Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 05-24-2004, 01:52 PM

Deep in woods he walks, not far from his home. He loves to walk among the trees. He stops. A light voice is lifted in sad song. He hurries toward it and hides behind the eaves of a fir tree. An Elven lady is seated upon a small grassy knoll where trees do not grow. Her head hangs and she holds herself up by one arm. She is pale and faint, her face full of beauty and misery, her hair black and long. She is from his dreams! Before thought can stop him, he comes to her from out of the trees and kneels before her. She looks up and sees him as if looking upon a fair vision from far away. She falls and he catches her, light as down. He carries her to his home, holding her close. Her hair smells of fresh leaves, her breath of flowers. Her hair, black, is radiant, shining like stars in deep night. He takes her into his home and lays her on his bed and succors her, and sleeps at night on the floor next to her bed. Many days she sleeps, but finally wakes. Her eyes are filled with sadness, but she looks upon him as if she has known him all his life, and gladness seems mingled with her sadness. He cannot express his joy, but brings her drink and a bit of bread, which she accepts with a smile.

Nurumaiel · 05-24-2004, 03:54 PM

Liornung walked by Bellyn and Argeleafa, gazing about him as well as keeping watch on them. He would not care for either of them to wander off and become lost... perhaps wander to some other Elf who would not deal with them as kindly as the Elves in their company had. But, nay, he had always heard that Elves were kindly creatures. Yet to find two mortals wandering about in their lands? Liornung shook his head. It did not matter what another Elf might do, for the young women would not become lost at all.

Argeleafa had been silent all the day, and while she seemed calm and composed she spoke very distantly with everyone. Yet she did not fool Liornung, for he often saw her when she did not know he was looking, and she gazed wistfully at the company as they talked with each other. He knew how much she longed to join them, and again and again he had tried to invite her to speak with them, but she refused his offers every time. Perhaps it was not his acceptance she wanted. She seemed to hesitate to join them even if one was willing. It seemed as though she would not until all of them expressed their willingness. Liornung knew the others would enjoy her company, but she did not.

I wander under leaves of gold
a forest that seems young and old.
Knowing eyes and silent feet
I see in every Elf I meet.
Lothlorien, how fair are you!
Each leaf of gold glimmers true,
and the fair grass quivering
in winds through trees shivering.

"Where did you hear that song, Liornung?" Bellyn questioned. She was looking thoughtfully at him out of brown eyes. She had apparently enjoyed the song, for the traces of delight were present in her face. Argeleafa had heard the song but said nothing.

"I did not hear it," Liornung replied, "from any Man nor from Elf, but it came to me last night in a soft wind." He remembered that sweet breath of wind that had brought the song to his heart, but more than that he recalled the tears of Argeleafa, the poor little lass longing for home. He hoped their journey would end soon, for her sake at least. She wanted nothing more than to return home, but it could not be until the end of the journey. And for his sake, too! He wanted to return to the 'Inn' where all his friends awaited him. How many times he had wished for that on their roads.

"Bella," he said, and she looked up at him again, "what have you thought of our journey thus far? Have you enjoyed it as much as you thought you would, or do you find yourself longing to return home?" He paused and realized that he had only met her because she also was at the 'Inn.' It posed a new question. "And where is your home? Do you have any family where you come from?" He let his questions cease, seeing that they might be rather annoying, and looked to Ædegard. What family did that young man have besides his sister? Where did he come from? Where did he intend to go when the journey was over?

He sighed and shook his head. He had believed he had known his companions quite well, but in all truth he hardly knew them at all.

Aylwen Dreamsong · 05-26-2004, 08:31 PM

Bellyn blushed momentarily at the sudden change of subject and the sudden shift of attention to her. When she'd quickly regained her composure, Bellyn wondered where to start with Liornung's questioning. Liornung had brought up a very good point. None of them knew where Bellyn really came from, other than that she originally hailed from Gondor. Is it a story they would like to know, or that I would even like to tell? Bellyn asked herself.

She looked to her companions. They would be together on the road for days, Bellyn knew. The bond between them was strengthening, even with new companions like Argeleafa, Mellon, and the elf. Besides, Bellyn could not bear to refuse Liornung the information he had asked for.

