Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[Nurumaiel]

"I myself have met Théolyn," said Liornung, speaking more to Nethwador and Argeleafa than to Ædegard. "Courteous she is, and also fair of face. She cares for Ædegard very dearly. Bella, too, met her."

Bella nodded in silence; Argeleafa considered the story Ædegard had told and felt a deep sorrow well up in her for Théolyn. The latter had lost her parents in death, and not simply to the wayfarers. Yet Théolyn's relatives had stepped forward to take care of her. And Argeleafa did not know who would care for her now that she lacked parents.

Liornung had been speaking a little more of Théolyn through these brief thoughts of Argeleafa. "Yes, a fine girl," he said as a conclusion, and looked to Ædegard again. "Now I grow weary, and soon I must retire, but first, Ædegard, I must ask you who the one by the name of Freawine was. I met him also at your departure from Edoras, and he seemed very wise. Who is he?"

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

As Liornung called for an answer of Ædegard, Bella once again turned to speak privately with Argeleafa. Her eyes looked distant, and her face spoke of some other place than where they sat. Bellyn watched the girl for a moment, curious at the glance and gaze in her companion's eyes. When Bellyn murmured her name, Argeleafa blinked and turned her gaze to Bellyn.

"I once painted a picture, Argeleafa, of two lovers embracing in the twilight of a winter's day," Bellyn explained, remembering the portrait vividly within her own mind. "I never knew exactly how that felt, and I only drew the picture from the stories I had heard and distant memories of my parents. Now I see Amroth, and I feel his pain whenever I see him or whenever he cries out. Even though he is only one half of a pair and I cannot see the other half, I think of the journey he is on and all the trouble he has gone through to find his lady."

Argeleafa said nothing, but nodded slowly as both young women turned to where Amroth lay. They watched him for a moment, with Nethwador and the Elf by his side, sweating and trembling in his dreams. Bellyn frowned, hating to see pain in someone else without being able to help. It hurt Bellyn that she could not help in some way.

As Liornung and Ædegard spoke, Bellyn smiled. "Argeleafa, do you see yourself feeling the same way about Ædegard that Lord Amroth feels for Nimrodel? I can see the energy between you two...I hope I am not being too blunt? You do not have to answer if you do not wish to. I just want to know more about the matter of love that seems to affect so much in this world."

[Imladris]

Aeron blinked at Mellonin. That must have been the most words she had ever said to hime in one discourse. In fact, that probably surpassed the string of insults that Gwyllion ever hurled at him seriously (and that was the key word here) at one time. He scratched his head and snapped, "If I recall correctly bees are insects and they give honey. And ants are very good workers." He smirked at her and patted himself on the back. That should sufficiently convince her that he was not a worlthess insect.

He didn't wait for her to reply but said, "I wonder what the ranger -- this mighty ranger would do without humble lackey?" He hunched his shoulders, and peered meekly from under his brows. "Can you imagine him bowing his knee to a fire to blow upon the flames? Ha!" he laughed. "He would probably let it die before he did that. Oh no," he continued, his words tumbling from his mouth. "The only reason he seeks your foolish brother is not to tarnish the name of ranger. But in the end, he is just like me," he said.

[mark12_30]

A burst of derisive laughter, loud and shrill, sliced through the cold air and echoed in the mist. Ravion scowled, and began marching toward them. Mellonin did not notice.

"Just like you!" she gasped, cackling and half choking. "Just like-- oh-- " she fought for her breath, and lost. She laughed til she cried, her face red, her breath coming in shrill gasps. Ravion stood atop the crest, and halted, baffled. Mellonin sat down hard on the ground, shaking and hiccuping.

Aeron smirked. Gwyllion ran past Aeron, smacking him hard on her way by. "Monster!" she said.

"Women!" he spat.

Gwyllion put one arm around Mellonin's shoulders, and Mellonin buried her head against her friend and sobbed in earnest.

"Oh, keep crying. That will solve everything, " Aeron said, sidling away from Ravion.

Mellonin's hands twitched, and then she buried her face deeper into Gwyillion's shoulder.

"It might even bring him back from the dead, " Aeron chirped, still moving away from Ravion.

Slowly, her hands withdrew from Gwyllion, and her sobbing stopped. She looked up, and saw Aeron not five feet away. In one movement, she stood, and flew at him. Gwyllion cried out. Ravion's sharp order was drowned out by wildcat howls from Mellonin. Aeron fought back as best he could, but his hair was clenched in her left fist, and his face exposed to the storm. After she landed two solid punches, he kicked her, and she clawed his face, shrieking curses all the while. Blood ran.

[Imladris]

Things were moving to fast. First Mellonin was crying, a shaky little puppy without an ounce of courage, and then she was a raging wild cat. She was pulling his hair (which he was sure was bad form) and punching him. He could taste the warm blood on his lip.

He kicked her in the shins. She shrieked and rained down more curses on him. It was really nice to hear her swear and curse. It showed that she had a little spirit at least. He punched her in the thigh area where it was tender and her shriek turned into a puppy yelp. Her nails raked his cheek and he landed a solid fist upon her jaw.

A little voice whispered to him that he was fighting a woman. But he didn't care. She had started the blasted fight and deserved the pain and the humiliation. Slowly, he wrestled her to the floor, pinning her arms to the ground. She was breathing heavily and a little spittle dribbled down her chin. "A little insect eh?" he snapped. "Well the little insect just conquerored the noble, valaric, lioness." He glared at her, and spat on her forehead.

He really was quite impressed that Mellonin had fought him. Had actually summoned the anger to stop feeling sorry for herself and to have fought him. She, a weak maiden tusseling a storng wiry chap such as himself. And actually expecting to win (for who fought without the expectation to win, eh?). The whole situation was laughable.

He tittered, held her arms above her head with one wrist, and began to tickle her. Women did not like to be tickled as Gwyllion had told him many times over. Tickling was very humiliating as well...especially when one had also been defeated in a silly fight.

[mark12_30]

Her face twisted in fury. To be tickled by this beast as he sat upon her stomach! Her hands were held fast. She considered biting him, but she could not reach him-- yet.

She drew her right knee up as hard as she could and caught him in the middle of his back. He lurched toward her shoulder. She brought her other knee up, and drove both feet into the ground. He twisted, off balance, and in doing so his grip slipped, and one of her hands came free. She siezed his hair again, hauling herself toward him; she was close enough to his shoulder to bite it. His shrill yelp was cut short as she kneed him again.

[Imladris]

This was enough. If she was going to pummel and literally act as if she was going to kill him then she deserved all he could give her.

He could feel her teeth sink into his skin and he hoped that she had a mouthful of blood swishing around, staining her white teeth. He drove his fist into her stomach while he tripped her up with his legs. She fell with a splat on her bottom and lunged forward. He dodged and she fell on her face. Leaping onto her back, he began to drag her arms across her back. He clenched her wrists in one grimy fist and pulled on her arms in a way to cause great pain. With the other hand he jerked on her hair, sending jabs of pain across her scalp.

He shouted, "See what the insect is doing to you! See!"

He shot glances about him and saw Ravion and Raefindan stumble towards them. Gwyllion paled and keeled over in a dead faint.