DISCLAIMER: Most characters (Prince Imrahil, Éowyn, Théoden, Faramir) are from the book Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein (including the elvish) and I give full credit of them to Mr. J.R.R. Tolkein, but the rest are sincerely created by me.
My days now were always full of happiness and as I got to know where I would live it became easier. My lady's name was Imrosin and she would not let me call her Lady and so, through lack of formality, we became fast friends. I had new garments made and a special sling crafted to carry my staff on my back. It was amusing to follow Imrosin around to many of the places she visited. I went to the healing houses with her bringing fresh herbs to override the stale air. We went to the docks and helped mend nets with the other men there, sharing laughs and our food. Imrosin was dedicated to being with her people and letting them know she was exactly as they were.
We even had breeches made for riding on Dol Amroth's grey steeds, but I always rode Calafire who I knew missed the large, golden fields of Rohan. Nem came and visited me one day; offering to ride along the shore to a bluff. I was excused from Imrosin with an excuse that a friend of mine was taking me riding, a guard filled in my place. We rode to the bluff and I couldn't help but smile; this is where I was supposed to be, I could feel it in my heart.
On the top of the bluff a copse of trees stood and tying our horses we walked into it.
"Ah look," I pointed to a wild rose bush at the base of a large tree. It had one white rose and it reminded me starkly of our own White Lady of Rohan; beautiful and alone. I realised then that what she had said was true; no matter how much I love being in Dol Amroth, Rohan would always be my home.
Nem stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders and whispered,
"Do you miss the fields of Rohan like your steed does?"
"No, not yet. I love where I am so much," I turned and looked deep into his eyes, "I love you so much."
He bent and kissed me lightly on the lips.
"As I do you," he said holding me to him tightly.
In a sudden revelation I knew that he had my heart in his hands and that he could either break or carefully treasure it. I had given it to him wholly not leaving a part for any other thing.
"Come, I haven't shown you the view from the bluff," he said and lead me through the trees to the very edge of the bluff. I could see the city not far off; it's white beauty and splendour near the tossing aqua sea. It was a beautiful moment and one that drew a smile to my face for many days to come.
We rode home and it wasn't for another month that I saw him again. I knew that he was a guard of Dol Amroth and went with the Prince on some journeys to see how the borders were guarded. When they did come back there was a great feast in a marble hall and I sat opposite Nem on the high table. We often looked up, caught each other's attention and smiled. I could see he wanted to talk to me after the meal, but I was called away by Imrosin who said she was tired. When we came to her chamber and closed the door she dropped the pretence of being tired and wrung her hands. She looked distressed.
"What is it Imrosin?" I asked, worried.
"I wanted this not to happened truly I did. I told him not to let him go on this, but he didn't listen and now look at the mess, oh dear," she paced the floor agitated.
"Speak plainer," I said, "for I do not understand. What are you saying?"
Imrosin sank into a chair and I knelt in front of her, taking her hands in mine.
"What is it Imrosin?" I asked.
She looked into my eyes and sighed.
"When my brother wanted a warrior maiden to guard me and look like one of my attendants, he sent Nemdalithe to find one. I begged him not to, but he had good reasons why he should go and so my fears were laid to rest for a while. You see, Nem is betrothed," she said softly.
I was silent, frozen in shock.
"To whom?"
"To me," she said ever so softly, her eyes were sad.
I gasped and stood up, stepping back from her chair in disbelief. Nem betrothed? To Imrosin? I stared incredulously at her. But he loves me, I wanted to scream.
"How, why?" I asked, letting the tears run freely down my face.
"Sit, and I will tell you from the beginning," I slowly did as she said. "My brother, Prince Imrahil, loved Nemdalithe as a great friend and they did many a great battle together. When they both reached an age for marriage, Imrahil could see it would be wonderful for Nemdalithe to be married to his own sister; me. I loved Nemdalithe and he liked yet never loved me and so it was arranged. Nemdalithe accepted only because he didn't want to hurt Imrahil by declining. The papers were signed and the date was made.
'Then I was attacked by a young rogue. None of my attendants could defend me and I was almost killed, before Nemdalith saved us. That was why Imrahil decided that Nemdalithe should go in search for a young maiden who looks just like an attendant, to guard me. I began to worry that whilst on this journey he may fall for another and so be lost to me, but my brother only said that the papers were binding and that Nemdalithe was the only one who could go on this journey. So I agreed and waited till Nemdaithe returned. He did and I noticed a change in him. I could see the way he looked at you and how comfortable you were together, there was no doubting his love for you. But, he is bound to the agreement and the wedding is to be in one moons time, when it is at it's fullest.
