A New Purpose

Ithilwen retained a calm, outward exterior but there was a bit of coldness there as well. She inclined her head to Nauriel then stood and left the room without saying a word. Serethiel brushed past her in a rush. Her face was filled with tears and she fell to her knees as if all the strength her body held had just faded from her. Her arms went around her daughter, her face already damp and red from crying. “Oh thank you Nauriel. Thank you, thank you,” she said over and over as she cried.

It took a few minutes for Serethiel to calm herself and Beren came into the room. He was eating an apple and looked surprisingly calm himself, as if his parents and his sister were not in mortal danger just a few moments before. He smiled and tilted his head to look down at them. Obviously he knew what Ithilwen knew and allowed the future to play itself out for good or ill. When did Beren become more elvish was anyone’s guess but it was clear now that Ithilwen was rubbing off on him. When Nauriel’s and his eyes met his smile grew and he nodded to her appreciatively and their own bond flooded with love and gratitude.

Conleth laid in the large bed and though it appeared some of his coloring had come back, he still had the dark wound over his chest. All 3 of them were at his bedside and after a few minutes of looking at him he turned his head and his eyes opened. A single tear rolled down his left eye and Nauriel felt the immenseness of his pride and love for her flood into her. His lips curled into a small smile and then his smile faded as his eyes closed once more.

Serethiel moved forward and put her hand on his forehead, her face a grim mask of worry and fear. “I don’t understand! Why isn’t he better?” She asked to no one imparticular. Beren’s expression was guarded now and Nauriel would not be able to ascertain what he was feeling then either. Nauriel would know that he did look better but it didn’t mean that he would survive this.

Nauriel could sense a bit of coldness from her sister-in-law towards her and then suddenly remembered what this evil woman had shown her that she would have been able to see...herself and Beren in bed together. Her once relationship with her twin brother had only been known by herself and their mother (though Beren had not known that himself). Because that relationship was past them now and had only existed at a time when they had needed each other most they had not been inclined to tell anyone else about it. It had remained a secret...until now. Though he had not been able to see it, Nauriel suddenly wondered if her own husband would know and, if so, what he would think of her. She said nothing to Ithilwen as she left the room, but vowed that she would speak to her later.

Suddenly, her mother came rushing into the room and embraced her. Nauriel smiled, believing it all to be over and hugged her back. Looking down at her arm she could see the physical wound that had been left behind by "Kressara's" attack. It was a reminder that what had happened in that would had affected her body and she very well could have died there. Getting up, she happily rushed out of the room and over to her parent's bedroom to see her father. His coloring looked better and she saw him open his eyes and look at her. She smiled at him, but then suddenly realized that something was still wrong. Looking at his chest she could see the dark wound was still there...why was it still dark? He had defeated her! Why was this still happening? Nauriel felt a wave of despair come over her. She had vowed to save him and she had failed. She knew that while that darkness remained within his heart that he would not survive and that her mother would die as well. She had failed them both. After all they had been through....all they had sacrificed for each other and for their children...and all they had accomplished this was not how it was supposed to end for them. Nauriel practically collapsed atop her father as sobs of anguish shuddered through her body. Tears that represented her pure, strong, undying love for him slipped from her cheeks and down upon the very dark wound she had been trying to heal...

Serethiel had sensed something, a stir in the bond and she woke up with a start. When she rushed into the room she saw Nauriel looking over Conleth. Conleth looked over at her. He still looked deathly pale and weak but something had changed in his look. He seemed cognisant, fully aware. Not like before where it seemed he was only half in this world and the other. But there was something else too, the darkness that had been gripping her heart was no longer there. It was then that she knew and she ran up to her daughter and flung her arms around her.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you,” she murmured in between her sobs but Nauriel had pulled away from her to collapse on the bed over her father. She began to weep uncontrollably and it didn’t take Serethiel to understand why. Angrily she pulled Nauriel back off of him.

“Get up fool woman! Do you not realize what you’ve done? You’ve saved him,” she said as she turned Nauriel around and took hold of her shoulders. “He may yet still die but he will die the man he is and not to be tormented for eternity. “He may yet live and it does not do to despair. Not when you’ve done so much for him. I won’t have it Nauriel, not now, not ever,” she said and it was obvious she wanted to shake the woman.

