Elanor and Anemone

Riverside, Naith of Lorien

You stand riverside, in Dwimordene, amidst the grey boles of the mellyrn and the concealing underbrush on the eastern banks of the river Celebrant. It is here in these golden woods where the rolling foothills of the Misties come to an end and the Elven realm of Lothlorien, often called Dwimordene or Dreamland by men, begins. It\'s springtime, and the mellyrn\'s golden leaves have still yet to fall with the spring budding. Presently, the late morning sun filters down through the trees, creating a patchword of sunshine and shady areas.

Contents:

Nalas

Raven

Barrels

Obvious exits:

UpStream leads to Upper Riverside.

DownStream leads to Harbor Pathway.

Northeast leads to Forest Path.

Across leads to Western Riverbank of the Upper Celebrant.

---------------------------------------------------------------- +ELF TIME ----

================== Eldarin Calendar ===================

IC time is:    Late Morning < About 11:48 AM >

IC day is:     Orgilion

IC date is:    43 Echuir

Moon phase:    First Quarter

Earendil:      Gil-Estel is not visible.

IC year is:    Loa 24 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor

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RL time:        Fri Feb 19 11:16:09 2010

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Calendar help: +ELF TIME HELP    Quenya version: +ELF TIME QUENYA

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[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The gold leaves of the mellyrn flash in the late morning light that filters down amid the canopy, and rays warm the grass in spots between the bushes and silver boles. The mummur of the Celebrant speaks close by, and its waters can be seen not far off ahead.

There are barrels placed here, near this river, and beside one stands Veredhiel. One hand reaches and opens the lid of the closest container, and she begins to withdraw a few grey-feathered arrows.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas comes from the direction of the river, a wandering pace whose only apparent purpose is to keep her moving from patch of light to patch of light. In her hands she carries a bouquet of niphredil and bluebells.

The sound of the lid being removed draws Nalas\' attention, and she looks to the other elleth with a blissful smile, \"Veredhiel, hail! Have /you/ seen a fallow doe pass this way, heavy with child?\" Something in her tone implies that this isn\'t the first time she\'s asked this question.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The motion pauses, and the second elleth looks upward as the musical voice speaks. Veredhiel raises her free hand in greeting, but shakes her raven head as she slips a few of the fletched darts into her back quiver. \"Nay, I have not. Are the flowers for her? They are lovely.\"

She glances around the undergrowth. \"Is she oft to come here, or to a particular spot?\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

\"She is wont to drink of a morning just there, upon the banks. I awaited her a long while, but today she has not come. So methought to seek her out.\" The maid glances amongst the boles of the trees, but it is only curiosity, not worry, that moves her.

\"Ah, the flowers! They are lovely indeed, though sometimes I am heartily sorry to have picked them. Should you like them, mellon-nin?\" Without awaiting a reply, the flowers are held to Veredhiel along with a smile.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"Oh! I-thank you,\" grins the other in return, accepting the petalled gift. She sniffs them for a moment happily. \"It is a pity to pluck them sometimes, yes,\" agrees Veredhiel. \"But I am sure even more will come back to take their place. I shall see if I can find Thoniel or Elnara, and give some of these flowers to them. They are too pretty to keep in one hand only.\"

She looks sideways again, toward the low bushes. \"Perhaps the doe would come if you called? Or we could search for her? I am free from guard duty for a time.\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

\"Indeed?\" Nalas fairly cries at this announcement, only just restraining herself from bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands. \"I am glad to hear it! Maybe she would come, if called. I know not.\"

Nalas bites her lip in thought, glancing a moment to the grass at Veredhiel\'s feet before her gaze turns beaming to the warden, \"I\'ve a thought. If we sit in the glade and call to her, mayhap she will come. And whilst we wait, may I plait the flowers into your hair? You\'ve such beautiful hair.\"

