AN: Wow! 16 chapters and the first battle haven't even begun. I wonder how long this story will be… Thank you very much for all the review. I think you all know by now how much I love reading all those reviews. Even flames are welcome but I prefer constructive criticism for obvious reason of course…
The poem in this story were given to me from a friend but she didn't know who wrote it either.
Chapter 16: Revenge And Regret
The two birds flew close to the ground as possible. It was an uncanny pairing to see. A great and magnificent eagle flying alongside a small, insignificant black bird. The eagle also carried a person along for the journey. An elf to be exact.
Firiel had refused to go along with Gwaihir and Er-Galadh, preferring to fly instead beside them. This shocked Er-Galadh but Gwaihir seemed to have anticipated it. She refused the ride with a reason that it would slow them down should Gwaihir also carry her. But all of them know that it would make little or no difference at all. She simply was trying to avoid Er-Galadh and she was succeeding in doing so. Er-Galadh's argument was more one sided and brought no changes to her decision.
And so they had travelled. Firiel predicted that they should be able to arrive in Dol Guldur in maximum of two days but she hoped that they would reach it within the day. Er-Galadh first thought that it was a wistful thinking but seeing the speed that they were travelling in, he wondered whether he should ever contradicts her again. What astounded him even more was how fast she could travel. He had seen many ravens or crows before but none of them has the same speed as the little black bird next to him now.
Gwaihir looked Firiel beside him. How stupidly stubborn she was. She knew that by transforming into a bird, she had wasted her energy and what's worse; she had slowed down their journey more than if she would simply ride with that elf. She hardly weighted anything at all. He could understand her caution but this was ridiculous. She should know better.
Firiel could hear Gwaihir's opinions in her mind. Truly there were nothing she hided from him and he had trusted her with many things. Sometimes this also means being blunt with each other. She knew that he would not hate her for what she thinks and it was also the case with her. He knew her darkest secrets and fears while she knew his. Maybe not all but she believed that it gave no harm to tell Gwaihir the truth. She trusted him.
Despite what he counselled her, she still did not change her mind. Gwaihir given up on her, thinking that the outcomes did not concern him at all. If it was what she thought as the best then, she could have her way. He was in no position to force her after all.
They had travelled in silence except for the occasional thoughts that crossed between Gwaihir and Firiel. The air was still and the silence that hung between them was so thick, one could sliced it with a sharp, pointed knife but it was peaceful nonetheless. Something that they were all grateful for.
But it did not lasted for long.
It was Firiel that first felt it. A dark and brooding feeling, cooler than the peak of Caradhras and darker even than Mandos' Hall . The atmosphere enveloped her, knowing that she belonged to it. The darkness beckoned her.
None felt it except Firiel and she knew what it was with a sudden shock. Gwaihir felt rather than saw it from her mind as she started to fly towards it. A deep, surging anger. The anger that he had never detected there for a very long time. He also knew.
Fear crept to his heart as he saw her flying away and tried to called her. *Firiel! Don't go! Ignore it!*
*I am not coming to it. Can you not see? They are fleeing the battle. They are going away from this. I cannot let them. It has been too long. This is my only chance and nothing will change it. Not them, not you, not anyone.* she retorted. Anger blinded her. She wanted only one thing; revenge and she did not care if her life was the price.
Knowing that she would not listen to him, Gwaihir enquired for Er-Galadh's help. He spoke to him, much to the elf's shock and said, "Er-Galadh, stopped her!"
Er-Galadh had also saw her flying away yet he did not understand the danger that she put herself in. He could not see why Gwaihir was so tense. Gwaihir sense his disbelieve and called out again desperately to no avail. Firiel would never listen to him. Not in this condition. The only hope now lay in Er-Galadh's hand. 'Er-Galadh, you must stop her. She cannot fight them."
Er-Galadh looked down at the eagle. What was he talking about? Surely Firiel knew the way. But he sensed his distress and asked, "How can I stop her?"
"Shoot her down. I'll try to follow her but you must shoot her down!" Er-Galadh stared at him, unable to believe what he had heard. He could not possibly shoot her. Gwaihir sensed his doubts and said, "It is better to wound her than lose her completely." but Er-Galadh was not convinced. Gwaihir shouted desperately, "The Ulairi are before us!"
Er-Galadh heard his shout but he could not believe him. It could not be the Ringwraith even though now he could feel the dark presence. He lifted his bow reluctantly, hoping against all hope that it was not the Ringwraith.
Gwaihir could felt their presence gradually grew stronger and fear crept into his heart. "Shoot her!" he shouted as he saw her flying faster towards them. He tried to stopped her but she was smaller than him. Too small. She soon flew before him again.
"Shoot her!" He urged the elf on top of him. Er-Galadh fitted and arrow but he still would not shoot, unwilling to hurt her. She flew further and further away to the East, following the source of darkness.
"Shoot her!" Gwaihir shouted harder. His tone sounded more urgent than ever. "Shoot her!" Then suddenly it was in front of them; the Ulairi, and Firiel quickened her pace.
"Shoot!" Gwaihir shouted for the last time but Er-Galadh did not needed his advise anymore. The arrow flew from its host, cutting through the air and hit its target. The black bird turned back into her natural form, falling faster than ever. Gwaihir flew underneath her, just in time before she fell to the thicket below.