A dark mask had been thrown over the bond suddenly as Elessar was in the command tent peering over one of the maps that had recently been brought to him. Dim light from lanterns hung on posts around the tent projected shadows along the pale, tent walls. He stiffened and all conversation stopped in the room. The men in attendance all had a worried look on their face and all talk ceased immediately.

“Prepare my horse and those of the King’s guard. We must go back to the city in all haste,” he said and looked over at his general. “You lead them Tamerin,” he said plainly and left in a hurry toward the horse lines.

Nauriel felt her mother pull her up and off of her father and shook her slightly to help her regain control of herself. She felt her mother was right...that her father was now free of this woman's grasp and yet it pained her to know that he might still die because of her. She looked back at her father and that darkness on his chest and then looked back at her mother.

"If he is free of her then why is that darkness still upon him?"

She was still in a snippy mood, she had been through alot in the past weeks and had nearly herself succumbed to hopelessness. But that had changed the moment Nauriel arrived. Now Serethiel was the matriarch she had always been. Hard but fair and compassionate. Conleth would not have it any other way.

“The body can only take so much. And he is not a young man daughter. It’s up to him now if he lives or dies. You’ve done your part but I ask you to remain just the same,” She said quickly, if not urgently. “I’d have everyone here if that were possible. But I’m not certain he has a week,” she said as if she had known that since the beginning. Before Nauriel could get her words out Serethiel broke in on her. “The next 3 days...perhaps 3, we will know,” she said only just managing not to break completely down again. It was not easy to keep ones head up when the love of your life was fading from the world.

“I must find Ithilwen and thank her as well, will you remain to watch over him?” she asked. “Thank you, I will be back shortly,” she said then moved down the hall and down the stairs.

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The bond quivered with concern and worry and the sense that Elessar was moving was clear in her mind.

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Ithilwen knew where Beren was. She always knew that and in a rare fit of outrage and confusion she nearly ran to him. He was helping Janis Hopwill fix his well. He was steadying a thick, square timber while Janis and another man pounded wooden dowels into it to fasten it the stone base. He felt her coming and her anger too, if not why. For her to be like this though it had to be very bad and so he told the others he’d be back to help finish in a bit.

They met one another along the path between 2 of the farms. The tan barley was still early in its growth cycle and he had just stepped through it to come upon her on the wide, dirt and stone path. She held her long, white dress as she moved and as soon as she reached him she began to rain down blows upon him and uttering oaths that would make the saltiest sailor blush. It was all Beren could do to grab hold of her wrists and wrestle her to the ground. Luckily no one was nearby or they might come to see what was wrong.

Now Beren was angry too and his cheeks hurt from her open handed slaps. “What has flaming gotten into you Ithilwen!? Why are you so angry!?” He asked. She had never struck him and hardly ever been angry. Today she was furious and hitting him as well.

Ooc: please play Ithilwen

It was impossible for Nauriel to not be emotional. So much had happened in only a few hours and even after all she had done it was quite possible he was still going to die. However, she knew she needed to remain strong for both of her parent's sake. They both still needed her and she would be there for them. As her mother left to find Ithilwen she felt her husband through their bond. She could sense his sudden worry and knew he was moving. It would take far too long to get a letter to him and she knew that he would come to Gehenna. That thought actually brought her some relief. If her father was to die she would need her husband...she would need him desperately.

Slowly, Nauriel sat down on the edge of her parent's bed. She reached out and took hold of her father's hand and gave it a gentle, loving squeeze as she looked down at him. Without knowing why she began to sing a song she used to sing to her children whenever they were upset. She sang softly in the Common Tongue as she continued to hold his hand within her own.

Ithilwen walked quickly towards where she knew Beren was. How could he not tell her something like this?! He had told her that no secrets had remained between them and he had lied to her. She had been completely blindsided by what she had seen. How could he and Nauriel have...No, she didn't want to think about it! And yet that image would now be burned forever into her mind.

Beren must have sensed her coming because he met her halfway along the path. Her anger grew upon seeing him and as soon as he was within range she began to rain slaps down upon him. She felt Beren take hold of her wrists and he managed to wrestle her down to the ground. Her eyes were ablaze with red hot anger.

