Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[alaklondewen]

Erebemlin looked to Taitheneb with pleading eyes and then to the bright stars above as silently he asked Elbereth for guidance. Finally he rested his eyes on Amroth. His mighty king…so fiery of spirit and passion gazed out from this young man’s body. Sadness welled up in him as more pieces of this grand puzzle were brought forth in Amroth’s behavior. “Many songs and tales have told of the Lady Nimrodel’s misfortune and how she became lost to the world.”

Amroth tilted his head and look curiously at the elf. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Taitheneb interrupted with a sideways glance toward Erebemlin. “Lord Amroth, you should rest. Tomorrow will be a long day, and you have still not regained your health.”

“Yes, my lord. Why don’t you lay back and rest.” Erebemlin rose and rolled a small blanket from his pack and then placed in beneath Amroth’s head. The elf wondered at how child-like the king was at this moment. Placing his hand gently on Amroth’s forehead, Erebemlin spoke a few soothing words and the king was soon soundly snoozing.

For the remainder of the evening hours, Erebemlin and Taitheneb watched the camp to let the mortals gain their strength through rest. They spoke only in thoughts to one another, contemplating the odd behaviors of Amroth and the tales of Nimrodel, until the dark sky grew pale and strands of light peaked over the horizon.

[Orual]

Ravion's shouts and whistles trailed off as Gond disappeared from sight. "Gond!" the Ranger roared, to no avail. The horse, and Raefindan, were gone.

"We have to follow them," he said unnecessarily. Mellonin, Aeron, and Gwyllion were already prepared. "We have to start now!"

"Can we really catch up to Gond?" Gwyllion asked, a touch of panic in her voice. She was bouncing on her heels, trying to rid herself of her nervous energy. Aeron put a calming hand on her shoulder, but she merely shrugged it off. "I mean, we cannot hope to go as fast as he was going."

"He will not run too far--he was merely spooked," Ravion said hurriedly, starting off at a quick walk. His companions followed him. "Gond knows that he is not to leave without me unless I tell him to. He has been my horse for many years...I am surprised that he has not come back yet." He did not add, unless they've come across trouble.

Gond was a good horse, and well-trained. He would not leave Ravion without good cause. And good cause usually meant bad news.

Ravion broke into a run, his companions trailing a bit behind him. Despite his somewhat small stature, Ravion could make good speed running, and most people usually found it difficult to keep up. His companions, however, driven by concern for Raefindan, managed to maintain a fairly steady distance from the Ranger.

After a little while, he slowed to a walk. He knew he was following Gond's trail, but how long was it? How much distance had the horse put behind him before stopping...if he had even stopped yet? Mellonin, Aeron, and Gwyllion caught up with him, breathing heavily. Ravion did not turn around to look at them. "We may as well walk from here," the Ranger said dully. Aeron frowned deeply, and Ravion could see a protest budding on his lips. "If Gond has not stopped, we will not catch him until he does," Ravion said harshly. "And if he has stopped, we can only hope that he will not start up again, unless it is to find us. He should stay in the same place."

"He should stay in the same place," Aeron parroted angrily. "And if he does not? What then?"

Ravion said nothing for a moment, then, simply, "He will."

He started walking again, slowly, then picking up speed, but not breaking a brisk walk. There was no use in wearing himself and his companions out. Raefindan may be in danger, and if...when...they found him, they would need all their strength.

[mark12_30]

They arrived at the first stream, where they had planned to make camp. But there would be no camp now. The lands were mostly flat, the night was cold and clear, and they could see a fair distance; there was no sign of Gond, Jorge, or Raefindan.

Ravion paused, and glanced back at his three weary friends. Aeron and Gwyllion met his eyes, and Aeron waved him onward. Mellonin did not look up.

They forded the stream. The water was so cold that Mellonin cried, but she did it quietly and no one knew. Gwyllion was less quiet, and Mellonin was glad; Ravion marched onward. Mellonin's legs and back ached more than ever, but she clamped her lips tight and kept up.

I should have made him stay at home.
I should have left Aeron alone.
I should have stayed calm around the horse.
Whatever befalls Raefindan I am to blame.

The stream of bent grasses went northwest through the delta. She bit her lips and tried not to think about how cold her feet were.

[littlemanpoet]

Raefindan lay back and thought about his circumstances. His head hurt from a bruise on the side. But the overwhelming sensation was loss. Maybe the dreams had come on the back of a fever, but they touched a deep part of him that he did not often pause to think upon. Mithrellas. He had come to love her! ....as Imrazor. But if she was an elf, did she still live? But that was not the core issue here. Mithrellas was Imrazor's heart's answer. Raefindan had had such a one in his life once, but no more. His eyes welled.

