Notes: This chapter is inspired by Implacida's stories "Heart and Body" and "Love and Duty", which were the first slash stories I ever read :)

Translation of Elvish: Saes - please. Seron vell - beloved. Mellonen - my friend. Anor - the sun. Nín anoriel - my sun-maiden. Ada - father. Ion - son.

Chapter 9 - Bleeding

They had searched the woods around the Caverns for two hours without finding any trace of Éowyn. By now, they were growing restless. Legolas could barely keep up with the Lórien elf, and often fell behind. About ten minutes into their search he had given up his fruitless attempts to console his friend. And now even he began to worry. Those human raiders... No, he refused to think of them. Besides, Éowyn was, after all, the one who had ended the life of the Witch King. She could take care of herself. However, the more often he told himself just this, the more he feared for the Shield-maiden.

Haldir did not fare any better. He barely saw the forest floor beneath his feet. Before his eyes images of the past kept repeating themselves over and over. Éowyn on the battlefield of the Pelennor. Broken and weak, and only barely alive. Had he then, if only for a minute, really believed he could survive losing her? It seemed impossible. He felt her; yes, she was still amongst the living. But for how long? And he could feel her fear. Fear? Who could put this fear into her brave heart? 'Whoever it is, he will pay before this day is over...'

---

Closer and closer they were drawing. Their leader had unsheathed his sword and was now pointing it at her, "Don't even try to run, little elfling. It'll only make matter worse for you." A hand shot forward, closing about her left wrist from behind. She was pulled back and spun around, coming face to face with another of the raiders. She could smell beer in his breath, so he was drunk. Maybe she did have a chance after all.

Quickly she kicked up with her knee, aiming between the man's legs. He collapsed to the ground, letting out an agonized groan. Unfortunately the other raiders had closed in, and when she turned, the leader's sword was at her throat. "Try this again, and you'll pay," he whispered, "and pay dearly." His eyes were ablaze with, she almost flinched, lust.

The hand of yet another raider had closed about her neck; the other was tangled within her hair, yanking her head back. A surprised gasp left his throat. "She ain't no elf after all, Captain. She's human." The eyes of the leader filled with glee, "Even better, then. An elf would soon fade away, going through what I've in mind. But a human will survive much longer." His eyes searched the glade and finally lit up. The trunk of a large tree... 'Please no!' The Captain turned back to her, smirking, "You know what's in store for you, little elf-friend? Of course you do." The smile that spread over his face was mocking her. "And the best thing is, you dearest friends can't help you here..."

He turned to one of the men and yelled, "Bind her to that trunk, you know in what manner." And as Éowyn was pushed past him, he grabbed her hair, pulling her to him. "You know, you'll need your strength with us... We've been wandering around in the wilderness for weeks and haven't seen a woman even longer than that." Roughly he drew her mouth to his, forcing her to open it. When she bit down, she could taste blood. "You little bitch!" the Captain yelled, while striking her across the cheek. She almost passed out from the impact. "I'll teach you some manners, rest assured!"

Still slightly dazzled, she was dragged to the trunk. Only when her head connected with the hard bark, did she fully regain consciousness. 'No. Please, no! Haldir! Help me, please...' Arms and legs pulled apart, bound and vulnerable. She stared at the faces of the raiders, still praying for this to be nothing but a nightmare. She longed to wake up in Haldir's arms, safe in the Palace of Thranduil. But she knew this was not to be. "Haldir," she whispered, "I need you now..."

---

A few miles to the south, Haldir suddenly stopped in his tracks. It could not be. It could not have happened. But he had not imagined it. There it was again. Éowyn's voice inside his head. And he knew all of a sudden where she was. The glade. The glade that reminded her so much of their secret place in Lórien. He should have known.

Turning north, he started to run, leaving Legolas behind. If any creature of the wood heard him and glanced at him, they turned away quickly. His face was a mask of rage, and he had murder in his eyes.

---

Hands, hands everywhere. In her hair, on her face, her breasts, between her legs... She could hear soft moans, and when she turned her head, she could see about seven or eight of the raiders kneel around her. One of their hands moved over her body, while the other was busy rubbing their crotches. Nausea formed in the pit of her stomach. 'They are no humans, they are mere animals,' she told herself. But that thought was not consoling her at all.

The captain was slowly approaching her, that feral grin still firmly plastered on his face. His hand was stealing down to his breeches, and with dread did her eyes catch the prominent bulge that strained against the confines. She closed her eyes, trying not to think about what was to come. "I see. We're not so brave anymore, are we, elf-friend?" His men where cheering, urging him on. She felt him climb on top of her, steeling herself. 'He might take my body, but that's not me.'