"This journey is hardly ended, and hardly even started. Still, I have already learned much. I never thought that something like love could drive a person to travel and search as we have. I had never seen such a beautiful place as this...before when drawing I was restricted to things I had imagined in my mind, and now I can see all of my art come to life right in front of me. The power of music and love - when put together, I suppose - has shown me a new level of determination..." Bellyn replied, nodding to Liornung and giving an inviting smile to Argeleafa. "As far as where my home is, I live in Edoras with my brother and my father. I used to live in Minas Tirith with..." Bellyn paused. "My father and mother and my two brothers. My father is always away now, travelling and exploring and making maps. I was in the care of my brother, but I spend so much time at Inns drawing that I do not think I will be missed much."

Bellyn took a breath, suddenly glad that they knew where she came from, whether they really wanted to know or not.

"Really though, I'm glad to finally be the one exploring, and not the one sitting lonely at an inn drawing what I wish I saw." Bellyn added thoughtfully. "Argeleafa, what do you think of your journey so far? I know you must miss your family...do you think well of any of it?"

mark12_30 · 05-27-2004, 01:34 PM

Amroth heard the surrounding chatter as if from a great distance; almost as if he stood on the Dagorlad hearing the whispers of far-off minds.

Those whispers were a great comfort to him. He stood surrounded by dust and pits, and reeking fumes swirled around him; nothing, not even slime or mould lived here. All was blasted, wasted. He combed past mounds and pits and heaps of slag and puddles rimmed with poisonous oils.

Where are you?

He looked for her footprints in the dust. Among many, there were none like hers. There were no minds there to touch, to find momentary rest in, and the strain of searching was terrible.

When the sun reached its height, he broke off his search and was half surprised to find himself riding by the river. The mingled music of running water, hoofbeats, and friendly voices was so lovely he shed silent tears.

Nurumaiel · 05-27-2004, 03:10 PM

Argeleafa started when she heard Bellyn speak to her, and then she flushed with pleasure and some shyness. She moved a little closer to the group, dropping her dancing eyes to hide the joy in them. Liornung cast a grateful look at Bellyn. Perhaps the latter didn't even know what Argeleafa felt, but it was welcome for someone to speak to the lass. Argeleafa lifted the skirt of her dress a little above her ankles to allow her to walk more freely. She stared intensely at the ground, longing to look up at Bellyn as she spoke but much too shy. "I... I don't know what I think of our journey," she said, "but I do miss my home, and my family. Sometimes I wish I was home now and not treading these roads, but... I also wish this journey would never end, for I know when it does I shall have nowhere to go. I do not want to stay at my home all alone, but I do not want to rejoin my parents for to do so I would rejoin the wayfarers."

Liornung drew in a sharp breath. He had not considered that. He had been intending to bring the girl back to her home and family when the journey was over, but he realized now it was impossible. She had no home, and her family was with the wayfarers. She did not want to go back to that life; she couldn't go back to that life. Yet... where else could she go? Even if the house had not been sold by her father, could she stay there all alone? Perhaps she had an uncle or a grandfather somewhere. How simple it would be if she had a lover. A husband would solve all difficulties. "Argeleafa, have you any relations? An uncle, perhaps, or grandparents?"

She looked at him in surprise at the unexpected question. "Why, no, I don't," she said. "My uncles died in the War when I was very young, and my grandparents died in a sickness that came to the village they lived in. My only relations are my parents."

"What about..." He hesitated. It was an odd question to ask. "To put it quite bluntly, have you any lover?"

She blushed and for a moment a glimmer of hope came to him, but then she shook her head. And she was being truthful, as well. Alas for that. She must have merely been the kind of lass that thought the subject rather delicate. She had no lover, she had no relations. Perhaps Ædegard would know what she should do. No, no, of course not. Ædegard was the leader of their group on this journey. It was not his business what the members of their company did at the end. And if Liornung could think of nothing, could Ædegard think of anything?

He cast it aside in his mind. Their journey was not yet close to being ended, and he would concern himself with the problem when the time came. For now he would be light and merry. He turned to Bellyn, a smile on his face. "Sing a song for us, sweet Bella," he said. "Your voice is lovely, and I think it would please Lord Amroth."

Aylwen Dreamsong · 05-27-2004, 04:24 PM

Bellyn was not used to so many wonderful comments being directed towards her. She had already grown tired of blushing, but it came so easily. Bellyn decided her new goal would be to learn to take such comments and compliments in a stride. Bellyn was certainly not used to anyone calling her sweet or her voice lovely.

