Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

Journey of a Butterfly 2: Black as the Raven	By : Mel99Moe Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1921 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of its characters. No money is being made from this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 5 – Target Practice

Feredir and Terrwyn arrived at the Healing House with Orthorien. The silver haired visitor from Eryn Lasgalen poked his head out of the carriage, checking to see if Irneth was anywhere in sight. Horphen stood outside the entrance wearing a scowl upon his handsome face. Orthorien sighed, realizing that Irneth spoke to her brother about their mishap. “Ai,” he muttered to himself, “I’m in deeper than I thought.”
Feredir helped his wife out, and then his brother. Terrwyn took Orthorien’s arm and led him towards her office. Horphen’s eyes narrowed as he watched Orthorien pass and enter the Healing House, but it was Feredir he wanted to talk to first. “Feredir, I need a word with you. It’s about the prisoners.”
Orthorien overheard, but Terrwyn, knowing this was a matter for Ithilien’s guards, and no concern to her patient, escorted him into her healer’s quarters. “Come along and let’s have a look at that leg,” she said cheerfully.
Once Orthorien was gone, Horphen spoke. “The Southrons wish to depart.”
“As we suspected. When?” Feredir asked.
“Soon, but they wish to speak with you and Commander Glandur first.”
Feredir nodded. “Very well, I’m on my way. Tell Terrwyn where I’ve gone.”
Meanwhile, Terrwyn helped Orthorien into the back where she kept all her medicines and surgical equipment. She directed him to one of the beds. Orthorien laid down and breathed a sigh of relief to finally be able to rest.
“I’ll admit,” he said, “Though it does not seem like much, it is very painful.”
“How long ago did this happen?”
“Only just the night before. We had just made camp for the night when Irneth … saw something that she should not have,” he admitted regrettably.
Terrwyn gave him a patient robe and pulled a curtain. “Strip and put that on.” She finished closing the curtain to give him his privacy, but stopped and gave Orthorien a slit-eyed stare. “And make sure EVERYTHING is covered when I open this curtain.”
“Terrwyn,” he said, mocking hurt. “You are bound to my brother now. I’d not try such a thing with a married woman.” Just as he spoke, Terrwyn’s assistant, Rhawen walked up and looked to see who was in the patient bed. Orthorien’s eyes widened at the sight of the blond haired, blue eyed beauty. “However, if this lady is available–”
“Orthorien,” Rhawen said with recognition. “Or rather, Captain Orthorien.”
He furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry, have we met before?”
“Not officially, but I know your sister, Avorniel.”
Orthorien’s hopefulness disappeared and he settled into the pillow. Avorniel was one of Irneth and Horphen’s older sisters, and she hated him. No doubt, Terrwyn’s assistant would have heard all the stories about his wayward days. There’d be no seducing this one. Instead, he crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling. “Can’t an ellon have a little privacy around here?” he said with irritation.
Terrwyn tried to hide her smile and closed the curtain.
* * *
Feredir arrived at Glandur’s private office to find the leader of the Southrons seated in front of Glandur’s desk. The man looked careworn and scared. It was obvious that he knew what he was going home to.
“Feredir, this is Jubayr,” Glandur introduced.
Feredir, familiar with the Southron’s language, made his introductions so that the man would know he spoke the same tongue. “My commander tells me that you and your men have decided to go back to Harad.”
“Yes,” Jubayr answered with a nod.
“Then you must also know the risk you are taking by returning.”
“We are aware,” Jubayr answered. “But this is not the reason I call you both here today.” Jubayr switched to Westron so that there would be no confusion. “I know I will not live long once I enter into my country, and it is for this reason that I have decided to warn you and your countrymen. There is evil growing in the south, a new form of it, and it will spread here too, if it goes unchecked.”
“You have told me of this evil before,” Glandur said.
Jubayr nodded. “It has no name. It has no face, yet it spreads through Harad like wildfire. My people are scared. Our clan chieftains are intimidated. They act out of fear, for their own have been threatened.”
“If it is unseen,” Feredir asked, “then how has this new foe made threats against your leaders?”
“It comes to them in their sleep. It comes to them in their dreams. It shows them visions in the dark that come true in the light. This is the reason they build armies and set upon your borders, for it is what they’ve been told to do. They cannot fight what they cannot see, so they make allegiances with it.”
