Spring was back and life filled her beloved fields.
Luthien followed the merry children and girls who were running amongst flowers, letting the gentle breeze caress their beautiful clothes.
Laughs and nice sounds filled the air and Luthien felt simply happy. In peace.
What more she could ask from life?
Her eyes spotted a handsome young man staring at her with a beautiful smile and lingered on him.
She left the group and walked to him, letting the birds from the tress around them sing the song her heart was singing.
Halbrand picked a fruit and took a bite of it. Then he handed it to her.
She looked at it, then tasted it carefully. An explosion of sweetness filled her mouth.
"Luthien, look at me".
His fingers tapped her chin, making her look up.
He was so beautiful and she was mesmerised.
The fruit was so ripe that some juice escaped the corner of her mouth.
Halbrand's eyes followed the drops. He leaned closer and kissed her jawline, sucking the juice from her skin.
Luthien woke up with a startle.
She looked around in confusion and shuddered.
Why was she back there? When she wanted to stay in heaven?
She was lying in a dark, filthy cell.
And beyond the rusty bars a tall shadow was staring at her.
"Eyes like the cleanest sky. Like the rarest gems" a voice whispered, sounding like the last breath of a dying man.
But he wasn't a man. He wasn't elf anymore.
He was the enemy.
She narrowed her eyes to see him better and pulled herself up to sit.
"Luthien. Is that your name?".
"Adar isn't your name. What is yours?" she replied with hostility.
"You should call me an ally" his long fingers wrapped around the bars as his eyes were fixed on her "You know, a woman like you managed to defeat the Dark Lord, that you know as Sauron. He came to me, using my children for his dreams to become powerful again, sacrificing them all. I got my chance to finish him before he could find what he was looking for. I could have never done that without her help".
She couldn't bear to hear the same old story even from her enemy.
"That Luthien was a powerful elf. I'm just mortal" she hissed.
"There's power in names too" he said calmly "I'm Adar. I'm father to all these lost creatures. You are the hope. Hope that if another dark tyrant shall rise, you can cause his doom".
She scoffed "Are you referring to yourself? You claimed lands that are not yours".
"And who would claim them now? Under this burned sky my children can walk in daytime. Dwarves can dwell under the mountains. Elves and Men have their own lands. This burned land is for broken creatures like us. There's now balance in this world".
His speech seemed nonsense. But everything around her was sick. She couldn't expect him to be someone to talk properly to.
"Why? What your evil masters did was wrong? Do you admit it?" she teased.
"Sauron was obsessed with bringing his order to this world. It sounded good. But when I saw that the price was the sacrifice of my children for something that we weren't even sure it existed. I couldn't stand it".
Balance. Order.
Those words sounded blasphem from his black lips.
"Bringing order after Morgoth destroyed everything?" she chuckled mockingly.
"Did you know that Morgoth asked us to hunt that Luthien? He wanted her for himself. But he was defeated before he could have her. And now you're here. Call it a whim. When I heard your name, it felt like being back to a long time ago".
She froze. It wasn't something new to her ears. If she was strong enough, she would grab anything and stab him in his eyes. So maybe he would be less blind.
"I'm not her" she reminded him, exasperated.
"No. She died as a mortal. But she had descendants. I can sense her presence in your blood. Blood binds us".
She retreated with disgust. She wasn't related to the famous Luthien. Bearing her name didn't make her a descendant.
Adar kneeled and offered her a carafe of water.
"Take it. You must be very thirsty".
She looked at the water, but couldn't surrender to the temptation.
"Do you want to poison me? Or trick me?" she wished to throw the carafe away, pouring the liquid. Instead her eyes couldn't stop staring at it. She was starving and impossibly dehydrated. Her body would fail her when her mind struggled to make impossible choices.
"I want us to be friends" he said but she didn't believe him. She couldn't believe to anything that came from those poisoned lips.
"I let you rest" he stood up with a grace that didn't fit his role "I'll come back to visit you. And maybe you'll see me more as a disgusting creature. You have nothing to fear from me".
