Full Circle

CHAPTER NINETEEN: WHAT’S MY LINE?



Buffy slammed the front door behind her after she entered the mansion. She was relieved to be free from both the raging storm and the glaring eyes of the elves. She kicked off her shoes in the antechamber and ran up the stairs, leaving a muddy trail behind her. Buffy couldn’t comprehend why all this crap was happening to her. First, there was Morgoth, and then Illyria and now she had lost Mablung. He had always been her rock… her saving grace, and now she had nothing. For reasons unknown, the Powers seemed to be letting the Slayer get bitch-slapped from one end of Middle-earth to the other. But the million-dollar question was: why? Yes, Buffy did some heinous things in Angband, but it wasn’t her will at work, it was Morgoth’s. She shouldn’t be held responsible for the deeds that she committed while under his sway. He’s the First, the biggest and baddest of them all, even they couldn’t stop him in Valinor!

When she entered the bathroom she turned the ‘hot’ water on in the tub and went over to the mirror and began wiping the mud from her face with a washcloth. She couldn’t come to terms with how her life had turned upside down in only a matter of a few minutes. All hope for a brighter future in Doriath, after the horror of Angband, withered before her very eyes.

A sobbing Buffy was removing her jewelry when a cold chill crept over her entire body. She was drenched to the bone and assumed that that was the cause until she looked up into the mirror, and there before her was none other than Morgoth. “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” he sounded. “Why the long face, Melisse? Surely you knew that this… infatuation with the elf was doomed from the start.” He was wearing his ‘fair’ form and the tone of his words seemed overly sweet. Buffy was still trembling from the chill and Morgoth, realizing that, then pursed his lips together and blew; the Slayer then became consumed by warmth – his warmth and the chill immediately dissipated.

“I will always take care of you, my love,” he said soothingly. “I made a vow to never leave you and I will not break that promise. That relationship with the elf was built on a foundation of lies; it was fated to crumble into nothingness. Weep no more!” Buffy’s bawling ceased; only to be replaced by silent tears that spilled down her dirt streaked face. Morgoth continued in the same compassionate tone, “Come now, Melisse, he is but an elf… a lower being unworthy of your love. And was it not you that walked away from him? How can you expect to sustain a relationship when you cannot even speak truthfully about whom you are or all those things that lay hidden in your past? That is a part of you, sweetness. It is why I love you so. That is why you ran from him… to me.”

Buffy’s voice broke as she spoke, “I didn’t run to you. I only came home.” Her voice was weak and feeble.

He smiled and Buffy’s heart began racing. “Home is where your heart is, is it not? If that happens to be here, then so be it. Melian’s spells of enchantment cannot prevent me from seeking out the one whom I love… We are bound together, Melisse. Perhaps that is the reason why you fled before the elf. You now truly understand the significance of our bond. Our love transcends both time and space… and we have no secrets between us. I care, not about your past… dalliances… that is a part of who you are. You are the Vala of Love after all, and I know what that entails. You are my perfect mate and you are already my spouse! Surely you have not forgotten that we have exchanged vows?”

“I wasn’t in my right frame of mind,” she replied softly yet firmly. “You bewitched me. That doesn’t count…”

“Doesn’t count?” he questioned, mocking her voice. “My mark is branded upon your breast and yours upon mine! You cannot flee from your destiny no matter how hard you try. The world awaits us, love; all you have to do is take my hand… ” Buffy half expected Morgoth to come popping out of the mirror into her bathroom but he remained confined to the mirror with his hand outstretched before him. For some reason she couldn’t restrain herself as she stretched out her hand towards the mirror.

WHAM! Buffy had balled up her fist and smashed the mirror sending shards of glass all over the sink, counter top and floor. She glared at the empty frame that hung on the wall – Morgoth was gone. The Slayer let out a deep sigh before pulling fragments of glass out of her bleeding knuckle. She turned off the water, undressed and climbed into the tub. An eerie feeling of calmness encompassed every fiber of her being as she healed herself in the method that Morgoth had taught her.

