The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Lonely Star -- Chapter 4

Birdland · 11-28-2002, 08:08 AM

Bird stumbled out of her bunk, bleary eyed and bedraggled, squinting to keep out the daylight streaming in her cabin window.

She stumbled over a box, cursing at the pain in her toe, and yanked open the door.

And there stood Cami. Bird was about to give her a good talking to about waking her up at this time of the morning (just what time was it, anyway?), but the look on the halflings face silenced her.

"I thought we could go for a last walk around the island, Birdie. I can't stand to be on the ship anymore, and I've finished everything I need to do here. We could go and see Angara, if you like."

Bird smiled as she remembered her image of the great golden dragon dancing on the sand the night before. But she had avoided any private words with Angara, perhaps because she knew it would turn into a lecture on the dragon's part. But she knew it could not be put off any longer. It was time to start saying good-byes.

"Let me put on my shoes, and I'll be right there."
************************
The tide was low, and Kali was showing the Hobbrim how to find clams in the soft sand as Cami and Bird walked up the beach to join them. Angara was helping also, thrusting her long talons deep into the sand and plucking out the shelled delicacies before they had a chance to burrow deeper.

The children came running up, showing off their catch and chattering about the wonderful feast of steamed clams they would have that night. Kali and Angara came to join them, and after sending the children off to continue their hunt, the four companions walked far up the beach.

They talked and walked for hours, remembering all the adventures they had been through, laughing over some, and spoke without sadness about those that they had met and lost. And they rejoiced again over the fact that Pio had been restored to them again. Angara and Cami discussed their duties as the guardians of their peoples, and Kali talked long about the customs of the Hobbrim, and asked many questions about the lives of Halflings in the Third Age, hoping that they could incorporate these things into the lives of the Hobbrims, so that they would all truly be one clan.

Bird paused on the sand, watching as the three companions walked away from her, thinking that this was probably the last time they would ever be together like this again. And then a terrifying, lonely thought came to her: This would be the last time, and not because of the distances that separated them. No, once she, Pio and Mith made the leap once more into the Fourth Age, then these people that she had grown to love would be gone. No, not gone she thought, They’ll be dead. Dead for a thousand years.

Her stomach clenched at the thought, and for the first time, Bird actually felt pity for the Elven Kind. For this is how they must have felt when first they came to know and love the Second Children of Eru. For they had stood as on a shore also, and watched as Men grew old, and died, and left for a place they would never see or know. They would only be left with memories that would last as long as time.

At least Bird knew that when her own time came, that she would meet with these friends again, even after a thousand years. Why, this must be why the Elves called Death the “gift” of Men!

Suddenly she sprinted forward, calling “Wait!“ Kali, Cami and Angara turned and laughed as Bird came struggling through the soft sand, Panting, she ran ahead of them and stood, blocking their paths.

“Listen”, she said, trying to catch her breath. I have something to tell you all. Actually, I mean; to give you all.“

“What is it Bird-ee?” asked Kali, laughing. “You carry nothing with you.”

“Well, yes, I do, in a way. And this is actually for Cami. I doubt that your or Angara will have much use for this, but I’d like you to have it anyway.”

“What would you like to give me, Bird” asked Cami

“It’s my name. Oh, not those names“ Bird said as she saw the puzzled looks. “My real name. I don’t know much about my own folk, but my foster Da taught me a few words of the language, whatever the Beorn remembered from their own past, and he told me the name that my folks gave me, before they left me at the Carrock. It was written on a note, along with my ‘outsider’ name, so to speak. Which is Birdland, of course, though don’t ask my why.“

“You see, Cami, you might run into, and recognize, other skinchangers while you and your folk are wandering around in the Third Age. It’s possible, I know they were there. Now I can’t be there anymore to get you or Rose out of any jams anymore. But I’d like you to be able to call on my own people, if you ever have need to. But you have to know what to say. Else they won’t help you, you see. Now I‘ve never even told Pio this, there was no need. But you may have need, so I’m giving it to you.”

Cami said nothing, just ran forward and wrapped her arms around the changling in a deep embrace and started to cry. Bird started to tear up as well, but put a stop to all that by taking her arms from around the Hobbit and holding her away.

“Now, none of that. You must concentrate and practice how to say what I’m going to teach you, for my real name's a bit of a jaw-cracker. And if you say what I’m teaching you wrong, why the Skinchangers might not help you.“

Cami nodded silently, and brushing away her tears, sat on the sand next to Kali and Angara and waited. Bird stood upright and intoned: Camilia Goodchilde. I give you my name, which is Dester' edra.*

“Dester' edra” Why, it’s beautiful Bird! What does it mean?”

“Oh, it still means ‘Bird‘. Not any bird in particular. Just ‘a bird‘. It can also mean ‘horse‘, too, I‘m told.”

“That’s a long word for ‘bird,” wondered Kali.

Birdie laughed. “Yes, I guess it is. If you translate it word-for-word, so to speak, it means “wind-sibling”. If I were a man, it would end with an “E“, but since I‘m a woman, it ends with an “A“. So I am “sister-of-the-wind“. But that is not the only word you should know. Just my name won’t be enough. You must say this: Te' sorthene Dester' edra. If you say those two words together, that should be enough to convince them that you have known a skinchanger, and they will help you.

Cami said “So Te' sorthene means friend!”