Gwaihir felt a pressure in his back and heaved a sigh as gladness washed over the worry in his heart. But it was not the case with Er-Galadh. Firiel was unconscious, perhaps from the fall and he examined her wound closely. His aim was true for he did not missed his target, her wing. Yet the arrow was not simply embedded in her harm, it tore through the flesh and blood dripped from it. He was about to ask Gwaihir to stop their journey but it seemed that he could read his mind for he already flew low to the pool of water below.
*****
The lake glistened in the fading ray of light that marked the end of the day, turning it red. Bloody red. Er-Galadh observed the wound thoroughly. "How could the arrow passed through the flesh?" He wondered aloud.
"She was in her bird form when you shoot her," Gwaihir replied. "The arrow went through her wing did it not?"
Er-Galadh grimaced as he saw the wound. He had laid her against a tree, her wounded arm hung loosely on her side. He picked up her arm carefully. Gripping at the back of the arrow, he summoned all his strength and broke it swiftly.
Firiel cried out as the pain snapped her back into her senses. She saw Er-Galadh in front of her in confusion and followed his gaze to her arm. "What happened?"
"I shot you. Have you lost your mind? You could have died then." He retorted angrily as he stood up. Gladness surged through him as she awakened yet he could not stopped feeling infuriated by her decision. She did not even cared the danger she put herself into.
He wanted her to listen to him for once but what came across her eyes was pure venom. Struggling to her feet, she hit his face with her other arm, leaving him dazzled. He did not expected the assault. Gripping the point of the arrow she screamed, "I would rather die!" as she yanked the arrow free. Blood flowed hard from the open wound but she cared naught of it and stormed away.
Er-Galadh started to chase after her but Gwaihir stopped him. "Let her go. It will do no good for you to talk to her now. Let her be, she will forget about it by the end of the week at the most."
He laughed sarcastically as he heard what Gwaihir said. "How could she forget that easily? Did you not see her then? I don't think she will ever forgive me for what I did." The elf shook his head in despair and fell into a languid silence.
"You know her not then. She is not as vengeful than what you think. At least no to you," Gwaihir replied. He knew what place he had in her heart and thought whether he was aware of it too. It was unlikely though, judging from the way she had reacted in front of him. She was trying to hide it. "I think it is best for me to leave now," Gwaihir spoke after a while. "Thank you, Er-Galadh. You are what Firiel said you would be."
He lifted his head, a ghost of smile was on his face. "No, I should thank you. It would have be too late should you not warn me."
Gwaihir spread his wings and with a beat from them, he flew towards the horizon. But he did not leave Mirkwood yet. He flew for a while until he was sure that Er-Galadh could not see him anymore and found a big enough gap in the foliage for him to go through. He flew carefully, trying to go back to where he came from. It was not a too hard task for him who soon found the lake again though he could not found Er-Galadh. Softly, he heard a voice singing in the silence of the forest and he knew the owner of the voice straight away. He followed it to the source of the sound and found Firiel gazing at the moon above her.
"I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass by
Weep not for memories
I am so tired
I cannot sleep
Standing on the edge
Of something much too deep
Funny how I feel so much
But cannot say a word
We are screaming inside
But we cannot be heard
So afraid to love you
More afraid to lose
Clinging to a past
That doesn't let me choose
Once there was a darkness
A deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had
And you gave me light." (Anonymous)
Gwaihir probed gently to her mind, not wanting to surprised her. Firiel lowered her gaze and looked straight into his eyes. Her own still showed the remnants of the venom she gave Er-Galadh. *Gwaihir, what is it that you want from me?*
*Firiel, you must understand that we could not let you go,* he replied angrily. It was about time that she realised that her revenge was not everything. *You would harmed yourself that way. You know that you could do naught to stop them.*
Firiel glared at his words but say nothing in reply. Knowing that he would get anything across that way, Gwaihir controlled his anger and spoke calmly, *Beside, if you harm yourself, how can you have your vengeance?* His words was reasonable and he felt her anger slipping away.
*Gwaihir, I am so tired. I cannot see any reason to continue with this anymore.* Firiel sighed. She sat down and burrowed her head between her knees.
Gwaihir saw that she was calmer and spoke after a great length of silence. *What about Er-Galadh?* He saw Firiel lifted her head immediately. Almost too fast, Gwaihir thought. *No need to hide anything from me Firiel. I knew of your feeling towards him.*
*No more of this, Gwaihir,* she whined. *I have enough right now.*
Gwaihir thought that he should let her alone but that much had confirmed his suspicion. *Very well, I shall leave you for now. Dol Guldur is not too far away from here. Call me should you need any help.*
She burrowed her head again. *I will,* she spoke and said no more. Gwaihir spread his wings again as he prepared his second flight for the night when he heard a faint whisper in his mind. *I am sorry for what I did. Thank you my friend.*
He did not turned around but he replied, *It is not to me that you owe your apology. You know who I am talking about. Perhaps you owe even more than mere apology. Talk to him, Firiel, he deserve to know the truth.* and with that he flew away into the night, leaving Firiel contemplating his words.
Ok, I know this chapter is as bad as chapter 4 but as you can see, it'll lead to another event. But flames are welcome and I'm not being sarcastic.
