There had been a disturbance during the yearly return. Ethel had felt it, everyone had felt it, yet she was the only one to go and see what it was.

Who had dared to enter their realm, where no return was possible.

It was a woman lying on the ground, her once firy hair now dulled with strands of grey.

She looked like Arwen's mother, though Ethel had no idea why she would go to the fae realm. She dispelled that train of thoughts, it was no use to think of the people she could not reach.

"What are you doing here? Don't you know how cruel the fae are to people that do not obey their rules?"

The woman gave no sign of hearing Ethel's words. She was just laying there on the grass, breathing heavily, scared out of her mind.

"Come on, darling, it's no use laying there."

Ethel had walked closer and kneeled next to the woman, preparing herself to touch the other to properly see her face.

Her hands fell away, her body backing away as fast as possible.

It was no mystery why the woman had reminded Ethel of Arwen's mother. Yet how this had transpired was impossible to figure out, her brain too scattered to even start to formulate a reason.

She had to leave.

Ethel picked up Arwen's brittle body and got them as far away as possible. No one could know what had truly happened. No one could know a human had passed through the veil and was in the company of Ethel.

-

Arwen came by in a place no one would come looking for them. So far away from the capital they wouldn't be stumbled upon by patrolling guards.

A place so sacred no fae would ever think to come looking for them.

"Arwen."

Arwen's eyes fluttered open and for the first time in two decades did Ethel truly see her beloved again. It was sad this was the way it had to happen.

"Do you know what happened?"

Arwen didn't hear Ethel or simply ignored her inquiry, as she surged forward to envelop Ethel in a hug.

"I missed you so much."

Ethel reverently hugged back, after all one hug wouldn't hurt. And she needed the contact of another living being basking in her closeness.

"Me too."

They stayed there for an eternity, so felt it at least. To just know the other was there and wasn't going anywhere. That Ethel's banishment truly hadn't been the end.

"You can't stay here forever. I felt the disturbance in the veil and went to see what it was, others will too and see you here. A human among fae is in grave danger, danger I can no longer protect you from."

She truly couldn't, though how she was supposed to find her way back through the veil was a mystery for Ethel. She hadn't heard of anyone, ever achieving the same thing. The fae realm had been hidden away for eons, to protect them from their enemies. Ones who had never been able to do the thing Arwen so easily did.

One more reason to get Arwen out of the fae realm as fast as possible. Other fae would want to know how she did it.

"Come on, I'll bring you to the veil."

They walked in silence, only the soft breeze playing with their skirts could be heard. With every step closer to the place that would separate them once more, did Ethel grasp Arwen's hand more firmly.

It was for the best to let go, didn't mean she wanted to.

The veil shimmered between the worlds, showing glimpses of the forests Ethel wanted to wander. This was the end, the last time she would see Arwen.

It was goodbye.

"I'll see you in midsummer, don't worry I'll find you."

Arwen walked through the veil and disappeared from Ethel's world for the last time.

Author's note:

So you guys might have noticed today is the last of May, making it the deadline for this work. We have one more chapter to go and the epilogue, so don't expect very high quality as we will finish it today.