After scrubbing herself raw, she changed into her nightclothes and crawled into bed. It was still early despite the deceptiveness of the evening sky. She grabbed the bottle of wine that she had been drinking from earlier that day and took a long swig. Oh, how she wanted to forget this day. Buffy spent the remainder of the night wallowing in her grief and consuming too much wine. A persistent knock at the door indicated the arrival of at least one member of her household, but she knew it wasn’t the one person whom she wished to see the most. She soon found the room to be spinning and the knocking ceased as she collapsed onto her bed in a drunken stupor.

The following morning Buffy woke to yet another beautiful day. Her head was pounding and the bright rays from the sun gleamed into the room causing her eyes to sting. She waved her hand and the heavy drapes closed causing the room to become dim. Any hope of her dying in her sleep was now gone. Not that it would do any good, being one of the Valar and all. Inevitably she would make her flesh anew and move on, but that was the part she was having the most difficulty with – moving on. She wasn’t ready yet. Hell, it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours!

Once again, Buffy heard a persistent knocking, but this time it was on the glass doors to the balcony. “I know you’re in there, Bella,” she recognized Úrion’s voice. “Open up!” With each rap, it felt like Buffy’s head would explode. “I will smash through this door if you do not open it. Enough is enough!”

“Fine, I’m coming, I’m coming,” Buffy mumbled under her breath as she staggered to the door and unlocked it. She immediately returned to her bed. “Keep ‘em closed,” she ordered Úrion when he attempted to open the curtains.

“As you wish,” he replied as he sat in the chair next to the bed. “Do you intend to lock yourself away in here forever and drink yourself into oblivion?” he questioned as he picked an empty bottle up off the floor.

“Maybe,” replied the Slayer as she rubbed her temples.

Úrion got up and proceeded to the bathroom. “Let me see if I can find a tonic for your… Oh, Bella! What happened in here? There is glass all over the place.”

“I had an accident. Don’t worry about it. Just be careful,” she answered.

She could hear him rummaging through the cabinets. “If it makes you feel any better, Mablung is not doing much better than you. He still does not understand what he had done that was so wrong. It was all done out of love, as you know. Perhaps there is still a chance to save your relationship for I deem that you are not one to toss it away so easily.” He returned with a green bottle. “If I recall correctly, I believe this contains the remedy to what ails you,” he said as he handed her the bottle. “That should help,” he added as he sat back down.

“Thanks,” she uttered as she pulled the cork and took a swig.

“You look a mess,” he finally said again.

“Gee, if your intentions were to cheer me up, you’re sure doing a shitty job,” smirked Buffy. “Now I have a better understanding as to why there’s no woman in your life.”

Úrion leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Ah, you see that is where you are wrong. I do have a woman in my life… you!” Buffy looked at him questionably. “Oh no, not in that respect, of course,” he replied with a chuckle. “Nevertheless, I am here by your invite, not Mablung’s, even though I have spent more time in his company than yours. Those things happen... ” He leaned closer. “Listen to me Dagnir, I have seen you and Mablung together for a while now, and what you two have is genuine… it’s real. But sometimes I think that he may love you more.”

“So now I don’t love Mablung enough?” she asked with an air of frustration in her voice.

“No, I did not say that, exactly. I went with him in search of Randiel’s lair. I wish you could have seen him, Bella, he was deeply hurt by you. You concealed something of great importance from him. She was his first love and to learn that she is now a vampire… ”

“Because you ran your mouth!” Buffy interjected.

“He was bound to find out one way or another. But that is beside the point. Even though he felt somewhat betrayed by your actions, he overlooked it because he loves you. His future with you means more than a fond memory from his distant past,” disclosed Úrion.

“What are you saying?” she questioned.

“I say clean yourself up and go find Mablung! You will have no peace of mind until this situation is resolved.”

“And what happens then?” she asked. “What if Mablung’s resolute and doesn’t want anything to do with me? You heard him last night… everyone heard him. I’m the bad guy here.”

