Canelle Nightfire
The Lady Earwen is seated at her mirror brushing out her silvery locks when a messenger discreetly knocks and enters the chamber.
"Greetings my Lady, I have a message for your eyes alone," whispers her faithful companion.
"What is it, my friend?"
"My Lady, a great swan has appeared from the skies and landed on the terrace below bearing this parchment."
Receiving the parchment from her friend, and breaking open the mark of her father King Olwe, Earwen gazes intently at the quickly penned words then looks up in alarm. "A message has come from the sailor Nole asking me to hurry to my father in Alqualonde. I fear 'tis grave news! His message is of a very urgent nature - insisting that I attend as quickly as possible as my father needs all those who love him to be around him at this time."
Earwen gazes worriedly at her companion. "Nole says my father is not entirely well. I wonder what has befallen him. Please, my friend, gather a few belongings together, I must make haste across the ocean to my father's side."
Making her way to her husband's study, she knocks discreetly and enters with a whisp of her pale sea-coloured gown. Finarfin, her husband, looks up and smiles as she gracefully floats towards him. "I have grave news, Beloved. My father's faithful mariner, Nole, has sent an urgent message for me to attend my father with all haste. It seems he is unwell. I fear it must be serious, or my father would have written to me in his own hand."
Gazing with concern at the pale beauty beside him, Finarfin smiles, stands up, and reaches a hand to her shoulder. "You must go with all haste my love - though I will greatly miss your presence. Your father needs you - therefore it shall be done. I will have my mariners ready our fastest ship, and you shall leave within the hour." Pulling her gently into his embrace, he whispers, "Hurry back my love. I know the Valar will watch over you as they always have."
Smiling up at her husband, she hugs him close, then turns to face this unexpected interruption to their peaceful existence.
Before she takes her leave, she quickly returns to her chamber and pens a note to the faithful Nole, begging him to tell her father she is on her way to him. With all haste she gracefully makes her way to the terrace below and, seeing the swan still waiting, as she knew it would, she ties her parchment about it for the return journey.
"May the ocean winds speed you on your way," she whispers to the graceful creature. Standing back she smiles as she watches the great white bird set off on its return home to the sheltered haven from whence it had flown.
Within the hour, Earwen hurries to the dockside of the great city in which she has lived for as long as she can remember. Whispering farewell to its great white walls, she climbs aboard the craft, which has been hastily prepared for her by her husband's mariners. The mariners cast off and set sail across the seas to Alqualonde.
As they leave the safe waters of the harbour, Earwen hears the call of the sea for which she is named. She revels in the feel of the currents seething beneath her feet. As a child of the Teleri, she is most at home riding this elemental force which has oft guided the destiny of her people. Standing at the mast, remembering the gifts sent to her as a child from the great sea lord Ulmo, she calls to the mighty Valar for aid in making favourable the tides and winds to hasten her on her way towards her father's side.
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