Everlong

25

There was no peace that came from sleep; no light dreaming filled with joy or ease. Everything was just dark, heavy and suffocating, and Liruliniel found herself waking more times in the night than she had at any other time before. She found her mind was unable to switch off, there wasn't one thought in particular which was reoccurring, and really as soon as she tried to pin one thought down it would evade her.

By the time the first light of day was seen cracking through the canvas of her tent, Liruliniel pushed herself up off the bunk and took to sorting her things out. Her mail was easily rolled up, her armour was trickier to sort out but she sort of managed to pack it. She used the blanket as a knapsack and tied it tightly before leaving it on the bunk. She looked at it while attaching her belts around herself. She slid her swords and knives in place before turning and walking out. The light of day was harsh, making her eyes squint as she looked about herself.

Everyone was dissembling the camp. Tents were coming down, fires were being put out and horses which survived the battle were either being mounted, or were having roughly fashioned wagons attached to harnesses. Some of these wagons had injured bodies laying within, Liruliniel passed one and worriedly looked in when she heard wet sounding coughs. The man she spied had coughed up blood before someone else aided him in settling. She turned away and continued walking, she didn't need foresight or in fact such brilliant eyesight to see that he wasn't likely to make the journey home.

That was something which she bitterly thought over; how many of the injured would actually survive going home? Men were so fragile, so easily hurt, and they seemed to take up the majority of the injured. Liruliniel shook her head sadly, it was all very sad. Side eyeing the fields to her right, Liruliniel could see people walking amongst the dead, clearly looking for someone. Or a great many of people.

She paused, she stood there with the ambient sounds of camp life behind her and her eyes just staring outwards. Inhaling deeply, she looked to the side, clicking her tongue had the horse nearby looking up at her with its ears pricked. "I need your help," she whispered while walking up to it and reaching for the reins. The horse snorted and shook its head, Liruliniel smiled softly while walking around the side and pulling herself up into the saddle. Nudging the horse into motion, she trotted onto the field. She could spy the rocky outcrop from here, she felt a shiver go through her. The memory of being up there frantically looking for Oropher was never going to leave her. She knew that. And despite of what Thranduil said, she still felt like she failed his father.

There was still many orcs and uruks around which had yet to be dealt with, but likewise there were so many dead where would one even start? She knew some had, but maybe the enormity of the task was too much? Liruliniel swallowed thickly, the thought of leaving the dead to the carrion made her feel sick. She knew this field would return back to nature, not for a while but it would be. Liruliniel knew that nature would reclaim everything within time. It was just the way things were. But to leave all these people here had her dismounting and leaving the horse with a sad look on her face. She scrambled up the rocks and pushed wayward locks of hair out of her face. It seemed throughout the night more hair had escaped what braids remained.

Shielding her eyes and turning slowly, she scanned the area. She eyed the horse when she heard it had started to walk about, she expected it was looking downwards thinking what exactly was this all around it? But then again, it was likely to have taken part in the fighting. Liruliniel wondered what happened to the rider. Was it still alive? Or was it one of the injured or countless dead around them? She didn't know. To be honest, there was probably a lot of questions which wouldn't have answers.

Tilting her head, she double took and jumped downwards. Running forwards she hastily collapsed to her knees and pushed a few bodies out of the way. She grimaced at the black blood which transferred over to her, by now most of it was dry but also still a bit damp. She merely ignored the gross feeling as much as she could before she paused, placing her hands in her lap she looked downwards. Oropher. She had found him, a weight which had been building up suddenly didn't feel so heavy. Relief, she felt relief as she looked down at him. It was bittersweet of course, if she had managed to find him during the battle he probably wouldn't be laying here dead.