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AelKennyr Rhaino, Carleen Luckstone, Shawn Daysleeper, Lihan Taifun
The king slept all through the day while the soup cooked in the kitchen. So Elenwe and the two Teleri musicians decided to try to visit Olwe the next day. They met together in the kitchen on the next day. Apakenwe pokes her head into the kitchen. "Is the soup ready?"
Estelin: approaches the soup and looks at Elenwe. "Is it ready?"
Apakenwe says, "It smells ... is that what it is supposed to smell like?"
Elenwe answers, "I'm not sure. It might need to cook longer." She turns to Apakenwe. "Soup can smell lots of ways. It depends on what's in it." She looks around. "We'll need something to put it in."
Apakenwe takes down the large spoon by the fireplace, and stirs the pot experimentally.
"So this is food," Estelin whispers. "What should we put it in?"
Apakenwe: whispers back, "Plates, as I remember. But won't it fall out?"
Elenwe looks around for a bowl. she spies one and brings it to the fireplace.
"The fire went out. Hopefully the soup was finished before the wood cooled." Estelin nods approvingly "A bowl, yes."
"Here Apakenwe, put the soup in here," says Elenwe.
Apakenwe considers tasting the soup on the spoon, but can't figure out how to get such a long spoon turned around to reach her mouth. Elenwe holds the bowl out. Apakenwe scoops up a spoonful, holds it over the bowl, and tips it off the end of the spoon. "That worked! Good!" Apakenwe She continues tipping spoonsful of soup into the bowl. Estelin smiles, watching closely. Elenwe watches the gloppy mess as it dumps into the bowl.
Elenwe inspects the contents of the bowl. "I haven't seen soup like this before."
The vegetable seems to have cooked itself into smaller pieces. Except for a large chunk of shell. Apakenwe decides to leave that in the pot for now.
"Oh?" her brother says, concerned "Will our king like this food?"
"Well, that should be enough. The king will not eat much, due to his illness."
Elenwe looks concerned. "I hope he will like it." She smiles.
"Alright. It will be easier to carry if it isn't too full." Apakenwe has learned about the dangers of too-full bowls of liquid. "Should we take it to him now?" asks Estelin. Apakenwe looks at the serving spoon uncertainly, and hangs it back on the rack by the fireplace. Unseen, Estelin takes the spoon back off the hook and holds it proudly. Olwe will need a spoon.
"I'll take you to his chambers. Follow me." Elenwe turns and leads them out of the kitchen and through the corridors to Olwe's chambers.
Olwe paces, restless, his joints stiff, swollen with an ache that has never been known to him.. It feels like winter's chill itself had settled into the very marrow of his bones, and he hugged himself tight around the bandaged wounds..the ones his daughter had so carefully bound. His nostrils flared as an unfamiliar smell reached him...that smell...was a building on fire? Olwe looks out the window of his bedchamber but the only smoke he sees appears to come from the kitchens. He shook his head. Like the rest of his sense, his sense of smell, too, must be muddled, he thinks dimly.
Neverthless, he descends quickly to his audience chambers, the private ones in his tower. As he steps into the room, he looks down to see hundreds of spider crawling over the lower part of his tunic. With a growl of range uncharacteristic of him, he swats and beats at his clothes, himself...cursing the arachnids. "GET OFF ME!!!! GET OFF!!!"
As they make their way from the kitchens, meanwhile, Elenwe tries not to walk too close to Apakenwe who holds the bowl. The smell is not very appetizing. At Olwe's chamber door, she turns. "Let me go in and see if he is able to receive visitors." Apakenwe hears shouting within.
The smell, Olwe is dimly aware of it, anad voices, but he is more occupied with brushing the spiders off him...of stepping on as many as he can, hearing a satisfying crunch beneath his feet. Elenwe pushes the door open and looks around the room. She spies her king. He seems to be jumping. Elenwe motions to her companions to follow her. Olwe continues to stamp and stomp until the door opens. "You see them? Hundreds...hundreds!"
