Chapter Five

Finally, it was the night before the Fellowship was to leave. With that knowledge, Gandalf decided to try one last time to persuade Anariel to come. He walked not to her room, but to the river.

As he approached the Bruinen along a small, dirt path through the trees, he heard a sound, a beautiful, soft sound. She was singing. He hadn't heard her sing since the Elder Days. She had been more carefree then, before Morgoth had...no, he couldn't even think it.

Shaking his head, Gandalf stopped walking and focused himself entirely on her singing. As he had said many times before, her singing was a gift from Eru himself. Despite these fond memories, he was struck silent by both her tone and words.

Home is behind, the world ahead

And there are many paths to tread

Through shadow to the edge of night

Until the stars are all alight

Mist and shadow

Cloud and shade

All shall fade

All shall...

Fade...

"Gandalf?" a hesitant voice asked, startling the wizard out of his trance.

He whipped around to see Pippin standing timidly in the middle of the path. He seemed dazed. "What is it, Pippin?" the wizard asked.

"Is she singing for the Fellowship?" he asked. The hobbit's voice was sad, but he did not know why.

"No, Pippin. The world," Gandalf said, looking gravely at the young hobbit for a second. After a few moments, the wizard turned and continued along the path to the river.

Ai! Laurie lantar lassi surinen,
Yeni unotime ve ramar aldaron!
Yeni ve linte yuldar avanier
mi oromardi lisse-miruvoreva
Andune pella, Varda tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar I eleni
omaryo airetari-lirinen.

Si man i yulma nin enquantuva?

An si Tintalle Varda Oiolosseo
ve fanyar maryat Elentari ortane,
ar ilye tier undulave lumbule,
ar sindanoriello caita mornie
i falmalinnar imbe met, ar hisie
untupa Calaciryo miri oiale.
Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa, Valimar!

Namarie! Nai hiruvalye Valimar.
Nai elye hiruva. Namarie!

This time, Gandalf did not allow himself to be awestruck and entranced by her voice. This time, he walked purposefully toward the river. This time, he was intent upon a goal. This time, he had to ask. This time, she might agree. This time...

Again, he stopped walking. Last time, he had asked her something else. Last time, she had refused. Last time...

Gandalf took a step forward, then another, and another. He was almost there. Her voice was louder, and the river was almost in sight. He turned a corner, and there was the river. A little ways out into the river, illuminated by the moon, she stood, singing as she dipped her hair into the water. It came back seemingly almost black in colour, disguising its true colour.

"Anariel!" he called.

Instantly, she whipped around to face him, though she did not cover the skin exposed, even though most of her breastbone showed. "Olorin?" she asked, looking toward him where he stood by the banks. All she could see was a silhouette of someone wearing a robe.

"Anariel, as always you are as beautiful as Ithil," Gandalf said fondly, no hind of dread in his tone. After all, every time he asked her, her mood disintegrated rapidly.

She smiled and asked openly, "Care to join me?"

Gandalf smiled right back at her, but he answered, "Why don't you come out? It's getting late."

Anariel's eyes flicked down to the water for a second before she said, "You're probably right."

The second she began to walk toward the bank, Gandalf turned his back to her, affording her some privacy. As he waited, he heard the drips of water falling from her back to the river as she walked onto the bank. The sound of rustling fabric was the only indication that she was moving, as her steps were that silent.

A few seconds later, he felt a long-fingered hand in the middle of his back. It slid to his shoulder and rested there as Anariel walked around to stand in front of him. Now, she was clothed in a white dress that clung to her curves without showing enough to be indecent. From her hips, the fabric flowed out from her hips to the ground, hiding her legs.

Pensively, Gandalf looked down to her collar bone. Years ago, a pendant had rested there, a pendant just as silver, clear, and pure as her. That necklace had been his gift to her just before he had left Eressea. It had been taken from her long ago.

"Such times I am thankful that you are here rather than Lindon," Gandalf said softly as he wrapped his arms around her.

"And every second between them, I wonder why I came," Anariel said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"350 years of solitude aren't enough?" he asked in return, obviously joking.

She smiled and said, "You know as well as I that it was far more than enough time."

They embraced for a few more seconds before Anariel broke away and said, "This feels like another good-bye between us. Let's prolong it this time." As she spoke, she sat by the water's edge and laid out flat on her back. Gandalf followed with no hesitation, for they had done similarly many times in Valinor.

Neither one said a word. Both pairs of eyes were turned toward the sky. The two of them stayed there laying in each other's arms all night. Slowly, they both fell asleep. As Gandalf's head rolled toward Ilmare's, his last waking thoughts were I forgot to ask her.