At first light, Haldir continued on. After several hours, he stopped by the stream to cool the horses and give Alexa some water. Leaning down, he helped her drink from the waterskin. He studied her. She was pale, and obviously in pain, but she was fighting to stay conscious. “Would you like me to tell you a story, Alexa?”
“Depends what it is.”
He began to tell her of the Elves and how they woke the Trees. She stopped him. “No. I do not want to hear about Elves.”
Haldir sighed in frustration. “Alexa, why do you hate us so much? We are your people.”
“I do not hate you, Haldir. But I do hate your race.”
A strange feeling ran through him when she said she did not hate him, but he was not going to let this go. “Why do you hate other Elves?”
“I do not want to talk about it, Haldir.”
“Please, Alexa. Please tell me.”
She began to get angry. ~I will tell him what he wants, but he is going to have to answer something for me first.~ “All right, Haldir. But tell me something first. What is so noble about Elves?”
The question threw him off guard. “We are an honorable people, my lady. We honor the land, and we care for our own.”
“You care for your own. What of your children?”
“We love and care for them,” he said, surprised by her question.
“What of those children who are unwanted?”
“Unwanted? There are no unwanted Elven children. We love and care for all of them, even the ones who are orphaned.”
“Ha! Like they cared for me?”
“What do you mean?” he asked, confused.
“My own father did not even want me. He sold me to a brutal slave trader. How is that for Elven caring?”
He could not keep the shock from his face. How could this be true? It was a moment before he could find his voice. “But….” he stammered.
“But nothing! That is all I am going to tell you. Do not ask me again.”
Haldir stared at her, dumbfounded. “As you wish, my lady. I will not ask you any more. Rest now. I will return in a few moments.”
Alexa watched him walk away. She frowned slightly. She had not wanted to hurt him, but perhaps now, he would not ask her anymore questions. A disturbing sense of foreboding weighed heavily upon her as she drifted off. She did not understand what made her feel this way, but she was certain of one thing: something was different.
* * *
Haldir walked a short distance from the camp. Sitting down, he held his hand in his hands. ~I cannot believe that an Elven father or any Elf would sell a child into slavery. I cannot blame her now for her distrust of Elves. I would feel the same if it had happened to me.~ He sighed. ~I wish I knew more, but in her condition, I cannot upset her anymore. I hate that she is so closed off to me though.~ He sat for a little while longer, and then walked back to camp. Alexa was resting. He gazed at her pale face. She had shown him a glimpse of her tortured soul, and now his desire to protect her was even stronger than before. He touched her hair. “I will protect you, little one,” he whispered. Taking the horses’ reins, he continued on.
* * *
At the end of the second day, Haldir stopped, and prepared to make camp. Kneeling down, he checked Alexa’s wounds. He closed his eyes when he saw her abdomen wound. It was worse, much worse. The infection was spreading, and had undoubtedly entered her blood by now. He touched her brow. The fever had returned and was higher than ever. He tried to awaken her, but she would not rouse. He knew she was out of time. Afraid for her, Haldir grabbed the horses’ reins and continued on. He was going to have to travel throughout the night, and that concerned him. Orcs were rampant, and although his night eyesight was good, they could still be attacked before he could avoid it. It would also be far more difficult to protect Alexa in the dark. They would have to travel with great haste and with great caution.
