"Death´s Tears Parts 4 & 5" by Leigh *Shwin* Erickson

The child walked along the path, stumbling and whimpering. Her clothing was tattered and torn, barely enough to cover her, let alone protect her from the freezing chill of the late fall air. Her brown hair was wild and unkempt, the work of living in the wilderness for many months. When the wind blew, it was swept from her face revealing a pair of intense blue green eyes and a face that was beautiful even in youth. She tripped, rolling down the steep path in a fluttering heap of torn fabric and landed at the bottom with a loud crash.

She was still.

Ranar Renvarnnyen, lord of Revenon, was wandering in the woods near his home. He had come here often in the past three years since his son’s death, coming to lose himself and his cares in the winding maze of trees.

The past three years had been horrible. Everyone said it was terrible to lose a child, but no one had come close to grasping the undying, ever present ache that accompanied it. How could they? Though the years had numbed the pain slightly, it still was ever with him; never relenting, always unpredictable as to when it would attack his vulnerable soul. His son’s twin, Theoth, had been as helpful to him as a son could, but he missed Elioth. Oh how he missed him.

A sudden, unnatural crash brought him from his brooding. He peered into the woods, not seeing anything. That’s strange he thought, the woods were normally quiet. He was just shrugging the matter off and preparing to head home when his curiosity got the better of him. What was that? What if it needs help? What if it’s a danger to the haven? You have a duty, Ranar, you should go see what it is... it nagged on and on. “ALRIGHT!” he shouted, his voice tearing the serene silence of the woods and earning him a few disapproving twitters from the birds dwelling therein.

He changed his course and walked uphill towards where the noise had come from. When he arrived at its source, he was glad he had come.

A child, malnourished he could tell, was lying motionless in a bloodied, tattered heap at the bottom of the hill. Her left leg was bent at an unnatural angle and there was no sign of life about her. Frowning, he knelt beside her and put a gentle hand to her neck. He was rewarded with an irregular if faint pulse. She was alive.

Hurriedly he removed his clock and wrapped it around the child, gathering her in his arms in the process. She was so cold, it was obvious she had been wandering long. Where was she from? Where were her parents? he wondered standing carefully, the limp bundle cradled in his arms. He would care for this child until they were found, he decided. No other parent would have to would bury their child if he had anything to do with it.

When the child awoke, she was lying in a soft bed, feeling very warm and comfortable; two feelings she had not had for a long time. She looked around. The room was simple and very white. A window was to her right, but as it appeared to be night she couldn’t see out of it. She turned her attentions to the inside then. There was a desk directly in front of her, pushed to the wall, and a little table to her right; but besides those, there was nothing else; or so she thought until she saw the shadow beside her bed.

It was a chair, and in it was a sleeping man. His hair was black and his robe a vibrant green embroidered with silver. She eyed him with mistrust. Her mother had always told her that those with black hair would hurt her, that they would entrance her with their eyes and take her away. She didn’t know what to do. If she got up, she would surely wake him, besides, she quickly found that she ached all over. She wouldn’t get far trying to run away. But if she stayed he would surely harm her. Her mom had said so. She opted to try to run; there was a slight chance he wouldn’t wake which was better than none.

She began to ease her way slowly from the bed, biting back yelps from the pain that seared through her. Had he drugged her? She looked down on her legs and arms, now freed from the covers and gasped. They were bandaged carefully, but dyed crimson still. What had happened? She slid her feet down to the floor and promptly collapsed. She could not hold back the cry of pain that escaped her this time. Pain washed in waves over her, the most intense frequencies coming from her leg.

With her cry the man awoke. Seeing the child on the floor he quickly moved towards her and stood over her. She cringed, refusing to look him in the eye. Her mom had said she had a chance if she did not look them in the eye.

“Child,” he soothed, his voice deep and commanding, “It’s OK. Let me help you.”

“No!” She hissed scrambling backwards, “Go away!”

The man faltered. She took her opportunity and bolted from the room.

Or tried to more accurately.