“At least you will know. There are those who are loyal to you Bella. I am not the only one,” he continued. “The people of Doriath wait with bated breath to discover the outcome of this… misunderstanding. There are those here who recognize your power and fear that you may depart these lands. While Melian is strong, you are by far much stronger. You are a gifted warrior who brings hope to those of us who dwell in these days of impending doom and destruction. Melian said so herself. What would become of the people of Doriath if you leave?”

“First of all, I didn’t say anything about leaving. This is my home and I’m not gonna be forced to leave it. And secondly, Doriath is protected by Melian’s power and that’s good enough. There’s nothing for the people to fear.”

“Unless they go outside the Girdle,” added Úrion.

“That’s not my problem,” she said as she finally climbed out of bed.

“No, I suppose it is not. All I am saying is that there are those who hope that you and Mablung reconcile before it is too late. My heart tells me that you need to take the first step,” he remarked.

Buffy pulled open the curtains allowing the early morning light into the chamber. “You’re right,” she said as she opened all the doors. She turned and faced him with her arms folded across her chest. “I’ll take the next step but after that… it’s up to Mablung. Now get out of here so I can change.”

“Very well,” he said as he left her inner sanctum.

After Buffy had made herself presentable she left the mansion for the Halls of Thingol with a deep sense of foreboding. She would make an effort although her heart told her that nothing good would come from it. She knew Mablung well enough to know that once he made up his mind – that was it. But hopefully, she could persuade him to not throw their love away so hastily.

As Buffy made her way through the passageways, she noticed that some of the elves refused to make eye contact with her while others stopped and offered words of comfort. She discovered that Mablung had returned to his ‘old’ living quarters and that’s precisely where she found him. He opened the door, “What is it, Bellaseth?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked. He opened the door wider and she entered. She took a seat on the couch as he sat in the chair opposite her. She was so hoping that he would sit next to her. “I’m really sorry,” she started. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, but you’ve got to understand that I’m not ready to become your wife.”

“I would have thought that our current living conditions would suggest otherwise. Did we not live as husband and wife?”

“Yes, but the only problem I have is the whole life-long commitment part. I’m just not ready to do that. God, I’m still coming to terms with the whole immortality thing… Mablung, can’t we go back to what we had? We were happy… ”

He looked at her with pity in his eyes. She could see how hard this was on him too. “We have been through this already Bella. I do not want to spend the rest of my life with a woman who does not love me enough to exchange vows with me. Love is more than just cohabiting with one another. I yearn to have children while the world has some semblance of peace… and my heart tells me that you are not ready for that.”

Buffy looked down at the floor as tears began to well in her eyes. “No, I’m not ready for that,” she replied solemnly. “I know this might not mean anything to you, but years ago when we were in Ossir and I met with Salmar, he told me that you were going to ask me to be your wife.” That revelation did not have any effect on him. “He told me that I would accept your proposal but he also said to wait… He said not to have the wedding until I spent fifty years in Middle-earth.”

“And you are disclosing this bit of information now? Why have you waited so long to tell me this?” he questioned.

“I don’t know. It was just kind of a weird thing to hear at the time. Then, time just kinda crept away from me and things happened… ” Her words drifted off as they sat in silence for several minutes. Buffy could feel Mablung’s gaze, but she continued to look down at the floor.

“Then Thingol is right,” he finally said. “You have kept secrets from me. No relationship can survive when it’s built on a foundation of lies.” Buffy nearly freaked hearing those words. They mirrored nearly verbatim what Morgoth had said the previous night. When Buffy looked up, Mablung held the crucifix in his outstretched hand. “I think that I should return this to you,” he said softly.

Buffy stood as tears rolled down her face. There was an aching deep in the pit of her stomach and she was feeling nauseous. “No,” she sniffled. “I gave it to you. Keep it. It’ll bring me peace of mind knowing that it will protect you.” She walked across the room. Her hand was on the doorknob when she said, “I’ll always love you, Mablung… and I’ll always be grateful for the time we’ve had together.” She didn’t look at him or wait for a response as she walked out the door.

She quickly left the Halls of Thingol and returned to her home. Úrion was waiting on the front stoop for her. “I take it that things did not go well,” he remarked off her look.

