Part 9

Posted: August 2003
Author: Khylaren

*****

**Ripples. You are like a pebble that has been tossed into a still pond. Your presence here will create ripples, no doubt.**

Erin opened her eyes slowly, surprised to find herself lying on the floor, her head cushioned by Haldir's cloak. Three pairs of elven eyes looked down at her with mixed expressions of relief and concern.

"Are you well, Erin?" Galadriel asked kindly, her voice low and soothing.

"What happened?" she asked, sitting up with Haldir's assistance, his strong hands supporting her back gently.

"You fainted," Haldir answered, his arm across her shoulders holding her steady. "I caught you before you hit the floor."

Erin shook her head, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "That's twice now. I've never fainted before in my life, and since I've been here, I've gone down twice." Her lips twisted wryly. "Must be the air."

"You said something just before you swooned," Celeborn said, looking at her keenly. "You said ‘I know you'. Yet how can that be? What did you mean by that?"

She studied the faces of the Lord and Lady closely, and took a deep breath. "You both look like someone I met in my world. Not exactly the same really, but so close that it took me by surprise." **Obviously,** she thought with a grimace, rubbing her forehead in confusion.

"Who would that be?" Galadriel pressed gently, for the young woman's answer both puzzled and intrigued her.

Their eyes were on her and she swallowed nervously. How to explain it? It seemed so weird to her, the faint echo of resemblance in these non-human faces to the people she had not seen since she was a little girl.

"When I was growing up we moved around a lot," Erin began, her voice low and shaking slightly. "My father was in the military, and he was frequently re-stationed in different parts of the world. We spent several years in Europe, and when I was seven, we took a vacation and went to England for a week." She took another deep breath and continued. "I don't know the name of the town we stayed in, just that it had the most wonderful park I'd ever seen. The trees were what I loved the most; their colors were so bright and beautiful, and they seemed so wonderful and tall. My mother and father and I went there one afternoon and had a picnic, and I wandered off on my own to explore the woods."

Celeborn and Galadriel exchanged a brief glance, before Galadriel nodded encouragingly for her to continue.

Erin fiddled with the ends of her tunic as she tried to recall that day; it seemed so long ago, and until now, she hadn't given it much thought. "I remember my mother telling me not to get lost, or the fairies would find me and take me away." She smiled briefly at the memory. "My mother was like that, she liked to tease me. She knew I was old enough that I didn't believe in fairies anymore, but young enough to still want to." Her head was down and she didn't see Galadriel's smile of understanding.

"Did you lose your way in the woods?" the Lady asked quietly.

Erin looked up from her hands and nodded slowly. "Yes. I did." She shook her head. "I wasn't scared at first, because I didn't realize I couldn't find my way back to where my parents were. It took a while, you know, for it to really sink in that I didn't know where I was going. I kept walking, thinking that the next tree or the next bush would take me out of the woods, only I kept walking further and further into them, and farther away from my parents."

"You must have been frightened when you finally realized you were lost," Galadriel said sympathetically.

Erin gave a short laugh. "You could say that. I was crying by that point. It was getting dark, and the trees started looking kind of spooky. I was tired and scared. I finally sat underneath a tree and called for help, but I didn't think anyone would hear me."

"Someone did?" Celeborn asked, his eyebrow lifting slightly.

She nodded. "Oh yes." Her mouth curved in a slow and wistful smile. "The fairies came for me." Erin saw their startled expressions and laughed lightly. "They weren't really fairies, come to take me away, as my mother had always told me. But they were the most wondrous people I had ever seen."

** "Child, why do you weep?" a melodious voice asked, and she looked up, wiping her tear streaked face with the back of her sleeve. A man and a woman smiled down at her. They were taller than her father, and their eyes were the color of the sky. Their faces were kind and beautiful, and Erin had never seen anyone like them in all her life.

"I'm lost," seven-year-old Erin sniffled. "I can't find my mommy and daddy."

