Tariendina arrived in the kitchen with her cheeks flushed and laughter in her eyes. Laphaela looked at her queerly, and then asked, "What has gotten into you? Never have I seen you this way! Tell me! I am your sister, and deserve to know everything!"
Tariendina glanced at her and replied, "I was with Anaton, and he has proclaimed his love for me, as I have done to him. He is such a wonderful man! I feel so happy right now, I could burst!"
"But you just met Anaton. Surely there is no such thing as 'love at first sight', for those kinds of relationships have never worked. Look at Legolas and Dulcirwen! Look how that turned out!"
"It's alright. This is different. His words tell all. Have you ever heard the lines he has spoken to me? They are truly enchanting."
"So you are charmed by this man for his words. Dulcirwen enchanted Legolas with her voice and 'kindness'. I have also noticed you produced more speech in the past day than you previously have in a month. Please, are my siblings all out of their minds?" Laphaela glared at her while mixing the dough for the bread that was to be given to a hungry traveler.
"Have you not met him? He is very kind. Why don't you meet him today? I'm sure you will learn to like him," Tariendina exclaimed, hands mixing the ingredients of a pudding.
"I will, and then I'll decide."
"When has my sister become my mother?" Tariendina asked, laughing.
The rest of the time went as it normally did and nothing more was said about Anaton. Soon, noon came and there was food set out for hungry guests. It was then that Tariendina dragged Laphaela to look for Anaton.
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Tariendina and Laphaela found him at a table with a dish of untouched food in front of him. He had an uneasy look on his face, which faded when he spotted Tariendina dragging an unwilling Laphaela towards him. He smiled in a welcome manner.
"Vedui' greetings Anaton! I am glad to find you so soon," Tariendina said.
"I suppose Vedui' means greetings. I am not as skilled in the elven language as some are, especially Aragorn. I do hope that I will soon be able to be fluent in the language," Anaton replied, looking at Laphaela's glares in a puzzled manner.
"Well, I will try to teach you. This, Anaton, is Laphaela, my sister."
"Vedui', Laphaela," Anaton said, "lle quel are you well?"
"I see you do know some elvish, Anaton. What brings that worried expression on your face?" Laphaela asked.
"Alas, I wish you hadn't seen me in that state. I assume that King Thranduil will soon be announcing what has befallen Middle-Earth. Ah, there he is now," Anaton said, just as Thranduil walked into the dining hall. The crowd of talking people hushed.
"My people, I have foul news. Mithrandir has come, informing us that the creature Gollum has been found and needs to be entrusted within our care. Also, there have already been battles started in the South by the forces of Sauron," Thranduil said as bountiful whispers started in the crowd. He silenced them with a wave of his hand and then started again, "Yes, peoples of Mirkwood, Sauron has returned. Mithrandir says he will not be mentioning this fact when he reaches Rivendell, as it isn't important in his mind for it may just be distractions, for an even greater army has started to build in Mordor. He has requested, though, for some of those in Mirkwood to travel to the South to help the small villages that live there. Who, I ask, will be going and who will be staying to claim responsibility of Gollum, who is currently locked in a room with a sealed window."
The crowd was silent from the horror. Sauron back! That was most likely the worst news that could ever be bestowed on Middle-Earth. Everyone over 3,100 years old remembered, for those under 100 when Sauron attacked could barely remember such a thing, for if they then would have been like a ten –year-old if they had been human. Those that did remember, though, knew the fear that had run through the minds of every individual of every race, except the goblins and other creatures aligned with Sauron. It was not a pleasant memory for the survivors, for many an elf remembered the sorrows of watching a friend and a companion collapse in a pool of blood. Even worse was the knowledge that they had no way to heal those who possessed fatal wounds that would kill them little by little. Many an elf remembered hearing the moan of those near death, crying to Valar to spare them. Hearing those cries was like hearing a crying, starving child as he watched others feasting in front of him.
An elderly elf rose. He was Eonend, an elf that had lived almost 5,000 years. He was greatly respected by the elves of Mirkwood and any who had resided with them. He looked young, hair still golden and figure still slim and muscular. It was his gray eyes, though, that betrayed how long he had really seen the ages pass. He looked full of sorrow as he started to speak.
"I and more than half of the individuals gathered here know what it is like to stand when Death has crossed their path, and then to survive even when Death has its knife at their throats. I, myself, know that feeling of terror and sorrow when fate is making that final decision. Therefore, I am willing to travel to the South to defend those there, and I will go alone if no other will come," he proclaimed. The years of toil and suffering, of hope and joy, and bravery were seen in his eyes, and all the ages he had lived were mirrored there.
"All who wish to follow Eonend please rise," Thranduil exclaimed, wishing that he could follow Eonend's footsteps, but knowing that he will have to stay to lead his people when the real battle came to Middle-Earth. He watched as many elves slowly rose, and then he saw a few men rise.
"Dear Eonend, we will follow you into the lairs of Death itself. We promise with all our hearts, and may we be slain if we don't hold true to this vow," Anaton said, for he was one of the men that had stood. He refused to look to his left, knowing that he will think things twice at the look on Tariendina's face. It was then that Tariendina stood up.
