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𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑻𝑾𝑶
❝ 𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒇 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 ❞
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VERA FELT COLD. IT WASN'T THE type of cold that made someone feel refreshed and comforted nor was it the type of cold that one would feel in a roaring blizzard. No, Vera felt a different type of cold. It is the type of cold that made you feel alone and separated from everything else like there is a large distance between you and everything surrounding you. Vera didn't particularly favor the distance she felt between her and her surroundings — in fact, she rather hated it — but she couldn't bring herself to make a choice about changing it. At least, not yet, anyway. No matter how much she tried initiating a reaction from within her, especially after what she had been through, nothing seemed to work as she remained in the same state since she woke up, which happened only a few days ago...yet everything felt so much different...so much more weighted and disorienting.
It had only been a few hours since she woke up, seeing as she did awaken from her near-death state by the early hours of the morning, which didn't seem like it as much considering the busy corridors of the stronghold. Almost as soon as she had enveloped the light streaming from around her and embraced the energy consuming her entire system, she had been allowed to open her heavy eyes for the first time in days, and the first thing she had seen was the very elf that forced her to endure in her mind. However, no matter how much she tried to smile back at the tired man, she had been compelled to experience another wave of pain which caused her to enter a terrifying state wherein which she was slipping between the land of the living and the land of the dead once more.
The only difference is that she will be coming back to the land of the living, and she knew she would be returning because there is no way in hell that she is letting herself endure something like that again, especially after everything she has been through.
The second time she had awoken, she is more aware of what is happening around her and could properly register everything that is occurring, including the arrival of her many family members and friends, who she had supposedly worried to near-death — not that they knew what it was like. Trewyn had been the first person Vera saw, and she wasn't exactly complaining, but they both knew that the young brunette wanted to see someone a lot more than her grandmother...as selfish and immature as that sounded. But Trewyn understood as she knew the igniting fire of young love and how the heart can beat so harshly when in love. However, she couldn't let Legolas in yet since Trewyn, as a healer and a concerned grandmother, needed to ensure that Vera is capable of being up and allowed visitation rights.
They had talked to one another, which is mainly just small talk, but it was needed; Vera supposed that it was Trewyn's way of observing her capability and testing her limits. If the grandmother is being honest, she just needed to have a distraction as she could've sent Aldwin in instead but her husband has still not awoken and her worry levels are growing as time passed. So, when Vera casually asked how everything has been as she wanted a clear understanding of what she has missed and what she is in for, Trewyn let herself open up a bit about her husband and Vera's grandfather while cleaning the opened up wounds on her skin — it had stopped bleeding when Vera slipped back into consciousness but it did flow a lot more liquids than they would have liked. Vera had been rather saddened by the thought of her grandfather leaving so soon...they haven't had a chance to talk as much as she had with Grimmund and Edgar, and she hoped she could speak to him once more about her father.
Soon, Trewyn forced herself to leave after they both noted the increasing amount of voices around Vera's secluded section of the Healing Halls, excusing herself to treat the other remaining patients before they would leave, which just so happened to be that day. Helm's Deep is as busy as ever outside with women and children bustling around, and men arranging the provisions and security procedures. Vera could clearly hear the people outside the Healing Halls — thankfully, her keen senses are just as useful as it were when she woke up — and felt a smile slither onto her face when she heard the familiar voices of Gimli and Èmiliya just outside her makeshift door. Despite their duties, her friends still assembled outside to visit her. However, her worries are currently mulled over her grandfather...not that she would let it dampen her mood, of course.
Right as Trewyn flapped the leather shawl between Vera's side of the room and the outside, Legolas had entered right after, his footsteps soft and careful as Vera's eyes flickered from the wall to her familiar beloved. The smile on her face immediately widened, and she set her cup down as Legolas slowly took another step forward. It seemed as though he had been asking Vera if he could sit by her bed, which she had allowed willingly. They had mostly been asking small questions that never really mattered to the both of them, and Vera had only answered to make sure he didn't worry about her when she said she was fine — she didn't know if he believed her, though. However, after they familiarized themselves with one another, they had quickly returned to the normal manner they would always speak in, which is primarily them bantering against one another with witty remarks and sarcastic comments.
Despite the smallest flare of annoyance in her chest when Legolas pointed out that she nearly died, which should decrease her chances of winning their bet as he remained fully intact, Vera had smiled; she missed him. He didn't know it yet but he had been the sole reason as to why she forced herself to continue and why she is even alive at that moment. Without him, she would have probably still been asleep, slipping closer to death.
