Chapter 3

I woke up, feeling someone had a hand on my forehead. "Izirea?" It was Elendil. My eyes opened more and I saw him.

"What happened?" I asked. I was tired, but also restless. I must have been sleeping for at least a day.

"The knife that stabbed you was filled with poison. You seem to get better" Elendil said. I saw it on him he was happy I was awake, but also worried.

"Poison…" I mumbled to myself. "How- How long have I been gone?"

"Three days." Three long days? I'm surprised, three days!

"That is longer than I feel. How is Isildur? He was with me" I asked.

"He is fine, he killed all the Orcs."

"Why are the Orcs here? How did they get here?" I asked and sat up. Elendil tried to let me stay down, but I know I am stubborn.

"I know it is some dark powers in Middle-earth. That is where the Orcs come from. We found their ship. We didn't find any more Orcs, so we are safe." For now… "How do you feel?"

"Feel like I've been sleeping here for too long. Can I go out?" I asked tired. He laughed.

"No, you need rest."

"I've been resting for three days. I am-" Elendil interrupt me.

"No, you have been fighting for your life for three days. You are not leaving this room till tomorrow at least. Sleep now, I will leave" he said to me, bowed and left me there. Elendil has been like a father to me, but I cannot believe he is making me stay here.

I closed my eyes and count the seconds and minutes that passed and I stood up fast. I felt my head was going round and round and everything seemed black. I touched my head and it went away. Be strong now Izirea! I changed to a brown dress and I opened the door carefully. It was no one near so I walked fast out. Lethra stood and waited for me in the stable. "Hey there beautiful" I said and mounted her. I want to try ride her without a saddle. I went out and behind the houses and into the forest. I looked back making sure no one sees me and I saw Isildur talk to the blacksmith. He found my look and I rode into the forest.

I noticed someone were riding after me, it was Isildur. I can hear him. "When are you going to stop following me?" I asked. I knew he will hear me.

"When you are going to stop sneaking out? You are not strong enough" he said and came closer to me. I am not strong enough? And he knows that?

"I don't care what other people say. I know when I am not strong enough and stop follow me!" I rode more south to a beach. I dismounted Lethra and walked over the stone hills that went down the water.

"I haven't seen this place before" Isildur said. Oh God, why can he not listen? He came next to me and we looked at the ocean.

"People don't care what is on the other side of the big fat forest. I come here to think and be alone." I looked at him. "Why do you care about me?" I asked.

"Why shouldn't I?" I didn't know the answer. Every day when we were little we were always together. We never parted. "I care about you more than everything" he said. I was shocked. I care about him a lot. I would feel a great emptiness leave my heart if we parted.

"What is the point anyway? I'm leaving Númenor Isildur. I'm going back to my people" I said.

"When?" He asked, he looked at me finally.

"I don't know. About twenty years I guess. When you see me suited enough to fight properly."

"Twenty years is a lot of time for us to be together. Let us hope that training will go slow" he smiled. I do kind a hope so to be honest.

"I don't want to do anything big out of it. You are a human Isildur. I am an Elf."

"I am not really just a normal man. I do live longer and I don't care." No one has ever said something like that to me before. Well no one has ever been with me.

He was coming closer and I stopped him. I sighed and closed my eyes and reopened them. "I should get back" I said. I mounted Lethra and rode back to town.

"I heard you really wanted to go back to your people" Elendil said. I turned my head to him. I was sitting on the stone hill near the sea. At my thinking spot. He knows this place?

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"I used to come here and think myself. I know everything about Númenor's hideout Izirea. What made you change your mind?"

"Who said I changed my mind?" I asked. He sat down next to me.

"Well when I told you where your ancestors come from for a year ago. You didn't seem you wanted to leave Númenor" he said. A year, it has gone fast.

"I just… Don't know anything anymore" I said.

"Well you are young, so you are not so wise" he smiled. Yeah I guess and made a little smile. "What are you unsure about?" He asked

"Everything." It was the truth. I don't know what to do here anymore.

"How goes the sword training with Isildur?" He cannot ask that! That goes… like… Not so good.

"Good, very good. I learn a lot. Not only fighting with swords but fists also. But I want to fight like a real Elf. I cannot learn that by Isildur. Though he get surprised with my speed every time. But it doesn't feel like I am getting enough training." It was the truth, just half of it. We always ended up flirting half the time.

"I think this is the right time to tell you" Elendil said. He looked sad.

"Tell me what?"

"Have you heard of the Faithful, or is it also called Elendili or Elf-friends?" He asked me. I thinked about it.

"No" I said.

