'' Living just isn't hard enough,

Burn me a light inside.

Living my life's not hard enough,

Take everything away...'

' Prayer' by Disturbed

Chapter 5

"She hasn't spoken to anyone in over two days," Peony said in a low whisper."I'm so worried."

Ruth chuckled."Don't worry about that one, dear. Nevada's the kind that bounce back from these sort of things. Give her some time, though. She's been through a hell of a lot, and she'll open up when she's ready."

Peony nodded, but she was still concerned. All the commander had been doing since she arrived at the healer's home was sit in the windowsill and stare off into space. She was sitting with her legs pulled up, her arms wrapped around them and a sullen, closed look on her face. She seemed like she was studying the landscape, but Peony knew better - the glazed look in Nevada's eyes said that she wasn't seeing the landscape at all. She was seeing her home, torn and void of life. The cup of tea that Ruth, the healer, had made for her was sitting untouched on the sill, gone cold because she wouldn't drink it.

The blonde frowned, wincing slightly when Ruth accidently poked a bruised rib that hadn't healed quite right. No one should suffer alone like that."Well, shouldn't one of us talk to her? I mean, she shouldn't be alone. The only person she spoke three words to was Princess Liana. Why isn't the princess talking to her now? I thought they were best friends-"

Ruth shushed her, and paused from her ministerings to stare to Peony."Liana also understands that Nevada needs to be left alone. Right now is one of those times that she needs to be left to herself. She doesn't need us to fuss over her and bug her with a million questions. Now hush, while I finish with you so I can move on to Diana."

The dark haired Faerie finished unwrapping Peony's bandages, going around with the white strips and piling them onto the dresser next to the bed.'What a nasty wound this child had,' Ruth shook her head to herself.' Took me almost four days to heal it. She'll still be stiff as a board, though. Broken collarbones are nothing to trifle with. This one's just lucky her friend got her here in time, or she'd be in a lot of pain.' About ten seconds later, she took off the last bandage and sat back.

"There," Ruth said proudly."Go on, child. Move your arms about. The salve I gave you the day before really did the trick." Peony lifted her arms and smiled. Ruth's skills amazed her - that Faerie could touch a half dead person and have them up and running around a few hours later.

Peony sat up and winced a little, touching a spot where one of her ribs had broken."My ribs still hurt a bit, but thank you very much for all you've done for me."

Ruth rolled her blue eyes."I'm a healer, it's what I do. You and your friend there, Diana, should be just fine in a few more days. Your ribs will hurt for a time, and so will your collarbone if you use your arms extensively, but you'll live. And you better not break anything else, becuase I only heal broken bones like this once. And I don't make night calls on account of Orcs more than once, either, so you'll be shit out of luck if you're not careful the next time around."

Peony laughed and sat up straight, getting out of the bed and walking around a bit. She let Ruth's words about Nevada sink in while she stopped in the kitchen, searching for something small to eat.' Maybe she does need to be left alone. It's gotta suck to be the only one left from Deimos. Valar, if we would have known...' Peony gripped the counter tightly, anger coursing through her. Why was this happening to good people like them? Why did whole countries of people have to die? When would evil get what was coming to them, and when would this all end?

Liana set the tray down on the table before she sat down. She peered into Nevada's face, staying silent for a few more moments. Her friend's hand were lightly resting on her knees, but her back was rigid and she wouldn't even look at Liana. It hurt her to know that Nevada, who had stopped silently crying a couple of hours ago, was suffering so much. Now anger seemed to roll off her, waves of it that were building up with every passing minute. Anger and sadness.

"You need to eat," Liana finally said. She scooted the tray of strawberries, honeyed bread and milk that Ruth had supplied closer to Nevada."Your arm will heal faster if you get something in your stomach."

She acted like she hadn't heard her.

"Nev-" she stopped herself. Frustrated, she pulled at her hair for a moment, then continued quietly,"I'm sorry. I can't level with you, but the only thing I can do is let you know I'm here." She sat swiftly and tried to peer in her friend's face."I don't want you to go on like this. You haven't moved from this spot in over 36 hours. I know because I've been counting. You haven't eaten, or slept, or spoken. And you're scaring the hell out of everyone else. Now, please eat something," she pleaded, almost sick with worry. She didn't like the look in Nevada's eyes, or the way she continued to ignore her.

