Chapter 2
“RÚMIL!” Haldir let out a gasp of horror
as his brother slipped and fell, heading straight for the hard
ground below. Without hesitation, he plunged after him, saying
a prayer to the wood to protect them as he followed Rúmil
down, knowing his actions were close to suicidal.
As if in answer to his prayers, Rúmil was caught up
in a tangle of branches as several trees intertwined. It slowed
him only a moment, but it was long enough for Haldir to catch
him, grabbing his wrist with one hand and a nearby branch with
the other. Rúmil yelped as his arm was wrenched painfully
but Haldir could do nothing as they hung precariously in mid-air.
For a moment he just breathed, hardly daring to believe that
they were still alive. Then Rúmil whimpered and he looked
down at his terrified brother.
“Rúmil, I need you to help me,” he said
gently. “Can you do that?”
There was a moment of hesitation and then Rúmil nodded,
clearly still scared but trying to be brave.
“Good boy,” Haldir said soothingly. “Now
bring your free arm up and hold onto me tightly – be careful.”
Slowly Rúmil reached out, grabbing onto Haldir’s
sleeve. The older Elf winced at the strain on his arm but said
nothing, more concerned with Rúmil’s safety. When
the Elfling was hanging on with both hands, Haldir breathed
a sigh of relief. “That’s it, good. Now pull yourself
up again and put your arms round my neck.”
Again, Rúmil slowly did so and Haldir helped as best
he could, by lifting his arm to pull Rúmil higher. The
Elfling’s hands clutched at his clothes and Haldir prayed
that nothing would rip and send his brother plummeting back
towards the ground. However, their luck and his clothes both
held and a few moments later the pain in his arm lessened as
Rúmil wrapped his skinny arms around his neck and held
tightly, allowing him to hold on to the branch above him with
both hands.
“Now hold on,” Haldir instructed, and began to
move his hands along the branch he was clinging to, edging them
carefully towards the tree trunk where shorter branches were
within reach of his feet. Before long he felt his feet touch
a short, wide limb and it was with great relief that he lowered
his arms, wrapping them instead around the trembling form of
his little brother who was still clinging tightly to him.
“It’s all right now,” he soothed. “We’re
safe in this nice tree.” Sitting down, he carefully held
Rúmil close, as the Elfling’s quiet shakes started
to give way to fearful sobs, the impact of what had just happened
starting to sink in.
“I fell,” he sobbed, his face in Haldir’s
chest.
“I know,” Haldir replied, “but I caught you,
you’re safe. Now I need to know Rúmil, are you
hurt? Any bumps or scratches?” He rubbed Rúmil’s
back, calming and reassuring him as best he could, while carefully
checking for any injuries. He’d seen a couple of minor
scratches from the branches on Rúmil’s face, but
they weren’t serious. Thankfully nothing seemed to be
broken and he breathed a sigh of relief when Rúmil shook
his head. He was not injured either apart from a slight ache
in his arms and he felt like crying as well when he realised
how lucky they’d been.
Eventually Rúmil’s tears ceased and he stopped
shaking, remaining in the safety of Haldir’s arms. His
face still buried in Haldir’s tunic, his brother almost
missed it when Rúmil mumbled something to him.
“What was that little one? I did not hear you,”
he asked.
Rúmil looked up, his eyes still red from crying, and
quietly repeated himself. “Thank you for catching me,”
he whispered.
Haldir’s smiled, leaning down to kiss Rúmil’s
hair, “You are quite welcome, little one,” he replied.
Pausing for a moment, he quickly decided to take the opportunity
presented to him. “I will always catch you. That is what
big brothers do, Rúmil, they look out for the younger
ones. I look out for you and one day, you will look out for
Orophin too.”
At this Rúmil made a face, his little nose wrinkling
in disgust. “Shan’t,” he said stubbornly,
his dislike for his little brother rearing its ugly head again.
Sighing, Haldir wondered how to convince Rúmil that
he was an important part of his brother’s life and that
they were both greatly and equally loved.
“Rúmil,” he said slowly, “do you love
me?”
At this Rúmil looked up, seemingly shocked that Haldir
had even asked.
“I love you lots!” he declared, looking slightly
offended. “Don’t you love me lots?”
“Of course I do,” Haldir assured him. “I
love you very, very much. But tell me, Rúmil –
why do you love me?”
Rúmil frowned as he tried to think of why. He was quiet
for a long moment, chewing on his lip in concentration. “You’re
nice,” he said finally. “You take me riding and
fishing and to see the guards practice and let me have strawberry
cake when Nana says no!”
Chuckling Haldir nodded. “That’s right. Remember
though, we don’t tell Nana about the cake!” he added
quickly. “Now, do you know why I do all these things?”
There was another pause and then Rúmil shook his head,
a look of bemusement on his young face.
“I do them not only because I love you, but because it
is my very special duty as a big brother,” he explained.
“As a big brother I have a very important job –
to make sure you are happy and safe. I am lucky to have that
job, Rúmil – and now, so are you.”
“Lucky? To have to look after Ofin?” Rúmil
still didn’t look convinced that there was anything lucky
about his Ada and Nana’s new baby.
Haldir nodded, “To make another person happy and safe
is the most important job anyone can ever have. One day, Orophin
will love you like you love me – if you do your duty.”
Rúmil thought about this for a while, chewing on his
lip again. It was clear that the thought of someone looking
up at him the way he looked up at Haldir was quite appealing.
It wasn’t quite enough to eliminate his fears, however.
“But Nana and Ada love him better than me!” he
protested. “Nana’s always holding him!”
At this Haldir smiled and shook his head. “No Rúmil,
they don’t. “You do not remember, but when you were
born they spent just as much time with you. Just like when I
was born they spent all their time with me.”
“Really?” The thought that he had received the
same treatment was a revelation to Rúmil.
“Really,” Haldir smiled at the Elfling, “and
if you come home with me now for tea, you will see how worried
they have been about you. Please Rúmil; we all want you
at home.”
Haldir watched as Rúmil considered his request, sending
a prayer to Elbereth that he had done enough. After what seemed
like an eternity, Rúmil nodded and Haldir let out a long
breath, hugging him as he stood them both up.
“You will not regret it, little one, you will see.”
Smiling, he started to descend the tree, heading back towards
the home of his parents and brothers. However, when he turned
back to make sure Rúmil was still with him, his heart
sank.
Rúmil was still where he had been in the tree, clinging
tightly to the branch and staring at the ground below with wide-eyed
fear.
Groaning, Haldir realised that the confidence Rúmil
had possessed just a short while ago had fled in the wake of
his terrifying plunge. He now faced the unenviable task of trying
to coax the Elfling out of the tree to which he had attached
himself.
END
CHAPTER Two
