Bard of Laketown

Part Forty-Four

PART FORTY-FOUR

BARD'S POV

I hear whispering outside the door. I don't bother to look up when I hear soft footsteps. Except that I recognize the sound. "Areya?"

She smiles at me sadly. "Hello, Bard." She doesn't come any closer, just stands and watches me, her eyes blinking back- tears? I hold out my hand to her, ignoring the bite of the rope on my raw wrists.

Areya walks slowly towards me. I don't look away from her, and her cheeks darken. "Why did you come back for me?" My voice breaks from not using it. She kneels in front of me and touches my face lightly, her fingers ghostly.

"Are you alright?" She avoids my question, and pulls out one of her long knives, sawing away at the ropes that tie my wrists. They snap, and I put my hand on her face, stroking her cheek softly.

She puts her arms around my neck and pulls me to her. "Oh, Bard. I was so worried about you." She kisses my cheeks and my nose. I smile at her. Her eyes sadden suddenly.

"What's the matter?"

She stands up quickly and motions for me to come quickly. I get up, my legs shaking a bit, and run after her. My eyes blink rapidly in the sudden light.

Areya grabs my hand and we run down the halls. "How did you convince your king to let me go?" My voice has a bitter twinge in it, and I feel a little bit guilty.

She looks down for a moment. "I-"

So it is true. "Why did you even come for me?"

She stops suddenly and turns to look at me, her eyes narrowed. "I can just as easily put you back in that cursed cell." She spits out, and pulls her hand from my grasp.

We run in silence. "I'm sorry," I say quietly.

"Don't be." She looks uncomfortable, though. I take her hand again, but she moves away slightly. Her eyes are flashing.

All that we can hear is the sound of our breathing and the thump of our footsteps. We finally reach the top deck and come out into the cool night air. I take a deep breath and feel my bad mood begin to slip away.

"Areya, thank you." I take her by the elbow, but she pulls back.

"Don't." Her voice isn't angry, but a little bit depressed. She walks to the edge of the deck and jumps over the side.

I run to the edge and look over into the icy black water. She's sitting in a small boat, untying a fisherman's knot. "Are you coming?" She asks me.

I smile wryly and vault over the side. The boat rocks dangerously. Only when I've sat down do I notice the lifeless body splayed on the ground. Areya pinches her lips closed and begins to row.

I take a closer look at the white face of the corpse, then bite my fist. "What in Middle-earth is going on?" I whisper. "Why is Daneya here?" I can feel the blood draining from my face.

Areya looks away from me. "She was in prison with me," she says in a choked voice.

"When were you in prison?"

"After I came back to get you the second time, Alfrid threw me in prison for trespassing. Daneya was in the cell next to mine. She told me she was your sister."

I rub my temples and squeeze my eyes shut. "What happened after that?" I'm dreading the answer. My shoulders are shaking violently.

"Fili came and got us out-"

"The dwarf? He saved you?" Jealousy creeps into my voice.

"Yes, he did. Daneya and I began rowing over here to find you. That's when she told me she was your wife, and-" she breaks off and gestures at my wife's body. I feel tears pool in my eyes. Areya reaches her hand out to me.

"You killed her?" I say, my voice breaking yet again.

She rows harder, the oars slicing through the water. "No, she killed herself."

It sounds unbelievable. Daneya was always so full of laughter and life. What could have caused her to take her own life?

I just turn around and wrap my arms around myself to keep warm. Areya doesn't speak again, and neither do I.