Liana swallowed a sigh, and got up to leave before Nevada's voice cut in.

"They're all dead, Liana. Every last one of them. Just lying there, like they had fallen asleep, or so cut and burned that they weren't even recognizable anymore. None of them had a chance at all." Her voice sounded harsher with misuse, and her gaze didn't break from staring out the window, but she trembled once before pulling her legs closer to her body."I got there too late. I'm always late whenever it counts like that."

Liana sat back down, not knowing what to do. She was over two thousand years old, and she didn't know how to comfort her best friend. Hesitating for a moment, she leaned over and gave her a hug. Nevada stayed limp for a moment, then reached over and hugged her back. She listened to Liana's soft words in their language and felt her rubbing her back, wallowing in the comfort of being taken care of. The urge to cry again was becoming overwhelming, and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

Refusing to cry again, Nevada pulled back and sniffed, glancing down at the tray of food before looking back at Liana."I hate strawberries."

Liana grinned."Ruth doesn't care. She put something in them to help your arm."

Nevada faintly rolled her eyes and picked one up, chewing slowly and looking around the room."Of course she did. Are you alone?" Liana looked at her blankly."Are your troops in Ciel?"

"Oh, yes. I sent them home with Gea."Nevada nodded."With her there, I feel all right leaving for a few days. I trust her enough, and..."Liana's voice faltered slightly, and she stopped talking. There it was again-that far away look. She didn't even think Nevada knew where she was at the moment. She was back at Deimos.

Liana looked on sadly before getting up again, deciding to leave her alone. What else could she do? If she continued to bug her, Nev would snap and get angry, and she couldn't force feed her. Well...Liana almost chuckled at the prospect of forcing Nevada to eat. She could only imagine the look on her face...

"Princess!" Diana said excitedly. She looked up from her thoughts to see the faerie walking over, limping slightly but obviously thrilled that she could walk at all.' Ruth really knows her stuff, doesn't she?' Liana thought admiredly.

"You're certainly looking better, Diana," she remarked with a slow smile."What is it you need?"

"We have news from the West!"

Liana's interest was perked."Really."

Diana nodded excitedly, then escorted Liana to sit down before continuing. The rest of the girls gathered in the room as well, listening intently."I had just remembered another message I was supposed to bring to you and Tatyana, but she's not here, so I figured I'd just tell you."

"Well go on, what is it?"

"There is to be a meeting in Rivendell," Diana said in a low voice."A council meeting of all the races of Middle Earth, headed by Lord Elrond. I learned it from Princess Maia, who had been in the West visiting a relative recently. They will be discussing the Ring, and rumor has it that the Ringbearer will be there, as well!"

"Were we invited?"

They both turned to see Nevada staring at them. Apparently, she was quite curious about it, too.

Diana shook her head a little."I suppose not."

"Why?" Liana and Nevada echoed each other.

"You know the Elves," Alexia voiced, almost angrily." They hate us, so why would they bother to invite us to their home?"

"But if it's about the whole of Middle Earth, it shouldn't matter if they like us or not," Peony argued."They couldn't possibly be that cruel-"

"Don't put it beneath them," Nevada muttered to herself.

Diana heard her."No, they probably thought we were too busy with our own fighting."

The others didn't look like they believed her. Alexia was about to argue back, when Ruth stepped into the room, sweeping down to pick up forgotten wrappings and throwing them away."It seems you've been left out of something important, am I right?"

Alexia nodded."There's a council meeting in Rivendell. Every other race in Middle Earth was invited except ours, it seems like."

Peony nodded glumly."It doesn't make sense. We're concerned about the rest of the world, too."

Ruth looked thoughtful for a moment, then sat down in front of the girls, eyes bright with knowledge."Well, if I had my way of doing it," she started slowly, her gaze sweeping over each faerie, stopping on Nevada's."I wouldn't be able to just sit back and let that happen. If there is no invitation extended, make your own."

