[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Dorlas slept soundly, trying to figure out why all the recent events were bothering him so much. He was woken up in the early hours of the morning by Thelian, who was half-asleep and asking Dorlas to take watch. Dorlas sat by the fire after this, poking the largest pieces of wood with a twig as he contemplated what would happen after Lothlorien.

It was better than thinking about what had already happened, Dorlas had decided. He couldn't change what had already happened and he certainly could not help Arthain and Melost in any way other than to show them how they are just like he and Thelian. But Dorlas could consider the future.

His confused and dreary thoughts were interrupted just before dawn as Arthain came to sit next to him. Arthain said naught, but he stared at the flickering embers idly as Dorlas looked to him in slight disbelief.

Part of Dorlas thought Arthain was insane to sit next to Dorlas as if nothing had happened. In this act Dorlas thought he had become all to like the viper and it frightened Dorlas slightly. At the same time Dorlas told himself that he should never be surprised at what Arthain would do, for he was an open book that could be read anytime. Unfortunately, Dorlas was beginning to think the open book that was Arthain was written in a foreign language to the squire.

"I don't understand you Arthain. Do you not realize that you are just like Anwenelme? Can't you see what you have done to Melost? Can't you see what you've done to me...even to Thelian?" Dorlas whispered angrily, trying to contain his voice so as not to wake the women. Arthain turned his head to face Dorlas slowly, and his eyes were cold and distant.

"Do you realize what kind of effect this has on me? Can you honestly blame this all on me? Thelian has made peace with me, why can't you?" Arthain growled back, trying to keep an even tone and not upset the young squire into rage. Dorlas stood and went to toss another log onto the fire as he thought of a reply.

"You have not made peace with yourself. How can I believe you when you are still unsure of everything that has happened yourself?" Dorlas shot back, sitting back down. Dorlas knew everything he wanted to vent out and scream at Arthain, but he could not put it into words. There were so many things Dorlas wanted to blame on Arthain, but he couldn't say it! The words were empty in his mouth, and his questions were only the simplest he could think of.

"You do not understand what has happened-" Arthain began, but he was cut off by Dorlas immediately after this phrase, for he had said the wrong thing.

"Do you know why I don't understand?" Dorlas asked, finally raising his voice to a shout. "I don't understand because you don't talk to me! You aren't telling me anything! I don't understand because you won't let me!"

With that, Dorlas abruptly left the fireside to go and wake Thelian. The sun was almost up and they needed to prepare for the new day. All he had truly wanted to say to Arthain had been said in that one last shout, and he had nothing more to say until Arthain could explain himself. Thelian woke up groggily, and it reminded Dorlas strangely of him on all the midnight horserides they had taken a few weeks earlier.

The women woke up with muffled comlpaints, knowing they would hold no sway over Arthain, or Dorlas for that matter. All the young human squire wanted was to go off to war and leave the silly matters of the elven women behind.