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The smile broadens, partly in pleasant surprise. \"You may, mellon,\" laughs the guard, and she sets herself to sit on the grass. She looks back up as she sets the flowers beside her for Nalas to take. \"But how shall we call to her? Has she a name, or a sound she answers to?\" A soft hand is brought up to fix a piece of hair that has drifted over a shoulder.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas laughs with joy as she kneels behind Veredhiel. \"I call her Peglan, though I do not know if she knows her name.\" Nalas tilts her head, considering how the flowers are to be arranged. \"Think you she would come if we were to sing to her of grass and sunlight and sweet clover? Deer love these things.\" Again she laughs, raising her hands and beginning to gently weave a myriad of intricate, tiny plaits into Veredhiel\'s hair.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"It is worth a try,\" Veredhiel answers, closing her eyes as her companion begins her delicate work. \"I wish we had a harp to play, but two voices raised in song are lovely enough.\"

Quietly, Veredhiel sings - a soft melody wafts forth to gently merge into the sounds of the water and the breeze, but louder it shall grow with the voice of another:

Nigh cool waters sun-aglowed like glass,

the warm wind of spring whispers o\'er grass...

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas closes her eyes as the first notes of Veredhiel\'s song are woven around her, and her hands still. After a moment Nalas also lifts her voice, mirroring Veredhiel\'s words but her tone softer, more quiet. Her harmony runs high and sweet, the laughter in the river, the leaves in the breeze. And indeed, the breeze carries their song away into the forest where it may reach the ears of the doe they seek.

Thus singing, Nalas returns to her work, fastening the bluebells in the other maid\'s hair, pale blue against shining ebony.

[Haldir(#25231)]

Voices drift across the rush of the Celebrant, the whisper of breeze and the harmony of song. \"That is well,\" says Haldir\'s, accented by a sharp intake of breath as he tosses the coil of rope to the shore. Swiftly do he and another grey-cloaked sentinel cross, murmuring quiet words which are washed into the precariously rolling water.

But dry do they set foot on land, and the white-cowled marchwarden is about to issue a further command to the other when he spots the two ellith. For a moment he stands, puzzled at the antics at this time the sentinel chooses to slip away, unseen.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The elven song continues, at the same time encompassing the mirth and melancholy of times long past as only the voices of the Fair Folk can do. Sun upon mountain peaks, the ripple of dancing rivers under the diamond-speckled night, all these wonders and more the tale describes.

Suddenly, a nearby bush rustles, and Veredhiel pauses, words faltering slightly as she opens her gray eyes to look in that direction. The deer, or perhaps something else? A silent nod acknowledges the arrival of Haldir, ere attention is focused back on the shifting foliage.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas sings on, undisturbed by the movements in the bushes, if she is aware of them at all. The flowers now are all arranged in Veredhiel\'s hair, the niphredil woven into a loose coronet. But Nalas\' fingers are not still, plying through the silken strands and smoothing them they do not need the attention though it is given nonetheless.

After a time she stretches out a hand toward Haldir, fingers beckoning him closer. She looks at him, then, her face one of perfect contentment.

[Haldir(#25231)]

Haldir blinks but says nothing, perhaps aware that he has been beckoned into a rather ... elleth-oriented activity. Still, he comes closer, industriously coiling the rope-bridge, hovering on the edge of conversation, song, and polite escape.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

Though her attention is more or less on the bush, Veredhiel is relaxed, feeling the gentle fingers that play in the flowers and the hair.

From the plants, there hops a fluffy-tailed brown rabbit it stands a distance away, sniffing curiously and gazing momentarily at the collection of Elves gathered here, ere it races off with a series of bounds. \"Well there!\" laughs the elleth. \"It seems our singing has succeeded in drawing two observers\" - she looks back to Haldir - \"though they both are not what we were searching for. Come sit for a while, marchwarden? There is time before the next changing of the guard. We will not make you sing, if you prefer not.\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

\"Yea,\" Nalas answers, her song melting away in laughter, \"\'Tis a fine rabbit. I think he is laughing at us!\" Nalas arranges Veredhiel\'s hair about the latter\'s shoulders ere she shifts, reclining against the other elleth\'s back. \"How now, Haldir? Is it fear I see in your eyes? Do not trouble! No flowers will adorn your hair, though \'tis a pity. Would not he be fair with a wreath of elanor?\" This last she asks of Veredhiel, tilting her head to cast a mischievous gaze over the warden\'s shoulder.