Elenwe greets him. "Your majesty. I trust you are feeling stronger."
Apakenwe looks dubiously at Estelin. They watch as Olwe keeps brushing his clothing. Estelin looks around not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Olwe pauses in his tirad and looks up at the swordmaiden. Brushing at his tunic, he frowns at her. "No matter where I go, the spiders are there."
"My King, I see nothing on your clothing. Perhaps you have brushed them all away." Elenwe continued hurriedly. "I have joyous news. Two Teleri have joined us here in Alqualonde! I have brought them here, and have brought you soup."
Estelin nods. "Yes, King Olwe, we have brought you food."
Olwe continues as if he had not heard her. "And now there is this...this....smell." He wrinkles his nose and straightens up. "No matter, no matter, it will be over soon. I know." He smiles at her softly, a little sadly.. At her words, he turned to the two and stares hard at them. "You were at the docks, yes?"
Apakenwe: bows a little, but not too much, being protective of the soup.
Estelin bows.Apakenwe answers the Teleri Lord. "Yes, your Majesty, we met when your ship arrived."
Elenwe prompts her king. "Please, my Lord, try to eat,"
Olwe continues to look fixedly at the two. "You are familiar and yet not. I cannot remember ever seeing you before I saw you on the docks." With a bow of his head, Olwe steps forward to take the soup from the lady. "Sit, please, you should sit. My manners...forgive me."
Estelin nods and takes a seat. The smell rises up from the bowl, and in an instant, Olwe's eyes water and he coughs, an astrignant taste in the back of his throat. Elenwe watches her king closely, hoping that her attempt at cooking was helpful. Apakenwe leaning forward, places the bowl on the table between the chairs, before any more soup ends up on her dress. Olwe takes up the bowl and holds it as far away from his face as he takes it and sits down gingerly. "I..thank you." He peers intently into the murky soup.
"I made it, with their help, Your Majesty." Elenwe smiles.
"It looks....hearty." Olwe smiles at the swordmaiden. "Ahh, a lady whose talents lie not only with the sword."
Apakenwe smiles, pleased with her own help. Elenwe looks down with a smile. "I have little experience in a kitchen."
"Perhaps this may help you eat, King Olwe." He hands Olwe the cooking spoon he had brought with them. "We used this to stir the soup. It is quite large."
Looking at Olwe, it is easy to see the suffering he is going through. His face is gaunt, his cheeks sunken, and his eyes have a too bright look of fever. His hair, always so carefully groomed is unkempt, and the smile he gives the group does not reach his eyes. He tries to bring the bowl up to his lips, coughs, and lowers it again, "Pardon, it is till very hot. I ..." he looks at the large spoon and back at Estelin before taking it. "Er, thank you."
Apakenwe watches closely, to learn the proper way to eat with such a spoon as her brother observes Olwe's handling of the food.
Visibly swallowing hard, Olwe dips the spoon into the bowl and deftly brings it up to his lips, blowing lightly on the contents. His eyes watering, he closes them and cautiously sips at the liquid. His eyes suddenly flew open, and he stares at the group, astonished. "This is marvelous."
Elenwe straightens and smiles as she hears the king's declaration. Estelin smiles, and Apakenwe: beams, confident now that cooking is not as hard as it looks. The swordmaiden tells the Teleri Lord, "My Lord, I trust this will speed your healing. There is still soup in the pot, should you finish all this."
Olwe takes another spoonful. "I, I have never tasted anything like this. Pary, what is in it?"
"Well, there is fish, and some noodles, I think." says, Elenwe. Apakenwe adds, "and vegetables." Estelin chimes in. "And water."
Elenwe looks at Apanenwe. "I don't know the name of the vegetable, do you?"
"Nor I. But it was growing in the garden, right next to the noodles."
Estelin adds, "Those noodles were hard to pull out."
