate neck, which being an item from legends, caused a stir among the guests.

Qira had felt equally nervous at the prospect of seeing Haldir again, and she had automatically searched for him through the crowds. Seeing him gave her a feeling of calm at a familiar, smiling (and she thought very handsome) face. The Lady Galadriel took her by the arm and started introducing her to some of the wealthier guests in the room. Hours passed, and he had been unable to speak to her due to the fact that she was constantly surrounded by people wanting to make her acquaintance. He envied her apparent ease and confidence as she walked around, introducing herself to the other courtiers and military officers. Haldir had never enjoyed these social occasions. He usually felt uncomfortable making polite conversation and keeping up with the appearances that are necessary to be a courtier. But as second in command of the Lothlorien army, he was nearly always invited.

Eventually he saw his commander Eli approach the princess. He wanted to hear their conversation, so he joined a group of elves closer to the princess and pretended to be absorbed in their discussion. But with his sharp elven hearing, he was actually tuning in to hear what his commander had to say. “…I wanted to personally apologise my lady, that I was unable to greet you at the border as is the custom, or to attend your arrival to the city earlier on today.” Eli spoke to the princess in a rather pompous manner - “but unfortunately I was having to attend to an urgent matter on the eastern border.” Haldir subconsciously rolled his eyes at the obvious lie. Qira noticed this, and discretely raised an eyebrow and gave a mischievous look to Haldir. Both tried to keep their composure at the secret joke shared between them both. The princess replied to the older commander “That is quite alright commander, I completely understand. Besides I was very warmly welcomed by your marchwarden, so all went very smoothly. I look forward to working with you more closely in the coming weeks, we have much to discuss about…” Eli interrupted her “Yes about that. I honestly do not see the need for you to interfere with the daily routines of our wardens. They are perfectly trained, and therefore I feel that you would be wasting your time. I am sure it best for you to move onto the next kingdom on your list. I hear Mirkwood needs extra training.” He said the last bit with a condescending tight-lipped smirk on his face. It was not appreciated by Qira. She couldn’t wait for what she had planned tomorrow for the Lothlorian’s. She was determined to wipe that smug look off his face. “I appreciate your honesty, commander Eli” she lied “but that decision is not yours to make. It remains in the hands of myself and the Lord and Lady of the realm. So unless I am personally asked to leave by them, I will be staying and will continue to train your wardens as planned. I advise that you rest well commander, you will be needing all your strength for tomorrow.” At that she decided to take a breath of fresh air and stepped out of the courtyard. “Good, you tell him who is boss rìanya.” Haldir thought to himself. He noticed that her uncle had followed her outside for a word. Haldir decided to go get himself another glass of wine. Coincidentally the bar was next to the door she had exited from…

He heard her huff to her uncle “damn that arrogant orc, he dare speak to me like that!”. “Stay calm niece, he will see the benefit of our training after tomorrow. They always do.” Her uncle replied softly. Qira laughed and said “I bet you five cases of Mirkwood wine that the commander is the first to break!”. What a curious thing to say, thought Haldir. Her uncle accepted the bet “And I counter that the first to break will be one of the young wardens in training.” The stakes were agreed. And they both came back into the room, Qira looking significantly happier.

Haldir decided it best to leave and get an early night. He wandered over to Orophin who was joking with another warden on the other side of the room. He explained briefly what he had overheard, and they both agreed they should get some rest for whatever the princess had planned for them tomorrow. It sounded like their training time in the arena was going to be hell….

NEXT CHAPTER AVAILABLE HERE

#lotr #haldir #elves #haldir x reader #haldir x y/n #fanfiction #ao3 #the hobbit #galadriel #lord of the rings #tolkien #middle earth #fantasy story #elvish #lothlorien #caras galadhon #fotr #one ring

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sociallyawkwardinfj · 2 years

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Daring Greatly - Chapter 2 : An Introduction

A Haldir x Female character fiction

Summary: Haldir, a simple marchwarden of Lothlorien gets swept up into the quest and eventual battle of the one ring.

