S.A 2061
Orneth slowly regained her place amongst her dear friends. Oldaer and Thandir remained unchanged, and Thandir welcomed Orneth with open arms. However, a hint of wariness still lingered in his heart, as he couldn't help but feel that Orneth was responsible for the dreadful shadow that had caused so much chaos. Despite this, Thandir refused to lay blame on Orneth, knowing that she was as much a victim of the shadow as the rest of them. Oldaer, on the other hand, had evidently talked with Demdor and had come to embrace Orneth with open arms, welcoming her back into their lives.
Slowly but surely, Orneth regained Falchiel's trust. As soon as Falchiel felt safe again, she was bursting with thousands of questions, many of which broke Orneth's heart. She spoke of the shadows and how they had tossed her away like a rag doll, causing her to break her leg. Orneth tried her best to explain, "He did it because he was scared of you. He thought you had supernatural abilities. He did not mean to throw you so hard, though. No one would ever do that to you, Falchiel. You are too precious. He accidentally threw you wrongly so you broke your leg. He was a silly ghost." Orneth could not bring herself to explain the cruelty that had befallen her, feeling that Falchiel was too young to be exposed to the harsh realities of evil and darkness. She did not want Falchiel to view the situation in the same way the rest of them did.
Falchiel responded with a hint of sadness, "It hurt a lot. Demdor repaired the bone in my leg, though." Orneth smiled reassuringly, "Yes, he did. It won't happen again, Falchiel. I promise you that." Falchiel gazed at Orneth's left arm, taking note of the missing hand. "Did the shadow take your hand?" Orneth met Falchiel's gaze, "I gave my hand away because I wanted the shadow to leave. It worked!" Orneth immediately regretted her explanation, realizing how terrible it sounded. Falchiel, however, smiled and said, "Perhaps he will give it back to you if he gets well?" Orneth laughed, "Yes, he might!"
Overcome with emotion, Orneth embraced Falchiel tightly. "Falchiel, I promise to protect you with my life." Falchiel's face lit up, "Demdor can teach you?" Orneth looked at her with a puzzled expression, "Teach me what?" Falchiel's smile grew wider, "Fight with swords." Orneth laughed heartily, her soul uplifted by the innocence and wonder of her young friend.
On that same evening, Orneth took a stroll through the fields and ascended a small hill that overlooked the sea and the surrounding area. Inside her, a new life was blossoming. For a long time, she had despised it and had fervently prayed to the Valar that they would take it away. But tonight, she felt different. She could sense small kicks inside her, and they tickled her in the most delightful way. It was a living, breathing life inside her, and she could feel nothing amiss or unnatural that was tearing her apart. It was a daughter or a son, and nobody but Demdor knew of its existence. He had discovered her growing belly during his healing, and she had now found herself facing the same fate as her friend Manyamë. Slowly, she began to comprehend why Manyamë was in such inner turmoil. She didn't wish it, nor did she hate it, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Falchon. It would shatter him into a million pieces. She just couldn't.
For months, she had worn corsets and done her best to conceal her burgeoning belly. No one had truly noticed what was happening to her, and in some ways, Orneth was relieved. It allowed her to forget about her troubles at times.
As she gazed down from the hill, the north side seemed like a cliff, quite steep and perilous. Beneath it, the ground was covered with rocks and waves that crashed against the cliff wall. She sat down and beheld the view, her eyes wandering to the remains of Himring, where her friends Giril and Haldanáre lay buried next to each other. A chill wind was blowing outside, and she closed her eyes, feeling gradually revived. She felt at one with nature, and it was as if voices in her head were telling her she was strong and should be proud. It made her feel serene and tranquil.
As the sound of footsteps drew closer, Orneth turned her head to the left and took a deep breath. It was Falchon, she had not had a proper conversation since the incident at her house. However, she had made a conscious decision not to harbor any grudges against him. When he sat down beside her, she noticed his nervousness and the melancholic expression in his eyes, making it difficult to discern his thoughts. Orneth pondered whether he was still resentful towards her or grappling with his own troubles.
Smiling at Falchon, Orneth offered him her hand, and he seemed to relax a little. The two of them remained silent for a moment before Falchon spoke softly, "I want to apologize, Orneth." In response, Orneth replied, "Thank you, Falchon. I apologize too." Falchon then inquired, "Do you think we will be able to move on?" Orneth nodded and replied, "Yes, Falchon. You are now free from anyone who would torment you. You are no longer being pursued. He is dead."
As Falchon stroked her hand, his gaze fell upon Orneth's left arm, reminding him of how she had saved them during the battle. "Our weapons did not work against his power. It seems his own dagger became his bane. How strange is that? His own creation, deadly to himself," he remarked. Orneth nodded in agreement, "It came at a cost, though. We lost Giril." She gazed upon the remains of Himring and added, "She was like pure light. I know she is happy now to finally be reunited with her true love."
Recalling the day when the shadow of dread had descended upon their world, Orneth spoke somberly, "I still think about the day he came to this place and cast his darkness over everything. I was merely a target for him to get to you, Falchon." Falchon looked at her with a hint of sadness, "This would not have happened if you had not involved yourself with me." Orneth felt her heart ache for him, "Who knows, Falchon. Despite the pain, I do not regret standing by your side. You mean a great deal to me."
Falchon appeared puzzled, "Orneth...." Orneth shook her head, "The truth is that ever since I held your hand in the cell at the barracks, you have given me hope. You have lifted my spirits on many occasions. You have given me the most precious thing of all, our daughter Falchiel." She became more serious and said, "I am a seeker, Falchon. That will never change. Yes, you have caused me pain, but you have also brought me immense joy. You have a good heart, Falchon. I cannot help but love you, whether you wish it or not."
All pictures are AI-generated from Microsoft Bing DALL·E