"If it pleases you and the Lord Amroth, then sing I shall, without hesitation!" Bellyn declared, smiling. She searched her mind for a song she knew, though she knew very few. There is that one song...the one mother used to sing... Bellyn thought, though her heart ached slightly at the memory. Still, Bellyn did not want to deny Liornung what he had asked of her. Her light alto voice started out timidly at first, but she grew in confidence when she thought that she had caught Amroth's attention. She hoped it calmed him, and even if it did no such thing, Bellyn felt better singing than she ever thought she could.

"Hark where the night is falling,
Hark hear the pipes a-calling!
Loudly and proudly calling down through the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping!
Now feel the blood a-leaping
High as the spirits of the old highland men...

Towering in gallant hand,
Gondor my mountain land!
High may your proud standards gloriously wave.
Land of my high endeavor,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart forever, Gondor the Brave.

High in the white-topped mountains,
Out by the purple highlands.
Brave are the hearts that beat beneath Gondorian skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you.
Kind as the love that shines from fair maidens eyes."

Bellyn sighed, feeling light-hearted and glad that Liornung had asked her to sing.

littlemanpoet · 05-27-2004, 05:17 PM

Ædegard enjoyed Bellyn's song. It put him in mind of how they had passed the days across Rohan. He wished for that again, but there was much else to think about. He brought his mount over to Liornung.

"Where do you think Amroth leads us? More to the point, what do you think of having such a leader for this group?"

"An odd question, my friend!" Liornung replied. "I had gotten used to thinking of you as our leader!"

"Me!" Ædegard's eyes went wide. He kept his voice down. "I have marked that you have been silent, waiting for me to speak, but I am no leader! Much less with the Elves in our company!"

"You may be right! If you are not the leader of our group, maybe you have time to spare for a small difficulty I have been thinking about lately."

"What is that?"

"When this quest is finished, Argeleafa will have no home to return to, unless she is to rejoin the wayfarers, and she does not want that, I am thinking."

Ædegard glanced at Argeleafa, the Rohirric maiden. She was older than he in years, but maybe not in life's trials. She was fair to look upon, too.

"I will think on this, friend Liornung. It will do me good to have something else besides Amroth to think of all the day."

05-24-2004, 01:52 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Raefindan Deep in woods he walks, not far from his home. He loves to walk among the trees. He stops. A light voice is lifted in sad song. He hurries toward it and hides behind the eaves of a fir tree. An Elven lady is seated upon a small grassy knoll where trees do not grow. Her head hangs and she holds herself up by one arm. She is pale and faint, her face full of beauty and misery, her hair black and long. She is from his dreams! Before thought can stop him, he comes to her from out of the trees and kneels before her. She looks up and sees him as if looking upon a fair vision from far away. She falls and he catches her, light as down. He carries her to his home, holding her close. Her hair smells of fresh leaves, her breath of flowers. Her hair, black, is radiant, shining like stars in deep night. He takes her into his home and lays her on his bed and succors her, and sleeps at night on the floor next to her bed. Many days she sleeps, but finally wakes. Her eyes are filled with sadness, but she looks upon him as if she has known him all his life, and gladness seems mingled with her sadness. He cannot express his joy, but brings her drink and a bit of bread, which she accepts with a smile. Last edited by littlemanpoet; 05-29-2004 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Revised the meeting of Imrazor and Mithrellas

05-24-2004, 03:54 PM	#2
Nurumaiel Vice of Twilight Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: on a mountain Posts: 1,121	ROHAN COMPANY: Liornung Liornung walked by Bellyn and Argeleafa, gazing about him as well as keeping watch on them. He would not care for either of them to wander off and become lost... perhaps wander to some other Elf who would not deal with them as kindly as the Elves in their company had. But, nay, he had always heard that Elves were kindly creatures. Yet to find two mortals wandering about in their lands? Liornung shook his head. It did not matter what another Elf might do, for the young women would not become lost at all. Argeleafa had been silent all the day, and while she seemed calm and composed she spoke very distantly with everyone. Yet she did not fool Liornung, for he often saw her when she did not know he was looking, and she gazed wistfully at the company as they talked with each other. He knew how much she longed to join them, and again and again he had tried to invite her to speak with them, but she refused his offers every time. Perhaps it was not his acceptance she wanted. She seemed to hesitate to join them even if one was willing. It seemed as though she would not until all of them expressed their willingness. Liornung knew the others would enjoy her company, but she did not. I wander under leaves of gold a forest that seems young and old. Knowing eyes and silent feet I see in every Elf I meet. Lothlorien, how fair are you! Each leaf of gold glimmers true, and the fair grass quivering in winds through trees shivering. "Where did you hear that song, Liornung?" Bellyn questioned. She was looking thoughtfully at him out of brown eyes. She had apparently enjoyed the song, for the traces of delight were present in her face. Argeleafa had heard the song but said nothing. "I did not hear it," Liornung replied, "from any Man nor from Elf, but it came to me last night in a soft wind." He remembered that sweet breath of wind that had brought the song to his heart, but more than that he recalled the tears of Argeleafa, the poor little lass longing for home. He hoped their journey would end soon, for her sake at least. She wanted nothing more than to return home, but it could not be until the end of the journey. And for his sake, too! He wanted to return to the 'Inn' where all his friends awaited him. How many times he had wished for that on their roads. "Bella," he said, and she looked up at him again, "what have you thought of our journey thus far? Have you enjoyed it as much as you thought you would, or do you find yourself longing to return home?" He paused and realized that he had only met her because she also was at the 'Inn.' It posed a new question. "And where is your home? Do you have any family where you come from?" He let his questions cease, seeing that they might be rather annoying, and looked to Ædegard. What family did that young man have besides his sister? Where did he come from? Where did he intend to go when the journey was over? He sighed and shook his head. He had believed he had known his companions quite well, but in all truth he hardly knew them at all.