The pain in her leg was unbearable, screaming up her thigh and into her hip. She collapsed once more on the ground, sobbing.

“Shhh, shhh, child.” The man was back, “I mean you no harm. Please, let me help.”

She could only sob, shaking her head in a voiceless ‘no’.

“Why?” His voice was so kind. Maybe her mom had been wrong about the black haired people.

“My mom said the black haired people are evil, that they hurt innocent people and bewitch them with their eyes.”

“You mean the dialos?”

The word sounded familiar. Yes, that was the word her mom had used describing the black haired ones. She nodded.

“Child, I am not of that race. I am an elf. I know my hair is black, but I am not of that race. I promise you, I won’t hurt you. If I had wanted to I could have easily done so several times already.”

She could see his point.

“Now will you let me help you? That leg of yours is badly broken. It’s best you don’t move it.” His voice was so kind. She looked up into his face before she realized what she was doing and into his eyes. It was not black she met with, but blue, a bright burning azure that told her that he truly meant her no harm.

She nodded, wiping her tears away with her hand and rolling over so he could pick her up easily.

He crouched down and carefully gathered her into his arms. She could hear his heart beating beneath his robe. It reminded her of her mom- how she used to lie against her chest to keep warm, listening to the lullaby of her heartbeat as she drifted off to sleep. She bit back fresh tears at the memory, closing her eyes tight so they wouldn’t escape.

He carried her to the bed and set her carefully down, covering her with the blankets once more. “Do you mind if I stay?” He asked.

She shook her head, glad to have someone, anyone, there with her.

He pulled the chair closer to her bedside and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She closed her eyes even tighter, determined not to let the tears fall. She shook her head stiffly, not wanting to speak; knowing that with the words would come the tears.

He frowned slightly and began to stroke her hair comfortingly like her mom had done so many times. With that motion the tears broke free and she curled into a tiny ball on the bed, ashamed of her tears yet unable to stop them. He knelt beside the bed and encompassed her in a gentle hug. “Shhhh, shhhh, child, it’s alright. It’s alright. What’s the matter? Why do you cry?”

His voice was deep and soothing so close, rumbling in her ear which was pressed to his chest. “Momma,” she sobbed.

“What about your momma? Where is she?” He prompted, rocking her back and forth in his arms.

“With dad.” She sniffed, trying not to cry and failing miserably.

“Where is he?”

She buried her face in the fold of his robe, not wanting to speak.

“If you tell me maybe I can help you find them. I only want to help you, child. Where are they?”

“D-dead.” She cried, dissolving into sobs once more.

“Oh child, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” His voice was catching now, full of empathy for her loss.

She recognized that he was hurting too, by hearing some of her emotion in his voice. He understood. She had finally found someone who understood her. She pulled herself as close as she could to him, finally letting the tears come until she fell asleep surrounded by his warm embrace.

Ranar frowned slightly at the child curled on the bed in front of him. So she was an orphan. He gently wiped away the tears still lining her cheeks and was rewarded with a slight smile on her sleeping face.

“Father?” The voice was soft, curteous to the sleeping child.

“What is it, son?”

“How is she?” A tall young man entered the room, chocolate eyes resting on the sleeping girl.

“She’s an orphan, Theoth. I don’t know what to do with her.

A look of concern flashed across the young man’s face. “Did you get her name?”

“I would have, but she was so frightened of me at first it was all I could do to get her back in bed. I only hope she didn’t injure her leg further.”

“Why was she frightened of you? You were her rescuer! Surely she knew you meant no harm!”

“She thought I was a member of the dialos. It was my hair, wretched colour black that it is.”

“Oh.” Theoth went over to the desk and sat on its edge. He thought for a moment and then his eyebrows furrowed, “How did she know of the dialos? I thought only you studied them.”

Ranar shrugged. “She said her mom had told her. Apparently she knew something of them, or at least that they have black hair.” He bit his lip, “She also knew of their eyes.”

Theoth pursed his lips. “So what are you going to do with her?”