"Shhh," the woman said, bending down to enfold the frightened little girl in her arms. "Do not fear. We will show you the way."

Erin hugged the woman tightly, so glad to have been found she felt herself shaking.

"What is your name, little one?" the man asked, his voice as melodious as the woman's. His expression was concerned, and Erin found herself smiling bravely up at him.

"My name is Erin Smith. Who are you?"

The man and the woman exchanged a quick glance, before the woman helped her to her feet, holding her hand gently with her long and graceful fingers.

"We live near these woods and go walking here every day," the woman answered with a smile. "Come, let us return you to your parents. They must be worried."**

"They never gave me their names, and my mother and father were so glad they'd found me that I don't think they even thought to ask them," Erin said, shaking her head slightly. "I thought they were fairy folk for many years as a child, until eventually, I forgot about the whole thing." She took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "When I saw you both standing there, it brought it all back."

"There is some meaning to this," Galadriel murmured, glancing at her husband. "Yet I do not know what it could be." She offered her hand to Erin and assisted the young woman to her feet. "You should rest now, Erin, for you are tired from your long journey. We will seek the answers to this mystery tomorrow."

"A room has been prepared for you," Celeborn added with a regal tilt of his head. "Haldir will escort you so you do not lose your way." He gave her a brief smile. "We will look forward to speaking with you after you have rested."

*****

Haldir glanced concernedly at his companion, his hand tightening slightly on her arm as he escorted her across the talans. She looked pale and visibly shaken by her meeting with the Lord and Lady.

Erin was barely aware of her surroundings as she allowed Haldir to lead her to where her room was. Her mind was desperately trying to cope with the implications of her memory, and with meeting Galadriel and Celeborn. Was it too far fetched to think it was something beyond coincidence that the man and woman who had found her, lost in the woods of England as a child, reminded her so strongly of the Lord and Lady? It certainly wasn't any weirder than going camping in Port Angeles and waking up in Middle Earth.

Galadriel had said they would seek answers tomorrow, and Erin found it difficult to wait. Part of her was anxious and eager to find out what the Lady had in mind; perhaps she would finally find out why she was here, and if she would ever get home again. The other part of her, however, firmly refused to let her get her hopes up too high. She didn't think she could survive the disappointment if she was merely given more questions with no answers to them. She knew she definitely would have trouble if Galadriel told her she could never go home again.

**Would it really be that bad,** her small inner voice asked slyly, **to remain in a world like this one?** Honestly, she wasn't sure. She missed her parents most of all, and the few friends she had back in her world. And showers, bathrooms in general, and a few other modern conveniences she had always taken for granted. But she had to admit that a part of her wouldn't be unhappy if she had to stay. This world was magic; and part of her felt as if she had finally come home.

**What about the whole Dark Lord thing and the great war that is coming?** She'd seen enough death and violence to last her the rest of her life. This world was dangerous and unknown. Anything could happen.

**Exactly,** the small voice replied. **Anything.**

She realized they had stopped and glanced up at Haldir, who was smiling at her bemusedly.

"What?" she asked, slightly annoyed by his expression.

"I asked, lady, if you wanted something to eat before you retired," Haldir repeated patiently. "I can have someone bring you a light supper, if you wish."

"Oh," she replied, giving him a sheepish grin. "That would be great, Haldir. Thank you."

He nodded and opened the door. "This is your room while you are with us," he said, drawing her inside.

She looked around the room with unconcealed delight, her eyes traveling over the intricately carved panels of wood that covered the walls, to the graceful arches of the open roof above her. The floor had the same detailed inlay of lighter wood that she had seen in the room where she had met the Lord and Lady, and it gleamed brightly in the light of the candles that were scattered about the room. She walked eagerly to the single window and peered out, her stomach dropping uneasily when she looked down and saw that they were still quite a ways from the ground. Stepping away from the casement, she turned to look at the furnishings and her eyes lit upon the bed with delight.

"A bed! A real bed!" she exclaimed, running her fingers over the soft quilts and pushing experimentally on the mattress. It was firm, but yielding, and comfortably sized for a good sprawl.