“Why does it want to start a new war?” Glandur inquired.
“It is looking for something, and once it has everything it needs, its power will be unstoppable,” Jubayr answered.
“What is this new menace looking for?” Glandur asked.
“The Brethren of Soothsayers,” Jubayr answered in a whisper.
Feredir shook his head and looked towards Glandur. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. Why attack Gondor? Are these seers here within the city?”
“I do not have any answers. Look into your history. Look far, far back, and perhaps you will find what you seek.” Jubayr seemed relieved. “There is no more. I have done what I can to help, and perhaps my soul will find rest in the eternal realm.”
Feredir heard the hopelessness in the man’s voice and was burdened by it. “Jubayr, is there something we can do, if not for you, then for your family?”
Jubayr shook his head slowly from side to side. “It is likely they have already confiscated my lands and left my family homeless. My wife,” he said and a sad smile escaped the corners of his mouth, “she is very smart and resourceful. She will see that our baby daughter is taken care of, even if she herself succumbs to death. If so, we will meet beyond this world.”
Jubayr stood from his chair and bowed to the two elves. Glandur bowed in answer. Feredir did too, and then he took the Southron man’s hand. “I’m sorry if I had any doubts about you, Jubayr. You are an admirable man, and I only wish there was something more I could do.”
Jubayr nodded, but said nothing and left the room. He would gather the other men of his company, those willing to go back to save family, and leave the city with an elvish escort to the borders. After that, they would be on their own.
* * *
Horphen pushed the door open to the examining room rather harshly, and found Rhawen bending over Orthorien, who had his legs spread apart while she stitched his wound. Luckily, he was wearing some kind of strange undergarment that hid his indecency. Horphen’s eyes narrowed anyways, as he went to the bed. “Couldn’t you have let someone else do that?” he asked irritated.
“If I don’t practice, I’ll never learn, Horphen,” she complained.
Orthorien raised a brow and smiled at Horphen. “I detect a hint of jealousy. Does this mean that the two of you are–?”
“Yes!” Horphen demanded, making Rhawen stop in the middle of a stitch, and look up at him.
“Yes? Since when?”
He raised his hand and pointed to her patient. “Since I found you with your hands too close to his–” Horphen stopped before finishing his own sentence.
Rhawen abandoned her patient, the needle pushed only half way through Orthorien’s skin, and scowled at Horphen. “Oh, so now you want to claim me as yours. How convenient.”
“Uh, Horphen,” Orthorien called out, “perhaps now is not the time for this discussion.”
“No,” Rhawen challenged, “If he wants to speak, let him speak.”
“Rhawen,” Horphen said sweetly, “you know of my feelings for you.”
“I know that you make promises you cannot keep,” she shot back.
“I told you why I didn’t show for dinner. I was called away on urgent business,” Horphen explained, and seemingly, not for the first time.
Rhawen walked the few steps to where Horphen stood. She looked him deep in his eyes, sorrow filling her own. “I have been very patient with you. I have given you space. I have given you time. Still, it is never enough. You want to keep me waiting, hanging on your every word, but I am not that kind of elleth. I want someone who wants to be with me, and nothing else. I need stability. You can be very sweet, Horphen, and that is the elf I want to know, but you run from yourself also. It’s as though you see it as a sign of weakness. I want chivalry and strength, not someone who seeks a life of pleasure without responsibility or attachments.”
“Are you saying I am a philanderer?” Horphen accused.
“What’s wrong with that?” Orthorien chimed in.
“Shut up!” Rhawen and Horphen yelled simultaneously.
Rhawen collected herself, blinked slowly and swallowed hard. “I’m saying that you like the chase more than the catch.”
Horphen knew he had taken things too far, and he tried to explain. “Please, Rhawen, if you will just give me one more chance–”
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore,” she said sadly. Then she turned to Orthorien lying on the bed, half stitched. “I can’t do this.” With tears threatening to escape, Rhawen fled from the examining room.
Orthorien watched her leave, amazed and drop jawed. Then he looked to Horphen. “Who is going to finish this?” he said gesturing to his leg.
“Well, don’t look at me,” Horphen said.
