I lay in the tall grass near the Forsaken Inn, the first rays of dawn lighting my page. Beside me Cyndwin sleeps, her face still tear stained, having only arrived but recently to join our company...however yet again I get ahead of myself. Let me go back to where this chapter of the story began.
Bright and early yesterday morning, the moment had finally arrived to begin our travel to Imladris. When first I have envisioned this departure, the company I expected was a bit different and smaller, and the goals of our travel were more limited...but I am not complaining.
Originally Cyndwin, Fillegedhiel, Hawke and myself intended to depart to address the strange riddle of Cyndwin's disappearance and what role her strange blue gem had in it, as well as to give Hawke more practical experience on the road.
Since then, Fillegedhiel has had to absent herself from our company, remaining to care for her ailing mentor Haywood in Bree, and in the Battle of the Spike in Kheledul Hawke gained a great deal of experience already, perhaps too much. His training was near complete.
Yet from that battle we have added the stalwart Eduwiges of Faldham to our number, and have found that due to the effects of that battle, the wise of Imladris seem to assume that I am dead. After first being tempted to allow them to continue assuming that I was no more, I realized that would do us little good in the long run, and therefore I must go and present myself in the Court of Elrond very much alive.
Lastly to our company has been added my little sister, Maeredae of Rohan, who is departing with us to see more of the world and because in truth, I could not bear to leave her behind in Bree.
As I arrived that morning in the main room in the Prancing Pony, I was first greeted by a message left with Barliman from my beloved Cyndwin. She was delayed in her preparations and stated with regrets she would not come to Bree but would meet us at the Forsaken Inn, our first destination. I then fell into conversation with Unhooded Ryn and dear Small Finchley, who it seemed had arrived at the Pony early awaiting something. I also encountered Eduwiges, anxious to be on the road and concerned that I had not returned to our rooms at the Pony the night before. I explained I had been wandering, preparing my mind for the road ahead as well as the difficult prospects of returning to Rivendell for a time, however necessary.
Before long, young Mae arrived armed and armored for the road seeming to be a bit weepy and emotional, which I have found to be quite the norm for the darling girl, yet upon my asking her what troubled her, she begged me to hold my questions for a more private moment. I would have pressed my concern further, save that at that moment Hawke swept in the door quite gallantly, and by the look on Small Finchley's face, I realized I had been foolish indeed not to see what she had been waiting for. When the two saw one another, my heart melted at the sight, and I was filled with joy that one I loved as much as Hawke, and cared for as much as Small Finchley, should find happy accord with one another. I beseeched dear Finchley to consider me a sister from then on in all ways, for we shared something more precious then blood, and dear Mae begged Finchley to correspond with her during their respective travels (well, she had me do so for her as she was too shy). After Finchley kindly agreed to both requests, I elected to follow Mae out to see to our mounts, leaving Hawke and Finchley to their farewells (as well as the keeping of a promise of some kind between them).
At the stables, I asked Mae again and her cares came tumbling forth as she collapsed into my arms. It seems the man who she had been quite taken with and spending a great deal of time with of late, a warrior of the East known to me as Ahmrun of the Knife, had expressed his love for her. She was therefore struck with a bittersweet quandary...excited to see Imladris and travel with our company but also knowing how bitterly she would miss her swain and fearing that in her absence he would be distracted by another.
I spoke to young Mae from the heart, explaining that I had known Ahmrun for some time and once we had been lovers as she knew...and if he had expressed love for her, then he would be deadly serious about it as he was all things that mattered to him and would not be led astray by any fickle emotions. If he had said he loved her, then he would be true to that love until they met again. He was, in my experience, a man of great loyalty and dignity and I was filled with pride that she had won his love, for I knew that few had.
As we embraced and shed girlish tears together, Hawke rejoined us along with Finchley. Both were blushing and had broad smiles on their faces as if they had discovered some secret of the ages, which I found to be quite adorable. Eduwiges led the pack animals to us, and mounted her own warhorse with the skill one could assume of a Daughter of the Riddermark. I leaned over in the saddle to kiss her softly, for I was much in debt to her unwavering and absolute loyalty unto myself as well as her love, and then we slowly slipped out of Bree. It was fitting and proper that the only soul farewelling us was Small Finchley, and I flattered myself that I could feel her shedding tears as we rode forth. Of course, she would soon be upon her own road to Evendim, but I know we shall soon be reunited with her, and my own destiny as well as Hawke's were now entwined with her.
The ride into Annunlos was uneventful and we reached the Forsaken Inn just as dusk was descending. The howls of hunting Wargs filled gentle Mae with trepidation while fierce Eduwiges regretted that we were not seeking them out immediately for terrible battle. Hawke, my dear urchin, was as usual the voice of reason and urged us to make our way into the Inn and see to our lodgings for the next few days. As we came to the door I noted the sigil of my sister Xandilif cut recently into the frame of the door...she had been here no more than two days before and was telling me things were safe...yet I had not seen her since we departed from Kheledul. Despite myself I feared for her for a moment, then we made our way into the Forsaken Inn.
As we gathered by the fire, Mae grew more and more troubled by the press of unsavory strangers around her, many of whom were clearly quite pleased to see a young girl arrive in this often barren and lonely outpost. Hawke and I however made very clear with our arms and manner that Mae was NOT undefended or available to entertain the common ruffians of the Lone Lands. As we did that, Eduwiges had the good fortune to have the innkeeper attempt to overcharge us, which allowed her to rage quite attractively until the man, in fear for his life, relented and gave us the standard rate. she enjoyed this very much and I was pleased for her.
Descending to the room we had been granted, it was clearly too small, quite cold and had apparently recently been the domicile for a Shepard and much of his flock, as well as their fleas and parasites. However, after recent tensions in Bree, and in the company of my dear ones, I could not think of a residence more welcome.
We stayed up for some time drinking and talking happily, though my companions becoming increasingly undressed as they became increasingly inebriated, until both Mae and Eduwiges were curled up under the threadbare blankets, sound asleep, as Hawke and I spent tender, if somewhat quiet time together by candlelight.
Some time later, laying in his embrace...I felt a light in the back of my mind and rose silently, dressed and made my way out to the courtyard before the Inn, just as the late watches hailed that all was quiet. There by her horse, alongside the stables, stood Cyndwin. The moonlight gleamed in her hair, turning the blonde strands to purest gold This was the first time I had seen her since Kheledul and I do not believe I had realized how badly I missed her until I was weeping in her arms.
Then we made our way around the Inn so we could gaze upon Amon Sul in the distance, which she had always loved, and all the fear and doubt and horror of the last few weeks came pouring out as she held me...comforting me softly as I talked and we both wept. As always, her words were sage and tender, practical and passionate.
And so, having fallen asleep for a time in her arms, I awoke to dawn breaking, feeling those I loved near at hand, and in the arms of my Aza once more. Suddenly returning to Imladris was not so daunting as it had once seemed...for my strength was complete again and surrounding me, each unique and deeply loved.
The next phase of this story is now at hand...onward to Imladris.
