16. Night Bloom
'Tis like descending into winter again – harder than Hardbottle, colder, leaner. Lobelia won't sit at first, but stands defiant, awaiting Lotho and release.
He never comes.
Slowly she slides down her umbrella 'til she's on the floor. Time passes. In the darksome silence, old mathoms whisper about the hands they've known, asking her: "Who left you?" 'til she vomits the stones to answer.
Everyone left her, for she left everyone; too late, epiphanies –
"Lobelia!" Light flares, blindingly, but a brown, misshapen, kindly hand draws her forth.
"Who...?" She stops, amazed.
Frodo Baggins smiles. "'Tis past time you came home, cousin."
Notes:
1. Day 7: Card: The Pope/Hierophant
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