Ranar sighed. “Keep her here I guess, at least for now. I don’t know what else to do. She can have this room.” His voice became stiff, “It’s no longer in use.”

Theoth walked to his father’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, father. Truly it is.”

“No it’s not,” he sighed unhappily, “It never will be.”

Theoth sighed, they had been through this so many times. Whenever something of Elioth’s was given away, his father would be sent into a deep fit of melancholia. This room was the final piece having been Elioth’s nursery and childhood haunt. He must truly care for that child if he’d give her this room Theoth thought, running a hand through his smooth brown hair. “It is alright, father. Elioth would have been pleased to know that this room was being used for such a noble purpose. He would have given it up anyway if he were still alive.”

“Perhaps you’re right, Theoth.” It was the first time Ranar had ever answered Theoth’s protests without disagreeing, “I’m sorry for being so blind. You must hate me for mourning Elio so much.” he used his son’s pet name hardly thinking.

Theoth’s face fell into lines of concern, “I could never hate you, father. You’re only mourning the loss of a son. Why should I hate you for grieving?”

“But I have you too, and I seem to have forgotten.” Ranar’s voice was pained, “If I were to lose you too... I, I don’t know that I could make it.”

“Shhh, father.” Tt was Ranar’s turn to be comforted, “I’m here, father. I’m not leaving.”

Ranar closed his eyes. Tears never helped, they were senseless to shed. “Thank you, Thi, thank you. I’m not deserving of a son like you.” He stood. “Go on yo bed, I’ll be alright. I’ll go to my chamber shortly.”

Theoth nodded, “Alright. Good night, father.”

“Good night, Theoth. Avelu.”

“Avelu.”

As Theoth walked from the room, Ranar took one final look around, absorbing the room as it was, still unchanged. He walked to the window and looked out onto the moonlit courtyard.

“Elioth...” he sighed closing his eyes once more. “I miss you so much, dear son. Why’d you have to leave?”

He turned from the window, closing the shutters, and walked slowly to the door. This room was too painful for him yet. As he passed the bed he looked at the child muttering peacefully in her sleep. A second chance? he thought. He needed her as she needed him, both victims the whim of Death. He reached the door then and took the handle in his hand. “Avelu, child. Sleep well.”

He closed the door softly and walked with silent feet down the corridor to his room. As he passed Theoth’s room he slowed his pace and placed a hand on the wall surrounding it. “Thank you,” he whispered before continuing to the stairway at the end of the hall. The stairs were carved of stone as was everything in his city. They were smooth and cool under his feet. He walked up them slowly and sighed. What was he supposed to do with an orphaned child? Had she been placed in his care by fate or some higher power? He could only content himself to watch and wait.

The sun rose bright and cheery, dispersing the gloom of night, banishing the darkness from every corner. With it’s rising, Ranar’s mood had improved considerably. He whistled merrily while dressing, pulling half his hair back in a tail at the back of his head and leaving the rest free. He walked down the stairs in a flutter of green and black, eager to see how the child was doing. As he arrived at Elioth’s old, no, he corrected, her room he knocked once on the door and walked in.

She was awake and smiling at him, her mood also seemingly improved with the sunrise. “Good morning, sir.” She said, her clear, happy voice like a gift to his ears.

“Good morning child.” He returned, walking to the window and opening the shutters. The sunlight streamed in, bathing the white room in a bright, healthy glow. “How are you feeling?”

“My leg hurts, but otherwise fine.” She replied truthfully.

“Are you hungry?”

She nodded enthusiastically. When he asked what she would like she was quick to request a roll with butter, oh and milk if he had it.

“Of course.” He smiled, “Can I get you anything else while I’m out?”

She shook her head, “No, you’ve been so kind to me already. I’m sorry for being so mean yesterday. I, I thought you were a dialos. Your hair.” She said looking at the black locks shame facedly.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Not many elves have black hair. It’s not the first time that’s happened.” He walked to her bedside. “I just realized that I still don’t know your name, might I ask it?”

She smiled, her bright eyes flashing. “T’ranel.”

