The Decision

     After a hard but pleasant training with hiril Mallenhadh that had lasted almost for the whole Wednesday, Plinnlim arrived home in her best mood, looking forward to another Hall of Fire. But she found her parents quite solemn and serious. Alarmed, she sat down with them to learn that they were very much worried about what hiril Mallenhadh had told them the other day about Greenwood, which they now, too, called Mirkwood. Of course, like all of their kind they had felt the darkness rising. But so far, that had been nothing than a small, unpleasant feeling, a minor threat that was far away. They had always wanted to stay in Imladris for ever, but now that they saw clearer they had changed their minds and decided to leave Middle-earth for Valinor.

     Plinnlim was shocked when she heard the news. Just a week ago she had wished to see Mithlond so much - but not to say farewell to her parents for good! She begged them to think it over and stay, but they shook their heads sadly. Her mother looked at her with tears in her eyes, when she asked: "And will you go with us, Merilgwen?"

     Plinnlim froze. Then she looked at them both very long in silence before she spoke. "If I was Merilgwen, I would surely be going with you. But I am not. I am Plinnlim, and as Plinnlim, I have to stay where I am needed."

     Her mother looked devastated. "But we need you, iell nîn!"

     "As I need you, be assured! But there are things that are bigger than us. I cannot go and leave Middle-earth to what might come. I have to stay and fight it. I could not let Imladris or any other place, even of the Eboennin, Gonhirrim or Periannath, fall into ruins and their inhabitants be condemned into slavery. I must stay. In the end, every single arrow might count, even one of such a young and inexperienced feredir as I am."

 

 

     Her parents nodded with grave looks on their faces. When her mother started crying, her father said: "After the long talks we had with Hiril Mallenhadh, we were expecting nothing else of you, Plinnlim. Although our hearts are pained greatly by your decision, we can understand it. You have to do what you have to do. Then there is no other way for us than leaving our so very young daughter behind. Too few were the years we had together."
 

     An hour later, Plinnlim had her arms flung around her horse's neck, her tears streaming into its mane, while it was racing towards the cold heights of the Misty Mountains. She had not taken the time to saddle it. She had been so sure to be with her parents for ever, she had never even given a thought to the idea that it could be otherwise, but now it seemed highly questionable if she would see them again at all.

 

     When she passed the Gonhirrim camp, she overheard some remarks regarding her horse and her bow. Angrily she had to admit to herself that the Gonhirrim were right. She turned around to acquire a blanket for Rochlim. Nearby she found a young tree that seemed suitable for her purposes. When she started to make a new bow, some Gonhirrim gathered to watch her. Plinnlim noticed that unhappily, as still tears were streaming down her face, but was too preoccupied with her work and her sad thoughts to really care. At the end they nodded approvingly and one even praised her new bow, while they kindly did not mention her tears nor ask stupid questions, so she got into a more conciliatory mood.