Note: I am new to the Tolkien fanbase, so my knowledge of actual lore and Sindarin is basic, this is also my first ever piece of writing being sent out into the world... so go easy on me. I have changed the story of the Hobbit and of the LOTR to fit an arc that gives Haldir more time to shine. Its going to be a long slow-burn, so buckle in your seatbelts! Warning for eventual battle scenes, and gore as the chapters progress.

Previous chapter available here

Chapter 2 : An Introduction

It was a truly beautiful day in the old forest. The warm sunshine creeping down through the branches of the great trees, made the forest glow even more golden than normal. All around were the sweet sounds of a forest full of life, songs of birds, streams of rivers flowing, and even the trees themselves were taking in deep breaths appreciating the peace surrounding them. Haldir and his fellow wardens were patrolling the Northern Border of Lothlorien, keeping eyes and ears open for the long awaited guests of the Lord and Lady of the Old Forest. Perched up in the trees, the woodland elves remained virtually invisible to anyone not of their kind. There they waited with bated breath.

Many years, in fact, many millennia’s had passed since Haldir’s vision from the mirror of Galadriel. He had grown from a young elfling into a well-respected and courageous Marchwarden of Lothlorien. He had spent countless hours honing his skills so that no other warden could match his fighting abilities in Caras Galadhon. He was known far and wide as an Ellon devoted to the protection of his people. His skill with a bow and arrow had become legendary, and with a kind heart and a handsome face, he had also become an eligible bachelor. Many of the she-elves around Lothlorien admired him, and tried to get close to him. But he always remained cautious and even somewhat reclusive. His goal was to be prepared for what the future would bring, and that meant not getting distracted with the courting rituals so prelevant among his peers. His two younger brothers - Rumil and Orophin - often teased him about this, not quite understanding why he wasn’t taking advantage of the fact that he could be with any single elf he wanted. He had become friendly with a few Elleth over the centuries, and there was even one - a pretty, kind-hearted and dark haired elf called Sarai - that he felt that he could have loved if he tried. But there was never any trace of the fire that he craved. He knew deep down that going down that road was the simple life that Galadriel had told him about. So he made the choice to wait for his one, knowing that great courage will be needed to go down that dangerous path.

Haldir steadied himself while the other wardens were not watching him. Tension and anticipation was in the air. The elves of Lothlorien had been waiting many years for her arrival. Daughter of Elrond, princess of Rivendell, and Leader of the elven armies, the city of Caras Galadhon had not had such a high-ranking elf visit their realm for many centuries. In a bid to attain true unity between all the armies of the elven realms, the princess Qira had spent the last few years travelling between each kingdom with the military force of Rivendell. She would inspect each platoon and was personally training every elven warrior in the art of combat. The goal was simple : to ensure that all fighting elves were trained together, and that even as widespread throughout middle earth as they were, that when the time came they would be able to fight together as one. This had not been an easy task. Each elven realm had their own distinct way of fighting. And many of the higher ranking officials had not warmed to the idea of a younger woman teaching them new styles of fighting, when their own ways had worked for them for millennia.

A few weeks earlier, the princess had sent several platoons ahead of her arrival to Lothlorien. And along with her trusted general Matthias, they had begun preparing the wardens of Lorien and demonstrating the new group forms for them to practise. Many of the Lothlorien elves would ask their guests about the princess : “What is she like? Is she as beautiful and fierce as the stories told of her?” Nothing but praise for her came from her trusted platoon. The answers usually the same : “She has the wisdom and kindness of her father Elrond, and the courage and beauty of her mother. She is truly destined to one day become a great queen.”

Haldir had enjoyed meeting new soldiers in the training arena, and some he had already met during his various travels through middle earth. Their ideas had a fresh and innovative feel to them. It felt good to shake things up after so many years of doing the same drills. However their military Commander, an ancient elf named Eli, had been very vocal about his dislike of change, and apparent meddling into his military affairs. It was for that reason that Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel felt it more appropriate for Haldir, the second in command, to greet their honoured guests at the border. At least that is what Haldir thought the reason was, in fact the Lady Galadriel had an entirely different reason for the unexpected change in the guard….

