Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[Nurumaiel]

Leafa had been only dimly aware of the others surrounding and listening when Ædegard had begun to speak, and at his last words all faded, save him. Her eyes widened; her face paled; and she began to tremble slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but she found no words could come. He looked earnestly down into her face, hopefully...

Must she say no? Wasn't that the proper thing to do? He had drove her near crazy with grief, and now she should be angry with him. Now she should ask him if she was just a play-thing, to make joyous and sorrowful as a mood struck him. She should say she was certain that he would change his mind again, and again, and again. Isn't that what she should say?

She felt a presence at her side, and saw Liornung. The expression on his face was one of a satisfied smirk. She turned back to Ædegard, and she was smiling, with her eyes downcast. Angry at him indeed! Who said it was the proper thing to do? It was a lie, and if it wasn't... she would do the improper thing, because she loved him more than all anger and resentment. She found she still could not speak, so she did naught but step a little closer to him and slip a shy little hand into his, and raise eyes overflowing with joy to his face.

[littlemanpoet]

She slipped her hand in his, and looked up into his eyes, smiling in joy. He could not hold back the tears that came to his own eyes, and spilled. Embarrassed, he hid his face, hiding in her hair. Why? Why would you want to wed a man who cannot make a living? He did not give utterance to his words, but pulled her close, thankful to her for her mute answer, thankful to Raefindan for making him see wisdom for a change. He looked to him, and Raefindan winked. Ædegard smiled, and held Leafa close. He could find no words that could speak his heart, so he said nothing.

[mark12_30]

Mellonin smiled as the rider embraced the goldenhaired wayfarer girl. Meanwhile the two rangers were straggling toward the fire, Ravion looking stiff and weary as he sat.

The snow crunched under her boots as she walked up behind him. He half turned, his face pale with cold. She draped her blanket around him, and with a little smile, turned to find another. Mellondu rose and brought his own, eyeing the ranger with some suspicion. Mellonin took her brother's blanket and draped that, too, over Ravion's shoulders.

[Orual]

Sudden warmth brought Ravion out of his dark reverie.

"Mellonin?" he said softly, looking up at the young woman with a mixed expression of confusion and happiness and hope. The blankets were soft, warm, and heavy on his shoulders.

"You looked very cold," she replied to his unasked question. She smiled at him, and her sweet eyes smiled with her. Ravion felt his heart tighten for a brief moment.

"I was. I thank you." Ravion could see Erundil standing at a distance, a smug look on his face. The younger Ranger ignored his former tutor.

There was a bit of a silence, broken at length by Ravion. "How are you, Mellonin?" he asked suddenly.

She seemed confused. "How am I?"

"Now that your brother is back. What are you planning to do? Will you return to Gondor? You and your brother have much to catch up on, I would assume." There was a bitterness in Ravion's tone that he had not intended. He only hoped that Mellonin did not notice it.

[mark12_30]

Mellonin stiffened for a moment, and then knelt beside Ravion, and spoke.

"I have been less than grateful. I am sorry. I owe you much... Yes, we will return home, home to Minas Tirith. Will you not journey with us, and receive my parents' blessing? How glad they will be to have their son safely returned! Come, and share our joy."

Hoofbeats caught her attention, and her head turned as Ravion started to answer. She stood. "The elf and the wayfarer boy! They have returned." A snort from Celegoer was followed by words from Nethwador, half joy half scolding. THe wild edge had come back to the boy's voice.

"Peace, " said Taitheneb, and slowly the boy calmed. Nethwador touched Bella's hand, and stood trembling before her. "Bella, mellon."

She nodded, and took his hand, and drew him to the fire opposite Ravion. Together they sat down, and tangled whispers passed between them, some in Sindarin, some in the wayfarer's tongue, some in the common speech. Mellonin smiled. "Does he know what you are saying?"