[Haldir(#25231)]

\"I beg to differ,\" the marchwarden replies politely, \"such a crown might be better suited for your own tresses, and that of ellith.\" A furtive glance brings no offer of help or withdrawal, and Haldir sits with a reserved sigh. \"Please, you were singing. Do not let me silence that.\"

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"Indeed, he would look quite lovely with a circlet of yellow stars,\" agrees Veredhiel, moving her head slightly toward where the other maid sits against her back. Then, her cool gray eyes return to the ellon. \"We were singing not just for our own enjoyment, but to call a friend, whom Nalas was hoping to find.\" She lets her companion explain more if she would.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas grins at Veredhiel, drawing herself away and crawling oh-so-carefully toward the marchwarden, stopping within arm\'s reach. \"Yes. The fallow doe that drinks from the Celebrant, just there,\" she points to the spot, \"Did not come to the water this morning. I wonder now if she was not delivered of her young early.\"

The maid tilts her head, regarding Haldir closely, \"Elanor and anemone would suit you well, my lord.\"

[Haldir(#25231)]

\"So it might,\" agrees Haldir reluctantly, \"although I might serve better underneath a leather helm.\" The marchwarden does not seem to notice the creeping of Nalas, or chooses to blissfully ignore it. \"The doe? I wonder if she has not forded the river. If you wish, I shall ask the squires to keep a watch upon it.\"

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The sentinel watches from her spot, grin on her fair face. \"Shall I go find some flowers, then? We can see for ourselves how much their colors compliment you, Haldir.\" With a light bound, Veredhiel leaps to her feet and, flower-woven hair and all, disappears for a moment into the undergrowth and mellyrn.

[Nalas(#31744)]

\"Would you do so? I am in your debt, Haldir.\" This announcement seems to cause her some doubt, and makes the grass a very interesting thing to stare at. Nalas recovers soon enough, grinning at the Marchwarden though her eyes search the trees for Veredhiel.

\"Now, my lord,\" this rather scoldingly, as mother-hen as Nalas can become, \"\'Tis a dour thing to prefer a helm to a crown of flowers. Have you forgotten how to delight in pretty things? And if yea, do you take no pleasure in pleasing others? I should be delighted to see you looking lovely, rather than grim.\"

[Haldir(#25231)]

\"The din-horde does not favor lovely things, though it is not them I strive to please,\" says Haldir quietly, glancing away from the scolding of Nalas. \"It is rare that I have such time to spend in the joy of this wood. But if it delights you, then perhaps I shall be quiet -- if you, and Veredhiel, are also quiet about this.\"

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

It is not long before the second elf-maid emerges again from among the silver trunks, and the gray cloak she wears is contrasted by the vibrant handful she holds: star-shaped yellow elanor, and an assortment of anemone in whites, blues, purples, reds...

These are set down upon the ground at Nalas\' feet, and Veredhiel likewise settles herself close by. \"Here, I could not decide which of these,\" she gestures to the anemome, \"to get, so I picked out a few colors. We can chose which ones we like best, hmm? Blue and white would go well with the pretty elanor.\" To the marchwarden, she gives that happy smile, waiting perhaps to see what he thinks of the collection.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas\' face lights like the summer sun at the sight of the flowers, and she gasps and claps her hands, \"Oh, how lovely!\" She wrinkles her nose at Haldir, laughing, \"My lips are sealed.\" The maid watches the Marchwarden a moment to be sure he isn\'t about to bolt, and then nudges forward the last foot to reach him.

Her expression, though happy, is fairly calm. Until she reaches out to plait a strand of Haldir\'s pale hair. Then she starts giggling and glancing to Veredhiel with flushed cheeks. She manages to finish the plait and reaches out for another strand with shaking hands, trying desperately to control her laughter.

