Gandalf stood there in silence. He leaned heavily on his staff as he looked on the body of Elthian. His grief was great. Not only did they loose another elf, he was an honorable warrior and the consort of The King and Queen. He wished to know how she faired. He worried for her deeply.
Elthian would begin his journey home that day. There was one particular elf that would be escorting him that Gandalf was rather keen on speaking with. He found this returned elf with Thingol and waited patiently to have a few words with him. When Vorondil turned he was surprised to see the wizard waiting for him. As he moved closer the wizards kind face brightened a bit as he offered a small smile.
"You were waiting on me?" The fair haired elf asked.
"Indeed, I wanted to speak to you for a few moments before you leave." Gandalf lead him towards a smaller tent as found it empty. He mutter a few words then looked Vorondil in the eye. I know we can not know how Juniper is doing at this moment . I am curious to know how Minol was doing.
Vorondil's brows lifted at the question. He was the first to actually ask about the demon. He exhaled slowly and stepped back to sit on the edge of a table. "You know I didn't know what to think of him at first. Everything in me said kill it." Vorondil chuckled a bit. " But She trusted him and so did Elthian. He never did anything remotely questionable. It was so odd. He kept his distance respectfully but never avoided her if she sought him out. He spent most of his time with Celegorm."
Gandalf tilted his head at that and looked harder at Vorondil. "I know, but he is one of Feanor's and you just expect the unexpected with them." Vorondil sighed. "He was the one that kept her from going berserk on that battlefield Gandalf. She was a sight to behold when she fought. She is so small but she killed several troll as if it took no effort what so ever. It frightens me to think of what she could do if she lost control." He took on a more serious tone then and looked into Gandalf's blue eyes.
"it concerns you too?"
Vorondil nodded gently. "Minol was the only one that brought her back to herself. Minogos couldn't have done it and I surely could not have. Her's is a power that is terrifying when you really look at it. She is otherwise absolutely alluring. Perhaps it's that danger I see in her that makes her even more so."
They agreed to not speak of this to anyone else before they parted ways. Gandalf left with his concerns watched as Elthian's friends and family gathered to see him off. Elrohir stood beside Thranduil and helped to support him when all he wanted to do was crumble. Thingol too reached out and lay his hand on Thranduil's shoulder. Ryu was beside the small wagon that held Elthian. Her hand pressed to the side as she whispered. Legolas walked out to her and she threw her arms around him and held him tightly.
Narl and his brothers stood with Glorfindel and Finnola as they said their goodbyes to their friend. Elrond was making his way towards the crowd, with him was Elladan and Kree. Gandalf studied her for a moment. She one of the peredhel that descended from the returned elves. A plains elf, one that lived a nomadic life and followed the herds and the seasons. Much like the. He stopped his thoughts then looked at her again and grinned. "The Avari, do live." He chuckled to himself.
They all stood there and watched until Vorondil and the wagon were out of sight . The slowly they all turned and moved away. All but Thranduil ad Elrohir. This was an interesting new development Gandalf thought before he finally too turned away and began to walk towards the camp. They would be leaving in the morning and making their push against Morgoth. He wanted to get a bit of rest. Who knew when he would next get any.
"They were testing us and we almost failed." Brand said gruffly. His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked from the window of his office out onto the men outside preparing for battle.
"We did fail." Haldir said suddenly. " They breeched the west wall. They didn't get far but they breeched it none the less."
Brand glared at the elf then. "Then we need to fix our defenses, agreed?"
"Of course but with which troops My Lord, please give me more and I will gladly shore up the defenses. I just need about a thousand or so. That shouldn't hurt the main line much right?" Now Haldir was beginning to show his frustration and it came out in his being sarcastic and snarky.
Brand lifted a finger and drew his hand back as he took in a deep breath and was about ready to explode before his better judgement kicked in and he spun around and kicked a basket across the room. "I know, I know we don't have enough men. I can give you 200. Pick whoever you want and put them where you need them." His tone calmed down and his brain started to speak louder than his emotions.
This softened Haldir a bit and he felt less prickly. "200 will do for now." Haldir answers softly.
"Any word Gimli?" Brand asked the dwarf without even turning around.
"Hammers are busy at the forges. We should start seeing arrows making their way here in a day or so. Then parts for the wind lance will follow. We just need to that wizard to be able to actually enchant them. " He said with a low grumble. " I need food, you coming Haldir?"
"I will be along in a minute get me a bowl of whatever it is please."
