There was a rap at Katie's door the next morning. When she called "Come in," Elrohir entered, looking very serious. They exchanged greetings as Elrohir took a seat. They fell silent a moment, and Katie waited patiently for him to speak.
"I just realized late last night that Elladan and I had neglected to tell you—we will be riding south with the Dúnedain, to go to war with Aragorn."
Katie nodded with a wan smile. "I know. Glawar told me."
Elrohir regarded her cautiously. "I am sorry we did not tell you ourselves." He paused. "You understand why we must do this?"
"Yes," Katie said simply and calmly. "I understand where your heart lies, and your honor. I cannot be selfish, and indeed, I would have it not other way. Just—" she reached out suddenly for his hand, her feelings breaking through. "Just, please be careful!" she pleaded.
Elrohir rose, still holding her hand warmly. Bending over it, he said, "Thank you, best and dearest of my friends." He kissed her knuckles, and was gone.
Katie stared at the back of her hand for some time, unmoving.
000
The evening of the Rangers' departure was cold, but beautiful. The sun was setting as they gathered in the stable yard, checking their gear one last time and readying their horses.
Elrond was speaking to Elrohir, who was nodding seriously. Katie watched as Elrond handed him a silver horn.
Katie turned and sought out Elladan. It was not hard to find him. The twins' gear was less somber than that of the Men's, and though the Dúnedain were noble, the twins were fair as Elves.
Elladan smiled when he saw Katie coming, and turned to her.
"So grave, little sister?" he said with a smile, lifting her chin with one finger. "Where's that lively merriment?"
Katie managed a small smile. "I don't think I'll be able to laugh like that again until I know everyone I love is safe."
"Oh, gwathel-nín," Elladan said, pulling her into a hug. "Do not let grief silence your laugh. The world would be a sad place indeed without your joy."
000
When everyone had said their goodbyes, the rangers mounted up.
Elrond's household stepped up to address a few last words to their friends. Arwen stood up at the front of the line, giving a black standard to Halbarad. Katie knew she had toiled years on it, and poured her craft and her power into the making of it. Elrond was saying a last few earnest words to Elladan.
Katie stepped up to Elrohir. He looked down at her from the back of his mount with kind eyes.
"Goodbye," she said quietly.
"Farewell, Estel-oneth," he replied quietly. "We shall meet again and laugh over these days when they are gone."
"I will never laugh over them," Katie answered equally quietly, and moved back a step. "Your skill and the Valar protect you," she blessed him.
There was a shout from the front of the line. "Forth, Dúnedain, and ye sons of Elrond!" Halbarad called. A thundering of hooves, and the riders pounded away into the darkness.
"Godspeed," Katie murmured.
000
"How did you like this piece?" Erestor asked Katie, indicating the poem he had set her to translating.
"It is very beautiful," she said, quietly and tonelessly, and bent back over her work. Erestor watched her thoughtfully.
In the weeks following the twins' departure, she had been very quiet and listless. She was finally over her pneumonia, but she looked nearly as ill now as she had while she was sick. She had come dutifully to her lessons with Erestor, and had done her work well, but had seemed to take no joy in it. Erestor hoped to distract her from her troubles with something calculated to spark her interest and raise her spirits.
"I have something for you," Erestor said. Katie looked up with curiosity, showing some interest at last. He stood and went to the shelves, taking down a book. Taking his seat again, he passed the book to Katie.
She took it carefully and opened it. "The Athrabeth!" she exclaimed, and began to flip through it. "In Common and Elvish!"
"I copied it for you some years ago, in the hopes that you would return. I was saving it as a surprise."
Katie looked up at him in shock and gratitude. Books in Middle-earth were copied by hand, and the process took time and expense. Erestor had put forth the effort to copy this book for her himself.
Erestor laughed. "Well go on, go get comfortable someplace and read it!" he exclaimed.
Katie jumped up from her seat, unable to speak. Impulsively, she darted forward and kissed his check, then turned and dashed from the room, hugging the thin volume to her chest. Erestor chuckled, gratified.
000
Katie sat before the fire, entirely absorbed in her book. She realized that what the "study group" had said was almost entirely represented in the text—in a different order, of course. But it was an entirely different experience to read the Debate itself. She was becoming quite interested in the characters, these two friends: Andreth, the mortal wise-woman, and Finrod, an Elf friendly to men.
Andreth was surprisingly rude to Finrod, although he consistently showed her kindness and courtesy. She seemed angry with him.
As Katie read on, however, she realized that it was specifically the differences between Men and Elves that were making Andreth angry. Well, she could understand that—it was a little exasperating at times to be living with these seemingly perfect people. But it was more than simple exasperation or slight jealousy. Andreth was actually bitter about something. And she was most certainly not happy. It was obvious from the very first page.
She acted proud toward Finrod, and yet accused his own people of pride—it seemed her pride had been hurt. She was cunning and quick to throw in a well-concealed barb. Katie had always assumed Finrod and Andreth were friends, but there was this strange tension between them. Fascinated both by the philosophy contained in the tome and their developing characters, Katie read on, entranced.
Occasionally, Andreth would say something touching on the Valar, but even then Finrod, who had seen and spoken with the Valar in Aman, never became actually angry with her. Stern and solemn, yes, but never angry. He treated her with endless patience and understanding, which seemed to gall her even more.
Her heart rose as their philosophical debate moved on, when to Finrod came the vision of Arda Remade. Then Finrod seemed in awe and joy, and Andreth merely dazzled and perplexed. She wept. She still had no hope.
