Chapter I: Awakened (Pt. VI)“Saying no more, we turned away. I felt Mîrwen take my hand

Chapter I: Awakened (Pt. VI)“Saying no more, we turned away. I felt Mîrwen take my hand and I could felt her fear.“Have you spoken with you mother,” I asked after some time.“Yes,” she began. “She knows.”“Pardon,” I asked. “What does she know?”“That I carry our son, Orothôn.”I stopped walking as I felt my breath get caught inside my chest.“Our son.”She smiled at me.“I saw it,” she answered. “I have been him many times.”“That is not all you have seen to be sure,” I said thinking out loud.“No, it is not,” Mîrwen said, her face crestfallen. “And I do not wish to speak of those things. I must rest now—alone.”She walked away toward our sanctuary. Before I could follow her, Iarûr, Êlengolas and Valdôr were standing before me.“There are whispers among the elves,” Êlengolas said. “None of them are good.”“What have you heard, Orothôn,” Valdôr asked sternly. “You are close to the leaders. You are part of their circle, are you not?”“I am,” I said. “But not a great one.”“You can speak,” Iarûr said. “I woke beside all the leaders, Orothôn. If you speak truth, then you have nothing to fear.”“Lenwë will pass no further beyond this wood,” I said abruptly.“So it is true,” Êlengolas said. “And his son will remain behind as well?”“No. His mother wishes for him to continue on.”“He will,” Iarûr answered. “He is close to Taurëa. I cannot say the same for his father.” “Finëar wishes to journey with us,” Êlengolas said. “He has great doubts in his heart about Lenwë and I as well.”“What concerns you, Êlengolas,” I asked. I knew him to keep a close eye on the world around us.“He seemed all too willing to remain by Nen Echui where some have made their home.”“Elves left behind,” I asked.“Oh, yes,” Iarûr added. “The Avari, they are forever known. Theirs will become a fate most unpleasant. Their will, as ours, is their own but destiny is written in starlight. What direction we choose will determine our path toward it.” “I think all paths taken are difficult,” Valdôr said. “Much depends on who is walking with me.”Where is Finëar,” I asked looking around. “I do not see him nor Nenduriel.”“They will be along shortly,” Êlengolas said. “I do not presume to know their whereabouts, but something tells me they are attempting to persuade other to come with us.”“Something tells me you know exactly where they are, Êlengolas,” Iarûr said. “Let no one doubt your knowledge of anything.”“Or his uncanny ability to hear everything,” Valdôr said smiling.“It is curiosity, my friend,” he said. “As it is, Iarûr, you know far more than any of us. You saw the great Orowë.”“You have seen Orowë,” I asked in awe.“I am called Iarûr for a reason, Orothôn,” he said smiling. “If you will pardon me. I must see about Nimríel.”We nodded as he went his way.“What does his name have to do with anything,” Êlengolas asked.Valdôr and I could not help but laugh.“I must tend Mîrwen,” I said. “Perhaps your curiosity will lead you to the answer.”I made my way to our sanctuary hoping Mîrwen was no longer angry with me. As I stood before the entrance, I took a deep breath and drew the cover. Once inside, I could see  Mîrwen resting.“Forgive me,” I said quietly. “I should not have said those things to you.”“You have said nothing that to be forgiven for,” she said as she looked up at me.“I would never hurt you,” I began as I sat down beside her. “Please tell me if I have done so.”She smiled at me and I felt calm.“I give you my. Word that should you ever say or do anything to bring me displeasure, I will not hesitate to let you know so you may ask for forgiveness.”“Thank you, Mîrwen,” I said smiling back at her. “Why were you angry?”“I was not angry,” she said. “I was remembering.”“What did you remember,” I asked.“While I was with mother,” she began. “Taurëa was unusually silent. She and mother have always been close. They have no secrets between them.”“She has much on her mind,” I said. “Perhaps you mistake silence for thought.”“She was not thinking about her circumstance, Orothôn,” she said. “She was thinking about you.”