Shadow of the West

[Orofaniel]

"He is in danger.."

"What is it that you speak of, mother?" Evrathol asked her curiously while falling to his knees. He felt the slightest scent of weariness as he looked into his mother's eyes. They were not the same. She had seen or sensed something that he could not understand it. "He is in great danger, Evrathol," she repeated as if in a trance. "But, mother, what danger is it that you speak of? What danger?" Evrathol now continued. He felt his palms getting wet. He was sweating. He tried to help Arlomeë up from the floor, but her weight seemed so heavy at this point. "Mother!" Evrathol burst out trying to figure out the reason of such a collapse.

"You must go, my son. You must leave," his mother then said, here eyes filled with tears.

"Save what you still might be able to save, although I do believe the life of your father is... ," Arlomë said while looked deeply into his eyes. Her voice faded and then she was quiet. Evrathol's frustration took him by surprise as he got up. "What is it you speak of?" Evrathol said full of frustration. "I will not leave you mother," he then said softly, as he looked at her again.

"My lady! What has happened?" Kashana shrieked. The servant had entered the room. She had heard strange noises and loud voices and was now curious about what the two of them were doing. She hurried towards Arlomë, and got the lady back on her feet and onto a comfortable chair. "Are you feeling ill my lady?" she asked, seeming worried about Arlomë’s condition. Arlomë did not reply. "I don't want to seem careless, but there is a messenger. He wishes to see you. He says he has ill news, but he would not tell more than that. Apparently it is for your ears only..." Kashana said quickly. Arlome's eyes blazed. "It is not the Emissary, is it?" she asked. All of a sudden she was tense and uncomfortable. It seemed that only the mentioning of the man frightened her.

"No, no...It’s just a messenger. I'll let him in."

"No, wait. Do not let him in. My mother is not feeling well. I will go and see him," Evrathol said, gesturing in his mother's direction as he was stopping her from saying anything. Evrathol told Kashana to stay with his mother while he would go out and speak to this messenger. The servant obeyed.

The long and rather dull hallway, led to a huge wooden door. The messenger had not been let in, so he opened it carefully. "Sir, I must speak with you," the messenger said right away, without even greeting Evrathol. Evrathol however, did not pay any attention to that, as he so was relieved to see that it was not the Emissary who standing at the threshold.

Evrathol invited the man in, but the messenger answered quickly;" There is no time. You must follow me to the Palace at once."

Evrathol didn't know if he'd heard correctly, so he excused himself and asked what serious matters would bring him to the Palace in such terrible weather. "Your father, the General, has been attacked. He is wounded. I'm sorry to bring you this ill news of your father, but I'm afraid there is more. I have news that the lady of the house must hear as well. Let me speak to the lady of the house, please. I beg you sir. She must know what has happened," the messenger said. Evrathol gazed. Who had attacked his father? Then the next thought hit him; it was as Arlomë had foreseen. She had told him that Morgos was in danger. She had told him herself, but it had been too complicated for him to understand. He was out of breath, panicking. Would the General die? Was it serious?

"Please..." the messenger begged again, as Evrathol had shown no sign of movement. "Of course," Evrathol then muttered, as he had come to his senses. "I will bring her," Evrathol continued. He turned, and his feet carried him towards the room where his mother was with the servant. He felt heavy hearted as he went, because this was indeed ill news. It would devastate his mother if he told her that she had been right earlier. But there was no way out. The messenger obviously had something else to share with Arlomë and it demanded great haste.

"Kashana, leave us," Evrathol said at once when he re-entered the room The servant looked confused, but obeyed as she always did.

When they were alone, Evrathol sat beside his mother and told her what the messenger had said about her husband. She did not seem surprised, but Evrathol could still see how grieved she was. It also occurred to him that Arlomë understood what she had foreseen had been true, and not some kind of illusion. "Mother, this is not the time. The messenger has something to tell you. Come with me," Evrathol then said. He seemed cruel not to let his mother digest the ill news, but he had a feeling that something much worse was awaiting them.