The others blinked in confusion."What do you mean?" Diana asked.

Liana and Nevada caught on at the same time, and the former broke out into a grin."Invite ourselves?"

"You're saying we should just barge in on their meeting?" Nevada put in, frowning slightly.

Ruth smiled secretly, getting up from the table."I didn't say a word."

Nevada mulled over what she said. The Queen wouldn't even know they'd left. She'd kill them for going. But the thought of ruining their little get-together was too good to pass up..."Did you say they would be discussing the Ring?"

Diana nodded."A way to destroy it. And to get rid of the Orc problem, things like that..."

'Get rid of the Orc problem...' Nev's eyes grew dark. Get back at them for what they did to her. She could find a way to make them pay for her country. Maybe this was it...She could get her revenge. Nevada nearly shook with the eagerness to fight them. To get the chance that her people didn't have to fight back. Getting up suddenly, she startled them by walking over to sit down.

"Let's do it."

"Go to Rivendell?" Diana squeaked out. Nevada nodded vigorously.

Liana was suspicious of the look in her eye, and questioned,"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Why not?" Nevada broke in."We can't let them leave us out. Peony's right, we care about Middle Earth, too, why wouldn't we want to help?"

Liana nodded slowly. She was right. And it did make her blood boil at the thought of being left out. If Diana hadn't known about the council meeting, none of them would have known, either. But Rivendell was over a week's journey away..."When is the council meeting?"

"In eight days."

"Then we'd never make it!" Peony slumped in her chair."We'd almost have to leave right now to get there in time."

"If we rode hard and stopped less, we could make it in time," Liana said, almost to herself. Then she shook her head."Emilia doesn't even know, though. We can't just decide to leave for Rivendell without letting anyone know-"

"Ruth knows," Diana grinned."If anyone asks her, she can tell them where we went."

"We'll be doing everyone a favor by going and seeing what's up over there. Plus, I think we're great representations of our people," Peony added. Nevada discreetly coughed at this, and Liana fought back a grin."What?"

"Well, Liana's right. We can't just up and leave," Alexia added." We have to inform someone-"

"Ruth is here!" Diana and Peony parroted each other.

"She'll know all about it!" Diana continued.

"We might not even be gone all that long," Peony said, almost innocently."I give it two and a half weeks, and we'll be back home in no time. No one will miss us."

Nevada nodded."I think it's an excellent plan. What do you say, princess?"

Liana gritted her teeth at the reminder."It could work, but I can't leave my country, even for that long. Not in times like these."

The room got kind of quiet as everyone took this in. Peony and Diana looked defeated.

"Can't you send for a replacement?" Peony asked in a small voice."We really want you to come."

"Yes! Send word for someone to take over for you. It's only two weeks," Diana pleaded.

Liana looked indecisive."Maybe, but..."

Nevada's eyes bored into Liana's."Can I speak to you alone?"

Liana nodded, and they both stepped out of the room into the kitchen.

"Do as they say! Have your commander, Gea, take your place," Nevada burst out.

"Why are you so eager to go?" Liana wondered.

"You know damn well why," Nevada let out angrily."They took everything I hold dear to me. Almost everything," she added at the look on her friend's face, which would have been funny if she wasn't so mad."Those son of a bitches need to pay, and here's our chance!" She gripped Liana's arms, almost pleading." Let us go to Rivendell and show those damn Elves that we won't be left out!"

Liana bit her lip. It was so tempting, and she could understand where Nevada was coming from, but..."The Queen doesn't know. She'll have our heads-"

"We'll send her a note! A messenger, or something! Let's get back at those orcs for what they've done to our homes, and even destroy the Ring in the process! How could we pass this up?" Nevada noted the look of indecision on Liana's face, and continued,"If you say no, I'm going anyway. With or without you."

There was no way in hell Liana was going to let her already out-of-her-mind best friend go to Rivendell alone. The Valar know how many Elves she would dismember in the first hour.'I can't deny her, either,' she thought sadly.'She needs this. If I were in her shoes, I would want to avenge their deaths, too.'

"All right. We'll leave at dawn."