Chapter 3
“Rúmil,
What are you doing?” Haldir questioned gently. “Come
on down now.”
Tightening
his hold on the tree, Rúmil shook his head. “I’ll
fall!” he wailed, shrinking back against the trunk.
Everything
in his heart screamed at him to go and get Rúmil and
carry him safely down. But Haldir knew that if Rúmil
did not conquer this fear now it would haunt him for years,
or longer.
Hating
himself, he called up to Rúmil.
“No
you won’t. Just look where you’re going and all
will be fine!”
“No,
it won’t, it won’t!” Rúmil’s
face went red as tears of fear filled his eyes. “Haldir,”
he whimpered plaintively.
In
that moment Haldir felt as evil as any Orc, as he continued
to refuse to go and carry Rúmil down. He knew it was
for the best, but if Rúmil didn’t relent soon he
would cave in, he knew.
“I
have faith in you, Rúmil,” he called, “I
know you can do this. You have never fallen before and you will
not fall again. You must learn from your mistakes, not fear
repeating them.”
The
only response this got him was more whimpers, Rúmil being
far too upset to listen to reason. His hands were still gripping
the tree tightly and he was crying openly now, making Haldir’s
heart wrench painfully.
Desperately,
he searched for ideas, wanting Rúmil to come down before
his resolve wavered and he ended up carrying him, something
that would not be good for the Elfling in the long run. There
was only one other thing he could think of, and it seemed so
cruel. Still, he had to try.
“Very
well,” he said, looking up at his brother. “I will
go and tell Ada and Nana you do not wish to be their Elfling
anymore. They will be very sad, but maybe Orophin and I will
be enough.” Then, without once looking back, Haldir turned
and started to walk slowly away, hoping that Rúmil would
fall for his trick. It was an old ruse, but with luck Rúmil
was young enough not to know that.
Half
a dozen paces away he was starting to doubt that it was having
any effect. He had just decided to go four more paces and then
turn back, when he heard the sound he’d been waiting for.
“Haldir,
wait!”
Turning,
Haldir grinned as he saw Rúmil scrambling down the tree,
trying to catch up with him. As Rúmil’s feet touched
the grass, Haldir knelt and opened his arms. Rúmil flew
into them and Haldir stood, whirling him around playfully.
“Good
boy!” Hoisting him up, he let Rúmil settle in his
arms, resting comfortably against his chest. “Now, we
can both go home.”
Rúmil
stayed in his arms all the way home, but as they approached
the talan he began to grow agitated. However, Haldir wasn’t
sure if it was fear of his parents’ reaction that troubled
him, or the thought of climbing the tall mallorn in which they
lived.
As
it turned out, it was a combination of the two. Rúmil
whimpered as they reached the trunk and Haldir stroked the golden
hair soothingly. He would carry his brother this time, just
to show him he had nothing to be afraid of. Indeed, as they
safely climbed higher Rúmil seemed to calm down, though
the other worry was still preying on his mind.
“What
if Ada is still angry?” he asked worriedly.
“He
is not, I promise you,” Haldir replied; though he tightened
his grip on the Elfling slightly, in case he tried to bolt.
Carefully he ascended the rope ladder which was attached to
tree which held their home, keeping one eye on Rúmil
all the while.
Even
when they reached the top, and Haldir released Rúmil
from his arms, he watched him. He had not almost let himself
get killed just to let his brother run away again. Pushing open
the door, he stood directly behind Rúmil as they went
in.
Velond,
having made sure his wife and youngest son were comfortable,
had settled himself in a chair by the stove, to await the return
of Haldir and Rúmil. As time had passed he had fallen
asleep, and when his elder sons entered he was still dozing
peacefully in the chair.
“Go
on,” Haldir said, nudging Rúmil forwards. “Go
and see him.” He smiled encouragingly and waited for the
Elfling to move.
Rúmil
shuffled forward reluctantly, unsure that Haldir was right and
that his Ada was not still upset with him. Approaching the chair,
he glanced back at Haldir, who nodded and then tugged lightly
on Velond’s tunic.
“Ada?”
he whispered.
Velond
woke immediately, looking down into the wide blue eyes of his
middle son.
“Rúmil!” Reaching down, he scooped the Elfling
into his lap, holding him in warm embrace. “Where have
you been, my son? I was so worried!” Velond said, as Rúmil
snuggled into his arms.
“I’m
sorry Ada,” Rúmil replied, his voice muffled by
Velond’s tunic.
“Don’t
you ever run off like that again,” Velond scolded lightly.
“Your mother and I were frantic! We do not want you getting
hurt, Rúmil.” He took care not to sound more than
a little annoyed though, for he did not want the little one
upset again.
“I promise, Ada,” Rúmil mumbled. “But
I’m not hurt. Haldir doesn’t let me fall.”
Velond
frowned at this and glanced at his eldest; however, Haldir just
shook his head, indicating that he would explain later. Although
curious, Velond nodded. His sons were home, that was the important
thing. All else would follow in time.
Hearing
a noise from the other room, he smiled and lifted Rúmil’s
head so he could face his son. “Shall we go and see Nana
and Orophin now?” he suggested gently.