Olwe looks in the bowl and stirs it, peering at each spoonful. I see some..." he pauses, then sheepishly says, " I am not sure what is in.....noodles in the garden?" The look he shoots Apakenwe was a little surprised. "Lady, one does not find noodles in a garden." He looks between the brother and sister, a little perplexed.
"Certainly they were in the garden, Lord. THat is where I found them."
"Indeed, they were there, my lord," assures Estelin. "It took the both of us to pull those noodles."
"Hard work, but it was worth it. The soup would not be the same without the noodles," says his sister, with some pride.
Elenwe interjects, "With a large gourd, which was added to the soup, Your Majesty."
Olwe's eyes widen and he regards the bowl again. "Er, um...ah...the soup is still very how. May I place it on the table to cool and finish it later?" He leans forward and gingerly place the bowl on the table. Pulling the spoon out, he extends it out to Estelin, saying, "Perhaps you may need this, in the kichen, and I have a table spoon here, somewhere." But he stops in mid-extension of his arm, staring at the spoon, which is missing now, the part that had been immersed in the soup.
Estelin smiles, takes what is left of the spoon from his king. Elenwe regards the mangled spoon. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Shall we bring more to you later?" Estelin looks at the table before him, as if looking for a table spoon.
Quickly, Olwe pulls back from the soup, staring at it with a look of disbelief. He manages to smile weakly. "It is, indeed, hearty." He turns pale for a moment at Elenwe's words, then recovers with a quick cough. "Oh, Lady,no, please, you all must eat as well, and I believe that the soup...a little will last a long time."
Elenwe smiles at Olwe's words. "You speak truly, My Lord. We must eat, as well." She tries not to look to closely at the morass in the bowl on the table.
"Your Majesty, what other assistance can we be to you?"
Olwe nods and sit back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "I thank you all, my friends. I shall long remember this meal." Olwe starts to answer Elenwe, but then pauses, his face draining of color, and grabbing his stomach. He sucks in his breath and bends over.
Elenwe stares in horror as her king doubles over, seemingly in pain.
Olwe starts to speak, but can only moan once, before sinking, gracelessly, to the floor. Slowly, the carpet beneath him blossoms red. Estelin stands suddenly. "My Lord!"
((to be continued ))
Estelin: approaches the soup and looks at Elenwe. "Is it ready?"
Apakenwe says, "It smells ... is that what it is supposed to smell like?"
Elenwe answers, "I'm not sure. It might need to cook longer." She turns to Apakenwe. "Soup can smell lots of ways. It depends on what's in it." She looks around. "We'll need something to put it in."
Apakenwe takes down the large spoon by the fireplace, and stirs the pot experimentally.
"So this is food," Estelin whispers. "What should we put it in?"
Apakenwe: whispers back, "Plates, as I remember. But won't it fall out?"
Elenwe looks around for a bowl. she spies one and brings it to the fireplace.
"The fire went out. Hopefully the soup was finished before the wood cooled." Estelin nods approvingly "A bowl, yes."
"Here Apakenwe, put the soup in here," says Elenwe.
Apakenwe considers tasting the soup on the spoon, but can't figure out how to get such a long spoon turned around to reach her mouth. Elenwe holds the bowl out. Apakenwe scoops up a spoonful, holds it over the bowl, and tips it off the end of the spoon. "That worked! Good!" Apakenwe She continues tipping spoonsful of soup into the bowl. Estelin smiles, watching closely. Elenwe watches the gloppy mess as it dumps into the bowl.
Elenwe inspects the contents of the bowl. "I haven't seen soup like this before."
The vegetable seems to have cooked itself into smaller pieces. Except for a large chunk of shell. Apakenwe decides to leave that in the pot for now.
"Oh?" her brother says, concerned "Will our king like this food?"
"Well, that should be enough. The king will not eat much, due to his illness."
Elenwe looks concerned. "I hope he will like it." She smiles.