“You think?” she whimpered.

“I am truly sorry, Bella, really I am.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said dejectedly. “Listen, Úrion, I really don’t wanna be around anyone right now, okay? I just want to be alone.” She swept by him and entered the house. She went to her bedchamber and locked the door behind her. Immediately the Slayer grabbed a bottle of wine, but she hesitated. What am I gonna do? she asked herself, drink myself into oblivion like Úrion said? She stared at the bottle for a moment before throwing it hard against one of the gleaming white walls. Red wine sprayed all over the wall as the Slayer covered her face with her hands and broke down once again. When she looked up again, she noticed the wine took the shape of a giant cross.

“What the hell?” she mumbled as she walked over to the wall to inspect the image. When the bottle had first broken, it looked like wine splattered on a wall, but after only a few minutes it had taken the shape of her symbol. She touched the wall; the liquid was already dry. It frightened her somewhat and she stepped a few paces back. Suddenly, the room became filled with a blinding white light…

Only a moment later, a very tall man appeared. He was of slender build and had brown wavy shoulder length hair and a well-trimmed beard. His eyes were a deep gray and they seemed to sparkle with wisdom and power. Although Buffy did not know who this man was, her heart rejoiced at the sight of him. “Maranwë,” he said in a deep melodic voice. He was definitely one of the Powers. His smile widened and his eyes became misty as he approached her. “It has been much too long since I’ve seen my sister.”

Buffy felt a lump in her throat. Never in her wildest dreams would she have expected to see one of her siblings. “Irmo?” she asked inquisitively.

“Yes, it is I.” He pulled her into a bear hug that literally swept her off her feet. “Oh, how you’ve been in my thoughts of late.” He put her down, took a step back, leaving his hands resting on her shoulders, as he looked her over. “Let me take a look at you,” he said with affection. “Námo was right. You are very small.” Buffy didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Why are you here?” she asked warily.

His smile waned a bit. “Yes, you are very much like Námo in one respect: you like to get down to business. Not one for small talk.”

Buffy shrugged. “It hasn’t been a good day.”

“Oh, yes,” he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Come Maranwë. Sit.” Despite the fact that it sounded like Irmo was talking to a dog, she did, however, do as he commanded and sat beside him on the bed. “I can help ease your pain. In fact, it was I who gave you the strength last night to thwart Melkor’s… er, advances… ”

“You did that?” she asked with surprise. He nodded. “I felt calm and confident… for a little while… ” she added sadly.

He clasped her hand in his. “Heed my words: the pain will lessen sooner than you think. But now, let me take your mind off your tumultuous love life and take you on a most wonderful journey.” Irmo pulled her to her feet.

“Where we going? Valinor?” queried the Slayer hopefully.

“No, not Valinor.” His smile broadened and he winked as he linked her arm in his. “Ready?” And together they vanished…

They reappeared only a split second later in an incredibly beautiful place. Buffy and Irmo stood on the shores of an enormous crystal clear lake, but that wasn’t the impressive part. In the midst of the lake there was a large island on which a great fortress was built. An enormous tower that made Buffy think of the Tower of Babel for some reason, stood in the center of that isle. The white marble shimmered in the morning sunlight. The Slayer looked on in awe. She was mesmerized by that place.

“Aulë will be pleased that you like it,” Irmo said before they disappeared once again.

They reappeared in the topmost section of that colossal tower a moment later. The view from the balcony left her breathless. As Buffy looked down she saw numerous fountains and gardens, statutes, covered porches, gazebos, and streets paved with gold. The list went on and on. It was Buffy’s ideal of heaven. Everything was pristine and beautiful, fresh and new. There was a mystical energy about this place that lulled to sleep all feelings of weariness, loneliness and even heartache. It was a place where love radiated from every living thing, all of which lived together harmoniously.

“Where are we?” she asked in a bewildered tone as her eyes continued to scan the landscape.

