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Eyes gritty from lack of sleep, body aching from rest atop the rocks and boulders that lay on the base of the mountain, the highest peak of the Pelori, Olwe shoulders the remains supplies, all dewindled down, now to what can fit in a pouch. If this meeting should not happen, to have a wealth of goods would matter little to the heartweary Teleri. He adjusts his sword across his back, and with a prayer borne of exhaustion, fear, uncertainty, and yet hope, he begins the daunting climb to the throne of Manwe himself.
Each step made with concentration and effort, and easily does the sweat break across the elven king brow and upper lip. The higher he climbs, the more treacherous the footpath, the greater importance that each step is sure and well placed. His mind races with remembrances of dream, with the echoes of the kinslaying, the voices which had cried out and now are forever stilled. His mind whirls with the enormity of what he dares now. Until, at last, the sheer physical task settles his mind and body into a pattern with the goal of reaching the top the only one in the Teleri lord's mind.
Last night the moon shown in his pale glory, and long did Olwe's eyes gaze upon it, his mind upon one who has been so long from his side, if not his heart. From deep inside an ache arose, tender, sweet, yet bitter, for long has he been without the face of the one who transforms night to day in his eyes, long has he waited to hear the voice, feel the warmth that he has come to know and love.
Suddenly, without warning, Olwe is aware of a presence...no, two. The path before him levels out to a great expanse, and a bright light coalesces into the forms...the High King of Arda, Manwe, and Lord Tilion, Guardian of the Moon. The Teleri king kneels before Manwe, and greets him, bowing his head. "The Will of the Valar be done."
Tilion's eyes brighten at the sight of the Great Teleri Lord. In return, Olwe raises his eyes enough to catch the swirl of a robe and tears fil his eyes. "Rise, Olwe, "commands Manwe. Olwe rises and slowly comes before the Greatest of the Valar. "My lord, " he murmurs, his voice choked with emotion. Olwe lowers his gaze.
"I--I..." His voice trails off, emotions sweeping across his face.
"You seek aid Elf Lord? Tell us of your journey."
"Do not fear gentle Olwe. Lord Manwe is eager to hear why you have come," urges Lord Tilion. Olwe fastens his gaze upon the face of Lord Tilion for a long moment, as though he would memorize each contour, and then, with eyes that look haunted, he looks down at Manwe's feet. "My lord, Mighty Manwe, who along can see more of the mind of the Father of us all, I...I am but one of his children, long content to dwell upon the bank of the undying lands, with the Lindors who raise ever their voices in sweet praise of all the blessings upon which we have been bestow. I am no hero, no champion."
"Great Eru is with us always, he sees your troubles, Olwe, and beckons you to the Valar. Only great Eru sees who is champion and what tasks and roads lie before us, tell us what troubles you?"
Olwe feels his eyes fill with tears. "The Teleri, my lord, the people I lead here so long ago, who have endure slaying by their own kith and kin...They are gone. Alqualonde is still, quiet, a realm of ghostly echoes."
"You have lost your people Olwe? They surely have not abandoned you in Valinor?
Tilion reacts to Olwe's news... concern on his face.
Olwe sinks to his knees, his eyes haunted and filled with pain. " Soon as you called Lord Tilion to your side, we began to lose our trade connections in Middle earth, and I thought to sail to my cousin, the sylvan Queen, to know what has happened. : I received a missive while there calling me to return...the skies over Alqualonde, they were growing lighter.
Upon my return, the song of the Teleri were stilled, and the people gone. They are gone, all, all."
Manwe speaks. " This sounds the work of Melkor's followers."
"No sign, now word. Like they were snatched up from their daily tasks and whisked away." Tilion sees the grief etched on Olwe's face. Olwe continues. "And the fault is mine, Lord Manwe. I should have been there. I should have been with them." He bends his head.
Manwe asks gently, "Any semblance of their daily activity found upon the boats of Alqualonde dear Olwe?"