'I am sorry Maylan, you are my friend and I would rather die than put you in this much pain, but I love Nemdalithe too."
My mind was in turmoil and then in a great tumult it became still and cold. I knew Imrosin saw that my face became a shuttered window, inert of any emotion. The happiness in my eyes was gone and the spark of my character died into shadow. The price paid for this was to high if she has become thus a walking shadow, thought Imrosin sadly.
I walked from the room and then ran down the stairs and then through the passages, not caring where I went as long as it would lead me somewhere other than here. At last I came to the large Melody Cavern where I swore the oath that until my death or I could no longer serve her, I would protect Lady Imrosin. Yet now I felt like killing her myself though I knew that I could not and would not ever do it. The pain in the memories I had of Nem was stronger than I ever thought it could be. I walked to the open wall of the hall and collapsed with my back to a marble column and cried into my arms. The tears I shed were nothing to the broken shards of my heart.
"Maylan? Maylan! What is wrong?" came Nem's voice urgent in my ear.
I cried out, shocked that he was there and the fact our love could never be.
"Why – why didn't you tell me you – you are…" I broke off sobbing quietly into his shoulder.
"So you know. Oh my love, it was not meant to be, but how I wish it was," he stroked my hair.
"Nem, oh, Nem, I can not live whilst you are somebody else's."
"And I can not live if you are dead. My sweet, my love, I love you more than words in the elvish language can express. It seems that your path is always fated to be shadowed by pain and how I wish I could take it all from you," he whispered.
"Just being here makes everything all right," I said.
We kissed again fearing that this may be the last chance we had of being like this together. I memorised his face, the smell of his hair, the feel of his body and his beloved smile. I pulled away and tormented by shadows of the past I ran back to my room even though I heard him call my name, to plead with me to stay.
Out of my small drawer I took my Rohan dagger and checking that my door was locked I paced to the window. I took off my rings and let my hair fall free and stood in my white under shift. The armband I always wore to remind me of Rohan, the one given to me by Lady Éowyn, I sat in front of me on the sill. I took the dagger and looked at it long and hard. The icy wind that blew around me felt like the cold touch of death. Raising my head I took the dagger by the hilt with both hands and was about to strike down when I remembered Nem's words.
And I can't live if you are dead…
The dagger dropped from my hands and I fell, weeping, to the floor.
For you I cannot die, I thought, and for you I cannot live.
* * *
The days flew past and I noticed that the people of Dol Amroth saw a change in me. I had become a silent, morose attendant and my face was a void of no emotion. Mending nets by the sea the men tried to make me laugh or at least smile, but all was in vain as my thoughts were only on the work at hand. I had to throw myself in to my work. I smiled only once for a man lying deathly ill in the healing houses. He asked me to smile once for him like I used to, but the smile did not reach my eyes. I walked in a shadowed world and hardly ate.
Two days before the full moon I was with Imrosin and Nem in an upper room of a large cloth house. They were choosing the cloth that were to line the beds in their new house and as always I was there as Imrosin's protector. Nem avoided looking at me and barely spoke a word and Imrosin chattered continuously as though nothing was wrong. We three new the ties of love and friendship that bound us to each other, but tried to ignore them. I walked by a roll of lightened silver cloth and stopped, smelling the air.
"Do you smell that?" I asked Nem.
He looked at me and drew breath.
"Smoke," he replied anxiously.
I dashed down the stairs and opened the door to the bottom of the shop. It was aflame and choking smoke was poring back up the stairs. I closed the door and ran back up the stairs. All the people, and there was quite a lot for such a small shop, were starting to panic.
"There is a fire below us and everyone needs to take a deep breath and run to the front door. It is not well alite yet so we have time. Hurry!" I yelled.
Immediately everyone ran down the stairs after me and I opened the door for them to run through the smoke and fire. The heat was terrible and I was lucky to make it to the door, dodging small fires and falling rolls of cloth. When we were outside I checked for Nem and Imrosin, I found Nem as he looked frantically around.
"Maylan, my love, you're safe," he embraced me tightly not caring that many people heard and saw him.
"Where is Imrosin?" I asked, glancing at the crowd.
We looked around and then I saw Nem turn pale.
"There, there, oh no, up there," he pointed to the window of the upper room. Imrosin stood there looking out.