“This is Folkvang!” Buffy looked at him oddly. “Or so Aulë calls it. It means… ”

“‘Field of folk,’” responded the Slayer. “At least it does in Khuzdul, the language of the dwarves… ”

Irmo raised his eyebrows. “You know the secret tongue of the Khazâd?”

Buffy turned her gaze to him. “For some reason, I know just about every language I come across in this world, Khazâd being one of them.” She returned her gaze to the countryside. “I’ve had dealings with the dwarves… I figured you knew about that whole Durin thing.” She watched him closely from the corner of her eye. His eyes remained fixed on the Slayer.

“So you have started phase one I take it,” he commented.

“I don’t know about phase one, but the dwarves are currently working on the prison I was told to have built. Or at least I think they are.” She hadn’t checked in on them in a while. Buffy could only assume that Luthor was overseeing their ‘project.’ “Well,” she began again. “They were last time I was there. I’m sure if there were any problems, Luthor would’ve let me know.”

“Luthor?” questioned Irmo with raised eyebrows. “Are we talking about Melkor’s Luthor?” Buffy nodded. “Is it wise to put your faith in one of Melkor’s servants?”

Buffy gave Irmo a hard look. “I trust Luthor with my life!” she said firmly. “Besides, if it wasn’t for him, I’d still be Morgoth’s bitch!”

He was silent for a moment. “You really believe in redemption, don’t you?”

She smiled even though she found it absurd that Irmo would ask her such a question. “Do I have a choice?” she asked. “I’m no angel either… ”

“Yes, but the circumstances surrounding… ”

“It doesn’t matter Irmo,” she cut in. “I don’t care how ‘bewitched’ I was. The fact remains that I’ve brought evil into this world that otherwise would not have existed. I’m to blame for that.” She shook her head. “I don’t even know if I can put any of that on Morgoth.”

“How can you say that?” he seemed affronted by the notion. “Melkor used very dark magicks on you in order to gain knowledge of things that he would never have given any thought to conceiving. He is wholly at fault here, not you! You were an unwilling pawn in his game… ” Buffy couldn’t help but feel slighted by Irmo using the word ‘pawn’ in reference to her. “He is rotten to the core! A despoiler… ”

“Then why don’t you guys do something about it?” she questioned disdainfully. “If all the Powers united, surely you guys could take him down in one fell swoop. If it were up to me, I’d throw his ass back in Mandos so fast his head would spin!”

Irmo appeared crestfallen. Buffy regretted speaking so harshly, but it just burst out of her. She had nothing against her brother, especially since he seemed to genuinely want to help her. He let out a sigh and the smile left his handsome face.

“Alas! It is not fated to be that way, Maranwë. It is up to the children of Eru to bring an end to Melkor’s reign… ”

“Okay, fine. I’m a child of Eru. Isn’t that good enough?!” she shot back as she folded her arms across her chest.

Irmo looked at her solemnly. “Unfortunately, no. That’s not to say that you won’t play a role in that great battle, but it will be one who has both elvish and mortal blood running through his veins who’ll be the catalyst of the end. And that time is not yet upon us… ” He let out a heavy sigh and looked towards the mainland, his eyes seemed to be searching in the distance.

“I have brought you here for a reason, sister. We do not wish for all your knowledge to come from the likes of Melkor and Luthor… ” Buffy shot him a dirty look but didn’t say anything. She trusted Luthor! What was so hard to understand about that? “Everything that has happened to you was meant to be, Maranwë.” He didn’t have to look at her to know that her jaw had dropped. “Yes, I said everything. Melkor, Illyria… the Hellmouths and those awful… well, those dreadful creatures that… er… ” He was having a hard time getting the words out.

“I know what you’re referring to. There’s no need to say any more,” said an uncomfortable Buffy.

He gripped the railing of the balcony and took a deep breath. “You are the only Vala who’s supposed to be in Middle-earth other than Melkor. He as a representative for dark and you for light. It was prophesied long ago that the two would unite; both good and evil. That was something that we in Valinor found impossible to comprehend. We asked ourselves, ‘How could that be?’ ‘Who would unite with Melkor?’