"I take it then that the room meets with your approval?" Haldir asked with a brief grin.

"Oh yes," Erin replied, grinning back at him. "Very much." She looked back at the bed with undisguised happiness. "I will have to remember to thank Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn when I see them again."

Haldir gave her a brief nod. "Then I will leave you to your rest, lady. Someone should be bringing your supper to you shortly. Will you require anything else before I leave you?"

Erin turned to look at him, and gave him a grateful smile. "No, Haldir. Thank you. Have a good night."

He touched his hand briefly over his heart and dipped his head slightly. "You are welcome, Erin. Sleep well." With a swish of his cloak he was gone, closing the door behind him.

*****

A hand was stroking her face lightly. Another hand had wormed beneath the quilts and was stroking something else, and Erin woke from her sleep with a low gasp. A single candle glowed warmly in the darkness, casting long shadows on the walls of her room.

"Did you miss us?" a playful voice whispered in her ear, nipping it teasingly.

Erin sighed as she felt two warm bodies slide into the bed, one on either side of her. "I was sleeping," she groused half-heartedly, her body wiggling in delight at the feel of their bare skin sliding against hers.

Rúmil chuckled, his fingers trailing over her cheek. "But did you miss us?" he asked again.

"Not at all," she lied, gasping when she felt Orophin's warm body press against her back. His arms curled around her waist, and his lips tickling nape of her neck.

"I do not believe you," Rúmil said, looking down at her with a smile that could only be described as wicked. His hands slid over her arms and he leaned close, his lips inches from hers. "I do believe we have a matter of a test of wills to resolve?"

Erin froze, helpless and unable to move as his lips descended upon hers.

His kiss was soft, teasing, his tongue flickering over her lips before slipping into the warmth of her mouth. Erin couldn't prevent the moan that escaped her, and she heard Orophin chuckle softly in response.

"Fine," she gasped, when Rúmil released her mouth and she could form a coherent thought. "You win."

Rúmil pressed his body against hers, and she could feel the hardness of his arousal against her stomach as he insinuated a leg between her thighs. "Good," he murmured softly, before claiming her lips once more.

Erin sighed against his mouth, running her hands down the hard planes of his chest, exploring the warm and silky skin with her fingertips. She found his nipples and brushed her thumbs against them, feeling them harden under her touch. Rúmil made a low noise in the back of his throat and deepened his kiss, almost bruising her lips with the force of it. She yielded to the onslaught of his lips and tongue, gasping when she felt Orophin's hands move upward to cup her breasts.

Orophin felt her arch against him when his fingers found the hardened peaks of her nipples, and he groaned softly, feeling her bottom press delightfully against his arousal. Rúmil's kisses had turned her into a sweet and pliant armful of warmth. He trailed kisses across her shoulders, licking and nibbling the sensitive flesh of her neck.

Rúmil's lips left hers to explore the column of her throat and she threaded her fingers through his hair, tilting her head forward to lick the tip of his pointed ear. He softly bit her neck in response, growling low in his throat when she did it again.

"You play with fire, gwilwileth," Orophin murmured in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers of delight down her spine. "Be careful you do not get burned."

Erin smiled, and captured the tip of Rúmil's ear with her teeth, running her tongue over the curved edge, before flicking it teasingly against the tip once more.

Rúmil shuddered; his hands slid upward to press her against his brother as his mouth dipped lower, pulling his sensitive ear out of her reach. He licked a wet path across her stomach, his long hair trailing over her skin and tickling her.

Orophin felt Erin squirm against him as his brother worked his way down her body, and he rolled, pulling her upward so she lay with her back against his chest, her legs between his. His arms kept her from wriggling free when Rúmil's head dipped even lower, and he wrapped his legs over hers, using his lower legs to pull her thighs apart.

She moaned softly, feeling vulnerable and exposed as Orophin parted her legs and held them with his own, pinning them against the mattress. She felt Rúmil's soft hair brush against the tender skin of her thighs and cried out when she felt his mouth touch the top of her sex.

