The Eastern Woman

Air

"I can not?" she had replied. "And why? They attacked me, you saw it too. I've always said: an eye for an eye, Hammon. This small wound on my forehead will be repaid with their blood."

"Please, General, you can't kill innocent people. Cut off their arms ... it's madness, Goneril, listen to me!" Hammon had insisted.

"Don't worry, Captain. They will always have the other arm." Goneril had replied.

And things had gone just like that. Needless to say, more than half of those unfortunate men had died the same day, leaving behind widows and orphans.

In love with Goneril?

A man with a normal brain would have never fallen in love with her. Even though she was beautiful. An eagle with peacock feathers, that woman was.

Then, of course, there were also those moments.

Those very rare and almost surreal moments, in which their General took off her assassin's mask and immersed herself in her thoughts. Often it happened at sunset. She used to sit on a boulder or on a hill and remained for endless minutes to watch the sun descend towards the Earth and disappear. It was as if Goneril immersed herself in a vision, and nobody ever bothered her while she was lost in that meditation.

Hammon always wondered what she was thinking about when she was so concentrated. Perhaps she was reflecting on her life: she maybe realized that she was alone in that world. Perhaps she was thinking of her atrocities.

Or perhaps she used to think that, after all, the Middle Earth was a beautiful place and maybe it was worth stopping to admire it for a brief moment, every now and then.

"There's some good in her too." Arwen said again.

They were both in the princess's room. It was full of books and candles.

At that point, Elrond's daughter was very close to becoming a spirit, Hammon noticed that he could see through her body. Arwen could no longer stand on her feet. She was lying helpless on her large canopy.

"There's a hidden soul in that warrior. A scared little girl. Find her, help her get out of that pit where they threw her. Teach her how to smile." said the Elf. "... and you both will be happy."

"I don't know why you say these things, my lady. If you refer to my General, she chose the path of revenge. She does not want to be saved, because she does not believe she is lost." answered Hanmon.

"You think?" replied Arwen. "Sometimes we turn our backs on life only to avoid facing what we want to be. Even Aragorn chose exile, years ago. But now he has understood. Now he has understood, for what future he must fight. But he needed the help of my father to open his eyes. And the woman you love needs yours. Bring her back to light. " Arwen continued.

"I do not love Goneril, nor other women. Why are you so sure of this?" Hammon asked.

"Because of the way you described her. You used only sweet words. You can see the best part of her, unlike all the others. This happens when we love: we can only notice beautiful things." answered the Elf girl.

"You are so wrong. I know who Goneril is. I know all the dark corners of her soul. I am not a fool, Lady Arwen." objected Hammon.

"Why are you waiting for her, then, Benjamin? Why you don't want to leave her alone?" asked the princess of Imladris.

"Because ..." the soldier could not immediately find the answer. He thought for a moment. "... because the whole world has fallen into chaos, and I need to hold on to something. To an ideal, even it is just an absurd loyalty to a cruel woman. I don't know if you can understand."