“Me,” I asked nervously. “Why would Taurëa think of me? Have I somehow offended her?” “You have nothing to worry about,” she said. “She is rather fond of you.”I sighed in relief, but concern turned to curiosity. I remembered what she had said to me earlier and wondered what they meant and what she had seen.“I am grateful for it,” I said. “Even if I do not understand her reasons.”“I do not know her reasons, either,” Mîrwen said. “But before we came to you, she told me never to forget the land upon which I stand. In time we would return and lead the last of our kin home.”“She is very wise,” I said reaching over to caress her face. “I know I shall remember this land fondly.”I leaned over and kissed her—never would I feel so wonderful as when our lips came together. I lay beside her and we were soon lost in one another’s arms. After a long while, I rose quietly while Mîrwen rested. In the cool, damp still of twilight, I noticed a bloom of the tree upon the earth. A small round cupule lay undisturbed clinging to a small yet sturdy branch. I picked it up and observed what I could beneath the dim starlight. I decided to take it on our journey west—something to remind me to keep our word to Taurëa.While I dressed, I heard the sound of voices outside grow louder and more frantic.“What is happening,” Mîrwen asked as she sat up. “Orothôn?” “Stay inside,” I said. “I will see.”I stepped out—nearly running into Iarûr and Galadhon.“What is the matter,” I asked watching elves rushing around with looks of terror on their faces.“Uncle has left,” Galadhon said calmly. “Nothing to fear.”“How can you say such a thing,” I said. “It is madness out here.”“Oh, them,” Iarûr said just as calm. “They are with us. We are to leave shortly.”I stood in wonderment attempting to understand the calm of my companions amidst such chaos. I saw Valdôr, Êlengolas, Finëar and Galathil approach as Mîrwen peeked out.“Do not tell me you have not noticed this chaos, Êlengolas,” I said to him.He glanced around for a moment.“So it is,” he said. “Has Valdúmîr passed this way?”“I saw her last with Lothluin and Nenduriel,” Valdôr answered.I remained perplexed at how they seemed unaware of the activity surrounding us. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the chaos ended.“It stopped,” I said to myself.“What stopped,” Galathil asked handing something to Iarûr.“The…never mind.”“You mean the elves running about,” Mîrwen asked. “They are with us.”“So I was told,” I answered.“They are some of Lenwë’s kin coming with us,” Iarûr said. “Rather spritely they are.”“I see,” I said, relieved calm had resumed. “When do we leave?”“When father gives his word,” Galadhon said. “It should be soon.”  “Why has Elwë gone before us,” I asked.“No one can say,” Galadhon answered. “He left soon after speaking with Lenwë.”“It was not civil, I can say,” Iarûr added. “There was much anger in Lenwë. He is not of the Avari, but he has been touched greatly by their presence.”“I fear for Taurëa,” Mîrwen said. “I cannot bear to leave her behind.”“But you will, dear sister,” Galadhon scolded. “It is the command of your elders. You will not disobey.”“I had no intention of it, Galadhon,” Mîrwen hissed, her voice darker than I had ever heard it. “But even you should show some sympathy for her plight, dear brother.”She stormed away from us in the direction of her mother’s quarters leaving us looking at one another. Before we could say anything, Elmo and Denethor appeared to us upon a mound above us.“The time has come,” Elmo said. “Prepare to journey westward.”As he and Denethor descended, things seemed to fall into place. Galathil and Galadhon moved me toward my place as the others followed. By the time I was beside Mîrwen, everyone I had come to now were in line ready to begin our march.  I noticed what Iarûr was holding—it appeared to be a hollow form.“What is that,” I asked him.“Our story,” he said smiling. “I will tell it for generations to come."––TKWR Trilogy Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen by J.Marie Miller 2-17-2018Images: ©2001, 2002, 2003. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All Rights Reserved. -- source link

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