[Novnarwen]

Orofaniel's post - Firiel

Firiel stood there and listened to Tanroth's words. She thought of how the Lands of Valinor would be, and then how it would be to return back to Lorien. How the war was upon them, and how much blood that would be spilled. She would have to witness all of this if she decided to return to Lorien. Firiel didn't have much more time to think before one of the companies stepped forwards and announced that she would return to Lorien........

And because of this, Firiel was able to leave Middle-Earth together with her husband and sail to the Undying lands, and live there for ever....

Nova's post - Tanroth

Tanroth wasn't surprised by seeing Arilewen step forwards. She didn't have to say anything either; Siralil would have his way. Tanroth wanted to stop her; she could go west if she wanted, but this was not his decision, it was hers and hers alone.

As the elves made ready and said their last farewells to Tanroth and Arilewen, Tanroth realised that this was kind of the exact thing he had been through before; when his parents had left and sailed west. Firiel and Rostion had been his best friends for as long as he could remember; almost like a family, and now they were leaving too. Tanroth shuddered; this was the end, but not of all things.

The sails looked proudly over the harbour and the blue-green surface of the water. The water was so blank; the ship looked as if it was double ship, both setting sails in just a moment. Firiel and Rostion stood in the crowd at the ship; they hadn't settled yet, and waved to the two elves that stood looking, yearning after the opportunity to leave as well. Firiel cried out a last goodbye, but it was drowned in the voices from the excited elves. Tanroth however, could see it in her face expression that it was a last goodbye. "Good bye," he whispered, and Arilewen added a last farewell as well. She smiled, even though she was staying, she had found peace after all then. There was a war coming, but she looked as if she had faith. Not only in the ring bearer and the quest he lead, but in the elves in Lorien.

"He would have been at better use than I, in this war. But..." Arilewen started as the Elves in the ship feel silent, and the ship was about to leave the harbour. Tanroth waved and smiled, looking at the elf at his side. Tanroth had listened to her, meanwhile reaproaching himself. Why hadn't he figured it? Two horses missing, two riders, same road... Why hadn't he understood it? How many possibilites where there? Surely, any of Sauron's or Saruman's spies would have been more careful. They wouldn't have left a camp not covering all their tracks. He had been dumb and he had been fooled. And for this he would have to pay. Too bad Arilewen had to pay for it as well. If they only had been a bit faster, if they had gone with greater pace...

"You've done greater than you can imagine," he said after a while, knowing all about being separated with his family. Arilewen made a short laugh. "Always this positive?" she asked, the atmosphere being much lighter now. "I have hope, if that's what you mean," he stated, but inside he felt it quite different. It wasn't the fact that the war was coming, just this quest and the ring bearer. Would he be strong enough to bear it? Would he make it all the way to Mount Doom? Tanroth shook his head. How dared he doubt it? He felt ashamed, and made a last effort to spot Firiel and Rostion. They couldn’t be spotted anywhere, to Tanroth’s big disappointment. Had he seen them for the last time? He could glimpse Dunaire however, who smiled and was in the next moment gone. She had moments before said her goodbyes to him and now she too would be gone. Tanroth sighed, and made a grimace

"Come, we must ride back with haste," he said suddenly, avoiding Arilewen's look. Blank-eyed, they walked towards the Swan Inn again, where the horses would be waiting for them to take them home to Lothórien. Now they would only be two to share the difficult road, but they would make it together. Tanroth looked over his shoulder to see the last glimpse of his friends; companions, and a part of his kin, setting sails for Valinor...