Chapter 9: Leaving the Past Behind

Chapter 9: Leaving the Past Behind

Elrohir lifted Hawk into his arms and carried her back to the house. Matthew and Nora watched them out of the corner of their eyes with some trepidation. They had seen what the elves were capable of when they had challenged Hayden and now they feared them. Elrohir ignored them and went straight to Hawk's room where he laid her down on the bed. When her head hit the pillow she turned and cried into it. He knew that her tears were good for her so he didn't try to stop her, but he knew that they would have to leave the next day.

"Lendemel," he said softly, "I need to know that you're listening to me."

Hawk turned her head to look at him, "Lendemel," he moved the hair away from her face, "we need to leave in the morning."

"I know." She sniffed sitting up, "It is time. We should set out now."

"I think we should wait till morning." Elrohir said forcing her to lie back down.

"But we…" Elrohir's hand came to her mouth.

"Shh." He replied looking into her eyes, "You have had a trying day already, and you need to rest. We will leave first thing in the morning."

Hawk knew that he was right but she didn't like that fact. She had let him get closer to her but not too close. Right now he was a very close friend, who happened to live in her room and share her bed. She had allowed him hold her but it hadn't gone farther than that. Unwillingly her eyes began to close. She tried to keep them open but it just took too much effort. She was lost in sleep a moment later.

Elrohir watched as she slipped off to sleep. Then he rose and went to talk with Matthew and Nora. They needed to know of their plans. He entered the parlor where Nora was sewing and Matthew was trying to fix a broken spear. He cleared his throat and they both looked up surprised.

"I just thought you would want to know," he began, standing in the doorway, "Lendemel and I will be leaving in the morning."

Matthew went back to his spear without acknowledging him. He had taken to ignoring the fact that anyone but he and Nora lived in the house. He didn't like the way the elves had treated Hayden and so he had shunned his daughter and her family. Nora had gone along with him, even though it hurt her immensely.

Elrohir couldn't believe what this man was doing. He hardly knew him, but he was the only father Hawk had known for most of her life. He didn't understand how this man could turn his back on her that easily. He also couldn't see how he would choose that scum who had hurt her over Hawk.

Elrohir went back to Hawk's room and was about to wake her when he returned to his senses. Hawk needed to rest; he couldn't deny that fact. But he didn't, so while she slept he began to gather all her belonging and put them into piles. One pile was things that looked important, another was a practical pile, and then what he considered junk. The important pile included things like her jewelry and certain little knick-knacks from around the room. The practical pile was her clothing and things of that nature. But in the junk pile he put all the little things that didn't fit into the other piles.

Hawk woke up a few hours later, to find her room a total mess. She looked at Elrohir confused. What was he doing? Elrohir caught her gaze and smiled at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"I'm getting ready to leave." He replied going over to her.

"By tearing my room apart?" she was still confused.

"We won't be coming back, Lendemel." He explained gently, "I won't bring you back to a house where they ignore the fact that you were in danger at the hands of that man."

"But this is my home." She said tears pooling in her eyes.

"Your home is with me now." He replied pulling her into his arms, "Now," he held her at arms length to look into her eyes, "I want you to go through these piles and pick out the things you can't live without. Everything else we'll leave."

Hawk composed herself and set to work. She knew that Elrohir was right. She couldn't come back here; her father had made that clear by his silence. Why he hadn't driven them out already was beyond her. So she sat down on the floor and started to go through the piles. She kept all her jewelry and clothing, but decided that she didn't need the rest so she piled it up and left it in the middle of the floor. Nora could go through it later.

When she was finished Elrohir helped her to her feet and they went to get something to eat. In the kitchen Hawk noticed that Nora had already prepared the evening meal, but there wasn't enough for her and Elrohir to join them. Unwelcome tears sprang to her eyes; she hadn't just lost one family, she had lost two. But she still had Elrohir and her brother and sisters. She wiped away her tears and made a quick meal for herself and her husband. They ate in silence until they heard the front door open.

"Hello Matthew, Nora," Hayden's voice reached them, "Have the freaks left yet?"

Hawk's face drained of all color. Elrohir rose and went to stand at the door to the kitchen. Hayden saw him but chose to ignore him.

"Nora," he said turning to his hostess, "I'm sorry for your loss. It must be hard loosing a daughter."

He talked as if she were dead. Elrohir wanted to go over and punch him. But Hawk appeared at his side and ran down the hall. Hayden's look was triumphant.

"Matthew, Nora." Elrohir said through clenched teeth, "I've changed my mind. We're leaving tonight. Oh and Hayden, stay away from my wife. Amin feuya ten' le edanea."

He didn't wait for a reply but went to the bedroom and looked at his wife. She was sprawled on the bed crying. He went over and put his hand on her head.

"Lendemel," she looked up at him, "we're leaving."

She rose, put on her cloak and weapons and grabbed her bag of belongings. Then she followed him out of the room. Elrohir noticed that the other three people in the house hadn't left the doorway so he led her out the back door and into the night. But before they got ten feet Nora appeared at the back door.

