Where are you?
Lathrandir sat up, heart pounding. That was Mallenhadh's voice--but she was in Imladris.
He held his breath and listened. A sudden urgency seized him--he got to his feet and began pulling on his clothes. He grabbed his bow, bolted from the bower, and half-slid down the rope from the talan to the ground. He ran all the way to the stables.
"My horse?"
The lone stable-hand blinked. "She is here, randir, but--"
"I need to leave," he said. "Please."
Within the hour he was riding at a full gallop, already at the wood's edge, in a straight line toward the mountains.
***
Six Days Later
He urged Restil over the ford. The stars were coming out one by one, and he was certain he saw lamps on the road ahead.
"Mallenhadh!"
The lights drew closer, and the party of elves, hearing hoofbeats, paused.
"Mallenhadh!" Lathrandir tumbled off his horse, who near collapsed. "Is Mallenhadh here?"
"Lathrandir!" She stepped forward and threw back her hood, eyes wide. "How...?"
"I came..." Chest still heaving, he stopped to catch his breath. "I came to say...goodbye."
She turned and spoke softly to the leader of the small group, who nodded. The elves drew ahead slightly, and Lathrandir and Mallenhadh sank down onto the grass just off the road.
There was a long moment of silence, broken only by Restil's labored breath and occasional whinny.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried," she said, gently. "I sent a letter to Tinnudir, but there was no response..."
"You could have waited, then!" He forced his voice lower. "You should have waited--"
"The world is not going to wait on you!" She sighed. "And...I thought...perhaps..." She fell silent a moment, then: "I thought if I left...you would have more reason to follow."
He stared. The moment stretched out between them, and when he spoke, his voice was loaded with disbelief.
"You honestly thought that if you left without saying goodbye, it would encourage me to cross the ocean to come and lecture you about it?"
A pause--and she burst into ragged laughter. Lathrandir began to chuckle, and soon both fell back in the grass, gasping.
"Oh..." Slowly he sat up. "Mallenhadh, I will miss you more than I can bear."
"I know." She stood up and reached down to pull him to his feet. "I will see you, though?"
"Of course you'll see me."
He pulled her close and they embraced, a fierce, tight hug.
"You've been a sister to me," he whispered.
"And you like a brother," she said. "Please, take care."
"I will." He forced a smile. "I love you."
"And I you." They held hands for a moment, then stepped back, letting their arms fall to their sides. "Farewell."
He stood there and watched her lamp move forward into the growing dark, and only after all the lamps merged into a single light which faded into the black did he turn away.
It should be raining. But he looked up, and the stars shone down clear and bright as ever.
"Namarie, Mallenhadh," he said softly.
***
