Ilúvatar couldn't help but smile at that. She sounded as ready to die as one of his own knights, and perhaps he was, but he'd never expected to hear it from someone so beautiful as her. That was a reflection on him, not on her. He had to remember that. And despite everything he believed that she would have stayed here and fought until she could not move. To save them. to spare them the pain of death, or try to spare them the pain of death, for as long as she could. Assuming that was even what happened. There were too many things that depended on assumption. She said they were going to make it, but this was no story, and none of them heroes in the way the fellows from the stories were. At least Ilúvatar did not think of them that way. Perhaps she did. No, she was still too naive, but not so much as all of that.
The soldiers were calling out, pointing, swords and bows as guides. Whatever they saw must have been important. Eibhear was staring into the shadow as though he could see something of value in that inky dark. Ilúvatar could not imagine what he was looking at, but he knew that he wanted no part of it. The time was right for them to begin their climb. Whether or not they made it up the face of the cliff while being pursued by an enemy they could not see or fight as they climbed was one question. A very severe question, to be sure, full of uncertainty that might have excited a younger fool. For his part Ilúvatar only hoped that Aeotha would make it.
For the rest, all of it could burn. Wordless he gestured, for Aeotha to begin climbing. He meant to follow, but a hand seized his arm. Nearly Ilúvatar struck.
It was Eibhear.
Ilúvatar could still see the crisp high collar of Eibhear's fine coat beneath that breastplate of armor. The coat was striped in black and blue, with thick gold embroidery at the collar. A coat belonging to a lord, that much was certain. Ilúvatar's coat of dark green had long since ruined itself upon the blackness, but despite their travel Eibhear's seemed as though it was fit for a feast whenever he decided the armor should be remove.d Those narrow, closely-cut sleeves did not flare at the wrists while so many did. Not a drop of lace nor any embellishment aside from that gold embroidery, which mirrored the collar on each cuff. Yet nothing was more pristine than the other elf's hard stare.
"I'm not sure what you intend," Eibhear said quietly.
"I'm not sure what you mean," Ilúvatar answered stiffly.
"Aeotha."
"What of her?"
"I trust you with my life, Ilúvatar, and if the only comfort I could take to my grave was that you yet lived, it would be enough."
"I feel the same."
"Then if you love me like a brother, keep your intentions to yourself."
Without another word the High Elf began to climb. And Ilúvatar was the last of them at the bottom of that rock face. Without a word he lifted an axe in either hand, and waited. It would not be long now.