"I will go with the band of elves and men to the South, for my skills as a healer will be needed. I vow to follow Anaton wherever he goes as long as he will have me, just as he promised me."
Anaton looked at her, unable to tear away. Seeing the resolution in her eyes, though, told him all. He would not be able to stop her from going. He turned again to face Thranduil and saw his pain-filled expression.
"Tariendina, Silent Princess of Mirkwood, I am your father but no longer your decision-maker. If you are determined to go with Eonend, Anaton, and the rest, then I have no choice but to give you permission. I hope, my daughter, that you have chosen correctly. The company must leave within the hour," Thranduil said.
The meeting ended and so the fifty or so elves and five men leaving each went a separate place. Some went to the stables to ready the horses while others went to their rooms to pack weapons or food. Tariendina went to her room to fine the store of potions and other medicines that she had gathered over the years. Some were for diseases (for men often visited) and some were for injuries, which haven't been frequent in awhile. Bottles and jars of concoctions to send anyone of any race to sleep in an instant, so the pain of wounds being treated would lessen. Then she set her eyes on a small flask that made her shudder. Made of the leaves and fruit of the Etheiel plant, one drop on a living thing's skin and it would burn a hole through to the other side. A dapple on a plant and it will wither within seconds. Silently she prayed she wouldn't have to use it, for only she had the remedy for it. The remedy was made from the root of the same plant as the poison. "It is quite strange that one plant can be the cause of both pain and healing," Tariendina muttered to herself just as Laphaela stormed into her room.
"What were you thinking, going off on a journey like this? Is Anaton really worth dying for?" she screamed, fists clenched and blue eyes blazing.
"Yes, maybe he is. He loves me, Laphaela, and I can't just let him go! What if I never see him again? I could not bear it, for letting him go is the hardest thing I will ever have to do. And I am not ready yet."
"You are so gullible and stubborn! You are my only sister and my best friend and companion. Please don't leave me so soon, for death is a possibility once you reach the South. I could not bear it if you die, Tariendina, for then the sorrow will surely kill me too," Laphaela pleaded.
"Even father permits me to go. Surely you won't go against father, now will you?"
"Father gave you permission, not agreement. Please, you cannot go. I need you here, Tariendina."
"Stop being so selfish! I refuse to sit here and wait while the love of my life goes off to battle! I will not leave his side, as I promised."
"Look who's being selfish! Fine then, go off on your little adventure with Anaton, Eonend, and the rest. I hope you find the trip satisfying." With that, Laphaela ran outside and left Tariendina with a suffering in her heart.
Tariendina just packed a small pack with the medicine, some food, and a blanket. Then she trudged outside to find her mare saddled and ready (saddles made it possible for her and the others not have to carry as much on their backs while riding). The rest of the company had mounted his horse already, so she mounted her mare, Kua (which means dove). Thranduil nodded to them and raised his hand farewell, just as the remaining populace did the same. Tariendina spotted Legolas and Arlena easily, but couldn't find Laphaela. Suddenly Laphaela appeared and threw towards her a small box. She caught it and watched just as Laphaela disappeared into the crowd. Tariendina opened tit to find a ring identical to the one she had given Laphaela when Laphaela was still young. But she knew this was a different ring for she saw Laphaela's still on her finger. Tariendina sighed and spurred Kua on until she was beside Anaton.
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The company rode along the Forest River, never stopping to rest, eating from their packs when hungry. Tariendina silently bade farewell to her woodland home, saying softly, "Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au' My heart shall weep until it sees thee again." The trees seemed to be whispering back to her and the company, "Namaarië, namaarië." By nightfall they were well out of Mirkwood and traveling along the River Running. Eonend called a halt and they stopped for the night.
Tariendina sat alone on the grass, neither really belonging with the men nor finding companionship with the horses. The men had made a tiny fire in the middle of camp, and the smell of burning wood and the sound of the crackling fire soothed her. She lied down on her blanket and let herself fall into a dreamlike state.
A snap of a twig brought her awake. She felt the presence of another, but all was silent then. She looked at the fire; perhaps the fire made the cracking sound. The fire, however, was now just glowing embers and nothing more. There was another snap. Tariendina screamed, but cut it off as soon as she could. The whole company woke and pointed their arrows at the bushes behind Tariendina.
Suddenly an elf dressed in the garb of Lothlórien stepped into the clearing, and Anaton loosed his arrow. The elf gave a cry as Anaton gasped. Running up to him he kneeled down and pulled the arrow out. The elf was unconscious. Anaton picked him up and brought him to his blanket and set him down. The rest of the elves and men followed and sat on their own blankets. Tariendina rushed to the wounded elf's side and started pulling out bags here and there out of her cloak. Mixing them up and adding liquid from a flask, she applied the concoction to the wound on his chest. Anaton stayed by with strips of cloth ready. After Tariendina applied the medicine he bound the wound up.
"If I weren't so quick to react he'd be well now," Anaton said quietly. Tariendina just put her arms around him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. They sat there for the rest of the night watching their patient.