Note: Updated and corrected April2017 PT
Nariel the Red
Chapter 2: Radagast and Caraneth
Radagast had been unable to concentrate on anything all day. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Needing to be outdoors more than he ever had before in his long life, he sat out on the porch waiting for the sounds of nature to calm his mind. But the animals were uneasy as well and it did nothing to calm him. Something had happened in the forest, something terrible. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to find the source of unease. All he saw was a flash of a great red bear. Caraneth, who else could it be? What had happened? Was she injured? Was she dead? What else but the death of one of the great bears would affect the forest so? Although he wished that it were not so he could not come up with any other explanation.
Tears fell as he remembered the last day he had seen her; it had been about twelve years ago, although it felt like longer.
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From the moment he saw her heading towards him as he sat on the porch he knew something was wrong. She seemed distracted and detached. Usually their time together was filled with laughter and love. They had only known each other since the previous spring and yet now, almost a year later; it was as if they had known each other all their lives. But today a cloud of depression and apprehension hung over them both.
She walked slowly towards him with her head down. Usually she would run towards him, and he would spin her around feeling a fraction of his age. But today she showed little of her wild nature as she made her way up the porch steps and stood in front of him.
"What is wrong Caraneth?"
He asked shocked by the change in his love. He could hardly breathe as he contemplated what could possibly be wrong. She didn't say anything; she simply took his hand and placed it over her belly. A smile spread across his face and he pulled her into his arms. There was nothing to worry about after all, the news she carried was the best that he could think of.
"Oh, Cara! This is wonderful! We are to have a child!"
But she pulled away from him with tears in her eyes.
"We cannot have this child together."
She said wiping at her eyes. Confusion and fear overwhelmed him.
"What?"
He asked
"Why not? Your father will be pleased. He loves children."
He was grasping at straws. Beorn had never disapproved of their relationship, wanting his daughter to be happy. And he could think of no other reason that would keep them apart.
"My father is not the problem"
She said.
"Have you forgotten who you are? You are Radagast the Brown. An Istari, Maia incarnate, immortal. You cannot marry a mortal and you should not."
He shook his head mutely, not wanting to believe what she was saying, but she continued.
"I will die Radagast. No matter how much you or Grimbeorn or my Father try to protect me. I will die eventually. I always knew this couldn't last forever, that you could never marry me."
He sat heavily down on the ground and looked up at her pleading; he couldn't believe that any of this was happening. It didn't matter who he was or what duties he held. He was in love and he wanted to spend his life with her and their child.
"Don't do this Cara, please"
He pleaded with her to stop but she closed her eyes and carried on.
"I have to. I will raise our child in my Father's hall. We can't see each other again Radagast, but you will see her."
The wizard's eyes snapped up to hers, he was to have a daughter.
"Her?"
He asked.
"Yes, we are having a daughter. She will be a Beorning like me, but she will be immortal like you. When I die she will be sent to you."
Then she leaned down and kissed him
"Remember me"
She whispered before walking out of his life forever.
Radagast sat and remembered. He had thought about her every day since then, his beautiful Cara. Every day for twelve years, and he would think about her every day until he left Arda and beyond. Every second without her was like torture. For centuries he had felt as if something was missing in his life, and then he had met Caraneth Beorning. The Valar may have given him this body and sent him to help the mortals through their peril, but she was the only one who truly mattered.
Now he stood and watched the horizon waiting to discover if the love of his life lived. If she was dead, their daughter would be on her way, if not the animals would calm and he would go back inside to think over their brief time together.
Suddenly he saw a flash of red hair as a black steed approached. The rider would reach him just before sunset.
"She is dead then."
Radagast admitted to the silent trees. While she had lived there had always been the chance that he would see Caraneth again, that she would relent and allow him back into her life. Now however he knew that he would never see her again. Not even the mortals themselves knew what happened to them after death, but he knew that they would not be reunited in Valinor when he sailed. Feeling numb he stood on the porch and waited to meet his daughter, the only thing now that he had left to live for.
