The Ire of Lady Laeraelin

Minas Tirith: Houses of Healing: Garden

A path of blue-gray pebbles stretches away from the garden\'s entry to meander around and through the trees and lawn which dominate this garden. Flowers and rocks of varying heights and colors have been arranged at intervals along the path. To either side of the lawn wooden arbors have been constructed. The lush greenery of wisteria and ivy twine up and around their pillars creating a living ceiling across the top with vines dangling randomly down toward visitors below, where carved wooden benches can be found. Raised planter boxes are set between the pillars containing a number of different herbs, flowering and not. Pots filled with other herbs and lush flowers hang from the arbor supports. Along the low wall at the edge of the garden, purple and pink phlox creep, winding their way across the top of the stones. Beyond the wall, the entire plain beneath Minas Tirith is visible.

From the wall one can watch and even hear distantly the sounds of the city below. The light of day plays across the plants, creating long shadows or short ones depending upon the weather and time of day. Their colors are all the more vibrant in the light.

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Weather:            Clear

Time:               Late Afternoon <18>

Season:             Autumn

Date:               Oranor - October 30, 3045

Real Time:          Wed Dec 31 18:58:15 2008

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Over a week now since the men from Osgiliath were brought into the Houses of Healing, and many have already been released either back to duty or the care of their families. Some linger, though, and on this clear autumn afternoon, Ceredir is one of them.

The Scout now walks the paths of the garden restlessly, albeit slowed by his wounds somewhat still, but at least he _is_ up and walking. One more day--that is what the healers have told him, but the endless days of waiting to heal have worn on him, still. The food and the rest here have not: Color has returned to Ceredir\'s cheeks, even if he is still thinner and scrawnier than normal.

Pebbles crunch beneath the slow steps of the Scout\'s boots as he ambles along.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

A woman slight of build but strong in presence strides into the garden. She pauses at the entrance her storm gray eyes search the autumn-touched haven until the fall upon the figure of the scout. Her countenance, usually lovely and pleasant, hardens and she resumes her strident walk, skirts swishing angrily about her. \"Ceredir, I need to speak with you\" the Lady Azrabar states in a flat tone. In her hand she holds a bit of unfolded parchment.

\"Ma\'am...?\" Ceredir turns, perhaps not recognizing the voice for a moment. \"Ah...afternoon, m\'lady,\" he continues as he recognizes Laeraelin, his eyes immediately falling on the paper that she holds. \"You received Thaladel\'s letter?\" Urgency in his voice marks his question, and he quickly closes the distance to the woman.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

Lady Laeraelin\'s eyes narrow and calculation can be discerned in their depths. \"Indeed, I did,\" she answers, slowly - tapping he letter on the palm of her other hand. \"You are acquainted with my kinsman, then? And his sister?\"

\"Well...yes, ma\'am, I am, in fact. Thaladel and I have become good friends, or so I like to think. And I...well, yes I am acquainted with the Lady Nelladel, too, yes.\" Ceredir clears his throat and shifts his stance. \"Thaladel is worried sick that his sister has not visited him here despite his letter to her. Is anything amiss?\"

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

\"She is missing,\" Laeraelin replies baldly, her lips cutting off the words firmly. Her gaze now scrutinizes the scout with intensely keen interest.

The answer is Ceredir\'s hard stare. \"Missing.\" He repeats that word. \"How is that possible?\"

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

\"That is perhaps something you can answer,\" the lady responds, her intense gaze yet upon the scout, watching him carefully. \"The last words she spoke, ere she ran out the door, were to declare her love for you.\"

\"Where is she,\" demands the Telpekhor daughter, her voice hard as diamonds.