Rúmil
didn’t look too impressed with the idea, but as he went
to say that he didn’t want to see his brother Haldir stepped
forward and placed his hand on Rúmil’s shoulder.
“Do
you not remember what I told you about big brothers, Rúmil?”
he implored the Elfling. “Please, just try?”
Rúmil
pouted at his older brother but Haldir did not waver, meeting
the little one’s gaze evenly.
“Alright,”
Rúmil said eventually, breaking Haldir’s gaze to
stare at his lap.
“Good
boy,” Haldir praised, lifting Rúmil off of his
Ada’s lap and setting him down on the floor. Then he offered
his hand to the Elfling and when Rúmil took it, they
walked together into the bedroom of their parents.
*************
Rúmil’s
mother, Mírtithen, stirred as they entered. Exhausted,
she has been fast asleep, with Orophin also asleep in his crib
next to the bed.
“Nana,”
Haldir called out softly, just enough to wake her. He still
held on to Rúmil’s hand.
She
blinked and her eyes slowly refocused as she left the path of
dreams. A moment later, she saw her two eldest standing in the
doorway and a delighted smile spread over her face.
“Rúmil!
Thank Eru!” she cried as she sat up. Then, much as Haldir
had done not long ago, she opened her arms for her son. Pulling
away from Haldir, Rúmil ran to his mother, all but throwing
himself onto the bed and into her embrace. Her arms enveloped
him and instantly he curled up, clinging to his mother who had
seemed so absent these past weeks.
No
words were spoken as mother and son enjoyed a peaceful moment
and in the doorway, Haldir and Velond watched.
Yet
barely had Rúmil started to show signs of falling asleep
when the moment was shattered as Orophin woke and cried out
loudly.
Reaching
over, Mírtithen gently lifted Orophin from his crib and
Haldir felt his heart sink as Rúmil’s eyes flashed
with jealousy once more as he saw himself being yet again pushed
aside in favour of his new brother.
Mírtithen,
however, had other ideas. She had seen the pain Orophin’s
arrival had caused Rúmil and wanted to end it. When her
youngest was safely out of the crib, she lowered him and gently
pushed him into Rúmil’s arms. Rúmil’s
eyes widened in surprise and she smiled reassuringly as his
arms instinctively folded around his baby brother.
“It
is all right,” she soothed as she carefully adjusted Rúmil’s
arms so that he was holding Orophin correctly. Wrapping her
arms around them both, she helped Rúmil to gently rock
Orophin until his crying ceased. Then she moved away, staying
close enough to keep an eye on both, but letting the two brothers
have some time together.
Rúmil
stared down at the babe, his expression shifting from surprise,
to horror and then to confusion. He had never been so close
to Orophin before, had identified him only as a screaming bundle
that took his parents’ attention away. Now he saw that
this was indeed another Elf, with bright blue eyes much like
his own. Curiously, he touched the fuzzy silver hair on Orophin’s
head.
Orophin
giggled, and brought a chubby hand up to grasp a handful of
Rúmil’s own shoulder-length hair, tugging on it
happily. Rúmil looked horrified, but Haldir laughed and
walked up to them.
“I
remember you doing that to me, Rúmil!” he laughed.
“It is a sign of affection, you know! He likes you!”
“He
does?” Rúmil replied, looking rather bemused as
he tried to extract his hair from Orophin’s iron grip.
“Aye,
he does,” Haldir confirmed as he helped Rúmil free
his hair. Orophin looked put out for a moment as his new toy
was taken away, but then he found the corner of Rúmil’s
tunic and began to chew on it, much to Rúmil’s
dismay and Haldir’s amusement. “Very much it seems!
I think he will follow you everywhere once he learns to walk!”
His expression softened then and he laid a loving hand on Rúmil’s
head. “Is that such a bad thing?
Rúmil
stared at Orophin, still happily chewing on his tunic. Certainly,
his little brother was not the evil monster he had seemed to
be before. It might be rather nice to have someone following
him around, like he followed Haldir.
“It’s
not so bad,” he mumbled, looking a little embarrassed.
A
sigh of relief went up from the three adults in the room and
Haldir hugged both brothers, a delighted smile on his face.
He knew that Rúmil would not accept Orophin completely
right away, that there may still be trials to face, but it was
a start. He was sure that over the years the brothers would
become closer and Rúmil’s early resentment would
be just a distant memory.
******************
Haldir
was right.
As
Orophin grew, he worshipped Rúmil, copying him in everything
did. Rúmil’s confidence in the trees returned and
it was not long before he was showing his brother how to climb,
with Orophin an eager student. In Orophin’s eyes Rúmil
could do no wrong and from an early age he was fiercely loyal.
He grew close to Haldir too and it was no surprise to anyone
that all three became warriors, forming a close and deadly team.
By
the time Orophin was an adult he was extremely tall, taller
than both of his brothers. Yet, it did not matter. He was still
their youngest brother and would always be. Orophin did not
mind. He loved and trusted them completely, and it was trust
well placed. For in all their years together, whatever battles
they fought and whatever trees they climbed, they never once
let him fall.
THE
END!