Gimli nodded and left the room. Haldir watched him walking down the hall for a moment before he closed the door gently and turned to look at the King. "You know she is safe and uninjured."
"I am aware."
"What she did saved lives. Though it was a bit reckless."
Brand looked up from the letter he was reading. His dark eyes took on a dark look and Haldir cleared his throat. Brand placed the parchment down on the desk and just stared at the elf. "Reckless. Lets try utterly ridiculous. Completely stupid. Insane." He was just adding on words that did indeed fit the scenario from his perspective.
"You could also say things like brave, skillful and selfless." Haldir added.
"How the hell do you get to be this much of an optimist?" Brand said as he shook his head.
"I'm not so much, I know what she did was all of those things you said. I was angry when the runner told me her plans. All I can say is at least she had the runner tell me where she was going. She killed the majority of the goblins that chased her into the city. She did that by herself. That takes skill and bravery. Her reasons for doing what she did were selfless. But fool hearty and stupid yes. I am just asking you to look at her wholly and not in pieces."
Brand was silent then as he considered what he had just been told. Haldir nodded towards him and opened the door. "I need to go fix the defenses. In a few days We will be killing Balrogs."
They traveled on foot now. The horses lost perhaps for the best during the fight that killed Elthian. Now they moved with greater stealth though the going was a bit rough. She did walk some. Usually during the moments the sun broke through the nearly constant grey cover overhead. The rest of the time Mingos carried her and she clung to him almost desperately. Minol found she drained so much from him that he could not hold her for long and his lack of contact was being felt by her as well.
Mingos was carrying her now. She was small and sat on his shoulder. She looked back at Minol who walked behind about 50 feet or so. While she could see nothing wrong with him she had seen deception in his answers to her about how we was feeling. He was hiding something and she knew it at her core.
"Have I done something wrong?" She asked Minogos in a whisper.
"Not at all why do you ask?"
"Minol keeps his distance. He does not want to be close to me anymore and he lies to me when I ask him if he is ok."
Minogos winced a bit and sighed. " I think he is tired Juniper. He is very old and did not get to sleep for a long time like you."
She turned about on his shoulder and nestled herself against his neck beside his ear. "I can't loose anyone else Minogos. Not You, not him, not anyone."
"We are not going anywhere Juniper. Well we are going to those ugly mountains ahead but other than that, nowhere else."
She actually laughed a little at him, which made him feel better. Now he felt he might need to breech a topic he had been avoiding. "I hope I am not over stepping but I have noticed the moon growing brighter in the last few days. You know this need to be spoken of, regardless of the circumstances."
She was silent. Which bothered him. Finally she moved a bit and he heard her soft sigh and felt the tremble of her warm body against his flesh. "I think I will try to make it without being touched."
He groaned, "Juniper you know that will not work. Not to mention the pain and how you will cry and scream. It will draw every orc and beast for miles."
Now she was beginning to cry. He could tell, he felt her sadness building and felt her struggle to not let the tears forth. He turned towards Minol but so Minol could not see her. "Lets take a break and get some food. Do you mind finding water?"
Minol shook his head and sniffed the air before running off towards the scent of water.
She flew from his shoulder and grew as she landed a few feet away. She would not look at him. He was looking on her slender back and the golden wings that protruded from it. Slowly they lowered and folded down against her back and he lay his hands on her shoulders and turned her about. He saw the small shimmering tears on her cheeks and lowered to his knees. His thumbs tenderly wiped the tears away.
"Circumstances are not the best, but you know what must happen. I am sorry it is me." He whispered to her.
That was when she leaned in against him and wrapped her slender arms around about his chest. "Do not be sorry. It is not a task you signed up for. I am the one who is sorry because I know how you feel about the red head you dream about."
He gasped as she confessed to have seen his dreams. The look in his eyes shifted from shock to anger and then to acceptance. "Stay out of my dreams from now on unless invited."
She nodded then looked to see Minol returning. He lowered down beside her and offered her the water skin, which she took and drank from. Minogos had begun to dig through the pack and pulled out more lembas and though she did not feel like eating she did.
Juniper eyed Minol from the corner of her eyes, then gave him no option as she crawled into his lap. Her head nuzzled against his chest and he looked up to his son and sighed as he wrapped his arms around her then enclosed her in his wings.
Minogos rose up and stepped back, he should patrol if she was going to rest. He wandered off but stayed close enough to be effective should something come upon them.
"I do not like this distance." Her voice reached his ears and he did not like what he heard between the words.