"You told me that no secrets existed between us! Yet, I come to find out today that there has been a very big secret you've been hiding from me! How could you not tell me about your past relationship with Nauriel?!"

Beren was angry now but he was not embarrassed or ashamed. He didn’t speak of it because it was the world that would be outraged. Beren loved his sister and he had kept their secret.

“This secret was not between us, it was between myself and Nauriel!” he said still trying to keep hold of her wrists. She managed to get one free and she slapped him again before he could grab hold of it. She kicked dust up when she flailed her legs but he managed to keep her under him. “I hide nothing for myself!” He said in a growl. Beren did not fear the truth but now that Nauriel was queen, that changed everything. “We were all we had Ithilwen! When we were with the elves, they didn’t treat us like we were one of them, we were outsiders! We clung to what we knew and we survived!” he explained.

“You come here and everyone treats you like a queen, like their better. The opposite was true when we were among Galadriel’s people. All we had was one another Ithilwen,” he said and was thankful that she seemed to stop struggling.

Ithilwen finally began to listen to Beren and slowly stopped struggling. It was pointless. He was stronger than she was and he had her fully pinned to the ground. She was clearly still upset however. She felt a few tears come to her eyes as she looked at him.

"Do you love her more than me?"

Beren frowned down at her, her hair and dress now covered in dust. “Ofcourse I don’t. I’ve never loved anyone or anything as much as I love you Ithilwen,” he said and then let her wrists go. “I didn’t marry you for personal gain or to bring our people together. “I married you because you were the most beautiful person that I ever met and because I loved you,” he said and even now, the bond quivered with that love and also something else. Her physicality toward him had brought desire for her as well. Ithilwen was almost always reserved. Almost always in complete control unless they were making love. This was something different, a side of her that awakened something in Beren that had been dormant for some time and he smiled down at her.

Beren was not a complicated man. He was beautiful himself and liked it when she stroked his ego in that way. But he had adopted also his father’s dedication and work ethic out of respect for him. Beren and Conleth had always had a passive relationship but not a close one to be sure. But with his own children he had been an attentive and loving father. Beren put love into everything he did. He loved the town, the people and his family and in turn they loved him back. It was that love that had Infected Ithilwen to the point that she left her own people to be with him. She lived and bared his children in Gehanna and he repaid her by giving her his love each and every day.

Ithilwen didn't question Beren's response because she knew it was true. She could feel it through their bond. Looking up at him he would also feel her true, deep, and undying love for him. It was reflected in almost everything she did...even down to the smallest detail. She had fallen in love with Beren quickly, but she had known it to be a true love...which was why she had been willing to leave Mirkwood for him and come to Gehenna. She had never felt anything as deep as the love she felt for him and their children.

"I...I still don't understand," she admitted much more softly.

Beren sighed and got off of her but then just sat down beside her in the dust. He was dusty too now and didn't care at all. He had already been sweaty from working and was even more filthy now due to the dust. “We were twins, born in the same womb. We have a bond of sorts between us and we can sense one another’s thoughts when we open ourselves up for it,” He said as he stared out onto the rolling field. The wind made the barley stalks shift and move in uniform patterns and he watched them slide left then right and then stand still once more.

“We were so lonely Ithilwen and we didn’t have the minds of elves. We were just children, removed from everything we knew. All we had was each other and it just...brought us closer together for a time,” he said not really certain himself how it all happened. “When you have so much love and admiration for someone, and have those feelings reflected back into you from the same person...it just spawned...feelings and desires in us...and for a short time...we succumbed to them,” he said plainly and then turned to look at her as she got up to lay on her hip.

“Since she met Elessar and I met you, our minds might be connected sometimes, but our hearts belong to someone else now. Mine belongs to you Ithilwen and it will always be so as long as I live,” he said honestly.

Ithilwen moved to lay on her hip, facing Beren. She slowly nodded and thought she understood at least somewhat now. However, she knew that it would be impossible for her to ever fully understand since she could not feel the bond that existed between himself and Nauriel. Theirs was a special bond that had not ever existed until them and probably would never exist again. Their souls were joined and because of this they could feel everything from each other so clearly as if it were coming from themselves. They also had the ability to read one another's minds and speak completely without words. In a way Ithilwen was jealous of Beren's bond with his sister.

