Note: Sorry this update took so long. I was busy getting ready for our holiday and then things got a bit hectic. While we were on holiday my partner proposed. To be honest I'm still in shock. I keep looking at my finger.
PT
Athrana (Wandering Shadow)
Chapter 32- Who I Once Was
TA3019, February
She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, trying to remember who she had been. She couldn't be Athrana anymore, but she wasn't Athriel either. She had a long way to go before that. At the moment she was just a shadow, an echo of who she used to be. A Shadow possessed by a monster. It had seemed such a simple solution at first. To bring herself back from the brink all she had to do was remember who she had been before, to be the elf she had been before she left. But like everything else in life it was more difficult than she had ever expected.
Suddenly her finger slipped and the needle caught her. She flinched before throwing the sewing onto the floor. And this wasn't helping her at all. She stood up and strode towards the door. "Erestor! Erestor!" Erestor and his stupid ideas. He had always tried to make her into a lady and it wasn't going to happen now. That wasn't who she was. It never had been. She slammed open the connecting door and stormed into her brother's rooms. "Erestor! This isn't working!" She slumped into the long chair beside him but he didn't look up from his book.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to work that out." Her jaw dropped. What? She had been sitting in that room struggling with his idiotic project for what seemed like an eternity for no reason. Finally the advisor put down his book and looked at his sister. "There isn't much you hated more than sewing, its part of who you are and it seemed like a good place to start." Athriel rolled her eyes. "Why do you always have to be so clever Res?" He laughed. "It's all part of being a big brother."
Glorfindel stopped and lowered his sword. "Alright everyone take a break" He could hear two sets of footsteps approaching. Two sets he knew very well. Scanning the surroundings he spotted them. He knew better than to think that Erestor was coming to see him, at least not to ask him to come home. The way Athriel walked slightly behind her brother told him that she was the reason for their visit. Glorfindel closed his eyes and concentrated on the voices as they approached.
"Erestor are you sure about this?"
"Of course. I'm sure. This is exactly what you need."
"But..."
"No buts. You were a warrior before, and you will be a warrior again. Lord Glorfindel!"
Glorfindel's eyes snapped open. So he had been right. This wasn't a social visit and judging by Erestor's use of his title he still wasn't ready to talk. "Good morning Councillor, Lady Athriel." Athriel looked at him in disbelief. Erestor had told her about what had happened. She still couldn't believe it. But seeing them acting so formal with one another brought it home. "I think it's about time that Athriel started her training again." Glorfindel nodded. He had wondered when he would be teaching her again. "Alright. Come on Athriel, let's get to work. You've got a lot of catching up to do."