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Shawn Daysleeper (with Carleen Luckstone)
Elenwe feels the walls beginning to close around her. She must get out to the forest and find a quiet place. So many things have happened and so rapidly. She slips out unnoticed and makes her way to the nearest forest. There must be some water, somewhere. Water always helps her think. As the quiet of the forest envelopes her, Elenwe's mind replays the shocking events of King Olwe's poisoning.
She recalls her soveriegn's prostrate form on the deck, pale and shivering. Olwe being lifted off the swanship and moved into the Sylvaharan city appears in her mind next. And now the painfully slow process of his recovery had changed him. She wonders if the changes will be permanent.
She has tried to conceal her growing anxiety as the days stretch out. She dare not show fear before any of the Sylvaharans. She must continue to be the brave swordmaiden, always ready to defend her king with her life. But she must find an outlet, at least for a short time. As she walks farther into the forest, the comforting sound of water reaches her ears. Quickening her pace, Elenwe comes to a magnificent waterfall. She gazes upward, straining to see the top, and is amazed at the height from which the water is tumbling down.
Scrambling down to sit on the rocks at the base of the falls, Elenwe sits in silence for a long time, letting the gentle sounds quiet her. Instead of making her feel better; however, this only brings to the surface the anxiety that has been building. As sobs convulse her shoulders, she gives in to the tears she has held back. Laying her head on her knees, she lets the tears come.
Nole wandered the forest, overcome with despair. While his king was on the mend, his heart was heavy with the sights he has beheld. His keen ears pick up the sound of sobbing. His sensitive ears follow the sound, and he soon reaches the waterfall. Elenwe does not see Nole's approach, and is surprised when she looks up to see him standing beside her. Nole sees his close friend crying by the waters. He tries to smile as he sees her tear covered face.
"Oh! My lord!," she says, scrambling up and dashing the tears from her eyes." I.....I..... was watching the water." She hopes he did not see her crying. Nole smiles, trying to hide his own reddened eyes.
"I just had to come to the forest for a while, and I found this marvelous waterfall," she tells Nole. "The sound of water helps me.....think."
Nole nods. "The waters calm me also. I always go to the sea when my mind needs to be relaxed. My friend, why are you crying?"
Realizing she has been found out, Elenwe drops the facade of bravery. "Oh, I am so afraid!" she tells Nole, the tears filling her eyes. "Olwe's recovery is taking so long. I have been trying not to show any fear to these people I do not know, but I just had to let it out. I thought it better if no one else saw that I was afraid," she finishes, as the sobs cause her shoulders to heave again.
Nole sheds a tear, then nods. "Our Lord's recovery is taking a long time, but soon he will be mended. But I am afraid for us. It is not always wise to hide behind fascades. We need to let ourselves go sometimes, lest we lose sight of ourselves."
Tears running down her own face, Elenwe nods. "That is true, my dear friend, and I can show weakenss to you. But I would not want my King to see that I am afraid." She looks closely at Nole. "Tell me, why are you afraid?"
"I am an elf of many years, and my voyages have taken me to many places, both fair and foul. In my time, I have seen kingdoms rise, then fall. I fear, that our time may be nearing it's end."
Nole's words slowly sink in. "I....I had little idea of your fear," Elenwe says. "You have hidden your doubts well, my friend. I feel powerless, really. Is there nothing to be done for Alqualonde?"
Nole stops speaking, wishing he had not said such words, he did not want to cause further despair within his friend. Looking into Nole's eyes, Elenwe sees the conflict within him. She thinks to herself that she must come alongtside Nole, to help him to bear up. In so doing, Elenwe knows that she, herself, will be strengthened. "I heard it said a long time ago that two friends walking together are better than one," she tells Nole. "For then, if one falls, the other can help him up. If one fall alone, who will be there to help him?"
Nole allows himself to be helped up. He smiles and feels a new vigour within himself. Catching Nole's smile, Elenwe feels instantly more alive. "Come, my friend," she says, "Let us return and show our solidarity to our King."
> Next
She recalls her soveriegn's prostrate form on the deck, pale and shivering. Olwe being lifted off the swanship and moved into the Sylvaharan city appears in her mind next. And now the painfully slow process of his recovery had changed him. She wonders if the changes will be permanent.
She has tried to conceal her growing anxiety as the days stretch out. She dare not show fear before any of the Sylvaharans. She must continue to be the brave swordmaiden, always ready to defend her king with her life. But she must find an outlet, at least for a short time. As she walks farther into the forest, the comforting sound of water reaches her ears. Quickening her pace, Elenwe comes to a magnificent waterfall. She gazes upward, straining to see the top, and is amazed at the height from which the water is tumbling down.
Scrambling down to sit on the rocks at the base of the falls, Elenwe sits in silence for a long time, letting the gentle sounds quiet her. Instead of making her feel better; however, this only brings to the surface the anxiety that has been building. As sobs convulse her shoulders, she gives in to the tears she has held back. Laying her head on her knees, she lets the tears come.
Nole wandered the forest, overcome with despair. While his king was on the mend, his heart was heavy with the sights he has beheld. His keen ears pick up the sound of sobbing. His sensitive ears follow the sound, and he soon reaches the waterfall. Elenwe does not see Nole's approach, and is surprised when she looks up to see him standing beside her. Nole sees his close friend crying by the waters. He tries to smile as he sees her tear covered face.
"Oh! My lord!," she says, scrambling up and dashing the tears from her eyes." I.....I..... was watching the water." She hopes he did not see her crying. Nole smiles, trying to hide his own reddened eyes.
"I just had to come to the forest for a while, and I found this marvelous waterfall," she tells Nole. "The sound of water helps me.....think."
Nole nods. "The waters calm me also. I always go to the sea when my mind needs to be relaxed. My friend, why are you crying?"
Realizing she has been found out, Elenwe drops the facade of bravery. "Oh, I am so afraid!" she tells Nole, the tears filling her eyes. "Olwe's recovery is taking so long. I have been trying not to show any fear to these people I do not know, but I just had to let it out. I thought it better if no one else saw that I was afraid," she finishes, as the sobs cause her shoulders to heave again.
Nole sheds a tear, then nods. "Our Lord's recovery is taking a long time, but soon he will be mended. But I am afraid for us. It is not always wise to hide behind fascades. We need to let ourselves go sometimes, lest we lose sight of ourselves."
Tears running down her own face, Elenwe nods. "That is true, my dear friend, and I can show weakenss to you. But I would not want my King to see that I am afraid." She looks closely at Nole. "Tell me, why are you afraid?"
"I am an elf of many years, and my voyages have taken me to many places, both fair and foul. In my time, I have seen kingdoms rise, then fall. I fear, that our time may be nearing it's end."
Nole's words slowly sink in. "I....I had little idea of your fear," Elenwe says. "You have hidden your doubts well, my friend. I feel powerless, really. Is there nothing to be done for Alqualonde?"
Nole stops speaking, wishing he had not said such words, he did not want to cause further despair within his friend. Looking into Nole's eyes, Elenwe sees the conflict within him. She thinks to herself that she must come alongtside Nole, to help him to bear up. In so doing, Elenwe knows that she, herself, will be strengthened. "I heard it said a long time ago that two friends walking together are better than one," she tells Nole. "For then, if one falls, the other can help him up. If one fall alone, who will be there to help him?"
Nole allows himself to be helped up. He smiles and feels a new vigour within himself. Catching Nole's smile, Elenwe feels instantly more alive. "Come, my friend," she says, "Let us return and show our solidarity to our King."
> Next