Chapter 8: Ithilyn
Janyn was desperate now. It was her last chance. She held the knife firmly in her right hand. She nodded in determination. Aragorn stood behind, holding Janyn steady. She dived into the tree, both hand outstretched for the apple. Aragorn held her tightly; ready to pull her out if the burns get bad. Janyn was screaming in pain. Her left hand grabbed the apple securely as she brought her right to cut the branch. Closer. Closer. The branches were stinging Janyn's neck.
She started to saw and the branch, but it mad little difference. Aragorn was getting anxious. But Janyn told him to stay. She kept sawing faster and faster. She was half way through the branch. The pain was searing and her vision was blurry.
'Aragorn!' She yelled. He pulled her out quickly, both collapsing on the floor. Janyn was almost crying in agony. Aragorn held her.
'We're almost there.' He said. 'You've done enough.'
He followed the wounds on her neck with his figure. One went halfway up her cheek.
'It's my turn.' He said. Janyn wanted to argue, but she could not face that tree again. She let him go.
Aragorn stood in front of the tree, and lunged into the branches with the knife. Copying Janyn's try, he stared to saw through the rest. The branches were scorching his skin, one above his eyelid and one branch sticking into his side. But, just as Janyn did, he kept going. Sawing. Sawing. Suddenly he flung backwards onto the floor in front of Janyn. In his left hand was the apple.
The tree's golden roots turned into wood and started to shrivel away, the jewels which covered the tree turned into genuine green leaves and began to wilt and the ruby become an authentic apple in Aragorn's hand.
Janyn looking curiously at Aragorn began to feel a strand of doubt. What now? What happens next? Nothing happened. Janyn sighed. 'I guess this was all a waste of time.'
Aragorn stood up, almost in a trance. He floated to the window and stared wide eyes. Janyn got up wary and looked out the window. Beyond lay a vast, grey land with no life, and no sun.
Janyn smiled out of relief. 'Ithilyn! We made it.'
Aragorn was speechless.
'Come.' She held his hand and led him out of the room. They had to make their way back down the dark stairs, which proved harder than climbing up them. They were cautious of the broken steps. They reached the bottom and ran down the narrow hallway, and through the gate.
Stopping for a moment to study the landscape. When they looked back the tower had vanished. Disappeared? Evaporated? Disintegrated? It was just gone. But Janyn and Aragorn were moving forward now. He looked at Janyn and caught her eye. Smiling, he offered her a bite of the apple, which he still tightly clutched in his hand. Janyn took a big bite, ripping into the apple. As the sweet juices touched her lips the wounds from the tree faded. Aragorn watched in amazement.
'They're healing!' He stuttered.
Janyn felt her neck and her arms. The burns were gone.
'Here.' Janyn handed the rest of the apple to Aragorn and his wounds too were healed.
'Shall we.' He said after he finished. He motioned towards the blankness of the land. Janyn following his gesture nodded.
She started off before him as if she were his tour guide. But Aragorn quickly caught up and held her hand and they walk together. Janyn looked at his face, wondering what he was thinking about. He shot a glance of admiration at her.
'Hey.' He said. 'It's going to be okay.' Janyn wasn't sure why he was comforting her; she didn't need it. 'Shhh. We're almost there.' Suddenly Janyn realized she was crying. She wasn't even conscious of it. Aragorn hugged her. 'We'll make it.' He said. For Janyn, it meant more things than one.
'Stop.' She said pushing him away. 'I'm fine. I don't need your comfort. I don't want your pity. I have an obligation right now, and I don't want you or anybody to feel sorry for me. I screwed up and I'm going to fix it.'
Aragorn laughed. 'What does it take with you?' This laughter was almost that of a madman. 'My efforts are drowned and my friendship is shunned! Why? I'll tell you why. Because you are ungrateful and you are selfish.'
'Wrong!' Janyn said. 'You're blind! I'm the one who's being shunned! I try to save you from dying again. But my temper is running short, and I'm tired of waiting for you to realize my tears. I'm collapsing and screaming, but you cannot hear. All you can hear is your own egotistical voice. You are blinded by your selfishness. Why can you not see how much I love and care for you? I gave you my heart. But you didn't accept it. And now, my life means nothing. It means nothing to you. My life means nothing to me.'
'Did it ever?'
Janyn's face was red. 'No. It never did. But I tried. And you ruined my attempt.'
'I ruined it?' He asked. 'Arwen and I are in love. I cannot help that.'
Janyn looked furiously at his face. At his unshaven chin, thin lips, brown hazel eyes and long chocolate hair. And swiftly her anger disappeared. She smiled politely, and with her head bowed in shame, mumbled her apologies.
'I guess we can't fight each other.' She said. 'I'm sorry. Let's forget this. Please.'
Aragorn nodded sceptically. She looked at him in response. He gave a shrug, and continued walking. Janyn stood for two seconds watching him. He looked lonely walking into the bleak grey place she called home.
This time it was Janyn who ran after Aragorn. Only hesitating in her mind, Janyn quickly and lightly took hold of his warm hands. For a moment he paused, with her hand still in his. He then took a step and they continued walking silently together into the endless hills and invisible skyline.
