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mark12_30 · 08-06-2004, 06:53 AM

The silence echoed. Nethwador and Taitheneb watched as Erebemlin searched for any sign of Nimrodel.

"My lord?"

Tall and golden-haired, the king stood beside Erebemlin, silent, disbelieving. Erebemlin's fears deepened.

"Amroth," said Nethwador. "Where did she go? What happened to her? Why did she leave?" The boy would not be stilled. "Amroth, where is she? What went wrong? Why is your dream empty now?"

The king raised one hand to Nethwador, and stood silent, searching the horizon. They waited. Disbelief and sorrow washed over them in waves. Nethwador tried again. "Amroth. Amroth?"

The king shut his eyes and spoke in measured tones. "She has closed her mind, " he said. "She has turned from me."

Erebemlin and Taitheneb waited, afraid to ask why. Nethwador knew no such fear. "Why would she do that?"

"Because, " replied the king, "she has been grieved by me for so long; so many years."

"I thought she was glad to see you. I thought she said the wait was over!"

The king nodded. "She did. At first our joy was great. But then she said that she would wake; that it is always the same; she dreams with great hope, but wakens alone and heartbroken. This time, she said, she would wait and grieve no longer; that I had grieved her for the last time, and that I would not deceive her again."

The elves waited with dread. Nethwador shook his head. "What does that mean?"

Amroth was silent.

Nethwador asked again. "What did she say? What then?"

Amroth's face grew stern as steel; his eyes were cold, his voice even. "She said nothing. But I know that she went to another."

"What!"

"Yes. As if she had come to it after long searching, and had at last made up her mind. Nethwador, she went from the grief I have given her to find refuge in another."

"She would not do that. She could not! It is wrong! She promised. She promised!"

"Yes, Nethwador. She promised."

"Then she can not do this! She must not! We must not let her!"

Amroth turned to Nethwador and looked him in the eye. "Little brother, how shall I change her decision? How shall I claim her promise? She has closed her mind and her heart to me because I have failed her. What can I do?"

The dream-landscape faded, and the three friends looked up to see welcome stars. Amroth's eyes opened, and he slowly sat up, and looked around.

On the southern side of the camp, the mannish folk slept. Amroth looked from them to Nethwador, and shook his head. "Let them rest. " But he stood, and slowly paced out of the circle of firelight, and spent the night wandering a broad circle under the glittering stars.

08-06-2004, 06:53 AM	#417
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Night of Dec 24 The silence echoed. Nethwador and Taitheneb watched as Erebemlin searched for any sign of Nimrodel. "My lord?" Tall and golden-haired, the king stood beside Erebemlin, silent, disbelieving. Erebemlin's fears deepened. "Amroth," said Nethwador. "Where did she go? What happened to her? Why did she leave?" The boy would not be stilled. "Amroth, where is she? What went wrong? Why is your dream empty now?" The king raised one hand to Nethwador, and stood silent, searching the horizon. They waited. Disbelief and sorrow washed over them in waves. Nethwador tried again. "Amroth. Amroth?" The king shut his eyes and spoke in measured tones. "She has closed her mind, " he said. "She has turned from me." Erebemlin and Taitheneb waited, afraid to ask why. Nethwador knew no such fear. "Why would she do that?" "Because, " replied the king, "she has been grieved by me for so long; so many years." "I thought she was glad to see you. I thought she said the wait was over!" The king nodded. "She did. At first our joy was great. But then she said that she would wake; that it is always the same; she dreams with great hope, but wakens alone and heartbroken. This time, she said, she would wait and grieve no longer; that I had grieved her for the last time, and that I would not deceive her again." The elves waited with dread. Nethwador shook his head. "What does that mean?" Amroth was silent. Nethwador asked again. "What did she say? What then?" Amroth's face grew stern as steel; his eyes were cold, his voice even. "She said nothing. But I know that she went to another." "What!" "Yes. As if she had come to it after long searching, and had at last made up her mind. Nethwador, she went from the grief I have given her to find refuge in another." "She would not do that. She could not! It is wrong! She promised. She promised!" "Yes, Nethwador. She promised." "Then she can not do this! She must not! We must not let her!" Amroth turned to Nethwador and looked him in the eye. "Little brother, how shall I change her decision? How shall I claim her promise? She has closed her mind and her heart to me because I have failed her. What can I do?" The dream-landscape faded, and the three friends looked up to see welcome stars. Amroth's eyes opened, and he slowly sat up, and looked around. On the southern side of the camp, the mannish folk slept. Amroth looked from them to Nethwador, and shook his head. "Let them rest. " But he stood, and slowly paced out of the circle of firelight, and spent the night wandering a broad circle under the glittering stars. Last edited by mark12_30; 08-23-2004 at 10:49 AM.