05-27-2004, 01:34 PM	#4
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	Dec 17, Departing Lorien: Amroth Amroth heard the surrounding chatter as if from a great distance; almost as if he stood on the Dagorlad hearing the whispers of far-off minds. Those whispers were a great comfort to him. He stood surrounded by dust and pits, and reeking fumes swirled around him; nothing, not even slime or mould lived here. All was blasted, wasted. He combed past mounds and pits and heaps of slag and puddles rimmed with poisonous oils. Where are you? He looked for her footprints in the dust. Among many, there were none like hers. There were no minds there to touch, to find momentary rest in, and the strain of searching was terrible. When the sun reached its height, he broke off his search and was half surprised to find himself riding by the river. The mingled music of running water, hoofbeats, and friendly voices was so lovely he shed silent tears.

05-27-2004, 05:17 PM	#7
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Ædegard Ædegard enjoyed Bellyn's song. It put him in mind of how they had passed the days across Rohan. He wished for that again, but there was much else to think about. He brought his mount over to Liornung. "Where do you think Amroth leads us? More to the point, what do you think of having such a leader for this group?" "An odd question, my friend!" Liornung replied. "I had gotten used to thinking of you as our leader!" "Me!" Ædegard's eyes went wide. He kept his voice down. "I have marked that you have been silent, waiting for me to speak, but I am no leader! Much less with the Elves in our company!" "You may be right! If you are not the leader of our group, maybe you have time to spare for a small difficulty I have been thinking about lately." "What is that?" "When this quest is finished, Argeleafa will have no home to return to, unless she is to rejoin the wayfarers, and she does not want that, I am thinking." Ædegard glanced at Argeleafa, the Rohirric maiden. She was older than he in years, but maybe not in life's trials. She was fair to look upon, too. "I will think on this, friend Liornung. It will do me good to have something else besides Amroth to think of all the day."

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05-26-2004, 08:31 PM	#3
Aylwen Dreamsong The Melody of Misery Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: The Island of Conclusions (You get there by jumping!)... Posts: 1,147	Bellyn blushed momentarily at the sudden change of subject and the sudden shift of attention to her. When she'd quickly regained her composure, Bellyn wondered where to start with Liornung's questioning. Liornung had brought up a very good point. None of them knew where Bellyn really came from, other than that she originally hailed from Gondor. Is it a story they would like to know, or that I would even like to tell? Bellyn asked herself. She looked to her companions. They would be together on the road for days, Bellyn knew. The bond between them was strengthening, even with new companions like Argeleafa, Mellon, and the elf. Besides, Bellyn could not bear to refuse Liornung the information he had asked for. "This journey is hardly ended, and hardly even started. Still, I have already learned much. I never thought that something like love could drive a person to travel and search as we have. I had never seen such a beautiful place as this...before when drawing I was restricted to things I had imagined in my mind, and now I can see all of my art come to life right in front of me. The power of music and love - when put together, I suppose - has shown me a new level of determination..." Bellyn replied, nodding to Liornung and giving an inviting smile to Argeleafa. "As far as where my home is, I live in Edoras with my brother and my father. I used to live in Minas Tirith with..." Bellyn paused. "My father and mother and my two brothers. My father is always away now, travelling and exploring and making maps. I was in the care of my brother, but I spend so much time at Inns drawing that I do not think I will be missed much." Bellyn took a breath, suddenly glad that they knew where she came from, whether they really wanted to know or not. "Really though, I'm glad to finally be the one exploring, and not the one sitting lonely at an inn drawing what I wish I saw." Bellyn added thoughtfully. "Argeleafa, what do you think of your journey so far? I know you must miss your family...do you think well of any of it?"