The door opened again, and they both expected it to be Rhawen. To Horphen’s surprise, and to Orthorien’s fright, it was Irneth. She marched in and went straight to the bed. “There you are, you lying sack of orc shit.”
“You, stay far away from me,” Orthorien warned. “Already you have cost me this wound, and now your brother may have cost me my leg, unless someone comes to finish what the assistant started.”
“Oh, I’ll finish it for you. Where do they keep the knives?” Irneth was in no mood for him. “How could you? How could you lead me on like that?”
“Irneth, my dear, I know I should have told you the truth, but everything between us was going along so perfectly. I didn’t think it mattered.”
“Didn’t matter? Didn’t matter!” she shouted. “You led me to believe that you heard the calling, and you don’t think it matters?”
“You did what?” Horphen interrupted, suddenly concerned for his sister.
“You stay out of it,” Orthorien demanded of Horphen. “And as for me leading you on, I did no such thing,” he said to Irneth. “You conjured up that idea all on your own.”
“You, Orthorien, are nothing more than a swindling, deceitful, overbearing, pretentious, lying piece of sh–”
“What is going on in here?” Terrwyn called from the door. “And why did I just witness Rhawen running out of here, crying?”
“Ah, finally,” Orthorien said. “Will you so kindly finish what your assistant started before Horphen came in and destroyed her world?”
Terrwyn approached her patient and examined him. “She didn’t finish her work?”
“I’m afraid that was my fault,” Horphen admitted. “We had an argument.”
Terrwyn glanced at Horphen, “Oh no, not again. And I thought everything was working out for the two of you.”
“Apparently not,” Orthorien answered. “And now I have a needle protruding from my leg, and only half the stitching finished, no thanks to you and your rash behavior.” He directed this last comment towards Irneth.
“I should have stuck you where I intended,” she muttered.
“Well, it’s a big enough target,” Orthorien said proudly.
“Alright!” Terrwyn interrupted. “That will be enough out of all of you. Horphen, escort Irneth anywhere but here. Then go and find Tharon, and tell him I need his assistance, at least until I can locate Rhawen.” She turned to Orthorien. “You just lay there and do not say another word.”
Horphen did as he was told, and led Irneth from the examining room. Terrwyn set to work and finished stitching Orthorien’s leg. She bandaged him and told him he should not get on a horse for at least a week, unless he wanted to rupture the wound, and risk damaging a major artery. She hoped it would be enough of a warning to keep Orthorien in Ithilien for a while, least he should run off before she got to the bottom of things. She didn’t trust Orthorien to give her a straight story, so when he was resting comfortably, she went upstairs to see if anyone was around.
It was within Limil and Curuven’s entertaining room that she found Horphen and Irneth. He was standing by a window, looking out and wearing a forlorn face. Irneth was seated on the couch, and Norion was sitting next to her, telling her all about his latest adventures with his father.
“Nana!” the boy shouted as he jumped up and ran to his mother.
“Oh my, what a welcome,” Terrwyn said as she captured him in her arms.
“Nana, I was talking to Irneth, and she said she comes from the Green Wood, just like Ada and Antien and Glandur. She’s never been to Ithilien before, and I told her she should come with me and Ada next time we go hunting.”
“That was very nice of you, Norion, but I don’t think Irneth wants to hunt. Though, she has had some practice lately,” Terrwyn smiled, jesting to Irneth. “Horphen, can I persuade you to take Norion for a while, and let Irneth and I have some time alone to … discuss things?”
Horphen came out of his trance, and smiled graciously, “Of course. Come along, Norion. Let’s go to the circle and I’ll buy you a treat from one of the street venders.”
Norion jumped excitedly. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Before they left, Terrwyn stopped Horphen. “Do you know where Feredir is?”
“Oh, I apologize. I was supposed to tell you that he was called away. Glandur needed to speak to him. That was a while ago. He should be about through with the meeting by now.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile, and watched Horphen take Norion’s hand and lead him out of the room.
Terrwyn turned her attention to Irneth, who was smiling warmly. “He is adorable, and the spitting image of his father,” Irneth commented.
“He loves Feredir so much, and wants to make his father proud of him all the time.”
“You are both so lucky to have found each other,” Irneth said.