Janyn was desperate now. It was her last chance. She held the knife firmly in her right hand. She nodded in determination. Aragorn stood behind, holding Janyn steady. She dived into the tree, both hand outstretched for the apple. Aragorn held her tightly; ready to pull her out if the burns get bad. Janyn was screaming in pain. Her left hand grabbed the apple securely as she brought her right to cut the branch. Closer. Closer. The branches were stinging Janyn's neck.
She started to saw and the branch, but it mad little difference. Aragorn was getting anxious. But Janyn told him to stay. She kept sawing faster and faster. She was half way through the branch. The pain was searing and her vision was blurry.
'Aragorn!' She yelled. He pulled her out quickly, both collapsing on the floor. Janyn was almost crying in agony. Aragorn held her.
'We're almost there.' He said. 'You've done enough.'
He followed the wounds on her neck with his figure. One went halfway up her cheek.
'It's my turn.' He said. Janyn wanted to argue, but she could not face that tree again. She let him go.
Aragorn stood in front of the tree, and lunged into the branches with the knife. Copying Janyn's try, he stared to saw through the rest. The branches were scorching his skin, one above his eyelid and one branch sticking into his side. But, just as Janyn did, he kept going. Sawing. Sawing. Suddenly he flung backwards onto the floor in front of Janyn. In his left hand was the apple.
The tree's golden roots turned into wood and started to shrivel away, the jewels which covered the tree turned into genuine green leaves and began to wilt and the ruby become an authentic apple in Aragorn's hand.
Janyn looking curiously at Aragorn began to feel a strand of doubt. What now? What happens next? Nothing happened. Janyn sighed. 'I guess this was all a waste of time.'
Aragorn stood up, almost in a trance. He floated to the window and stared wide eyes. Janyn got up wary and looked out the window. Beyond lay a vast, grey land with no life, and no sun.
Janyn smiled out of relief. 'Ithilyn! We made it.'
Aragorn was speechless.
'Come.' She held his hand and led him out of the room. They had to make their way back down the dark stairs, which proved harder than climbing up them. They were cautious of the broken steps. They reached the bottom and ran down the narrow hallway, and through the gate.
Stopping for a moment to study the landscape. When they looked back the tower had vanished. Disappeared? Evaporated? Disintegrated? It was just gone. But Janyn and Aragorn were moving forward now. He looked at Janyn and caught her eye. Smiling, he offered her a bite of the apple, which he still tightly clutched in his hand. Janyn took a big bite, ripping into the apple. As the sweet juices touched her lips the wounds from the tree faded. Aragorn watched in amazement.
'They're healing!' He stuttered.
Janyn felt her neck and her arms. The burns were gone.
'Here.' Janyn handed the rest of the apple to Aragorn and his wounds too were healed.
'Shall we.' He said after he finished. He motioned towards the blankness of the land. Janyn following his gesture nodded.
She started off before him as if she were his tour guide. But Aragorn quickly caught up and held her hand and they walk together. Janyn looked at his face, wondering what he was thinking about. He shot a glance of admiration at her.
'Hey.' He said. 'It's going to be okay.' Janyn wasn't sure why he was comforting her; she didn't need it. 'Shhh. We're almost there.' Suddenly Janyn realized she was crying. She wasn't even conscious of it. Aragorn hugged her. 'We'll make it.' He said. For Janyn, it meant more things than one.
'Stop.' She said pushing him away. 'I'm fine. I don't need your comfort. I don't want your pity. I have an obligation right now, and I don't want you or anybody to feel sorry for me. I screwed up and I'm going to fix it.'
Aragorn laughed. 'What does it take with you?' This laughter was almost that of a madman. 'My efforts are drowned and my friendship is shunned! Why? I'll tell you why. Because you are ungrateful and you are selfish.'
'Wrong!' Janyn said. 'You're blind! I'm the one who's being shunned! I try to save you from dying again. But my temper is running short, and I'm tired of waiting for you to realize my tears. I'm collapsing and screaming, but you cannot hear. All you can hear is your own egotistical voice. You are blinded by your selfishness. Why can you not see how much I love and care for you? I gave you my heart. But you didn't accept it. And now, my life means nothing. It means nothing to you. My life means nothing to me.'
'Did it ever?'
Janyn's face was red. 'No. It never did. But I tried. And you ruined my attempt.'
'I ruined it?' He asked. 'Arwen and I are in love. I cannot help that.'
Janyn looked furiously at his face. At his unshaven chin, thin lips, brown hazel eyes and long chocolate hair. And swiftly her anger disappeared. She smiled politely, and with her head bowed in shame, mumbled her apologies.
'I guess we can't fight each other.' She said. 'I'm sorry. Let's forget this. Please.'
Aragorn nodded sceptically. She looked at him in response. He gave a shrug, and continued walking. Janyn stood for two seconds watching him. He looked lonely walking into the bleak grey place she called home.
This time it was Janyn who ran after Aragorn. Only hesitating in her mind, Janyn quickly and lightly took hold of his warm hands. For a moment he paused, with her hand still in his. He then took a step and they continued walking silently together into the endless hills and invisible skyline.