"There are crates half loaded upon a ship bound for Middle Earth. Meals half eaten in homes. Weapons strewn upon the ground as though they never had the chance to defend themselves."
Withe compassion of Eru in his eyes, Manwe speaks soothingly. " Blame not yourself dear one, we are all players in this world all that happens, happens as Eru wills it."
" I failed them. I was their king and protector, and I failed them."
"Was ther any clue left as to their whereabout, Swan King?"
" None, Lord Manwe. There are only my dreams.
Manwe turns to Lord Tilion, "Have you spoken with Irmo of late? Dreams be his realm."
"I have not, my Lord, "answer the Guardian of the Moon. "Can you call him to attend?"
Says, Manwe to Olwe, "Tell us of these dreams, Lord Olwe." To Tilion, he says, " Loren now tends to Este in this the twilight hour of Valinor. Tilion nods sadly.
Olwe nods. "In my dreams, the world beyond the shores of the Shining Lands have greatly changed, My lords. There are elves who look akin but who have grown....in ways, far different than we children here...shorter, more of the fabric of the world, more of it and in it. And There are creatures sure as I have never seen...Those who look like children with men but with bodies of horses...those who look like my own kin, but skin so dark, it is as though they were born of night.
Tilion nods. "I have seen these elves and creatures on my travels across the skies."
Olwe continues. "And always, my Lords, always, in the dream, a blackness arises from where the Ancient Evil One once called his home."
Manwe turns to Tilion. " Brother Tilion, may you call to us Lady Nienna? Poor Olwe need not suffer in solitude." Tilion nods. "I will, my Lord." And in an instance, he vanishes.
With a voice thick with emotion, Olwe whispers, "My Lords, I care not I suffer. It is is for my people, my heart breaks."
With a fatherly tenderness, Manwe says, "Fear not,Olwe, my great eagles already take flight as we speak to see the world and find your kin."
A flash of light blinded Olwe, and when he is able to see again, he first beholds Lord Tilion, who says, "My Lords, the Lady Nienna arrives," and the Ainu of Compassion, Nienna stands before the teleri King. "Tarya, Manwe, Tilion, cousin."
Tilion bows to the Great Vala while she, in turn, peers at the elf. Olwe bows his head lower as he remains kneeling. "Your guest is...?
Manwe speaks, "Greetings dearest sister. King Olwe has lost his people, and is grealy suffering now."
"Oh, dear, but ... they aren't dead. I would know."
Olwe jerks his head up and meets the Valar's eyes. Tillion gazes at the Teleri lord gently. That is comforting news, is it not, King Olwe?"
"Not dead? They are not in the halls of Mandos?"
"They are not. We don't get many deaths: no new Teleri for a long time now."
"But brother Mandos does have such joys when he does," says Manwe.
Olwe's face fills with a hope and naked need, the tears still in his eyes. He takes a deep shudddering breath. "I was afraid, so afraid."
Nienna: laughs "Brother Mandos is bored." Tilion hides a small smile from the Vala.
Olwe looks from one Vala to the other, voice pleading. "Take my life, Take all am, but Lord Manwe, can you not see my people home? I will lay down my own life for theirs. I see the dreams, the darkness comes again. Let it not take my people."
Manwe responds. "Such words are those of a champion. You need to find your kin King Olwe."
"I am but Olwe."
Nienna says, " Now, what good would it do to have Olwe dead? That would not help at all." Manwe turns to her and says, "Mandos might not agree but I do."
Tillion addresses Olwe." You are Olwe Ciriaran, King of the Teleri... You are mighty, my Friend." Olwe gazes upon the face of Lord Tilion, so many emotions running across his face.
"I am no hero. I am no Champion, of the Noldor clan to rush with blood singing into battle."
Manwe laughs. "The noldor know ego and boast." Nienna rolls her eyes "... and that worked so well ..."
Tillion continues to address the teleri lord. " You misrepresent yourself, Gentle Olwe."