Rúmil rubbed his cheek against her thigh, inhaling her musky scent and feeling his arousal throb in response when his tongue reached out to taste the delicate folds before him. He heard her whimpering cry and smiled, settling himself more comfortably between her trembling thighs. He rolled his eyes upwards as he found the sensitive nub at the top of her opening and teased it with his tongue, watching her face as she surrendered to the pleasure, her eyes closing as she moaned in utter abandon.

It was an exquisite torture of the best kind, and one from which she could not escape, even if she wanted to. Rúmil's tongue had found the throbbing bundle of nerves between her legs and was working it in slow and languid licks, each caress leaving her gasping and breathless, her body aching with need. She was crying, wordless, pleading with him to give her more, each touch of his tongue on her burning flesh driving her closer to the edge.

He heard her breathless pleas, felt her thighs tensing beneath his hands as he worked the source of her pleasure with his tongue, tasting her arousal and feeding off of it like a hummingbird from a sweet flower. He slowed his pace slightly, keeping her on the edge of her release, and slid two fingers into the heat of her opening.

Erin felt his fingers enter her and was undone, feeling them thrust deep inside of her as she cried out her release, sobbing and shaking with the intensity of it. She collapsed against Orophin, feeling weak and boneless, her whole body trembling with the aftershocks of her climax.

Rúmil slid his fingers from her warmth; raising his upper body slightly, he offered them to Orophin, who took them into his mouth, licking her essence from his brother's fingers. Rúmil's eyes dilated and his breath caught, watching Orophin's mouth work, his pink tongue flicking out to tease the webbing between his fingers.

Orophin smiled wickedly, feeling the young woman quiver in his arms as she watched him lick his brother's fingers. "Hmm, gwilwileth," Orophin purred, looking down at her with eyes dark with desire. "You taste sweet."

It was the most erotic display she'd ever seen, watching his tongue lap and curl around the Rúmil's long and slender fingers, knowing he was tasting her on his brother's flesh. His words made her shiver, as did the heat in his eyes.

Orophin saw her shiver and gave her another naughty grin. "My brother is not through with you yet, melethron. However, I do believe he has gotten his revenge for you licking his ears."

Erin felt his body slide over hers and looked up to see Rúmil smiling down at her, the tip of his arousal pressing against her opening. Orophin still held her trapped with his body, his legs pulling hers even further apart, opening her for his brother. Rúmil paused at her entrance, teasing her already sensitive folds with the tip of his length, before entering her body in one swift and claiming thrust.

Rúmil groaned softly when he felt her heat envelop his length, burying himself as deeply as he could into her willing warmth. He heard her answering cry of pleasure and felt her arms reach up to hold him, sliding down his back to cup his bottom as he began to move. Slowly he withdrew, drawing himself almost completely out of her body, before claiming it once more, wringing another cry from her lips. He took his time, prolonging his pleasure and hers, hearing her soft breathless gasps as he drove his length deeper into her heat.

Orophin felt his arousal ache as he watched his brother's lithe body pumping slowly against the woman who shook like a leaf in his arms, her steady moans of pleasure a counterpoint to Rúmil's deeper ones. His brother's eyes were closed in bliss, his breath coming in shorter gasps as he neared his pinnacle, and he reached out to touch his face, bringing Rúmil's eyes open to focus on his.

Her eyes were closed tightly; her head thrown back against the unyielding hardness Orophin's chest. She was lost beneath the sensation of being filled; taken and possessed by the body that claimed hers so completely. Each thrust brought her nearer to the peak of her pleasure, and she gripped his buttocks tightly, driving him closer and deeper, seeking the sweet release that danced just out of reach.

Rúmil felt her body tighten beneath his, her walls convulsing around his length as she reached her peak. Orophin's eyes held his as he felt his own release finally come, crashing over him like a wave as he buried himself deep, crying out wordlessly as his hot seed filled her. He thrust a final time, panting and shuddering; his eyes locked with the gray-blue ones so like his own.

