An Unexpected Fanfiction: The Hobbit & LOTR One Shots

I Meant It

(A request by an anonymous reader. Thank you so much for reading my stories and requesting!)

Type: One shot

Pairing: Haldir x Female (Elf!) Reader

Warnings: Angst, bloodshed

Translations: Malloseryn = 'Lady of Golden Flowers'
Vín harthad caeda na Frodo = 'Our hope lies with Frodo'
Suilad, mellyn = 'Greetings, friends'
Mîr = 'treasure' (affectionate nickname)
Meleth = 'love' (affectionate nickname)

"The darkness is near upon us."

Malloseryn turned to face her old friend with a tired yet steady gaze. Many months had passed since she'd left her homeland of Lothlórien, called to Imladris for an urgent meeting. She'd understood the gravity of the situation as soon as she observed elf, dwarf, and man alike enter the valley kingdom in one convoy after the other; she did not know then, however, just how long and dire this quest would be. Even in her long elven years, she had never seen war such as this. Aragorn could see this in her eyes as she looked to him now. The sun was falling upon the horizon. Troops within the garrison were sparse, even when bolstered by boys barely out of childhood and men whose joints ached as they picked up their swords and spears. Time was running short, and hope, thin.

"Where do you think he is now?" 

Aragorn held back a sigh, but Malloseryn knew him well enough to see the loss of faith he tried to hide from her. The elleth leaned on the parapet, her eyes tracing the curves of the hills and plains before the great gate of Helm's Deep.

"Vín harthad caeda na Frodo," she muttered, yet as Aragorn nodded, her gaze faltered on the horizon. "Unless..."

Had the sun been any further down in the grey sky, she would not have seen what now approached, nearly hidden by its brilliance. She reached for Aragorn's hand and grabbed his wrist instead, pulling him around the bend of the parapet so he too could see. Not possessing Malloseryn's exceptional eyesight, however, he had to call for a spyglass. Théoden, King of the Mark, caught wind of this excitement and too came forth from the hall in which he and his lords were planning for the inevitable battle ahead. By the time he arrived on the ramparts, those approaching were near and clear to sight. Malloseryn and Aragorn brushed past the king as they hurried down the steps, the elleth pausing just long enough to explain her people had come, and they made it to the front gate just in time.

"Open the gate!" Aragorn called, repeating the command as Malloseryn watched with bated breath. The heavy-hewn gate swung open with the majesty of a king's hall, and line by line, the elven army of Lothlórien marched into Helm's Deep. There was one elf, in particular, who Malloseryn watched for, and Aragorn noticed. Long had he known both her and the warrior she now sought, and despite the impending battle, a half-smile crept onto his face. He nudged her arm, spotting Haldir, captain of the guard, the very elf who she watched for, and she blushed. She paused, whereas Aragorn stepped forward, and he had to wave a hand in front of her face to get her to follow him into the courtyard.

"Suilad, mellyn," Haldir greeted the Dúnedan and his fellow elf, offering a bow to both, though his gaze was only on Malloseryn. She barely waited for him to rise before throwing her arms around him in a hug. Despite how they'd parted ways last she'd seen him, although she was nervous to know how he felt about meeting her again now, she still knew the heart wants what it wants. And truth be told, in spite of her anxiety, she was heartened by simply knowing his touch again as he returned the embrace. She stepped back after a moment, and her cheeks were dusted a pale rose, nearly unnoticeable in the shadows of the fading sun. Though one hand came to rest on the hilt of her sword, the other tugged at her sleeve, a nervous habit.