<b>Haldir watched Pegawen and Allasea depart, his gaze intent on the elder hiril, before turning to address Lotharn. “You realize that Elrond worries for you, do you not?” Before Lotharn could respond, he held his hand up. “Hear me out. You fear I'm here to return you to Valinar. And while I may wish to convince you to consider your decision to remain here, it is not the main reason for our seeking you out.” <br/>
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He rubbed his face with his hand and paced, having become unaccustomed to being around so many. “Do you think that we simply hopped on a boat, traveled back to Eriador, with the blessing of the Eldar? In truth, Allasea never left. Neither did I. She always knew she would remain here, despite the fact that she was born across the seas. And, I,” he glanced back towards the door before continuing. “She needs someone to keep her safe, whether she thinks it or not. When the message came through the palantir that Elrond and Galadhriel had requested we seek you out, my first thought was not to come. That changed as soon as Allasea heard who we were coming after.”</b><br/><br/><b>Allassiel had remained silent, contemplating Haldir's words. They'd also remained behind? How many others, she thought, had elected to stay and risk mortality rather than return to their home. Yet they'd traveled across the lands, these two, much as she and Pegawen had, to seek out the group. Allasea was cautious about her privacy, moreso than most of their kind, so for her to come out of what was likely a blissful existance spoke louder than any words her old friend could speak. “Why?” <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>Why what?” Haldir replied, arching an eyebrow at her.</b><br/><br/>“<b>You're not dense, mellon. Or shall I spar you for the answer?” <br/>
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Haldir grinned back at her. “Well, and it should be interesting to see what you've learned in the past hundred years. But now's not the time. Allassiel, do you recall any of Pegawen's birth?”</b><br/><br/>“<b>I'm not. I was on patrols in the Greenwood when she was born. I returned to Lorien when she was but a year old.” She furrowed her brow and contemplated. “I always did find it odd, however, since Nadienne had not been with child when I left.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Indeed. As did many of us. But there was one who was never surprised by it.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Allasea. I heard she was there for the birth. The midwife.” <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>She was there.” Haldir paused, and tilted his head, waiting.</b><br/><br/>“<b>Speaking in riddles now?” She knew Haldir had answered her question, but how? She chewed on her lip as Haldir now addressed Thorgan. <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>You I will speak with – in private.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Haldir! You can't --”</b><br/><br/><b>He held his hand up. “I can, and I will. For all the time we've known each other, I have always stood in as your brother. And it will be no different now.” <br/>
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She pursed her lips, torn between the argument dying to escape and the truth of his words. Finally, she nodded and turned to Thorgan. “I'll be here when you return,” she stated with a hug. Too much, she thought. And what had Haldir meant?</b><br/><br/><br/><b>Pegawen led Allasea outside, Jax trodding along peacefully behind them as they made their way to the gardens. “So, you've been hiding all these years?”</b><br/><br/>“<b>I've been living in peace,” Allasea corrected as she paused to lean into a flowering bush. “These smell nice, a bit like the wildflowers around Ithilien. I wonder if they're … Jax! Behave!”</b><br/><br/><b>Pegawen turned in time to see the bear drop down from his hind legs, appearing abashed as he attempted to hide a mouthful of leaves and berries from his mistress. “Has he eaten today?” she asked.</b><br/><br/>“<b>He ate half a stream not more than two days ago. He's simply got a weakness for berries. No more Jax, unless you're invited to eat.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>He doesn't seem to have done much damage. I didn't realize that bears could grow so … big.” Even on all fours, his shoulder was higher than Pegawen's head, and she had to crane her neck to see the top of the bear's head.</b><br/><br/>“<b>Not normally, no. But I'm glad if it. He intimidates everyone that stumbles upon my glen. Almost everyone,” she corrected, staring towards the building they'd just left. “Now where did they get off to this time?”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Haldir? I thought the two of you got on quite well. And who?”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Ari and Ani. No matter, they'll show themselves when they're ready.” She leaned down to feel a patch of green leaves and tiny white flowers before replying again. “Now, perhaps. Didn't start out that way. But 75 years he followed me around, acting like my self-appointed guardian.” She shook her head and turned back to Pegawen. “That sort of determination is hard to resist after awhile. Now,” she motioned towards a bench in the middle of the garden. “Tell me, how have you been since I last saw you?”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Well,” Pegawen began, making her way to the low seat. “Other than a war, a number of minor, and forgettable, incidents, everything is pretty much the same. Or it was, until I came to this place. Now I'm not sure what each day will bring.”</b><br/><br/><b>She sat down and between, giving a brief synopsis of her trip, meeting Lotharn, the stone. The elven city and the elves she'd met there. For the most part, Allasea remained quiet and listened, only asking questions, until Pegawen can to the night of the waterfall. “And then, there we were talking and a great white stag appeared from the woods ...”</b><br/><br/>“<b>Araw?” Allasea's attentions snapped back to Pegawen as she choked out the reply.</b><br/><br/>“<b>Yes. At least I'm pretty sure it was him. Perhaps I was wrong.” <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>No. You weren't wrong. Of course he's here.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>You're so certain about this, yet you weren't there. I could have dreamed the whole thing, or lied.”</b><br/><br/><b>The bark of laughter from Allasea got a grumble from Jax and a quiet hiss from the flowerbeds nearby. “There is one thing I know about you, and that's you have no taste for falsehood. As for dreaming, it's possible, but you were awake.” The cheer faded from her face, leaving a seriousness that startled Pegawen.</b><br/><br/>“<b>What? What's wrong?” She looked around for the source of her mentor's apparent distress but didn't see anything. <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>Sit down. There's a tale I need to tell you ...”</b>