\"I do not know.\" Ceredir\'s tone matches Laeraelin\'s demand. \"This is not what I expected of her nor asked of her, though it is true she loves me and I her. But...to have run out the door? What prompted this?\"

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

Lady Azrabar\'s fair countenance darkens with anger. Her voice is tightly controlled and icy. But she answers the scout\'s question: \"She ran away in petulant anger when she was taken to task for her antics at card faillen during my absence an incident my son assured me that you had no part in.\"

\"It appears Arashen has misplaced his trust and loyalty.\"

\"Do not lie to me, it will go poorly for you should you prove to have some hand in her disappearance! Do you know where she is?\"

\"I have been in Osgiliath. With your son. Fighting for our lives, and yours as well, come to think of it.\" Each word of Ceredir\'s answer is carefully enunciated, made sharp by the anger he appears to be trying to contain. \"I do not know of her whereabouts, nor any plan for her to run away as she did. Nothing. I would never suggest that Nella do such a thing. Never.\"

He takes a sharp breath, cutting off further words he seemed about to say.

[Thaladel(#7905)] The door to the garden swings open, but it takes a few moments for the soldier to actually get outside. Thaladel is struggling with crutches, something he\'s never used before. Once he\'s outside, however, he moves around a bit easier. He smiles when he sees Ceredir and Lady Laeraelin...until he hears the anger in the words being exchanged. \"Well then..what\'s all this about?\" Thal asks without preamble, looking between the two.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

Laeraelin glares at the scout for several long heartbeats. Then: \"If you find her, you bring her home to the manor,\" she commands, her voice dangerously soft and low.

\"And then you do not attempt to see her, nor speak to her again. Stay to your station - she is not for you, no matter her feelings.\"

Perhaps the voice is not familiar for the lady does not break her hard gaze away from Ceredir for a long moment.

When she does, her eyes sweep over the soldier and her manner instantly changes. Genuine concern effuses her features and she turns her back to the scout. \"Thalion,\" she says gently, using the young man\'s proper name. \"How do you fare? Do you need to sit?\" She gestures to the nearby bench.

\"My station?! I am a Scout of Ithilien, not a lowly tanner. True, I have no noble house, but I can make my name for myself. Do her feelings count for nothing, Lady? Do her feelings count for nothing? You would break her heart so, all for the matter of station and position? Force her into a life without love and joy?\" Ceredir pleads. He too, does not turn to answer Thaladel--not until he has finished addressing Laeraelin, and then he looks at Thaladel. \"Your sister has run away. Declared that she loves me and run out the door.\"

[Thaladel(#7905)] \"Aunt Laeraelin!\" Thaladel says warmly. His smile widens. \"I guess I will sit down,\" he agrees, looking down at his bandaged ankle. The smile doesn\'t last, however. Thal lowers himself onto a bench and sets his crutches down, though his eyes never leave the others. When Ceredir explains the situation, Thal sighs and closes his eyes. \"So that\'s why she\'s not been to see me,\" he says when he opens his eyes again. \"I\'m sure you have exhausted every effort to find her,\" he tells Laeraelin.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

For the nonce, Laeraelin ignores the scout\'s plea full outburst. Her attention remains on her kinsman. She holds out the open letter, written in Thalion\'s hand. \"Forgive me for opening your sister\'s mail - but given the circumstances, I thought it might help us find her. We have searched for days, but we do not yet give up hope.\"

She reaches out to gently touch the seated soldier\'s shoulder a comforting smile upon her lips. Then closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and turns to face the scout once more. For a brief moment there remains something soft - perhaps even sympathetic - to be seen in her eyes but it is soon replaced with a cold, haughty pride. \"If you were of suitable birth, you would know better than to ask those questions. This is no longer your concern, Scout.\"

Ceredir\'s answer is not so much angry as it is panicked. \"But..it _is_ my concern! I love her, and we have sworn our love for each other, despite the circumstances of my birth. I cannot change that, but I can change my standing if you would only give me the time and the chance to work for it, ma\'am. Please...you cannot do this to us..it...\" He shakes his head, getting flustered and glancing to Thaladel with a pleading look. \"It..it will kill her if you separate us. I am certain of it. You would do that to you own kin?\"

[Thaladel(#7905)] Thaladel smiles at his aunt. \"You are welcome to read my letters, Lady,\" he says mildly. \"None of them are terribly exciting.\" But despite the fear and panic of not knowing where Nella could be, Thal is also concerned for what\'s happening here. He looks over at Ceredir, his friend. \"What is the quarrel here, Aunt Laeraelin? What offense, exactly, has Ceredir committed? Love and joy, I heard him say...those aren\'t offenses, last I checked. Not in these times.\" Thal smiles at the woman again.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