Orophin smiled tenderly at the glazed expression on his brother's face and leaned forward, kissing him lightly on his open mouth.

Rúmil shuddered slightly at the soft caress of Orophin's lips against his and he felt his brother pull back, looking down at the young woman with a speculative and lusty gleam in his eye.

"That was lovely, rwalaer," Orophin said huskily, his hands sliding down Erin's shoulders to cup her breasts, his thumbs teasing the hardened nipples until he heard her gasp. "But now I believe it is my turn."

Erin opened her eyes and squeaked in objection when Rúmil withdrew from her body. He laughed softly, pressing a soft kiss against her mouth, before sliding to the other side of the bed. Erin had no time to protest as Orophin flipped her neatly over, pulling her up onto her hands and knees.

"You do not mind, do you gwilwileth?" he asked softly, his tongue flicking out to tease the back of her neck, nipping the soft flesh between his teeth. "You do not mind if I take you?" His words were a teasing growl.

Erin sighed softly, shivering with anticipation at his words.

His hands slid under her belly and upwards to her breasts, and he pinched her nipples a little more forcefully, hearing her groan softly in response. He teased her opening with the tip of his arousal, sliding the length between her wet folds and heard her gasp as she arched her back, her hips thrusting towards him supplication.

"You have not answered me, melethron," he growled, running his tongue over the curve of her spine. "Do you want me to take you?" He pinched her nipples again, almost hard enough to hurt, but the pain was mixed deliciously with pleasure.

"Oh yes," she groaned, feeling achingly wanton in her need. "Please, Orophin."

She felt him chuckle softly and with a quick move, her request was granted. She gasped as she felt him fill her, the force of his movement pushing her almost flat against the mattress. He lifted her hips and steadied them with his strong hands, pushing her knees slightly farther apart with his thighs.

His strokes were slow, drawing his length almost completely out of her body before thrusting forward, burying himself into her heat once more. Her passage was tight against him, and he found himself groaning at the sensation, watching her body sway with the force of his thrusts. He raised a hand to his mouth, wet two fingers, and touched the smaller opening that beckoned him to explore. Erin tightened against him when his fingers entered her and he heard her soft whimper as he slid his fingers in and out of her tight passage.

Erin threw her head back with a shudder when she felt his fingers enter her, stroking in counterpoint to his hard length that thrust deep within her. The momentary discomfort had passed, and it its place was a rising tide of pleasure that was almost too much to bear. She felt Rúmil slide next to her, his mouth seeking hers and she met his lips with her own, her breath came in short, quick gasps as she felt herself nearing her peak once more. He swallowed her moans, muffling them with the heat of his mouth, his tongue tangling and twining with hers.

Orophin could hear the desperate edge to her moans and knew she was close. His own release was near at hand and he could feel the fine tremble that went through her as each thrust drove her closer to her fulfillment. He increased his pace, driving his length with more force into her depths, and heard her keening cry as she came for him, the delightful sounds absorbed by his brother's mouth. He threw his head back and groaned deeply as he reached his own release, the delicious friction finally sending him over the edge.

Erin collapsed against the mattress, Orophin's weight following her and covering her body as she lay beneath him, quivering from her head to her toes. Rúmil's hands stroked her hair back from her forehead and he murmured soft, nonsensical words, soothing the tremors from her shuddering limbs. She felt a soft kiss on the nape of her neck before Orophin withdrew, rolling to his side and stretching his lean length out beside her with a long and contented sigh.

Rúmil smiled and pushed Erin over so that her back lay against his brother's chest, and stretched his body beside hers, tucking her head under his chin. His hands continued to stroke her hair, and he felt her tremors finally fade. He glanced over her head and met his brother's eyes, and saw his own smile mirrored on Orophin's face.