“Speaking of which, are you going to tell me what is going on between you and Orthorien? I was under the impression that you loathed him, but obviously something happened between the two of you.”
Irneth breathed deep and let it out slowly. “I thought things were different, but I was fooled once again. Why do I keep falling for his charms?”
“Well, look at him. He is absolutely gorgeous. He’s a warrior. He’s built like one too.”
Irneth shook her head. “I always let him get to me. I’ve tried time and time again to avoid him, but he just enters a room, and I feel myself swoon. I hate that.”
“You really do like him, don’t you?” Terrwyn asked with a smile.
“I don’t want to, but some part of me can’t help it. My sisters remind me all the time to stay clear of him, and I did so successfully for many years.” She stopped and looked at Terrwyn with a raised brow. “You know, it is your fault that I let him into my life again.”
“My fault? How did I have anything to do with it?”
“At your wedding, you asked me to participate, and Orthorien was there for Feredir. As witnesses, he and I had our duties to fulfill and that meant having to be in close proximity with him. Do you know he came with someone, and abandoned her just to try to seduce me?”
“Did it work?” Terrwyn asked.
“I’m here now aren’t I?” Irneth stood from the couch and went to the window. She sighed deeply as she gazed out over the city. “He was being very insistent that night at the binding ceremony. I kept pushing him away, but he just would not leave me to my own. He said he wanted one dance with me and nothing more. I thought, what harm could there be? It was just a dance. Well, we danced and … and it was lovely. For that one moment, I saw Orthorien for who he could be. He was sweet and charming. He said all the right things. He made me feel beautiful … and desired, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.” Irneth turned back to Terrwyn, finding her intently listening to the story. Irneth smiled shyly. “We admitted that we were both lonely. Though others had come and gone, neither one of us had found what we were looking for. So we made a pact.”
“You what?” Terrwyn said curiously.
“We agreed that when the time came, when we finally heard the calling to sail, if neither one of us had settled, we would sail together.”
“That is such a romantic notion.”
Irneth shook her head at the thought. “I don’t think either of us took it seriously. I was sure that by the time I sailed, I would be with my soul mate. Orthorien’s offer seemed like a silly bargain, harmless … so I agreed to it.”
“So when did it change into something more?” Terrwyn got up and went to Irneth, laying a gentle hand to her shoulder for support.
“It was a few years after you and Feredir left. I had continued to successfully avoid Orthorien, and didn’t think much about it until we ran into each other one day while passing in the hall. His mind was preoccupied, so much so that he didn’t try any of his usual tricks with me. He was consumed by something, and I thought it was odd for him to behave that way. Anyways, we bumped into each other, quite literally, dropping our things on the floor. I made some comment about him being clumsy, but Orthorien was a million miles away it seemed. I helped him gather his items, and noticed a letter that had been overlooked. There was a wax seal on it with the symbol of Lindon staring back at me. I didn’t think much of it at first, but his continued aloofness bothered me. I’ve seen others in a similar state, and soon they would announce their departure.”
Irneth moved away from the window and searched a shelf full of books. “Orthorien would never miss an opportunity to make some snide remark or a lewd comment. It was his habit, and I always expected something like that from him, but when he stopped his usual behavior, I thought of the Lindon seal and pieced it together.” She turned from the books and looked across the room to Terrwyn. “I was sure that Orthorien had heard the calling, that he meant to move to Lindon, and from there, set sail to the Undying Lands.”
“So you thought he was leaving,” Terrwyn said softly.
Irneth nodded. “We had made an agreement, and as silly as it was, I guess I realized that I took it seriously. We would go together if we had no one else to go with. And here I thought he was going alone. I thought he was leaving me because I hadn’t felt the pull of the sea. Then I realized that … that I … I didn’t want him to go … without … me.”
Terrwyn crossed the room and hugged her friend. “Oh Irneth, I’m so sorry.”
Irneth’s eyes filled with tears as she relived those moments when she thought Orthorien would be gone from her life, but as the first tear slid down her cheek, she found her anger and her strength. She pulled away from Terrwyn’s embrace and straightened herself. “It was a lie, and he led me into believing what I thought was the truth.”
“How did you find out? Did he finally tell you that he had no intension of leaving?” Terrwyn’s heart went out to her friend, and a new form of disrespect grew for Orthorien.
