The Return Home

On the slow ride back to Minas Tirith Eldarion barely spoke to anyone. Since the last day of the battle he had descended deep into a sulky silence that prompted his men to give him a wide berth and keep their counsels as brief as possible. Eldarion understood why his father asked him personally to lead their troops and take over commanding the entire army. Eomer would have allowed those who fled to leave. Elessar had given specific orders to Eldarion to not let a single Northman or Easterling to return home. To take no prisoners or wounded and to once and for all to crush them utterly. Elessar was beyond furious with what was done to Nauriel. And the attempts at others of their family. In truth Eldarion himself felt, at times as his father did but being there...giving those orders and seeing them carried out made a hole open wide into the pit of his stomach. Part of what made him human died somewhere out there on that battlefield. And during the ride back he wondered if that was just part of being a King.

Perhaps a King was not human. He had to be above human concerns. He had to judge with impartiality, punish without compassion and show compassion when anyone else would not. To rail against his emotions and do what must be done. ‘Help me Calista!’ He cried silently as the white walls of the city came into view. As the watchers high up in the towers saw them the silver horns blew and bells to announce their coming rang out through the city.

Elessar was at court next to Nauriel as they sat on their thrones. The nobles hall was filled with petitioners for the day and Laenaya and Ariana sat to Nauriel’s right and back a few feet as they looked on and played with Elfwine. As of late Elessar wanted Elfwine to become familiar with being at court for someday he may be called to act in the King’s stead.

Eldarion pulled ahead of his men as it was customary to lead Gondor’s forces in through the gate. People began to mass on the sides of the streets and jockeyed for position alongside the wall guards to get a good view of the procession. The wind was moderate today and the sky was a light gray and overcast. The banners fluttered lightly in the mild winds and Eldarions charger pranced through the gates.

“Clear the room the Prince has returned!” Elessar boomed and nobles bowed or curtsied and began filing out of the throne room. “Ariana...Laenaya, please go and greet your brother,” He asked as he twisted to look at them. “Take elfwine if he wishes to come,” He added and Elfwine stood up excitedly.

Calista worried constantly about her husband. She had not heard from him for a few weeks and knew that there had been a very large battle that had taken place recently. In that battle the Northmen and Easterlings had been completely and utterly defeated and she had heard that Kressara and her new husband, Boarden, had been there as well. No word had reached her of whether Eldarion was unhurt or not and she was not sleeping well because her dreams were filled with nightmares of him being brutally killed while she tried to reach him in time.
She was not at court that morning. She was instead spending the morning with her twin sons, Cassian and Alistair. They were two years old at this point and were growing every day it seemed. They were old enough now to start getting into some trouble and needed to be vigilantly watched by herself or their nanny. She was sitting on the floor playing blocks with them when she suddenly heard the trumpets announcing the arrival of the soldiers. Calista jumped to her feet and called for the nanny. She told her to watch the boys while she went out to find her husband. She was wearing a light blue dress today and put on the matching cloak. Her blonde hair was half pulled back and spilled in soft curls down her back.

As she was rushing outside she nearly ran into Ariana, Laenaya, and Elfwine who were going to greet their brother. Calista and the others stood in front of the palace with guards on either side and behind them. Calista heard the crowd’s cheers and applause grow louder as the soldiers neared the top of the city. As he came around the corner on his horse Calista could not stop the tears that started to stream down her cheeks. She wanted to rush into his arms, but she impatiently waited for him to dismount his horse and approach her.

Eldarion smiled when he saw who was there waiting for him. Calista, just seeing her was like a drop of water in a desert to a man dying of thirst. He wanted to run to her, wrap his arms around her and let the world leave them be for a time. Forever if he had his way. Stablemen stopped his horse and took hold of the horse's reins. Eldarion dismount but then stumbled when he landed wrong on his injured leg. A chorus of ‘Ohhh!’ from those that saw made the women’s eyes grow large in surprise and worry. Obviously Eldarion had been injured. He recovered smoothly and grinned a fake grin as he handed his reins to the man who held his horse. Once he cleared the animal’s head the women, Calista and his sisters followed by Elfwine moved to embrace him. They all rained kisses and hugs down upon him and they all stood there a moment with his head over Calista’s shoulder. Elfwin stood smiling up at them all though he definitely didn’t want to wade into any of that. He might get kissed and girls were...icky. Well, besides Asterin maybe. She wasn’t so icky. A few of Eldarion’s tears fell upon Calista’s neck and dampened her dress at the shoulder. That was very unlike him and he as he lifted up from her he surreptitiously wiped his tears away. ‘God no...keep it together man!’ He scolded himself. “I’ve missed you my love,” he said and he kissed her passionately on her lips. The act made Elfwine cringe and his sisters smile approvingly. “Is mother and father at Court?” He asked briskly but felt Calista try to disengage from him. His arm clamped down around her waist though and held her close to him. Partly because her presence helped him keep himself together and partly because walking on his injured leg HURT.