"Save your tears for the dead," said the elf.

Raefindan frowned at the elf. You do not know of what you speak, elf. He kept his thought to himself. He wiped his eyes and tried to sit up, with no success.

"You must remain as you are until I tell you that you are well. You humans never learn."

This elf's way was irritating. Raefindan was not given to dislike, but this elf made it hard for Raefindan to keep his peace. Maybe some pleasantness was in order.

"I am Raefindan. What is your name?"

"You have not earned the right to know it."

"How may I earn it?"

"You cannot."

So much for that. This elf reminded Raefindan of a professor he had known. A professor! He stopped himself in mid thought. Another memory. He was a student at a university! A type of school. When? Where? And what did that have to do with here? Raefindan shook his head and looked around at the rugged walls. He lay his head back and closed his eyes, and thought of his dreams.

[mark12_30]

As the sun came up, Mellonin went down. Gwyllion called Ravion, who turned, and saw Mellonin in a heap under her pack. Aeron reached for Mellonin and swayed, struggling for balance. Gwyllion knelt by her side.

"Go on," Mellonin said. "Leave me."

Ravion slumped, and passed one hand over his brow. "You three stay and make camp, and get some sleep. Aeron, can you track me? Or can you at least follow Gond's hoofprints?"

Aeron shot him a look that said those questions did not matter. The ground they were on was nearly dry. He shrugged off his pack, lay down with his head on it and began to snore.

Mellonin, still without meeting Ravion's eye, struggled to remove her pack. Gwyllion pulled it off of her, and put it under her head, and then removed her own and lay down.

"Try and set a watch, " Ravion muttered to the three sleepers, and then he scanned the horizon. There was nothing to see but swamp and marsh stretching to the horizons.

Loosening his sword in its scabbard, he turned to follow Gond's tracks.

[Imladris]

Sleep... How pleasant the word sounded, whispered in Aeron's mind. But that stupid ranger insisted on tracking the horse. Surely he was just as tired as they? Why did he continue to persue them when it was quite obvious there was no hope of catching them. A few extra hours would make no difference.

What was it the ranger had asked? He had asked for his help...the help of a thief. Aeron grinned. So the ranger was not too proud to ask help from scum such as himself. But...he was so tired. His legs felt as if stones were bound to them, and his eye lids struggled to close.

But if the ranger insisted on looking for that dratted horse that had carried that blasted red head away that had been bloody scared by Mellonin then he could do no less as well. His sister had taken the disappearance of Raefindan hard as well. Poor little Gwyllion...she rather liked the red haired man.

He sighed and struggled to his feet. He nudged his sister with his foot and whispered, "Get up and watch. I am going after Ravion to help him find that Raefindan."

She smiled. Aeron glowered at her and trotted after the ranger.

[Orual]

Ravion's boots thudded dully on the packed earth. The sound echoed in his ears, and despite his attempts to whistle the same old Gondorian marching saw that he had been humming the night he had stumbled across the Seventh Star Inn, he could only hear the sound of his own boots. It was a hollow sound.

He had been to hard on Mellonin, and Gwyllion. Maybe even Aeron. Perhaps if he had not kept them to such a strict, driving schedule...what? What would have happened? Maybe Gond would not have bolted. They certainly would have gotten the encounter with the merchant over with sooner. Why couldn't he have realized sooner that he was pushing them too hard? Who was going to suffer for his mistakes?

Thud. Thud. Thud-thud.

Ravion turned around when he heard an extra pair of boots. He saw Aeron running up to him. "What are you doing here?" Ravion called, crossing his arms, though in truth he was relieved to see the boy. He had a feeling of foreboding about this mission.

"Tracking you," Aeron said. "It seems that I did a fairly good job."

Ravion smiled wanly and clapped Aeron on the shoulder. His smile then faded and he grew somber. "Mellonin and Gwyllion..."

"...can take care of themselves," Aeron finished. "They're fully capable."

"Their what?" Ravion queried, then stopped. He and Aeron fell silent, and Ravion knew that Aeron was realizing the same thing as the Ranger: the boy had picked that up from Raefindan.

"We have to find him," Ravion said quietly. Aeron nodded. "We should not waste any more time." Aeron nodded again, and they set off, trying to find Gond's hoofprints in the silent, untelling marshes.