Nerwen the Green and the Search for the Entwives #wattys2019

Chapter LII: Reunion

Chapter LII: Reunion

The following day, Pallando and Nerwen resumed their search; Alatar hadn't pointed out where his instructions to create a passage were stored, nor in which form they were – if scroll or book or a bunch of loose sheets – but they could be reasonably supposed to be found in his private office. His bedchamber, too, could be a good place to look for them and indeed the Wizard had spent the best part of the night rummaging everywhere, but to no avail.

In the afternoon, the funeral ceremony of the one who everybody thought was Pallando took place, and they had of course to attend. According to the customs of Qos, they would have him cremated and then his ashes would be scattered into the lake; this made sense, as the island was densely inhabited by the living and there was no place for the dead.

During the rite, Nerwen was careful to appear deeply afflicted, because everyone must think she was mourning her father's death; when it was over, they got back to Alatar's office to continue the search.

They had luck: in the late afternoon, Pallando found what they were looking for in a bunch of sheets written in Valarin tongue.

"I think this is it!" he cried, excited, showing the pages to Nerwen. He had recognised the idiom as the same of the missive she had him delivered through the pigeon, but even if he had been able to read that simple message, the complex instructions of Alatar's document went beyond his ability to understand it.

Nerwen examined the parcel, her heart beating fast in the hope, which increased as she went on reading.

"Yes, that's it indeed!" she confirmed animatedly. She and the Blue Wizard embraced enthusiastically in their joy.

"Is it complicated?" Pallando enquired then. She shook her head:

"Not much, but we need a significant amount of energy, that's why Alatar alone wasn't able to do it. And he couldn't have the monster helping him, because the energy of a Balrog is the antithesis of ours, therefore they cannot be used together... that's why the monster needed to steal our strength, changing it into his and finally use it for its purposes. Probably the energy of the sole Alatar was not enough, hence he insisted on having someone else," she looked at Pallando, "I am stronger than the average of the Istari, because I haven't been as much diminished; therefore I think that the joining of our energies will be enough."

"Alatar thought the same," he revealed, nodding, "At the point of death, probably some entirely Maiarin capabilities came back to him and he could see through you..." he was silent for a moment, pondering, "Where do you think his soul has gone?"

"It's surely back in Valinor," Nerwen affirmed, "in the Halls of Awaiting. Mayhap the Valar will decide to let him reincarnate in his ancient form of Maia, if they forgive him his almost fatal naivety to ally with an evil spirit; or mayhap he'll prefer going back to Ilúvatar, who knows..."

"I hope I will meet him again, one day," Pallando declared, "if possible, remembering my past, and consequently him. But I am afraid this could happen only if and when I, too, return to Valinor..."

The Aini nodded, agreeing.

"Meanwhile, let's think about going back to Arda," she exhorted him, "Are you ready?"

"I am."

"I think we'll need several hours," Nerwen considered, "Better mayhap have something to eat, to keep our strength up."

So they did, asking for dinner in Alatar's office. If the servants were wondering what their sovereign and the young daughter of the dead were doing, they never showed it and kept their curiosity to themselves. After all, it was not for them discussing their lord's decisions or behaviours.