05-27-2004, 03:10 PM	#5
Nurumaiel Vice of Twilight Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: on a mountain Posts: 1,121	Argeleafa started when she heard Bellyn speak to her, and then she flushed with pleasure and some shyness. She moved a little closer to the group, dropping her dancing eyes to hide the joy in them. Liornung cast a grateful look at Bellyn. Perhaps the latter didn't even know what Argeleafa felt, but it was welcome for someone to speak to the lass. Argeleafa lifted the skirt of her dress a little above her ankles to allow her to walk more freely. She stared intensely at the ground, longing to look up at Bellyn as she spoke but much too shy. "I... I don't know what I think of our journey," she said, "but I do miss my home, and my family. Sometimes I wish I was home now and not treading these roads, but... I also wish this journey would never end, for I know when it does I shall have nowhere to go. I do not want to stay at my home all alone, but I do not want to rejoin my parents for to do so I would rejoin the wayfarers." Liornung drew in a sharp breath. He had not considered that. He had been intending to bring the girl back to her home and family when the journey was over, but he realized now it was impossible. She had no home, and her family was with the wayfarers. She did not want to go back to that life; she couldn't go back to that life. Yet... where else could she go? Even if the house had not been sold by her father, could she stay there all alone? Perhaps she had an uncle or a grandfather somewhere. How simple it would be if she had a lover. A husband would solve all difficulties. "Argeleafa, have you any relations? An uncle, perhaps, or grandparents?" She looked at him in surprise at the unexpected question. "Why, no, I don't," she said. "My uncles died in the War when I was very young, and my grandparents died in a sickness that came to the village they lived in. My only relations are my parents." "What about..." He hesitated. It was an odd question to ask. "To put it quite bluntly, have you any lover?" She blushed and for a moment a glimmer of hope came to him, but then she shook her head. And she was being truthful, as well. Alas for that. She must have merely been the kind of lass that thought the subject rather delicate. She had no lover, she had no relations. Perhaps Ædegard would know what she should do. No, no, of course not. Ædegard was the leader of their group on this journey. It was not his business what the members of their company did at the end. And if Liornung could think of nothing, could Ædegard think of anything? He cast it aside in his mind. Their journey was not yet close to being ended, and he would concern himself with the problem when the time came. For now he would be light and merry. He turned to Bellyn, a smile on his face. "Sing a song for us, sweet Bella," he said. "Your voice is lovely, and I think it would please Lord Amroth."

05-27-2004, 04:24 PM	#6
Aylwen Dreamsong The Melody of Misery Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: The Island of Conclusions (You get there by jumping!)... Posts: 1,147	Bellyn was not used to so many wonderful comments being directed towards her. She had already grown tired of blushing, but it came so easily. Bellyn decided her new goal would be to learn to take such comments and compliments in a stride. Bellyn was certainly not used to anyone calling her sweet or her voice lovely. "If it pleases you and the Lord Amroth, then sing I shall, without hesitation!" Bellyn declared, smiling. She searched her mind for a song she knew, though she knew very few. There is that one song...the one mother used to sing... Bellyn thought, though her heart ached slightly at the memory. Still, Bellyn did not want to deny Liornung what he had asked of her. Her light alto voice started out timidly at first, but she grew in confidence when she thought that she had caught Amroth's attention. She hoped it calmed him, and even if it did no such thing, Bellyn felt better singing than she ever thought she could. "Hark where the night is falling, Hark hear the pipes a-calling! Loudly and proudly calling down through the glen. There where the hills are sleeping! Now feel the blood a-leaping High as the spirits of the old highland men... Towering in gallant hand, Gondor my mountain land! High may your proud standards gloriously wave. Land of my high endeavor, Land of the shining river, Land of my heart forever, Gondor the Brave. High in the white-topped mountains, Out by the purple highlands. Brave are the hearts that beat beneath Gondorian skies. Wild are the winds to meet you, Staunch are the friends that greet you. Kind as the love that shines from fair maidens eyes." Bellyn sighed, feeling light-hearted and glad that Liornung had asked her to sing.