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by Shawn DaysleeperNole Eambar, the wise sailor, knowledgeable about the world, both the mortal and the Undying, docks at a minor port along the western coast of Middle-earth to gather supplies. His ship, weary from the journey from Lannell, moans into dock. Nole jumps skillfully ashore, and begins to make preparations for the next portion of the journey.
Elenwe Morefindesse has wandered through the market, and listlessly drifts down toward the dock. She has seen a strange ship, and, longing for anything exciting, goes to see this vessel. Nole senses a new presence near his swanship, and looks up from the crate of supplies. "Blessed Eru!" Nole exclaims "Could there indeed be another?" Elenwe exclaims "A swan! As a ship? What manner of sailors be these?"
Elenwe whirls around as she hears someone approaching. She stares in amazement while Nole exclaims. "By the grace of the Valar, please let my eyes not decieve me," Nole pleads as he approaches the woman before him. "Are you, are you really, a Teleri?"
Elenwe hears the stranger's anxious question, which echoes the thoughts she has. "Aye, I am Teleri," she replies. "And you, are you....?" she trails off to stunned silence. Nole bows before the woman before him as she speaks. "Teleri." Nole smiles and speaks gently. "I aplogise for my strange questions, but perhaps you are not aware..." Nole trails off. "I am Nole Eambar of the fair port of Alqualonde, wise sailor and former merchant, and I now serve as the Voice of King Olwe and as his ambassador. And who are you, mi'lady?"
"I am Elenwe. I thought there was none like myself," Elenwe says almost in a whiisper. "I have roamed from port to port for as long as I can remember. Tell me, are we the only ones of our kind?" Nole nods sadly "My lady Elenwe, I fear that it is so. There are very few of us left this day." Tears come to Nole's eyes "My friends, loved ones, have vanished. All of our outposts are empty of song, of laughter. There are none left, except the kinslady i travel with, and my King. But now, to my joy, another stands before me." Nole smiles. "But, you have seen none other?"
Nole helps lady Elenwe sit, then smiles "Fair Alqualonde, it is beautiful, it's buildings coated in pearlescence from the sea, it's harbour as tranquil as the night sky, it's streets live with music and song..." Nole suddenly stops then frowns "but no longer. There is something amiss, something evil. I fear, all signs point to a new malevolent power, seeking to destroy or separate us. The streets are empty and quiet, not a breath stirs."
Elenwe feels a chill in her heart as she receives this news. A beautiful land, but threatened. And no music? What would life be without song? "My Lord, are you leaving that place, or returning to it?" she asks. "My lady, we are returnig to Alqualonde, to our king. My mission abroad was to secure an alliance with the sylvan realm of Lannell, which" Nole smiles to his companion " I have managed to accomplish. But our kinslady Teleri here Feamahtar, reports there is new danger nearby, and Ambassador Naeya's people have fought a Balrog in the forests. I fear for our king, for he is alone with his guard, there are no others to protect him. We must report to his majesty our news. I fear we must depart soon." Elenwe's mind is racing. Danger? Depart? "Oh, My Lord, this is almost more than I can bear," she sighs. Almost afraid to voice the hope that awakened as she learned about this land, she whispers, almost too quietly for Nole to hear, "Could I....would you...can I go with you?"
Nole's sensitive ears pick up Elenwe's whisper, he smiles and takes Elenwe's hand "mi'lady, we would welcome you. Now is the time for all of our kin to bond together and gather swiftly to his majesty's side. Let us stand together and face this new darkness." Elenwe hears the kindness is Nole's voice and feels the first touch of a fellow Teleri she can ever remember. She bursts into tears with the joy of knowing that she will be with her own kind, after living in a hostile land. "My Lord, please forgive these tears," she sobs, "Tis joy, not grief, that makes me weep." She stands unsteadily to her feet.
Nole helps Elenwe stand and wipes the tears from Elenwe's face. "aye, my heart is likewise filled with joy" Nole whispers so softly the others can't hear. He then gestures to his ship. He smiles to Feamahtar and Naeya, whom have finished the preparations and readied the swanship for the last leg of the return journey. Nole helps Elenwe down the dock towards his ship. Elenwe does not look back or waiver, stepping resolutely toward the swanship with Nole's help. She will not weep for the land and people she is leaving. It meant nothing but survival to her. "It's as if I am finally going home," she says with a laugh through her tears.
Nole helps Elenwe board the ship, happy to have found another of his kin. The stars that make up the constellation Menelmacar shine brilliantly overhead. Nole smiles as he gets his bearings, mentally plotting the course to take. Nole smiles to Elenwe "yes, it is time for us, whatever evil waits for us there, it is time for us to return home."
Elenwe is reassured by Nole's obvious familiarity with the sea. She nods and looks about the beautiful ship, shyly looking at the others, unsure of what to say. "Thank you so much for taking me with you," she says to Nole. I will probably do best out of the way, as I am no sailor." Nole smiles "I hope to convince you, mi lady, that you are in good hands. Perhaps it would be best for you to take a rest. I pray that you have pleasant and beautiful dreams. Worry not what the morrow brings." Nole smiles and shows his new friend Elenwe a nice soft place to rest.
