DAVINA ⇝ Thorin Oakenshield

Chapter 27

She was home again, home, in the Valley of her people. It was as beautiful as it had once been, all the homes intact as wildflowers grew along the familiar dirt paths weaving between the village. It was peaceful, but strangely vacant. Davina could not bring herself to care about that at that precise moment, however; she was too busy admiring the home she had missed dearly over the years.

"Davina."

The crimson-haired girl turned, her eyes widening with tears upon seeing her beloved mother standing near the fountain in the village square. "Mother!" She exclaimed, running over to her.

Sidel enveloped her eldest child in the tightest of hugs, cherishing these few moments the Valar had permitted her to have with her. "You did well, my daughter."

"I... I don't understand," Davina said, pulling away to look up at her in confusion. "How are we -- how can I --?"

"This is your in-between," Sidel explained. "Your place between life and death. Everyone's is different. It takes the form of the one place you ever felt truly at peace; for you, that is the Nymali Valley." She paused, pushing the hair from her daughter's face and tucking it behind her ears gently. "The Valar has permitted me as the one to speak with you. They are very pleased with you, Davina, for all that you have done. Saving Durin sons has turned out to be what you were destined for; without you, they would surely have perished... but I'm sure you know that."

Davina nodded, blinking away the tears in her eyes. "I'm glad they are okay," she said honestly. "And... and I'm okay with dying, as long as it means they are."

The Queen of the Nymali shook her head, smiling softly. "Daughter... you are not to die today."

Her eyebrows furrowed, not understanding what her mother was saying. "But I Healed Thorin with all my life's essence."

"There was a very small piece of it that remained once your dwarf was healed," Sidel revealed. "It would not have been enough to survive upon... but the Valar is in agreement that you still have many things left to do in Middle Earth. They've agreed to spare you, although it won't come without a price."

Davina stared blankly, trying to process what she was hearing. "You mean... You mean I'll get to --?"

"Return to your One?" Sidel's smile widened, and she nodded. "Yes... but I am regretful to tell you the price for returning to Middle Earth."

"What is it?"

Sidel hesitated for a long moment before finally answering. "The Valar has agreed that, as a result of granting you another chance at life, they will revoke your Healing Essence."

"You mean... I won't be able to Heal anymore?"

Her mother nodded grimly, and Davina nearly stumbled back in shock. Of course it may not have seemed too big of a price to pay for what she was getting in return, but it was still a hard concept to grasp. As a Nymali, the pride and joy of their entire existence was their ability to Heal. The knowledge that Davina was going to lose her ability to do that... it was startling.

"There isn't much time," Sidel went on as their surroundings ever-so-slowly began to fade. "Your physical body is slowly starting to heal and regenerate your life's essence. It will take a long time, but you will be unconscious for the majority of it. Soon, you will leave this in-between."

"But I only just got here," Davina said. Her eyes filled with tears again as she clutched onto her mother's hands. "I only just got to see you... after all this time, and I'm not ready to just let you go again..."