The Captain's body almost crushed her, his hot breath against her neck made her shiver. She could hear a ripping sound and felt the cool evening air caress her breasts. Until two rough hands closed about them, mercilessly pinching her nipples. A mouth descended upon one and bit down. Her scream echoed through the glade, but still she kept her eyes shut.

"Look at me, elf-friend." The voice of the Captain, hoarse with desire. "You know, this can be good for you as well." His left hand had moved down to the seam of her dress, slowly pulling it up. Despite herself she laughed at that. Finally opening her eyes, she gazed at him, "You couldn't make this good even for an orc!" She hadn't seen the back of his hand before it hit her cheek. Her head throbbed, tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but no, she would not give him that kind of satisfaction. "Can't hear the truth, can you. Can't face it that the elves are better than you..."

"I see. So it's not elf-friend but elf-lover," he sneered. "I will show you, what this is supposed to be like. I hope you like it rough!" She could see him reaching down to his breeches, freeing his straining member. But just as he was about to thrust into her... His face contorted in pain before he collapsed on top of her. The arrow had pierced his heart. Two raiders fell dead, three more had been hit in arms and legs before the group had finally realised that they were under attack.

"Curse her," one of the men muttered. "She led her friends to us." Hastily stopping the activities they had indulged in until now, they grabbed their swords and shields and encircled the trunk Éowyn was even now bound to. But she could still see the two elves enter the glade. Could hear the sound of arrows being released and finding their target. Haldir had unsheathed his twin daggers, sparring with two men at once.

She barely registered the presence of Legolas by her side until he had cut her loose completely and covered her with his cloak. Weakly she smiled at him, squeezing his hand. "Thank you." He nodded and silently handed her his sword and went to fight alongside the Lórien elf.

---

Haldir was raging. The second he had seen Éowyn bound and about to be violated, a dam had broken within him. This was his fault; all of this was his fault. He had let her leave the Caverns alone, unarmed. He had failed her. Had almost been too late to spare her the worst that could have ever happen to any woman.

After the initial arrow that had penetrated the heart of what seemed to have been the leader of the raiders, the next arrows were not aimed to kill but to wound. He would make them bleed for what they had done. A dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes, wildness breaking free. He made to unsheathe his sword but than reconsidered and, in a graceful motion, took out his twin daggers.

Two men came at him, and he barely felt the cold metal cut through their skin and flesh. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Legolas release Éowyn from her bonds. Only after the dead body of the Captain had been rolled off her, did he grasp how close she had come to being... He growled like a wounded animal, an iron fist closing around his heart. Revenge was all he could think of. He would make them pay.

---

Soon, the dead bodies of the raiders were piling around Legolas. The moment he had seen Éowyn alive and relatively unharmed, his heart had felt light again. True, Thranduil would probably have both his and Haldir's heads for letting Éowyn wander the woods on her own, but at least she would go unscathed. A smile spread over his face as he catched Éowyn's eyes. She had been saved. But it died when he saw Haldir.

The March Warden had just put both his daggers on either side of the neck of one of the wounded raiders. He could clearly see the fear in the man's eyes. "Haldir, no!" But it was too late. The human had toppled over, blood welling from two gashes in his throat. Haldir's hands were as bloodstained as his weapons, and the mad expression upon his face reminded Legolas more of a vile beast than of his friend.

The Prince ran towards the other elf, but before he could reach him, another raider had dropped to the ground, hands trying to stop the bleeding from a ghastly wound in his stomach. 'Sweet Elbereth. He does not kill, he lets them bleed to death.' He voice was shaking as once again he tried to address the other, "Haldir, saes!" But Haldir did not seem to have heard him. He was searching the ground for yet another human that was not dead.

Legolas felt something brush past him, and in the next minute...

---

Éowyn's eyes had followed Legolas' and what she saw filled her heart with new dread. Haldir was surrounded by the corpses of her attackers. His tunic was bloodstained, and even his silvery hair had red streaks in it now. Legolas had not been able to break through to him, but she would. Slowly she approached him from behind, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder. In a split second Haldir had turned around, daggers at her throat. The cold metal was almost caressing her soft skin, but she could also feel the sharp edges that threatened to cut through it. His eyes were sparkling madly, like those of a cornered beast. Trembling with terror, she barely managed to whisper, "Haldir, it is me. Éowyn. Seron vell, saes..."

Slowly comprehension seemed to seep into his eyes, and slowly he lowered his daggers. "Elbereth. Éowyn, forgive me. I did not..." Dropping his weapons altogether, he sank to his knees. His eyes were pleading, but she didn't see. She stood still as a statue, eyes wide with fear. Shivers running up and down her back, freezing her. She stumbled backwards, not seeing where she went.