And then in mid-thought he first heard the horses on their way through the forest. He signalled the other wardens to be ready. Even though he was certain it was her highness, he could never be too careful, and so ensured that his border patrol was ready to inspect the visitors. They could feel the thunder of hooves along the ground, and the peace of the forest left along with the disturbance. He rolled his eyes. Why could other beings not respect the tranquility of the forest like his woodland kin? As soon as the group of horseriders were in view, Haldir nodded to his companions, and suddenly in the blink of an eye the intruders were surrounded by elves with arrows. The group came to an immediate and abrupt holt, around 30 riders in all. “What is the meaning of this?!” A dark-haired male elf dismounted and strode over angrily to Haldir. “You dare threaten your princess and commanding leader with your weapons? ”. Haldir remained calm and pokerfaced, “forgive me, but we must always check any outsiders at the border, no matter their status.” “This is an outrage!” The dark haired elf spluttered into his face….

“That is quite enough, Ezra.” The princess commanded, as she too dismounted her stallion, “you have certainly made your point.” She then approached Haldir from the middle of the group. That’s when he first truly saw her. With unusual long curly red hair, emerald eyes, and a graceful presence, beautiful was certainly an understatement. He had never seen such a striking creature in all his days. His heart felt like it would pound out of his chest, and his entire soul seemed to buzz with excitement, as if his body had finally been awoken out of a deep slumber. Her eyes met his, as she approached him. “Tell me warden, what is your name?”. After a brief moment he cleared his throat and answered with a respectful bow “Haldir, marchwarden of Lorien at your service, rìanya (my princess). It is my great honour to accompany you from the border to our great city.” She seemed to find his show of etiquette rather amusing, and shared a smile with him. “Well Haldir, you should be commended for your cautiousness”, and then turning to look at her soldiers she said “We can never be too careful, especially in these dark days to come, evil magic is ever on the increase. I hope you all show the same protectiveness when patrolling our borders as Haldir and his wardens.” The whole company of elves said in unison “Là rìanya!” (Yes my princess). At that she nodded in approval. Haldir was speechless at her compliment. But still felt uncomfortable taking this noisy patrol of soldiers through the tranquil forest. Qira glanced at Haldir and seemed to sense what he was thinking. She again turned to her platoon and then ordered everyone off their horses ; “we continue here on foot, please remain as discreet as possible. We do not want to disturb the great forest any more than we already have.” Haldir and Qira then looked into each others eyes for a moment, immediately recognising the understanding of the other. Haldir bowed his head at her in gratitude.

Haldir then gestured them forward further into the great forest. His wardens kept a distance and monitored the perimeter around the party of elves. Qira’s troops remained further back, guiding the horses and the supplies over the tricky terrain. That left Haldir and Qira to walk quietly side by side along the forest floor. Qira looked around and seemed enamoured by the beauty surrounding her, taking in the scenery for the first time. He kept sneaking glances at her, in awe of his luck to be so close to her. The silence between them was calming, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to just be side by side in each others company. After a while, she broke the silence by asking him how the initial practise sessions had been going. During his report, he amused her with a funny story of how a young warden in training had fallen off his horse into the river. His vivid stories made her laugh. He immediately recognised the sound of her laughter from his vision of the mirror of Galadriel. He realised at that moment that he would do his best to make her laugh for all eternity, if only to hear that joyous sound but one more time.

