Chapter 32
Going Home
Semoro grabbed the she-elf before she could hit the ground and, gathering her up in his arms, walked quickly toward where the little fire burned merrily. He gently laid her down and checked her for injuries, finding nothing more than minor cuts except for one deep, jagged gash on the forearm of her sword arm which was bleeding freely. While he cleaned, sewed then bandaged the wound, Saeros checked Rahan, finding him in relatively good condition, considering the nature and extent of his injuries.
Súrion had just joined them from outside when Anayah's eyes came open. She looked at the three of them without speaking but then slowly smiled.
"I guess I am in deep trouble?"
Semoro tried to look fierce but did not quite succeed.
"Yes, young elf, you are in deep trouble. Don't you ever, until the day you set sail for a far distant shore, EVER, scare us like that again. Do you understand me?"
She nodded wearily, then, remembering whom she had been caring for, suddenly sat upright, all fatigue and pain forgotten for the moment.
"Rahan! How is he?"
She turned to where he lay, quietly watching her and would have started fussing over him except that both Semoro and Saeros laid restraining hands on her shoulders.
Taking her chin in one hand, Semoro turned her head so she was forced to look at him.
"It has been three days since you left us. Have you rested in that time?"
She was just about to deny that she was tired when the deep voice of her Captain interrupted.
"She has neither rested nor eaten since we have been here."
Anayah glared at the elf and when she turned back to Semoro, she was met with a raised eyebrow and skeptical expression.
"You look too much like your brother when you do that!" She quipped sarcastically.
"Well, young lady, until my brother is able to take back the reins of his command, I am in charge and you will do as you are asked. You will eat, then you will rest and if you refuse, I will force a sleeping potion down your throat that will keep you asleep until we return to Imladris. Is that clear?"
They all jumped as a horse snorted directly behind them. They all turned then began to laugh, even Rahan, though he turned pale and clutched his bruised ribcage as he did so. Elias had come into the cave and stood behind the three kneeling elves. They found themselves shoved aside by the great head. He sniffed at his Lady and nuzzled her affectionately then nudged her forcefully until she had to lay down before the big animal knocked her down.
Saeros reached up and patted the big stallion on the shoulder.
"See? He agrees with the boss. Now do like you have been instructed and get some rest. We will let nothing disturb your peace."
Anayah felt her eyes betray her as they slowly slid shut and before she could further deny that she needed to sleep.
For the rest of the night, well into the next day, the three Thurin Tirith warriors watched over their sleeping and healing comrades, thankful that they were all together once more.
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Elrond Peredhil was troubled and as he was often want to do when he faced apprehensions and troubles, he walked in his gardens with his long time friend and advisor, Glorfindel. The two talked with each other as they walked, finding comfort in idle conversation.
They had been walking for some time when they happened upon the Lady Ninniach and her granddaughter, Amrún. The old Maia was sitting on one of the many stone benches in the garden and the young Amrún knelt before her with her head resting in Ninniach's lap. Ever so gently the old woman stroked the girl's head as if trying to comfort her. Feeling their distress, Elrond and Glorfindel walked in their direction. Ninniach raised her head and smiled at the two Noldor Lords.
"Greetings to you, Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel."
"Lady Ninniach, it is a pleasure to see you this evening. We saw you sitting here as we passed by. What troubles you?"
The old woman sighed, then, kissing the top of Amrún's head, turned to the Lord of Imladris.
"I am afraid that my time is growing short, my Lord."
"How so Lady Ninniach?" Elrond sat beside the old woman and laid a gentle, encouraging hand on her shoulder.
"He is coming for me, Elrond. The young one was not successful in capturing him and now he is angry with me for sending her." She sighed again then for a time, was silent, contemplating her next words.
"It is my doom to depart before the young one's return, therefore, I must ask you to relay this counsel to her in my stead."
"I assure you that I will do as you ask." His eyes were sad as he waited for her next words.
Ninniach laid a gnarled hand on the Noldor Lord's shoulder.
"Tell her that she must take the girl to Osp for it is in that town, alone, that this thing can be done - for it must end where it began."
Elrond nodded his head slowly in understanding.
"This will be an experience that will sorely try young Anayah's soul for she will be required to physically touch this evil in its true form. If the thing has assumed a corporeal form, then no harm can be inflicted upon it and so she must make it flee its body!"
"Is there nothing we can do to make her burden lighter?"
She smiled at the Lord before she again spoke.
"Just be there for her. Be strong for her, for there will be a time when she feels she has no more strength left to give to this task, when she feels she does not have the strength to pull herself free of the dark that will clutch at her."
Some moments were passed in silence. Though it seldom happened, Elrond felt at a loss, for though he understood the depth of what his foster daughter would have to experience, he did not know how to help the old woman who sat so calmly, knowing that her death was fast approaching.