“We were on our way here, to bring Feredir the horse and to visit. I was … I was so happy. Orthorien and I had finally mended our past hurts. He was so wonderful. I thought he’d finally become the elf that I always knew existed deep inside.” Sorrow gave way to anger as she spoke. “We stopped for our last night on the road, and I was looking through his things for something. I can’t remember what it was, a comb or a piece of flint for the fire. I came across the letter, the same one I’d seen that day in the hallway, the one from Lindon. Curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know what was in the letter. I’d always thought it was correspondence about ship schedules or perhaps housing within the seaside town. Many elves made Lindon their home while they were waiting to sail. But do you know what it was? It was a letter from the horse trainer in Lindon, the one who helped Orthorien acquire Belroch.”
“That bastard!” Terrwyn seethed, sticking up for Irneth.
“Yes, well, my reaction was a little rash or perhaps ill-considered … but justified.”
Terrwyn gasped, “The arrow.”
Irneth nodded. “I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t run away. We were camped out along the roadside in the middle of nowhere. Arguing did not seem to be a fulfilling form of punishment. My head was swimming with all the times we talked about sailing, and how he was glad we were together, that he would not be alone anymore. I thought of all the times we made love so passionately, and how I really felt that he loved me. I felt used. I felt like the biggest fool in Eryn Lasgalen to have fallen for him … again. I swore I would never … and I did. My embarrassment turned to rage. It felt like blood would shoot from my eyes. Blood for blood, my mind screamed, and I picked up the closest weapon, his bow.”
Irneth pretended she was holding said bow, and raised her arms as she nocked an invisible arrow. “He came strolling out of the woods, his arms full of wood and tender for the fire. He was smiling, and the stars seemed to shine in his golden eyes, completely unaware.” She pulled her arm back in demonstration. “I aimed at the first thing that came to mind, the one place that I knew I could hurt him the most, and right before I loosed my arrow, my hand shook, and I missed my target, hitting him in the leg instead of his … prized possession.”
“You could have killed him,” Terrwyn said shocked. “You could have fatally wounded him. I’m not saying you had no right to be upset, but what you did was very dangerous.”
Irneth hung her head and closed her eyes. “I know. I … know. But at the time, I wanted him to hurt just as badly as I was hurting.” She slowly raised her head and looked at her friend. “What have I done, Terrwyn? What have I become?”
* * *
Horphen had taken Norion into town and filled him with all sorts of treats. They were sitting by the elvish fountain in the center of the circle, telling riddles, when Feredir came along, relieving Horphen of his child sitting duties. He loved watching Norion, but right now, his emotions were scattered. On the one hand, he might have ruined his only chance with Rhawen, and on the other, his sister was brokenhearted because of Orthorien. Horphen decided to interrogate Orthorien and find out exactly what had happened between him and his sister.
He made his way back to the Healing House and found Orthorien resting comfortably in one of the patient rooms. Orthorien sat up defensively, giving the brown haired elf a stone-faced look.
“Are you here to berate me? Because if you are, I am in no mood for it,” Orthorien said sharply.
“I want to know why you can’t leave my sister alone. She told you a long time ago that she wanted nothing more to do with you,” Horphen scolded.
“I’m not sure it is any of your business.”
“If it is about my sister, it is my business. Why, Orthorien? Why do you always slight her? She deserves so much better than you.” Horphen stopped and huffed a laugh, looking down and to the side. “And Rhawen has the nerve to accuse me of being a philanderer.”
Orthorien’s eyes turned to slits as he scowled towards Horphen. “I’ll have you know that while I was with your sister, there was no one else. I would not do that to her.”
“You must have done something serious for her to have shot you in the leg with your own arrow.”