“That is when Eru held council with Manwë and revealed to him that you were going to be descending into Eä… ” He turned to her. “That’s when we knew that it was true, for you and he have a history dating far back beyond the making of this world. But what we didn’t understand at the time was that this is all part of Eru’s will. Everything and everyone to the minutest soul serves some purpose in this world.

“Evil exists to test all men, not just mortals.” He paused for a moment. “Eru gifted the children with the ability to reason and use logic when making the choices that are put before them. Free will is a very powerful thing. It is ultimately man’s decision whether he treads down the path of righteousness or the path of wickedness. But nevertheless, both options are to be available to them.

“You Maranwë must maintain that balance until the End of Days. In that respect you are the Chosen One. But you must bear in mind that evil cannot wholly be eradicated and is needed in order to maintain that balance! Men must be given the opportunity to choose which path to tread. Remember that!” He paused once again. “That is why, when given the opportunity for respite, you can call this place home. Your sanctuary.”

“There’s more to it, isn’t there?” she questioned suspiciously. It wasn’t every day that someone got handed a mystical kingdom on the proverbial silver platter.

“Need I say again that you are very much like Námo?” He shook his head. “Yes, there’s more to it. Ultimately, when the world reaches the age in which we witness the End of Days, the final battle will start here… in Folkvang.” Buffy found that to be a most unpleasant thought! “But you will not be ill-equipped when that time comes. Manwë and Námo will grant onto you one half of all the mortal warriors that have been slain in battle. You shall have your pick of any of those that have lived upon the earth until the breaking of Eä. Here they will reside in peace until that time and you shall be their Queen… their General… ”

“Wow! That’s a lot to take in,” she said as she gripped the balcony railing. Her legs felt like jell-o. “So, is this like heaven?”

“A version thereof,” Irmo replied as his lips curled into a smile. “It is very much like Valinor save that you are the only Vala that shall dwell here. But there are many Maiar that wish to remain here and enter your service, if it’s your will. Sussrúmnir is quite large and will require a great many people… ”

“What’s Sussrúmnir?” questioned Buffy. She knew that it meant ‘room of seat,’ but that didn’t mean anything to her.

“That’s the name of the Halls in which we now stand… your Halls. Sussrúmnir. This is but a different version of the Halls of Mandos. While Námo prefers to have those that dwell within his Halls reflect upon their life in quiet solitude, I daresay that you are the opposite. In Folkvang you will allow the inhabitants to ‘live’, garbed in flesh, as a reward for their brave and heroic deeds in life. You will grant to them the opportunity to experience all the… er, pleasures that they once held dear.”

“I’ve gotta tell you Irmo, this kinda blows my mind.” Buffy didn’t doubt his words - they stunned her. “So, tell me, how do I acquire these warriors? I mean… has man even been born yet?”

“We are not aware of their awakening as of yet. But that brings to mind another matter that I have need to discuss with you,” he said grimly. Buffy was preparing herself for some bad news based on the look on Irmo’s face. “It is your task to find the mortal folk and succor them in their hour of need. Melkor is always on the look out for them so you must be vigilant. Dark days await them, Maranwë, dark days indeed! You must deliver them from the thralldom that Melkor has in store for them. Show them that hope truly lies in the light of the West… ”

“So that means that Morgoth’s gonna find them first, right?” asked a confused Slayer.

“That is how it’s fated to be,” he answered. “You shall deliver mankind from the evil of Melkor.”

“Oh,” she simply replied. That disclosure left her speechless, for once.

Irmo then decided to show Buffy all around this fortress. This palace was much more elaborate and beautiful than anything she had ever seen before including both Menegroth and Khazad-Dûm. Buckingham Palace is like a tiny cottage in comparison. Actually, she never envisioned a place of greater beauty. Aulë and his kin had constructed this place in memory of Almaren, the first home of the Valar, that Morgoth Bauglir destroyed long ago.

Buffy discovered that this island would actually expand on its own in order to accommodate all its inhabitants as more and more people entered this realm. Therefore when the time comes and millions of people live here, it will never seem overcrowded. There will always be an abundance of food, livestock, water and any other necessity that any ‘city’ would require. A wall, one hundred and fifty feet high, twenty-two feet thick surrounded the fortress and was in the words of Irmo, “impenetrable.”