“Not just ‘friend’, said Bird with a smile, “It means ‘friend of the heart’, or ‘friend of the spirit’.
*************************

*The two words that Birdie says are from the Romany language. My apologies if I have butchered them. - Birdland

[ November 30, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

11-28-2002, 08:08 AM	#444
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	Bird stumbled out of her bunk, bleary eyed and bedraggled, squinting to keep out the daylight streaming in her cabin window. She stumbled over a box, cursing at the pain in her toe, and yanked open the door. And there stood Cami. Bird was about to give her a good talking to about waking her up at this time of the morning (just what time was it, anyway?), but the look on the halflings face silenced her. "I thought we could go for a last walk around the island, Birdie. I can't stand to be on the ship anymore, and I've finished everything I need to do here. We could go and see Angara, if you like." Bird smiled as she remembered her image of the great golden dragon dancing on the sand the night before. But she had avoided any private words with Angara, perhaps because she knew it would turn into a lecture on the dragon's part. But she knew it could not be put off any longer. It was time to start saying good-byes. "Let me put on my shoes, and I'll be right there." ************************ The tide was low, and Kali was showing the Hobbrim how to find clams in the soft sand as Cami and Bird walked up the beach to join them. Angara was helping also, thrusting her long talons deep into the sand and plucking out the shelled delicacies before they had a chance to burrow deeper. The children came running up, showing off their catch and chattering about the wonderful feast of steamed clams they would have that night. Kali and Angara came to join them, and after sending the children off to continue their hunt, the four companions walked far up the beach. They talked and walked for hours, remembering all the adventures they had been through, laughing over some, and spoke without sadness about those that they had met and lost. And they rejoiced again over the fact that Pio had been restored to them again. Angara and Cami discussed their duties as the guardians of their peoples, and Kali talked long about the customs of the Hobbrim, and asked many questions about the lives of Halflings in the Third Age, hoping that they could incorporate these things into the lives of the Hobbrims, so that they would all truly be one clan. Bird paused on the sand, watching as the three companions walked away from her, thinking that this was probably the last time they would ever be together like this again. And then a terrifying, lonely thought came to her: This would be the last time, and not because of the distances that separated them. No, once she, Pio and Mith made the leap once more into the Fourth Age, then these people that she had grown to love would be gone. No, not gone she thought, They’ll be dead. Dead for a thousand years. Her stomach clenched at the thought, and for the first time, Bird actually felt pity for the Elven Kind. For this is how they must have felt when first they came to know and love the Second Children of Eru. For they had stood as on a shore also, and watched as Men grew old, and died, and left for a place they would never see or know. They would only be left with memories that would last as long as time. At least Bird knew that when her own time came, that she would meet with these friends again, even after a thousand years. Why, this must be why the Elves called Death the “gift” of Men! Suddenly she sprinted forward, calling “Wait!“ Kali, Cami and Angara turned and laughed as Bird came struggling through the soft sand, Panting, she ran ahead of them and stood, blocking their paths. “Listen”, she said, trying to catch her breath. I have something to tell you all. Actually, I mean; to give you all.“ “What is it Bird-ee?” asked Kali, laughing. “You carry nothing with you.” “Well, yes, I do, in a way. And this is actually for Cami. I doubt that your or Angara will have much use for this, but I’d like you to have it anyway.” “What would you like to give me, Bird” asked Cami “It’s my name. Oh, not those names“ Bird said as she saw the puzzled looks. “My real name. I don’t know much about my own folk, but my foster Da taught me a few words of the language, whatever the Beorn remembered from their own past, and he told me the name that my folks gave me, before they left me at the Carrock. It was written on a note, along with my ‘outsider’ name, so to speak. Which is Birdland, of course, though don’t ask my why.“ “You see, Cami, you might run into, and recognize, other skinchangers while you and your folk are wandering around in the Third Age. It’s possible, I know they were there. Now I can’t be there anymore to get you or Rose out of any jams anymore. But I’d like you to be able to call on my own people, if you ever have need to. But you have to know what to say. Else they won’t help you, you see. Now I‘ve never even told Pio this, there was no need. But you may have need, so I’m giving it to you.” Cami said nothing, just ran forward and wrapped her arms around the changling in a deep embrace and started to cry. Bird started to tear up as well, but put a stop to all that by taking her arms from around the Hobbit and holding her away. “Now, none of that. You must concentrate and practice how to say what I’m going to teach you, for my real name's a bit of a jaw-cracker. And if you say what I’m teaching you wrong, why the Skinchangers might not help you.“ Cami nodded silently, and brushing away her tears, sat on the sand next to Kali and Angara and waited. Bird stood upright and intoned: Camilia Goodchilde. I give you my name, which is Dester' edra.* “Dester' edra” Why, it’s beautiful Bird! What does it mean?” “Oh, it still means ‘Bird‘. Not any bird in particular. Just ‘a bird‘. It can also mean ‘horse‘, too, I‘m told.” “That’s a long word for ‘bird,” wondered Kali. Birdie laughed. “Yes, I guess it is. If you translate it word-for-word, so to speak, it means “wind-sibling”. If I were a man, it would end with an “E“, but since I‘m a woman, it ends with an “A“. So I am “sister-of-the-wind“. But that is not the only word you should know. Just my name won’t be enough. You must say this: Te' sorthene Dester' edra. If you say those two words together, that should be enough to convince them that you have known a skinchanger, and they will help you. Cami said “So Te' sorthene means friend!” “Not just ‘friend’, said Bird with a smile, “It means ‘friend of the heart’, or ‘friend of the spirit’. ************************* The two words that Birdie says are from the Romany language. My apologies if I have butchered them. - Birdland* [ November 30, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ] [ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]