She looked deeply into Beren's eyes for a short time before she slowly moved closer to him. She reached up and gently pulled him down to her as she now lay on her back. She kissed him lovingly before gently releasing him to once again look into his eyes.

"I love you Beren. I don't know what I would do if you weren't in my life."

And so it was that two days had passed. Conleth did not seem to be getting worse but he didn’t get much better either. He seemed to sleep alright and the dark tendrils upon his chest were fading but the healers had told them that his pulse was getting weaker. So much damage was done to his body he just didn’t have the strength to fight it. Serethiel ofcourse didn’t believe that, not totally. Conleth was one of the strongest men she had ever known and she had known many. No this was him not wanting to fight it. Feeling as if his time was coming to leave this world and travel to the next. There was no fear in him, there almost never was and he felt the same about death. To him it was just another part of life. Serethiel had accepted that and likely how her fate was an extension of his. She apologized to Nauriel and didn’t want to make her sad but what must be must be and she would not speak of it again.

A hooded figure passed through the gates of Gehanna, their horse was a sleek, gray dappled mare that looked to be a cross between elven stock and the faster stallions used by gondor bowman. Their hooded cloak was of a dark green with a white clasp in the shape of the one tree. They wore dark brown and black leathers with a black quiver filled with arrows and in the saddle girth was a recent gift. A bow fashioned out of black yew, a rare tree believed to be now extinct and a long, thin sword with a curved blade. The sword was of elven make, a lithe, 2 handed weapon that took great skill to wield properly.  

It was the dreams that drew them here. The feeling that there was something very wrong with the world and that they had to come here. There would be...apologies to make they knew, they had left without saying anything to anyone. Afraid that they’d be stopped for sure when they tried to leave. They saw the manor house on the hill then heeled their mare forward up the sloping street. Just outside the decking they drew rain and bounded off their horse easily.

They saw Nauriel sitting in one of the chairs on the deck and when she came forward Nauriel stood in surprise. For she knew that horse and its owner well.

Kressara folded back her hood to reveal, long dark locks of silky, smooth hair. Quite beautiful in her youth, Kressara looked a good deal like her mother Nauriel, the queen of Gondor. “Hello mother,” She said and bowed instead of curtsied to her as was her way.

Nauriel had done all she could for her father. His survival now rested all upon him. However, instead of fighting to live he seemed to be ready to let go and pass into the next life. It broke Nauriel’s heart to think of her life without either of her parents. They had always been there when she needed them. She had considered telling her father again about Kressara, but she did not want to cause him heartache if this was what he wanted. Had her visions been wrong then? In them she had seen Kressara being trained by her father and mother. Perhaps this had been more of a wish than a vision.

Lindariel and Eomer had arrived the day before and Lindariel had been spending time with their father. Wanting to give them some space she had ventured out onto the porch to watch the sunset. Her keen hearing picked up the sudden sound of hoof beats. Believing it might be Elessar she stood as the sound came closer. However as the figure emerged over the hill she knew immediately it wasn’t her husband, but she knew who it was instead. She waited as the hooded figure dismounted and pushed back her hood revealing Kressara’s beautiful face. When had she become so mature? No longer did a little girl stand before her, but a young woman who reminded her so much of herself in both appearance and spirit.

“Kressara, what are you doing here?”

The dream had come unbidden. She woke up with a start and knew she had to come. It was a series of images without sound. Sometimes they moved and resolved into something she understood and sometimes they didn’t. Were they of the future or a possible future? Or of the present or the past? Without a real frame of reference all she knew was what her mind told her leaving to go to Gehanna was the right thing to do. She ‘had’ to go or her grandfather would die.

There was also someone else, a man in her dreams. He was always clad in black and shadows seemed to flow about him. He was always there it seemed, lurking in her dreams and somehow she felt as if she knew him. She had never spoken of those dreams because sometimes she saw herself being romantically involved with this dark figure where she had never been interested in men before. For her, men always assumed they were better. Stronger and faster and more skilled. Her own mother had killed the King of the Nazgul, and trolls and many men and orcs. And no one would remember those deeds. Not above her father’s anyway. She loved her father but she hardly thought that that was fair.