“Oh that is a pretty name. I’m Ranar. You can call me what you like.”

T’ranel grinned. “Nice to meet you, sir! Can I ask you a question now?”

“Certainly.”

“Where are we and how did I get here?”

He laughed, “That is a good question. Sorry for not telling you earlier! I found you in the woods. You had taken a nasty spill it appeared, down a hill, and broke your leg. I was out in the woods wandering and I heard this sound. I wasn’t going to look and if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found you, but I did look and am glad.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome, T’ranel. As for where we are, we are in the haven of Revenon. You must have lived somewhere nearby to have been wandering so near.”

She frowned slightly, “Yes, I suppose I did. I never had a permanent home though, we were always wandering, me and my mom.”

“Oh, sorry,” he began

“It’s alright.” She looked at her hands. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“When I was crying yesterday, you seemed so understanding as if you really understood. Why? Did you lose something?”

Ranar was taken aback by this question. This girl had a gift. “I did lose something. Something very dear to me.”

“What?” Her voice was quiet.

“My son, Elioth.”

She bit her lip, not wanting to continue but curious nonetheless. “How?”

He sighed. “No one knows. He was discovered dead in a grove in the forest by a foraging expedition. By the time they had returned to tell me, his body was gone, taken by some animal or something. I never got to see him again.”

They both fell into their separate silences, brooding on what Ranar had just said. T’ranel’s face was concerned, her eyes flashing, deep in thought.

Ranar sighed again. Talking about Elioth’s death always dampened his mood. “Well, enough of that. You need some breakfast and so do I.” He forced a smile and began to walk towards the door when T’ranel’s voice made him turn.

“I never knew my dad,” she was saying, “Mom said he was lost before I was born, but she doesn’t know how he died. He had gone out to gather food, she said, and didn’t return. She went out looking for him and thought she had seen him lying on the ground in a grove, but she lost sight of him going down a dip in the path. When she could see the grove again, he was no longer there, but a man with black hair was. When he turned his eyes on her, she felt as though her soul was being torn and ripped she said. He was a dialos. She said his eyes were filled with more pain that she had ever seen, and they seemed apologetic almost. Can you imagine that?” She shook her head. “But she never found out what happened to my dad. She said the dialos was holding a black chain that he turned into a knife, but she ran away though before she could see any more. Do you,” she looked up at him, “Do you think something like that happened to your son?”

“A dialos you say?” She nodded. “Do you know anything more?”

“He died near this place, but that’s all I can remember. I feel like there’s something else, but I can’t recall what it is. I’m sorry.”

“That’s OK, but if you do remember, will you tell me?”

“Yes. I will.” Her eyes were sincere, “Right away.” She added as an afterthought.

“Thank you, T’ranel. Do you want to come down with me to breakfast? I could carry you if you like.”

She shook her head. “No, I’ll stay here. Thank you though.”

He smiled, “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

Ranar sped down the hall, lost in his own thought. He didn’t notice Theoth until he bumped into him. “Oh, so sorry, Theoth. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Quite alright, father. Are you OK?” Theoth raised an eyebrow, looking at his flustered father’s face.

“She gave me some unsettling information this morning.”

“Who? The child?”

“Yes. Remember how I told you she was an orphan? She shared with me how her father died.” He ran a nervous hand through his hair, “It sounded just like Elioth.”

“She knows how he died?”

“No. But no one ever knew how her father died. And his body disappeared shortly after he was sighted as well.” His voice faltered.

“What else? That isn’t enough to get you this flustered. What’s bothering you about it? Does she know something more?”

“She, she says that there was a dialos standing where he had fallen, and that it looked her mom in the eye.”

“Poor woman...”

“But what’s even more serious is that she said he died nearby. Maybe even in these woods.” He fell silent.

“Where Elioth died.” Theoth finished the thought for him. “Yes, that is unsettling. Does she know any more?”

“She said she felt she knew one more thing but couldn’t remember it. She said she’d tell me as soon as she remembered.”

Theoth placed a hand on Ranar’s shoulder. “At least we know this now.”

