The Family Line Part 142 – The Last Departing

Part 142 – The Last Departing

The day started out cool and fresh. The sun was bright as it rose over the eastern hills of Evendim in the sporadically cloud laden sky. In the nearby trees, the birds chirped their melodic songs, giving the morning a cheerful feeling. A slight breeze came over the land from the east, warm and inviting; not cold and fearful from the north like when the enemy held the city. It was a good day for Theomin and Eleswith to travel home.

At the bridge on the lower level, just before the overpassing bridge of the Ariant, Theomin and Eleswith secured their saddles on their horses. Bragga was filled with cloth and provisions for their journey south. Eleswith’s horse also had its provisions and water. She named her horse Dale, after the town she longed to journey back to.
Aches, who was just to the side of Theomin, was grooming himself and scratching behind his ear as he stood waiting for Theomin. He had not a clue what was going to soon happen. Every once in a while, Theomin would bend down and give Aches a scratch behind his lynx’s ear as would Eleswith. His lynx was quite fond of Eleswith as Aches would rub up against her leg every now and again.

“Are you ready for our long journey?” Eleswith asked.

“I am ready to return,” Thoemin replied. “I have been ready to travel home for a long while.”

“Sorry, I was talking to Aches,” she smiled at Theomin and gave him a slight playful hit on the shoulder. “I feel like I may miss this city, this place, these people. We spent so much time defending it and retaking it. It has taken so much effort to just be giving it up so lightly. I feel it is now part of me. Like my own child.” She rubbed her belly as she began to think, “I’ve thought of my child every day since I found out in Bree. I almost feel I want my child to be born here.”

“You do not need to leave, you know,” Theomin said.

“Oh, you have to be kidding,” Eleswith said. “I will miss this place, but leaving is the right thing to do. My time is ended here in Eriador. I’m happy to be leaving.”

“As am I. And if your baby is born at my house, I know we can help you with it,” Theomin agreed.

“Thank you, Theomin, for that offer,” Eleswith said. “But I want my child to be born in Dale. I want him to know the town as I knew it. My father did not grow up in Dale. He grew up in Esgoroth and did not know Dale until he was older. I want my child to not know that. I want my child to know Dale as the town he was born in and loves.” She rubbed her stomach as she continued, “I want to tell my child tales of all I have done. Befriended elves and dwarves. Confronted drakes, orcs, worms and strange women with wings. Went to amazing places like Annuminas and…” she trailed off in a sad remembrance, “and Aman Sul. Met great men like you and Sergee.”

“Your child will have a strong mother,” Theomin said. “I only hope he grows up to know that.”

They continued to make sure they had their belongings packed, ready and convenient to them on their long road. They planned on taking the same path Theomin took almost a year ago. They planned to travel south through Bree, then east toward the Misty Mountains and then turn south toward the Gap of Rohan. It was then they would continue east through Rohan and to the Wold. Eleswith agreed to stay with Theomin for a while in the Wold before she left for Dale.

“Have you room for one more to travel with you?” the elf Sylderan came to them. “Only part way at least. I plan on visiting my kin that are occupying the outpost of Echad Dunan, nearby the walls of Moria.”

“Moria?” Theomin asked astonished. “I thought you had a terrible journey through those mines.”

“Of course I did,” Sylderan said. “That is why I am not entering the mine. I wanted to only visit my kin, not enter the mine. The last time I came through there, I had not the time to sit and have a good visit with them. I at least want to do so this last time before I travel with the Lady of the Golden Wood to Mithlond. The Twilight Company did its duty. My brothers gave the message to the Lady Galadrial. Now, I plan to stay and wait for her arrival to Eregion.”

“Then travel with us you may,” Theomin said. “The more we have traveling with us, the safer.”

“Then why not stay here and safe. Why travel at all?” Sergee said as he came down with Estonethiel.

“Good, you received my message,” Theomin said. “Why travel at all, you say?”

“It was only a jest, with a little seriousness,” Sergee said. “You will be missed, Theomin. I mean it.”

“I will miss you too,” Theomin said. “I can say, you will always be close in my heart. As the only real brother I have, I will love you always. With all we went through together, I feel we have lived two lifetimes together.”

“And Eleswith,” Sergee said. “You have been close all this time. I feel you have been my sister this entire journey we’ve had together.”

Eleswith began to tear up, “I have nothing but love and respect for you. You and Estonethiel and Krovrin have much to do here.”
“Aye, we do,” Sergee said. “But I feel it is different now. We have not the distractions of Teryndir. Nor are we under the constant threat from Angmar. We are safe now and we owe much of that safety to you,” he said as he looked at Theomin and Eleswith. “I only wish Helesdir was here to celebrate with us.”

“Yes,” a tear fell from Eleswith’s eye, “as do I.”

Theomin looked at Eleswith. “It was a long road we forged together. From the hidden base in the Lone Lands to the fearful hills of the Valley of the Worms. We fought a long hard road. But here we are, in the city we have retaken twice. Our road together ends here. It is a sweet ending, all-be-it a bitter one. I love this city as if it was one that I was born in. But that is not the case. I was born here in Eriador, but I am, in my heart, from Rohan. I will leave this place for the only home I have ever known and loved. That is why it is such a sweet moment.”

“Always know,” Estonethiel said to Theomin and Eleswith, “you are in our hearts.”

It was then that Krovrin came from behind and called out, “Are you set to leave already?”

“Aye,” Theomin said, “we are. And we could not leave without saying bye to our favorite dwarf Marshall.”

Theomin came up to the dwarf and the dwarf quickly took his hand and shook it with both of his, “Thank you, Theomin, for taking a chance on a dwarf such as myself. You saved me from the prison in Bree. You kept me alive here in Annuminas and gave not only me but my kin a chance to help rebuild Eriador for all the free peoples.” It was then that a few dwarves came up to the parting company. They lifted their axes and yelled out, “Baruk Khazad, Khazad Ai-menu, Baruk Khazad, Khazad Ai-menu!” and it repeated as Sergee and Estonethiel came to Theomin.

“Good travels, Theomin,” Sergee said.

“May the light of the Valar shine upon you,” Estonethiel said to them.

Theomin knelt down and placed his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. “Krovrin, leader of dwarves in Evendim, thank for aiding me and my kin. You will always be in my thoughts as the best dwarf I have ever known.”

The dwarf joined his other Marshalls as the wardens and rangers of Annuminas came down to see the three off on their journey home. Theomin mounted Bragga, Eleswith mounted Dale and Sylderan mounted his steed, Tyelka. Aches then jumped atop Bragga and snuggled on the saddle next to Theomin. Together, they turned as horns behind and all around them blew. They three began their long journey home with a small push for their horses to start trotting toward the eastern gate toward Men Erain. All around them, horns blew and from the bridge of the Ariant confetti flew down in honor of those three who were departing from Annuminas. Cheers also erupted from all around as they passed toward the ruined arch that marked the eastern boarder of Annuminas.

As they traveled through the road through Men Erain, the horns of the men of Annuminas could still be heard until, at the very last of the mausoleums of the kings, the horns stopped. But after the horns stopped, loud booms were heard from the city. Fireworks were blown into the sky. All manner of colors were seen, blues, greens, reds and golds there were with the very last of the fireworks being the largest. They then stopped as the three passed on the final pass toward the bridge of the Colossus and Annuminas was seen no more.