"Is there anything at all that we can do for you?"
"No, Elrond, there is nothing you can do for me. My time on Middle Earth is coming to a close – I know this and accept it."
"When will he come for you?"
"He is darkness and so will come in the night."
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Although both Lords had dealt with creatures before that were other than human, they both knew that there would be little they could do this time although they both felt that making Imladris as safe as possible might help forestall the inevitable. Their actions, though they knew them to be useless at keeping the creature at bay, served to make themselves feel better.
With this is mind, both Lords agreed that an increase in border guards would be in order as well as having armed guards in and around the Lost Homely House. If they could stay this creature's foul deed through strength of arms, then they would do so.
Elrond held counsel with his sons and Legolas, explaining what might happen. The four of them armed themselves and made ready to help where they could.
Finally, with every preparation having been made, all that was left for them to do was wait.
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The moon was directly overhead when the house began to shake. Dishes flew out of cupboards, paintings fell off the walls and other furnishings not firmly attached to something solid, moved and skittered as the house fought valiantly to expel the intruder that was trying to gain entrance to it.
In the Healing Wing, the healers on duty jumped as the elf who had for so long lain in an unnatural sleep, suddenly sat up, screaming and clutching his bed linens to his chest as if they were his last defense before a nightmare that had suddenly become real. In vain, the healers tried to comfort the screaming and trembling being. Finally, he went limp in their arms as he once more let the blackness of his illness claim him.
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Elrond and Glorfindel were on their way to the gardens when they met with the twins, Aragorn and Legolas, running down the stairs from the family's personal quarters. The younger elves looked to the two elder elves questioningly but when the two said nothing to them and continued on toward the gardens, the younger elves followed without further question or pause. When the group reached their destination and saw Lady Ninniach, not one of the six elves was prepared for the horror that met their eyes.
A towering, semi-solid creature, almost three times the size of either elf or man stood before them, holding the broken body of the old woman in its taloned, ghost-like hands. The transparent appearance of the creature's hands belied their formidable strength as it clutched the woman they had all spoken to not that many hours before. Then their hearts clenched in their chests as they saw Ninniach open her eyes, look at them then smile in resignation.
Elrond stood defiantly in front of the creature, staring into its glowing red eyes, forcing its attention onto himself.
"Let her go!"
Strangely, the beast complied, laying the old woman almost gently at its feet. There was something about its gaze, however, that suddenly alerted the others to its true intentions but before any of them could move to intervene, the creature raised one of its hands and extending a taloned finger towards the old woman's chest, used it to pierce her heart. They stood, stunned by what the creature had just done and could only bear silent witness to the old woman's final moments as she sighed one final time then became still for eternity.
When the creature withdrew its bloodied talon, it gazed at the stricken faces of the elves and man before it and throwing its head back, roared its laughter into the night. Before any of the fair beings or man before it, could again make themselves move, it suddenly became a being of amorphous mist once more and, flying directly through the body of the Lord of Imladris then disappeared in the darkness beyond.
Glorfindel caught his friend before he could hit the ground then with his sons and the Mirkwood Prince, tried to revive the unconscious elf.
Slowly Elrond opened his eyes and gazed at the loved ones that surrounded him and knew, for a fact that the grief he saw, mirrored in their eyes was a perfect match for his own.
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When Anayah and her guards arrived home late the next afternoon, they immediately felt the somber mood of the place. Dismounting and handing her reigns over to a servant, she ran up the steps and into the house not knowing what to expect. Her family was gathered in the sitting room and as she entered and saw them sitting there, silently grieving, with pale faces and eyes red-rimmed from weeping, she paused and stood immobile, wondering what could have happened to cause such a reaction.
Before she could again command her own actions, Aragorn came to her and after placing a comforting arm around her shoulders, led her to the couch and helped her sit.
"What is it? What has happened?"
None of them knew how to tell her of what had happened the night before for all of them knew how close she was to the old woman and how involved she was in the task the old woman had given her. They soon found out, however, that words were not necessary, for Anayah suddenly knew, in her heart, that Ninniach was dead.
When she got up to leave the room, Aragorn took hold of her arm and tried to get her to sit down. Though she did not jerk away, she did stand motionless, not looking at him, until Aragorn, seeing his father shake is head, released her. She walked right past her Guards who were standing silently near the door of the room. Seeing the distress on the face of those still remaining, Rahan spoke.
"Do not worry yourselves. We will follow her and make sure no harm befalls her." Then bowing to those sitting before them, he and the other three, left the room.
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After an hour of searching, they finally found their charge in the stables, crying softly into the neck of her friend who nickered comfortingly at her while the falcon watched. Though she heard her Guards enter the stables then come to stand behind her, she neither turned around nor acknowledged their presence.
