***** POST PLACED ON GAME ***** ~*~ PIO
And yes, all reports of my disappearance are gravely exaggerated.
Your disappearance was the one exaggerated. Two bloody months!
Right. Enedwaith, having recovered from the shock of learning two new languages (plus a new alphabet) I see that I have a momentous task of catching-up to do.
Ms. Pio, would you mind posting this before
alak’s post # 111? Thanks!
~*~
While her body laid motionless on the frigid ground, Bethiril’s mind was in a place of violent turmoil.
Barely a month ago, the decision would have been easy. Erenor and Angóre meant nothing to her, and she would have betrayed them, despite their kinship, to fulfil what she had hoped to do. But now, despite the feebleness of the bond between them, the act of treachery needed she needed to do could not now be done without a great struggle.
She did not want any of them to be freed by force. She wanted this crisis resolved peacefully. Surely, the Orc chief’s plan made sense—with a land to call their own, the Glamhoth would, perhaps, no longer need to take up arms. Then the Firimar, seeing that the Orcs are no longer a threat, would follow suit. A lasting peace—all she had to do was make sure that none of them escaped. All she had to do was bring to their captors knowledge of Erenor’s concealed weapon. All she had to do was warn the Orcs of a plan to assault their camp.
But her heart, which she had kept under control for so long, now rebelled against her mind. Bethiril had begun to love her fellow emissary, the love of an older, wiser sister for a younger sibling with wisdom of her own, but who too often moved impetuously. She had sometimes thought of trying to win Erenor over to her cause, yet realised that in stifling the free spirit within, she would destroy her.
And in betraying your friend, you would destroy yourself.
She was roused from her thoughts by Ereglin, who wanted to know whether she was fine or not.
There must be other ways of fulfilling my mission, she said to herself, as she set all thoughts of treachery aside.