As Time Unrolls by Lyra

Sun II

Sun II.
Admitting Defeat

"I wonder how things will go, without us," says Nienna.

Vairë looks up from a dyeing vat; whether her nose wrinkles due to the stench rising from the bubbling brew or due to some unpleasant thought, Nienna cannot tell.
"To be honest, I doubt the world is going to notice much of a difference," Vairë says. "Our contributions to the well-being of Endor have been... shall we say... limited?"

"We did defeat Melkor," Nienna says. "Twice."

"The fact alone that we had to try twice should give you pause," Vairë says.

"Everybody deserves a second chance," Nienna says in a defensive tone that borders on the hurt.

"We failed to apprehend Mairon (1) twice, too. See where it got us," says Vairë, and to the Maia stirring the vat in front of her she says, "A little more vitriol. We need a colder green."

"We, too, deserved a second chance," Nienna says.

"Well, we've had it, and we haven't used it. At least we are being honest to ourselves, and to the Children, now. If we let them fend for themselves, we may as well lay down our office for good; at least they will not pray in vain, then."

Nienna makes no reply, weeping in silence. Vairë watches while her Maiar hang the dyed yarn up to dry, thread upon thread in all the colours of the angry sea: deep blue, steel-grey, dark purple; the cold green of icy waters, the black of the abyss.

"How things will go?" Vairë says when the preparations are finished to her satisfaction, taking up Nienna's question. "The same as ever. The song will run its course. People will live and die. There will be deeds of amazing valour and of baffling idiocy. I will always have something to weave into history, and you will always have something to cry over."

"It is unkind of you to mock me," says Nienna.
Vairë sighs. "I am not mocking you, dear sister. I envy you that you still care so much."
Nienna smiles a sad smile. "I shall not stop caring until you stop weaving. But you know that."

Chapter End Notes

(1) Mairon: Sauron's name before the Eldar lovingly named him Sauron. It means pretty much the opposite.