Chapter 2

I could see the dark silhouette of the grove and Sylvaroth’s dwelling on the other side of the fountain court as I stepped through the entrance, and my feet sank into the soggy ground. I looked up. The fountain in the middle, with its glass basin shaped like a flower encased in vines, was clogged with dry grass and duff, and the water poured over its edges, flooding the land.

It wasn’t that long since I’d helped clean the court from the autumn’s advances, but with so few of us left, it was impossible to keep everything as neatly as it used to be. The white stone benches around the edges were already buried under heaps of leaves once more, and a russet carpet covered the ground. Most volunteers prioritised preparing the habitable places over maintaining what had once been, leaving nature to its own course.

I understood it well, but seeing what the court had become still filled me with sadness. I had hoped to bring many happy memories from our time here as we travelled to the stars, but how could I, when what had once been faded faster than I could hold on to? I pulled up my gown, and the night’s chill drifted past my naked legs as I plodded through the cold water towards the grove. It wasn’t fair… Why did the world need to end when I’d barely had the time to make it feel like home?

My hand soon struggled to hold the lamp, and I halted, whispering the word of power in the hope I would have enough strength to hold it in the air. But when I let go of the fine silver chain, the lamp fell to the ground, and the meadow plunged into darkness. I sobbed, falling to my knees in a desperate search for the heirloom, when the word of power suddenly rang through the air. The fountain burst into light, and the lamps enclosing the court lit one by one. Tauriel…? I stared around. Had she come after all?

I looked around, and there she stood, leaning against a small skid parked between the trees on the other side. She was wearing the slender suit assigned for our upcoming journey, her short silver hair matching its colour almost perfectly, but I despised its look, and she must have known it, because she wore it all the time, just to annoy me. She pushed herself off the skid and walked over to me, wading through the shallow water. Why had she come? Did she actually care about me…? Of course I would never ask her that, but I was happy that she had, even if she wore that ridiculous suit.

She halted by the fountain and leaned against its rim, watching me in silence. I avoided her gaze, and in the light that flooded the court, I saw my lamp buried between the damp leaves. I picked it up, relieved it wasn’t broken, and took the end of my shawl to try to clean it when her soft voice suddenly rang in the air. I looked up when I heard ‘Lament for Elarion’ put words on everything I felt.

I don't regret my path

when I look back on the distant shore

carrying sadness of farewell

deep in my heart

I smile gently and sing to the wind

even if my eyes are still full of tears

and memories of distant summer

still linger in my mind

Tears rolled down my cheeks as she finished. She must have learnt it for me. She never liked Elenwe's poetry, always calling it too heavy. It was poetry that had once brought us together when we first started school and had nothing else in common, and it had held us together despite our differences, as only that was able to express what was between us. I held the lamp in my frigid hands, still crouching on the ground, and sang quietly.

Wind whispers between ancient trees

telling tales of days long gone

as the leaves turn red and yellow

and fall on my path

I walk towards the distant shore.

I was never good at singing Faerith, but I did my best for her, knowing how much she liked that form. I whispered the word of power, and a dim light emerged from the lamp. It wasn’t as bright as before, but maybe it didn’t need to be. I stood up and walked over to her, and a soft smile danced in her purple eyes before she looked away. I gestured for her, and she joined me as we started to walk to Sylvaroth.

The air grew colder and more humid as we entered the grove, with the sounds of nightlife filling the air between the massive trees. I tried to savour it, hoping I could remember them for the years to come once we’d left. We made our way through the trees until we halted in the clearing that was Sylvaroth’s dwelling. He dwarfed even the largest trees in the grove, his massive trunk wide enough that you had to turn your head to see each end, and his enormous crown blocked out the stars in the sky even from a distance. I suddenly hesitated, wondering what I should tell him. How do you even say goodbye to someone…? When Tauriel halted next to him, no words came to me, suddenly overwhelmed by the lingering sadness that had filled my heart since I was old enough to understand that one day we would leave our beloved home behind.

I saw her rest her head against his rough trunk, tears rolling down her cheeks. She…cared too. In her own strange way, she cared as much as I did… She would also miss our home. Just like me…. I walked over to her and leaned against him, wanting to feel my friend for one last time and thank him for the time we’d spent together as he’d watched over me over the years. But my heart was heavy and full of grief, and I had nothing left I could give him, even if it were the last time we saw each other. It wasn’t fair… I’m sorry… I felt his gentle Flow pulsating through the bark as he called my name, whispering words of comfort as he had done countless times before, but this time I wanted to be the one to give, even if I knew I had nothing to offer. I didn’t want to leave him behind… I didn’t want him to be alone, watching the sun grow larger and brighter with every passing cycle until it would consume everything in its wake. He understood what it meant, yet he’d decided to stay, accepting that every cycle, even his own, had its end.

I sang, tears staining my cheeks as I tried to put everything I felt into the Elenwe verses.

I will not let you fade away

Even if your words don't reach me

you will not become a distant memory

I still remember the softness of your voice

I will never forget you

Even if I cry missing you so much

you will not be lost in the flow of time

I still remember your hand holding mine

I will never stop caring

even if I cannot stop your tears anymore

you will not become a stranger to me

I can still feel our bond

I will not close my heart

even if it hurts not being able to meet you

you will not be forgotten

I still remember what we once shared

When my voice faded, silence filled the air as if the forest and all the night creatures had listened to my song. I felt Sylvaroth’s bark pressing against my wet cheek, and his Flow enveloped me, lifting the heaviness that lingered in my chest. Did he feel the same about us going away as we felt about leaving him behind? Would he miss us too? If I were a FlowSinger like Tauriel’s dad, I could have asked him, but without his skill, I could only open myself to him and feel what he felt in my heart.

Tauriel turned, leaning against the trunk, and her fingers brushed against mine, but she kept gazing at the sky, avoiding my gaze. The Star of Ithildor had almost faded by now, making place for the new day, and I knew we didn’t have much time left if we wanted to see the sunrise with our friend for the last time. But she hesitated, the shadow of sadness lingering on her face, and I knew she didn’t dare to bid farewell to him. I watched her until she dared to meet my eyes, and she leaned into Sylvaroth, pressing her cheek against his rough bark as she sang a short Aelindë she must have composed herself before turning her gaze towards me.

Soft petals

fall to the ground

I knew they would not last forever.

but I still cry seeing them go