"Imrosin, get out, get out," I screamed. "The house is on fire, flee whilst you can!"
She shook her head.
"Leave me," I heard her cry.
"NO," I pulled away from Nem's hands. It was so easy to let her die up there, to be able to marry and live with Nem, my love. My head though refused, I was there to protect her and I would try to save her even if I would loose the one thing that mattered to me the most if I succeeded.
I was dimly aware of Nem following me. I ran into the building, the whole bottom chamber was by now ablaze. Flame was on the stairs and as I ran up them I couldn't see for the smoke that was trying to blind me, choke me. I put a piece of my cloak over my mouth and looked around the room, calling for Imrosin.
"I am here, but you must leave me," she rasped.
"No, are you hurt?" I asked, thinking that was why she could not run.
"I said to leave me here," her voice took on a more commanding tone.
I saw in a moment of clarity that she thought by her death I was free to love Nim and, the betrothal broken, would be able to marry him. Not liking what I was going to do, but realising it was the only way I knocked her unconscious and she fell to the floor.
"Nem! Help me," I choked.
He came and we carried her to the stairs only to find them well and truly burning in earnest.
"The other window," I yelled over the roaring of the fire.
We came to the other window in the room and looked down, a rooftop was not far below.
"Nem, climb down to that rooftop and I will lower her down to you, GO," he stared at me and then hurriedly clambered down to the roof below.
I carefully held her in my arms and leant out the window, cautiously lowering her into the arms of Nem. Behind me I heard the roar of the fire taking hold of the room. When she was down Nem ran to the edge of the roof and called to the people. Immediately someone came running and using a large crate for height he received the unconscious Imrosin. I smiled, relieved.
Nem turned to come back for me when a shelf of cloth rolls collapsed hitting my back and knocking me onto the floor. I screamed as I felt something break in my ankle. I couldn't get up as the cloth rolls were heavy on my legs and if I tried to move them my ankle would radiate pain up my leg.
I saw something climb through the window; Nem.
"What are you doing hear, idiot, save yourself! I have done something to my ankle and so I can't get out. We will both die if you stay hear," I yelled.
He didn't answer, but steadily began to lift the rolls of cloth from my lower body and then helped me to stand on my good leg. I tried to put weight on the other and shrieked in agony. We stood close, and he held me up with his strong arms.
"Why won't you leave me?" I whispered in his ear.
The flames were closing around us and the smoke billowed black and foul, but it seemed that we were in our own little circle of bliss.
"You should know by now that I love you too much to let you die," he said.
My eyes filled with tears.
"You love me so much you are willing to die with me?" I clutched his shoulders.
"For you, I would do anything and yes, even die with you," he wiped away my tears with a shaking hand.
Our time of bliss ended and the flames closed in. When I felt them lick at the soles of my shoes I cried out and kissed my love for the last time and the black enveloped us both.
_*_ _*_ _*_
"…. Some say that Maylan and Nemdalithe's love was so strong that they were able to escape the burning building and run down to the sea. It is told that there, a grey ship floated in to where they stood and they boarded it together going into the undying west. The Eldar accepted them, as their ties of love were so strong that they both could only experience death as one. When Prince Imrahil searched the charcoaled building for bodies he found only Maylan's armband of engraved roses. This is what Imrosin sent back to King Théoden and Lady Éowyn with the tidings of Maylan's heroic death and love for Nemdalithe.
Others say that they died as one at the same time and their souls, set free by the flames, descended into the sea and the sighs of contentment can be heard when the sea is calm. It is said that their remains were found and buried side by side under the wild rose bush on the bluff. Some say it guards them still and every time it flowers the petals change from white to crimson signifying their falling in love.
Yet even the wise do not know the true end to this story…
'Run along now, I have work to do." Lady Éowyn smiled at their retreating backs and turned to her husband who had come to sit bedside her.
"How do you think it ended?" Faramir asked.
Éowyn drew from a small pouch at her side a piece of round silver and placed it on her lap.
"I don't know," she said and smiled. Looking around her she saw the glades of Ithilien beautiful in the late afternoon sun and heard the laughter of children by the stream. Her eyes took on a dreamy look,
"I don't, know."
Éowyn's hand idly traced the edge of the item on her lap as she sat, lily fair, on the green moss in the sunshine. The light beamed off the small metal circle lying there and looking closely, Faramir could just see that it was adorned with engraved roses.
------Much love, Whyte Ivy -----Please review – it helps me write better!