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Sycha stopped and looked up, pain showing plainly upon her features. She fingered the circlet
she held, and looked over at the audible sniffle. Pippin wiped at his nose, and she fixed him with
a peculiar look. He waved a hand and shook his head. "Don't mind me….so sad…..where did you
go?" She sighed softly and looked around. "I came here….for I did not know where else to go.
Haldir and his men met me as I entered the forests, and by their look, I knew that what had
happened was already known. He bowed to me respectfully and accompanied me the rest of the
way, silent. Galadriel and Celeborn were sympathetic, and I stayed here for some time, desolate,
for I spoke very little, and stayed to myself." She shrugged almost to herself and Sam spoke then.
"I'm confused……" Her brows knitted, and she cocked her head. "What about?" Sam looked as
though he were sorting through some complex problem. "Well, when were your children born?"
She smiled sadly. "Ahh….they are not born of me. They were born of Elrond's marriage to
Celebrian, the only daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel……for there was no reason for him to live
forever alone as I would be. But she was captured by orcs one day as she rode, and when
rescued by her sons, never recovered from the madness she endured. She crossed the seas at
that, and that is all of her I know." Sam looked over at Pippin and Merry, who seemed distressed
at the whole story. "But….that's not a happy ending, as all story's should end…..do you still love
him?"
Sycha smiled slightly and nodded. "Of course, else I would not be here…..he has written often to
me, and I to him. I left the forests of Lorien after a time, and in riding through the forests of
Mirkwood, I met Thranduil, our great Legolas' father, king of Mirkwood. He knew well of my tale,
and invited me to stay in Mirkwood. As I had no where else to go, I was well thankful for his offer.
In the many years it has been, the only communication I have been able to have with Elrond have
been through our letters. They began when Elrond's sons Elrohir and Elladan arrived in Mirkwood
unannounced on a snowy winter evening. Thranduil had to come for me, for I would always sit
near the falls that were a bit away from Mirkwood. He did not tell me why, but the two of them had
bowed deeply when I had neared and would not rise until I bade them to. Thranduil left us then
and Elrohir came forward and embraced me. I did know of them, but there was a familiarity of the
two of them in their eyes. Elladan handed to me a thick ream of parchment, tied with a ribbon.
'Our father has told us much of you, Sycha Mirrana', he said to me. It was then I realized they
were Elrond's sons. I was incredulous and did not quite understand, for I had not thought it
reasonable that Elrond would tell his children of another woman besides their mother. But they
motioned that we retire inside and for that evening, they told me of how they had come to know of
me. Elrond's love for Celebrian was noticeably not that of enduring adoration. He grew to love her
more as a sister than anything, and she proved to be a good companion, but she knew she would
not take my place, and never even tried.
She had been the one to tell them, as well as Arwen, of me, and it was not until Celebrian passed
to the west that they had asked Elrond of me to his face. Elrond told them the entire story, and
while they were the children of another woman, they accepted well and kindly to their father's
dedication to me, which is what brought his sons to find me. Elrond had lost most hope of the
curse ever being broken, and had not known really where I was at that time. His sons had
approached him to write a letter to me, that they would find me. I owe much to his sons, for they
brought me hope as well on that evening that they arrived. It took me time to read his letter, for it
was many pages, and I cried. I cried in sadness and hope, and in my love for him. He spoke
much of things that had happened since I had left, and of his children and their knowledge of me.
He also spoke of you, Aragorn, and of how you have fared in Rivendell. But most of all, he spoke
of the things he missed of me, and I asked many questions to his sons. They spent three days
with me, and I wrote their father my own letter, and sent them back with it. This is the way the
years have gone. I have not seen him in those years for there is little use in the pain it would
cause. I traveled back here on occasion, to see Haldir, who met me always with love and
compassion. He begged me often not to go back, but I had found my comfort in the darker
corners of Mirkwood. Legolas had taken to riding with me as I often did, I think more for the quiet
company I offered than anything. Haldir visited from time to time, for he felt a great pity for me,
having been one of the first to have a dealing in my fate. In this time, the only constant friend I
kept was my horse. The one who had borne me through the war of the last alliance eventually
grew heavy with foal, and as I still do not know who might have been her mate, there are far
darker things in the corners of the forests than even I know of. She bore a strange foal, the mare
that I ride to this day. While elven horses have quite a long life, they are not normally immortal.
The mare I ride today is well over two thousand years old and she is called Morna Lorewen, or
Black DreamMaiden in the common tongue. She is my companion, and she keeps me safe. But
that is all of my tale that I choose to tell of the past. Of present, Elrond's sons brought me the
letter I carry with me now telling of the council and your journey, of which I have quite a vested
interest as you must understand….not ignoring the fact that I might well be of assistance." There
was a small silence before Gimli rose and clapped Sam and Pippin upon the shoulders, nodding
to her. "Well, if I thought ever I had a reason to join you fine people on this journey, why I certainly
have more reason now."
Sycha smiled sadly and looked over to Haldir, who watched quietly. She rose easily, and bowed
slightly to them. I fear I have taken much of your time to rest with my tale, and I would think you
would well welcome sleep now." Boromir seemed much settled now, from her story, and smiled to
her. "Then, good lady, we welcome you to our journey…..and would not only see the fate of
middle earth sealed in health, but would see you back to good Lord Elrond." Aragorn glanced
back at him, a curious look to him that such words without speculation would come so easily from
him. She bowed again and began to turn. "Then I bid you good night, and an easy rest." She
moved away quickly, and Haldir rose, moving after her. The others remained, and after a rather
uneasy silence and an exchange of glances, it became obvious that indeed, sleep would be the
best thing for all of them.
