Poppy hardly knew what to feel as they all streamed out of the castle, ecstatic and carefree. Standing outside the boundary, Poppy held the book out in her hands as Hinura cautiously turned the key, and Poppy slowly opened the book, watching it fall open in her small hands. Passing it to Alearindu to remove the deed, Poppy watched the proceedings, eyes round as she realised what the group had done. Together, they had lifted the curse on the castle.
As Aislan finished declaring the castle was now a House of Healing, Poppy turned and saw Maladil. He was fading, becoming fainter and fainter, until the hobbit could no longer see him at all. He was gone.
Poppy looked around the group that had gathered with a small smile on her face. It had been a truly wonderful journey, but she knew with heaviness growing on her heart it was almost time for her to leave. Time to return to the Shire, her parents. She still felt guilt for rushing off in the first place, only sending a scribbled note to them. Pushing these thoughts to the back of her mind, she stood with the others, celebrating the achievement.
__________________
'It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them' ~Frodo
"Life is hard. After all, it kills you." - Katharine Hepburn
|