Nerwen the Green and the Search for the Entwives #wattys2019

Chapter LIV: The Land Between the Rivers

Chapter LIV: The Land Between the Rivers

The following day, they departed for the river delimiting the northern border of the alleged land of the Entwives.

Even if Aryon's presence allowed her to focus only on the elsewhere, as he could take care of the here, the Aini couldn't keep her thoughts extended for too many hours in a row, therefore the explored area was forcibly smaller than the distance they would actually be able to scour; but they didn't want to take any chance to miss the Entwives, maybe by a hair.

"If nothing else, this land is truly beautiful," Nerwen observed, when they camped at night. Aryon, who was stirring the stew he was cooking, made with a rabbit he had shot that same afternoon, turned to look at her.

"Your capability to find the bright side in everything is amazing," he declared, moving to sit beside her, "It's one of your qualities I love best."

The Istar smiled at him:

"Sometimes I,too, got discouraged," she admitted, "but never for long. It's typical of my character, wanting to find a ray of light in the deepest darkness."

"I'm quite the opposite," the prince admitted. Nerwen's smile broadened:

"But I love you anyway!"

He cast her a quick glance.

"Thank the Valar!" he grumbled; a tiny smile danced at the corners of his mouth in a way the Aini found always adorable.

Their character difference could have been a source of conflict, between them; but instead they had turned it in a strong point of their relationship, because where one exceeded, the other mitigated, and where one didn't work something out, the other did. They completed and enriched one another. This didn't exclude small quarrels, on occasion, but they were always trifles, quickly sorted out with the simple use of common sense from both sides. Even at the very beginning, when they had clashed, more than met, on the shores of the Sea of Rhûn, this capability to understand each other had always been there – which now, in the light of the fact they were partners for life, looked obvious.

OOO

The next morning, they broke up camp and started for the day. In the afternoon, Nerwen perceived an awareness she thought she knew, but it was very faint because of the distance. She pulled at Thilgiloth's reins and the mare stopped immediately.

What's up? the Chargeress asked, moving her ears trying to catch unusual noises.

"I felt something," the Maia answered in a tense tone, speaking aloud to Aryon's benefit. The prince halted Allakos next to Thilgiloth.

"Hostile?" he enquired, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

"Not at all," she reassured him, "but it's very far away; if I'll figure out in which direction it is, we could go and verify."

She closed her eyes to better focus and extended her thoughts at maximum range, moving them in a slow semicircle in front of her.

"There," she said at length, pointing straight northwards, "but I cannot make out the distance."

"We'll just have to find out," Aryon commented with a shrug. They spurred on their mounts and resumed their ride.

Half an hour later, Nerwen turned to her husband:

"I lost it... I don't perceive it anymore," she announced, frustrated.

"Did it move away?" Aryon asked, frowning, "Did it get scared?"