Chapter 78. Rhys

’ll take you with me, if you’d like, but I think life is worth living if you have the chance,” said a kind voice.  Pendaran turned his face toward the man’s warmth but dared not open his eyes.  The close press of the prison was all around him and when he fled inward he had some reprieve from its relentless horror. 

“Who are you?”

“I think I’m your competition,” the man chuckled, “I imagine I get in the way, like what’s her name… Clarissa was it?  The only thing more annoying than a living paramour is a dead one.”

Pendaran jolted back fully into awareness.  What in the name of the Five Gods?

“Rhys Tegerin, the father of Mabane.  A pleasure to meet you.  Is Teleri still a fiery little mare?”

“Yes… but… are you alive?”

“No, quite dead,” the man replied, an edge of sadness to his voice now, “and I’m going to the Mists soon. I see the way home and I feel as if I have been in Torment forever, so you’ll pardon me if I do not tarry much longer.  I just wanted to talk to you for a minute since we have the same wife now.  That, and you’re dying and I fancy you would not like to stay in Torment.”

“I’m sorry,” Pendaran replied quickly, hesitating.  He did not know what was expected of him and a familiar pang of guilt seized him at the thought that he now occupied the place of Teleri’s dead husband.

“Ah, don’t worry.  I’m tickled my Teleri married again, it means she got on with the business of living and I love her enough to desire her happiness.  My son loves you, too, so you must be pretty special.  I’m glad he has you.  So you will get on with life, I hope?”

“I can’t escape,” Pendaran murmured.

“Of course not,” said Rhys, “but your friends are here and if you can just hang on a little longer, you’ll be free.”

“Oh.”

“Can you do me a favor when you go back home?” asked Rhys.

“Sure,” Pendaran stammered, completely disarmed by this strange turn in events.

“First, tell my Teleri that I love her but I want her to love you now and let go of me.”

“She may not like that,” Pendaran murmured.

“Yeah, she is funny that way, but it’s worth a try.”

“What’s the second thing?”

“There’s a shrine to Lyssa near the old academy in Rin.  When Ashekoroth told me the Searing was coming, I buried a chest behind it.  I always meant to tell Teleri, but… he killed me before I had the chance.  There are some things in it I want Mabane to have.”

“Alright.  I’ll do what I can.”

“Thank you, and farewell.”