Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[Imladris]

Mithrellas twined the green grass around her fingers wishing that she could see her beloved again, feel his touch again after these many years of caring for a mad woman. But she could not leave Nimrodel in her madness. She thought of what Imrazor had told her -- that another loved Nimrodel....what was the elf's name? She did not remember...

She felt herself slip into the pleasant feeing of a golden forest glade, with the warm sunlight glimmering and mingling with the green leaves...and suddenly she felt more than saw a voice whisper, "It is you lady!"

It Gwyllion! The young human girl. "It is I," Mithrellas said, smiling. "Though I grieve for you...taken from your mortal body..."

Gwyllion laughed softy, but said nothing. Mithrellas wondered if her heart was as merry as she wished Mithrellas to believe. "Why do you not follow in the paths of those who have passed before you?"

"I am bound," said Gwyllion softly. "A lock of my hair is twined around Aeron's neck. I cannot leave him..."

Mithrellas frowned, wondering why Aeron did not let the dead be. "Does this arrangement please you?"

"I think it does," said Gwyllion slowly. "I live in both the physical world and the spirit world now...I see both worlds as if they were draped in heavy mists. The sounds of the worlds come as if they cross a deep void and sometimes I hear the roar of the western sea and that always cheer me when I long for completeness..."

Mithrellas remained silent....Gwyllion's situation was not unsimilar to her own. Both bound in unhappiness to the ones they love. "I do not like that you are unhappy."

"Me? Unhappy?" Gwyllion laughed and Mithrellas could have sworn she saw a maiden of swirling mists glimmer in the sunshine of the glade before vanishing. "Only sometimes, dear lady. Aeron would be lost without me. He is already full of grief...he is like a boat tossed upon the waves, not knowing where he goes or what he thinks..."

Tears slid from Mithrellas's eyes as the vision slowly faded and she found herself once more wide awake upon the hard ground. It was not right that Gwyllion should be so bound....she was like a formless wraith.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Treading slowly and clumsily through the snow, Bellyn could hardly feel her feet. She wondered if she could find Argeleafa, or if perhaps it was a lost cause and she had only created more worry for the rest of the company. Bellyn could not be certain, and she continued to fumble along in the dark.

Far along her way, when she felt as if she had been gone for ages, Bellyn could hear her footsteps being echoed. Someone was near, she could feel it; the sound of light footsteps was not her imagination. Bellyn whipped around, and her heart leaped up into her throat. Her thoughts went immediately to the Elf, Maegeleb. What if he has done something terrible again? Bellyn wondered. Her breath stilled, she waited for another sound to warn her which direction the other being moved.

Bellyn took three steps, hoping that her move would be echoed. There came no sound. Perhaps he knows my thoughts? Bellyn thought, alarmed. She tried to quell all thoughts, afraid that Maegeleb might infiltrate her mind and soul. He killed Gwyllion! Surely he would kill me as well...

Then Bellyn's eyes widened - What if he has already taken Leafa?

"Leafa?" Bellyn called. Her shout trailed off into a whimper. There was a shuffling sound. I should not have spoken! Now he knows where I stand! Bellyn realized this, and she wondered how she could act so stupidly and irrationally. The being in the dark shuffled again.

"Leafa?" blundering around with her hands outstretched, Bellyn whispered the name over and over again. "Leafa, Leafa...Leafa? Lea-"

She had no chance to finish the name. Bellyn tripped over something on the ground and rolled over onto her back and into the snow. She thought it might have been a large rock until she heard a yelp erupt from where the figure had knelt. That voice is so familiar...

"Leafa!" Bellyn realized, hope in her heart.

"Bella!" Bellyn knew the voice well. She had found Leafa. Fumbling around, the two finally found one another in the darkness.

"Leafa, I thought that you were the Elf!" Bellyn laughed, a half-hearted, anxious laugh that revealed her remaining fear that Maegeleb might still find them. "Why did you leave?"

[mark12_30]

She approached him slowly. Hearing her soft steps in the snow beside him made Raefindan look up.

"Mellonin."

"Raefindan. It would seem I owe you my life?"

She could not help but smile at the expression that crossed his face. She sat beside him, stealing a glance at the swamp-elf. Raefindan saw her shudder.