Eventually she asked why it was that Haldir had been chosen as the one to meet her at the border, after all, it was customary for a higher ranking elf to do so. “It was a decision made by the Lady Galadriel your highness.” Qira smiled to herself. “Well that tells me much about the great lady herself, and her high regard for you. I must admit I am both excited and nervous at the prospect of meeting her for the first time. How has your Commander, Eli, reacted to our changes to his combat tactics?”. Haldir wasn’t quite sure how to respond in a way that didn’t put his superior officer in a bad light. Qira immediately read his body language, and laughed. “I assure you Marchwarden, I am very used to being disliked by the higher ranking officers! Their resistance to change has been the greatest struggle of our campaign. But now that I know, I will do my best to win him over. He will see the benefit of our involvement soon enough I am sure…. But I am glad to know that I have at least one ally during my stay.” She spoke with confidence and finished with a brief wink at Haldir. She continued : “Besides I want it known, that while we are indeed here to train and teach your wardens to fight side by side with us, we are also here to learn from you as well.” Haldir looked surprised at that. “No need to look so surprised Marchwarden. The elves of Lothlorien have much to teach us. Your skills with a bow and arrow are notorious throughout Middle Earth, as well as your ways of travelling through a forest environment while remaining almost invisible. I was very impressed with how you were able to sneak up on us back there at the border. During our travels, we have benefitted from an inter exchange of skills that will strengthen us all. I am also interested to learn more about your people, and customs.” “You are?” Haldir was blown away by the humility of this Elven princess. “Of course! I am destined one day to become Queen. And how can I expect to rule over a people when I do not understand their ways, customs and needs?”. Haldir responded “You have much wisdom rìanya, much like your father Elrond. I have no doubt you will accomplish whatever you set your mind to. I remain always at your disposal if you should ever need it”. This earned another beautiful smile from the princess.

They had now reached a steep incline, and Haldir reached backwards and offered his hand to Qira to help her over the hill. She did not need his assistance, but found his chivalry quite charming, and thus gladly took his hand. The instant their hands touched, an electric shock seemed to move through his whole body, alarming him and almost taking his breath away. The princess looked equally alarmed, but then quickly composed herself. At the top of the hill, there was a view over Caras Galadhon. The sight was spectacular. And even after so many millenniums, Haldir could never quite get over the ethereal quality of seeing the city from so high. “Caras Galadhon” he said proudly, “The heart of Elvendom on Earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn, and of Galadriel, Lady of light.” His smooth and enchanting voice sent a shiver down Qira’s spine. She looked over at him, and with a glint in her eyes she said, “well then, what are we waiting for?”….

Next chapter available to read here

#lotr #haldir #haldir x reader #fanfiction #lord of the rings #the hobbit #galadriel #caras galadhon #lothlorien #fotr #tolkien #elves #fantasy #elvish

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sociallyawkwardinfj · 2 years

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Daring Greatly - Chapter 1 : The Mirror of Galadriel

A Haldir x Female character fiction

Summary: Haldir, a simple marchwarden of Lothlorien gets swept up into the quest and eventual battle of the one ring.

Note: I am new to the Tolkien fanbase, so my knowledge of actual lore is basic, this is also my first ever piece of writing being sent out into the world... so go easy on me. I have changed the story of the Hobbit and of the LOTR to fit an arc that gives Haldir more time to shine. Its going to be a long slow-burn, so buckle in your seatbelts! Warning for eventual battle scenes, and gore as the chapters progress.

Chapter 1 : The Mirror of Galadriel

The great gifts bestowed upon the Lady Galadriel by the Valar were well known throughout middle earth. Beautiful, wise, fair and kind, she possessed a gift of foresight. To unravel the past, see the hidden things in the present, and even foretell things into the future that are still to pass. Many elves possess foresight, but her gift surpassed any that had come before her. Her great age and wisdom enabled her to even see various possibilities, and different routes that an individual may take in life.

Due to this gift, it had become tradition in Lothlorien for elves to come before the Lady Galadriel when they were of age. During their private audiences with her, each elf would take turn to pass before the Mirror of Galadriel. There, the great Lady would show them the possibilities of their future, and would help them to determine just what sort of person that they would become.

The time had come for a certain elf named Haldir to pass before the mirror. The eldest of three siblings, and a young warden in the making, he was anxious to know what the future held for him. In his heart he had often dreamt of protecting his people, and he possessed a great ambition to become more than just a lowly silvan elf of Lorien.

Love was often a fantasy held by elves, the desire to meet their one, and have a connection so strong that it would last all the ages to come. As stoic as they may seem to the outside world, elves in fact feel emotions more strongly than any other being, and love being the strongest emotion of all was something greatly desired and also feared by them. It had the power to bear all things, to believe all things, to hope in all things, and to endure until the end of time. However it also had the power to destroy an elf ; if given to the wrong person it could ensure a slow fading by means of a broken heart. This was the fate most feared by the elves, more so than a painful death upon a battle field. Physical pain could be endured, even healed, but a broken soul meant that eternal life was not worth living. Haldir was no exception to this desire and fear that came with the idea of Love.

