Needlework and wanderlust

The House and Fields Chambers

[Mainroom]

This room is spacious and warmed by the radiance of many lanterns hung in silver nets. A large round wooden table stands in the northern portion of the room with comfortable armchairs around it. A desk and some shelves full of maps occupy the east wall, while the southwestern part of the room has been divided into 1 alcoves. Some of these alcoves have been more thoroughly screened off by tapestries and wood frames than others a faint woodsmoke smell in the air even leads you to believe that at least one curtained alcove hides a fireplace...

Contents:

House and Fields Corkboard with 1 note(s).

Curucam\'s Wines

Obvious Exits:

Hallway

Paithel\'s Room

Mellindiel steps in from the hall, closing the door behind herself.

Mellindiel has arrived.

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

IC time is:    Late Night < About  3:03 AM >

IC day is:     Orgaladhad

IC date is:    54 Ethuil

Moon phase:    Last Quarter

Earendil:      Gil-Estel is not visible.

IC year is:    Loa 23 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor

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RL time:        Mon Jul 13 07:41:13 2009

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Early morning.

Not even the birds have awoken yet, content to slumber for a few more hours among the trees of Imladris. There is little to be heard in the House and Fields Chambers apart from the gentle crackle of fire from the lanterns hung within. It is a mild, contented kind of silence: not the sort of silence felt before a great battle, when every mind is as focused as a needle on what is to come. The chambers appears empty, at least at first glance.

But wait: look again. There is movement in one of the armchairs surrounding the chamber\'s large round table: an elleth, it seems, focused on a bundle of cloth draped over her lap. Although it is difficult to differentiate colour in the gloom, one with a keen eye would notice that the elleth is wielding a needle in one hand and stabilising the cloth with the other, embroidering some minute detail into the fabric.

There are few elves who are not in the midst of their waking dreams in the Last Homely House at such an early hour, and even fewer wandering the halls. But Ivrennin is restless today, her footsteps echoing about the first floor as she passes room after room at a rather luxurious pace. Soon her feet bring her to the North Hall on the first floor. Thus far she has encountered no one the merrymaking in the Hall of Fire had abated hours ago. But just as she crosses the hall, the tiniest movement of shadows catches her eye, and she pauses, heading towards the House and Fields Chambers... and not long after, she espies the figure of another elleth in the room and approaches her.

The elf-maiden holding the fabric hears the other\'s footsteps easily in the silence, but remains focused on her work for a moment longer. It is only when Ivrennin moves in front of a lantern, changing the quality of the light, that she looks up: lo, it is Mellindiel, blue eyes sparkling unusually in the half-light. Her back is turned to the other, so she cannot see her, but she looks up nonetheless, and murmurs gently into the air so as not to disturb the stillness: \"Varnirith? Is that you?\"

The swiftly brightening sky shows that the sun has risen behind the clouds.

\"Nay, I am not her,\" Ivrennin says in response, shaking her head slightly. She then steps out into the light, revealing her face and features. \"It is me, Mellindiel, paying a visit to your domain, unlooked-for.\" The corners of her mouth go up in a smile as she settles herself in a nearby armchair.

Mellindiel\'s face brightens as she recognises the other. \"Ah, mae govannen, Ivrennin,\" she says, smiling at her new companion. \"I had thought that I would only have my Elanyr for company this morn\" - she moves her hand to reveal the tiny elanor flowers she was embroidering - \"but your visit is most welcome. Are you well? I do not oft recall you wandering the halls at this hour, and when you do...\" That last unfinished sentence holds more question than statement within it.

Ivrennin\'s gaze lands on the embroidery at Mellindiel\'s fingertips as it is revealed, and appreciation for the fine work before her is shown in her expression. \"My praises for your needlework will never cease, Mellindiel, for you are indeed most talented,\" she says, her eyes crinkling in silent laughter.

