Chapter 11

To a Shore at the Edge of the World

Elarinya pushed Calanon hard across the cold hard ground. The ground became rugged the farther north they traveled from the lake. Mountains loomed in the distance, losing the blue haze that surrounded them for days. Tall evergreens grew in tight clusters, thinning as they neared the sea. Dense shrubs littered the earth. With each stride, she felt the pull become stronger. It was as if there was a vice around her heart, slowly releasing the closer she went. But fear also built in her gut, what was she running to—to whom? The dark haired ellon flashed in her mind. His haunted grey eyes piercing her soul. Not just haunted, tormented. Eyes that reminded her of her own bruised and battered soul.

Shaking her head, Elarinya pushed the thoughts from her mind. She needed to focus on the task at hand. Calanon was a steady mount, but even he could misstep on the craggy ground. She felt Veryan push his mount beside her, she did not have to look at him to see the questions in his eyes. He had known her longer than anyone, been by her side at every turn. However, she remained quiet, not ready to voice her thoughts, but knowing he would ask the questions she was not sure she had answers to.

Veryan gave her a few moments, seeing the subtle lines crease her eyes and forehead. "I know to where we ride, Elarinya, but to what purpose?" He asked, keeping his eyes forward. "You have kept secrets, you have not kept secrets from me before."

She sighed, not sure where to begin, thinking back to the day they left, the night her mother came to her somehow knowing what plagued her soul. "Aye, you've seen the shadow in my eyes, but only guessed part of the cause. Yes, the death has taken its toll, I feel each of the deaths weighing on my soul, but it is more than that. Since I have been of age there's a presence that filled my dreams, haunting them. As the shadows grow in me, he grows, I see him even awake, the dark haired ellon that play the harp on the jagged rocks of Forochel. He calls to m. there is a pull that I cannot ignore and the depravity around my soul lessens the closer I go."

"What will we find when we get there?"

She risked a glance at her friend, his gazed fixed on the horizon, before replying, "I do not know."

There was a long moment of silence between the two, it was not an uncomfortable silence, but one of understanding. Though little was said, there was much to contemplate for both parties, neither sure where the answers might be found. Finally, Veryan broke the stillness, his voice soft, "Perhaps the Valar spared you all those years ago for a reason, for all their silence, they know much I believe. Your destiny mayhap they saw."

"Why would my fate matter to them? We ignored their summons, summons from our creators, I cannot imagine they were exuberant over the fact."

"You are a strong and powerful elf Elarinya. There is much you could still do in this world for the greater good." He stated, noting the way her body tensed.

"I am done with fighting, once our journey is over, I will place my sword down for good." She ground out, teeth clenched as visions of the dead filled her mind. Bodies strewn across a blood bathed ground.

"Your children will come from a potent bloodline, perhaps it is them whom the Valar wish to be." Veryan chanced a glance at the elleth beside him, she had grown hard and cold, but all was not lost. He could still picture the lively young child she had been, so full of life and light. If she could get past the shadows and demons that tormented her, she would be a wonderful mother. He was sure the child would be spoiled and unruly, much as she had been. Veryan smiled, yet as he briefly closed his eyes and image appeared before his eyes—he saw Elarinya bending down along a sandy shore, dark braided hair dancing in the wind. A smile lit up her face, gone were the shadows dulling her eyes, and child running towards her outstretched hands. The child was young and dark hair, with her mother's striking green eyes. Her features, however, were nothing of Elarinya. His gaze caught site of an ellon standing behind her, hand resting lovingly on her shoulder. His strong angular features were mirrored on the child but fitting for a woman. Then the image vanished, and he almost faltered as Elarinya spoke, knowing what he saw was not his imagination, but an image of what could be.

"Veryan, I would have to have a mate to have children." She spoke with a light laugh.

He decided to keep his mouth shut. Veryan did not mention the fact that she rode to find an ellon she had never met, one how had plagued her mind and soul for thousands of years. Nor did he mention the image shown to him. It was rare to get a laugh from his pupil, he did not want to ruin her mood with information she was not ready to hear. She forged her own paths and would not take lightly to the Valar interfering. For now, it would be best to keep the information to himself. However, he would do whatever it took to make the image come true, he would see the Valar's plan through just to see her shine again.

…

She was here. Finally, she made it. Sitting atop Calanon she gazed out over the cliff. The land around her was bare and rocky, she could her the crashing of waves on the shore, beating against the boulders that littered its shore. Pulling the wolf skin lined cloak around her, she fought against the bitter wind that blew from the sea. Already she was sticky with salt water.

Dismounting, she handed Calanon to Ellethwen, who stood closest to her. "I will go down alone." When Veryan did not argue reason with her, the others stayed silent, sensing he knew information they did not.

It took all of her self-control not to run for the cliff. Every fiber of her being was pulling her towards the ellon on the shore. The vice around her heart was all but gone, it was hanging by threads, she could feel them trembling within her. Standing on the edge, she scanned the beach below, the rocky shore covered in a thin layer of mist. Finally, she spotted him. His figure was no more than a black silhouette in the distance, his music faint, covered by the wind whipping from the ocean. Slowly, she began to climb down, the crevice's offered little security and more than once she slipped. As the ground neared she leapt from the rock, landing lightly on her feet. Once her feet hit the sand, all sound stopped. The mist seemed to clear, and she saw him clearly in the distance, fingers hovering over the strings, but he did not play, instead he stared at her and her heart beat wildly in her chest. This was it, she was here. Taking a deep breath, Elarinya let the force pull her forward and she began walking towards the ellon, her voice waking up in song.

"I woke upon a lifeless day
Where grey rained down and gloom filled the shadows
It all seemed bleak as I looked out upon a grey cast world
There was no color to be found amidst the deadened leaves and grass
No hint of green, No shades of blue sky
desperate to escape my prison
I sat out upon a journey
Surely in this huge expanse, somewhere there must be a bit of color
Near and far I searched
My mind slowly wandering
Of fields so fair be-speckled with color
A myriad of reds, blues and yellows
As deep blue skies filled with clouds gently drifting by
I paused in my search then stopped and smiled
My endless seeming search now over
I realized that I had only to look inside of my heart to find
A colorful maze of the deepest of hues residing there
The colors of life which lie deep within you
My journey now over, I turned and walked with slow pace
The shadows now filled with brightness as a slight smile played upon my face.

I found you."

Her voice died as the song came to an end and she found herself face to face with the ellon tormenting her dreams and waking hours for longer than she could remember. He stood before her, tall and lean, long dark hair surrounding his pale face—A face that bore handsome and strong angular features, stormy eyes bore into her own. He stared at her as if he was not sure if she was real or imaginary. Reaching she placed a hand upon her cheek, his cold skin sending a jolt through her body and the tendrils released her and a gasp escaped her lips, "I found you."