Many of his close friends and young relatives had already had their turn in front of the mirror. Some would leave the session full of hope and excitement for the future, others would return to their talans with white faces full of fear and doubt. His anxiety had been steadily building over the last couple of weeks, and had come to a crescendo that morning. His heart pounding in his ears, he awoke with a feeling of dread…. What did the future hold for him and his loved ones?

He approached the Lady Galadriel, and she must have sensed the anxiety he was trying so hard to push down, for she said to him with a soft smile “Have no fear, Haldir o Lorien, or else such fears will appear in the mirror instead of the hope we wish to see” She bowed her head, and immediately a strange calm washed over him that he could not explain.

The lady of light had much fondness for this young Ellon, she held within her a feeling of hope. A hope that the courage she sensed within him could be a source of light in the dark days soon to come upon the land. “Come, closer young one” she said. He pulled back his shoulders, took a deep breath, and approached the mirror. The lady Galadriel then poured water into the basin and commanded the mirror “Through the power of the Valar, we ask to see the things that were, the things that are, and the things that are still to pass”. At first the only thing visible was his reflection, and then little by little, images appeared before him : Memories of his childhood and his parents, images of places through middle earth that he did not yet know : one surrounded by streams and waterfalls (Imladris he supposed), then lush green fields full of hobbits, and he began to relax at these peaceful images. But then came the fire, slowly at first, and then raging until all the images he had seen had been consumed to ash. A volcano spewing lava overflowing a dark landscape, fiercesome beasts ran at him and suddenly he was transported onto a battlefield, one littered with countless bodies of his kin, all slain and bloodied. “No, no, no” he screamed in his mind, “this cannot be the future, surely there is some good left in this world? Even in the darkest of places, there is always hope, surely there is still some hope!” He shook his head so hard it was rattling his teeth, and just as he was about to become faint out of fear, he saw her. He heard laughter of someone he did not know - a she-elf with the most beautiful red hair. He could not see her face, but he could feel her strength, kindness and grace. The images then cut to swords clashing, arrows flying among the familiar terrain of the old forest - a training session he had not yet known. She then took his hand in the vision and he felt peace. He heard her say to him over her shoulder as she sauntered away “We can do this, Nin mel (my love).” The vision came to an end, and he realised he was out of breath. He sat down shakily on the ground, winded and trying to make sense of all that he had seen.

The whole time Galadriel had been studying Haldir with narrow eyes. He looked up to her at last, and their eyes met, his full of confusion, and hers steady and knowing. “What does it mean, my lady? Am I doomed to die among my kin?”. She smiled at him “that I do not know young one. But I know for certain that a choice is soon to be upon you.” At that he stood up, and did his best to stand as straight as possible, eager to understand what he saw. She allowed a moment for him to steady himself, and then she continued “There are two paths before you : one is the wide and easy path. A simple life within the confines of Lothlorien, with a simple love, and with it a simple purpose : that of protecting our borders and our people within. The second path is narrow and treacherous. With it comes much danger, but also much reward. I foresee great things for you young Haldir, should you have the courage to dare greatly and overcome your fears. The possibility of becoming one of the most important heroes in the future battle against evil, with it there will be position, wealth, and a great love. It will not be easy, there will be time when that love seems impossible, unreachable for you to attain, but with perseverance, it may perhaps become one of the greatest love stories middle earth has ever known, for that love will be what prevails when all other light is snuffed out.” Suddenly his body relaxed for the first time in weeks…. Could such a future be possible for him? The lady turns to leave to allow him time to process his thoughts, but as she is walking away he calls to her “But my lady, how will I know she is my one? The one that I must fight for?”. She laughs a little. “You will know immediately when you first meet her, your faer (soul) will cry out to join her. And so will hers.”

Walking back to his family Talan, his mind was whirling with thoughts, images and a determination to become who he was meant to be…. “The future is coming” he said to himself, “I must be ready to meet it when it comes”.

Next chapter is available to read here

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