She felt his hands play idly with her hair, running the brown strands slowly through his fingers, and closed her eyes with a soft sigh, snuggling against both bodies that held her. She searched her mind for any feelings of guilt or worry about what she had just done, and thankfully, found none. Instead, if she was challenged to find a single word to describe the way she was feeling at this very moment, with both their arms holding her gently, she'd have to pick ‘safe'. She felt a keen sense of security with them, something she wasn't wholly familiar with from her previous experiences with lovers.

Orophin smiled, looking down at the young woman who relaxed against his chest, watching his brother play with her hair with a bemused expression. Erin was a delightful and continuous surprise. Though she was not the first mortal woman they had lain with, she was vastly different from the wenches he and Rúmil had tumbled on those rare occasions when the opportunity presented itself. With them, it was merely a matter of needing and finding the simple release in their willing bodies. With Erin, he found himself wanting to give pleasure as much as receive it. He found himself wondering idly if his brother felt the same.

Erin sighed in contentment, a brief smile curving her lips as she stretched between them; a soft chuckle escaped her. "I'll never be able to ride with either one of you again and keep a straight face." Her laughter faded into a gasp when Rúmil's fingers brushed the tips of her nipples teasingly, and she felt Orophin's arousal press against her backside.

"Hmm," Orophin murmured into her ear, teasing the curve of it with his tongue. "You say that like it is a bad thing."

**I'm not going to get much rest tonight,** Erin thought, closing her eyes when Rúmil dipped his head and captured a taut nipple with his lips, his lean hands splaying across her belly. She sighed, arching into Orophin's hardness and felt his hand slide between her thighs. **I hope Galadriel isn't an early riser. **

It was the last coherent thought she had for quite a while.

*****

Galadriel sat on the wooden bench beside the fountain, her eyes closed as she breathed the sweet morning air, her thoughts focused on the unusual woman who was sleeping in the tree above her.

Mithrandir's words did little to help her, for the wizard was no more knowledgeable than she when it came to Erin's situation. He did not know how she came to be here, or what her purpose was. He hoped that Galadriel would be able to find the answers that alluded him.

Rising gracefully, her white robes trailing softly behind her, she approached her mirror to seek her answers within its depths.

Her blue eyes focused on the smooth surface of the water, and she cleared her mind of all other distractions. Erin's face appeared before her in startling focus, and a small ripple appeared in the center of the image, as if a single drop of water had been spilled from her pitcher into the center of her mirror. Her eyes widened slightly as the ripple slowly spread, the ring of water growing larger until it reached the edge of the mirror and disappeared.

The image faded, and Galadriel raised her head, sending her mental call to Haldir to bring the woman to her.
*****

Her room had a small bathroom adjoining it, and Erin took advantage of the opportunity to wash the sticky residue from the previous night's exertions from her skin, wincing as the cool washcloth brushed against her tender skin. She was sore, but for reasons she couldn't help but smile about. She had no idea what time Rúmil and Orophin had finally left her room last night, but she hoped they both had trouble walking this morning.

Finished with her ablutions, she found a clean pair of leggings and the tunic she had worn the day before and slid them on, finding the laces a bit easier this time now that she was more familiar with their workings. The leggings chafed her a bit in places she didn't want to consider, but for the most part, she was comfortable. She eyed her dirty clothing at the bottom of her pack distastefully, mentally reminding herself to ask Galadriel where she could take them to clean them.

Closing her pack, she tossed it next to the bed and glanced at the window. The light that streamed through it told her it was probably late morning, and she was grateful that no early-rising elf had come to wake her before she was ready. She tugged the quilts into some semblance of order and made the bed as neatly as she could, and was startled by a tap on her door.

"Come in," Erin called over her shoulder, tucking the end of the quilts under the edge of the mattress. She looked the bed over critically and nodded, satisfied that there was no evidence of last night's three-way tumble.

She shouldn't have bothered, if Haldir's bemused expression was any indication. Obviously he knew what his brothers had been up to last night. She turned to face him and gave him an embarrassed but welcoming smile.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Erin. I trust you are well rested?" he asked, his lips twitching briefly.

