The Loss of a Lover

Lendes woke up in an unfamiliar room, it was dark and only a beam of sunlight escaped the curtains. She turned in the bed, feeling she still was dressed, a smell of lazy ale and old smoke reached her nose and she frowned. Where was she? Lendes sat up in the bed, feeling her head was about to explode she raised her hands to it, as if it would make the headache go away, or at least help keep her head together. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she had been doing, where she was and why. Images of laughs, talking people and pints, lots of lots of pints, began to form in her head. Lendes opened her eyes and looked around, trying to focus on the room, looking for something to recognize, even her thoughts were blurry. She heard some voices from what she could only assume were a hallway. What was being said? She couldn’t quite make it out, not that it mattered really? She looked towards the door as someone knocked on it. Lendes leaped out of the bed, without her normal grace, though still and a gentle fashion. She looked herself in the mirror and combed her hair back with her hand before unlocking the door, only popping her head outside. A young girl, stood in front of her with a tray of breakfast. “Good morning Mrs. Ventrise. Your breakfast.” The girl handed Lendes the tray, and offered her a smile. Lendes smiled back weakly, her was head thundering, she looked around for her wallet. “Ehh… Just a second Miss I need my wallet.” The girl shook her head. “No need Mrs. Ventrise, it’s already paid for.” The girl bowed deeply, turned on her heal and rushed off, she seemed to be in a hurry. Lendes looked at the tray of breakfast, walked to the bed and sat down, placing the tray in front of her. She was sure she had seen that young girl before, she thought to herself, searching her mind to figure out from where. Slowly Lendes realized from where she recognized the girl, it was from the Prancing Pony in! She looked around the room and suddenly recognized it al. Of cause she was in Bree, at the Prancing Pony. She couldn’t believe it, she had slept in the Pony. Lendes sighed and shook her head, which she regretted at once. Judging from her skull feeling too small for her brain and lack of memory, it was fair to assume she had been drinking heavily. She had never done that before, Isilorbor weren’t going to be happy about this Lendes thought to herself. Then it hit her, and all the memories poured in over her as waves in a storm full sea. The reason to her drinking was suddenly crystal clear. Isilorbor was dead. Dead! Lendes went numb, she couldn’t feel a thing. Not even the headache she had worked so hard to get the evening before, to be sure she was able to feel something this day. Tears started flowing down Lendes cheeks, onto the tray with her breakfast, she didn’t even notice, she just felt so empty. The man that had been in her thoughts for ten years back in Gondor, when they were apart, the love of her life was no more! And even worse, the father of her children was no more, how would she tell them? The girls would be shattered, and Lendil wasn’t old enough to understand the meaning of what dead meant, he would only notice that his father weren’t around anymore. Lendes closed her eyes and covered face in her hands. The girls would at least have memories of their father, but Lendil? Lendes couldn’t bear the thought! At this very moment Lendes hoped it had just been a dream, even wished for yet another ten years apart if it meant that Isilorbor would be alive. She prayed and prayed, but deep down inside she knew there was no hope for that. She had seen Isilorbor fall off the cliff, in Angmar, or pushed? Her head was spinning, she felt sick. This could just not be, it was not fair. Lendes felt an anger replace the numb feeling. After al Isilorbor and herself had been through, their family! They had finally gotten a short piece of time with harmony and peace. Isilorbor had even promised Lendes on their honeymoon that he would put warfare behind him, for her and their children. But of course when the time had come, he had to go. Lendes knew so, even though she had begged him not to go, to let Zelderan or Rionir take command for once. Isilorbor had said it wasn’t possible for this war, but promised that at the next battle, he would let someone go in his place. Lendes got angry with Isilorbor and with herself, why did he go when he had promised her? Why had she finally agreed to let him go? How could she ever forgive him, or herself? Lendes looked at her hands, she was shaking. She had to get these thoughts out of her head, they were poison! She wrapped her arms around herself, as if that would comfort her, but it just left her feeling lonelier than ever. She took a deep breath to gather herself. Lendes looked at the tray with the breakfast, and knew she should eat, but also knew she couldn’t. She pushed the tray away and got up, she knew what she had to do. Lendes opened the door, and walked through the hallway, to the main room, where the young girl met her with wide eyes. In fact all got quiet as she stepped into the main room, all eyes were on her, and some pointed at her and whispered something to the one beside her. Lendes coughed to clear her throat, and spoke with a low smooth voice. “Excuse me Miss, but you shouldn’t happen to have some paper and ink, I could use? I need to write a letter. I will of course pay for it!” Lendes began to find her wallet, but the girl shook her head at her yet again. “No need Mrs. Ventrise, really.” This came as bit of a surprise for Lendes, had someone paid for paper and ink as well? She open her mouth slightly to speak, the young girl seemed to know what Lendes was thinking and spoke before Lendes had chosen her words. “It’s on the house Mrs. Ventrise, after al how much do paper and ink cost?” She sent Lendes a smile, yet her eyes seemed somewhat saddened, and she passed Lendes ink, a quill and some paper. Lendes took the writing materials and turned to walk back to her room. “Mrs. Ventrise!” Lendes turned and looked at the young girl, she spoke with a fragile voice, and she looked a bit nervous, her eyes lowered but she forced her eyes to climb up and meet Lendes’. “I… I just… We just want to let you know we all feel for you, and your family, for your loss. Lord Ventrise was a remarkable man, we will all miss him greatly!” All was quiet, it was like the whole inn was holding its breath at once. Lendes looked at the girl in wonder, then bowed her head slightly and send her a weak smile. “Thank you Miss, it means a great deal to me and my family.” Lendes turned back and walked to the hallway. As soon as she had left the main room, she heard the buzzing of talking start up again. Lendes entered her room again and took a deep breath. Everyone knew, she thought to herself, she couldn’t quite make out if that was a good or a bad thing. Lendes just needed to write this letter, and then she would go to the Kin House to hand it over personally. She sat down at the table and dipped the quill in the ink and started her letter. “Dear Zelderan, Dear friend. I don’t know how to start this letter, but I know how it will end. I promised Isilorbor when I joined him for this battle, that should anything happen to him, I would leave the war to take care of our children, and therefore so I will. I will take Lendil and Lenwenn with me back to Gondor, I do hope Lessel will come with us. But if not, I beg you please look after her for me. I’ll return home to arrange everything for the journey, with a little luck we should be ready to leave within a few days. Thank you for being there for Isilorbor all these years. Your friend Lendes Ventrise.”