Calista's heart was beating quickly in her chest as she watched her husband. All she wanted to do was to feel his arms around her and to know that he was alright. As he dismounted his horse she saw him stumble slightly and her eyes widened and she gasped softly. Her first instinct was to run to him, but she forced herself to wait until he was ready. She followed Laenaya, Ariana, and Elfwine as they moved to embrace their brother and as she put her arms around him a few tears slipped down her cheeks. She looked up into his eyes and thanked the light that he had returned to her. As he kissed her she closed her eyes and kissed him back, not caring that everyone was watching. "I've missed you too m'love...so much," she said softly to him as they broke the kiss. "Yes, your parents are at court. They will be anxious to see you." She tried to step away from him, but felt him pull her back against him and realized he needed her help to walk on his injured leg. She let him keep his arm around her in what appeared to be an affectionate manner and walked with him inside with the others.

Nauriel was waiting anxiously for her son to appear. She had spent countless nights awake worrying about both he and Kressara. When the doors finally opened and he walked in a few tears came to her eyes. She immediately got up and walked quickly over to him. Calista stepped away for a moment as Nauriel wrapped her arms around him. "Thank the light you are safe," she whispered to him as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

Eldarion didn’t want to let go of Calista but what could he do when his mother came at him. He tried not to flinch at her embrace and he managed to only just stiffen a little. He relaxed into her right after with some effort and her worry over him brought up that all to familiar sense he had like his father to protect her. Her, his sisters and his family. ‘Oh mother!” Eldarion whispered back and held her hard to him. He had tried to just be happy she was going to live. But now, with what he had done all his former worry for her came out of him and Eldarion, Prince of Gondor wept in his mother's arms.

When he finally calmed himself down with the help of the women who crowded around him and murmured soothing words to him and tried themselves to no avail, to stop their tears from falling, Eldarion produced the letter that Kressara had given him to deliver.

“This is from Kressara. In it there is a recipe that may help with your recovery from the Whitesnake Root poison. It is from her husband Boraden,” He said uneasily as he pressed the letter into her hand. “Kressara is doing well mother. Her leadership won the day in the end,” He added to make certain they knew how large a role she had played in the battle.

Nauriel held tightly to her son and let him cry in her arms. Having been through epic battles herself and seen death all about her she knew exactly what he was feeling. For someone who had never experienced it it could never truly be understood. He would carry those experiences with him for the remainder of his life. It didn’t matter how old any of her children got. They would always be her children and she would always care and worry about them.

As he put the letter into her hand and told her about Kressara she felt fresh tears come to her eyes. She had been hoping that she would be with Eldarion. She had not seen her youngest daughter in so long. She was immensely proud of them both.

She looked at the letter and then glanced at her husband. She took a few steps back to let Elessar greet and embrace him and a few quiet words were exchanged. It was then that Nauriel noticed how her son was standing.

“You’re hurt. Should I fetch the healers?”

Eldarion felt like groaning and saying yes but what he said was. “Perhaps later, father,” he began and let go of his father’s arm and gestured for Calista. He needed her warmth and love and touch even now. “Father I did as you commanded. Kressara and I both did. We defeated them...we...killed them all,” he said and tried to keep the horror of it out of his voice. “Perhaps a few made it into the trees but our scouts could find no one but the Northman and the Woses are excellent at trail craft,” he said and was relieved when he was able to wrap his arm around her. He thought that she lost a little weight but didn’t say anything right then.