Luthien wanted to laugh at him, but stood petrified until he was gone and she was alone.
She tried to open the door, but it was locked. She tormented the bars until her hands ached.
Then she laid against a wall, feeling her mind and her body becoming too weak, until she could barely understand what was happening around her.
Time passed and Adar didn't come back.
She heard noises, then lounder sounds. She feared for herself but saw no orcs approaching her cell.
She tried to let her mind wander back to her happiest memories and fantasies, to hang on beauty of the world, when she was trapped in the ugliest place.
She pressed her hands on her ears, to save them from the cacophony around her.
Then finally silence fell.
Her tired arms dropped and she felt only the weak thuds of her heart.
She was going to die in there, she thought, but she didn't feel scared. She just wanted that hell to be over.
A shadow appeared behind the bars and she barely reacted.
She blinked, but couldn't see the features of Adar.
The tall silhouette reminded her of a beloved one and her heart beated faster with aching hope.
"Luthien" his voice called her.
Halbrand unlocked the door and pulled her to his arms.
She clinged to him with all her remaining forces.
If it was real or she was dead, she didn't mind.
"Are you hurt?" he asked checking her pitiful look.
"I'm in one piece" she noticed other shadows joining them, unveiling that Isildur and Arondir were both still alive.
"We need to go" the elf said with urgency and handed her a flask "It's clean water".
Halbrand took it and helped her take some gulps, then picked her in his arms, ignoring Arondir's protest to be the one to carry her.
Luthien recognized that she wasn't strong enough to walk. She wished she was, seeing how the men were bruised and covered in blood.
They exited what seemed a big fortress.
Arondir and Isildur led the way with their weapons ready, but the only orcs they met were the fallen ones.
Luthien saw the burned sky again, when she craved for the blue sky and some fresh wind.
Halbrand laid her down before she could feel sick.
"Don't be afraid. Adar is dead and the orcs should leave us in peace for a while" he said kneeling next to her.
Many questions rose to her dry lips, but before she could speak, his face darkened.
"Your arm is bleeding".
Before she could react, he pulled out a knife and cut the bottom of his shirt.
She watched him tie her arm. He noticed a cut when he was covered in blood and she hoped none of it was his.
"We need water. We can't walk back like this" Arondir was discussing with Isildur.
"What's the shortest way to get out of his hell? It feels like we're in the middle of it".
"We go northwest. We find the river" Halbrand said tiredly "For now we camp here and seek something edible".
"Isn't this the most dangerous place to camp?" Isildur asked.
"We cut the head of the enemies. The orcs fled because they are lost without a leader. After what we've been through, I don't think any of us can bear to march".
"Some horses would be our salvation right now" Arondir commented.
"Clean food and clean water is what I'd ask for" Halbrand remarked.
Luthien left them to their discussion. After the nightmare she lived, alone in that dark cell, being with her company again made her feel safe enough to rest a little.
They were still very weary when they set out for the river.
The men had collected few supplies on the way and little bad food, that Luthien swallowed just because she felt starving.
After hours of slow march, they found a river, as Halbrand suggested.
After filling their flasks and satisfying their thirst, the men took their turns to wash off the signs of the battles.
Luthien sat next to Arondir on the hill from which they could see the end of the burned lands and the unburned world on the horizon.
From there she also spotted Halbrand immersing into the river and looked away.
"What did I miss? How did Adar die?" she asked.
"We didn't see their duel. Isildur and I remained by the gates to fight the orcs. When we arrived, he had already killed him and have his head on a pike, using it to scare the orcs or ordering them to go hiding. I'm glad you didn't see it. It was very crude".
She felt speechless, trying to picture what he said. She couldn't imagine Halbrand being that ruthless, but in those extreme situations, she also met a side of herself she didn't know was part of her.
"I thought you were all dead. When the orcs ran to me..." her voice faltered.
"We felt hopeless too. But suddenly the orcs forgot about us and turned against you. Halbrand became an unstoppable fury when he realized you were taken captive".
