All Who Wander Are Not Lost

Chapter 7

"You would have had my father push the King of Gondor? His flesh and blood but distantly? It would be like murdering my cousin!" Thennil was shocked and angered by his words, especially because she remembered how much her father had loved his brother and the decedents that came after him.

"If it could have saved us from what is likely to come, then yes," the wizard stated.

She held her tongue, keeping her from saying anything in anger, but inside she was seething like a pot with a lid that contained the boiling water which at any moment could explode. And he is said to love all living things, that even the life of the smallest insect that he steps upon and kills brings him great grief. How wrong those stories were! He disgusts me.

She spoke no more words during the continuation of the meeting, offering no insight where she really could have, her mind occupied with the things that had come out of Saruman's repugnant mouth.

Arwen jumped as a door slammed, and the normally imperceptible sound of her sisters feet was amplified, they slammed into the marble floors like a rockslide. Whirling around she came face to face with her sisters grumpy form. If she could have chosen one word to describe her sister it would have been either livid or out-raged. Her normally pale face was red with a fierce anger and her whole body was tense, like a stiff board. Thennil immediately went to her wardrobe and began to pull out tunics, jerkins, trousers, and the like with a furious flourish, tossing them onto the bed.

"What's going on?" she asked, worried by the actions before her.

"Oh, I just need a break from wizards that don't know how to be serious and actually think about things, oh, and he doesn't seem to care either!"

"So...?"

"I'm going on a sabbatical, which I have already let Glorfindel know about so that he doesn't schedule me for any patrols."

"Where will you go?"

"Who knows, but I just need to get away, breath a little before coming back and having to deal with him again."

"How could Mithrandir make you this mad, you get along so well with him," Arwen panicked.

"It's not Mithrandir, or at least not directly, it's Saruman who I have a bone to pick with."

Arwen sat on the bed, extremely puzzled by her sisters use of words,"Pick a bone with?"

Thennil paused in her rapid movements, recognizing the look on her sister's face,"It means that I'm frustrated at him for something he won't do."

"Ohhh, it's one of those strange sayings from among men, right?"

"Yeah, you'll get it one day."

I hope so, she uses so many of them it's like she's one of them! Arwen thought, running her hand through her black hair.

"When will you be back?"

"No clue, probably not for a while."

"Will you write?"

Thennil began to shove the clothing items that she planned on bringing into a satchel, "I'll try, but you know that getting it to you through reliable means is not very likely."

Arwen nodded before standing to help her older sibling pack, choosing one of the dresses that her sister could actually could stand wearing.

"Why are you packing me that one? It's not like I'll have an occasion to wear it," she shook her head, copper locks shining in the pale light of the sun filtering through the curtains.

"Who knows, maybe you'll end up in the halls of King Thranduil, or with Grandmother at some point. You'll want to look your best! I have heard that the prince of the Greenwood is very handsome..."

"Yes, and blonde, no thanks, I don't need a man hanging on me," she shuddered.

"There's nothing wrong with blonde, I rather like that color, don't you like the color of Glorfindel's hair?" Arwen sighed dreamily for effect.

"On him, it works, but in general I don't prefer blonde, it's more likely to look like a silvery white because he's Thranduil's son."

"But he's a prince!"

"And I'm way older than he is, not going to work, stop trying to set me up. I doubt there's a elf out there who would have me anyway, so enough with matchmaking!" Thennil scolded, though their was no real threat in her tone.

"Whatever, one day someone is going to come in and sweep you off your feet, and you'll end up in love, but you won't know what to do with yourself," Arwen said seriously.

"I seriously doubt it, and I believe that you can never be wise and in love at the same time, it just doesn't mix. You get distracted, you mess up or make a mistake, and they end up dead or you end up heartbroken, no love is for those who don't have to make decisions that impact many people."

Thennil pulled the strap of the satchel over her shoulder and hugged her sister,"You can find love, Arwen, don't be afraid of it like I am."

Arwen nodded, though she did not agree, holding her sister tightly, a single tear leaking out from the corner of her eye as they parted. Thennil left the room in a hurry, probably taking the quickest and most untraveled way to the stables in her effort to get away unnoticed. Moving to the window after nearly ten minutes of watching the door through which her sister exited, she waited for the glimpse of her sister's dappled grey stallion to disappear through the gate. She did not have to wait long, there was a flash of grey and copper as the horse galloped out through the open gate and into the valley.

"You'll find love someday, and when you do you'll know its love because all you will want is for the other person to be happy, even if you keep yourself from being that things that brings them the most joy. I hope you realize that."

Hey guys, here's another chapter, which my muse just dropped in my head...so yeah, enjoy and review please!

Robin