“I’m not sure mother,” Kressara said. “I just know I had to come,” she said. With the recent attempts on the lives of their family, coming without at least an honor guard was just plain careless and dangerous. “Please do not be angry with me,” she said. Not pleading exactly but not apologetic either.

Nauriel felt torn by her feelings. Somehow she had known that this day would come, and yet at the same time she had hoped it wouldn't. Having lived through a war herself she knew all of the dangers. She had been lucky and very well trained. She could have died that day she fought the Witch King, and very nearly had. But she had always understood the risks she and Aragorn had taken. They both had been prepared for death, but had fought hard to survive. Her dreams were still plagued by images of the war and quite often she would still awake with a start from dark nightmares. At the end of the war she had prayed that peace would remain, but somewhere in the back of her mind she had known it wouldn't last. Too many remnants of that time remained. It was only a matter of time before the beginning of a new war. She and Elessar were beyond their fighting years and so Kressara had been born. She had never told her husband, but her visions of Kressara's future had begun only hours after her birth. Kressara had never quite been like the rest of her sisters, who were mostly content to remain within the city. Kressara's heart was more like her own. The need to be free and the desire for adventure was strong within her from the very beginning. However, as Kressara aged her visions of her future became stronger and more frequent. The image that now came to her was of a beautiful, strong, young woman with fighting abilities unlike Middle Earth had ever seen. Her future was not in the city...but out in the wilds.

"I know why you are here," Nauriel replied after a long moment. "I have known since the day you were born that you were destined for a different life. I see much of myself in you Kressara. You have my heart and spirit and the strength of your father and grandfather. Do not be afraid my daughter. You have been destined for greatness and the time has now come for you to start down that path. I believe the reason you felt the strong urge to come here is because of your grandparents. I have had a vision that they are supposed to train you. Your grandfather however is ill and seems content to allow himself to pass from this world. I do not believe it is his time yet. You must speak with him Kressara and convince him that he has a reason to live and that reason is you."

Kressara let the horse handler take her horse and she carried her effects with her into the house. It had been a long time since she had been here but she thought it looked mostly the same. This place held a cozy, warm feel to it, like a hug from an old friend. Everything looked decidedly smaller however, the last time she was here she was a lot smaller, just a child in fact. Some might call her a child still, her brother would and did all the time. And her father, men infuriated her, sometimes. But she also felt...odd around them too. Especially if it was someone she liked.

Serethiel stepped from the kitchen as she wiped her hands with a towel. When she saw Kressara she blinked and her eyes bulged in surprise. “Kressara? Is that you?!” She said excitedly and both her and Nauriel nodded. “Oh how you’ve grown she said and hugged her granddaughter. She felt how...solid the girl was and flashed Nauriel a look. “What are you feeding them that they grow so big and strong?” She asked and saw Nauriel almost beaming with pride. Whenever problems occurred Kressara sat at court and dealt with the petitioners. She never complained and never asked to be replaced. She did her duty as a princess should, always.

“Hello Grandmother, I’ve come to see Grandfather,” Kressara said. “Would you please allow me to see him?” She asked so politely. “Ofcourse my dear, he is in his bed, you go on up, I have to speak to your mother a moment,” Serethiel
Said and Kressara laid her things save for her sword in its scabbard and headed up the wooden staircase.

Kressara slowly ascended the large, wooden staircase. She knew her grandfather was ill, but did not know much beyond that. It frightened her somewhat to think of him as ill or dying. Her grandfather and grandmother had always been strong. Even after her grandmother was bitten on the shoulder by the wolf a few years ago she remained strong and showed little sign of weakness. She loved them both deeply and couldn't imagine the world without them. She knew it would happen eventually, but she also knew that she needed them both now. She felt it deep in her bones. She was supposed to be trained by them...for what, she didn't know exactly though.

She slowly approached the master bedroom and knocked softly before stepping inside. She smiled at her grandfather as she approached the bed.

"Hello Grandfather."

Nauriel began to get out the items she would need to make some tea. She felt Elessar moving again and knew that he was coming towards Gehenna. This thought comforted her. She always felt stronger when he was nearby. Since the war had ended they did not spend much time apart and it felt strange not having him next to her at night.