She resisted to the temptation to turn and look for him.
She smiled at the elf "I'm grateful that you came to find me. You could have run away".
He teased her arm softly with his elbow "You wouldn't have abandoned us. We couldn't abandon you here".
She nodded, enjoying feeling part of more than a fellowship, almost like a family, although she didn't know well her companions. But they fought for each other, they shared all the burdens and made that impossible mission become possible.
Halbrand came back, clean, with just some bruises as signs of the battles he faced.
His expression seemed still haunted by what he had endured as he listened to some ideas Isildur was sharing with him.
"If we follow this river, it should eventually meet the Anduin, that will lead us straight to Pelargir. Isn't it right, Arondir?".
"It may take us few days to reach the city" the elf looked at each of his companions.
"You are faster than us" Halbrand suggested, peering at Arondir "Go back. Warn the people that Adar is dead but the orcs are still on loose in these lands".
The elf sighed disoriented "Where are you going?".
"We need to find as many allies as possible. We can't win this war alone" Halbrand said resolutely, closing their distance to pat a hand on the elf's shoulder "Tell our people what we did, the shadows we faced. Make them understand that we didn't win this war yet. That this was just the beginning".
Luthien felt a shiver run down her spine and noticed that also Isildur felt the same, as he stood next to her, speechless.
Arondir seemed willing to protest, but surrendered.
He said some goodbye in Elvish and soon he was gone.
"So now it's just the three of us. A promised king, a gracious lady and a lost Numenorean" Isildur commented when the silence was growing heavy.
"I think we are all lost" Halbrand replied "We can keep walking, until blue sky is upon us again".
Isildur looked impatient to get out of that hell and see the world that he had feared was out of his reach.
So they walked and walked, until life was surrounding them.
Luthien felt a big relief as she saw the green trees, the wild animals running away from them, and felt the caress of fresh wind.
She sat by a spring, letting the water lap her skin.
Halbrand looked restless and searched for wild food.
Isildur soon gave up following to help him and brought back just few berries that he offered to her.
"I can only imagine how you must miss your home" she said.
"Not that much. You know, I've always heard this lands calling me. Like a siren's voice. I was destined to come here. And maybe, I was destined to meet you".
"Do you believe in destiny?" she asked frowning at that mysterious word.
"I do, since I've met you. You know, there's this thing about my ancestors. I always thought of it as a legend to give a heroic background to my family".
"But?" she encouraged.
"It is said that my family is descended from Beren and Luthien".
She felt like he just removed a thorn from her foot.
She recalled Adar's words, as he sensed the famous Luthien's blood. But it wasn't her.
That blood was indeed running, just not in her veins.
Halbrand came back with some game so they started a fire to cook the meat.
The decent meal made Luthien feel better.
She surrendered to drowsiness and when she woke up it was dawning.
The first lights on the east and the warm colors of the sky watered her eyes, but soon some noises alarmed her.
The men were already up and they looked around, until a horse appeared in front of them.
"Berek!" Isildur exclaimed recognising the animal.
Luthien felt torn as she watched his joyous reunion with his horse.
He had confessed to her his being related to the mighty Luthien. And now he had a loyal horse called Berek, that reminded to her too much of the name Beren.
"We're safe. We can travel more easily now" Isildur said when he remembered that his two companions were observing him.
Halbrand approached them to pat the animal "This is your horse. Three people are too much even for the strongest horse".
Isildur's face darkened and he glanced at Luthien.
"I'm grateful for your help. But this isn't your mission" Halbrand added sombrely "You know that light can guide you home".
They turned to east, where the sun was rising, were Numenor was waiting for its lost son.
"My place is here" Isildur said uneasily "Until the darkness that led me to these lands isn't fully defeated. I want to help".
"Then seek the bravest leaders of men. Help them get ready for the battles that are awaiting us" Halbrand rested a heavy hand on his shoulder "We need to be the light that can save Middle Earth".
