The Princess Crowned In Flowers

Chapter VII: A New Position and A Best Friend

She could not do it.

This was the symbol of a leader, of someone strong. Lothel was not strong. She watched her grandfather die, helpless to stop it. Her mother's fëa passed to the Halls of Mandos while lying in Lothel's arms, because of her hröa that she failed to fix. Because of her failure, her Adar retreated so far into himself, his son remembers only faintly what it was like to be held in the arms of a loving father.

And what did she do?

She ran.

She cowardly hid in Imladris for hundreds, thousands of years while her home succumbed to darkness. While she was living some of the best years of her life, her brother and father were left alone. That was not strength. Someone who was truly strong would have saved the dead. If she was strong, she would have come out of heartbreak with swords flashing and her heart intact.

Instead, she came out alive. She arose with scars, physical and mental, littering her, with emotions constantly thundering through her head, flashbacks of battles past haunting her dreams-

It was all too much. Her brokenness overwhelmed her; consumed her. She passed into blackness as she felt a tidal wave wash over her.

Lothel was shaken from her dark oblivion by Glassnith knocking on her door.

"Heryn nin, may I come in?"

She was still holding the helm.

"Yes, I am in my library," the brunette walked into the room.

Immediately, she saw the headpiece, and her friend gasped. "You were named General." It was more a statement than a question.

"I was."

"Did you accept?"

"I did." Her voice broke. Glassnith rushed to her side and stood near the overwhelmed elleth in her armchair.

"Why?" She questioned softly, "What is going on?"

"I can't tell you everything, but there might be war on the horizon," She murmured back. "And the fact that there is an emerald on this helm makes me think the King intended to name me General for a lengthy period. Gems do not just appear."

Her friend enveloped her with a hug. "Perhaps I have news that will cheer you."

Lothel doubted that but asked anyway, "What is it?"

"Heryn Arwen nan Imladris." [(Lady Arwen of Rivendell)] Glassnith gave a small smile, "She has come from her home for the next moon."

Despite all that was weighing on her heart right now, she smiled at seeing her best friend again. In the blonde elleth's time in Rivendell, she became exceptionally close to Elrond's daughter. Neither ever had a friend as close as they were to each other, which made their friendship stronger. She stood up and dipped her head to her maid, "Thank you, mellon nin. I assume she is in my guest chambers?" [(my friend)]

"Yes, heryn nin."

The princess made her way to Arwen's room that was connected to hers.. Lothel knocked on the door, and it was flung open by a familiar raven-hair elleth.

"Lothel!"

"Arwen!"

Both abandoning all propriety of being noble ladies, both ellith threw herself at the other in an act similar to a tackle. It had been too long since the duo had been together. The blonde wrapped her arms tighter around her friend, and the latter sensed her change in mood instantly. "Are you well, mellon nin?"

"I am better now that we are together," she whispered back.

The younger one pulled away to shut the door before facing her elder, "Speak," she demanded, "I know you're not doing well. I felt you blackout less than a half hour ago."

"You know, sometimes I hate the fact we are connected," Lothel said. The pair shared a close bond, similar to the ones shared with siblings.

"We are, so you need to tell me." Her blue eyes were serious as she looked at her heart sister.

The older She-Elf took a deep breath, "Adar had named me General of the Armies of Greenwood, compared to my previous rank of Second General." The tears she had been holding back began to creep up. "The evil that has been infecting now-Mirkwood is likely to be caused by an old enemy who was supposed to be dead. Looking at the Helm of the General brings back memories I buried long ago."

Arwen could easily read between the lines. She knew that her friend had fought in the Last Alliance Between Men and Elves, the battle against the Dark Lord. And she understood that the scars she received were primarily non-physical. "I came at a good time then," the black-haired one took her friend's hand lovingly.

"Why did you come? Mereth-en-Gilith was last night, and Glorfindel came to attend. He is likely seeking me right now for training." The blonde kept her emotions in check for a minute longer.

"Grandmother is visiting, and said I should," Arwen responded with a light smile, "Now that you told me what has happened, I think she must have seen something in her mirror. IN regard to Glorfindel, he wanted to ride ahead to make sure I and the rest of the company was safe."

"When you see her next, tell her thank you." She replied, tears clouding her vision and spilling over onto her pale face. There was no reason for her to keep her emotions back. The elleth she held a bond with suffered more when she kept her feelings back.

Her friend's arms were instantly around Lothel, "I will not pretend to understand what you're feeling, but I know I can help."

"Annad le," [(Thank you)] She murmured into Arwen's collarbone.

The pair of ellith sat there for neither knows how long.

*-~-*

Eventually, Lothel pulled away and wiped her face clear of her pain. "I should go, you have had a long journey."

The raven-haired elleth held on to her for a moment longer and rubbed her back, "I am here," she said simply. Those words were enough. She left the Imladris elf she called 'best friend' feeling lighter.