"Sister?"
Branches rustled as Tancamir leapt down from his perch in a tree behind Uilossiel. She whirled around to face him with a startled cry.
"You! What in the name of Arda are you doing here? I thought this was my own spot, safe from prying eyes. " She snapped her journal shut, shoving it out of sight.
"I have tracked yrch, Angmarim, and all manner of beasts, so tracking one elleth was hardly a challenge," he shrugged. Face sobering, he took a step closer to her.
"Look, little sister, we need to talk."
"That is an understatement," Uilossiel hissed. "Where have you been for, oh - I don't know, for most of my life?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you know how much we all suffered after you left?"
Tancamir muttered something inaudible, but was quickly silenced by a sharp slap to the cheek. Uilossiel eyed him balefully, eyes wet with tears.
"Do you know how close Naneth came to leaving us forever for the Havens?" she asked in a strangled whisper. "How Tinwen would cry herself to sleep at night, and how Ada would shut himself up in his study for days on end? Do you, Tancamir?" She punctuated the last sentence with another slap.
Tancamir took her blows without flinching, fixing her with a stony gaze. His face was drawn and serious, guilt and sorrow warring in his eyes.
"I - I'm sorry, Uilo. I know I can never make it up to you, and to Tinwen, and to our parents. But will you let me try?" Hesitantly, he placed one hand on her shoulder.
Breathing heavily, Uilossiel stared at him for a long moment.
"You're right. I can't say I forgive you, Tyelko, and it will be a long time before I will even consider forgiving you. You should be glad I am giving you a second chance." She drew a deep, shuddering breath, then flung her arms around him, burying her face in his neck.
"Don't ever leave me again, Tyelko. Just promise me this one thing." All fury had drained from her voice, and she sagged against him in relief. He was alive and well, which was all that mattered.
"I'm not going anywhere, at least I will not be able to, if you insist on holding me this firmly, " Tancamir said, attempting to lighten the mood. Attempting to pry his sister's arms from him was futile, so he ran a hand over her back awkwardly. She had changed in his absence, and it pained him to see how much his folly had affected her.
There was no sound for a long moment save the birds singing above in the trees, the distant music of the river, and their own breathing. Finally Uilossiel looked up at him, her mouth slowly curving up into a smile.
"I intend to keep you here, Tyelko, for the foreseeable future. I am sure I can dream up some scheme." She waggled a finger at him. "Don't deny it, for even Ada said I was a much cleverer student than you ever were."
Pulling away, she cocked an eyebrow at him, her smile widening. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, you rogue. What have you been up to in your travels? You are going to tell me everything." And suddenly it was as if he had never left, as the two siblings fell into the easy companionship that had always existed between them.
Tancamir matched her smile with a cocky grin. "Well, you first tell me what you and Dolthafaer have been getting up to."
She blanched, then threatened to cuff him on the wrist. "That's none of your business."
"You are my sister. I would think that was my business, as your older brother. How did he come by your bracelet? I find it hard to believe that you would give it away to anyone, let alone a random archer from Imladris who is likely to be ages older than you."
"Shut up, Tyelko. What about you? Met any girls in your travels?"
Tancamir froze as Uilossiel grinned at him. "Ha! So there is a girl. Tell me."
"She is dead. I found her head on a pike, in Angmar, surrounded by the bodies of her kinsmen." Tancamir growled. "I have not been sitting idly in peace for the past years, unlike you."
Uilossiel was taken aback. "Oh." She fell silent, eyes clouding over with grief. "I did not mean to pry."
"No, it's all right. It helps to have someone to talk to. Her name was Ruineth - one of the Dúnedain of Esteldín. It never would have worked out anyway." Tancamir shrugged.
Uilossiel picked up her journal and harp. She linked her arm with Tancamir's and dragged him down the path.
"You, Tyelko, are coming home with me. And you are going to explain everything to Ada and Naneth. Oh, and you should meet your nephew. A fine young warrior, he is - just promoted to sergeant in the Guard."
Tancamir raised his eyebrows at her. "So. Our littlest sister is a mother now - or should I assume that he is yours?"
"Ugh, no. Stop being such an ass, and just come home already. We have been waiting for you for the better part of an Age."
