*************
"What a feeling!" was all Merry could say when the four hobbits had returned to the chamber that they all shared. "I've felt anything like it. I could actually feel myself getting younger!"
Pippin nodded wordlessly. He ran his hands, no longer age-spotted, through his rich brown curls and laughed out loud. "What a feat! I didn't know things like that were possible, even for the fey! This Sutta Hooe must be even more powerful than the Lady--"
He stopped the words before he could finish the sentence, but they had already taken their toll on Sam. He bit his lip and turned away, feeling the tears, never far from the surface, beginning to well up again near his eyes.
"Oh, Sam, I'm sorry. That was so careless of me." Pippin's eyes were wide with embarrassment. "Please forgive me, that was unpardonable."
Sam shook his head quietly. "Not to worry, Pip," he replied brokenly. "It's all forgotten."
Frodo jumped into the conversation to give Sam a chance to recover himself. "Isn't it strange, how that spell only seemed to take a few minutes, but it's really almost sunset?" he asked his companions. he gazed out the window at the rainbow of warm shades the sunset was reflecting on the Rainwall. "I almost wish we can never leave here...and what do we do when we depart? Where do we go from here?"
"To Mordor, Master Frodo," came Kerra's voice from the doorway. The four hobbits jumped; they had forgotten that Kerra, like her fellow fey warrior Tasla, had the distinctly unnerving habit of appearing silently at any time.
"Oh, do come in, Kerra. Please don't feel that you have to wait outside until we invite you in," said Merry sarcastically. "When will you ever stop popping up like that?"
"Not until you stop turning that lovely pink color when I do it, Master Merry," she replied with a smile as she crossed the room in three quick strides and coiled her sinuous body into a chair. The smile immediately left her face, and she turned deadly serious.
"I came to tell you that the final preparations are being made, as we speak, for our departure at first light tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? We leave so soon?" asked Pippin.
"Yes, indeed tomorrow. Sutta Hooe feels that, after the accident earlier today with the spell-working, it would be wise for us to leave Rainwall as soon as possible."
"Leave Rainwall?" echoed Pippin. "But we've only just arrived...will she give us breakfast before we go?"
Kerra closed her eyes in frustration. "Pippin, do you ever not think about your stomach?"
"I'm sorry, Kerra...please continue." Pippin grinned sheepishly at her.
"Thank you, Pippin. As I was saying, Sutta Hooe sends her deepest apologies, but she still believes that it would best for all concerned if we leave Rainwall as quickly as we can. Lanal's attentions will soon be turned to Rainwall, and she wants us as far from here as we can be before the storm hits."
"Do you think she'll give us some of that bread before we leave?" Pippin whispered to Merry. Frodo barely held back a laugh as he saw Kerra's eyes go wide with anger.
"Pippin! Would you kindly shut up for half a minute!" she bellowed in desperation. "You can talk about food later!"
Pippin shrank back against the wall behind his bed. "Sorry, Kerra,
" he whispered as Sam and Merry smothered a chuckle in their hands. Frodo
caught a
glitter in Kerra's eyes as she spoke again to Pippin, and nearly burst
out laughing again at the look on Pippin's face.
"One more word out of you, and you won't have to worry about your stomach ever again, because I will throw you out that window! Do you hear me?!"
"Yes, Kerra," Pippin said in a voice so low it was barely audible. None of them had any doubts that Kerra was indeed capable of carrying out her threat, or, if she was pushed, that she would do so. However, the other three hobbits were enjoying the look on Pippin's face as he cowered away from Kerra.
"Moving on," continued Kerra, with a glance shot in Pippin's direction, "Gandalf shall remain with Sutta Hooe here, in the event that Lanal does turn her attention here. No matter how powerful she is, Sutta Hooe was weakened by the spell-working, and Gandalf's presence will strength her defenses. And, to be quite frank, we will be harder to trace without him. If Gandalf were to accompany us, it would be as if we had sent up a signal flare to her senses as soon as we came within range. She is expecting a wizard, not four hobbits and a fey warrior." Kerra bared her teeth in the most vicious smile that any of the hobbits had ever seen.
"I advise you all to enjoy your last night here. It may be the last comfort you experience for a very, very long time."
"Or ever," said Pippin under his breath. He immediately sucked in a breath as Kerra looked his way, but she only smiled sadly.
"You may be right, Pippin. I can't lie to you. We have not been as vigilant as we should have been, and Lanal has grown terribly strong. We may have failed before we can begin." She stood up slowly and made for the door of the room. When she reached the edge of the hall, she turned back and met each of their gazes, one by one.
"If this is indeed the last great adventure, I wish to make it know that I am honored to have ridden with such admirable hobbits. There is no one I would rather die for than you, unless they are--" Her voice broke off abruptly and she left the room in silence.