"Why are you not with your family, young one?" It was a simple question that received silence as an answer.
She felt the strong comforting hand of her Captain as he placed it on her shoulder, and for a moment, she placed one of her own over it and gave it an acknowledging squeeze.
"I was not here for her, Rahan. When she needed me the most, I failed her."
Her words as well as the despair they heard in her voice disturbed the guards.
"How do you feel that you failed her, Anayah? You were gone when the creature came for her. That was not a choice you had consciously made."
"I know exactly why the creature came even though no elf has yet voiced the reason to me. It came for the Lady Ninniach because I failed at Osp. It was angry and wanted retribution. What good am I, Rahan, if I cannot catch one, stupid, ugly, murderous, good-for-nothing demon? How many more beings are going to die before I succeed?"
She was beginning to get angry and knew that she had to get out of there. Grabbing her horse's mane, she began to lead him out of his stall and toward the door of the stables passing her brothers and Legolas as she did so.
"Where are you going, Anayah?"
"I do not know Rahan. Maybe there someplace out there for useless failures like me."
Though her brothers and Legolas remained silent, Rahan and the other three guards followed her. When the Captain placed his hand on her arm, she whirled around and faced him, fire in her eyes and heart.
"Let go of me Rahan, and I mean let me go now!"
"I am sorry, Anayah but I cannot do that. You are not yourself right now and it would be better if you stayed here and worked through this. Your family will help you; the Prince will help you; and you know the four of us will always be here to help you."
Rahan was not prepared for what happened next and if the moment hadn't been triggered by such tragic circumstances, it almost would have seemed comical.
With a scream of rage, Anayah grabbed the big elf's right arm and before he could react, he found himself lying flat on his back on the ground. Semoro and Súrion helped him to his feet as Anayah stomped off.
"I said to leave me alone, Rahan, and I meant it."
The four guards walked after her, followed by her brothers and the Prince. Again she whirled to face them, again with fire in her eyes.
"Do not follow me! I am leaving. Why would any of you want me to stay after what I have done?"
"Because we love you, and that reason should be sufficient to make you want to stay."
The others looked at Elladan as he walked slowly toward her. She turned her back on him and crossed her arms in front of her but otherwise did not move, even when he put his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on top of her head.
"Now, you have a choice, sister. You can either throw me to the ground like you did your Captain and continue to walk away, or you can listen to what I have to say – it is your choice. I want you to know that we all understand that you are being torn apart inside by the death of your friend – we all are as well – maybe in different ways, but we still feel her loss. No person is blaming you for her death and it is hurtful to us to know that you are blaming yourself. Grandmother Nin knew her time was ending before you even left for Osp. Fate, alone, dealt this hand and nothing you or anyone else could have done would have changed the outcome."
Elladan moved to one side as he felt Elrohir walk up along side of him. Legolas and Aragorn walked in front of her and her Guards remained within her sight as well. Elrohir was the next elf to speak.
"Anayah, I do not believe that even if you had been here that you could have done anything to prevent what happened. Even if every being here had made a combined effort, I still do not think the outcome would have been different."
A hand under her chin raised her head until she could look into her brother's worried silver eyes.
"Do not take your grief where we cannot follow to share it. Come back to the house. Your family needs your strength on this night."
For a moment she just stood, looking at her brother. Family – he had said that word and in the process had reminded her of what she had so recently forgotten, that she was no longer alone, that there were people to share the moments of her life with, whether those moments were good or bad. She smiled at Aragorn, then the others.
"I will follow you, my brothers," she looked directly at Legolas, "my good friend. There is one little matter, however, that I must clear up so please, walk on ahead. I will follow in a few minutes." Noticing the look in their eyes, she added. "I promise."
She waited until the four had walked around the bend in the path then turned back to her guards. She looked at her Captain in silence for a moment then threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. She felt as he hugged her in return.
"Rahan, I behaved badly towards you and I wish to apologize for my actions, for they were the actions of an elfling, not of a grown being. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
She raised her eyes to look into the grey ones of her Captain and was surprised to find mirth in them.
"All is forgiven, young one. I do have one request, though."
"And what is that? Please ask that I may swiftly grant it."
"I wish for you to occasionally remind me to never get you really mad at me, for I do not wish to physically suffer the consequences again!"
They all laughed at that and then, with their hearts somewhat lighter, continued on towards home.
TBC
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COMING NEXT: Ninniach's Lament: Then, with the remembrances and tributes over, the mourners began to leave, for Ninniach would now live on only in their hearts and no longer in their lives. As Gandalf walked past the old woman's final resting place on his way back to the Last Homely House, he paused, then spoke to her spirit.
"You did well old girl. Now it is time for you to rest."
He turned and walked away.
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