However, as much as they wanted to remain in the frame forever, worry-free, and full of bliss in one another's presence, Legolas had been forced back to help in the provisions and such. So, Legolas left, albeit reluctantly.
And that is how Vera had been ever since he left. She remained at her spot on the bed, her legs completely numb and foreign to her after not using it for as long as she did — she had a feeling that another reason behind her paralyzed limbs is because the lack of water she had been around — and her eyes had been completely fixated on the blank wall in front of her. The thoughts inside her mind seem to ram inside her head with a force that nearly rendered her unconscious. Although she had told Trewyn and Legolas that she was fine, she didn't feel as fine as she should feel. In fact, as mentioned in the beginning, Vera felt unnaturally cold...and she didn't know if that was a good thing or not. She hadn't had a good glimpse of how she looked like but she reckoned that she looked like hell; she could see it in Legolas' eyes when he first entered...the pity.
Therefore, when the thought occurs inside her mind, Vera's eyes linger to the mirror standing at the far corner of the secluded area she is currently located in. She didn't feel so confident about seeing herself in the mirror, knowing that it wouldn't help her thoughts, and would probably add more fuel to her self-consciousness. She didn't want to degrade herself more but the strong mermaid forced herself to get it over with before it ate her alive. So, with as much strength as she could muster, Vera forced all the energy into her lifeless limbs and attempted to rationalize how she would look like...no one could like hell, right? Vera was wrong. After she had carefully left her bed, pushing the thin blanket off her thin figure, and slowly walked over to the mirror by the other side of the room, Vera is soon faced with a sight that nearly emits a scream from her.
That didn't stop the whimper from escaping her lips, though.
To get started with, Vera already felt like...well, in one word, shit. Her mind is rather fuzzy; it's like she could properly register that is happening around her and she can properly let her mind settle into normal thoughts that one would think if they haven't been through what she has been...and yet, her mind is more different than it had been before. There is a buzzing inside her mind that constantly picked at Vera and the occasional ache in her head would consume her entire being painfully, nearly bringing her to her knees. Her limbs felt like rubber; completely numb, paralyzed, limp, and lifeless, it was. She couldn't feel a thing. It felt rather strange considering that she mostly relied on her strength and the energy in her body, seeing as she is mostly basing herself on her ability to fight, which is something that her people took their pride in. When the blood would rush to her limbs at a fast pace, the tingle would return to her body, rendering her body immobile for a while.
However, her senses are just as keen as they were before, probably even more so but Vera didn't know if that was because she had just come back from the dead or not.
Along with her senses, Vera can also feel the fulfilling sensation of her feä lightly pulsing throughout her body. Her spirit is still intertwined with Legolas in a healer's bond while she also feels independent, satisfied, and completely content. She felt like she could accomplish the world with just the roll of her tongue and the blink of her eye. She felt like she could tear the world apart with just the pout of her lips and the sound of her laughter. Her soul felt free and in a state of pleasure, despite her body feeling like complete and utter shit. Along with this, Vera can also feel Legolas' brilliant feä connected with hers, causing a pleasurable thrum to waver inside her body. Their bond seemed more tenacious than it has been before with their souls actually touching, even if it just barely and even if it was in a professional sort of way. It felt pleasing yet truthfully rather distant.
She didn't want it to end but another part of her is fully aware that they have a more different bond than just professional.
And when they connected with the use of that same bond, it would be far more sensual than the healer's bond they currently have. Vera knew that he only held it within them to ensure that she is stable, and she can still feel his light buzzing inside of her feä, but she wondered how it would feel like when it is just her supporting herself.
Returning to the matter at hand, Vera felt herself resist the vile saliva climbing up her throat as she reluctantly swallowed the disgusting fluid back down, watching as her face screwed up in pure disgust. Although her eyes are completely concentrated on her figure. Her eyes begin to tear but she doesn't let them fall down as a shiver runs down her back tauntingly. Vera looked like a ghost. Sure, she felt lifeless but seeing herself appear so death-like made her want to puke right there and then. She just didn't feel like herself, and as someone who took great pride in herself, it was not something Vera thoroughly enjoyed. Her skin is paler than it was when she last saw it, a few shades lighter than her ordinary complexion as it brought out the darkness of her other features. Her hair, despite being vibrant against the whiteness of her skin, is still dull and limp, laying on her shoulders with no life evident. Her hazel eyes, which were normally warm pools of honey enwrapped around her black rings, is completely empty...as if there is nothing there.
