~*~* A/N: All right, here it is: The stunning conclusion of The Luinalation. Yes, it's been one crazy ride and, in response to a question posed by Jedi-Aerin: I have no idea how to pronounce half the names. I know how to spell them, though! :-) *~*~
Ringathradiel stood, brushing the dirt from her knees. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned to Annifrid.
"I'm so sorry," the guard repeated, and Ringathradiel shook her head.
"This was not your fault; for you did not stab her. Come now, we must go to the center of the city, for I believe the revolt has almost finished."
They walked in silence, heads down, until they reached the center of the city, marked by a large statue of Galenavarien. Slowly, all the others gathered there too, watching Ringathradiel with interest. She could see the Fellowship, gathered in a corner of the center square.
Annifrid stood beside Ringathradiel, watching her as well. Ringathradiel's expression was one of deep thought, and finally, she cleared her throat, silence sweeping throughout the people.
"I want to thank you," she started, and was met with cheers. She gulped, and shook her head, beginning again. "I want to thank you, for believing in me, and in yourselves. Without all of you, we would still be under the control of the Saurlhachien." More cheers erupted from the many who stood before her, and she glanced to Annifrid, shaking her head gently.
Annifrid looked at her, puzzled, but as Ringathradiel continued to speak, the meaning behind her words began to sink in.
"I know you.. you expect me to lead you now, to take control of The Luinalation, but.." she paused, gulping back tears, and shook her head. "I cannot." A gasp went through the crowd, and some of the Fellowship members looked up, puzzled. "I cannot stay here, not where the ground is so soaked with blood." Turning she glanced up, at the statue of their past ruler looming above.
With a cry, she began to push upon it, and Annifrid, catching on quickly, began to push too. The rest of the crowd clamoured to help, and soon, with a creak, the statue of Galenavarien fell, and the crowd stood in silence for a moment, aware of the symbolicness of the moment.
"You no longer need to fear the Luinalation!" Ringathradiel exclaimed, and the loudest cheer of all erupted from the group. Ringathradiel smiled for a moment, and then soon, as the cheers died down, her smile disappeared.
"I must go," she continued, looking down. "I know not where, but I leave Annifrid, my good friend and comrade, to lead you." She turned to Annifrid, clapping her on the back. "And the statue of Galenavarien will be replaced, with one of Annifrid and Rinatarien, who died in the battles."
"What of you?" asked one of the crowd members, brow furrowed.
"I wish not to be remembered," said Ringathradiel, bowing her head slightly. "Not for causing so much death."
With that, she turned and walked off, toward her hut. She had things to gather, and then she would leave. Perhaps she could journey up the Anduin, and visit the elves of Rivendell, and the people of Bree.
"Wait," called Strider, and she half-turned, seeing the entire Fellowship on her heels.
"I'm sorry, I nearly forgot about you," she said, shaking her head. "How did you all fare?"
"We faired rather well. A few of the Hobbits were scratched or cut, but we all survived without much injury."
"That is good, then," Ringathradiel replied, with a nod and a half-smile.
"Indeed. We are to depart soon, for we are still on a quest of sorts, but we wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?" asked Ringathradiel, her eyes wide. "Whatever for?"
"For helping us to bond together, become a true fellowship," explained Strider, with a glance to the rest of the group. "We know now the meaning of friendship, of trust, of honor, and those are lessons that were well worth the battle."
Ringathradiel nodded, and glanced down, then thrust out her hand.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," she said softly, and gasped as Strider grabbed her in a short hug, rather than shaking her outstretched hand. She laughed then, and shook her head.
"Men."
~*~* A/N: Okay. That's the end, besides, of course, the epilogue! (Which you can expect in, oh, 5 minutes.) *~*~
Ringathradiel stood, brushing the dirt from her knees. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned to Annifrid.
"I'm so sorry," the guard repeated, and Ringathradiel shook her head.
"This was not your fault; for you did not stab her. Come now, we must go to the center of the city, for I believe the revolt has almost finished."
They walked in silence, heads down, until they reached the center of the city, marked by a large statue of Galenavarien. Slowly, all the others gathered there too, watching Ringathradiel with interest. She could see the Fellowship, gathered in a corner of the center square.
Annifrid stood beside Ringathradiel, watching her as well. Ringathradiel's expression was one of deep thought, and finally, she cleared her throat, silence sweeping throughout the people.
"I want to thank you," she started, and was met with cheers. She gulped, and shook her head, beginning again. "I want to thank you, for believing in me, and in yourselves. Without all of you, we would still be under the control of the Saurlhachien." More cheers erupted from the many who stood before her, and she glanced to Annifrid, shaking her head gently.
Annifrid looked at her, puzzled, but as Ringathradiel continued to speak, the meaning behind her words began to sink in.
"I know you.. you expect me to lead you now, to take control of The Luinalation, but.." she paused, gulping back tears, and shook her head. "I cannot." A gasp went through the crowd, and some of the Fellowship members looked up, puzzled. "I cannot stay here, not where the ground is so soaked with blood." Turning she glanced up, at the statue of their past ruler looming above.
With a cry, she began to push upon it, and Annifrid, catching on quickly, began to push too. The rest of the crowd clamoured to help, and soon, with a creak, the statue of Galenavarien fell, and the crowd stood in silence for a moment, aware of the symbolicness of the moment.
"You no longer need to fear the Luinalation!" Ringathradiel exclaimed, and the loudest cheer of all erupted from the group. Ringathradiel smiled for a moment, and then soon, as the cheers died down, her smile disappeared.
"I must go," she continued, looking down. "I know not where, but I leave Annifrid, my good friend and comrade, to lead you." She turned to Annifrid, clapping her on the back. "And the statue of Galenavarien will be replaced, with one of Annifrid and Rinatarien, who died in the battles."
"What of you?" asked one of the crowd members, brow furrowed.
"I wish not to be remembered," said Ringathradiel, bowing her head slightly. "Not for causing so much death."
With that, she turned and walked off, toward her hut. She had things to gather, and then she would leave. Perhaps she could journey up the Anduin, and visit the elves of Rivendell, and the people of Bree.
"Wait," called Strider, and she half-turned, seeing the entire Fellowship on her heels.
"I'm sorry, I nearly forgot about you," she said, shaking her head. "How did you all fare?"
"We faired rather well. A few of the Hobbits were scratched or cut, but we all survived without much injury."
"That is good, then," Ringathradiel replied, with a nod and a half-smile.
"Indeed. We are to depart soon, for we are still on a quest of sorts, but we wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?" asked Ringathradiel, her eyes wide. "Whatever for?"
"For helping us to bond together, become a true fellowship," explained Strider, with a glance to the rest of the group. "We know now the meaning of friendship, of trust, of honor, and those are lessons that were well worth the battle."
Ringathradiel nodded, and glanced down, then thrust out her hand.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," she said softly, and gasped as Strider grabbed her in a short hug, rather than shaking her outstretched hand. She laughed then, and shook her head.
"Men."
~*~* A/N: Okay. That's the end, besides, of course, the epilogue! (Which you can expect in, oh, 5 minutes.) *~*~