In the Shadow of the Star: Part 1 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

piosenniel · 03-05-2003, 08:04 PM

Lorien smiled at the Hobbit. "I'm sorry," he said. "I do not communicate well with words. I'm not really used to it I suppose. Maura. We're bringing him here...for a time...so that you can be together. So that the two of you may marry if you wish, though you cannot be together in your future or his..."

Each word dropped into the silence of the room like a stone into deep, still water. The ripples spread out battering against her senses, and she gasped as they met the sight of tears splashing down the cheeks of her friend.

‘He smiles as he says these words to her,’ she murmured to herself, that cold calmness, coming over her now, the precision of thought and action that always preceded the kill for her. ‘How like a Vala to do this. To offer sweet gifts with one hand and forbid the taking of them fully with the other. How did I hope that this might be any different.’

She knocked the cup of tea from his hands, reaching down swiftly to grasp the front of his robe in her hands, and hauled him up to face her. ‘You disgust me.’ she hissed, her grey eyes meeting his blue ones. Bird’s hand went out to grip her arm, as she sought to slip her dagger from beneath her sleeve. ‘I would gut you like a fish from stem to stern save that my friend has stayed my hand.’
He moved with her, like some unwilling partner in a grotesque dance, held upright in her grip - passing out the door to her room and across the floor of the Inn, through streaks of moonlight and deep shadow, to the front door.

‘Get out!’ she spat at him as she shoved him out the door, his inebriated body falling crazily against the post of the front porch, and sliding down it to sit clumsily on the steps.

Her eyes narrowed, watching him as he sat there, willing him to disappear . . .

*********************************************

Child's post:

The common room was empty and silent. The guests had long since departed, with platters of food and half-drunk flagons of ale still scattered over counters and tables. Prim and the servers had retired for the night. They had scrubbed out the remains of the pudding from the floor, but there was still an untidy mess that would need to be dealt with in the morning. Unable to sleep, Cami had left her bed and come down to gather up dirty dishes. At least it would keep her busy.

She worked haphazardly, tossing plates carelessly here and there, and throwing dirty cutlery onto the kitchen table. Her thoughts were deeply troubled, for she could see both promise and pain in the message that had been given her. Ever since leaving Beleriand, she had yearned for something like this to happen, for some unexpected bolt from the heavens to offer her even a faint measure of hope. It was only last night at the party that she’d finally breathed a plea to Elbereth for the Powers to listen and grant her mercy.

Was this the response to her heartfelt supplication? To bring herself and Maura together, only to be ripped apart in a few brief weeks. If so, she wasn’t sure how she felt about the message or its bearer. To Cami, Lorien looked and acted nothing like a Valar. Where was the wisdom and majestic compassion she’d seen reflected in Ulmo’s eyes? She could understand Pio's unreasoning anger when faced with his cold words that had sounded so removed and uncaring.

Her frend had come so close to sinking her dagger into Lorien's body. She had been restrained only by Bird's quick hand. And what if Bird had not been there? Cami had made a bargain in Beleriand, one that she knew could only be filled with heartache and sorrow. Yet never had she intended that her choice should fall onto her friends' heads, or place them in such a difficult position. Yet she sensed that this was happening, and felt powerless to stop it.

It was then that she heard sounds of moaning and tapping coming from the front steps of the Inn. Cami walked over to the window and gazed outside. He was still there, sitting on the ground and slumped back against the building. He stared up at her with glazed eyes that refused to focus, his lean body shivering against the jagged breeze and cold night air.

Cami drew back, wondering what to do. From the way he had treated her, she had no reason to thank or help him. A messenger who couldn't even stay sober enough to deliver the message with which he had been entrusted! One who watched her with cool eyes, while he spoke of meetings and separations of lovers, as if such things happened every day.

Yet, even so, Cami could not bring herself to let him sit there shivering on the steps. She went inside to the kitchen and supply closet and got a few things, then walked out onto the porch.

"Here, this is for you." Cami handed Lorien one of the blankets, a flask of hot drink, and some of the food, wrapped together in a packet. "There are four deserted burrows that stands on the far side of Bywater Pool. No one will bother you there. Not even Pio. There's fresh straw for sleeping as well."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked in a low, uneven voice.

"Because whoever you are, and for whatever reason you have come, you wear a body now that can feel cold and weariness. Go down to the shed and leave here before the Elf awakens and finds you. Whatever she does is only meant to protect me."

"And you, Cami. Do you bring me an answer?"

"Aye, for sure I have an answer. You might have said the very same thing to me that you did, but with a manner that was gentle and caring. It would have made a difference, at least to me. If you plan to stay in that body a while, I suggest you start thinking more about what you're doing to those around you. After you leave this place, we still have to live here and get along with each another. Don't destroy that."

Cami felt her voice crack as she turned to respond. "This is my life, and the life of the hobbit I love. I will not hurt him, even to assuage my own sense of loss. And you are past all talking now. Go and sleep. I will come to you tomorrow by the pool and learn more about this bargain that you have prepared for me."

Then she walked back in the Inn and quietly closed the door.

[ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

03-05-2003, 08:04 PM	#11
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Lorien smiled at the Hobbit. "I'm sorry," he said. "I do not communicate well with words. I'm not really used to it I suppose. Maura. We're bringing him here...for a time...so that you can be together. So that the two of you may marry if you wish, though you cannot be together in your future or his..." Each word dropped into the silence of the room like a stone into deep, still water. The ripples spread out battering against her senses, and she gasped as they met the sight of tears splashing down the cheeks of her friend. ‘He smiles as he says these words to her,’ she murmured to herself, that cold calmness, coming over her now, the precision of thought and action that always preceded the kill for her. ‘How like a Vala to do this. To offer sweet gifts with one hand and forbid the taking of them fully with the other. How did I hope that this might be any different.’ She knocked the cup of tea from his hands, reaching down swiftly to grasp the front of his robe in her hands, and hauled him up to face her. ‘You disgust me.’ she hissed, her grey eyes meeting his blue ones. Bird’s hand went out to grip her arm, as she sought to slip her dagger from beneath her sleeve. ‘I would gut you like a fish from stem to stern save that my friend has stayed my hand.’ He moved with her, like some unwilling partner in a grotesque dance, held upright in her grip - passing out the door to her room and across the floor of the Inn, through streaks of moonlight and deep shadow, to the front door. ‘Get out!’ she spat at him as she shoved him out the door, his inebriated body falling crazily against the post of the front porch, and sliding down it to sit clumsily on the steps. Her eyes narrowed, watching him as he sat there, willing him to disappear . . . ******************************************* Child's post:** The common room was empty and silent. The guests had long since departed, with platters of food and half-drunk flagons of ale still scattered over counters and tables. Prim and the servers had retired for the night. They had scrubbed out the remains of the pudding from the floor, but there was still an untidy mess that would need to be dealt with in the morning. Unable to sleep, Cami had left her bed and come down to gather up dirty dishes. At least it would keep her busy. She worked haphazardly, tossing plates carelessly here and there, and throwing dirty cutlery onto the kitchen table. Her thoughts were deeply troubled, for she could see both promise and pain in the message that had been given her. Ever since leaving Beleriand, she had yearned for something like this to happen, for some unexpected bolt from the heavens to offer her even a faint measure of hope. It was only last night at the party that she’d finally breathed a plea to Elbereth for the Powers to listen and grant her mercy. Was this the response to her heartfelt supplication? To bring herself and Maura together, only to be ripped apart in a few brief weeks. If so, she wasn’t sure how she felt about the message or its bearer. To Cami, Lorien looked and acted nothing like a Valar. Where was the wisdom and majestic compassion she’d seen reflected in Ulmo’s eyes? She could understand Pio's unreasoning anger when faced with his cold words that had sounded so removed and uncaring. Her frend had come so close to sinking her dagger into Lorien's body. She had been restrained only by Bird's quick hand. And what if Bird had not been there? Cami had made a bargain in Beleriand, one that she knew could only be filled with heartache and sorrow. Yet never had she intended that her choice should fall onto her friends' heads, or place them in such a difficult position. Yet she sensed that this was happening, and felt powerless to stop it. It was then that she heard sounds of moaning and tapping coming from the front steps of the Inn. Cami walked over to the window and gazed outside. He was still there, sitting on the ground and slumped back against the building. He stared up at her with glazed eyes that refused to focus, his lean body shivering against the jagged breeze and cold night air. Cami drew back, wondering what to do. From the way he had treated her, she had no reason to thank or help him. A messenger who couldn't even stay sober enough to deliver the message with which he had been entrusted! One who watched her with cool eyes, while he spoke of meetings and separations of lovers, as if such things happened every day. Yet, even so, Cami could not bring herself to let him sit there shivering on the steps. She went inside to the kitchen and supply closet and got a few things, then walked out onto the porch. "Here, this is for you." Cami handed Lorien one of the blankets, a flask of hot drink, and some of the food, wrapped together in a packet. "There are four deserted burrows that stands on the far side of Bywater Pool. No one will bother you there. Not even Pio. There's fresh straw for sleeping as well." "Why are you doing this?" he asked in a low, uneven voice. "Because whoever you are, and for whatever reason you have come, you wear a body now that can feel cold and weariness. Go down to the shed and leave here before the Elf awakens and finds you. Whatever she does is only meant to protect me." "And you, Cami. Do you bring me an answer?" "Aye, for sure I have an answer. You might have said the very same thing to me that you did, but with a manner that was gentle and caring. It would have made a difference, at least to me. If you plan to stay in that body a while, I suggest you start thinking more about what you're doing to those around you. After you leave this place, we still have to live here and get along with each another. Don't destroy that." Cami felt her voice crack as she turned to respond. "This is my life, and the life of the hobbit I love. I will not hurt him, even to assuage my own sense of loss. And you are past all talking now. Go and sleep. I will come to you tomorrow by the pool and learn more about this bargain that you have prepared for me." Then she walked back in the Inn and quietly closed the door. [ March 07, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.