[Mithalwen]

Sirithlonnior had dismissed Losrian from service when he found her beside her brother's body. She had protested but his order was not to be disobeyed. "He has a wife and a child... you should go to them, try and get them away". And so, pausing only to take Ferin's personal effects, she had gone. Sirithlonnior had wished he could order his own child away from immediate danger but Artamir was a regular soldier not a volunteer.

Losrian passed ghostlike through the beleaguered city. She came first to her brother's workshop... either the invaders had not reached that part of the city or the workshop was not of primary interest - why raid a woodshop when the silversmiths quarter of Rather Celebdain was so near? Her pack was where she had hidden it and the terrified animals were still within. She wondered why her kindred had not taken the tiny pack pony for surely they must have fled the city. She wondered whether it would be a help or a hindrance to her alone. Swiftly she harnessed it with panniers and filled them with extra supplies from the store, keeping that which was most essential in her own pack. She had shut down her emotions and operated with a cold efficiency If needs must she would have to let the beast go. She released the other animals - they would have to take their chances.

When she drew near the house, fear increased in her heart the area was filled with smoke and there was a indescribable stench. What she saw would stay in her memory for ever. The building in the lee of the city wall was scorched and mostly destroyed by one of the enemies missiles. She found the maimed bodies, of Laswen and her parents, trapped by debris dead from injuries or the noxious poison of the fire blast she knew not. Her sister in law's body lay a little apart from those of her parents lying by the staircase the strongest part of the
house. Where was her child, had the fire destroyed his tiny body. Her eyes turned to the stairs, built under them was a small cuboard used as a cold store. It might just be big enough for a child.

She tried the door, fearing what she might find, could anyone have survived in that house? Instinctively she closed her eyes fearing she would open them to another death. Galmir was there. His body perfect but motionless, wrapped in a cloak with his drinking cup beside him. Losrian felt as if she had been holding her breath since her brother died, her chest constricted ... they were all gone. A sob rose to her throat..... if she had come her first.. would it have been in time to save the little boy from suffocating at least? She reached for his tiny body. It was still warm.

"Ferin, I am sorry" she moaned. The little bundle stirred in her arms. Losrian was so shocked she nearly dropped him. But the unexpected fact of another life dependent on her stifled her sobs and forced her to act with dispassion again. To leave the dead untended was hard but she knew teh best thing she could do for them was to try to get their beloved boy away from the city's destruction and every moment might count. She shielded Galmir's face with her cloak. He should not see this. He started to wail and Losrian, who had always passed the child back to his mother when he had grizzled, did not know how to comfort him him... "Come on Gally, we are going to the woods but you have to be very quiet"

"Ada there? Naneth?" he sniffed.

Unable to tell the truth, Losriansaid "Hush now Gally we have to go - no time for that now..." and bore him from the ruins. Pacifying him with a wafer of lembas she slipped back into the building and removed the pendant from Laswen's neck. It had been her wedding gift and Losrian would not leave that for the invaders.. if
they survived, Galmir should have something of his parents. She could not spend any longer looking for treasures. Bowing her head as the only mark of respect she could offer the dead, she left for the last time. Scooping up the baby who was blessedly silent, but still grateful for the masking sound of battle she started to seek for a way out of the city. The pony'[s hooves seemed deafening in the empty streets and for the first time she thought of abandoning him. But the beast had survived so far and was pluckily finding its way through the rubble so she thought again. Most of the fighting seemed to be concentrated in the heart of the city so she went the other way. For so long they had hoped that the walls would hold. Now she must hope for a breach.

She glanced up at the battlements, shrouded in smoke or mist, she knew not which, and thought suddenly of Artamir and his parents. Had they survived the destruction? She did not dare hope - either for herself or others.