The Green Dragon Inn #11 - The Last Chapter - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Crystal Heart · 04-19-2006, 06:41 PM

Crystal sighed.

"You know the reason why. You know what my father did to me. When things got to hard for me to handle any more I would hid. As I got older I would run away. Arthur was the only thing that had ever kept me in Rohan. You know that. When I ran away from Rohan it was because I had lost Arthur. There wasn't a thing left for me in Rohan. You were my best friend Cordelia, but I just couldn't stay. I am a widow and I had to bury a child. I can't handle the memories there," Crystal started.

She rubbed her face slowly, her hand shaking violently.

"You don't have the memories that I have. All the years of abuse. . . brutual abuse by the hands of man that should have loved me only because I was his daughter. Then having a little silver light come into your life for a short time and then it is ripped out of your grasp. What else do you do? Stay and be beaten? Wait for the death that your father will sentence you to? No. You run. You pray to live your life . . ."

Crystal swallowed hard and took a in a deep, jagged breath.

"You find a place that is so beautiful and peaceful. There is no one here to hurt you. People become friends. Friends soon turn to family. You begin to be known. To be loved. To have a purpose. You find love. You learn a new type of loss. One that doesn't hurt so. And then my silver light came back. You experience a joy that you never have known. One that surpasses any kind of magic. You go on adventures. You learn. You marry. Oh . . . that blessed day. . . . You go home. Father is dead. He can't hurt you any more. You create a life, a world. . . then you're pregnant. Oh that joy. I pray you'll know it one day Cordelia. The joy of knowing that there is a little someone inside of you that depends upon you and your love to care for them. To know that they are the product of your love. You begin to change. You can feel the child inside moving. You grow anxious to meet your little one. And then it stops moving, but people tell you that's normal. You think nothing of it. Being the new mother that you are. . . then your husband falls deathly ill. He lays, clinging to life. He keeps promising he'll survive the night just to see the daughter you carry. He keeps promising that tomorrow he'll be even better, even stronger. . ."

Crystal stopped and bit her bottom lip for a moment before continuing on.

"Then you give birth. Without him by your side. And in the moment that there should be the joyous screams of your child's life there is silence. Unearthly silence that kills your soul with each passing moment. Then they tell you that your daughter. . . is dead. You beg and scream and nearly die, but it doesn't bring your child back to life. Then you have to tell your dying husband that the child that he has loved so . . . has died in your very womb. The place where it should have been living and thriving! You barely hang on from the shock. From the grief. And then your husband gives up the fight and dies as well."

She licked her lips and looked back up in Cordelia's eyes.

"Wouldn't you run?! Wouldn't you want to go far away from everything?! Wouldn't you pray for death yourself?! I had to face you. Your family. To tell them once again that their son is dead - really dead and that their grand daughter died within me. Then have to live with the looks. The hatred. The way that they blame me for what happened. What would you have done?! Until you have walked my life. . . you shouldn't blame me for the occurances of the world."

Celuien · 04-20-2006, 04:30 PM

Robin had been greatly enjoying the party. Such a celebration hadn't been held in the Shire for years. Not since the Hobbits had celebrated the appearance of the beautiful Mallorn that replaced the Party Tree after its destruction by long-dead 'Sharkey's' ruffians. At least, Robin hadn't been to as lovely a Party since then, though with his fondness for good times (and gift for finding where the best time was to be had), if he hadn't managed to find one to compare, there most likely hadn't been one.

Robin danced and danced, and refilled his mug of ale, and danced some more. And then, in good high spirits, he jumped onto the platform with the musicians.

"Watch where you're going there, lad!" cried a fiddler.

"Never you mind that," replied Robin. "You're playing some fine music, and no mistake, but it wants some singing."

And with that, he launched into song.

Cordelia Harrison · 04-21-2006, 07:11 AM

Cordelia looked down at her hands. Never had she heard the story of her sister in law in such a way before. She had known bits and pieces of her life, but when put in that way . . . it was haunting.

"I am so sorry Crystal. I have been so striken with my own loss that I didn't even see yours. Yes, my parents dislike you. It is natural for them to be I guess. Seeing as they have lost not only their son, but their grandchild too. Please forgive me for all I have done. I shouldn't be blaming you for the occurances of this world. I shouldn't be blaming anyone at all. Especially when my life has been far easier than yours. Oh, Crystal! Can we put this aside and be friends once more?"

She looked up at the woman that she had once proudly called her sister and wondered at what she had done. Had she really beraded her to the point of near insanity? The wild look in Crystal's eyes suggested that she did.

Her heart ached at what she had done to the poor woman. She had followed her here to keep tabs on her when all Crystal wanted to do was live her life in peace, away from prying eyes. The Shire was beautiful and she had heard the stories of the kind people that she had met there. No wonder Crystal would retreat here.

Crystal Heart · 04-23-2006, 06:22 PM

Crystal swallowed hard and nodded. Her mind whirled as the memories began to settle down. She sighed inwardly and wondered when would they stop haunting her every step. When would they disappear and allow her to start her life over again? Would she ever find another person to love and to marry? Would you ever find another person that she wanted to share her life with? The thought seemed hallow, empty, and unsure.

"Yes Cordelia. I forgive you and would like to be your friend once more. Just don't ask me ever again to relive memories. Not here. Not now. Not ever again. This is my home. That is why I have returned," Crystal told her, looking down at her hands.

