Tindomerel looked at watched Rhayader fall asleep. She looked up at the sound of Nimloth growling as someone entered. She looked up at Corus, giving him a very weak, forced out smile.
"I hope," she answered his question, "It's up to him now. I've done nearly everything I can..."
She felt a squeeze on her hand and found Rhayader was squeezing it, even in his sleep.

_________________
The Ever So Confused One

Sig ll Moi

Corus smiled.

"Hope is a very common thing these days and people speak about it a lot, but don`t ever stop to think it`s meaning.."

Corus said and got up stepping forward.

"I think you should rest yourself too or at least eat since you have been taking care of him for a while..."

(g2g)

_________________

Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!

Arinae furrowed her brows, suddenly remembering what had happened earlier during the battle, when she had ordered Rhayader to take leave of the battle field.

"If you'll excuse my a minute, Milord, he has just mentioned one of my commanders..." She addressed Aemornion with a nod of apology before stepping into the tent after Corus.

It was a sad sight her eyes beheld, as she realized Rhayader had indeed ignored her direct order during battle, but no anger dwelt in her gaze, nor blame, as she placed a hand on Tin's shoulder and bent down to speak quietly to the elf.

"When he awakes, please call for me, Lady Tin... Be strong, mellon nin." She did not want to disturb Rhayader or the others who rested within the healers' tent, so she turned to leave after the briefly spoken words.

Arinaes expression was troubled as she went to step outside again, breathing deeply of the fresh air, her thoughts preoccupied for a moment before she released the breath in a barely audible sigh.

_________________


I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Tindomerel shook her head at Corus. "Hope is the only to hold onto at time. I find myself turning to it offen. I'll be fine," she said, "He needs me here."
She nodded to Arinae, as Nimloth growled at Corus' every move. "I will make sure to," she said, "He was awake before. I got some herbs on the wounds and a speacially disgusting mix down his throat."

_________________
The Ever So Confused One

Sig ll Moi

Aemornion watched her enter the tent then he turned his gaze towards the fields. He suddenly percieved Dagonet walking up to him slowly with his chin dropped to the ground. He knew what was his duty today.

"Captain..." Dagonet murmured with his gaze bent to the ground
"Tell me Dagonet.... how many" replied Aemornion in a low and faltering voice.
Dagonet swallowed hard "twenty two lethal, fourty seriously injured and the rest slightly" he hasitated for a moment "and Horfin"
Aemornion looked suddenly at him in shock "No...." he whispered to himself unable to believe it.
"Forgive me captain..." said Dagonet while placing his hand on the captains shoulder and striding off into the night.

Aemornion cast his gaze downward still not believing the words. He felt weak and sat down on the ground idly while his grim face looked towards the mounds

_________________
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the Warrior for his glory. I love the homeland which they defend.

Arinae glanced to see the Gondorian captain sitting upon the earthen floor, noting a dismal expression upon the usually stern face. She hesitated in approaching him, concidering whether it would be better to leave him to his thoughts.

"Milord..." her voice still hesitated, but speech had been made so she continued, "what is it that holds your expression so suddenly more so grim? If it is not of my business I shall gladly leave you be..."

She stood somewhat before and beside him, her gaze dropped down to observe the noble features of the leader, again with the admiring expression, for she knew he felt both pain and pride for his fallen comrades, as a true leader should. It was a high and difficult task to accomplish, to witness the falling of ones own men, to grieve, yet to stand steady and lead, and that was what Arinae found worthy of admiration within this Gondorian soldier.

_________________


I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Aemornion continued to gaze to the fields while fidling around with a broken piece of a twig. He hasitated to speak but he felt the need to say something for he beheld only warmth in the womans voice.

"Horfin..." he spoke the name with reverence "he got wed not so long ago, a beautiful wife he has that carries to him a child. Unfortunately that child will never see his father again." he swallowed hard "like many of those that wait for the arrival of their fathers, husbands, sons and brothers" he cast his gaze down holding back tears "I promised to those at home i will bring them safely from the battle.... each and everyone of them. I failed my kin... i failed them once again, for so many have fallen" he clutched the twig in his hand fierecly until it broke asunder.

_________________
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the Warrior for his glory. I love the homeland which they defend.

Tindomerel's eyes were closing slightly, but she kept herself up. She couldn't fall...asleep...
Next thing thing she knew it, she was sleeping, leaning on Rhayader, gently, sleeping, still holding his hand.

_________________
The Ever So Confused One

Sig ll Moi

It was with a troubled yet gentle expression that Arinae crouched to his level, resting upon one knee as she searched his expression. "They fell with honor, dignity, bravery... we cannot always prevent death, for it is by death that they have reached a true peace, their well earned rest... they served their captain well, and would not wish to see him blame himself for the enemy's cruelty against them...."