Sam felt a sob gathering up within him, knowing what she was going to say, and hated himself for being so weak. He turned his face to the wall so that the others could not see the tears seeping out of the corners of his eyes as Merry, Pippin, and Frodo soberly got ready for bed. Later, after the lamp had long been put out and Merry and Pippin were snoring, some small sound of anguish must have left his throat, for he felt Frodo's hand slowly sliding into his and gripping it tightly.
The small contact comforted him like nothing else could. He squeezed Frodo's hand, then breathed a silent prayer of thanks to whoever had blessed him with such a great friend before he slid into merciful sleep. Dreams of Elanor and Anemosi in happier times filled his dreams, and he awoke refreshed, still holding Frodo's hand.
In her own chamber in the Great House of Rainwall, a red-haired warrior wept herself to sleep as she prayed desperately that her oldest friend and dearest daughter were not lost to the Shadow yet.
Far away, in the blasted land of Mordor, Lanal paced the corridors of Barad-Dur, her face livid with rage as she awaited the advance of the last great defense of Middle-Earth.
And furthest away of all, Anemosi shivered in a dank cave as she prepared herself for the most terrifying battle she had ever fought, and thought of Sam, and prayed that he was safe.
It was a night for waiting.
************
Kerra's glowing eyes were the first things that Sam saw the next morning. The Sun had not yet shown her face over the edge of the Rainwall, but a dull grey light cast the surrounding land into silhouette. Nothing had any color, as if all the countryside waited for the Sun to bathe it with its rich daytime hues.
They were silent as they dressed. Their old clothes had been removed by silent hands during the night and cleaned, and new sets were laid out for each of them. Stout cloaks and dark grey stone knives completed the collection of gifts from Sutta Hooe, or so they thought.
When they emerged from the House, blinking in the brightening early morning Sun, they were greeted by the sight of Sutta Hooe herself standing at the foot of the stairs, holding the bridles to five cheerful, dappled ponies. The ponies were already laden with provisions, to Pippin's inward delight, along with bedding and thick blankets. Sutta Hooe seemed to have recovered from the frenzy of power that had nearly overtaken her the day before, but her eyes were sad as she bid each of them an individual farewell. Sam was the last that she came to, and he could barely meet her ageless, searching eyes.
"Samwise of the Shire." Her voice was gentle, but the force of the words it carried was like a storm wind. "You are the crux of this journey. It is upon you that its success hinges. You carry a terrible weight upon you, and it shall grow heavier every step you take towards Mordor."
"Just like Frodo," he sighed, feeling his tears hot and close once more. Keeping himself from blinking, he raised his heavy, heavy head and looked her in the eyes.
"Yes, just like Frodo. Only this time, he shall help you bear your burden...and he shall help you save what you long for most of all."
"Anemosi!" The word was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He felt guilt spread its burning hand over the back of his neck; how could he forget Elanor at a time like this?
Sutta Hooe seemed to sense his despair, and directed her next words at his pain. "Fear not, Master Samwise, for I have seen Elanor living long and happily in the Shire, and it is no dream. She will be saved, and by your hands. But indeed, it is for the Lady Radika that I fear: she is close to giving up, to giving in to the Shadow...and you must stop her before she does so. She despairs, and doubts the path that is set before her. She is powerful, but she is also weak. If she gives in, she hands us over to the Shadow. It is up to you to save her."
"You talk about her as if she's evil," said Sam almost sullenly.
"She's not. I know that."
Sutta Hooe sighed. "Master Samwise, do not twist my words. She
is flesh, just like you all, and prone to the same failures. She needs
guidance to keep her from falling, and it is my belief that you were meant
to come to her, to keep her in her proper place...and yes, to love her
too." She smiled, and for an instant he could see the deep pressure of
the ages lying upon her. It was over before he could fully understand what
he had seen, and Sutta Hooe was speaking again.
"Keep her safe, Master Samwise. You face much sorrow and toil, and you will pass through rock, fire, and water before you are finished. But I feel, in my deepest heart, that you are the one chosen to carry out this task, and that you, above all others, will succeed. I send the blessings of the Lady with you and your friends, and to those you seek. And to Lanal..." Her voice trailed away. "I send wishes of a quick and merciful death, for I have no interest in seeing the ruins left after you and Kerra finish with her."
She moved away from him, and began to ascend the steps. All the others were already mounted and ready to ride, and had patiently waited for Sutta Hooe to say her final farewells. When Sutta Hooe had reached the top of the steps, she raised her hand in a fond, sad goodbye, and called out to each of them as they rode away.
"Farewell, Masters Pippin and Merry! Take care not to stuff yourselves,
for the food is rich and a little will do quite well. Goodbye, Master Frodo!
I will pray that your second journey to Mordor is not quite so devastating
to you as the first. And farewell, Arthura and Master Samwise--may you
both find what you are seeking!" Her voice faded away on the wind,
but she waved until she could see them no more. Then, wiping her tears
away on the sleeve of her robe, she turned slowly, as if she was a very
old woman, and walked painfully back into her House.