Sycha stopped and looked up, pain showing plainly upon her features. She fingered the circlet
she held, and looked over at the audible sniffle. Pippin wiped at his nose, and she fixed him with
a peculiar look. He waved a hand and shook his head. "Don't mind me….so sad…..where did you
go?" She sighed softly and looked around. "I came here….for I did not know where else to go.
Haldir and his men met me as I entered the forests, and by their look, I knew that what had
happened was already known. He bowed to me respectfully and accompanied me the rest of the
way, silent. Galadriel and Celeborn were sympathetic, and I stayed here for some time, desolate,
for I spoke very little, and stayed to myself." She shrugged almost to herself and Sam spoke then.
"I'm confused……" Her brows knitted, and she cocked her head. "What about?" Sam looked as
though he were sorting through some complex problem. "Well, when were your children born?"
She smiled sadly. "Ahh….they are not born of me. They were born of Elrond's marriage to
Celebrian, the only daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel……for there was no reason for him to live
forever alone as I would be. But she was captured by orcs one day as she rode, and when
rescued by her sons, never recovered from the madness she endured. She crossed the seas at
that, and that is all of her I know." Sam looked over at Pippin and Merry, who seemed distressed
at the whole story. "But….that's not a happy ending, as all story's should end…..do you still love
him?"
Sycha smiled slightly and nodded. "Of course, else I would not be here…..he has written often to
me, and I to him. I left the forests of Lorien after a time, and in riding through the forests of
Mirkwood, I met Thranduil, our great Legolas' father, king of Mirkwood. He knew well of my tale,
and invited me to stay in Mirkwood. As I had no where else to go, I was well thankful for his offer.
In the many years it has been, the only communication I have been able to have with Elrond have
been through our letters. They began when Elrond's sons Elrohir and Elladan arrived in Mirkwood
unannounced on a snowy winter evening. Thranduil had to come for me, for I would always sit
near the falls that were a bit away from Mirkwood. He did not tell me why, but the two of them had
bowed deeply when I had neared and would not rise until I bade them to. Thranduil left us then
and Elrohir came forward and embraced me. I did know of them, but there was a familiarity of the
two of them in their eyes. Elladan handed to me a thick ream of parchment, tied with a ribbon.
'Our father has told us much of you, Sycha Mirrana', he said to me. It was then I realized they
were Elrond's sons. I was incredulous and did not quite understand, for I had not thought it
reasonable that Elrond would tell his children of another woman besides their mother. But they
motioned that we retire inside and for that evening, they told me of how they had come to know of
me. Elrond's love for Celebrian was noticeably not that of enduring adoration. He grew to love her
more as a sister than anything, and she proved to be a good companion, but she knew she would
not take my place, and never even tried.
She had been the one to tell them, as well as Arwen, of me, and it was not until Celebrian passed
to the west that they had asked Elrond of me to his face. Elrond told them the entire story, and
while they were the children of another woman, they accepted well and kindly to their father's
dedication to me, which is what brought his sons to find me. Elrond had lost most hope of the
curse ever being broken, and had not known really where I was at that time. His sons had
approached him to write a letter to me, that they would find me. I owe much to his sons, for they
brought me hope as well on that evening that they arrived. It took me time to read his letter, for it
was many pages, and I cried. I cried in sadness and hope, and in my love for him. He spoke
much of things that had happened since I had left, and of his children and their knowledge of me.
He also spoke of you, Aragorn, and of how you have fared in Rivendell. But most of all, he spoke
of the things he missed of me, and I asked many questions to his sons. They spent three days
with me, and I wrote their father my own letter, and sent them back with it. This is the way the
years have gone. I have not seen him in those years for there is little use in the pain it would
cause. I traveled back here on occasion, to see Haldir, who met me always with love and
compassion. He begged me often not to go back, but I had found my comfort in the darker
corners of Mirkwood. Legolas had taken to riding with me as I often did, I think more for the quiet
company I offered than anything. Haldir visited from time to time, for he felt a great pity for me,
having been one of the first to have a dealing in my fate. In this time, the only constant friend I
kept was my horse. The one who had borne me through the war of the last alliance eventually
grew heavy with foal, and as I still do not know who might have been her mate, there are far
darker things in the corners of the forests than even I know of. She bore a strange foal, the mare
that I ride to this day. While elven horses have quite a long life, they are not normally immortal.
The mare I ride today is well over two thousand years old and she is called Morna Lorewen, or
Black DreamMaiden in the common tongue. She is my companion, and she keeps me safe. But
that is all of my tale that I choose to tell of the past. Of present, Elrond's sons brought me the
letter I carry with me now telling of the council and your journey, of which I have quite a vested
interest as you must understand….not ignoring the fact that I might well be of assistance." There
was a small silence before Gimli rose and clapped Sam and Pippin upon the shoulders, nodding
to her. "Well, if I thought ever I had a reason to join you fine people on this journey, why I certainly
have more reason now."
Sycha smiled sadly and looked over to Haldir, who watched quietly. She rose easily, and bowed
slightly to them. I fear I have taken much of your time to rest with my tale, and I would think you
would well welcome sleep now." Boromir seemed much settled now, from her story, and smiled to
her. "Then, good lady, we welcome you to our journey…..and would not only see the fate of
middle earth sealed in health, but would see you back to good Lord Elrond." Aragorn glanced
back at him, a curious look to him that such words without speculation would come so easily from
him. She bowed again and began to turn. "Then I bid you good night, and an easy rest." She
moved away quickly, and Haldir rose, moving after her. The others remained, and after a rather
uneasy silence and an exchange of glances, it became obvious that indeed, sleep would be the
best thing for all of them.