Alexa rode Spitfire hard for most of the day. As night fell, they finally stopped to make camp. She figured she had ridden far enough to avoid seeing that hooded stranger again. ~Why was he staring at me so intensely?~ she thought angrily. ~Why did he follow me back into the town, when he had obviously been leaving?~ She sighed. ~It does not matter, for he is probably long gone by now.~ Alexa leaned back against a log near the fire, and finally allowed herself to relax. Her rest, however, was short lived, for a dark shape suddenly appeared at the edge of the fire. Alexa stood quickly, grabbed her sword, and pointed it at the figure.
“Who are you, and why have you entered my camp?” she asked, a warning in her voice.
The figure approached, revealing the face of the hooded stranger from town. Her eyes widened in surprise. ~How was this man able to find me and approach my camp without me hearing him?~
“I apologize for alarming you, my lady,” the stranger said. “The night is cold. Might I warm myself by your fire?”
Eyes narrowing, she studied him. “Very well,” she said, slowly lowering her sword, “but do so quickly, for I relish my solitude.”
Haldir sat on a log near the fire, and studied the woman. He watched as she sat down slowly on the log opposite him, hand still gripping the hilt of her sword. She sat rigidly, her suspicion evident.
“Kindly remove your hood, for I wish to look upon the face of my companion,” the woman said.
Haldir, thinking it best to honor her request, reached up and removed his hood.
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, and she stood up and again pointed her sword at him. “Warm yourself quickly, Elf, and leave,” she said coldly.
Perplexed, Haldir tried to reassure her. “I mean you no harm, my lady.” The acid-like expression reflecting in her eyes made his blood run cold.
“I know your kind, and I have no trust in them… or in you!” she said vehemently.
“Then you must not trust yourself, my lady, seeing that you are an Elf as well.”
“Unfortunately, one cannot choose what they are born as,” she said cynically. “Now, leave!”
Reluctantly, Haldir rose to leave, for he did not wish to further upset her. “As you wish, my lady. Man du hiril.” He looked at her and saw that she showed no understanding of what he had said in Elvish. He left the fire and went off into the woods.
Alexa glared after him for a long while, sword still pointing at where he had stood. At last, she lowered her sword and sat down heavily. She shook her head angrily. She had spent her entire life avoiding Elves, and now, one had just stood a few feet away from her! ~How dare he enter my camp!~ she thought angrily. She stared into the fire, and like a bad dream, memories of her youth flooded her mind.
* * *
Alexa scrubbed the floor of the great hall as quickly as possible, knowing that it would
still not be good enough. She jumped as she heard heavy footsteps approaching. She could feel fear’s icy talons grasp her heart, as a dark presence appeared behind her. She turned and glanced timidly at Dargon, her master. He was a tall, muscular man with long black hair and an even blacker soul. The long, jagged scar along the left side of his face made him even more frightening. He glared at her, his dark eyes reflecting the evil within him.
“What is taking you so long, you stupid Elf?” he asked coldly. He drew his whip. “I am going to teach you how to do things properly from now on.” Raising his whip into the air, he brought it down with unfailing accuracy.
* * *
Starting, Alexa looked around the camp, and realized that she was alone. She began to shake from the darkness of the memory that had chosen to plague her. Standing, she grabbed her sword and threw it into a nearby tree in rage. Walking over, she pulled her sword free, but before she could resheathe it, she felt a nudge at her back. Turning sharply to deliver a blow, she froze when she saw Spitfire standing in front of her. Trembling, she dropped her sword, and put her hand against her face. Leaning against Spitfire, she tried to breathe.
* * *
Haldir walked a fair distance from the elleth’s camp and prepared a fire. Sitting down, he attempted to understand her anger, but was unable to fathom a reason for it. ~Why does she hate her own kind so intensely? What happened to her to make her so bitter towards Elves?~ He sighed. He did not understand why he felt drawn to this woman, or why he had such a strong desire to speak with her. ~Perhaps Lady Galadriel will know.~ He stared up at the sky. He would attempt to speak to her, one last time, when morning came.
* * *
As the sun rose, Haldir proceeded to make his way back to the elleth’s camp, hoping she would be more willing to speak with him. When he arrived, he saw that her horse was packed, but she was no where to be found. He approached the horse, who, in turn, began walking to him. Haldir studied the animal with fascination. The horse was a large and powerful animal, with an intelligent, fiery spirit glittering in his eyes. Haldir could see that this horse could not be mastered; rather, he would only remain with someone he loved. Haldir stroked the animal’s black, velvet neck.
“Hello, magnificent one. Where has your master gone to?”
Suddenly, a strong arm grabbed him quickly from behind, and he felt the sharp edge of a blade against his throat.
“Why will you not leave me alone, Elf? Did I not make myself clear to you?”
“My lady, I mean you no harm. I am Haldir of Lothlorien, and I only wish to speak with you.”
“I told you last night. I want nothing to do with you, Elf, or your kind!”
“Will you not at least hear what I have to say?”
“No, Elf! I trust you not!”
“I do not understand. Why do you hate your own kind so intensely?”
“That is not your business, Elf!”
“I only wish to speak with you, my lady,” he said gently.
“Well, I do not wish to speak with you! Now, leave, Elf, or I will kill you!”
She removed the dagger from his throat and pushed him hard away. Haldir turned and looked at her. “My lady,” he implored. He drew back as she unsheathed her sword and swung once at him in warning.
“Leave, now! I will not ask again,” she said, enraged.
Haldir looked at her and could see the fierce hatred burning in her eyes. He knew he must leave.
“Very well, my lady. As you wish.” He turned and began to walk away. Stopping, he turned back. “Perhaps, someday you will have a desire to learn more about your people. Come to Lothlorien if you do.”
“I will never willingly enter an Elven land,” she replied coldly.
Alexa watched him as he walked away. “Do not return again,” she yelled after him. He paused for a moment, and then continued walking off into the woods. Sheathing her sword, she walked over to Spitfire and quickly mounted. Grabbing the reins, she rode hard East, intent on never seeing that Elf again.
* * *
Haldir walked away from the elleth’s camp and back to his own. ~I do not understand her hatred of Elves. It is as if some dark force has hold of her and has poisoned her against her people.~ He sighed. ~Fare thee well, Lady. I hope you may find peace.~ Mounting his horse, he began riding home to Lorien. ~Perhaps Lady Galadriel will be able to tell me more.~