“The...camp followers too. Since their women also fight alongside the men. We destroyed their camp and took no prisoners. We let those that looked to young go but the rest...as I said, we destroyed them,” he said almost bitterly. His two sisters faces looked pale and Ariana looked as if she might sick up upon hearing all of this. “I did that mother...For you, for us all. They had the majority of their fighting men in that valley and our armies...Rohan’s and Gondors wiped them out. Our butchers bill is not insignificant but on open ground like that...with pikes, archers, heavy infantry and horse...they didn’t stand for long,” he said hoping that his report was sufficient. He really didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“You did well son...now get some rest. We’ll,” He began then Eldarion shifted forward to grab his arm.

“Are we done then?” Eldarion said almost desperately and his face and eyes were all grim concern. “The Haradrim...the Northman...The Easterlings and the Wose. We’ve killed them all...Have we done enough?” He asked and Elessar turned back and put his hand over Eldarions “Yes Eldarion, We tried the carrot and now the stick. We are done,” he said and shook his hand once then turned and stepped back toward his throne. Eldarion gave a pained look at Nauriel as if he was hoping for more...

Calista led her husband back to their apartments. She was worried about him, but she didn't say anything. As they walked in the nanny immediately curtsied and Cassian and Alistair ran over to their father. "Daddy! Daddy!" they exclaimed as they hugged his legs. Jayne, their maid walked in and Calista looked at her.

"Jayne, please prepare a hot bath for Prince Eldarion."

"Yes, M'lady," Jayne said as she curtsied. She then walked into the private bath to draw the water.

"Are you sure you don't want a healer to come and look at you?" Calista asked, no longer able to hide the worry in her eyes.

Nauriel still held the letter from Kressara in her hands, but she wasn't focused on that at the moment. She slowly walked over to her husband, knowing that he was processing everything. She took her seat beside him and reached out and took his hand before looking at him. "You need to talk to him. You understand what he's going through and he looks up to you."

Elessar sat at an angle on his chair and thought about what Nauriel had said. Laenaya was there as well and had a thoughtful look upon her face. Ariana has taken Elfwine back to his rooms and she had to get back for Meliara.

“Father Eldarion seemed...troubled we may have peace from what Gondor has done but at what cost? Have we made enemies now? What happens when the Haradrim and the Northmen rebuild their armies. What happens then? More war?” She asked thoughtfully. “Have we become the Orcs and trolls of middle earth?” She asked truthfully. And she looked as if she really wanted to know.

“Ofcourse not!” Elessar snapped. “We’ve become too complacent and the chaotic factions of middle earth daughter to pick us apart like diseased crows. Well I’ve shown them the folly of that line of attack. If the nations of this world do not choose peace, peace will be forced upon them!” He said a little too loudly and his voice echoed through the hall.

“At what cost father? At what cost?” Laenaya repeated and Elessar did most choose to answer her.

Eldarion sat on his bath and told Jayne to leave him and he asked Calista to talk with him. Though that was just an excuse to keep her close. He need distractions. Anything to keep his thoughts away from what he had seen and done.

Nauriel wanted some time to speak to Elessar alone and she looked over at Laenaya. "Why don't you go and check on Calene."

Laenaya sighed softly and nodded and curtsied before leaving. After she was gone Nauriel sat there a moment before looking at her husband. "She didn't mean what she said. We've all just been through a lot with this war. There has been constant worry and stress for us all, but none so much as you. You did what you had to M'love and once the dust settles peace will return."

Calista had the nanny put the twins down for a nap and she prepared some tea for Eldarion the way he liked it. After he was settled in the tub she brought it to him and pulled up a chair to sit next to him. She could tell he didn't want to talk about the war so she decided to fill him in on everything else.

"Calene and Kaled are here visiting. They will be here for another week or so before going home. Oh, and both she and Laenaya are pregnant."

Eldarion looked up at Calista and accepted her offering of tea. “More babies...mother must be pleased,” he said as he blew on the tea to cool it but his hands were shaking so badly he had to hand it back. “I’m...not myself dearest,” he began then touched his forehead. “No...I should not speak of it,” Eldarion said. “The boys...they look well...I am pleased. The future of our family...you’ve made me so happy Calista...I love you so much. I...I should tell you that more,” he said.

“We should make an effort to see Calene and Kaled, can we set that up?” He asked but it was as if he were just repeating what he had heard and not really caring about what he said.

