Nothing is Forever

Chapter 4

The following morning, I informed Elladan of the news, I knew he would be as upset as I, for returning to Mirkwood would mean being away from him, for a long time, if necessary. He vowed to spend his last day with me as I pleased, so I helped him into the garden where we would talk, sit, and dream together of years far beyond us when we might be reunited. However, we pushed the dread of our impending departure far from our minds and we relaxed by the flowing fountains.

I packed that night, and Elrond held a grand feast to say farewell to the two beautiful pupils of their distant kin. Inwe seemed tired but I barely noticed. I was enthralled with Elladan; he had enough strength to come, though not to dance at the grand ball afterwards. Instead, we sat on our own, wanting not to part on our last day to relish our love.

Finally, it was the morn, and we had to depart. We set forth on our horses and waved farewell to our family away from home. It hurt my heart to be pulled away like this, but there was little I could do. Crazy thoughts ran rampant through my mind. ‘Perhaps I can go back, at night, when Inwe sleeps. I could be silent and stealthy, and she would not know until I was back with my love.’ I knew it was likely hopeless, but I stalled as much as possible, claiming exhaustion every few hours so we might stop, and I could feel closer to my beloved for one more minute, one more hour.

Inwe, however, was not stupid, regardless of the fact that she had an inane sense of the future. When I thought she slept, I stood, still in my riding gear, and tried to untie Isil, but she approached me, unnoticed, from behind to tell me no.

I broke down then. “Inwe, I cannot leave. I cannot leave him. Inwe, you must understand…”

She took me in her arms and held me like a mother holds a child, she comforted me, and I wept. I did not feel better in the end. My heart still bled for my lost love, I could not bear it, if only I could see him once more.

We continued the next day to Mirkwood, and with each step, with each gentle lowering of Isil’s grand hoof, I wept a tear. It is said an elf’s tears never cease. I am proof of this.

I do not know how far we travelled in the first week, two… We were so far I could not feel his heart beat with my own any longer. The yearning only increased with time.

Inwe noticed, of course, and tried to comfort me, but what a lover can do, a best friend cannot always. She could say that he loved me, he wished I was there, she could tell me with all her heart that she loved me as a friend, but it would not be enough. Not once I had held him in my arms, felt his lips upon mine, heard his heart beat in my ears… it was not enough to simply hear the words tell tales of what was not mine. I needed him there; I needed his lips, his face, his hands, his body. I needed it all.

So, I wept.

Unfortunately, Inwe became more withdrawn as we went. She rode with her brow furrowed and a stern expression on her face until she saw my tears. She sensed something, I knew that much, but from what I could tell, she knew not what.

It was days longer before she could know what that feeling was, and by the time it was clear, it was too late. Something was clouding her mind and her heart. Her senses were not as attuned as they usually were, and she could not tell why, but she would not burden me with her concern.

So on we rode, until the trail grew thick with brush, and the sky grew dark with rain, inspiring despair in the hearts of we who rode there. Before we could be drenched in the downpour, we found a rock overhang under which we could rest. We tied down the horses and fed on what berries and fruits we packed in our bags and found on our way. It was not long before the sound of the rain lulled us to sleep.

*****

“Merewen…” There were sounds from around me but I could not register them in my mind. I heard noises and rolled over, uncertain of what was happening. Something fell on me, something small, hard enough to hurt a little and make me open my eyes, but I did not know what it was, nor did I care.

“Surrounded…” I felt something else hit me and I buried my face into my bedroll. Sleep clouded my ears and eyes, but when I rolled as I did, I dislodged something from my ears, perhaps the blanket, perhaps just the sleep inhibiting my senses from functioning properly, but suddenly, I heard everything.

“Merewen! Awaken! Orcs, the Orcs! It is they! Help!” I shot straight up from the ground and spun to grasp the hilt of my sword. Three hideous creatures backed me into the side of the rock, and I snarled at one of them, probably looking hideous with my hair tangled and dirt from the travel on my face. I stepped forward as one lunged for me and pushed him out of the way. He fell to the ground like one having had too much ale, and I spun to face the next.

A vision flashed in my mind. Suddenly, from the cover of the trees, something lunged into focus. Startled, I screamed and fell backward; my eyes opened wide in fear and panic at having been caught off guard… The same Orc that had been in Imladris that day. They must have followed us somehow! They must have known we would be alone and vulnerable.

They did not, however, realize that we were both adept in the bow, me in the sword and Inwe in the knives. I swung the blade of my weapon to meet his and he smiled at the raised challenge. I pulled my blade back, and he attempted to thrust his into my stomach, but I rolled off the rock toward the right, dropping into a spin and kicking his feet from beneath him. He blocked my jab with his blade and somersaulted to his feet.

I smiled back and swung my blade at the creature, which easily avoided it taking the chance to swing at me. I dodged the blow, deflected another thrust, and leaned into an upper cut punch to the jaw. He fell backward and lost his blade. I lifted my sword above his chest when something hit me. I tumbled forward and turned around to see a rock descend on my head.