"It's all right, " Raefindan assured her. "You are in no danger from him now."

She hesitated, then smiled. "Very well. Of all of us, you would know. You were brave to do what you did. Thank you."

She watched him and wondered why he did not answer. Then hastily she covered his hand with hers. "It is all right, " she said. "You have been through much. It is good that you are here, and you are well. It is better than I dared to hope. I am content."

Raefindan smiled at her, a distant look in his eyes. Then he glanced around the camp. "Erebemlin sent the two rangers and an elf. Where is the wild boy in elvish dress?"

"Nethwador?" Mellonin glanced around, and then sighed. "His horse is gone. Well, since the danger is here with us, I will not fear for him."


*****

Celegaer paced steadily through the snow. Nethwador dared not cry aloud til he was well clear of the camp, but traveled in ever-widening circles keeping the camp on his left.

[Nurumaiel]

Leafa clung to Bella, shivering and trembling. "Oh, I thought that you were the Elf, as well," she said, attempting a laugh. "I was so frightened. But it is better now that there are two of us." She gave a half-hearted smile, and suddenly she turned away and put her face in her hands, bursting into sobs. Bella's hand fell comfortingly on her shoulder and remained there until she had ceased crying. She looked up, brushing tears from her cheeks, and her smile was more genuine this time. "Forgive me," she said, "but it was such a relief to cry."

"Has anything happened?" Bella questioned. "Of course you need not tell me if you do not wish..."

"No, no," said Leafa, "I wouldn't mind telling you, Bella. Nothing very terrible has happened. But..." She dropped her head wearily and paused for a moment before continuing. When she spoke her voice was very low, but even that could not hide the trace of tears in its tone. "Ædegard says he cannot marry me."

"Oh..." said Bella, her exclamation beginning in a gasp and ending abruptly, as if words were not enough. She looked in mute sympathy at Leafa, who glanced up with a bitter little smile. "It's not so bad as it was a few minutes ago," she said, "though it is still terrible. Weeping has helped me. And now is no time for our thoughts to rest on my sorrows. We must find our way back to the camp, though... I'm afraid to see him... I might start crying again." A tear sprang to her eye, but fiercely she brushed it away, and stood, straining her eyes in the darkness to get some sense of her bearings.

"I don't know where we are," she said at last, spreading her hands out. "I paid no heed to where I went, and the darkness prevented me from noticing anything that would assist us in finding our way back. What would you suggest, Bella? Should we try to retrace our steps and find our way back to the camp, or should we wait her and hope that they will stumble upon us... before... something worse does?"

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

"Nethwador?" Mellonin glanced around, and then sighed. "His horse is gone. Well, since the danger is here with us, I will not fear for him."

"Nevertheless," said Roy, "too many of our number have wandered off. Incidentally, where is Jorje? I haven't seen him with anyone."

"Jorje!" Mellonin's eyes went wide. "I have not seen him either! Not since we left Marigold!"

"Marigold? Who is that?"

"She was an old woman who lived just outside the Entwash swamp. Well, she was not just an old woman. I wonder if Jorje stayed with her?"

"You stayed with this old, not old woman?" Roy asked.

Mellonin looked at Roy a long moment, then laughed quietly a moment, shaking her head, looking to the snow covered ground. "We do not know what she is. I think, did she say, mayhap, she was a Riverdaughter? I know not."

Roy stared into the fire.

"What are you thinking, Raefindan?" Mellonin asked.

"That I should go to her and Jorje and recuse myself from this quest."

"Re.... coos?" Mellonin shook her head. "To chirp like a pigeon over again? I do not understand you."

Roy allowed a small smile and faced her. "It is one of the reasons I should go to this Marigold. It means to remove myself, for my presence is unhelpful to the quest."

"Unhelpful! How can you say that?"

Roy regarded Mellonin with eyes as sad as she had ever seen from him. "I cannot tell you. If I did, it would make things so much the worse."

