Jinxed

Chapter Fifteen - Farewells

~Fourteen months later ~

A white dove lands on the windowsill of the white city, thick paper in its beak. It places the paper down and coos loudly. Running feet can be heard, and around the corner comes a woman, copper hair reaching to her waist, she gives a cry of delight and reaches for the letter, and searching in her pockets for some bread.

Another dove lands and places a letter down. This one clearly addressed to Aragorn. The woman, picks up both letters "Aragorn!" She calls loudly while opening the letter from the first dove. Thudding of heavy boots come from the corridor as Aragorn runs into the room in panic. He slides into the room dressed in a silk night shirt and breeches.

"What's the matter?" He asks panting slightly Gina hands him the letter.

"You just got a letter, you just got a letter. I wonder who it's from" she chants looking back at the letter in her hand.

Aragorn & Gina

It saddens me to inform you that I am to take the last ship leaving from Rivendell along with Bilbo, Frodo, Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Shadowfax is in Rohan, however if he ever comes your way, it would be kind if you were to offer him a stall. I hope that all works out with you both and my sincerest apologies for missing the big event.

Your Loyal Friend Gandalf

Gina frowns, the ship left today, there was no time to farewell the people she had met along her journey. Her hand absentmindedly rubbed under her ribs. Aragorn looks up and catches her frown.

He gently takes the letter from her hand and reads over it quickly. He gives a sad smile and embraces Gina gently. "You know he has to go, his task is finished" Gina nods slowly.

"I never thought it would come this soon, he was only here the other day"

Aragorn laughs "He was here three months ago, when we got the news" Gina smiles.

"Well we can still have adventures" She says light heartedly.

~

The stables were silent as Gina entered them, her old friend Indigo rested in his stall, the journey had taken a toll on the already old horse. When he and Gina had first met, he had been a spiritly horse, eight winters old, he had sired many a foal, and he had waited ten years to see his Gina again, each day going to the place she disappeared and waiting until Eomer came to fetch him in for the night.

Now that he had seen his Gina again, now he had had one more adventure with his Gina he was happy, now just over twenty winters of age his joints creaked as he walked, his muzzle held more grey hairs than chestnut. Yes, Indigo was growing old. But he wanted to wait for it, for Gina. But fate had other plans. Slowly he slumps as Gina approaches.

When she sees his posture, she breaks into a run and lands by his head, she positions his large head over her legs as he slides onto the hay strewn ground. Gina had known this time would come, but not this soon. She had forgotten that everyone left her eventually, and as invincible as the horse acted he was no different. She unbuckles his halter and places it next to her, her hands running through his shedding winter coat. She talks to him quietly as the other horses watch on in respectful silence.

"It's okay Indie, I've got you" Tears begin to paint over Gina's face. "I'm here, I'm here" It was too much for her, Gandalf leaving without saying good bye, Indigo on his last legs. And however much it hurt she knew she had to let him think that she was okay with him going.

Her hands plait his mane off his sweaty neck as his breathing becomes laboured, and she rubs straw over his neck to draw away the offending moisture. "Just relax boy, it's okay" she croons racking her brain for the Elvish phrase she had learnt decades ago "Guren glassui" her voice wavers "Gi melin, Posto vae mellon nin"

(Thank you from my heart* I love you, rest well friend)

Indigo's head reaches to nudge her hand that rests on the floor, he nickers softly, his eyes fixing on her face. "I know, I know" She croons.

She can only watch as his eyes lose focus and turn glassy. Her tears now fall freely as she closes his eyes. She begins to sing softly, the other horses in the stable nickering along at some bits. Gina had loved this song ever since she saw it in the late nineties.

"Bright eyes burning like fire

Bright eyes how can you close and fail?

How can the light that burning so brightly suddenly burn so pale?

Bright eyes"

She whimpers, patting the cooling neck of her companion.

Through her tears, she sees a horse rear, though it may have been a trick of the light and the ethereal horse gallops out of the stable. Gina wipes her eyes and goes in search of a stable hand.

~

Gina watches as the last of the dirt is placed over Indigo's final resting place, she fiddles with the gem studded ring on her finger as her eyes hold unshed tears. She whispers her final goodbye onto the wind and turns to leave.

Aragorn is busy listening to the complaints of his people when he sees Gina hurry though the doors and into the corridor that leads to their chambers. He looks to the woman who was complaining about her share of the harvest. "Excuse me" He says politely before getting up and running after Gina, taking off his crown as he goes.

He finds Gina curled up on the balcony her fingers fiddling with the ring in her hand, a nervous tick she had picked up in the last four or so months. He kneels before her; his crown being discarded on the ground as he looks up to Gina whose eyes seem fixed on the horizon. He takes her hands gently and gives each a light, butterfly kiss. Gina's unfocused eyes divert to him and focus on his face. She gives him a smile but her eyes quickly flick back to gazing, unseeingly into the distance.

Aragorn reaches up to caress her chin "My love?" He asks bringing her chin down. "What is the matter?" Gina's soft eyes come back to rest on Aragorn.

"Indigo has gone, he has passed" Aragorn's face falls. He stands and pulls Gina into a hug tightly. He runs his hand over her wild hair in a soothing motion.