Mistress of the Fellowship (LOTR)

* 57 * Goodbye the Brave

57

Another funeral pyre was built as the mourning flooded from Kordelia's lips in song. Tears streamed down her cheeks, each filled with pain for the loss of the above and beyond stallion who had been with her through the worst of times and had saved her life more times than could be counted. He was the bravest of the brave and she would make sure he would be remembered or else with her last dying breath his name and that of her beloved Celegorn would be the last words to fall from her lips.

As the flames faded in the light of dawn Kordelia found herself looking to the east where the smoke rose from Mount Doom. The sorrow which had just possessed her had been evaporated by hate and anger which made he want to scream but then the wind brushed against her causing her to exhale which settled her insides although she was still far from calm but rather she was in control as she allowed the spirit of her home speak to her as she continued to stare.

"I'm a fighter and am coming to fight."

She looked at the dying embers and then at the braids she had created from his tail and mane hair. As she watched his body turn to ash she had mindlessly braided his tail hair into cuffs which nearly reached her elbows. The rest of his hair she had laid in front of her with a number of items from her past. Her mother's beads, father's ring, brother's turquoise and amethyst pebbles, Celegorn's feathers, the leaf from the cloak she was given by Elrond, a string of silver hair she had just come across which she knew belonged to Legolas, a coin she had been given by a valuable friend long ago and the patching coin she had taken from the inside of his shirt before she had let his pyre drift down the river prepared for her to ignite. For some reason this made her think of Legolas and knowing the look he would give her at this moment.

She knew at that moment that she was meant to fight alongside him.

Epona approached knowingly as Kordelia said her final good bye to her last friend from her old life before mounting in one graceful bound before Epona reared up and kicked her legs out in farewell as Celegorn's daughter, Iminyë, let out a skin crawling screech before they turned their back on the place where Cadeyrn had fallen and where Kordelia had left much of her heart.

Returning to her camp she was able to gather the last bit of her belongings before she asked, "Are you coming with me Lady Arwen?"

The elleth stepped out from behind a tree with a type of grace almost too soft for the woods and in an even softer voice Arwen said, "I have not the strength to fight at this time."

Kordelia gave a smug smile and said, "I will do the fighting for us both. I will take you to the steward of Gondor if that is your wish but we both know he has gone mad. Come with me to join the Rohirrim."

"We both know he is there."

Kordelia remounted and nodded her head. "I know. And you know he needs to see you."

Arwen stepped closer and looked up at Kordelia and said, "Do you honestly believe it to be wise, you his wife to be and I his lover?"

Kordelia gave a smug smile and answered, "A war shakes the land and sea at this time. I do not pretend to know what will happen in the days to come nor will I rely on hope that I will live past the morning. Friend, companion, wife, or lover, none of it matters at this time as we walk on the edge of a knife blade. It is ally, enemy, or coward. I'm giving you a choice, something I rarely give anyone."

Arwen stared hard at Kordelia and said in a stronger voice, "I am no enemy of Middle Earth nor will I be deemed a coward."

"Then let us be off." Kordelia said as a white horse approached Arwen with an elegant elvish saddle and bridle.

And with that the elleth and the Last of the Wilds set off to meet an army.

Yes this is short, sorry.=== read on