[Haldir(#25231)]

Haldir looks briefly at the pretty, multicolored bouquet, and shuts his eyes tightly as Nalas\'s fingers run through his hair. \"Merciful Nienna,\" a whisper escapes his lips, and then he is stalwartly silent.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

The giggling elleth\'s hands, shaky as they may be in mirth, are supplied with fresh flowers as Veredhiel holds one at a time out for Nalas to take. This next that pops up is a light blue. While the sentinel does not burst into open laughter just yet, there remains a clear expression of enjoyment and playful amusement at her lips. \"You shall look wonderful in the end, marchwarden!\" she says. \"Never has a king had just a fair crown - adorned in living rainbow as it will be.\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas has managed to place three flowers (gold, blue, and white) before she can take no more. Merciful Nienna has her quite overcome she pitches forward, catching herself with her hands in the grass and her forehead on Haldir\'s shoulder, shaking with silent laughter. \"Must finish...\" she murmurs, righting herself and doing her best to wipe the tears from her eyes.

She reaches out for another flower, determined to see Haldir arrayed in Veredhiel\'s rainbow.

[Haldir(#25231)]

Haldir\'s is an expression of the utmost patience, coupled with some long-suffering element that may or may not be completely sincere. But it cannot be said that he enjoys it no, that is certainly not the case. But the laughter calls him to open his eyes, and his gaze roves, perhaps glad that no mirror is present.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

A few more flowers are proffered as Nalas is determined to finish despite the uncontrollable laughing she seems to be experiencing. Veredhiel is able to withhold most traces of erupting chuckling - at least until the bush stirs again. A second rabbit leaps out, followed by two small fluffy things with lop-ears. The young bunnies watch with curious round eyes at this petal-spectacle, and it is then that Veredhiel begins to laugh. Then, with a nudge from the mother, the tiny bunnies are gone in the grasses.

\"I think they liked it,\" says the elleth, watching and then turning back to see how the flower-crown progresses.

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas laughs, shaking her head at the rabbits, \"Ai! The whole forest will hear of it, now!\" With this, the last flower in the coronet is set in place, leaving Haldir crowned in a riot of colour. She leans back on her heels to get a better view. \"What think you?\"

[Haldir(#25231)]

\"I,\" says Haldir, mortified, \"I cannot see a thing. I will leave it to the mistresses of flower-arranging to decide the fate of this ... arrangement.\" He sits very, very quietly, watching the rabbits with nearly a dangerous intent in his gaze.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"I think it looks wonderful,\" concludes Veredhiel after a moment of silent contemplation. She stands and moves on her toes slightly, softly stepping right and then left to get the better views of the flowery decoration. \"It is a pity you cannot see it. Perhaps the Celebrant could yield a reflection for you?\" The elf grins to Nalas then. \"The most marvelously hued marchwarden of them all. Now there is more to accompany the grey cloak and the white cowl.\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

Nalas springs to her feet, making her way to Veredhiel\'s side. \"He is bright indeed, thus arrayed. \'Tis a pity he wears so miserable an expression.\" She seems about to say more when another thought waylays her completely, \"Ah! I know where I might find my doe! Will you come?\" This to Veredhiel, and she already begins to move off, Haldir seemingly forgotten.

[Haldir(#25231)]

\"Ah ... yes,\" says Haldir after some thought. But Nalas is gone, and he calls after her, \"...thank you.\"

The marchwarden rises, alone, the movement of his limbs slow and chilled. He steps to the edge of the Celebrant, stares, blinks, stares again. \"Really, now,\" Haldir says, running a hand over his face -- although he does not remove the flowers.

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"You\'ve remembered something?\" her attention is returned to the second elleth. \"Yes, I should be glad to accompany you.\" Letting Haldir alone to regard his organic circlet, Veredhiel moves to follow her companion off whither she leads them. \"Is there another place she might be found, and that you\'ve recalled?\"

[Nalas(#31744)]

\"Aye,\" Nalas answers, turning round and moving backward to talk to Veredhiel. \"There is a grove not far away where the deer go sometimes, a thicket in which I\'ve known them to sleep. Mayhap she has gone there?\" She glances up at the late day sun and frowns, canting her head with worry-drawn brows, \"I do not keep you from your duties, I hope?\"

[Veredhiel(#22564)]

\"Not at all, mellon,\" answers the other, glancing upward as well as though the judge the time. \"I have not heard the bells of the guard-changing yet, and that should not happen for a lenght still. Lead the way,\" she grins, pointing ahead. \"I hope this time we find what we seek.\" Over grass and between trees she moves, booted feet falling soundlessly to the earth.