𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 ➵︎ [ 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘧 ]

56| The letter

A/N: If you haven't seen my recent message board post, updates will probably be super slow from now on because of school, and I appreciate everyone's patience <3. This chapter was half-written already, so I decided to finish it and publish it!

It's a long one, so enjoy :D

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As Aldion and I walked through the gates of Edoras once more, a great sense of sadness washed over me. Beneath the waning moonlight, the village seemed so peaceful. All I could hear was the chirping of insects and the soft whispering of the wind. In the night, it seemed so...picturesque.

A stark contrast from when I was here. It seemed that without me, the town had returned to its quiet, tranquil, former state.

As Aldion made his way up the pathway, I took in the serenity, cherishing the silence. I hoped that my departure would mean that it could remain this way.

Dismounting from the wolfhound's back, I gave him a small pat on the head.

"Wait for me here, will you?" I whispered. "I'll be back soon."

He seemed to nod in acknowledgment. Sending him a small smile, I turned around, before making my own way up the rest of the path towards one of the buildings, the smile slowly fading away as the realisation dawned: this was really happening.

Carefully, I pushed open the door to one of them, cringing internally at the loud creak that echoed through the room. After a few minutes of silence, I breathed a sigh of relief, before slipping into the room. My feet padded soundlessly against the wooden floorboards as I made my way down the hallway, finally stopping at the door leading into the company's sleeping quarters.

Placing my hand on the doorknob, I closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath.

Quietly turning the doorknob, I slowly pushed the door open, sending a silent prayer of gratitude to the Valar when it did not make a noise. I didn't think I'd be able to face anyone. Not now.

Pushing it all the way open, I peered into the room. Inside, Merry and Gimli seemed to be sleeping soundly in their beds.

I felt my heart sink. This would be the last time I would be able to see them. But at least they would be safer without me, I told myself over and over again in my mind.

On the other hand, Aragorn and Legolas' beds were empty. Strangely, I felt both a sense of relief and a wave of disappointment. They were the lightest sleepers, and yet, despite being most likely to wake up, I had still hoped to see them one more time.

One last time.

But I shook my head, trying to shake those thoughts from my mind. I did not come here to wallow in my sorrows.

Slowly, I crept across the room, careful to not make any noise that would rouse them. Grabbing a bag, I began to take items that would help me along my journey; my cloak from Lothlorien, a few bundles of Lembas bread, a map and after some contemplation, my bow and quiver.

I was leaving everything behind, the least I could do was use the skills that Legolas taught me.

As I made my way back to the door, I struggled to ignore the ache throbbing in my heart. This was it. This was the only option, I tried to convince myself. Sending one final glance at my sleeping companions, I silently shut the door behind me, the soft thud seeming to resonate into the silence like the final beat of a drum.

Exiting the building, I could see the faint rays of dawn's early light streaming over the horizon in the eastern sky. Setting my jaw, I made a final decision. It was time to leave. By the time the sun had fully risen, I would be long gone.