"There are reasons in everything I do."
"I know that Minol," she shifted against his lap and looked up to his eyes. They were the most purple she had ever seen them. "which makes me wonder about the reason. What reason could there be that would make you want nothing to do with me."
She is so smart. He thought and found himself smiling. Her brow lifted the more his lips curl.
"You lie to me too. When I ask if you feel alright you lie, you know I can see it Minol, You do not hide it well." Now she frowned.
He pulled her back in close and held her head against his chest. She was surrounded by the sound of his heartbeat. "Of course I lie to you because it is pointless for you to carry any more of a burden than you will, You are my true love Juniper. It is what it is though, it's a love that will never be completed. We will never know truly what it is like to be one. That gets a bit harder to accomplish the further we go. Especially with the urge to do it is so very strong."
"We are not forever Little Flower, " he sighed and held her so close. "You and I will be parted and you will have the life I promised you." He chuckled softly now finding a bit of amusement in his own plight. "Every promise I have made along the way is cashing in almost all at once you see. Whatever, energy it needs to come to fruition is being spent. It takes a lot out of me."
She pushed back from him so she could now look at him completely in the eye. "You are getting weaker?"
He just smiled. "I am finite. All this power I had was borrowed power. It was everything I had taken from all the deeds done. Good and bad. Every single promise costs power. Morgoth taught me that. Power is finite use too much too fast and you will fade away. Never question my love for you."
She was trembling then, tears streak down her cheeks. "How much longer?"
"Till what? Till I fade?" He shook his head. "I will not fade, not like that."
"Father, Juniper." Minogos returned and was speaking low. "We need to go, there are orc here."
Her gaze shot to Minol's and he just smiled to her. "Take Juniper." His gaze never left hers as he spoke to Minogos. Then she felt herself lifted away from Minol.
"No, put me down Minogos. Something terrible is going to happen." She fought against him then suddenly shifted small and slipped out of his grasp. He felt her rummaging in the back pack but before he could get it off she was out of it and in her shiny armor. "I told you I can not loose anyone else."
Minol rose slowly. He looked so magnificent. He looked as powerful as he ever had as he grinned at her. "You heard the Queen, she chooses to fight. So lets get a move on and maybe we will not have to engage them."
Minogos rolled his eyes and the three of them began to move away as quickly as they could. Minol now carried her. She rode on his shoulder in complete silence. The steps they took made no sound. They blended with the obscure shadows here and there and waited until the threat had passed by before moving again.
The going was tense that was for sure. Yet Minol wore an almost goofy grin as they moved. Just the idea of her wishing to defend him made him joyous. Oh how he wished to be able to see the future when there would be no need for her to go to war and have to witness atrocity. It was nearing sundown now and soon they would have the cover of night and the light of the moon. Strange how the clouds parted and disappeared when the sun went down.
Minogos was trying his best to avoid the patrols but now it was more difficult . There in the shadow of the mountain, it was thick with orc and beast and if not for her cloak she would have been found quickly.
Minogos took a few moments to change his gear. He donned his leather suit and put on his mask. The crimson sash tied about his head. He began to feel the thirst for it. The need to be covered in the blood of his enemies. Oh the wickedness he could do. Minol understood the meaning of the gear change. He understood that fighting was expected soon and it was to be so thick he needed this strength.
Juniper remained crouched on Minol's shoulder. Her small frame pressed against his neck. She could feel them, all of their malice and hate, The darkness that poured from these orc was tremendous. These were not ordinary orc and the creature that crawled among them was not in the least ordinary. Juniper could feel it. It was looking for her, It wanted her more than anything. It wanted to devour her.
Minol felt it too as did Minogos, it did not hide. Minol scooped her from his shoulder and he dug out a small cavern in the tree litter under them. There he placed her and sighed. "This is something you can not fight. This is something terrifying, a monster that can only be slain by a monster. I know everything within you tells you to go fight. I know you wish to protect me. I know you can not. Please stay here. She can not see you here."
He looked to his son and smiled. "Stay with the Queen and Stay here." Mingos knew the smile was to comfort him. Though he drew none from it. Slowly he took one of Mingos' scimitars from its sheath at his back. Then with a bow he disappeared. Moving with such quickness he was hard to see.
The immense presence they felt was enough to keep them glued to the spot for the moment. Minol knew more about than either of them. Though she could not shake the feeling that this was one hell of a time to actually behave. When she knew the creature he was fighting was far stronger than herself. She remained coward under a tree.