[alaklondewen]

This was madness. The company was finally on the right track…they find the lost man, capture his captor, and the incompetent mortals scatter like gnats. Erebemlin glared at the swamp elf. What evil will he work among the weak minded? He thought, keeping his mind closed to the other elf. Tharonwe had come to them too easily, too soon, and although he appeared docile, Erebemlin knew danger still lurked within the walls of his being. He wished, at this moment, that Amroth would return. His kingly wisdom was needed.

~*~*~

The darkness that lay over the plains that night were thick, and the moon’s light was hidden behind the gorging snow-filled clouds. Taitheneb stepped gracefully atop of the snow-covered ground with leaving only the slightest footprint. Straining his ears he listened for the young women, but unfortunately he heard naught but the soft voices from the camp. He wondered what would have made them leave the safety of the fire’s light, especially after all of the events of the last days. Do the human’s learn nothing? Their actions were foolish, much like Erebemlin has said in the past. Taitheneb wondered if he should have listened to the Silmaethor instead of pitying him.

As he thought this, the sound of a horse’s breath came from his right. The elf squinted into the darkness and could see the creature and his rider arcing around toward him. Taitheneb stood still, waiting silently until the horse was near.

Young brother, why do you roam so far from camp?

The horse came to a halt, and the young rider moved his head from side to side staring uncertainly into the night. Taitheneb moved so that he could be seen by the boy, and repeated his question. As he came closer, the elf caught the troubled, hurt expression on Nethwador’s face. His dark eyes glistened with moisture. What troubles you, Mellon? As the elf touched the boy’s mind, the only image that came to him was the young girl and the name…Bella.

[mark12_30]

Tharonwe: "You forget the keenness of Elvish ears, Roy Edwards."
Mellonin: "He is Raefindan."
Tharonwe: "Nay, that is the name you gave him. He is called Roy Edwards."
Raefindan straighten where he sat and said, "Maegeleb, do not-"
Tharonwe: "He is from the future, dear Mellonin; he will not be born for thousands of years yet."
Raefindan: "Say no more, Elf!"
Tharonwe: "He dreams us." At this, Tharonwe's face took on an ironically amused expression. "Is that not the greatest necromancy you have ever heard? He dreams us. What think you of that, dear Mellonin?"


********** mark12_30's post*********

With a snort Mellonin tossed her head, shaking the wisps of dark hair out of her eyes. "I think you lie, Swamp-Elf. Why should I believe such tales from one so bereft of honor? Raefindan, heed him not."

She stood and studied the swamp-elf, and her lips twisted as she fought the temptation to spit. Finally she tossed her head again, and then extended her hand to Raefindan. "I want you to properly meet my brother, Mellondu. Come now."

Raefindan seeing this spark of the old Mellonin returning, smiled despite himself. Mellondu heard his name, and smiled wryly. He knew who Raefindan was, but there had been little time for courtesies, and they could not move on til the others were brought back to camp. Despite Raefindan's newfound shyness, Mellonin would not be gainsaid, and the three sat in a little circle. Raefindan need not have worried; Mellonin's chief concern was that Raefindan be pleased with her brother, and she told many tales of his goodness, kindness, loyalty, and gentleness. Mellondu and Raefindan listened, Mellondu chuckling now and then.

Mellonin resolutely kept her back to the swamp-elf. But Mellondu and Raefindan kept an eye on him, and Erebemlin noticed. The towering elf turned a cold glance on Tharonwe, and muttered, "Thankfully not all these mortals are witless fools."

Mellonin's tales continued til they were interrupted by her own yawn.

Erebemlin spoke. "Tomorrow we must ride south. More horses are needed, but til we find them, we must take turns running alongside. Sleep now while you may."

Mellondu glanced at Tharonwe, and Erebemlin nodded at him. The elf would stand watch, then.

Mellondu rolled over, and thought it strange that Erebemlin stood guard at his feet. It made him uneasy, at first, and he wished more than once that the tall elf would stand somewhere else. But weariness caught up with him now and again; he dozed fitfully.

Mellonin stretched out on Mellondu's left, and Raefindan on Mellondu's right. Nearby they heard Ædegard breathing softly, Aeron snoring, and Liornung muttered the words to some old song in his dreams. Erebemlin stood staring at Tharonwe, who smiled, and lay back to watch the stars. So the darkness passed, with little rest.