Legolas gently touched her arm, whispering softly to her. But she only stared at him, nothing but dread in her pale blue eyes. She turned away and started to run. When her foot got caught in a root, she fell, her head hitting a stone. In no time the two elves were at her side. "She is breathing, she is breathing," Legolas' voice was broken by sobs. "But we need to get her back to the Caverns. There she will be taken care of by my father's healers."

Haldir was silent. When Legolas looked at his friend, he saw him studying his hands. "What have I done?" He seemed to be broken, and utterly alone. "Mellonen, please take her to the Palace. I ... I almost..." Legolas shook his head, "She will understand. Do not forget, she loves you. And love forgives everything..." Gently he cradled the unconscious Shield-maiden to his chest. "Believe me, she will understand."

---

Anor was sinking behind the treetops, and Haldir still tried to wipe the blood of his hands. But even if he could clean them of the red stains, how could he ever rinse his soul? What had come over him to lose control like that? He had almost killed the one person who could make his life worth living. Had attacked her. Her eyes, filled with fear... She was afraid of him. "Nín anoriel. Forgive me."

---

Thranduil was furious. With everyone and everything, and especially with himself. She should have been save in his realm. But he had not been able to see to that. And now she lay in her room, healers busying themselves with her. The concussion was not the worst, they had told him. She was in shock. Now he knew why. Legolas had just finished relating the events in the glade to him.

"Haldir did that to her? He is the reason..." Legolas, not daring to look his father in they eye, stared at the pale form of Éowyn. The bed seemed to be much too big for her, the blankets and cushions appeared to swallow her. "I have never seen him like this, Ada. He was not himself."

The King raised himself to his feet and brushed past his son. Sitting down on the bedding, he gently took Éowyn's hand in his, stroking it softly. "Everything will be alright, Daughter of Rohan. Everything will be fine, my child..." He leaned forward, kissing the top of her head. Turning back to face his son he said, "I will not have her face anything she fears, Ion. Haldir will only be allowed near her should she desire to see him. Is that clear?" His voice was stern, but beneath it, Legolas could hear how worried his father was.

"Ada, Haldir needs to see her. I am afraid this rift between them will grow wider the longer they are apart. She is stronger than you think..." His father's hollow laughter interrupted him. "What happened today has shaken her badly. I will not stand aside and let more grief befall her. Not while I draw breath!"

This fierce protectiveness. Only once had Legolas witnessed it in his father. During those happy days after it had been discovered that Celebrían was with child. 'Oh Ada, for you Éowyn is my sister, reborn. But she does not require your protection, she needs only one person. Pray that she will be able to forgive him.' Legolas sighed and nodded. There was no talking to the King once he had made up his mind.

---

Night had already fallen when Haldir finally reached the Caverns. What would expect him? Would Éowyn be still unconscious? Would she see him? Once again her frightened eyes appeared before his inner eye. 'No, you will not see me. Will never forgive me. And how could you?' Opening the door to their chambers, he found the King in conversation with Legolas. Thranduil was the first to be aware of his presence and snapped, "How dare you show your face in these halls again, March Warden? After what you have done today?"

Legolas tried to interrupt, but Haldir stopped him, "No, mellonen. The King is right." Thranduil gazed at him, clearly surprised. "You have changed, Haldir of Lórien. Indeed you have." Taking a few steps towards the Lórien elf, he continued once they were face to face, "Never ever hurt her again. Or face me." Towards his son he added, "Do not forget what I said." With these words, he left the two alone.

---

Éowyn had woken to a throbbing headache. None other than Thranduil had sat by her bedside, helping her to drink a potion to lessen the pain. Just when she was about to ask why she was in her bed and not the glade, she fell asleep again. Only to be roused again by Legolas. The Prince gazed at her, sorrow in his eyes. "What is the matter?" she inquired. "Would you see Haldir?" he asked softly.

Haldir, but why wouldn't she... Then it came back to her. The glade, human raiders, their Captain, then the relief at seeing her beloved and Legolas. But then... His eyes so cold, as cold as the two daggers ready to kill her. Tears welled from her eyes, "No. Please, Legolas. Don't make me see him. Don't make me..." She was shaking with sobs now, and barely felt Legolas' arms around her. He held her until she had cried herself to sleep.

---

As soon as the door opened, Haldir was on his feet. "How is she, Legolas?" The Prince was pale, avoiding his gaze. "Legolas, what is it? Please, what is wrong? Is she..." Legolas' voice was shaking when he finally answered, "She is fine, Haldir. She only... She will not see you..." Haldir slumped to the floor, face buried in his hands.

He had known this would happen. But until now there had been a small ray of hope. Now it had been swallowed by darkness. Legolas' words had stabbed his heart, and he was bleeding. 'Bleeding like those raiders today. You also let them bleed. This is just what you deserve.' It was true, he had brought this upon himself. Éowyn was only one door away. And yet they were further apart than ever before. She was safe, but refused to even see him...