Bella smiled. "Perhaps not, " she replied. Nethwador's dark eyes flickered toward Mellonin, and then back toward Bella. Liornung brought them each a blanket, and they inched closer to the fire, and rejoined hands.

Mellonin stood beside Ravion, who stared for a while at the fire, and then looked up at her.

[littlemanpoet]

Maegeleb had been watching the humans as they slept, himself under the watchful guard of Erebemlin and Taitheneb. He had used the time to look upon the humans' minds. The two guarding Elves knew what he did, but just as soon stop an Elf from viewing another's mind as stop a mole from digging. What could be done with these humans to ensure that he won Nimrodel instead of that other, now drowning, Elf?

Raefindan. Roy Edwards, the boy-man from the future. Who dreamed them all. It was a puzzle, really. If this Roy dreamed all of them, were they real, or just part of his dream? Maegeleb glanced at the two Elves, who looked at him askance, for they knew his thought as well, and were finding it alien, unsettling, and unbelievable. Let them think what they would.

Mellonin. She of the healed face and wounded heart. She had her brother back and refused to believe Roy dreamed her. She believed her role to be over, now that Mellondu was back. Little to be achieved there.

Mellondu? He kept the Elf safely buried, repulsed by that one's disregard for his sister. Maegeleb smiled slyly. He had not even counted on Amroth's hardness of heart and - what was that word from Roy Edwards' time - obsessiveness in regard to Nimrodel. So now Mellondu wanted the Elf to stay buried, but as long as that fëa was there, it might crop up; it was needful to banish it back to Mandos once and for all. How? He would have to give more thought to that.

Ravion. Confused ranger. Very maleable to his purposes. Get him riled.

Ædegard. One handed fool. Caught in the ways of Rohan.

Leafa. Weak, weak, weak. Easily led hither and yon.

Liornung. Dreamer.

Erundil. Dangerous. Schooled in the ways of field and fen, forest and beast, and of the human heart, by all accounts.

Bellyn. Stolid, no great help or hinderance.

Nethwador. High strung and distrustful.

Aeron. Listless and mulling over his despair.

Suddenly Maegeleb had the answer. Change nothing. The group was already beginning to pull away from each other, tending in their own directions. The only danger was that Mellondu and Ravion might come to blows over Mellonin. Let that not happen.

Morning came. Maegeleb was aware that the Elves had read much of his thought, as he had of theirs, and so he knew that Erebemlin had been trying to waken Amroth. He must lull the humans, or better yet, allow them to continue to lull themselves.

Maegeleb was satisfied.

[Orual]

The arrival of the elf and the boy, while an interruption of their conversation, affected Ravion little.

Come, and share our joy.

As Mellonin spoke with the others, Ravion watched her and pondered those words. Their sting confused him. Why should he feel stricken by such a gracious invitation? Mellonin was trying to be kind. Why could he not take her comment in the manner in which it was given? When he was a youth, Erundil would often tell him that one great failing in him was his inability to take a compliment. Perhaps his tutor had been right. But it did not alleviate the sting.

He raised his eyes to Mellonin's face: her eyes, glittering in the firelight; her sweet smile; her dark hair; her kind demeanor. He looked down, afraid that she would take offense at his scrutiny.

Come, and share our joy.

He felt the weight of Mellonin's gaze on the back of his head, and he turned to her. He stood and forced a smile that he hoped looked genuine. "Mellonin, I do share your joy," he said softly. "And I wish you to have much joy in the future. I will accompany you to Minas Tirith, but..."

He closed his eyes briefly, steeling himself, then opened them again. "But I am afraid that there, we must part ways. I do not wish to intrude upon your family's reunion. It is not my place."

He hoped that she would understand. He hoped that she would, in some part of her, realize that it was for her sake. He could not control his feelings, but he could control his actions. He was too volatile, too moody, too changeable for her. He had done his duty; he had found her brother. Now there was only one thing left to do--let her move on--and it seemed that this would be the hardest.