"What did you wish to speak to me about Mother."

Serethiel sighed and looked around them to make certain no one was close right then. “He knows Nauriel, I don’t know how else to say it. He asked me if I knew and I told him I did,” she said and tears bloomed in her eyes. “I think he can’t rationalize or understand it and that might be part of why he doesn’t want to keep going. I kept it from him to protect him and now it might kill him anyway,” She said angrily. “And i’m certain ithilwen knows too...It’s like everything is spinning out of control,” She said and she looked tired. Oh so tired. Tired and weary and she was a slip of the woman she had been. Her clothes barely stayed on her. Worry filled her heart and now guilt was added into all that.

Nauriel stopped immediately in what she was doing when her mother informed her that her father now knew about her past relationship with Beren. She knew that her mother had been trying to keep it from him. Her mother had...understood to an extent, but she knew that explaining it to her father would be almost impossible. Guilt flooded through her. She had fought so hard to save him and now it might be because of her that he would die. No, he wouldn't die. She knew it deep in her heart as truth, just as she knew that the grass was green or snow was white. She put the tea cups down and turned to face her mother.

"I can feel it deep in my heart that he will not die...at least not yet. He will live for Kressara. I...I won't blame him if he does not wish to see or speak to me any more, but Kressara needs him...she needs you both."

She was quiet for a long while before speaking again. "Perhaps I should just tell my husband. I've kept it from him for so long. It is the only secret I've kept from him. I just don't know how he would react...and that frightens me."

OOC-Don't forget about Kressara and Conleth.

Conleth didn’t like the brightness of the sunlight. It burned his eyes and hurt his flesh. The diseased sickness that invaded his body was the remnant of the evil that had infested within him. It should have killed him by now but a small part of Conleth wanted to live on. Survive, like that day in the glade when he attacked those orcs and goblins so long ago. Serethiel had saved his life that day. Her and her bow. And ever since then the darkness that had lived in his mind like some, dark parasite had been kept at bay. Now though it had returned and his will to leave life behind was strong within him.

He slowly looked over at the movement he detected in his room. His eyes were blurry but he thought it was a woman. There was recognition but it took a while for his eyesight to clear. “Kress...ara?” He said questioningly. “Oh...I’m sorry that I could not receive you properly,” Conleth said slowly. It was not easy to talk with that cacophony of voices in his head. He could never understand them, he did not speak Black Speech but they were always there now which made it difficult to sleep. Any moment they would find him and they’d surely kill him while he slept.

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“Does Kressara know?” Serethiel asked. It was likely that she did but out of respect for Nauriel, she’d not speak of it. “Men and their ‘honor’” Serethiel snapped. She touched her temples with one hand and winced. “Don’t be a fool Nauriel. He can’t know and the light willing, he will never find that out. You have been honest with the man, not telling him everything is not being dishonest,” she said in obvious irritation.

Kressara was shocked by how her grandfather looked, but she forced herself to smile at him as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She reached out and took his hand and gave it a gentle, loving squeeze. She looked so much like Nauriel had at her age. She even held his hand in nearly the exact same way.

"Don't be concerned about that Grandfather," she told him honestly. There was some worry deep in her eyes...not just because she believed he might actually die, but because of something else as well. Slowly, her smile faded.

"Grandfather, I need you...both you and Grandmother. I don't know why exactly, but this feeling I have deep inside me is getting stronger and stronger. More and more I'm feeling like a caged animal in the palace, whose real purpose and life is far beyond it. I don't know what I'm meant to do, but I know it's important. I thought perhaps I was just imagining things, but then Mother told me that ever since my birth she's had visions about me and now I know it must be true. I...I'm scared Grandfather. I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she said as tears filled her blue eyes.

"I don't think Kressara knows," Nauriel replied. "I'm not sure why she would or how she would have found out." She sighed and sat down and rubbed her head. "If I don't tell Elessar and he comes here and finds out then that will be so much worse. He's on his way here now Mother. What am I supposed to do?"

It was difficult for him to think. Everything was so...murky in his head as if he were watching it all happen from under water. “I don’t think we are supposed to know Kressara. That’s what makes life a challenge. We we knew what was going to happen, life would cease to be…” He had began and then seemed to fade out and he closed his eyes. That and he wasn’t certain what he was even saying was truth, not for him, not anymore.