"Alright. It will be easier to carry if it isn't too full." Apakenwe has learned about the dangers of too-full bowls of liquid. "Should we take it to him now?" asks Estelin. Apakenwe looks at the serving spoon uncertainly, and hangs it back on the rack by the fireplace. Unseen, Estelin takes the spoon back off the hook and holds it proudly. Olwe will need a spoon.
"I'll take you to his chambers. Follow me." Elenwe turns and leads them out of the kitchen and through the corridors to Olwe's chambers.
Olwe paces, restless, his joints stiff, swollen with an ache that has never been known to him.. It feels like winter's chill itself had settled into the very marrow of his bones, and he hugged himself tight around the bandaged wounds..the ones his daughter had so carefully bound. His nostrils flared as an unfamiliar smell reached him...that smell...was a building on fire? Olwe looks out the window of his bedchamber but the only smoke he sees appears to come from the kitchens. He shook his head. Like the rest of his sense, his sense of smell, too, must be muddled, he thinks dimly.
Neverthless, he descends quickly to his audience chambers, the private ones in his tower. As he steps into the room, he looks down to see hundreds of spider crawling over the lower part of his tunic. With a growl of range uncharacteristic of him, he swats and beats at his clothes, himself...cursing the arachnids. "GET OFF ME!!!! GET OFF!!!"
As they make their way from the kitchens, meanwhile, Elenwe tries not to walk too close to Apakenwe who holds the bowl. The smell is not very appetizing. At Olwe's chamber door, she turns. "Let me go in and see if he is able to receive visitors." Apakenwe hears shouting within.
The smell, Olwe is dimly aware of it, anad voices, but he is more occupied with brushing the spiders off him...of stepping on as many as he can, hearing a satisfying crunch beneath his feet. Elenwe pushes the door open and looks around the room. She spies her king. He seems to be jumping. Elenwe motions to her companions to follow her. Olwe continues to stamp and stomp until the door opens. "You see them? Hundreds...hundreds!"
Elenwe greets him. "Your majesty. I trust you are feeling stronger."
Apakenwe looks dubiously at Estelin. They watch as Olwe keeps brushing his clothing. Estelin looks around not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Olwe pauses in his tirad and looks up at the swordmaiden. Brushing at his tunic, he frowns at her. "No matter where I go, the spiders are there."
"My King, I see nothing on your clothing. Perhaps you have brushed them all away." Elenwe continued hurriedly. "I have joyous news. Two Teleri have joined us here in Alqualonde! I have brought them here, and have brought you soup."
Estelin nods. "Yes, King Olwe, we have brought you food."
Olwe continues as if he had not heard her. "And now there is this...this....smell." He wrinkles his nose and straightens up. "No matter, no matter, it will be over soon. I know." He smiles at her softly, a little sadly.. At her words, he turned to the two and stares hard at them. "You were at the docks, yes?"
Apakenwe: bows a little, but not too much, being protective of the soup.
Estelin bows.Apakenwe answers the Teleri Lord. "Yes, your Majesty, we met when your ship arrived."
Elenwe prompts her king. "Please, my Lord, try to eat,"
Olwe continues to look fixedly at the two. "You are familiar and yet not. I cannot remember ever seeing you before I saw you on the docks." With a bow of his head, Olwe steps forward to take the soup from the lady. "Sit, please, you should sit. My manners...forgive me."
Estelin nods and takes a seat. The smell rises up from the bowl, and in an instant, Olwe's eyes water and he coughs, an astrignant taste in the back of his throat. Elenwe watches her king closely, hoping that her attempt at cooking was helpful. Apakenwe leaning forward, places the bowl on the table between the chairs, before any more soup ends up on her dress. Olwe takes up the bowl and holds it as far away from his face as he takes it and sits down gingerly. "I..thank you." He peers intently into the murky soup.
"I made it, with their help, Your Majesty." Elenwe smiles.
"It looks....hearty." Olwe smiles at the swordmaiden. "Ahh, a lady whose talents lie not only with the sword."
Apakenwe smiles, pleased with her own help. Elenwe looks down with a smile. "I have little experience in a kitchen."