"Minogos, I think this is really the first time I have ever felt afraid. Truly and passionately frightened. It makes me want to stay here but I know that if we just do as we are told he is going to die."
"Juniper, He knows, he has always known he would die. He has known since the beginning that your future did not have him in it and he told you so from the moment he saw you again."
She thought back to those conversations. He flat out told Thranduil everything that night and she had been too dense to see he was speaking the utter truth. "No Minogos, just because he says something will happen there is always a plan B."
"What if this is plan B?"
She gasped softly, and in a heartbeat his arms were wrapped around her and she was pulled in closely. "Listen to me. He is prepared for this. He wants this to happen, You can not stop it." He was saying these words through tears and she fought him to break free of his embrace.
He seemed to just fall before her and stood in her way. There was very little light in this being so he was of little interest to her. Though she noticed he carried the scent of one who did have the light she was seeking. "Little fly. You carry a scent I find intriguing. I would like to see the creature who left it behind."
"I am here to make sure that never happens." Once he said that she came out of her shadow. He could see her in all her glory and even though she was not as big as she could get, she was big enough to do serious damage. Her pitch black body seemed to soak up the smallest bit of light and each leg moved independently of its neighbors. She towered over him by 10's of feet and she looked down on him with many black beady eyes.
Her biggest weak spot was softer bulbous part of her abdomen. Which would be no easy feat to get to unscathed. He bowed to her and even gave her a salute with his sword, then he disappeared. He could not hide from her many eyes. A large hairy leg jut out and she tripped him easily. Her body turning with him to keep facing him. He rolled to a stop and pushed himself up. He attacked her head on then. Finding he was able to dodge her attacking legs and heading for her belly.
He slashed various parts of her body. Severing a leg or two from her body and enraging her beyond measure. Then she stilled for a moment. Her whole body becoming rigid. There standing atop a boulder was Juniper. The cloak of Vaire gone and her light shown to any who were looking. The beast was distracted long enough for Minol to sink the blade of the scimitar deep in her abdomen. Her green gooey guts began to spill forth. She screamed in agony and began to thrash about violently.
Minogos sprang from the rocks to her left and finished what Minol had started. Slashing at her body and severing sections of her away even then she lashed out in fury at them. Minol emerging from under her to join in with his son until the dark creature lay still and lifeless.
She leaps from the rock she had stood upon and ran towards where she last saw them. "Minol!" she called out then began to cry. " Minogos! Please answer me." She looked around in desperation as the dust began to settle and visibility was better. There, 30 feet away they stood holding each other up. Minol and Minogos together. With relief she ran to them. Her arms throw around both of them. Not caring about the much that covered them both. They were both alive.
"Let us be away from here." Minol said with a bit of a cough.
Minogos found both of his blade and returned them to his back and her cloak was retrieved and placed over her shoulders once more. In hope that she could get away quick enough, That she would be long gone before whatever saw her came looking. They made their escape rather quickly. Seeking a place to hide until the worst of it had passed. They found it in the form of a small cave dark and damp inside. The entrance hidden by an overhang of vines and roots. Her light shrouded by the soil but within it was all the light they had.
No one said a thing for many long minutes, until the roof of the cave began to glow with little green lights. "Glow worms." Minol said softly. She stared at them in wonder at first then looked to Minol. "How dare you do that to me." She hissed at him. "If you are on plan B then you make plan C and even D if you have to. You never just stop at plan B. I know you better."
Minol blinked at being chastised by her then he laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh I do love your fighting spirit Little Flower. You are correct, you always make a plan for the plan. However, there is also another lesson you must learn from me. One can not escape their destiny Juniper." He held out his wrist and showed her a small but angry looking scratch upon it.
Minogos moved quickly to look at it and then sank back with his eyes wide in horror. "What is it?" She asked and took his arm in her hands and looked at the small scratch that made Minogos look so frightened.
"While she thrashed so viciously her sting scratched my flesh." He said softly and Juniper looked confused. "Why would a scratch be something to fear?" She asked and held onto his arm.
"He is poisoned Juniper. He is dying just a bit more slowly." Minogos gave her the answer she was seeking and it made her shake.
"No there has to be a medicine you can take. We just have to find it. Tell me what to find." She demanded of him . "You poisoned me once Minol and I survived."
"There is no cure Juniper. Not for her venom. It's not the big flashy death I envisioned but at least it affords me a bit more time with you. " She burst into tears and threw her arms around him.