“I’m so tired…” Her murmured. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to be able to just let go. He could feel the darkness in his heart stir and roil like a solitary flame meant to engulf him. He was so tired of fighting it. “Serethiel?” He called out as Kressara wasn’t there.

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“That’s just fear talking. Don’t be a goose Nauriel. He won’t find out. He loves you but that could change. He’s coming here for you, don’t make him regret that. Even if he forgave you he’d never forget it. Keep the fairytale alive girl, for you, for your family, for Gondor,” She said as she put her hands on her arms.

And then Serethiel’s head rose. “He’s calling me…” She said and as if their conversation was over she picked up her skirts and moved quickly up the stairs. Kressara was still at the bedside but Conleth’s eyes were half open and he was mumbling in Elvish and talking as if it was years ago and they had just arrived in Gehanna. “Conleth?” Serethiel said as she entered and Kressara stepped back. He just kept going talking as if he were talking to the town leader. “Conleth?” Serethiel said again more concerned. She shook his arm but he seemed to fall back into a deep sleep.

Serethiel turned back to Kressara. “Go back to your mother girl, I’ll stay with him,” She said.

Kressara opened her mouth to argue with her grandfather, but she slowly closed it again. It suddenly seemed pointless to argue with him. A wave of guilt swept through her body as she thought about trying to make him continue to live for her when it was clear that he was tired and ready to let go. A few tears filled her eyes and a feeling of loneliness came over her like a wave. Could she do this without them? She wasn't sure. Suddenly she heard the door open and looked over to see her grandmother enter the room. She nodded and slowly released his hand and got up. She glanced back over at him before quietly leaving the room. She walked downstairs and walked outside. The fresh air felt good in her lungs, but she felt anxious. She grabbed her quiver and bow and headed over to the archery range. While it wasn't the same one that her mother had used that day when she had first met Aragorn, it was in the exact same place. Kressara had received some training from her mother and possessed a natural skill for it, but she knew there was more she could learn...much more. She slung the quiver across her back and pulled out an arrow. She nocked it and drew back the string as tight as it would go. She aimed and then released the arrow. She could feel the arrow fly by her cheek as it sailed from her bow. The arrow flew straight and true and hit the center of the target with a loud thump.

As Kressara shot Nauriel came looking for her. When she saw her shooting she began to stalk her like Elessar had when she was shooting at those very same targets, now riddled with holes from target arrows. As Kressara set 3 more arrows into the ground next to her and raised her bow, Nauriel moved closer and closer silently. Kressara loosed 1 and then a second and then felt more than heard someone behind her. When she whipped around Nauriel was there within arms length. Nauriel closed an eye and winced as kressara pointed her loaded bow at her.

“Please don’t shoot your mother,” She said and held her arms out as a sign she was surrendering. Kressara had detected her before she could touch her. And that was saying something.

------

In Conleth’s room he could hear them talking. His window was open and just below it was the archery line. Even though Serethiel could no longer hold a bow he refused to dismantle it. It was hers he had said and did not want to let it go even though she had.

“When I think about my life, I often wonder how different it would have been, how short, and unaccomplished, if I had never met you wife,” he said in a croak. His throat was so dry and Serethiel gave him some water. He sputtered as he drank but managed to drink a little. He looked up at her. “There is nothing I’ve ever done of note without you there my love,” he said. “The greatest event in my life was you finding me that day...so long ago,” he said. “You gave me the will to live and brought flowers and life backed into my heart where there had only been dust and dying weeds,” he said softly. “I love you today, right now, as much as the day you found me,” he said. “But I realize that now,” he chuckled and winced. “Where I did not before,” he said and then looked up into her eyes.

“I’ve only felt hate toward you once in my life. When you took my children away from me. It was wrong of me to feel that way toward you. What went on between them...I think I always knew but refused to accept it as truth. I accept it now though and understand how important it was for them to go,” he said and tears began to roll down his cheeks though he did not appear to be crying. That was something Conleth almost never did but he was now, for her, for the thought of her going on without him. “You were always so much wiser than I,” he admitted and then groaned when the pain grew in his chest.