Chapter Twenty-five: The End is Near
Three more days passed without anything occurring. The weather, however, changed quite drastically. Southern Eryn Lasgalen became covered with an endless stretch of towering dark clouds. The Elves could hear from afar the rumble of thunder. At times, they could even glimpse lightning. The wind picked up intense speed and grew deathly cold. Rain fell in endless torrents. By the third day, there was a violent storm.
Gil-celeb sighed as he watched the storm from a window.
"This does not look friendly." he commented quietly.
"Indeed, it does not." Aerandir agreed.
The King had called Legolas, Aerandir, and Míriel to his private quarters so that they could visit. Amorith and Giliath came as well.
"One would think the weather was for a purpose." Míriel said.
All heads turned quickly towards the Princess.
"What do you mean?" Gil-celeb asked her sharply.
"Nothing at all, sire. It was merely a comment." Míriel replied.
She rose to her feet. Aerandir and the handmaidens did likewise.
"We enjoyed visiting with you, sire. Navaer." she said, and they left.
Gil-celeb stared after them for awhile. Only Legolas remained.
"What did the Princess mean?" Legolas asked.
The King stirred.
"I know not." he said with a sigh.
"Do you think she suspects something?" Legolas inquired.
The King did not answer immediately. He surveyed his chamber. Then when he stopped, his back was towards the Prince.
"Something of this magnitude and importance cannot be hid from Míriel or Aerandir. They are bound to notice some small signs, some sudden changes. I will not be surprised if they suspect something, or even if they already know." the King whispered. "But we must not acknowledge that we suspect they suspect something."
"Of course, hîr nín." Legolas said, rising to his feet. "If I may, by your leave, I wish to be excused."
"Most certainly, Legolas. You are free to leave."
Gil-celeb watched the Prince leave. He smiled sadly.
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Evening came, and the storm unleashed all of its fury. The Elves gathered together. It was a sure sign of Falathar's arrival. Talk began to circulate, but nothing reached the ears of the Princess or Aerandir. They had no need for it. The Princess knew this storm well, too well. Aerandir knew it as well. It was what greeted them before his wife was imprisoned. To Míriel, it meant that her worst fear was a reality. To Aerandir, it was a sign that the Lady Galadriel's prophecy was about to be fulfilled.
"I cannot stand it anymore!" Míriel said.
Aerandir looked at her silently.
"You know what this means. If I surrender myself to him, no harm will come to anyone else. It is me he wants. You know this." she said.
Aerandir rose and placed his hand under her chin. He gazed into her gray-blue eyes which he loved dearly and stroked her hair.
"I know fully well what this means, my life. I have known for some time that it will occur. It has been foretold." he whispered.
Míriel's eyes filled with tears.
"I love you Aerandir. I cannot live without you. My whole life I have desired you, and now, we will be parted." she wept.
Aerandir pressed her against him, feeling her for perhaps the final time. Her mouth covered his, and they shared a passionate kiss.
"Where are you going?" Aerandir asked her when they finished.
"To get my knives. I cannot stand being inside. At least with my weapons in my hands I will be somewhat comforted." she replied.
Aerandir followed her to the door.
"I will be with your sire. Meet me there." he said.
They heard a twitter, and a small bird came flying towards them.
"Annarámainen!" Míriel cried.
Aerandir looked at the bird thoughtfully.
"I will take her with me. If something happens, and we need help, I will send Annarámainen." he said.
Míriel nodded. They opened the door softly and stepped out. Amorith and Giliath were watching over Celoneth. They waited several moments, tense, to see if the handmaidens heard them. When the handmaidens did not appear, the Princess and Aerandir dashed to the end of the hallway of their private quarters and slipped out the door. With a final glance at each other, Aerandir and Míriel parted.
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Legolas was strolling through the palace when he passed by a room that was emitting soft, muffled noises. The door was slightly ajar. He stepped inside, and found himself looking at Míriel. They were alone.
"Oh, good evening, ernil." she said when he entered.
"Good evening, Míriel." he replied to her. "What are you doing?"
Míriel looked blankly at him. It was then that Legolas noticed Míriel was not her self. Her skin had no color to it. Her eyes were large and fearful, and she jumped at every footstep she heard. The Prince had never seen her before in this condition.
"Are you well?" he asked. "Where are Amorith and Giliath?"
"They are with Celoneth…" she said, ignoring his first question.
He watched her as she went to a large ornate table and opened a drawer. She withdrew two sheaths, as a sudden gleam entered her eyes. With one swift movement she had removed the sheaths. Two knives glinted in the light, the handles carved of gold and inlaid with jewels.
The Princess walked to a window, her back to Legolas. He was reminded strongly of her sire, King Gil-celeb. She was silent for several moments.
"I know this storm well, Legolas. Aerandir knows it as well. We both know what is to happen." she began softly.
Legolas froze. He was not expecting to hear this.
"You know what is to happen?" he asked delicately.
The Princess laughed and shook her head.
"Do not think we did not notice your excessive attachment to us, Legolas, or my handmaidens. Sudden changes always mean something very intense is about to occur. Even if we did not notice you, there is my sire. He changed so suddenly in demeanor. I know my sire well enough to understand that when he does that, there is something grave. Yet let us say we did not even notice that, Aerandir and I. There still remains one thing that cannot be hidden." she whispered.
Her voice was so low Legolas had moved beside her.
"What is that?" he asked.
Míriel pointed outside to the storm.
"The storm. This is no regular storm, Legolas." she told him.
"How do you know?" the Prince inquired.
Míriel turned to him. She smiled sadly at him.
"Ai, how young and unknowing you still are!" she said, gazing into his sapphire eyes. "Remember when you were here last, I told you that knowledge can be a burden? I know many things I acquired through painful ways, and this is one of them. This storm is a herald. It is a warning to my sire, Gil-celeb, and I from Falathar. This storm means only one thing: the end is near." she said.
Legolas' eyes grew wide. She knew.
"You thought us daft and blind to all the signs. Even if I could not see or hear, I would still have known. There are some things you must follow through with your heart." Míriel whispered.
Legolas looked at her quickly. She was so close to him now. He could not bear the look in her eyes—the look of a hunted animal that knows it will not survive long. His desire and passion for her was overpowering, but he controlled it. He could not do it. Not now.
He took hold of her hand.
"I swear to let no harm come upon your sire, Aerandir, or yourself. You are all my friends, and I love you dearly." he said.
Then he kissed her hand. Míriel smiled warmly at him.
"I know. You are more to me than the son of my dear friend Celebrindal, Legolas. I tried to stop it, but it was foretold." she said.
She placed her hands around his neck. Legolas saw her face come closer to his until he felt her kiss. It was quick, and when she broke away from him there were tears in her eyes.
"May Eru forgive me!" she wept. "Yet while Aerandir lives, there is none I will call to my bed except for him!"
Legolas held her close as she wept onto his shoulder. She loved him, but she made it clear she still loved Aerandir more.
'Then there is still hope for me!' he thought.