Written by
Zhie.
Rated PG13. Work in Progress;
The main characters are Haldir and Erestor.
It was late afternoon, some number of days later – Haldir had lost count of
the days now – that he awoke to find someone other than his usual companion in
the garden. “You’re not Erestor,” he said sleepily.
The elf shook his head. “That I am not. I was informed by he who
you named that you would benefit from a visitor.”
“Nnnmmhh.” Haldir rolled over so that his back faced the elf.
“That’s fine, we don’t have to talk,” said his visitor. A few
moments later, he held out his arm, and a large falcon swooped down into the
garden and perched gently onto the waiting gloved hand. “We can just sit
and brood together.”
Sighing, Haldir turned back again. “Are you saying I should not be
sad?”
Palentil shook his head as he took a treat from his pouch. “I miss him,
too. You are not the only one who mourns for him, but I don’t think he
would have liked to have seen you mope about because of his death.”
“You don’t look very sad,” accused Haldir.
“Well,” said Palentil, offering the falcon the bit of meat, “I have dealt
with my anger and sorrow – not just for him, I knew many of those who went
with you – in other ways. My early morning was spent having breakfast
with the lovely Lady Nenniach, during which I told her of the numerous acts of
valor so performed by Thandronen during his many long years. Do you recall
those wonderful little flutes he could make using mallorn leaves and tree sap?
How the elflings would flock ‘round him as the spring leaves came?”
Unable to stop himself, Haldir smiled and nodded. “I begged him for many
myself when I was but a boy.”
“I can tell you stories of Thandronen’s days centuries before you came into
these woods. He is not here to make his flutes and his kites, but those of
us who knew him can still remember him." Palentil fed his feathered
companion another treat. "Thandronen had a youthful spirit, I cannot
say I am surprised that he has been given a chance to be reborn. The
Commander, if I may be so bold as to say, did not have the happiest of
childhoods."
"If I had known of that earlier..." Haldir trailed off, and he reached
for one of the handkerchiefs Erestor had left for him.
“Wipe your tears, warden. Do not suffer, do not consider it a loss.
I think you shall meet him again in Valinor, he was a kind and noble elf who
deserves a second chance at life. You knew him well. Tell his
stories.”
“He was like a son to me.”
“Please, Haldir,” said Palentil. “He was your son. With the
way his own parents treated him, you should have been able to invoke some sort
of rule or right to claim him, because it was clear to me that they did not
care.”
Palentil’s bold talk surprised Haldir, for the falconer did not often express
such strong views, nor was he known to speak in such a manner about anyone.
“Erestor made inquiries as to why he was with the company and not his brother.
I must admit, if I had been in his position, I would likely have done as he
did.”
“That is because you raised him well,” Palentil said simply. He
stroked the falcon’s breast, the bird looking very tired. “I’m not
sure if I should really tell this to you, but I am leaving for the havens and
soon after that to the West, so if I do not tell you now, it may be some time
before I have another chance. Twice, the Lord wrote orders to have his
parents and brother banished from Lothlorien, and twice, he went to them and
pleaded his case for them to stay.”
“I did not know that ever happened,” said Haldir softly.
Nodding as he stood, Palentil said, “On the one hand, one could say he was the
reason his fate was as it was. On the other hand, one might say he knew
his fate and did not wish to run from it. No one can rightly say.
Nor does it change the fact that he no longer has to worry about those three
nasty elves that he thought were his family.”
“Why do you say that?” Haldir asked.
Palentil answered, “His family is staying here, or at least, staying in Middle
Earth. If you think they speak ill of other Elves, ask them their views of
the Valar sometime, you will get quite an earful. He would have hesitated
leaving while they stayed, no matter how great his desire would have been to see
the blessed realm." Palentil smiled at Haldir and said, "I must
return, I took his duties in the city after we discovered he had left, but I
enjoyed our talk.”
“I believe I may have enjoyed it more,” said Haldir. “Thank you,
Palentil.”
Notes