The sun flooded into the stone-walled room. It creped onto Teonvan's face
and warmed his cheeks. He slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to
where Eteridith lay next to him. Her golden brown hair was curled around
her face. Teonvan gently lifted his hand and brushed her hair onto the
pillow and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. A smile began to grow on her
face as she opened her sparkling eyes and said, "Good morning." Teonvan
smiled back at her and then got our of the bed and wrapped a nearby blanket
around his waist. He had been in Rohan for a few months now and his love
for Eteridith had grown more and more everyday. He felt happy in a way he
never in his life before had, but he was beginning to long for the sight of
the White Tower in Gondor, no matter how much he loved Eteridith.
"What troubles you?" Eteridith asked as she got up from the bed and put a
sheet over her and moved to Teonvan who was now standing near the back
window which overlooked the valley below the town. He looked over at her
with his beautiful brown eyes and whispered, "Nothing," as he kissed her
forehead. "It's only...Gondor. Gondor is where I belong, it's my home. And if
anyone ever really knew where I was from, I would be hated for all that I
am."
"Others may hate you, but here I am, loving you when people around me all
tell me to loathe you. Not everyone in our world is evil, Teonvan,"
Eteridith tried to re-assure him.
Teonvan turned to face Eteridith and held her close to him. "I love you
more than anything, you saved me from the cold hand of death and every day
I thank Illúvatar for it. But I must return to Gondor, even if just for a
time. I still serve as a warrior to them, and although I would much rather
forget about this war, it is still there. I will go today," Teonvan said as
he let go of the maiden and started to rummage and find his clothing and
armor. For a moment Eteridith just looked at him with her deep, green eyes
longingly. Then, as if waking from a dream, she walked toward him and
helped him get his gear together. "If this is truly what you believe is
right, then you must go. But will you ever come back to me?"
At this Teonvan stopped packing and grabbed Eteridith's shoulders. "Don't
even think that thought. Of course I will return to you. Life without you
is like life without air to me. I can't breathe without you, my broken
angel." Eteridith started to silently cry, she could not remember how she
lived without Teonvan before. He wrapped his arms around her and she rested
her head on his shoulder for a time, comforted one last time for a long
time.
"I will meet you where we first met in three months," Teonvan yelled as he
rode off in his shimmering armor to his homeland. Eteridith just nodded as
she watched all she had ever loved ride away into the east.
Teonvan had been riding for hours upon hours when he saw it. In the
distance, the White Tower stood tall and proud, and pride swelled in him
like never before. He urged his horse on as to reach Minas Tirith as soon
as he could.
"Teonvan! We thought you were dead with Hador! Oh Teonvan!" A woman ran
toward Teonvan as he dismounted, a woman who Teonvan had known since she
was a girl. Galelon, this woman of Gondor, had hair black as the night and
her skin was tanned from work in the fields. Teonvan had spent his young
days with Hador and her, running, care-free. Now the days had turned a
darker shade, yet a smile still returned to his face as her greeted her
with a friendly embrace.
"Where have you been? I have spent many a night worrying over you!" Galelon
said as she looked curiously into Teonvan's eyes. "You're changed, I don't
know quite how, but you are."
"I have been in Rohan, Galelon. An angel sent from the Valor saved me from
death on the fields. Her name is Eteridith." Teonvan's eyes grew sad and
longed for Eteridith, he had no idea how much he truly would miss her.
"In love with the enemy, are we?" She said quite sternly. Teonvan was
surprised. Why was Galelon being so bitter over it?
"Perhaps..." Teonvan said skeptically. "Why do you ask?" Galelon's eyes grew
brighter and he face became softer. "My father has arranged a marriage for
me."
"Congratulations, my friend! To whom?"
Galelon looked straight into his eyes as she said, "You. Your father agrees
that it would be the best for both of us." Teonvan didn't know what to say.
His heart belonged to Eteridith. He could not marry someone who he loved as
a sister all his life, not now.
That night, Teonvan could not sleep. All the events of the day kept running
through his head. He did not know who to love. Many times he thought to run
back to Rohan and live with Eteridith secretly. All he wanted was to hold
her close to him again and feel her breath on his neck. But he could not
shame his family. He could not shame his land. Although he did not love
Galelon as he should, he knew in his heart that he had to marry her. No one
would understand him, a warrior of Gondor, marrying some Rohirrium maiden.
It broke his heart, but he knew what he had to do. A tear ran down his face
as he thought of Eteridith, and he then drifted to sleep.