No happiness, no anger, no despair...just a blank space.
Her body may have felt weak but the way she looked now would be nothing compared to that feeling. It looked as if she could instantly fall down if someone blew air at her, reacting to it by falling to her knees on the ground in a heap. Her skin clung to her bones sickeningly, only adding more to the deathly appearance she has on now as her pale complexion stuck close to her aching bones. She could see the skeleton lying underneath, and Vera wondered if someone would bring food by when she needed it. Trewyn had already given her water; she figured that they are short on some food supplies, meaning that she would not be able to eat soon. Vera felt and looked dead. Her full lips are pale, losing the bright color it once had. Her wounds are still raw from when they had opened up during her seizure, creating a nauseous frame around the open bruise. It looked revolting.
In order to keep herself from vomiting right then and there, Vera turned away from the mirror and slowly ambled towards her makeshift bed, hearing the creak of the wooden structure emit throughout the room. Followed after that, as Vera positioned herself comfortably on the bed, is the familiar sound of footsteps advancing towards her section of the Healing Halls. Vera ignored the desire to crawl under the covers of her blankets and hide away from anyone who wanted to see her, especially someone who saw her differently from how she looked now. It may have been stupid to care about how she looked but Vera always is confident about how she looked like...and she looked like a ghost, at the moment. Instead, she attempted to remain casual and held her head high, awaiting the arrival of whoever would enter through the leather sheath in front of her.
Her entire expression soon melted onto a smile as the familiar face of Neptune Prince and Corin Decourt appeared through. She had missed her two best friends, and couldn't wait to see them again, especially after not seeing them since the battle. She hoped Neptune wouldn't be too angry about her pushing her limits, and by the looks of it, Neptune didn't look so different from Vera. His eyes were sunken in and surrounded by dark bruises, covering his eyes and making him look rather dark than his ordinary bright expression. His blonde hair mat onto his head, clinging with sweat as it seems as if they ran all the way here. Vera's mind flickered to Neptune's father and the guilt returned all too soon...he looked so much like Kai. Corin, on the other hand, looked more well-kempt than Neptune did. Vera knew her best friend more than anyone and she knew that when he wanted to avoid being sucked into a whirlpool of emotion, he would throw himself into work to busy himself.
However, Vera ignored all those flaws, knowing she couldn't speak considering she looked worse than both of them combined.
Instead, Vera let herself smile as widely as she could without hurting herself, letting her arms spread out for them to enter in and embrace her. While Neptune didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around Vera, Corin chose to remain behind for the sake of her frail bones. "You..." Corin starts, his voice somewhat teasing yet genuine, "look like shit. And I say that with care and affection towards you, Vera, love." Vera chose to ignore the comment, forcing the saliva down her throat once more as she giggled back at Corin, knowing that he is mostly joking around by the lightness in his tone. "Alright, mate, maybe you should let her go."
Vera shoved the annoyed reaction igniting in her chest at the worried look Corin and Neptune sent her, disliking the way they treated her as if she were a china doll who could break at any moment. Perhaps the reason why she is so affected by their worrying is because they have reason to be. Neptune really is cutting her oxygen off and creating more problems than they are solving. Her muscles and bones ached painfully under the weight of Neptune on her, despite how much she wanted to ignore it and pretend like everything is normal. Her breathing is running short by how tightly Neptune embraced her but she knew he wasn't hugging her as tightly as she would have wanted. When her brother separates from her, she offers him a reassuring smile before accepting a short hug from her other best friend, letting him kiss the side of her head platonically.
She smiled up at them, giving them more space to ease their comforts inside the smaller area. "How have you two been?" Vera asks, her voice a little croaky as she swallowed the lump in her throat and the repulsive fluid once more, feeling it inching back as she tried to pretend like everything is okay. "I've missed you both."
Neptune smiles sadly. "We've missed you, too. You gave us quite a scare, Vera. We thought we'd never see you again by the way that you kept fading off and slipping in and out. It was terrifying, really, but we all have to say thank you to that friend of yours. Legolas is basically your life-saver," Neptune softly tells her, his voice wavering slightly at the 'friend.' Vera hid a smile, knowing that her brother is more irked about her relationship with him.
