Late in the eve, Nelnardis makes her way to the house she dwells in whist in Imladris. It has been a day since her brother Nernulas and his friend Halrodh have come to visit. As she walks she sighs, recalling what had been spoken of in The Hall of Fire in The Last Homely House. Her brother would take her home by force if he had to? No, she does not believe that. He was only upset. Besides, he could never bear her all the way back to the Greenwood if she was to be taken by force. Halrodh could definitely not suffer that, and surely in no time try to rouse Nernulas to put an end to it. Also, how would Nernulas ever get past the Warband if they realised she was gone and so were they?
Of course, when she gets to her front door he is no doubt waiting there eagerly for her. Somehow he has found out this is where she lives, probably by asking those who also dwell in the area. His bags lie on the ground along with his weapons, though his horse is not nearby. She concludes he must have left Telyg at the stables, assuming he has bought his beloved horse with him on his journey.
“Nelnardis!” he cries as soon as she nears him, though she knows he has seen as she walked towards the house. He clasps her hands, but she wrenches hers away, continuing to walk towards the house.
“You have caused trouble, Nernulas!” Nelnardis replies, angry as Halrodh and he have upset Tahjun, Faorie and another in the Hall of Fire, where trouble ought not to be caused.
Nernulas frowns. “I only mean to search for you…”
“If you come to search for me, why do you make trouble in the house of Lord Elrond? Imladris is a place of peace – the songs at least taught you that.”
There is a pause as Nernulas tries to think of something to make him in the right again, however he cannot. “I thought you would be happy to see me. I have travelled so far.”
“As did I, if you ever set foot in Imladris. But brother, you have stirred up trouble. My friends and Halrodh tell me you mean to take me away back to the Greenwood for my own safety, which I hear is now overrun with orcs? And when they tried to reason with you that I should never go if forced and that I have my own free choices to make, you were angry at them and refused to leave for some time?!”
He attempts to keep calm, though he furrows his brow. Nernulas stares into her eyes, guiltily, wishing things had gone differently in the Hall of Fire, because he was only really looking for her and did not mean to get upset. It has been so long since he has seen her and all she sent him was a single letter explaining she was going to visit their cousin Aewiel – that she did not know when she would return home.
“You could have sent me a letter.” Nelnardis continues.
“Would you have replied?” Nernulas asks.
There is another silence as Nelnardis endeavours to tell him that of course she would reply, but she does not know if she is able to lie to him. Perhaps she would have replied, however she knows perhaps is not good enough.
Nernulas sighs. “Please, Nelnardis, sister, I love you. I miss you greatly. For the sake of my own mind, to know that you are safe, please come home, where I can protect you. I could not bear to hear of your passing in some distant land, away from family.”
She shakes her head. “Aewiel is our family, too. The Warband are my friends. I am helping to protect Imladris, that is my duty. The cloak that I wear represents that. I cannot forsake them whilst I am alive and able to offer my aid.”
“You cannot surely be putting the lives of others far away above your kin! These are strangers you protect, and you have only known this Warband for a small period of time! I have been your brother your entire life. Your friends in the Greenwood miss you – friends you have known since you were born.” He tries again to take her hands in his, searching her face for any sign of her changing her mind, to comply with him. “You may dwell in Imladris, but the Greenwood is your true home.”
Nelnardis avoids his gaze, looking to the bushes to her side. “If you worry for my safety, then it is logical I continue to stay here-,”
He cuts her off. “However you do not stay here! You go out seeking danger with the rest of this Warband do you not?”
She glares at him. “I do not seek danger, I seek to protect others.”
“And is that not the same thing?” he asks her, and to her dismay his eyes begin to glisten with tears. “Please, Nelnardis.” He kneels, grabbing fistfuls of her dress. “I am begging you. Come home to the Greenwood. I do not know if I could watch you do battle there, but just knowing you were safe would inspire me to fight with strength. You are the only reason I have left to stay in Arda.”
He begins to weep and Nelnardis closes her eyes, wishing things would go back to before, when her parents had yet to sail West, when Nernulas and her would walk through the wood sometimes when they were not arguing amongst each other, when her cousin was just another she wrote to depicting her adventures, and when she knew nothing of the shadows in the other corners of Middle Earth.
“I shall think about it, Nernulas.” She sighs.
He looks up at her, and immediately he ceases to cry, slowly getting to his feet in surprise.
“However,” she speaks before he can, “You and Halrodh need to stay away from the Warband and Lord Elrond’s house. You cannot disturb the peace anymore. I shall decide soon, unless you should like to leave now?”
Nernulas shakes his head. “No, if you are to go home I shall accompany you with Halrodh. I shall stay away from the Warband, however, and I swear to you not to cause any trouble in the vale.”
She nods. “Navaer.” Nelnardis turns away towards her house.
“Nan lû govaded vîn.”
