Chapter Text
The Promise
Just one more step. Just one more step. One more step… She kept repeating to herself, focusing only on her feet. Forcing them to move forward, one more step at a time.
It was so cold.
No, she could not think about it. Just one more step. Just one more step.
It was getting harder to breath.
No, focus! You idiot! She scolded herself and forced her aching legs to take another step. Just… just one more step. Just one more step.
Her arms could not hold on any longer.
No, no, NO! She would never let go. She could never let go off her priceless bundle. It was all she had left of him… She stopped the memories before they overwhelmed her, threatening to take her very heart and rip it from her chest.
She had to keep moving. She had to keep walking. She had to, just one more step. Just…
But why did it matter?
No. She… she had to… She could go to…
Where could she go? There was nothing left…
It hit her like a knife to the guts and she sank to her knees. A slight whimper escaped her lips, as her bloody knees hit the dead ground. It stung in her wounds, but it was nothing. Nothing to the pain in her heart.
There was nothing left.
Nothing left, but the priceless bundle in her arms. She held it tighter to her chest, remembering her promise. And so, she prayed; to the Valar, to the Iluvatar, to the Aule, to anyone or anything that was left who would hear her prayers. She prayed till her voice was hearse and dry, and put her forehead on her bundle, warm in her embrace. In the back off her mind, she remembered a song, a prayer, from so long ago and sang it gentle both to her priceless bundle, but also in the hope someone, somewhere would hear her pray.
I hear you breathing
So faintly and weak
Remembering my promise
I'm willing to keep
I've sworn to protect you
When you came to life
While mourning your father
While mourning my life
I pray to the hunter
To spare us tonight
I pray to the earth bones
For the blessing of my fight
I pray to the winter
To death and decay
I pray to the wise one
To guide me on my way
I pray to the fallen
To mantle my fears
I pray to the north winds
To freeze the trail of my tears
I pray to the dragon
So mighty and wild
I pray to the mother
To save the life of my child
Ahkrin vahlok
Revak dinok
Ahkrin vahlok
To save the life of my child
Ahkrin vahlok
Faasnu wah fonaar
Ahkrin vahlok
I pray to the hunter
To spare us tonight
I pray to the earth bones
For the blessing of my fight
I pray to the lady
For keeping me safe
I pray to the lost souls
To stand guard over my grave
Ahkrin vahlok
Revak dinok
Ahkrin vahlok
To stand guard over my grave
Ahkrin vahlok
Faasnu wah fonaar
Ahkrin vahlok
I pray to the hunter
I pray to the hunter
I pray to the hunter
I pray to the hunter
To save the life of my child *
“* Saltatio Mortis – Pray to the Hunter 2022 – slight alteration by me to fit the story.”
But there were no answers to her prayers, the world remained cold and dead around her. She collapsed on the ground, knowing she would not rise again. Still, she held her bundle close, hoping to keep it warm and safe from the cold around them. Her precious bundle. All she had left of him. This time she did not push the memories away. His smile, his laugh, his voice. Oh, she remembered it so clearly now. His gentle touch, his arms around her… His kiss. Her mind and body, her entire being, yearned to be with him again.
“Please. I would do anything to be with him again.”
She whispered her final prayer into the air and closed her eyes for the last time.