"The Faithful is a group of faction that is remained loyal and friendly with the Elves and respectful to the Valar." That is really a good idea.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because I want you to be part of it." Did I hear the right thing?

"I am one of the Elves" I said.

"But everyone sees you as a Númeóreans. Things are going to change the next sixty years." What he mean? "I will not keep secrets from you Izirea and I will tell you everything that concerns our family and Númenor."

"Why? I am just an Elf" I asked.

"Your mother was Lord Elrond of Rivendell sister. Lord Elrond is an important ally and friend to us. He is also your uncle. Your mother wanted me to teach you how to fight. She wanted you to be a warrior, because she has foreseen great things about you my lady."

"Then why are you letting me get taught by your son?" I asked. I haven't heard a lot of Lord Elrond. Well I don't know a lot about Middle-earth really. Just that Lord Elrond is the Elf-lord and Gil-galad is the Elven King.

"Because I want you to learn any single way to fight before I let you leave Númenor."

"Is it so bad in Middle-earth" I asked.

"Depends where you are and I know you will not sit in Rivendell and wait for something" he said and stood up. That is true, really true. But wait…

"What do you mean things will change?" I asked. I looked up to him.

"Dark forces are going through and destroys Middle-earth. It won't get long before it come here too. You saw the Orcs a year ago, that is just the beginning."

"Why you want me to be in the Faithful?" I asked.

"You will live quite longer than I will, so I want you to keep it going after I am dead. I am not sure what will happen after I pass away."

He was about to leave. "I am having dreams." He stopped and I could feel his gaze on me. "My dreams always become real. I've seen Númenor get swallowed by a big wave. That Númenor will be under the ocean. I think it will happen" I said.

"It is just dreams Izirea, nothing more." He touched my shoulder. "Even the Gods don't want anything to happen to Númenor. Maybe you are just afraid something will happen here." He left me here.

"Yeah… Just dreams" I said to myself. I wished it was true.

I was standing in my thinking spot again, near the ocean. Storm was coming, I saw the ocean hit the stones before me. I was waiting, waiting for Isildur to come home. He had been sent to the west coast, it was far way there. It felt like Elendil is keeping him from me. We've been together for a year now I secret. I closed my eyes, feeling the ocean rage and the wind blowing and someone sneak up on me. I smiled… Isildur. I turned around and saw him just before me.

"I can never really sneak up on you right?" He asked.

"Never" I said and smiled and kissed him. "I've missed you, a lot."

"I have been thinking about you every day" he said. He had something behind him and took it forth to me. It was a flower he picked on the way here. I recognize it. He put it behind my ear. I smiled, he is so gentle. "Today it is two years since I saw first saw you for a long time. When I felt deeply in love with you." Yes… two years.

"Does your father know about us?" I asked worried.

"No, he doesn't. Why?" He asked.

"It feels like he keeps you away from me" I said. I turned to the ocean and he took his arms around me.

"It is a busy time and since I am his sons I have duty to our land. You know that" he said and kissed my head.

"I know… There is something I have to tell. You know that some of my dreams have become real?" He nodded. "I dreamed for two years ago that Númenor get swallowed by the ocean. Elendil your father doesn't believe me."

"Are you sure?" He asked and I turned to him.

"Yes of course. What is bugging me is that I don't know when it will happen."

"I understand, I really don't think it is anything we can do. I can't make the king or my father order the people to leave Númenor. They won't believe me either."

"Yeah… Anyway, let's talk about something else" I said. Putting a smile on my face and walked back to the forest. I heard he followed me.

"Have father talked to you about the Faithful?" He asked me. I turned around a tree so I got closer to him.

"Yes. I hope you are one of them" I said almost sarcastic.

He laughed. "I doubt I would even be here if I wasn't."

"How many is it? Who is part of the Faithful?" I asked.

"The only reason we did it, make the Faithful, is no matter what happening we are not going against the Elves. King Ar-Pharazôn isn't so… He doesn't like the Faithful, that we learn and are friends with the elves. The second king before him forbid the people of Númenor to talk with the Elves, to be with them." He looked worried for a second. "Our King Ar-Pharazôn is talking about to attack a Dark Lord in Middle-earth and take him as a prisoner." We got closer to each other. I have a feeling that is not a good idea. I've never met our king, but I am sure he knows what he is doing.

"Isildur?" A voice came from behind Isildur. He turned his head a bit, still standing to me.

"What is it Anàrion?" He asked.

"Father wants to see both of you" Anàrion said. I stepped away and Isildur turned around. Anàrion looked at us both, he had both his eyebrow raised. He knows something about us. I only hope he is a good brother and not telling.