“No… I think she did. She worries that the world we made today will make it more difficult to be trusted in the future. But What choice did I have? I will no see my family...you killed...murdered from some misguided sense of honor. Let the nations of middle earth know Gondor’s might. For today and tomorrow,” Elessar said. “You are my life Nauriel. And I will not lose you” he said angrily.

Calista saw how badly his hands were shaking and she took the cup of tea back and put it down. It broke her heart to see her husband like this. She desperately wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She thought for a moment before she got up and began to disrobe. She left her hair down and then stepped into the tub to join him. She felt his arms envelope her and she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"I love you so much," she whispered to him. "Whenever you are ready to talk...if you ever want to talk about it...I am here for you M'love."

Nauriel decided not to speak anymore about it. What was done was done and she believed the world would be better off for it. It had been difficult and harsh, but Elessar was right in that Gondor had become complacent with peace. They had let their guard down and that would not happen again. She would ensure that their family and people were kept safe.

She handed Elessar the letter that Kressara had given to Eldarion. "Kressara gave this to Eldarion. It apparently contains a recipe that can reverse the effects of the Whitesnake Root."

Father and Mother,
Please use the recipe at the end of this letter. It is an antidote for the white snake root poison provided by my husband Boraden. I wish you could meet him and we fully intend on coming to Minas Tirith. I now believe that regardless of how he was raised. He is of our blood, the blood of the Dunedain. And we need to help him find where he came from.

As Eldarion likely told you the armies of the North have been completely destroyed. But it was not without a cost. Particularly with Eldarion. Please help him find his way back from the dark place he has gone.

Your loving daughter,
Kressara

The feel of Calista against him was amazing. She was so warm and soft and wonderful. He had missed this and he needed her more than he needed anything in his life right then. “Make love to me Calista. I need to feel you…” he whispered. His leg still hurt be he knew he need that more right then.

Both Nauriel and Elessar read the letter and just hearing from Kressara made them both very happy. “I still can’t get over her marrying. The impulsiveness of our daughters...is likely to send me to an early grave wife. Perhaps Inshould have put locks on their doors,” Elessar said jokingly but there was a hint of regret in that as well.

Nauriel felt both a wave of sadness and a feeling of pride come over her as she read the letter from Kressara. Kressara was truly no longer a child. She was a strong, independent woman with a great destiny still to be fulfilled. She was honored to have her as a daughter, as she was honored to be the mother to all of her children.

Nauriel gave her husband a small smile as she carefully folded back up the letter. "They get that from us you know. I was impulsive in leaving Gehenna with you when I didn't even know you and you were impulsive in asking me to go with you." She eyed him a little. "Or were you...? You know I've always gotten this feeling that you were sent to Gehenna to find me. Did Galadriel send you?"

Elessar only stared at her for a while before he spoke. “She did send me. She said that I had a choice to make and it had to do with Gehenna,” He said then thought on that for a few moments as he began to remember back. “Up until the moment I met you, I was destined to marry Arwen. I had left Rivendel to prove my worth to her father Elrond. In some ways I suppose I did prove myself. But I also grew apart from Arwen. I had...broken oaths to be with you. But I have no regrets,” He said honestly. “Now that I think about it, I feel that Galadriel had known all along what would happen,” he said and chuckled. “She had summoned me early that morning and if I hadn’t stopped to talk to Haldir I would have already left,” he said as he recalled that moment and smiled as he looked at his wife. He approached her and then kissed her like he had many times before. A passionate, loving kiss that lingered as she kissed him back. Elessar’s eyes were filled with desire for Nauriel and he hoped that she would fully recover from her illness.

Eldarion laid next to Calista and held her up to him. He felt her breasts up against his chest and she reached up to twist his hair between her fingers. His hair was damp with sweat and he had been unusually aggressive with her in their love-making. Red runnels ran up and down her arms, her sides and her back and she was damp from sweat as well. He kissed her lips softly and buried his face into her hair and neck. “I lost something...out on that battlefield,” He said in little more than a whisper. “I did...terrible things. Had men and women who fled cut down like dogs,” he said and shifted away from her to lay upon his back and stare up at the ceiling. “I can’t blame my father for what I did. He wasn’t there. There is only me,” He said as his eyes filled up with tears.