But it was Buffy’s inner sanctum that really blew her away. The entire thirteenth floor consisted of her private rooms. All of them were enormous and the décor was magnificent to say the least. Each room was designed with either a color theme or a ‘nature’ theme and was decorated accordingly. Many of the various objects in the rooms were made from gold, silver and copper (which Buffy loved). There were hundreds of glass vases of various sizes that were filled with an abundance of gemstones including rubies, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds, to name a few, in every room within the palace. They were on display all throughout the place instead of being locked away in some vault!

Besides that, there were rooms that were referred to as ‘treasuries’ that were packed to the ceiling with gold and silver bars that could be wrought into new items of beauty. Buffy couldn’t even fathom how much wealth was stored within these halls. And it was all hers! She was rich! And we’re not talking Trump rich, we’re talking Rothchild rich! Irmo then showed her the armories, which were stock piled with an assortment of the most magnificent weapons that she had ever laid eyes on.

They ended the tour of the interior of the palace at the Hall of Judgment. It, too, was a work of wonder. The ceiling must have been nearly one hundred feet high and was finished in copper. The entire floor was constructed from white marble and there were beautiful tapestries and paintings hung on the stone walls. Along two walls were many long ornate couches and wooden chairs. At the far end of the room was a dais with seven steps and atop that sat a large canopied throne. Two large silver vats stood on pedestals on either side of the steps and contained the only flames that Buffy saw throughout the entire tour. Immediately, Buffy was drawn to that seat. She knew it was hers.

“Oh my god,” she said as she climbed the marble steps swiftly. “Isn’t this lapis lazuli?” she asked as she stood before the high seat.

“Indeed it is! Aulë knows of your passion for that color,” came Irmo’s reply.

Buffy stroked the arm’s smooth surface. The entire chair was carved from lapis lazuli (known as sapphire in the ‘modern’ world). The stone’s intense blue color was dotted with small specks of gold that brought to mind a clear blue sky. The back of the chair had a large crucifix etched in the center with an eight pointed star situated above it. “What does that mean?” she questioned as she ran her fingers along the intricate carving of the star.

Irmo now stood at the bottom of the steps. “That my sister, you will discover in time.”

“In time,” Buffy said as she cast a look over her shoulder. “You guys really love those two little words, don’t you?”

“Some things are not yet meant to be revealed to you,” he responded with a knowing smile. “Why don’t you give it a try? See if it’s to your liking,” suggested her brother.

Buffy’s smile widened as she sat on the cushioned seat. She placed her hands on the arms of the chair and that’s when she saw images flashing quickly before her eyes. She saw both dwarves and men fighting a great battle, monsters in all shapes and sizes, women and children screaming, and a city vanishing beneath the earth. She was so started by these things that she quickly jumped out of the chair.

“What the hell was that?” asked the freaked out Slayer.

“I take it that you have seen snippets of the future,” Irmo answered as he climbed up the steps to the dais. “That seat will also allow you to see events from the past. You will need that in order to judge those who come before your throne.”

“You could warn a girl, you know,” she said as her nerves began to calm. “I wasn’t expecting to see all that stuff.”

“It is no ordinary chair,” he remarked.

“You got that right!” she said in agreement.

“You must come to these Halls each night after man has awakened, in order to pass judgment on those who have been slain. Those whom you do not wish to reside in your Halls will be sent to Mandos, but you shall get first pick.”

“What about the elves?” she asked. “Do I get to choose the ones I want?”

Irmo looked at her for several moments before replying. “I’m afraid not. Their home is in Valinor, not Folkvang.” Buffy was saddened to hear that. “The Valar understand that there will be some of the Firstborn that will not part from you for any reason. They will bind themselves to you in order to aid you in your quest. We consider their loyalty commendable and it brings great joy to my heart knowing that you will have some of those folk in your service.”

