The four towers of Valier [Lotr] ✔

Departure

Her head hung low as the darkness wove all around her body. A view that the company and all of Imladris had gotten used to. It was just another daily thing they had learned to accept and move around. Not disturbing her. She was to be left in peace.  No one dared to try and awake her from her trance. It had been most unpleasant when someone had dared trying to do so. The darkness had filled her eyes and her whole body lit aflame. The man had just been saved from her grabbing his throat and burning him to crisp by Lungorthin. From then on nobody dared even make a sound.

But this time it was different. She was moving as the dark valar spoke to her. The thought uneased all those who knew about him. But as long as he contained himself to her they were fine with it. "We will leave now." The voice she spoke with was not her own. It was his. Cool and smooth like the body of a sea serpent. They set in motion, first with Frodo ahead of them but then the grey wizard takes the lead. Airen follows them, veiled in darkness as she mumbles words they never hear.

Suddenly her eyes light up as brightly as her flames and the darkness disappears inside of her. A content smile on her lips. "What is it, Lady Airen, that he said that gives you such happiness?", Legolas asks curiously. The elf had struck an unlikely friendship with the cruel princess and could now allow himself to ask the questions burning on his tongue without fear of being beheaded. "He spoke of what would happen during the last moments of war." "May I ask what you mean by that?" "He is coming for me, Legolas.", she says so softly, only the elf can hear her. His breath gets caught in his throat. "Truly?" "He will come from the void to unite with me. He'll take me from that day forward. For better or for worse. For richer, for poorer, in sickness, in health, to love and to cherish me until eternity ends. May I tell you a secret, Legolas?" Her voice is still quiet so that only he can hear her. He nods, walking even closer to not miss a single word. "I am the only living being that can speak to him and for him for a reason. My kind falls in love only once. And when we do a connection is created. A strong bound. We can speak because when I was younger I fell in love with his image. And soon his voice filled my head. Because he fell in love with the thought of being loved. And while the connection strengthened he became able to take my soul to the void temporarily. To take me to him and to see me. I am already a part of him. That helps a lot. And the longer the connection grew, the more he fell in love with me too. Now we are so connected that his emotions are my emotions. His voice is my voice and his mind is my mind. The same goes for the other way around. It is why he can speak to me even this far away from the temple and without a sacrifice although it costs a lot of strength. My brother, Legolas, no one can know of this. He wouldn't understand. He believes he is bound to me because he thinks he loves me. He doesn't. He can't. Siblings can't fall in love with each other. It isn't possible with our blood. Even less it is possible for two to love the same person. It doesn't happen. He loves me like a mother. But since we never truly had one he doesn't see the difference. Do you understand what I say?" Legolas nods slightly. "I understand. I will keep it secret. But what do you feel for him? Lungorthin I mean." "He is my brother I will always protect. He will always be a part of me and I of him. Like siblings are supposed to be. Same way as I love all my other siblings, despite my inability to truly bring the feeling across. But I will go with Morgoth. The man I truly love. And I will not linger for him." The ellon nods in understanding manner. He offers her a smile she gives back. "You can count on my support. We are friends after all." "Because you felt the need to befriend me. I wanted to ask you for a while. Why did you want to be my friend?" "Because I felt I could use a friend like you. And because you looked like a good party to join." Airen laughs softly. "And I didn't disappoint you?" "Not even in the slightest." He gives her a cheeky smile and subtle wink. "You are adorable, Legolas.", she chuckles and gently brushes her hand over his arm. "What are you talking about?" Lungorthin and Gimli fall back to join them. "We just spoke about why he felt the need to befriend me. It feels good to speak to the possibly first true friend I've ever had about easy topics. Especially during these days." "What about me?" "You are my brother, Lungorthin. You don't count." Legolas chuckles with her while she loops her arm through his. "I really wish you would have visited Valier. We could have already been friends since our childhood.", Airen tells Legolas who simply raises his eyebrows. "Do you honestly think I would have been able to enter the city." "Now that I think about it.. Probably not. If you are as old as I guess you to be you would have been executed before even passing the first wall." "How old is he then, in your estimation, lass?" "Somewhere around 2800 years. Give or take a few hundred years." "Very good. 2931 it is." "Still a lot younger than me. But Lungorthin is three years younger than you.", Airen smiles. "May I ask your age then?" "6892." "More than twice my age." "Indeed." "Why did your parents wait so long to have Lungorthin?" "My mother was struck with depression after having me. They thought after a long time having Lungorthin would help. It didn't. Then they had Cyprus. And then Janus. Then Oss. It only got worse. Finally mother just locked herself in her quarters and refused to leave them. She hasn't stepped outside her rooms in more than a thousand years." "But she is still alive..?" "We can't die. Remember? We don't need to eat. We don't need to sleep. We are simply alive forever." "How don't you explode out of your city walls yet?" "Elders go to regain their piece of our heart and commit suicide." That silences any other questions and they just silently march into the darkness.