They discussed the matter for some time still, as Katie bent closer and closer to the page while the shadows lengthened. She recognized the passage in which Finrod said that they had been meant to speak together across the gulf that divided their kindreds.
"Across the gulf that divides our kindreds!" said Andreth. "Is there no bridge but mere words?" And then she wept again.
"There may be. For some. I do not know," he said. "The gulf, maybe, is between our fates rather, for else we are close akin, closer than any other creatures in the world. Yet perilous it is to cross a gulf set by doom; and should any do so, they will not find joy upon the other side, but the griefs of both. So I deem.
"But why dost thou say 'mere words'? Do not words overpass the gulf between one life and another? Between thee and me surely more has passed than empty sound? Have we not drawn near at all? But that is, I think, little comfort to thee."
"I have not asked for comfort," said Andreth. "For what do I need it?"
"For the doom of Men that has touched thee as a woman," said Finrod. "Dost thou think that I do not know? Is he not my brother dearly loved? Aegnor: Aikanár, the Sharp-flame, swift and eager. And not long are the years since you first met, and your hands touched in the darkness. Yet then thou wert a maiden, brave and eager, in the morning upon the high hills of Dorthonion."
What on earth are they talking about? Katie wondered.
"Say on!" said Andreth. "Say: who art now but a wise-woman, alone, and age that shall not touch him has already set winter's grey in thy hair!"
"Alas!" said Finrod. "That is the bitterness, beloved adaneth, woman of Men, is it not? that has run through all your words. If I could speak any comfort, you would deem it lordly from one on my side of the sundering doom. But what can I say, save to remind you of the Hope that you yourself have revealed?"
"I did not say that it was ever my hope," answered Andreth. "And even were it so, I would still cry: why should this hurt come here and now? Why should we love you, and why should ye love us (if ye do) and yet set the gulf between?"
"Because we were so made, close kin," said Finrod. "But we did not make ourselves, and therefore we, the Eldar, did not set the gulf. Nay, adaneth, we are not lordly in this, but full of pity."
"Speak of no pity to me!" said Andreth. "I desire none. I was young and I looked on his flame, and now I am old and lost. He was young and his flame leaped towards me, but he turned away, and he is young still. Do candles pity moths?"
"Or moths candles, when the wind blows them out?" said Finrod. "Andreth, I tell thee, Aikanár the Sharp-flame loved thee. For thy sake now he will never take the hand of any bride of his own kindred, but live alone to the end, remembering the morning in the hills of Dorthonion."
Katie raised her head in the suddenly-perceived darkness. The sun had gone down long since. Somewhere in the courtyard below her window, an elf was singing, and strains of music floated up to her while the moon shone in upon her and the dying embers glowed low upon the hearth.
And the realization that had been growing in Katie's heart since she had learned of the twins' imminent departure bloomed suddenly into full knowledge.
TBC
AN:
IwishChan: It was gorgeous weather today. I was happy.
FallenTruth: Oh, I don't know, I've read some "girl falls into Middle-earth" stories written by Brits and the girls were English. I love English humor. It's so wacky. Well, some of it. Some of it's a bit raunchy for me—but same for American humor, really. Good! I'm glad the poetry has that effect; it's what I'm going for. The great poets can always sum it up in a couple short lines in a way I, with my many paragraphs, can't. It's mostly the people of Middle-earth she's there to give hope to. Although, it would hold true when she went back, as well. I never thought of that.
lds-sunshinegrl: Her purpose here this time is to witness the time period, and experience what that will lead to. As for the other questions… You'll learn the answers in time. :)
Princess Siara: You would think Bilbo would be sadder, but in the book he's amazingly chipper. You can never tell if it's just his personality, or if he somehow doesn't get exactly how much trouble they're in. I rather think it's the former—it's just his way. I had just read how he said goodbye to Frodo in the book, and tried to stay in character. As you see, we really don't get to see much of the rangers before they leave. We may get more of them later. Katie could learn to use a sword, but I rather don't think she will. Yes, well, the cover-story is kind of obvious—"I'm not from around here." :) It's just if somebody wants to know details, we're in trouble.
Ravens Destiny: It's the thought that counts!
Contia: Whoopsie.
Laer4572: Yes, I loved my AP Eng lit class! Yayness! Yes, it made perfect sense. I read ya. Fantastic description of the celebration of Ashleyday! I saw a tshirt in Hot Topic yesterday that said, "I love poetry, long walks, and poking at dead things with sticks." I was very, very tempted to buy it. :)
Tara: My favorite poetry anthology is Immortal Poems of the English Language, edited by Oscar Williams. It's fantastic. Unfortunately, some of the poems, such as "I Heard the Bells" aren't included in it. But I still highly recommend it to anybody who enjoys genuinely good poetry. I can't wait for Wednesday and LOST! I don't think chocolate really does give anyone the feeling of love. It may make some of the same chemical effects, but it never made me feel that great! Thanks!
theycallmemary: Excellent! Oh, I didn't think Húnvel was that interested in Feriniel specifically, I just needed him to say something to distract Katie… lol You've got the Harry Potter Effect! Everything must be important! lol I can diagnose it because I do the exact same thing! But somehow, I never manage to predict what Rowling will do next… Updating the new story at the same time as this!
Erasuithiel: Her purpose in Middle-earth is mostly to witness history being made and to learn what her time there will teach her. Brain-fry is quite understandable. I'm not sure where you'd find rules on ff dot net, but if you want to post stuff, click on "Register" on the royal blue bar up at the top, and just follow directions!
Thanks also to Fk306!
I love you all! Please review!