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Puma KawanishiTilion sits quietly in his abode in the deep Eastern regions of the World... contemplating the route across the heavens that he will take the Vessel of Isil on this night. His path is often erratic... or it seems that way to some... but his charge from the Valar is to watch... to be alert to any new sign of the growing Darkness that threatens the continent of Middle Earth, Arda, or perhaps Aman itself... and he is ever mindful of his charge.
Tonight his path will afford him a slightly different perspective of the teaming world below. Perhaps he will encounter some clue to the location of the missing Teleri elves. An entire nation disappeared! How is this possible? Perhaps tonight he will discover new evidence of the deep workings of Melkor, his old adversary, or one of the Dark Lord's minions.
Tilion's musings drift as he awaits the ever-changing, but none-the-less appointed time for the Moon to rise... he begins to think about other things... Yavanna's Trees... and especially Telperion under which he so often rested and dreamed... his eons of solitary guardianship of the sacred last flower of the magnificent Silver Tree... ...of his alignment against the Melkor of old and his battle victory over him... of his enfatuation with Arien so long ago... her radiant essence that warmed him and caused him to believe she should be his... and then... his meeting with the Elf Lord, Olwe, and his growing understanding that in that meeting he had met his True Love... someone who shared his Soul. He smiled.
As he prepared the Vessel a strange creature flew toward him across the sky. He became aware of it and focused his attention as it drew near. Ever watchful, the Maia of Isil drew his silver bow and notched an arrow... He did not recognize this creature from this distance. The winged animal - or was it a demon? or a spirit? - approached, and Tilion was able to discern that he did indeed recognize it... a messenger from Lord Namo... from the Halls of Mandos. This bird-like creature had long served the Keeper of the Houses of the Dead. As it drew close, it uttered an echoing scream in greeting, circled Tilion, alighted on the bow, and deposited a scroll. Tilion bent to retrieve the rolled parchment and the creature rose and flew off to the Northwest without another sound.
He regarded the seal on the message, and it was indeed that of Lord Mandos. It was unusual for the Vala to send a message in this way.
What could he want or need? As he thumbed the seal open, Tilion knew that whatever it was, he would have to respond... he was ever the faithful servant to the Kings and Queens of the Ainu... and besides, Namo was his friend.
He read the message and became concerned. He did not know that Olwe had fallen! He cursed himself for his tendency to disappear... for allowing himself to roam far from his friends in places that veiled his awareness... He could feel Olwe's presence across the ethers, but that did not tell him if he was well. Tilion regularly visited Olwe's dreams and watched over him there, but more often than not, he kept his presence hidden. The King of the Teleri had so many concerns these days... and the realm of Irmo was both a place of solace and for the evolving solutions to those problems. Clearly his Great Friend had needed him, and he was not there...
The time was fast approaching for the Guardian of the Moon to steer his charge across the sky... He would need to set off if he was to fulfill his duty. He silently thanked his good friend, the Lord Mandos, for writing to him and letting him know of Olwe's plight, and knew that he must contact the Lord of Dreams immediately to secure enhanced access to Olwe's dreams... and to get counsel on the messages he should bring... other than his Love.
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Tonight his path will afford him a slightly different perspective of the teaming world below. Perhaps he will encounter some clue to the location of the missing Teleri elves. An entire nation disappeared! How is this possible? Perhaps tonight he will discover new evidence of the deep workings of Melkor, his old adversary, or one of the Dark Lord's minions.
Tilion's musings drift as he awaits the ever-changing, but none-the-less appointed time for the Moon to rise... he begins to think about other things... Yavanna's Trees... and especially Telperion under which he so often rested and dreamed... his eons of solitary guardianship of the sacred last flower of the magnificent Silver Tree... ...of his alignment against the Melkor of old and his battle victory over him... of his enfatuation with Arien so long ago... her radiant essence that warmed him and caused him to believe she should be his... and then... his meeting with the Elf Lord, Olwe, and his growing understanding that in that meeting he had met his True Love... someone who shared his Soul. He smiled.
As he prepared the Vessel a strange creature flew toward him across the sky. He became aware of it and focused his attention as it drew near. Ever watchful, the Maia of Isil drew his silver bow and notched an arrow... He did not recognize this creature from this distance. The winged animal - or was it a demon? or a spirit? - approached, and Tilion was able to discern that he did indeed recognize it... a messenger from Lord Namo... from the Halls of Mandos. This bird-like creature had long served the Keeper of the Houses of the Dead. As it drew close, it uttered an echoing scream in greeting, circled Tilion, alighted on the bow, and deposited a scroll. Tilion bent to retrieve the rolled parchment and the creature rose and flew off to the Northwest without another sound.
He regarded the seal on the message, and it was indeed that of Lord Mandos. It was unusual for the Vala to send a message in this way.
What could he want or need? As he thumbed the seal open, Tilion knew that whatever it was, he would have to respond... he was ever the faithful servant to the Kings and Queens of the Ainu... and besides, Namo was his friend.
He read the message and became concerned. He did not know that Olwe had fallen! He cursed himself for his tendency to disappear... for allowing himself to roam far from his friends in places that veiled his awareness... He could feel Olwe's presence across the ethers, but that did not tell him if he was well. Tilion regularly visited Olwe's dreams and watched over him there, but more often than not, he kept his presence hidden. The King of the Teleri had so many concerns these days... and the realm of Irmo was both a place of solace and for the evolving solutions to those problems. Clearly his Great Friend had needed him, and he was not there...
The time was fast approaching for the Guardian of the Moon to steer his charge across the sky... He would need to set off if he was to fulfill his duty. He silently thanked his good friend, the Lord Mandos, for writing to him and letting him know of Olwe's plight, and knew that he must contact the Lord of Dreams immediately to secure enhanced access to Olwe's dreams... and to get counsel on the messages he should bring... other than his Love.
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