Again there is a brief something seen in the lady\'s deep gaze, a flicker, a memory - pain-filled and is gone as quick as it came. \"She will survive the separation,\" Laeraelin says, uncompromisingly, \"as many Telpekhiri women before her and as many more that will come after her.\"

Turning then to her kinsman, she regards him a moment, frowning. \"You would see your sister with such a man? The blood of sea-kings flows through your veins! Numenor lives on in us and will continue to do so as long as we maintain our bloodlines. To deny your blood is to deny your strength. What is the petty love of a girl too young to know her heart in the face of such history?\"

\"You!\" Laeraelin cries, raising her arm to point at Ceredir, \"It is said you are a by blow of the Bragollach - a good family. But they deny you. If your lineage could be proven noble and ancient on both sides -and- you were recognized, this would be a different matter.\"

\"I do not blame you for your misfortune. But you remain the son of a tanner. I wish you well in your rise and hope you do better yourself. But you will not use one of my own to achieve this. Climb a mountain if you wish, but do not stretch for the stars - it will bring about your doom.\"

\"I am _not_ a tanner\'s son!\" Ceredir\'s anger rises now, showing in his eyes. \"Lathnoss swears to it that I am not and further swears...\" He cuts off very suddenly with a choked sound.

\"Is that it, then?\" The Scout\'s eyes, cold expression in them, are set on Laeraelin. \"There is no hope at all? You cut me out entirely and doom your niece to a loveless marriage so that her heart, too, will grow cold as I see yours is? And you think that by doing so you will preserve the purity of your Numenorean heritage and prevent the downfall of your family? I think, m\'lady, that such deceitful pride is what led to the downfall in the first place. I bid you farewell. I will not trouble your family further.\"

Not waiting for an answer, Ceredir turns angrily to start to head back to the door inside.

[Thaladel(#7905)] \"Lady Laeraelin,\" Thaladel says, addressing his aunt more formally now and sitting up straighter on the bench. \"With all due respect...I take exception to the way that you are making assumptions and putting words in my mouth when I have barely had time to process the disappearence of my sister. I do not deny my blood. I am proud of my family and my house! I am only trying to be fair to everyone here, because they deserve it. Ceredir is a trustworthy friend, who does not deserve such harsh words so soon after a battle. Finding Nella should be the priority, shouldn\'t it?\" Thal runs a hand through his hair and sighs deeply, tired still.

Troubled eyes follow Ceredir as the man heads back toward the door. It\'s a struggle, but Thal picks up his crutches and hobbles after the scout. \"Ceredir, wait up!\" he calls out, but the lad moves slowly.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

The lady says nothing in reply. She listens to both young men speak with an impassive expression. To her kinsman she says only: \"Nella is upmost in my mind.\"

Only after both have left her does she say quietly, sadly. \"You are yet young.\"

Ceredir pauses, but only long enough to hold the door for Thaladel. The Scout doesn\'t hear the Telpekhor Lady\'s remarks of course, but she might hear what he says quietly to Thaladel as they walk back inside. \"Tomorrow..when we are released. I think I have a good notion of where to find her.\"

[Thaladel(#7905)] Thaladel looks back over his shoulder to say, \"Excuse me please, Aunt,\" before he heads inside the door held open by Ceredir. \"Thank you, scout,\" he murmurs. Hope enters his eyes with Ceredir\'s words. \"Then the moment they let you out of that bed,\" Thal whispers, \"Go to her. I\'d only slow you down.\" He nods to his crutches, and hobbles toward his bed.

[Laeraelin(#24692)]

When both young men have departed the garden a change comes over the Lady Azrabar. Gone is her unreadable, implacable expression and in its place fatigue. She slumps heavily to the bench. Leaning over, she rests her head on her knees and takes a deep breath, her face cradled in her palms.

She does not appear to have overheard what either lad whispered to one another.