"I know," Vera murmurs back, a smile on her face as she thought about him adoringly. Corin and Neptune fake a gag jokingly at her, earning a slap at the back on both of their heads. The boys groan in unison, glaring at Vera as she sent them a pleased smirk. "Stop. Enough about that, I want to know what I missed. Grams tried to tell me but she seemed to be more occupied with something, not that I can blame her...and Legolas was mostly worried about me so I never really got an answer from that annoying prince. From what I've heard, though, Grimmund is off the deep end and Edgar isn't any better."
Corin and Neptune sent a glance toward one another, and Vera is briefly reminded of a time where they did something similar when a life-changing fact entered their lives. She patiently waits for them to answer her, all the while having her left eyebrow raised as she folded her arms over her chest and bit her lip. Eventually, their private conversation soon ends and their attention is brought back to the brunette girl on the bed. Carefully, Corin brought a stew from one of the tables beside her bed, having previously set it down upon his entrance — they had brought it for Vera in hopes that she would be in a better mood with food in her belly after days of not being able to consume anything. Vera raised both her eyebrows at that but gratefully accepted the heated stew, nearly inhaling it completely as she let the hot, delicious liquid slither down her throat, eliciting a moan from her. Corin seemed to find it amusing.
"You liking that?" he asks with his eyebrows raised, his tone full of amusement as Vera hummed back in response, completely gratified.
Vera nodded, knowing that she can't hold back her moan as she forced another spoon of stew in her mouth. "Mhm...so, are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to consume the rest of the provisions set out here?"
Neptune sighs...they had hoped that she would be more occupied on her food than what they have in store for her but Vera is as determined — and stubborn — as they come. "Everything has been going smoothly. Rohan and the elves of Lothlòrien have lost many of their people but they like to think that it contributes to their victory. They are mostly just preparing to leave after sorting through the...those who have passed and arranging for their proper burial. And, er, half of our people who have survived have been sent back to the ocean in order to send news back to Atlantis, lead by Marina considering she is as trustful as she can be. The other half chose to stay here...they want to help with the alliance and ensure that you are safe and healthy. We sent word when you awoke and they will be accompanying the others when traveling back to Edoras. Other than that, we've only just been awaiting your awakening," Neptune reported, his voice straight-forward and somber.
Vera nods slowly, letting the words enter her fuzzy mind as smoothly as it could in her bumpy mind as she lets the newly emptied bowl in her hands lower onto the bed in front of her. Her eyebrows furrow in thought as she contemplates her next words. There had been so much in her mind that she completely forgot about her people and the battle that has happened beforehand. She felt horrible; what kind of Queen didn't put her people first? She had woken up and her first thought hasn't even been about her people, and who they have lost in the battle — a battle which Vera barely remembered. But when she did, she felt the familiar urge to empty her entire stomach out. She carefully gave the bowl off to Neptune, who took it almost instantly as if he knew that she would do that, while still thinking about the battle...she could barely remember it.
In fact, all she could remember is flashes of blood red and the stench of death.
Corin notices her mind reeling at the prospect of what they have said, and after sending a concerned look to Neptune, he decides to speak up, "we—we, er...we lost about ninety-eight of our people during the battle...including a few generals. Compared to how much everyone else lost, it isn't much...but, err, in total it would be...half of the numbers."
Vera felt the air knock right out of her. While she was almost surprised by the number of people lost in battle, she had been more panicked at the knowledge that the other people in battle have barely survived. Her mind suddenly flickers to something more vivid, this time, as she tries to disfigure it in her mind. She tries to calm herself down but as the vision grows clearer, her heart begins to race at an alarming pace...now, all she could see is Britta. The Uruk standing over her with a menacing glare, the sword being plunged into his chest repeatedly and mercilessly, the blood splattering over the Uruk and Britta as his lifeless eyes stare back at Vera's helplessly wild orbs. Her screams seem to echo in her mind, reminding her of how traumatizing her experience was as she tried nearing the man while keeping herself safe. The Uruk didn't hesitate in slicing him down once again...it was all coming back to her.
And suddenly, she couldn't stop the saliva.
Bursting from her spot on the bed, Vera pushed past Corin and Neptune, who straightened alarmingly at her quick movements, as she forces her head into the bucket while emptying her stomach completely. She ignored the groans of disgust and curses from her friends as she continues to wretch uncontrollably into the wooden bucket, feeling the urge to let it all out consume her, blinding her from the disgust that would normally happen. She felt someone hold her hair back as she continued to puke into the container, feeling the repulsive feeling crawl back into her system. Corin shared a look with Neptune, choosing to look away from the contents spiraling out of her stomach revoltingly.