"Lendemel." She called softly. Hawk turned around to look at her, "I'm so sorry. And good luck." With that she was gone.

They traveled for a few hours and then Elrohir made a fire and set up a temporary campsite. Hawk sat down by the fire and thought about what her mother had done. In essence she had defied her father in talking to her, but it encouraged her. She knew that her mother didn't agree with what her father was doing, but she understood why she went along. Matthew could be ruthless.

Elrohir sat down next to her and slipped his arm around her shoulders. He knew that he had taken her from the only home she had ever known, but he didn't regret it. If he had remained in that house another moment there would have been bloodshed. He felt Hawk shift beside him and turned to look at her. Her head was lying on his shoulder and he could tell from her even, rhythmic breathing that she had fallen asleep. He moved her so that he could get up then he set out a blanket and laid his wife down on it. Then he laid down, slipped his arms around her and fell asleep.

The next day, Hawk woke with the sun. She smiled as she looked at Elrohir; he was still asleep. She had never woken up before him. She gently reached out and moved a stray lock of hair from his face. She laughed silently as his handsome face contorted into a grimace and he moved his head away from her touch. She saw his eyes flutter and quickly closed hers so that he wouldn't catch her watching him. But she was unable to stop her laughter.

Elrohir had felt the gentle fingers move the hair off his face, but he had been dreaming of his mother and thought it was part of the dream. Then he felt the figure in his arms tremble; he was confused. He opened his eyes reluctantly and looked at the face of his wife. Her eyes were closed but she had a very suspicious look on her face. He shook his head, trying not to laugh. Then he pulled her closer to him and her eyes shot open.

"'Quel amrun, dilthen min." he laughed at her shocked expression.

"I, I, I think we should be on our way." She said her breath coming quickly.

Elrohir was tempted, for the first time since he had met her, to kiss her. She was so adorable, with her hair falling into her face and her cheeks flushed from sleeping. He was shocked at the direction his thoughts were taking. If he didn't watch it he would be spouting sonnets next. But he sat up, pulling her up with him. He was reluctant to let her go, but he knew if he didn't she would never trust him again. So he released her slowly. Then he rose and began to gather their things.

Hawk looked at him confused. She had watched his eyes closely and thought she saw something spark, and a thrill ran through her, but then he had let her go. She was disappointed at the lack of contact but she knew he would never go back on his word. She would have to ask him to get closer. But she wasn't sure how to do that. So she got to her feet and went to help her husband pack up the camp.

They traveled many leagues that day in a easterly direction. Neither of them really knew where they were headed, they were just hoping to come across something that would point them in the right direction. At sunset Hawk stopped staggered by the stench that reached her. She looked over at Elrohir; he looked like he couldn't smell it.

"Stop, please." She gagged trying to breath.

"Mani na ta?" he asked noting her expression.

"I think we're going in the right direction." She said drawing in air through her open mouth.

"Len…" he began.

"No," she stopped him, "call me Hawk."

Hawk straightened and tried to breath through her nose but the smell was too overpowering. She removed her bow and sword. Elrohir looked at her confused. Then she slipped the sword down the leg of her pants and handed him the bow.

"Please, carry this." She panted sucking in air, "You can shoot as well as I can. Do you know where we are?"

"I'm afraid that I don't." He answered looking around.

"I don't either," she said finally getting used to the smell, "but I think we should stay out of the mountains for now." She nodded to the dim outline to the south, "And we can't go very far west, because there is a bog."

"How do you know this?" Elrohir asked confused.

"The mountains smell of an old evil, it's very faint but its there." Hawk replied looking at him, "And the bog is terribly overpowering. But to the northeast I can smell a new evil."

Elrohir looked around surprised by her description. Then he gasped.

"What? What is it?" Hawk asked curious.

"I know where we are." He replied his gaze turning back to his wife, "And if what you say is correct, we're headed straight to the sight of the Black Gate of Mordor."

"What?" she gasped, "But that's impossible. Sauron was destroyed, as was his entire kingdom. Why would I be sensing a new evil there?"

"Probably because Aragorn didn't guard the gate very well." Elrohir explained quietly, "He didn't think that anyone would be foolish enough to live there."

"It's not foolish, it's brilliant." Hawk said shaking her head, "The least likely place anyone would look. This new evil is there. It was just too simple for him."

Hawk turned and started off again. But Elrohir stopped her.

"We should probably rest for the night." He said pulling her back to him.

"No." she replied firmly, "we need to travel by night now. Otherwise we could be attacked in our sleep."

"We can go on tomorrow night, because we can't go farther tonight." Elrohir countered.

"Alright." She gave in when she saw the look in his eyes.

Elrohir set up camp, but Hawk didn't let him build a fire. The smoke would attract anything that roamed the night. She also thought that they should take turns on guard. Elrohir went first and a few hours later woke Hawk for her turn. She stayed awake for about an hour, but she was so tired. Involuntarily her eyes closed.