04-23-2006, 06:22 PM	#4
Crystal Heart Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rohan Posts: 568	Crystal swallowed hard and nodded. Her mind whirled as the memories began to settle down. She sighed inwardly and wondered when would they stop haunting her every step. When would they disappear and allow her to start her life over again? Would she ever find another person to love and to marry? Would you ever find another person that she wanted to share her life with? The thought seemed hallow, empty, and unsure. "Yes Cordelia. I forgive you and would like to be your friend once more. Just don't ask me ever again to relive memories. Not here. Not now. Not ever again. This is my home. That is why I have returned," Crystal told her, looking down at her hands. __________________ "What you see is exactly what you get. Don't say I didn't warn you." Last edited by Crystal Heart; 04-24-2006 at 07:40 PM.

04-19-2006, 06:41 PM	#1
Crystal Heart Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rohan Posts: 568	Crystal sighed. "You know the reason why. You know what my father did to me. When things got to hard for me to handle any more I would hid. As I got older I would run away. Arthur was the only thing that had ever kept me in Rohan. You know that. When I ran away from Rohan it was because I had lost Arthur. There wasn't a thing left for me in Rohan. You were my best friend Cordelia, but I just couldn't stay. I am a widow and I had to bury a child. I can't handle the memories there," Crystal started. She rubbed her face slowly, her hand shaking violently. "You don't have the memories that I have. All the years of abuse. . . brutual abuse by the hands of man that should have loved me only because I was his daughter. Then having a little silver light come into your life for a short time and then it is ripped out of your grasp. What else do you do? Stay and be beaten? Wait for the death that your father will sentence you to? No. You run. You pray to live your life . . ." Crystal swallowed hard and took a in a deep, jagged breath. "You find a place that is so beautiful and peaceful. There is no one here to hurt you. People become friends. Friends soon turn to family. You begin to be known. To be loved. To have a purpose. You find love. You learn a new type of loss. One that doesn't hurt so. And then my silver light came back. You experience a joy that you never have known. One that surpasses any kind of magic. You go on adventures. You learn. You marry. Oh . . . that blessed day. . . . You go home. Father is dead. He can't hurt you any more. You create a life, a world. . . then you're pregnant. Oh that joy. I pray you'll know it one day Cordelia. The joy of knowing that there is a little someone inside of you that depends upon you and your love to care for them. To know that they are the product of your love. You begin to change. You can feel the child inside moving. You grow anxious to meet your little one. And then it stops moving, but people tell you that's normal. You think nothing of it. Being the new mother that you are. . . then your husband falls deathly ill. He lays, clinging to life. He keeps promising he'll survive the night just to see the daughter you carry. He keeps promising that tomorrow he'll be even better, even stronger. . ." Crystal stopped and bit her bottom lip for a moment before continuing on. "Then you give birth. Without him by your side. And in the moment that there should be the joyous screams of your child's life there is silence. Unearthly silence that kills your soul with each passing moment. Then they tell you that your daughter. . . is dead. You beg and scream and nearly die, but it doesn't bring your child back to life. Then you have to tell your dying husband that the child that he has loved so . . . has died in your very womb. The place where it should have been living and thriving! You barely hang on from the shock. From the grief. And then your husband gives up the fight and dies as well." She licked her lips and looked back up in Cordelia's eyes. "Wouldn't you run?! Wouldn't you want to go far away from everything?! Wouldn't you pray for death yourself?! I had to face you. Your family. To tell them once again that their son is dead - really dead and that their grand daughter died within me. Then have to live with the looks. The hatred. The way that they blame me for what happened. What would you have done?! Until you have walked my life. . . you shouldn't blame me for the occurances of the world." __________________ "What you see is exactly what you get. Don't say I didn't warn you."

04-20-2006, 04:30 PM	#2
Celuien Riveting Ribbiter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Assigned to Mordor Posts: 1,767	Robin had been greatly enjoying the party. Such a celebration hadn't been held in the Shire for years. Not since the Hobbits had celebrated the appearance of the beautiful Mallorn that replaced the Party Tree after its destruction by long-dead 'Sharkey's' ruffians. At least, Robin hadn't been to as lovely a Party since then, though with his fondness for good times (and gift for finding where the best time was to be had), if he hadn't managed to find one to compare, there most likely hadn't been one. Robin danced and danced, and refilled his mug of ale, and danced some more. And then, in good high spirits, he jumped onto the platform with the musicians. "Watch where you're going there, lad!" cried a fiddler. "Never you mind that," replied Robin. "You're playing some fine music, and no mistake, but it wants some singing." And with that, he launched into song.

04-21-2006, 07:11 AM	#3
Cordelia Harrison Wight Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 126	Cordelia looked down at her hands. Never had she heard the story of her sister in law in such a way before. She had known bits and pieces of her life, but when put in that way . . . it was haunting. "I am so sorry Crystal. I have been so striken with my own loss that I didn't even see yours. Yes, my parents dislike you. It is natural for them to be I guess. Seeing as they have lost not only their son, but their grandchild too. Please forgive me for all I have done. I shouldn't be blaming you for the occurances of this world. I shouldn't be blaming anyone at all. Especially when my life has been far easier than yours. Oh, Crystal! Can we put this aside and be friends once more?" She looked up at the woman that she had once proudly called her sister and wondered at what she had done. Had she really beraded her to the point of near insanity? The wild look in Crystal's eyes suggested that she did. Her heart ached at what she had done to the poor woman. She had followed her here to keep tabs on her when all Crystal wanted to do was live her life in peace, away from prying eyes. The Shire was beautiful and she had heard the stories of the kind people that she had met there. No wonder Crystal would retreat here.