"Perhaps this may help you eat, King Olwe." He hands Olwe the cooking spoon he had brought with them. "We used this to stir the soup. It is quite large."
Looking at Olwe, it is easy to see the suffering he is going through. His face is gaunt, his cheeks sunken, and his eyes have a too bright look of fever. His hair, always so carefully groomed is unkempt, and the smile he gives the group does not reach his eyes. He tries to bring the bowl up to his lips, coughs, and lowers it again, "Pardon, it is till very hot. I ..." he looks at the large spoon and back at Estelin before taking it. "Er, thank you."
Apakenwe watches closely, to learn the proper way to eat with such a spoon as her brother observes Olwe's handling of the food.
Visibly swallowing hard, Olwe dips the spoon into the bowl and deftly brings it up to his lips, blowing lightly on the contents. His eyes watering, he closes them and cautiously sips at the liquid. His eyes suddenly flew open, and he stares at the group, astonished. "This is marvelous."
Elenwe straightens and smiles as she hears the king's declaration. Estelin smiles, and Apakenwe: beams, confident now that cooking is not as hard as it looks. The swordmaiden tells the Teleri Lord, "My Lord, I trust this will speed your healing. There is still soup in the pot, should you finish all this."
Olwe takes another spoonful. "I, I have never tasted anything like this. Pary, what is in it?"
"Well, there is fish, and some noodles, I think." says, Elenwe. Apakenwe adds, "and vegetables." Estelin chimes in. "And water."
Elenwe looks at Apanenwe. "I don't know the name of the vegetable, do you?"
"Nor I. But it was growing in the garden, right next to the noodles."
Estelin adds, "Those noodles were hard to pull out."
Olwe looks in the bowl and stirs it, peering at each spoonful. I see some..." he pauses, then sheepishly says, " I am not sure what is in.....noodles in the garden?" The look he shoots Apakenwe was a little surprised. "Lady, one does not find noodles in a garden." He looks between the brother and sister, a little perplexed.
"Certainly they were in the garden, Lord. THat is where I found them."
"Indeed, they were there, my lord," assures Estelin. "It took the both of us to pull those noodles."
"Hard work, but it was worth it. The soup would not be the same without the noodles," says his sister, with some pride.
Elenwe interjects, "With a large gourd, which was added to the soup, Your Majesty."
Olwe's eyes widen and he regards the bowl again. "Er, um...ah...the soup is still very how. May I place it on the table to cool and finish it later?" He leans forward and gingerly place the bowl on the table. Pulling the spoon out, he extends it out to Estelin, saying, "Perhaps you may need this, in the kichen, and I have a table spoon here, somewhere." But he stops in mid-extension of his arm, staring at the spoon, which is missing now, the part that had been immersed in the soup.
Estelin smiles, takes what is left of the spoon from his king. Elenwe regards the mangled spoon. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Shall we bring more to you later?" Estelin looks at the table before him, as if looking for a table spoon.
Quickly, Olwe pulls back from the soup, staring at it with a look of disbelief. He manages to smile weakly. "It is, indeed, hearty." He turns pale for a moment at Elenwe's words, then recovers with a quick cough. "Oh, Lady,no, please, you all must eat as well, and I believe that the soup...a little will last a long time."
Elenwe smiles at Olwe's words. "You speak truly, My Lord. We must eat, as well." She tries not to look to closely at the morass in the bowl on the table.
"Your Majesty, what other assistance can we be to you?"
Olwe nods and sit back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "I thank you all, my friends. I shall long remember this meal." Olwe starts to answer Elenwe, but then pauses, his face draining of color, and grabbing his stomach. He sucks in his breath and bends over.
Elenwe stares in horror as her king doubles over, seemingly in pain.
Olwe starts to speak, but can only moan once, before sinking, gracelessly, to the floor. Slowly, the carpet beneath him blossoms red. Estelin stands suddenly. "My Lord!"
((to be continued ))