Just a Friend- Epilogue Part 1
The first part of the epilogue- the rest of the family will find out who Las and Strider really are!
Thank you for all the reviews and wonderful comments- I am really glad the last chapter worked out really well for everyone.
Disclaimer: see Chapter 1
Two weeks later, the same day that Telan got up early to train in the yard with the other boys, Henric swung open the door of their home and came inside to the sound of Cat crying.
He sighed. "Again?" he asked softly. Alya looked up from where she sat beside the fire with Cat, gently stroking her hair. Cat sniffed, looking over at her father with teary eyes.
"Sorry, Da," she whispered through hiccupping breaths.
Henric smiled sympathetically and moved over, pulling his nine year old daughter to her feet. "It's alright, kitten," he said. "We all miss him."
Alya smiled up at Henric, but Henric noticed the misty eyes and the redness that meant she may have already been crying. Henric sighed softly. Telan had been gone for two weeks.
He missed him, of course, but nothing can come close to how a mother misses their son when they leave. Henric had always known the house would prove to be too small for Telan, especially after everything that happened three years ago, with the elf. He knew he would leave. He suspected Alya had never quite let go of the idea that Telan would stay around forever.
And Cat… Cat had adored her big brother, again, especially after all the happenings with the elf, Las? Aye, Las. And Strider, the strange man. Even after three years, Henric still dwelled on those few days. Somehow he knew that there was more to it than he had ever been told. He wondered if Telan knew anything.
Henric cleared his throat. "I just came from the town hall," he said, stoking the fire in the grate. A month or so after Las had returned, soldiers and workers had arrived and had helped to rebuild the town, strengthening the buildings and improving the tracks to and from town. The town had grown over the three years, and now the family lived in the actual town itself, Henric working as a builder and Alya with an evening job in the inn. Life had gotten surprisingly better since Cat had found Las in those woods, three years ago.
"Anything interesting?" asked Alya, sitting back down and pulling Cat back into her arms. The nine year old girl sniffed, before pushing her hair back out of her face and smiling up at Henric, even if the smile was a little small.
"A letter," said Henric. "Came with a patrol that came through a day ago." The town was now used frequently by soldiers and people from Minas Tirith, having been connected to one of the main roads through Gondor. Henric reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled it out, waving it in the air.
"Who's it from?" asked Cat, her childish face suddenly lit up with excitement and hope. Henric smiled and nodded, and a grin erupted on his daughter's face. She jumped out of Alya's lap with a squeal.
"It's from Telan, isn't it? He promised he'd write!"
Henric chuckled. "Aye, it is," he said. "I haven't read it yet."
"Are you sure?" murmured Alya, standing up and coming to look at the letter. "Telan doesn't know how to write well enough to send a letter." Henric handed the letter over and she turned it over, seeing the scratchy writing on the back. She grinned. "It is from him," he murmured. "It is!"
"Open it!" squealed Cat, dancing up and grabbing the letter out of Alya's hands. She pulled it open, breaking the seal on it easily. "What does it say?" Cat asked, thrusting it at Henric. "What does it say?"
Henric laughed and handed the letter to Alya, who had learnt to read when working with the healers in Minas Tirith. "Here, love," he said. "Your eyesight is better than mine."
Alya took it and began to read out loud.
"Dear Ma and Da," it read. "And of course Cat."
"I am speaking this to one of my friends, who is teaching me to write. My writing is not good enough yet to write this letter, but you made me promise to send one.
I am in Minas Tirith, and am training to be a soldier. I spend most of my day learning how to fight, to ride, to stand in formation and obey orders. Any time I am not properly training, I am getting fitter, running errands around the city. The streets are wide and white, and it takes a long time to run anywhere. But I am getting quicker.
The disc Las gave me worked. I got to the city five days ago, and handed the disc to a soldier. He handed it to another soldier, called Beregond, who is the captain of the Steward's guard. He was about to do something when a bunch of riders rode into the courtyard of Minas Tirith.
Anyway, that was when things got strange. Las was one of the riders, coming in from Ithilien, I think. But his name isn't Las. You are never going to believe this! It turns out that Las and Strider were lying the whole time about who they were."
Alya stopped reading and scanned the next few lines. A sudden burst of laughter escaped her lips as she read it, and Henric looked at her, puzzled. "What is it?" he asked. "What does he write?"
Cat pouted and tugged on the hem of Alya's skirt. "What?" she demanded. Alya laughed again, tipping her head back and laughing out loud. She handed the letter to Henric, and he struggled to read through the lines on the page.
His jaw dropped open. "No," he murmured softly. "No!" He started to chuckle along with Alya, and caught her eye. "I knew they weren't telling us everything, but this…! Ha!"
"I…I can't believe it," said Alya. "That…that can't be real."
"It makes sense, though," said Henric, a wide grin on his face. "The fancy weapons and clothing, their conversations in that other tongue, Strider's pull with the town mayor, his skills in fighting, their stories, even the way both of them spoke!" He laughed again. "How could we not spot that?"
Cat, feeling very left out of the conversation, tugged on Alya's hem again. "What is it?" she asked with a pout. "I want to know!"
Alya crouched down so she was level with Cat. "You remember Strider and Las, don't you?" she asked.
"Of course!" said Cat. "I found Las first."
"I know," said Alya with a smile, tucking a strand of Cat's hair behind her ear. "But it seems that those aren't their real names, kitten."
"What?" asked Cat. "What are their names? Who were they?"
"It seems Telan found out," said Henric, his hand resting on Alya's shoulder. He smiled. "I can't believe it."
"What?" asked Cat, stomping her foot on the floor. "Tell me!"
A moment later a high pitched squeal came from inside the house, followed by the sound of tentative, and then full blown laughter. The laughter continued for quite some time, until it petered out, followed by the sound of all three voices talking at once.
Who would have known they had taken in the King of Gondor and the Prince of Mirkwood?
To Be Continued...
Only the second part of the epilogue to go- a final conversation between Legolas and Aragorn. As always, reviews are very welcome.