She bowed her head for a moment, as though reviewing her own words, dwelling upon them to better learn from them herself, for she believed if one could not take their own words to heart and believe in them, one cannot truly offer them to another.

"Milord," she continued in a quiet tone, "you have not failed your kin, for if you have, then I have failed mine oh so miserably and bitterly by way of wrong judgement at times... you did your uttmost to see them safely through, and you cannot by your own hand contain the wrath and weapons of the enemy."

_________________


I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Tindomerel continued to sleep, peacefully. The healers didn't move her, in fear of waking both her and Rhayader. The two both needed rest, so they were left there. Tindomerel's breathing was normal, unlike the last time she had rested. Nimloth rsted at her feet and Lebethron still worked on getting free of the stupid rope, tugging on it and biting it. He wanted to run around or have Tindomerel give him a nice rub down.

_________________
The Ever So Confused One

Sig ll Moi

"I would have died for each and everyone of them a thousand deaths fairest and mightiest of ladies" he managed to glance towards Arinae with sadness in his dark eyes, but as he beheld her strength and dignity to carry on through the torture of the life, his heart felt a slight relief.

"To be a leader is a honour and a curse alike for you felt it also and know of what im talking about. But that was the path chosen for me, thats how i must walk upon it." he took a deep breath.

The campfires had bin lit and both the Rohhirim and the Gondorians sat together by them. Even if he was bitter for the loss of those who fell, Aemornion felt joy for those who stayed alive.

Soon, as the night took its toll and the moon was waxing, voices had been raised. A deep toned lament was echoing for the fallen, the voice of his comrades went to his heart deep. Soon Aemornion raised his voice into a chant alike and the slow and mournful song echoed through the place. His tears now have flown freely but peace was in his face once again and pride for the love of their home and everything that was good and fair.

_________________
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the Warrior for his glory. I love the homeland which they defend.

Arinae lowered her gaze with a feeling of unworthiness at his words of high respect towards her. She would rather them not be spoken of her for there were others she knew to be more worthy of such, but she remained silent, respectful of his every word.

She felt joy alike towards the life of those still with them there, held hope to the recovery of those who were more severely wounded, and knew peace and escape from pain and sorrow had come to those who had fallen.

Unshed tears shimmered within Arinae's own eyes but did not fall as she listened to the words of the lament, until the voices of her own kin came forth in the speech of their own tongue. It was then she joined the solemn words, the many voices flowing smoothly in strong Rohirric, as it had many times in battle and by fire through the ages and would in years still to come.

_________________


I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Tindomerel woke at the sound of the lament, startled slightly. She looked at Rhayader, smiling slightly at him, still holding his hand, tightly, not having let go in her rest. She sat back up.
Tindomerel started in an elvish lament, that twined with the other quite nicely. Singing had been a talent of her's, her voice more fair than that of most of her kin. Her voice had tones of sorrow as she sang, Nimloth looking up and letting out a bone chilling howl, that fit into Tindomerel's song quite nicely.

_________________
The Ever So Confused One

Sig ll Moi

Aemornion's bone chilled suddenly as he heard a pierecing howl of an wolf close by that was followed carefully by an almost abrupt, high pitched but lovely voice that echoed silently while pushing the hard and heavy voices of men aside. He sighed and stoped with the lament and slowly stood to his feet.

He walked towards an idle place where he laid himself to rest and fell into an uneasy sleep on the ground under a dead tree. The clamour of blades and the shrill cries echoed in his head for ever since for many days, weeks and months

_________________
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the Warrior for his glory. I love the homeland which they defend.

Arinae released a quiet sigh, letting still a whisper of Rohirric flow with the voices of her kin, though it was with a heavy heart that she heard the ending of the lament, the silence of the night setting in.

She stood to her feet once more, leading herself for a restless walk between the fires, a breeze stirring across the endless plains, sounding as a sigh at the end of a long and wearisome day.

Finally she came to stand facing silently in the direction of Helm's Deep, where their trouble still lay brewing within the thick rock and strong wood. No sight and no sound came from the fortress, which was more troublesome to the thoughts than it would have been if something were to be seen or heard.

Resting herself upon a rock, Arinae drifted to a fitful sleep, her fading thoughts upon the challenge of decisions still yet to come with the light of the fast approaching day.

_________________


I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Corus approached Aemornion as he had heard some of his sentences as he he had failed hs kin, Corus couldn`t laughing outloud at that, but shut his mouth quickly before anyone noticed. Corus stopped behind Aemornion as the man was leaning onto a tree and Corus tookout his scimitar. He slightly notched Aemornion in the shoulder to wake him up

"You failed your kin have you?"

_________________

Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!