Nauriel closed her eyes and returned her husband's kiss. They had been through more than any other living couple in Middle Earth...they understood one another without the use of words. Her soul was so deeply attached to Elessar's that it was as if she could feel it flowing through herself. No one else would ever truly be able to understand what a love like theirs felt like. It was pure and deep and passionate.

"Galadriel spoke to me just before I left Lothlorien to return to Gehenna with Beren. She spoke to me privately and she said when I got to Gehenna to remain there and wait for my heart and destiny would meet me there. I never understood what she meant until the day you and I married."

Calista lay entangled in Eldarion's arms on their bed. They were damp from the tub and from the sweat that glistened on their bodies. The sun was still shining outside, but it was getting lower in the sky as it became late afternoon. She felt Eldarion bury his face into her hair and she held him a little tighter as she began to listen him. It was clear that he was suffering from great guilt over what he had done and Calista was at a loss of how to help him. She knew deep down that only time would heal this wound...and perhaps it would never heal entirely.

"You saved the lives of your family Eldarion and your people," she whispered back. "The men and women who were there on that field made the choice to be there and I know that had they had the chance that they would have killed you without a second thought. War is a dirty thing, but it is over now....because of you. There were hundreds of people cheering for you and chanting your name today. It's over and now we can be a family again."

Eldarion’s heart began to race and his cheeks colored in obvious agitation. He retained his calm, it was not easy to remain calm but he knew it wasn’t Calista’s fault. None of it was anyone’s fault but his own. The guilt of it darkened his heart down into his very soul. He did feel like taking it out on her...on anyone...everyone in an attempt to cleanse the darkness that threatened to consume him. He took in a deep breath and took in the scent of her hair. Rose petals, herbs and that sweet smell that was just her.

“It is false to cheer me. It is because they do not know. All they know is that their Prince went to fight and he was victorious. But I know how that victory was won. We did win justly but once we did the horror that came after...I did nothing to stop it. I ordered it and did nothing. I wanted them all dead. I needed it like I needed air to breathe. But after...when I saw them...and heard them pleading...I did nothing to stop it. Our people cheer me falsely. I am undeserving of it and the light knows what will come of this in the future. Instead of giving them mercy, I gave them a shameful death. One without honor,” he said as he looked into her eyes. In that gaze Eldarion was not himself. He was someone else completely. Like a man who was drowning and pushed away the hands that tried to help him stay afloat.

“In the Harad...Kressara poisoned an entire village. There was no honor in that either but it allowed our forces to attack a weakened foe and crush them. There are not heroic deeds but acts of desperation. How did mother and father fight all those orcs and retain their honor? Where they succeeded we have failed,” he said sadly. As he pressed his eyes closed tears squeezed out and ran down his cheeks.

Elessar had forgotten about Nauriel’s odd...relationship with her brother. It was now like a relic of a memory that belonged long forgotten in his head. “I wonder why she took such an active role in the future like that. I can only assume that in her mind, one path was better than the other. Or at least, more favorable. I did love Arwen but that time apart from her was filled with you and that made all the difference,” he said as he shifted to take hold of her her. He sat down onto his throne and let her come to rest on his lap, the skirts of her dress draped down to the floor around his feet. He buried his face in her neck and chest and kissed her neck and took in her scent. “I remember that day in the rain when we first made love,” He said and she felt a stirring beneath her from where she sat. She could feel his face smile as he lightly planted kisses on her neck and jawline. It had been a very long time since he last dandled her on his knee like this. As if she were a young girl and he a boy and they were playing at kissing one another.

Kressara felt a wave of emotion come over her as the White City finally came into view. It had been several years since she had been home and so much had happened since then. The biggest difference was that she was returning with her husband, Boraden. The war was over and she felt that they could give themselves a few months to relax and enjoy one another as a new husband and wife. They deserved at least that. She couldn't wait to show him through the city and to work on locating information about his family.

They were immediately let through the gates and because she hadn't been home in some time and because she was not wearing anything with the Gondorian royal seal on it she was not immediately recognized. A few people did stop and stare at her for a few moments though, wondering if it could possibly be her. As they reached the top of the city they were met by a groomsman who took their horses. Einor happened to present and did recognize her and she was thrilled to discover that he had married Ariana and that they had a son together named Airen. She introduced him to her husband and then looked at him.

"Are my parents presently at court or in their apartments?"