Ranar gave him a half-smile. “True. Thank you, Theoth. Well, I should be down to the kitchen to get her and myself some breakfast. She’ll think I forgot her the way I’ve been carrying on.”

“Alright. Let me know if you think of anything.”

“I will. Would you do the same for me?” Theoth nodded. “Thanks. I’ll be up later.”

“Alright.”

Ranar returned a few minutes later bearing a tray with the roll, butter, and milk T’ranel had requested. He had a suspicion that this was her first meal in days and as such, did not offer her anything more lest he should make her sick. T’ranel was apparently aware of this and contented herself with the luxurious breakfast in front of her. It had been a long time since she had last tasted fresh bread and milk. It was so good.

Ranar watched her eat amusedly. She ate slowly so as not to miss a single moment of flavour, not to waste a single crumb or drop. “Is it good?” he asked already knowing the answer.

“Mmm, yes!” She exclaimed happily, taking another bite of her roll.

Ranar grinned. “Good. I’m glad.” He looked down for awhile, letting her finish in silence.

She looked at him quizzically. “What’s wrong?”

His eyes were hesitant when he looked up. “It’s my turn to ask you a couple things if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.” She answered, setting her tray on the table beside her bed, sitting up so she could listen easily. “You answered my questions, it’s the least I can do to answer yours.”

“Well, how long ago did your parents die?”

She laughed, “You waste no words!” But her voice soon sobered, “My dad died before I was born. My mom says it was right after she found out she was with child. My mother...” she fell silent.

“When did she die?” Ranar prompted softly.

“Just this fall. It was too cold and we had no shelter or food. She froze. Fainted and fell into the river. She was too weak and too cold. It was too much.”

“I, I see. I’m- sorry.” Ranar’s shaky voice broke the long silence that followed.

She shook her head. “Not your fault, don’t apologize. You had more questions?”

“Yes,” Ranar continued, “I did. What did your parents do? How did they live?”

“I don’t know what my dad did. My mom never told me much about him except how he died. She only told me that to keep me away from the black haired ones. She told me he was very kind and very handsome. He would have to have been to win a person like my mom.” She smiled, remembering, “And my mom was a healer, that’s why we had no permanent home. She was always wandering from village to village, but she rarely stopped here.”

“Why?”

“She said the people of Revenon were too secretive and too wary of strangers, that she would have been required to stay here if she had resided here too long.” Ranar nodded and T’ranel furrowed her brow, “Why are you like that?”

“My people are wary. They fear the outside world thinking it would harm them and taint them. They don’t listen to me when I tell them otherwise, but what can I do? Our history with outsiders is less than admirable; my people are suspicious.” He sighed heavily and shook his head, it was obvious that he held a grudge against this matter.

“Your people?” T’ranel raised an eyebrow at him.

He laughed, “Yes, I am the Lord of Revenon, my dear. I am the authority here. This house is the Renvarnnyen Estate. The name derived from “Ruler of Revenon” in our tongue.”

“Oh!” She exclaimed wide eyed, “Oh! I’m so sorry I didn’t know!”

He laughed warmly, “It’s quite alright. I hope you’re not going to start treating me differently now, are you?”

“I’ll try not to, but I’ve never been in a Lord’s house, let alone in one’s care!”

Ranar looked thoughtful, “Do you want to stay here, T’ranel?”

“What?” She looked at him questioningly, not sure if she had heard him right.

“Do you want to stay here? There is room, and, forgive me, but seeing as your parents are no longer living, it seems that you have no where else to go.”

“Stay here? With you?” She waved a hand about, indicating to the room and landed it with a flourish for emphasis on her bed, “Here?”

“Yes, here. In this house as... as a daughter if you’d have me.”

“A, a daughter? Y-your daughter?”

“If you’d have me.” He said again, “It’s just that, well, you lost your parents and I lost my son. We might be able to help each other I thought.”

She moved towards him and reached out her arms so he would hug her, tears shining in her eyes. “I would be honoured,” she whispered as he drew her into his arms, “Father.”