It was then that Irmo somewhat introduced her to the Maiar that wished to remain in Folkvang. Buffy was astonished to learn that there were thousands of them, not mere hundreds! They came from all the great houses of The Powers, including Melkor’s (not all fell from grace!). To Buffy’s amazement, the females actually outnumbered the males. She learned that many of these female deities had an extremely important purpose in this world. It was their destiny to assist the Slayer in choosing the fallen warriors from the battlefield. They would also be the ones to guide those fey’s back to Folkvang where Buffy would pronounce her judgment on them. If Buffy’s memory served her well, in ‘modern’ mythology they were referred to as Valkyries, which meant ‘Choosers of the Slain.’

Irmo and Buffy took a lunch break after meeting many of these wonderful people that she gladly accepted into her service. She was definitely in heaven. Any food that Buffy could think of was found here in Folkvang. The first thing that she ate was an orange. It might seem a stupid choice, but the scent of that fruit nearly brought tears to her eyes (as well as flashes of her life in Sunnydale). And when she sunk her teeth into the flesh and she experienced that burst of flavor – it was glorious! But one food did make her cry – chocolate! She hadn’t tasted that in years and it was as phenomenal as she had ever remembered. Yep, thought Buffy. This is definitely home sweet home.

After they had eaten, she was given a tour of the grounds, groves, pastures and such. There were also many harbors where men were busily constructing ships in the likeness of swans. Folkvang was akin to Valinor in respect to it being a land of perpetual spring. No winter shall ever visit it. Although if one looked towards the mainland, there were numerous snow capped mountains in the distance. Man was permitted to visit that region, but they were not allowed to set up permanent dwellings outside the isle.

It was evening when the tour was finally completed (and Buffy didn’t nearly see everything that this place had to offer), and the time had now arrived for Irmo to return to his own home in Lórien. Buffy loathed the idea of his leaving so soon. The whole day was so enjoyable and it was nice being with someone who knew and loved her (even though she had no recollection of him).

“Alas! The time has come, my sister, for me to return to my own Halls in fair Lórien.”

“Do you have to go?” she whined. “Can’t you stay awhile longer? Please!” She was having such a lovely time and she wasn’t ready for it to end.

“I’m afraid I cannot stay any longer.” He pulled her into another one of his bear hugs and whispered, “You will never be wholly alone again my dear sister. Do not forget that.” He pulled out of the embrace, his arms still around her, “Dreams are yet another form of reality. It is my gift to you.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Take care Maranwë and remember, there are many in Valinor who love you dearly.” Before Buffy could respond, he disappeared in a flash.



Irmo reappeared only a moment later in Námo’s private chamber in Mandos. He quickly walked to the sideboard and grabbed a crystal decanter that contained miruvóre. His hand shook slightly as he poured that sweet nectar into two glasses.

“I take it that the task is done,” remarked Námo as he stepped out from a darkened recess.

Irmo gulped down his drink and refilled it. “Yes,” he responded as he handed his brother a drink.

“She doesn’t suspect anything, does she?” Námo questioned.

“No,” answered Irmo as he turned to his older brother. “I hated lying to her…”

“You have not lied to her,” countered Námo sternly. “You only disclosed to her the things she needs to know.” Irmo didn’t find his words comforting. “She will try to use the throne to discover her past… to break through the veil.”

“She won’t succeed,” said Irmo. “Aulë assured me that it cannot be done, no matter how hard she tries.”

“That is good,” remarked Námo as he sipped his liqueur. “Things are as they should be.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” said an agitated Irmo. “I think this is nonsense! She should know the truth…”

“That is not for you to decide,” snapped Námo. He composed himself before adding, “We must leave things as they are. That is how it’s supposed to be. We are dealing with the will of Eru, not the will of the Valar.”

“Fine,” grumbled Irmo as he put his empty glass on a table. “I’ve done what you have asked of me. Now, I’m going to return to my own Halls.”

Námo nodded his head. “I thank you brother. Farewell!” Irmo hastily left his brother’s chambers. Námo’s heart ached for Maranwë as well. He didn’t have the luxury of showing his emotions. Surely, Irmo understood that.