Lost Wanderers (Halbrand / Rings of Powers)

5 - The Power of a Promise

Luthien walked back to the city, feeling her heart sinking at each step she took.
She didn't know if it was because of the forbidden wish to be there spying on men cleaning themselves from what reminded them of the battle or if she felt jealous of the women who spied with no shame.

When she walked by the stables, a voice stopped her.
"Your name is Luthien, right?".
She looked around until she spotted a young man who was from Numenor.
"Yes" she said simply.
"I'm Isildur" he introduced himself placing a hand on his heart "Friends call me Isil".
She narrowed her eyes at him as he stepped closer to her and recognized him from the nighttime audience with her father and the guests.
"You're Captain Elendil's son?".
His smiled broadened "Yes".
She looked at his dirty clothes "And why are you cleaning the stables? You must be tired after the battle".
"I deserved this. I'm almost finished. Also these horses are tired and needed some reward".
She liked his being positive.
She looked at the horses, seeing how well tended and fed they were.
"They look ready for another battle" she leaned to pat one of them "Take some rest, Isil. You earned it".
"Am I going to see you again?" he asked before she walked too far away.
"Yes" she said easily, imagining they were going to ride back to the front together.
She walked back to the palace, where her brothers teased her as usual, then accompanied her to meet their father.

"It seems that helping the Numenorean proved fruitful" the Stewart said with a content grin.
"I've heard that some orcs still need to be hunted in the woods. And that the survivors of nearby villages need help".
"Leave the orcs to us, little sister" Rhys said stealing the cup she was about to drink from.
"I hated waiting here" she hissed, kicking his feet under the table "You said these lands are safe again, that the head of the orcs is hels captive. So why now I can't go?".
"You're tired of this city. You always say that" Griff accused her.
"Get out. Both of you" the Stewart intervened sternly, dismissing his sons.
Luthien watched them leaving and as goodbye she showed them her tongue.
"Behave, Luthien. You're not a child anymore" her father said with amusement.
She straightened her back and faked a formal apology.
"Have you met the Captain's son?" he asked randomly, pouring some wine in their cups.
"You were here when I poured the wine for him" she said carefully, the topic unexpected.
"Griff keeps suggesting that you should travel a bit. Leaving the nest as you've always dreamed".
"Are you thinking of selling me off to Numenor?" she asked sharply, turning irritable when the topic was approached.
"I'm thinking of your future, Luthien. Your brothers are destined to take the rein of this city and these lands. While you have a larger freedom".
"I don't think planning to wed me to a Numenorean can be called freedom" she hated that topic. She just hated. Yet it was something inevitable. And she couldn't run from it forever.
"There's nothing planned, Luthien. I want to discuss about it with you before taking any idea into account".
She peered at him, trying to see it in an objective way "You want an alliance with Numenor".
"Your brothers will marry for duty. I want you to have some choices. All I ask from you is to consider the possibility of an alliance with Numenor for our family".
She checked her wine, then swallowed it.
"We just won a battle. You are talking like we are going to see this land burned to ashes so you try to save me by sending me beyond the sea" she complained.
"Time will burn us all to ashes" he said sternly "You won't live forever, I wish for you to live many more decades. But you can't delay some choices for too long".
"Do I have to choose between happiness, freedom and duty?".
"You always knew that you have little choice. You can't have them all. Choose wisely".
She breathed deeply "I will. Specially, if you let me join the expedition to help the villagers and spend more time with the Numenoreans".
She held his gaze in a challenging way, until he surrendered.
"Okay. Just come back as soon as possible. I hate waiting as well".

Luthien marched out of the palace, the irritation of that discussion still sticking to her heart.
At least she would ride with the expedition and keep herself busy with a task she loved.
A hand snatched her wrist and made her spin, halting her angry march against a hard chest.
"Luthien. Is something wrong?" Halbrand asked scanning her face and letting her arm go.
She felt unprepared to face him.
"No. Just petty discussions" she lied and felt guilty, because his stare was like peeling her soul open.
"You looked like you were running away".
"I'm going to run away soon, trust me" she shot a last glance at how he looked well in clean clothes and his still damp hair, then checked the crowded garden "Why don't we take a seat? It's going to be a long day of celebrations".
She pointed at a free table and he nodded.
"The war isn't over. This is just the beginning" he commented softly.
It gave her goosebumps.
"Then we need to enjoy our little time, since we can't know how many days we will see" she said trying to be positive.
He smiled and she took a seat appreciating the food on the table "Free refreshments for everyone today".
He sat in front of her and watched as she picked a berry from the fruit basket and ate it.
She pushed the basket towards him "It's not poisoned".
He chuckled and picked an apple "I fear more the poison from people than from food".
It dimmed her appetite "I can only imagine the horrors who've witnessed".
"Can you imagine how it is to manipulate people's fear so they join the enemy side? And then the enemy forces them to fight against the ones who chose to resist?" he stared at the apple like it was full of worms.
Luthien extented a hand to place it on his rigid one "Yes. There's nothing good in battles. We have to find something that can help us move on. There are survivors from the battle. We need to keep fighting for them".
He nodded and she felt him relaxing under her touch.