āDonāt cry.ā Finrod/BĆ«or (Ao3: tomefaired)
āDonāt cry, Nóm,ā Balan murmured, wiping tears from his loverās eyes. āItās alright...it was her time...ā
āBut she is gone!ā Finrod cried. āGone, and you all watched it, and saw her declineāai, Balan, how can you bear the weight of it?ā
āHow can you bear the weight of eternity?ā Balan asked. The word he used was oira, a Quenya term, for until now no mortal had any need for the concept of forever, of endlessness. āTo live always, and watch the world change around you?ā
āFor all it is the Quendi who are bound to Arda, and the Atani who are guests here, it seems to me you are better suited to a world of growth and decay,ā Finrod whispered. He clutched Balanās hands tightly. āAi, belovedāalready my heart breaks for thee. What shall I do when you are gone?ā
āHave no fear, and do not weep, dear Nóm,ā Balan said, firmly clasping his loverās hands between his own. āI shall follow you home when you must depart, and leave the leadership of my people to my sons; and when old age guides me into death and the world beyond, I will leave you with my memory.ā
But this was little comfort to Finrod, who had lived many times the span of a single mortal life, and he wept all the harder. If he grieved now for the peaceful passing of Balanās great-aunt, how shattered would he be to lose Balan himself, beyond even the reach of Mandos?
āDonāt cry, donāt cry,ā Balan whispered again and again, and held Finrod for as long as he could, as long as his mortal life would allow.












