[Thinlómien]

In the morning, Shasta, Nerwen, Wilwa and Brinn met in the corridor. It did not take them long to figure out what had happened, but they went to Nienna's room just to confirm it. They found the pirate lying on the floor, an elaborate cloak and a beautiful dress beside her, all bloodtsianed. And then there was the long pale sword and Nienna's curved dagger.

They stood there in a solemn silence for a while.
"Alas poor Nienna," quoth King Shastanis and knelt to close her eyes.
"Where now is the Lord Thinroz, for I much desire to speak with him..." wondered Nerwen, his Queen.
"I suspect he is downstairs. We might have to have a word with him," Wilwarin the Sorceress said, moving Nienna's silken blanket to cover her body with one wave of her hand.
Lady Brinniel looked at the three in disbelief. "Don't you realise? It's over! No one's going to be killed anymore, there were only four of these beasts and now they're all gone!"
Slowly, smile crept to the others' faces.
"But we still should have a word with our host," Nerwen said.
The others agreed, so they went downstairs.

They found Lord Thinroz sitting on one of the chairs around the round table, seemingly buried deep in thought.
"We bring you good news!" said Wilwarin. "The last of the murderers was killed in the night by the brave hunter Nienna, who sadly also perished in the fight."
Lord Thinroz looked at her, then nodded slowly. "And when is my Lommy coming back? She wanted to show me the new Haradian dance her dolls had just learned..."
The guests exchanged glances. After a while, lady Brinniel spoke. "Lord, she is not coming back. But some day, you will go to her and then she may show you how her dolls dance." She gave the old man a gentle smile.
"Oh well," said Lord Thinroz. "I suppose so." Then he threw a sharp glance at his guests. "We aren't going to continue any negotiations, are we?"
The guests exchanged glances again, this time rather susprised.
"I reckon it is not wise as our numbers are greatly diminished," Queen Nerwen said after a while.
"Yes... our ships will be here in a few days and they're going to take us home, to the sea," agreed King Shasta.
"Home..." Lord Thinroz repeated, shaking his head slowly.

~*~

Five days later, four ships arrived to the empty port of the Isle of the Dead to take the guests home. Shasta and Nerwen's crew greeted them with great joy and they soon started making all kinds of plans of new adventures and world domination.

Brinniel and Wilwarin, however, declined the invitation to step onboard, either on their own ships or to have party with Shasta and Nerwen and their crew.
"We have made a deal," Brinniel explained. "We will stay on this island and take care of Lord Thinroz in his last days. I pity the old man..."
"And then I will use my powers to change this place a little prettier, a ragged and rocky place like this won't do. I don't want to rule a place like this," Wilwarin echoed.
Brinn giggled. "Err yes once he's gone we will take care of this little island and arrange parties in this charming villa and all sorts of fun stuff."
Wilwarin nodded. "And then this shall not be called the Isle of the Dead but the Isle of the Living."

~*~

At the same time, the Dark Lord sat on his throne, four pleading servants at his feet. Let them plead and apologise, it amused him. And of course he would have to punish them for failing their mission, they should learn not to disappoint him. He hid his smile from the four for he was in fact pleased. He saw potential in these four and they were now, without bodily form and deeply fearing his anger, totally his to shape as he would. With these four and some others, he would soon rule all of Middle-Earth by terror and destruction.

~THE END~