Swanship

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November 11, 2009

by AelKennyr Rhiano

Olwë walked across the deck of his personal swanship, a seasoned sailor's gait. In his left hand a rolled up scroll was tightly grasped, knuckles white. Raising his gaze, he looked up and over the harbor of the peaceful elven citadel. Behind him Teleri sailors checked the rigging and readied the ship for seatravel. Turning he returned to his cabin and picked up a small, intricately woven jewelled box from his desk, along with a sealed scroll. Opening the door to his cabin, he caught the eye of one of his guard and gives a brief tilt of his chin to call him over. "Erdil," Olwë said, remembering the shortened form of the elf's name. "Take this to the court of Queen Comet, along with this scroll. Make sure both are delivered to her, along with my wishes that we may meet within the next few days. Convey to her my concern for the welfare of our Sylvan kin, and my hope we may talk, privately of deep matters." He opens the box, and fingers the large, perfect pearl, closes it again.

"Tell her..." his voice trails off, and his face takes on a troubled look. "Tell her I have had the dreams again. Tell her to be careful. The darkness again rises, and in my bones is a chill such as I have never known." 

Returning to his cabin, Olwë unrolls the crushed scroll thrown carelessly on the table. The message, from Alqualondë, was short and the writing, not the crisped precise hand of his seneschal, but the cramped anxious writing of his herald. "My lord, " the note began," the skies are beginning to lighten in Alqualondë. Lord Tilion, our Ainu guardian, has not been seen in over a sennight. Lord, we are anxious and beg your return. We fear it has begun."

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