As her chest heaved and her vomiting halted, Vera slowly backed away from the bucket, wiping her lips from the vomit dripping down her chin as she calms herself down. Accepting the cup of water, Vera's breathing shortened as she tried to collect herself once more. As Neptune asked what is wrong, Vera contemplated her answer as she tried to ignore the queasy feeling inside her stomach.
Glancing back at her two best friends, Vera sighs. "I need to talk to someone. Help me up."
When no one answered her, she gave them a look and offered her hand for them to grab. Neptune and Corin looked at each other. "I'm not going near you, you're disgusting, right now."
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Vera felt a lot better now that she was dressed up.
She had forced herself up from her sitting position, no thanks to Corin and Neptune, who refused to come near her because of her previous episode — not that Vera minded; she rather enjoyed being independent. However, after Vera shooed them from her secluded area, she had called for Trewyn to bring her something to wear and some water to clear her mouth from the stench once more. Trewyn had obeyed with no complaints but was rather confused on why she wanted to change...when Vera explained, she had been completely against it and insisted that Vera needed to rest before thrusting herself back into the busy streets of Helm's Deep. The brunette ignored her completely and had moved behind the mirror to dress herself, tying to corset onto her chest and buttoning the robe comfortably as she adjusted the clothing of her new attire. She had been dressed in silk robes when on her deathbed and as comfortable as that was, Vera missed the more formal attire of being out of bed.
When Trewyn refused to give her her dagger in hopes that she would lie back down and continue resting, Èmiliya had sneaked into the secluded area and swiftly stole the sheathed dagger from Trewyn's hands, jumping onto the bed comfortably as she warmly embraced the brunette mermaid, who happily accepted the greeting from the little girl she had missed. They shared a small conversation before Trewyn brought their attention back to the current situation; Èmiliya is expectedly on Vera's side. As the little girl ambushed Trewyn with a hug and a cradle, Vera had sneaked away from the two and exited through the flap, using the cloak on her shoulders to hide her face from the other healers who would insist that she remained in bed. Vera didn't need them to fuss over her, especially when she is feeling a lot better after eating and retching, as strange as it sounded.
She maneuvers her way through the busied crowds of Helm's Deep, narrowly missing Aragorn and Thèoden, despite wanting nothing more than to throw her arms around them — they would only force herself back to the Healing Halls, and she had gone too far to back down. She was determined to find her blonde friend, who is probably still in his mourning stage, as she navigated through the bustling corridors of the stronghold. She couldn't believe how everything has changed from the once-mighty stone structure to crumbling walls, and back to nearly-completely buildings. Vera felt herself frown as she notes a saddened child crying with his mother towards the side of the corridor, and Vera finally notices the amount of bodies hiding beyond the wall that they are both overlooking. The brunette breathes hesitantly.
She ignores the fire running through her veins as she tries to calm herself down and shoves the indignant pain from bursting through her system. Vera slowly makes her way through the halls, reaching the main entrance of a scene that didn't help Vera's breaking heart. There are many people inside the secluded area, most of which are women and children; they are grieving those who they have lost, probably knowing that they will never see their bodies again after leaving Helm's Deep for they are to be buried under the earth and into the grounds of their forefathers. Vera let her eyes run over the many people inside, trying to spot the familiar blonde that she is seeking. Her breath catches inside her throat as she finally sees him by the farthest distance, away from everyone else, and separated from the rest. She frowns before forcing herself to walk forward, hoping that she wouldn't alert him of her presence.
He didn't seem to notice her as she approached him, too caught up in his thoughts to notice a hooded figure advancing towards him. Vera thanked the Valar for that before softly placing herself beside Edgar, looking down at the tomb briefly before tearing her eyes away to hide the sadness in her eyes. "Hey," Vera murmurs to him, jolting Edgar out of his thoughts as he literally jumps in surprise. "You okay?" Vera mumbles out, her voice soft as she internally scolds herself for asking such a stupid question. Of course, he wouldn't be fine.