Orthorien adjusted himself, wincing as he did. He took a moment to straighten his thoughts. His long silver hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his golden eyes seemed to have lost some of their shine. It was time that he confessed his mistakes. “Irneth is right. I lied, but not about other women as you might think.” He proceeded to tell Horphen about the night of Feredir and Terrwyn’s wedding, about the dance, and about the deal he struck with her. Remembering that night brought back fond memories and strong emotions. “There had always been something about Irneth that intrigued me. She’s unlike any other elleth I’ve ever known. I used to think it was because she was so unobtainable, but it was more than that. There I was at the binding ceremony with this gorgeous auburn haired beauty, one of Cirdan’s people, come to escort those wishing to make the trip to the Grey Havens. She was easily in my grasp, and I had planned on ravaging her all through the night. And then, I had a moment alone with Irneth after Feredir and Terrwyn made their entrance into the hall. I stood at her side, both of us waiting to make our own entrance as witnesses to the blessed couple. I … I can’t say what it was that hit me, but suddenly I felt as though that moment would be the only time I would know what it was like to enter a decorated hall and make the long walk through a happy crowd of people there to celebrate a binding. And just before we entered through the doors, I looked over at your sister, lovely as could be, beautiful in her own stubborn way, and I thought, out of all of them, she was the only one I could imagine making that walk with. It was foolish, I know, but the thought struck me like a cannonball. For the rest of the evening, I tried to get in her good graces, but you know your sister. She’d have nothing to do with me. So it turned into a game once more. And then, I said something to her, some comment that I don’t remember, but she smiled, and it was genuine. Her eyes sparkled and her laugh filled me with warmth. No one has ever touched me that way. I knew she still despised me, and I reckon that’s the reason for our silly agreement. I knew she’d find love before she sailed, but just on the odd chance that she didn’t, at least she’d have me, and I would know she would not be lonely.”
Horphen had listened carefully to Orthorien’s story, and he could feel the genuine interest the elf took in his sister. Horphen, despite what had transpired between his sister and the Green Wood captain, liked Orthorien. They had worked together in the past, when Feredir needed their help locating Terrwyn’s lost brother, Hathmund. They worked quite well as a team, and Horphen respected Orthorien as a soldier. As a match for his sister, however, Horphen was hesitant, and with good reason. He knew of the silver haired elf’s wicked ways, and though he wished he could live the kind of carefree life that Orthorien led, he did not want to see Irneth involved with him.
“Sounds to me as though you both made a connection that night, but something happened, didn’t it?” Horphen demanded.
“Irneth came to her senses, and by the end of the evening, she was back to loathing me. I let her be though. I decided to try a different tactic and I gave her the space she required. If she wanted to befriend me, then I’d let it happen on her terms. Instead, she ended up avoiding me like she always did.”
“How did you end up together then?” Horphen asked, becoming interested in the story with every moment that passed.
Orthorien’s brows creased together with regret. “Oh, it was that damn letter from Lindon. We had accidentally ran into each other, and she picked up the letter to hand back to me. She had seen the seal of Lindon on it. At the time, I hadn’t known anything about that. All of a sudden, she was speaking to me and being courteous. She started asking the oddest questions, but I answered them to the best of my ability. At first, I couldn’t figure out what kind of spell she was under, not until she started asking me things about Lindon and the Grey Havens. I was sitting in my office one day, when I opened a drawer and staring back at me was the letter with the seal. I began piecing the puzzle, and figured out why she was being so nice to me. She had seen the letter with the Lindon seal, and assumed that I was leaving.”
“Why didn’t you tell her the truth then?” Horphen asked, almost angered. He turned from the bed, away from Orthorien, and paced the patient room. “You could have told her before it got too far.” Horphen spun on his heel, his eyes full of shards of ice as he regarded Orthorien. He knew only to defend his sister, knowing her heart was aching right now. “Instead, you chose to lead her down your path of lies, all because of what? Because you can’t keep your cock in your trousers? Or was it because Irneth was the one thing you could not have, and everyone knows that Orthorien the almighty must conquer all.”
Orthorien sat straight up in bed, and swung his legs over the side. He got up as quickly as one could with stitches and bandages, ignoring the pain it caused. He got in Horphen’s face, answering the challenge thrown upon him. “Don’t dare speak to me like that.”
Horphen, a seasoned warrior, did not back down. He stood unmoving before Orthorien, and glared into those golden eyes. “Nothing is sacred to you. You’ve always seen what you wanted and taken it for your own, at least until you tired of it. Irneth was the only one who could see through you though. That letter and your lies was the only thing that would draw her to you, and you seized the opportunity, regardless of the outcome. How long did you think you could fool her? Oh, but it was long enough to earn her trust.”