Luthien listened as Halbrand taught him a list of directions that he could take and what people he would meet.
It was a great deal to travel alone on foreign lands.
"It seems rude to leave you on your feet when I should let my horse to you" Isildur said to her while Halbrand searched for food in the surroundings. He offered her small sword back.
She welcomed it. She had lost her bow, so having the sword made her feel better.
"My feet are growing used to long journeys" she managed a smile, to hide how actually her legs and feet felt sore "You're lucky that your horse can cross hell just to find you. Never lose such a loyal friend".
"Actually Halbrand told me that I should ask you if you'd like to come with me" he said uneasily.
She turned to seek Halbrand through the trees, her throat feeling tied.
Their fellowship was breaking. Did they have to go each for his own path?
She left her home to follow Halbrand in his lonely mission. She couldn't bear the idea of leaving him to follow a Numenorean that once she had also thought of killing.
"If I could become two, one of me would come with you, Isil. But I promised to help Halbrand, that's why I'm here. This promise binds me to him".
He lowered his head, nodding "Will you be okay being alone with him?".
"I trust him. He's a decent man. He never disrespected me so far. He's a true king" she said with honesty.
He smiled a bit comforted "I'm glad to hear that. I'm looking forward to meet you again".
"Same. Take care of you, please" she touched his arm.
"I will" he grabbed her hand and softly kissed the back of it "All my best wishes for your journey".
She watched him walk away.
Halbrand offered him the food and supplies he collected for the journey.
Then Isildur jumped on his horse, bid them goodbye and rode away.
Luthien watched until he disappeared from her view.
Since she left her home and started that journey, she wasn't alone with Halbrand.
"So, it's the two of us" he turned to look at her "You know you are free to turn around and go back home".
She looked at him, no way she could go back home on her own, no way she could break the promise she made to him and to herself.
"We've come so far. I bet nothing out there can be worse than what we faced here. We made it. What can stop us now?".
He smiled and softly touched her arm "Let me see if the wound is recovering well".
She sat down and clenching her jaw she allowed him to uncover her arm and clean the clotting wound.
He added some herbs to help the flesh heal faster, then covered it with clean scraps.
"Better on the arm than on a leg. A lame companion is the last thing you need, if you don't want to be slowed down" she tried to joke.
"I'm honored to share this journey with you" he said placing a delicate hand on her shoulder "As long as we don't have enemies pursuing us, we can take our time and you can rest as much as you need. It's not a pleasant journey of you have to march with aching feet".
"The Elvish medicine helped me a lot. You saved me again. Without it, I would have been broken at the beginning of this journey already" she admitted with gratitude.
"I wish we can find more of that medicine. Maybe we will, soon".
She smiled, unsure if he meant to meet some elves.
He helped her on her feet and they started to march north, following a stream to find a passage through the mountains.
They got a good view of Mount Doom on the horizon and stopped to watch it.
"That mountain reminds us that deep beneath our feet there's fire, just like we enjoy the eternal burning of the sun in the sky".
Halbrand said looking down and then up, then crossing her eyes.
"We faced what most of people can't even imagine. But those moments that felt like being trapped in the worst nightmare, in all that darkness, now I see that they bind us in a beautiful way. That fire didn't burn us. It bound us. We are not truly lost until we keep finding each other".
He offered her a hand, as he usually did to help her in that journey.
She looked at it, letting his words sink in her, finding them inspiring and meaningful.
Then she grabbed his hand and she felt it, that fire he was talking about.
Nothing destructive or scary, but something beautiful and constructive.
Loyalty, devotion to a mission that felt like sacred. And to each other.
A/N
Tuesday 1st November 2022
Love can bind as much as it can blind 😎
And do not bite the forbidden fruit 🍎
So, Adar has been punished and the fellowship of the lord of the ring is already broken 💔
At least Mordor is left behind and other adventures are on the way 💪
What has Halbrand in mind? How long can Luthien survive in his company? Who will they meet in their journey?
Stay tuned for the next updates 😊💓