Edgar scoffs, a bitter smile on his face as he gently shook his head. "Yeah, I'm okay," Edgar answered, but they both knew he was lying. "My father just died a few days ago...left me here alone with nobody else to watch over me except for myself. Maybe it'll be a good thing...maybe, I can focus on myself more than I did before, considering I wasted my goddamn life looking over him. Probably a good chance, right? By the Valar, Vera, I am not okay. None of this is okay. I'm happy that you're alive and breathing, Vera, believe me, but...none of this is okay. My father, who has been around my entire life, is gone and I have no idea what I am going to do. He's always been there for me! It's always been him and me, and now...he's just gone. What am I supposed to do? Elfswith can be dead tomorrow, for all we know, and anyone can die at any moment...me and you included. What's the point of this anymore?" Edgar finally blew up, his voice rising every so often as he turned away from the tombstone to face Vera, his hand aimlessly flying around to emphasize his point as the tears rush into his eyes.
Vera had already started crying during his speech, her eyes being brimmed with tears as she let herself cry over what she is hearing. Her friend — not just any friend but her most positive and caring friend — felt like there is nothing left for him in this world after everything he has done. He doesn't see a purpose in his life anymore, and Vera may not have had a father to live with nor does she know the pain of losing someone like that but she knows grief...and it can be absolutely crushing. Her friend is hurting and he is mourning, and it seems like no one was there to help him or understand. She didn't know exactly what has happened but Vera knew he needed someone to help him. Without a second thought, Vera pulled Edgar into her arms, letting his arms wrap around her waist as he pushed his head onto the crook of her neck, sobbing softly as he tried to mumble words out.
Vera shushes the boy soothingly, knowing that he needed to let it all out instead of apologizing or trying to explain himself. "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," Vera tries to comfort, knowing deep in her heart that it is okay. "I know...I know that it may not seem like it, now, but everything will turn out okay in the end. And I know it hurts and I know it will never truly leave, let me tell you that, but it will get easier. You will be fine because you are strong and you have a purpose in this world. This has been for something...you have to keep fighting. Fight to win this war; don't let his death be in vain. Britta wouldn't want you talking like this and you know that. It will be okay, Edgar, I promise. Please, just..." Vera trailed off, her voice cracking as she explained her words through her tears, cradling his head onto her hands as they both sniffled and sobbed into one another, letting the world crush them before they crushed it back harder. Then, she looked him right in the eye. "I know."
Edgar nods, his cheeks blotchy with tears as he hugs Vera once more. "I—I—I jus—just...I just wanted to say goodbye. You know, I just wanted to let him know that I love him."
Vera swallowed a lump. "He knows, Edgar. H—he...I saw him when I was unconscious...it felt like a dream but I knew it wasn't. He was happy...so happy. He was with a woman, she was beautiful and she looked just like you. Her smile, her eyes...you have it all. He seemed so fulfilled, Edgar, and I know that he is waiting for you up there. Your time will come but now is not the time, do you understand? He told me that I needed to move on and wake up...and before I left, he told me to watch over you and that he will love you, always. Edgar, he knows," Vera cries out, her voice breaking in between lines as Edgar's sobs seem to intensify even more.
They stood in that position for what seems like the longest time ever, merely cradling one another as they whispered reassuring words to one another through their tears and their sniffles, trying to calm themselves down as the sun began to enter the third hour of the afternoon, the people inside the makeshift gravesite dispersing as they all begin to leave Helm's Deep for the first time since the battle of the Hornsburg. Vera felt her throat tighten and her energy seemed to drain but Vera had never felt more alive than she did at that moment. She felt stronger than when she woke up and she was rather thankful about that. Edgar felt himself cool down eventually, his eyes slowly softening.
A voice brought them out of their embrace. "Well, it seems I have arrived at the wrong time."
Vera jumped out of Edgar's arms, wiping the tears under her eyes as she faces the familiar voice of Gandalf the White. Without thinking, she thrust herself into his arms to have a quick hug before separating with a sad laugh. The wizard merely winks back at her, noting the red eyes and blotchy faces that they both portray. A knowing glint echoes in his eyes that only Vera seems to understand fully as the words click inside her mind...Gandalf knew what has happened...it wasn't a dream and Britta's words were actually true; Edgar will get his closure. Edgar cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking the moment between the man and the smaller woman. "Gandalf, is there a reason as to why you're...here?" he asks uncomfortably.
The maia merely looks down at them both, his eyes glinting in the light. "I do believe that there is a certain wizard needing to be confronted for his selfish ways, along with a certain pair of Hobbits who are in dire need of our help. Vera, don't you think it's time that you be reunited with your friends?"