\"Do not worry I am well. My thoughts were wandering, and my feet merely followed.\" Here she looks down at her hands, her fingers lightly running over the silver band that rests there - \"I was remembering the past, of my trip to Mithlond. Recent happenings have made me wish to traverse the lands of Middle-Earth again. Yet it is not safe, and I am content to stay here.\"

If Mellindiel notices Ivrennin\'s fidgeting with the ring, she does not show it. Instead she averts her gaze shyly. \"Thank you for your kind words, mellon, but I still have much to learn. I only hope I will have the garment finished by the beginning of summer.\" She shrugs. \"But as for the wanderlust that seems to be taking you, you have my sympathy. It cannot be agreeable to have heart and head clash as it seems with your decision to stay. At least\" She seems to hesitate a moment, considering her words. \"At least you have been able to travel where you have, and likely will again in the future. As lovely as the Valley is, I have yet to set foot outside of it.\" A small smile graces the elleth\'s features, and she continues to look away, as if imagining for herself what Mithlond, or Lorien, or even the Anduin, might look like.

\"I have no doubts that you will,\" says Ivrennin in response, still looking towards Mellindiel, though their eyes do not meet. She pauses at Mellindiel\'s words that follow. Her own gaze strays to one of the lanterns, the majesty of Mithlond still vivid in her mind. \"Do not yet despair, mellon,\" she muses, her brows furrowing, \"for though the road is fraught with danger, we may still visit other realms, though perhaps not as far as other elves have travelled previously. And I think I will not be stepping foot in Mithlond again until it is my turn to seek the Undying lands. But I am no seeress. It may be that our paths take us there in future.\"

A hand reaches out to brush a lock of hair out of her face. \"I am curious,\" she says, \"if you are making that garment for a specific person.\" A smile is on her lips again.

Now Mellindiel does look up, and - after ensuring that the thread will not come loose - shakes out her bundle of cloth with a smile. As the fabric tumbles to the ground, it becomes easier to see both the colour and the style of the cloth. It is a loose tunic, made of a light green cotton-silk blend that shimmers beautifully in the lamplight but still holds some sturdiness to it. The tunic is embroidered both on the lower hem, and on either side of a v-shaped cutout at the throat.

\"For Eryndir,\" she says, regarding the garment fondly. \"He tore his hunting tunic a week ago, and I know that he especially enjoys the hunting in the summer.\" She had the decency to blush a little at her actions in making the shirt, as she knew that the ellon would never ask her for a new tunic, but she said nothing more.

Ivrennin\'s eyebrows raise in amusement, her mouth quirking. \"A young ellon, hmm? Does he serve in the Tirith?\" Her hand reaches out to touch the luxurious fabric. Light and soft, cooling in the summer, yet warming in the cold of the night. Idly, she muses. \"I must procure a garment of this material one day,\" she says. \"It has the most beautiful glow to it, here in this lamplight.\"

Mellindiel\'s lips twitch. \"Don\'t feign ignorance, Ivrennin - you must know Eryndir he\'s one of our Feredir, our hunters... But enough about him. As for the material, perhaps... would you like me to fashion you something, meldis? Perhaps a gown or cloak, in a pale blue to catch the moonlight, and to bring out the blue of your eyes during the day...\" The elleth looks over Ivrennin - not impolitely - as if she is already silently performing measurements.

Her smile grows into a chuckle as Mellindiel speaks. \"Indeed, I know who he is I have seen him about the House ever so often.\"

Letting her steer the conversation out of the presumptive danger zone, Ivrennin nods at her words. \"A true Cirithril you are, Mellindiel,\" she comments wryly. \"I would be delighted to have such a cloak for summer, when I am outdoors. But do take your time to make it! I daresay your current work-in-progress has a far higher priority.\" The amused smile is back again as Ivrennin stands from her chair.

The Cirithril smiles back at Ivrennin and stands with her. \"Oh, don\'t worry about the tunic: it is nearly finished, as you can see I do have a habit of fussing over things longer than I need to, and I\'m afraid that is probably the case here. A summer cloak it is, then. I will see what I can do to make it worth your wear. Perhaps I could even fashion the cloak so as... But I go too far.\" The elleth visibly quells her enthusiasm. She smiles politely at the other elleth. \"Good fortune to you this morrow, Ivrennin. I hope that your feet feel more content to stay within Imladris in the future.\"\"

\"Thank you,\" Ivrennin says, in appreciation for the future cloak. \"I shall not disturb you further, then. I wish you happiness in all your pursuits. Until we meet again, mellon.\" And soon after that, she is gone from the room, her feet wandering the halls of the House again.