OK, that was a baby elephant if ever there was one. Not this chapter, but the epilogue that will follow. I wasn't quite decided what I would do for the conclusion, so I wasn't so sure what I'd do of this, so it took all that time to come. (Sigh) Here it is now.

Elena maiden of Gondor: sorry for not updating soon as you asked ;) But thank you for the offer of Aragorn's healing skills, although I don't think that'll be necessary. Thank you for your review :)

Finduilas: first, well thank you for your honesty :) I see how you could find the resolution calculating and unromantic, but I believe Helm to be a stern god. I think he would see duty as very important, but wouldn't disapprove Anomen and Amousca for drawing happiness from the occasion. Besides, as you'll see in this chapter, not everything in this event was calculated; there is still room for the chaos of fate. As for Amousca being a follower of Helm, it is true that I never wrote anything about her praying to him, but then I never had an occasion too in the stories I wrote. To me it just seemed natural that she would share at least a part of her husband's faith. I hope you'll like this chapter better than the last…

Chapter V. Mending a heart

A long while later, Anomen held Amousca tightly to him, tenderly and almost painfully so, as the last of their pleasure faded into the blissful oblivion of fulfillment.

It had been urgent and intense, yet tender and loving, as all embraces of lovers long denied. Anomen trembled for a long time in Amousca's embrace, his heart overwhelmed by the preciousness of this moment. It felt like a beautifully carved piece of the purest crystal in his heart, that he could break at the slightest move.

Finally, he shifted to pull her in his arms.

"I love you," he whispered in her hair. "My heart was always yours."

She smiled. "I know. I love you too."

He sighed and she lay her head on his chest, and as she listened to his heartbeat, she was gifted a revelation of her God. She touched Anomen's shoulder, and said:

"You were wise to say that the gods' actions should not be considered punishment or reward. But there are exceptions to this rule. It is clearly a punishment when a God takes away the powers He gifted to one of His servants."

Anomen stiffened. A quick prayer to Helm assured him that this sinister fate had not befallen him yet. "Why so dark a statement in this moment, my love?", Anomen asked, jerked unpleasantly out of his mood.

"It is not dark, because I am not finished," she stated, and he recognized her teasing tone with yet another rippling joy. He had forgotten how endearing she was when she teased. "I meant to say that we have clearly been rewarded."

Anomen looked at her, uncertain.

"What do you mean?"

"You will see," she answered with an enigmatic smile.

She had to leave soon after, exhausted from her prolonged stay on this plane, and somehow Anomen's heart was not hopelessly broken when her glorious light faded from his room. His bed was still disordered from their… activities, and for once in his life he had no desire for discipline regarding this.

That night, he lay down in bed, and fell asleep rapidly, his heart completely mended after all these years – not only in peace, but mended in one piece – and surrounded by her smell. The next morning, he found a long, red hair sticking to his arm, and smiled fondly. He folded it and put it with the other hair of hers that he kept.

A few months went by in this manner; Anomen was surprised himself that he did not need her presence more imperiously, but she had said that it would be harder for her to leave the celestial plane during her pregnancy, and he had promised he would not cause her difficulties and would not call her.

And one day, Anomen felt the call in his soul. He interrupted himself in the middle of his prayer, drawing intrigued glances by the acolytes reciting with him, but he could not remember at all what he had been saying. She was drawing near.

He excused himself and fled the chapel, mumbling a hasty explanation about the return of Helm's messenger. There were silent nods of approval.

She arrived a few seconds after him, flooding his small house's only room with her celestial light.

Her birthing had nothing to do with the first. There was almost no pain, and nothing went wrong, and she gave birth to a little son in just a quick moment. Anomen tended the baby in silence, not daring to ask her why she needed to come to the mortal plane to deliver an aasimar servant to Helm. And then, Anomen was aware of another infant making its way into this world.

"My love…", he started, but then he trailed off, at a loss as to what exactly he wanted to ask.

"No, Anomen. There are only two. And Helm has decreed that I have suffered already all I had to suffer to give birth to our children."

Anomen nodded and put the son down on the warm bed over his mother's head, and soon a daughter was born. Anomen tended her too, and Amousca requested to see both their children.

"Look at our children, Anomen." She was smiling tenderly. "I have to leave now, but… kiss me again, until we meet again."

Anomen sighed sadly and kissed her gently.

Then she smiled a bashful smile. "Remember, I told you we had been rewarded."

And with that, she pushed the daughter into his arms. He took the baby carefully, and looked at Amousca who was smiling. She caressed his face, and whispered:

"Summon me again soon."

And she left with their son, leaving him with their daughter.