Life’s End and the Compassionate Grendel
In a rare event, I managed to catch Orgoch with a joyful smile on her face. Even when most of her major needs were met, I noticed that she still had a tired, depressed glow to her. It was only when she discovered Orwen that she perked up! It must have been a sad time for her when she believed she was the last Norn in Albia. All the same, Orgoch knew that her time would soon come to a close. Just as day turned to night, she too would find her own personal darkness. Fortunately, it looked like it would be a peaceful one. As I nervously glanced at her age, Orgoch was sure to glance in my direction with that silly smile. She was ready. Yet was I?
Meanwhile, Adaon embarked on a very lengthy speech regarding the limited opportunities for Grendels in the music industry. Arianllyn admired his passion, yet her lack of sleep soon caught up with her… In mid-sentence, she nodded off to sleep! Adaon was hardly offended, considering how she was still recovering from her first egg. He quietly began to whisper a few points regarding trumpets and harps to me, yet I quickly scurried off on important business!
It seemed like ages before anything happened, and although it was the most expected event, I still had a sharp pang of sadness when Orgoch passed away. At 12 hours and 22 minutes, she was one of the longer lived Norns. To make things a little easier, she even chose to let her light go out while her friend, Orwen, quietly rested next to her. She had six children of her own, most of which were conceived later in her life. In those damp caverns near the submarine bay, I bid farewell to another Norn. Then, it was all down to the final one of this generation, all too quickly.
Arianllyn quietly slipped away from Adaon to enjoy a little peace and quiet. I could hardly blame her! When she stumbled across Orwen, she could sense the loneliness inherent in her gaze. This was a quiet Norn who was the last of her kind: It was a strange position for Orwen to be in, especially when she was still holding out hope that Taran would come walking towards her again one day. This Grendel was not exactly what she had in mind, but Arinallyn was far from an uncaring monster. She accompanied Orwen across the ocean, and decided that her place was with this lonely Norn, for as long as she had left. And for that, I noticed a faint smile etched across Orwen’s old face.