Manwe turns to Olwe. "It is the dutiful Teleri that Eru has great plans yet still to be revealed."
"But what do I know?"
Says the Guardian of the Moon, " Eru will reveal what you must do."
Manwe gazes down upon the Teleri. "Pray to Eru dear elf. Your Father hears you."
"Lord Irmo in dreams demands the reuniting of the elves...how may I, so long withdrawn from their world, how can they follow me.?" Olwe 's eyes seek out the face of Lord Manwe. "What if I am not strong enough? Lord, must this be mine to bear?"
"Yes." Nienna adds, "That is what they all say when the arrive at the Halls of Mandos: "why me?"
Manwe turns to Tilion. "The air spirits (the manir) tell me brother Orome's steed has again tried leaping over the moon.
Dearest Tilion, can you please assist Orome in fetching his steed?"
Niena looks at Manwe. "Tsk, that horse again?"
Tilion gave his assent to the task. Olwe glances at Lord Tilion, the love evident in his face, drinking in the visage of the Ainu Lord, as to to memorize every line, every shadows. For his part, Tilion is loath to leave... it has been ages since he has seen the face of his most beloved Friend. Softly, Olwe says, "Please, please one embrace."
"I seek your pardon, Noble Olwe... but I must obey my Lord Manwe" Olwe nods, bowing his head and murmuring, "I am ever obedient to the will of Valar." Then he hears the melodious, warm voice of Lord Tilion. "Please come to me, Dear Olwe." Olwe looks up suddenly and is on his feet, meeting Tilion as he moves foward, and the two embrace. " My dear friend... we will see each other and have the time we miss... very soon. " Olwe nods. "Thank you, " he whispers. Pressing closer, he whispers for Tilion's ears alone. "My heart is yours." They part, and Tilion smiles at his Great Friend. Olwe smiles back. Tilion turns and bows deeply to the Great Lady Nienna, and to his Lord, Manwe. Olwe fills his eyes with the sight of the Guardian of the Moon. Tilion bows again quickly and smiles at Olwe... and disappears.
Olwe feels the weight of the eyes of the two Valar upon him and starts to sink to his knees again. Nienna looks at Manwe. "So where are the Teleri? Have you not seen them, Brother?"
"My eagles search now as we speak.
Olwe looks up as he listens to the conversations, his face hopeful. "Do you hear the Teleri's cries and woes dear sister?"
" There are always voices ..." came her reply. "More lately, do you not notice?" Olwe switches his gaze to Lady Nienna, his hands clenched, white knuckled as he listens. "Arda looks peaceful , but something is rotten beneath the surface.: Morgoth is out of the way, Gorthaur is only a vapor ... but something lingers."
Olwe speaks. "With pardon, in my dreams, ever a huge cloud of miasma, like a black gloved fist opens and finger s stretch forth. Always in my dreams, I witness it grab my elven brothers and sisters, rubbing them of breath, robbing me of breath."
" Just so," replied Nienna. "So Brother Irmo sees the same."
Olwe turned to the Great King. "Great Manwe, I will lay my life down to the will of Valar, but a boon, please, please.
Please, if I fall, if I give my life, send me not to the halls of Mandos, but let me dwell with Lord Tilion, forever, until the world passes, and my spirit is no longer."
"We shall dwell on this subject at the great thrones. We shall summon you soon enough great king. Seek
Irmo and follow his guidance."
Olwe bows.."I am thy servant. I hear and obey the will of the Valar." With that Manwe vanishes.
Left the care of Lady Nienna, ever the compassionate, Olwe is comforted by her promise to offer succour to his Teleri, once found, and see that food and a place to rest is prepared for the weary hearted Teleri king. As she takes her leave, he leans heavily against the mountain and hugs himself. "They are alive," he whispers, "They are alive. Praise Eru, they are alive. I shall find you, my kin. I shall, I swear here at the throne of Manwe himself, I shall find you and bring you home."
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