Erin crossed her arms and looked at him. "Yes. I am," she said, daring him to make any further comment.

"Good," he replied shortly, turning to hide his smile. "The cooks saved you something for breakfast, then I am to escort you to the Lady."

"Thank you, Haldir," she replied. "I'm starving."

He cleared his throat and looked up at the graceful arches above him for a moment, before offering her his arm. "I imagine you are," he said dryly.

She ignored his barb and took his arm. "Not that I'm not happy to see you again, Haldir, but why are you playing escort?" she asked curiously as she pulled her door closed behind them. "Don't you have other duties more important than keeping me from falling out of the tree?"

He laughed. "Only a few of the Galadhrim speak Westron, Erin. My Lady thought you would feel more comfortable with a familiar face."

"Oh," she said, nodding. "Makes sense. How's your wound?" She eyed him critically as they walked. "You seem to be moving better."

"I am almost healed," Haldir told her with a brief smile. "I should be able to resume my regular duties within a day or so."

"That's wonderful," Erin said, shaking her head in amazement. "I did not think anyone could recover so quickly."

Haldir shrugged gracefully and gave her a small smile. "Elrohir has his father's skill in healing, for which I am thankful."

He sat across from her and spoke of general things while she ate her simple breakfast of fruit and grains, mixed with a generous portion of honey, washing the sticky yet delicious meal down with several glasses of cold, clear water. He spoke of his duties as a guardian of Lothlórien's borders, and of visiting Mirkwood and Imladris.

"What is Lord Elrond like?" Erin asked curiously, swallowing the last bite of fruit with obvious enjoyment.

Haldir considered her question a moment before replying. "He is wise, and very respected among Elves for his knowledge of things that most of us do not concern ourselves about. His half-human heritage gives him a unique perspective when it comes to matters of men, and he is trusted by both races equally."

Erin set her cup down beside her empty plate and looked at Haldir with surprise. "Half-human?" she asked softly. "I didn't know that elves could, er, have babies with humans."

He tilted his head slightly and nodded. "It happens so very rarely. To my knowledge, only Lord Elrond and his children are the only Peredhils on these shores."

Curiosity prompted her to ask, "Why is that? Why is it so rare?"

Haldir looked surprised at her question. "It is unusual for an elf and a mortal to bond, Erin. When we choose to bind ourselves to another, it is for the rest of our lives. If one of the two should pass from this world, the other will remain alone." He shook his head slowly. "A mortal's life is but a brief moment in time to us, a star that burns brightly then fades away. An elf who joins with a mortal is faced with their beloved's impending death, and the rest of their life pining for what has been lost."

"That would be terrible." Erin slid her plate away from her with a small sigh, pushing her rising sense of disappointment deep inside where she could pretend she didn't feel it. "I guess I can understand why it doesn't happen."

He regarded her steadily for a moment, seeing the brief flash of disappointment in her eyes before she dropped her gaze. "I am sorry, Erin."

Her laugh was forced. "Sorry? Whatever for? I'm glad you told me." She rose from the table without looking at him and gathered her dishes, taking them to the door that led to the kitchen and handing them to the elf who had the duty of cleaning them.

Haldir frowned, rising gracefully from the table and watched her return. "If you are ready, Erin, the Lady waits for you."

"Sure," she shrugged, falling in step beside the tall elf as they left the dining area for the stairs that would take them to the forest floor. She clutched the smooth railing as she descended, careful to look only at the steps in front of her and tried very hard not to think about how high up they were.

**I don't know why I'm so bothered by what Haldir told me, she thought, her eyes carefully focused on the steps ahead. **It's not like I'm staying here for good or anything, so why would I be so stupid as to fall in love anyway?** They were nearing the bottom of the stairs and she felt a sense of relief seeing the forest floor so close. **But what if you can't go home? Do you want to spend the rest of your life alone?** She snorted mentally. Better alone than to open her heart up to the kind of pain that only love could bring.

*****

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