“You know nothing of Irneth and me,” Orthorien snarled.
“I know that you used her for your own selfish desires,” Horphen answered. He could feel Orthorien tensing, and readied himself for whatever the other had to give.
“You think you have me all figured out. You say that Irneth was the one thing I could not have, and you are right, but not for the reasons you accuse me of.”
“What are your real reasons then?” Irneth asked from the door. No one had heard her come in, and they were both shocked to see the elleth.
Horphen went to her first, taking her arm to lead her away, but Irneth stopped him. She looked at her brother, giving him the slightest of smiles. “It’s all right. I’m not going to injure him, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She looked over Horphen’s shoulder to where Orthorien stood.
Horphen could sense their need to speak alone. He patted his sister’s hand. “I’ll not be far if you should need me.” With a final glare over his shoulder directed at Orthorien in warning, he left the room.
Irneth looked around the room, and found some open bottles on a side table. She went to them, busying herself so she didn’t have to give Orthorien her full attention. She didn’t think she was ready to do that just yet, but she could listen to him at least.
“I did not expect to see you so soon,” Orthorien said cautiously, taking a seat once more on his bed.
“I want to hear what you have to say,” Irneth said sternly. “So what reason could you possibly have for letting me think you were sailing instead of telling me it was all a misunderstanding?”
The fact that she came back lightened Orthorien’s heart, but she was still like a hare ready to dash off at any moment. He had to be very careful with his words, or she would be gone, and this time perhaps permanently.
“What would you have done if I told you? You had already assumed the worst, and only from seeing a wax seal. If I had told you the letter contained correspondence about a horse, what would you have done? Tell me you would not have gone away from me.”
“But if you had only told me from the beginning,” Irneth said, almost pleading.
“I had no inclination, when you started speaking to me, that you did so because you thought I was leaving Middle-earth. I … I thought you genuinely wanted to end our quarrel and become … friends.”
Irneth had not thought of this side of the situation before. It was true. She befriended him after years of avoidance because of a misconception. There was no way he could have known that. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt in that incident, but eventually you knew my reasons. Why did you not speak up then?”
“Because . . .” Orthorien got up from the bed and went to Irneth. He stood behind her and spoke softly into her ear. “Because I was in too deep, and I knew you would flee from me again. You always have, and some part of me thinks that you always will.” He put his hand on her shoulder and ushered her into a turn so that he could look into her eyes. “Now it is my turn. Why did it take the vaguest conception that I’d meant to sail for you to consider me?”
Irneth was dumbstruck. She hadn’t any answer for this. She’d avoided asking herself the same thing ever since allowing Orthorien back into her life. As she stood there before him, her mouth opened in answer, but nothing came out.
Orthorien’s eyes fell away from her face, and turned to the floor between them. “Would you have allowed me another chance, Irneth?” he asked in a whisper.
She knew the answer, had known it all along, but she didn’t want to admit it. Now, here he was asking for an honest response. She inhaled, wanting to give him all the excuses she’d told herself, but only one word came out. “No.”
Orthorien took a step away from her and turned to the side. His head hung, chin touching his chest as he nodded. “I thought so,” he said disappointedly. Somehow he had always known this to be true, but he’d lived the lie for too long, avoiding what truths lay hidden below the surface. “Then I was not the only one basing this relationship on a lie.” Orthorien went away from her, going to the opposite side of the room where his clothes were folded neatly on a chair.
“Orthorien … I … I’m sorry,” she said regretfully. “I think that … a part of me just could not believe … could not trust–”
He held his hand up to stop her, and leaned against the chair in front of him. He looked like he was still in a lot of pain, and Irneth knew it was not all from the leg wound. “Are … are you alright?” she asked, just to make sure he was not in need of medical attention.
“I’ll be fine. I always am, aren’t I? It’s just … some things are hard to hear,” he admitted.
“Some things are … hard to say,” she admitted in return.
He wouldn’t look at her, and she didn’t want him to. Instead, Irneth fled from the room in a rush of blue silk, her robes billowing out behind her and disappeared through the door of the patient room. Orthorien was left on his own, alone once more, and he was used to this, but he was always the one to leave first. This time he could not, and the loneliness had never spoken so loudly.
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Journey of a Butterfly 2: Black as the Raven