"Shhhhhh now, I am ready for this." He hugged her tightly. Minogos looked away this after all was his father. "Now I suggest we run from here and find another place further along. They will be here soon and if we stay here they will find us. "I think now is the time to do it while I am still strong enough to move."
Then as the sun was just beginning to break the horizon they used the veil the first light would provide them to slip away. The silver fading from her within minutes to change into her golden hue. Then scurried from hiding place to hiding place and finally put more distance between them and those looking for her.
The poison crept up Minol's arm and he lacked the power to hold it back. She stayed near him the whole time. The silent walk allowed her some time to try and accept it. She was finding it hard. The sun rose then on them. In all its bright wonder. The clouds a bay for the moment and Minol looked on his last sunrise.
"I can not go much further Little Flower." Minol said softly and found a nice warm place to sit.
"Minogos!" She cried and helped Minol to sit.
He looked back and sighed as he turned. "Stay on point my son." He shook his head at the approach and Minogos was suddenly aware of the danger lurking not far away. He nodded knowing his duty was the best way to honor his father right then. He turned and moved off and grit his teeth together.
She ripped away the sleeve of his tunic and saw the black flesh at his shoulder. He eyes lifted and looked to his and saw the true eyes of Minol then all the green had faded from them and left behind was his beautiful Lavender gaze.
Thranduil's army was on the move again. Heading to meet their destiny before the dark mountain. Ryu threw herself from the wagon she had been riding in and she ran through the moving lines of soldiers. Looking towards the sunrise as it peeked over the horizon of craggy mountain peaks. Shadow and Shade soon joined her. Thranduil stopped as well, those mounted soldiers passed him by and he looked towards the rising sun and veered away from the lines as well.
Something was happening in the east. Something dreadful, He dismounted and walked up beside Ryu and placed his hand on her shoulder. Neither of them knowing what was truly happening. The suddenly they both felt weak in the knees and lowered down to the ground. Unable to stay up in those moments. Then as quickly as it came it faded and left them feeling uneasy.
Minogos stood several feet away completely still. He looked at her back. Her wings lowered and pressed to the ground. She held his hand and stared at him. The life gone from his eyes. Slowly Minogos approached them. She was strangely calm. Sad but calm.
"I need to talk to you about something Minogos and I know its a terrible time." She began and did not look at him. "All this time I thought we were to sneak in and do whatever it is I am supposed to do but I no longer think that's the plan." Now she slowly turned and looked at him with wet red eyes yet no tears fell from them. "I think we are supposed to be taken inside because that's where I need to be. Close to him, I will know what I am supposed to do when I see it Minogos. I can not ask you to do this with me. They will torture you Minogos and I can not ask you to do that."
She lay Minol's hand carefully on his chest. Then got to her feet. " I am going to let myself be seen. I will fight hard until I can not fight any more then I will be taken inside. I want you to run. I want you to find Thranduil and.."
He cut her off right there. "I thought you were going to give me a choice. I am not running anywhere. This is my duty set by my father upon me and I will be seeing it through. You need to know something. I know who my torturer will be and I can promise you what ever he dishes out to me will be tolerable. You really are not so smart of you think I will be allowing you to go alone. We fight hard and when they overwhelm us that is when we get captured not a moment before. Drannor will come for us Juniper. My father trusted him I think we should too."
"With me then?"
"With you." He said with a nod.
She lifted her fingers to the clasp of the cloak and let it fall away. She lifted it from the ground and covered Minol with it crouching down to caress his cheek. "I will see to it that your sacrifice means something. I will see your plan through to the end, Melamin."
She stood there a moment as flowers sprang to life around the body of Minol. "They will be here very soon." She said and gripped her swords.
"Let them come, I will end many of their days right now." He pulled his Mask back on and drew the scimitars from his back. "I am thirsty."
The orc burst through the brush and she disappeared and reappeared behind two of them who now fell from their injuries. Minogos has dispatched the others quickly. Then their were more and more . The danced together, Mirroring each other back to back and the bodies began to pile around them. They climb to the top and added more, Juniper faded more and more and Rowena came out in full rage.
They did not lie when they said they would fight hard till the end. It wasn't until these new fell beasts and their Master arrived that they began to falter in the least. Then it was just too much and they were over run . The beating the took was profound. Minogos was unconscious Juniper was on the edge of darkness when a loud voice barked at them and those that had been beating her began to spray black blood around her and she was taken into warm strong arms. Golden eyes looked into hers, and she felt peaceful and finally gave into the darkness.