Elenwe lays in the spot Nole showed her,but sleep will be long in coming. So much has happened in just a short time. "My life will never be the same," she thinks, and smiles. Soon, however, the gentle rocking of the ship lulls her to sleep, and her eyes close. The smile, however, remains on her face.
> Next
Elenwe Morefindesse has wandered through the market, and listlessly drifts down toward the dock. She has seen a strange ship, and, longing for anything exciting, goes to see this vessel. Nole senses a new presence near his swanship, and looks up from the crate of supplies. "Blessed Eru!" Nole exclaims "Could there indeed be another?" Elenwe exclaims "A swan! As a ship? What manner of sailors be these?"
Elenwe whirls around as she hears someone approaching. She stares in amazement while Nole exclaims. "By the grace of the Valar, please let my eyes not decieve me," Nole pleads as he approaches the woman before him. "Are you, are you really, a Teleri?"
Elenwe hears the stranger's anxious question, which echoes the thoughts she has. "Aye, I am Teleri," she replies. "And you, are you....?" she trails off to stunned silence. Nole bows before the woman before him as she speaks. "Teleri." Nole smiles and speaks gently. "I aplogise for my strange questions, but perhaps you are not aware..." Nole trails off. "I am Nole Eambar of the fair port of Alqualonde, wise sailor and former merchant, and I now serve as the Voice of King Olwe and as his ambassador. And who are you, mi'lady?"
"I am Elenwe. I thought there was none like myself," Elenwe says almost in a whiisper. "I have roamed from port to port for as long as I can remember. Tell me, are we the only ones of our kind?" Nole nods sadly "My lady Elenwe, I fear that it is so. There are very few of us left this day." Tears come to Nole's eyes "My friends, loved ones, have vanished. All of our outposts are empty of song, of laughter. There are none left, except the kinslady i travel with, and my King. But now, to my joy, another stands before me." Nole smiles. "But, you have seen none other?"
Nole helps lady Elenwe sit, then smiles "Fair Alqualonde, it is beautiful, it's buildings coated in pearlescence from the sea, it's harbour as tranquil as the night sky, it's streets live with music and song..." Nole suddenly stops then frowns "but no longer. There is something amiss, something evil. I fear, all signs point to a new malevolent power, seeking to destroy or separate us. The streets are empty and quiet, not a breath stirs."
Elenwe feels a chill in her heart as she receives this news. A beautiful land, but threatened. And no music? What would life be without song? "My Lord, are you leaving that place, or returning to it?" she asks. "My lady, we are returnig to Alqualonde, to our king. My mission abroad was to secure an alliance with the sylvan realm of Lannell, which" Nole smiles to his companion " I have managed to accomplish. But our kinslady Teleri here Feamahtar, reports there is new danger nearby, and Ambassador Naeya's people have fought a Balrog in the forests. I fear for our king, for he is alone with his guard, there are no others to protect him. We must report to his majesty our news. I fear we must depart soon." Elenwe's mind is racing. Danger? Depart? "Oh, My Lord, this is almost more than I can bear," she sighs. Almost afraid to voice the hope that awakened as she learned about this land, she whispers, almost too quietly for Nole to hear, "Could I....would you...can I go with you?"
Nole's sensitive ears pick up Elenwe's whisper, he smiles and takes Elenwe's hand "mi'lady, we would welcome you. Now is the time for all of our kin to bond together and gather swiftly to his majesty's side. Let us stand together and face this new darkness." Elenwe hears the kindness is Nole's voice and feels the first touch of a fellow Teleri she can ever remember. She bursts into tears with the joy of knowing that she will be with her own kind, after living in a hostile land. "My Lord, please forgive these tears," she sobs, "Tis joy, not grief, that makes me weep." She stands unsteadily to her feet.
Nole helps Elenwe stand and wipes the tears from Elenwe's face. "aye, my heart is likewise filled with joy" Nole whispers so softly the others can't hear. He then gestures to his ship. He smiles to Feamahtar and Naeya, whom have finished the preparations and readied the swanship for the last leg of the return journey. Nole helps Elenwe down the dock towards his ship. Elenwe does not look back or waiver, stepping resolutely toward the swanship with Nole's help. She will not weep for the land and people she is leaving. It meant nothing but survival to her. "It's as if I am finally going home," she says with a laugh through her tears.
Nole helps Elenwe board the ship, happy to have found another of his kin. The stars that make up the constellation Menelmacar shine brilliantly overhead. Nole smiles as he gets his bearings, mentally plotting the course to take. Nole smiles to Elenwe "yes, it is time for us, whatever evil waits for us there, it is time for us to return home."
Elenwe is reassured by Nole's obvious familiarity with the sea. She nods and looks about the beautiful ship, shyly looking at the others, unsure of what to say. "Thank you so much for taking me with you," she says to Nole. I will probably do best out of the way, as I am no sailor." Nole smiles "I hope to convince you, mi lady, that you are in good hands. Perhaps it would be best for you to take a rest. I pray that you have pleasant and beautiful dreams. Worry not what the morrow brings." Nole smiles and shows his new friend Elenwe a nice soft place to rest.
Elenwe lays in the spot Nole showed her,but sleep will be long in coming. So much has happened in just a short time. "My life will never be the same," she thinks, and smiles. Soon, however, the gentle rocking of the ship lulls her to sleep, and her eyes close. The smile, however, remains on her face.
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