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January 20, 2011

Elwing meets Juniper

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Elwing returns to the fae tree fort and then to the safety of the home skylet, starting to feel the heat which the Lord Mage had mentioned. All things seem better in the warmth and light of the sun. As she looks about her she wonders where the fae hide themselves when they aren't here at their home base.

Searching around the safe haven she finds some soft paper-like bark and other useful materials and decides to turn them into a makeshift outfit, for the heat of the day is starting to become more and more uncomfortable. With nimble fingers, she constructs a tunic and something of a short skirt, adds some decorative pieces to protect shins and arms and then holds her new outfit up to admire it.

Donning her hastily prepared outfit, and some soft wooden clogs which she finds discarded on the skylet, she twirls around and feels the stirring of the small breezes starting from the coast. Thinking again of the water below, she hurriedly retraces her steps to the sheltered beach and paddles contentedly in the cooling water. Then sits and closes her eyes listening to the lapping of the waves, the chattering of the seabirds as they circle around her.

After a while, finding the sand somewhat hot, Elwing stands and turns reluctantly away from the shore and makes her way to the shaded meadowy riverbank below the tree fort. Revelling in the coolness and the fragrance of flowers drifting on the soft breeze, the sound of songbirds chirping happily and the trickling of the small stream, Elwing makes her way to the clear waters and sits quietly on the bank, dipping her toes in the water.  She loses track of time and eventually rises and saunters back to the campfire, seating herself on a smooth stump.

Juniper notices someone by the fire under the tree house and flits close to get a better look at the other. Cocking her head to the side she studies the other as she draws near.  Elwing is lost in her thoughts but hears a soft fluttering of wings nearby. She turns her head and looks around her.  Juniper flits closer still to the red-haired one to get a better look. She tries her hardest to be quiet but is betrayed by a giggle.

Elwing looks up, hearing the hint of a giggle, and realizes this must be one of the fae living in Vana. She smiles. Juniper gives the red-haired one a lopsided grin as she greets her. "Heloooo.....I have not seen you here before: who be you?"

 "Greetings!" Elwing replies, "I am Elwing the White, and I landed here a short while ago and welcomed by Princess Fur to the wilds of Vana!"

Juniper lands with a thud close to Elwing. "Why you be white when you be red in the head?" She tilts her head to the other side. "Oh...and I be Juni." She offers a friendly smile.

Elwing giggles."Well met, Juni!  As to your question - I guess they call me Elwing the White because of the bright light that came from the silmaril I once carried with me. I don't really think about it much, but your observation makes total sense!" Elwing chuckles loudly.

Juniper looks at Elwing curiously. "What is a sil-ma-ral? And more importanly, where do you hide your cookies?"

Elwing giggles again, remembering the abundance of cookies on the friendly skylet above. "A silmaril," she continues, "is a jewel which conains the light of the stars. It was a very precious jewel that had to be held from dark forces long, long ago."

Juniper giggles. "It seems like a very magical object, that which can hold the light of the stars. But why would one want to keep the light when it is so much prettier in the sky at night?"

Elwing looks with interest at the fae and replies, "A good question, Juni. I believe it had to do with the power the evil forces thought they would gain from holding the silmaril. Indeed this one in particular became a guiding light, the morning star, which sadly has disappeared from sight these last few days."

Juniper looks around, wondering why no one has left her any cookies at this fire as they have at the one by the skylet. She sighs dejectedly. "The Morning Star? I think I heard mention of that which it is and where it is not." Looks to the red-haired Elwing in thought, she asks, "What it do this morning star?"

Elwing smiles whimsically. "The morning star gives elven kind hope. It heralds the dawn of a new day. It is an important guiding light for mariners at sea."  Elwing looks again at the fae. "Did you need to find cookies, Juni?"

Juniper grins. "I do not need to find cookies...they are given." She leans close to Elwing and whispers in her ear, "They are given to fae to keep us happy, so that we do not go looking for them in places we aught not be." She grins. "But I know the truth and I can see, and still I go where I want to be." Juni looks a bit serious now. "If the star is not there to guide, how does one find their way upon the sea?"

Elwing nods her head and smiles, then considers the question which is perplexing her as well. "I am really unsure, Juni, how mariners are finding their way unless they have an excellent knowledge of the skies and other stars which may guide them. The high mage Daza was going to try and find some ancient charts when I last spoke with him. It may take a while." Elwing looks again at Juni and adds, "I am spending a little time resting before I try to leave Vana for further places. It would be fun to look around and learn more about this place and meet more of Princess Fur's friends."

Juniper tilts her head as she thinks on the night sky and all the wonders which it holds. "There be other stars for men to see, but the Moon is the one which is dearest to me." She looks at Elwing again. "You will be leaving? But to where must you go?"

Elwing feels the calming effects of the sun, the birdsong and the soft breezes. She looks to Juni. "I was on my way to Sylvhara to find news of my Uncle King Olwe. I have heard he is very unwell - Daza explained something about poison and that he has returned now to Alqualonde, his home."

Juniper asks."Are you to return to this Alquankondale now that you know your uncle is there?

Elwing smiles at the fae's words and replies, "I am awaiting the outcome of Daza's search. I could call on the Lord Ulmo for his help but I would rather use whatever means I can other than the valuable time of Lord Ulmo. He has greater concerns than mine to worry about I am sure."

Juniper flits closer to the other and sniffs at her. "Hmmmm you smell like spice, and lemon." Her eyes flutter closed as the smell fills her head. "And Magey Daza will come through: these words of mine I know to be true."

Elwing chuckles at the fae as the fresh smell of flowers assails her senses.
Juniper gets distracted by a blade of grass and picks it up twirling it in her fingers. She studies it as she watches it spin. Elwing runs a hand through her hair and hears her stomach growl.

Juniper remarks, "Elwing the White of the red hair, you seem to need help to get you to there. If you ask nicely and if you are kind, this place for you I shall help you find." She hear's Elwing's tummy growl and blinks. "You be hungry!"

Elwing smiles at the fae's words and nods. "Indeed I am - I lost track fo the hours since breaking my fast this morning." She  looks again at Juniper and says, "Shall we go find those cookies?"

Juniper says, "There is a tavern not far from here, cookies it does not have...but eggs it does."

Elwing thinks she will have to learn to cook them for her new friends. She smiles. "Yes," she replies, "I know the tavern. However, I know where are the cookies in the safe place above, too!"

Juniper grins. " I do so prefer cookies to...well....everything else I could possibly eat! The cookies above near Fur's skylet are the safest ones to eat. They, and we....are out of reach."

Elwing nods. "Princess Fur has shown me the safe place. I have spent a lot of time there."

Juniper adds, "Here on the ground and here in the grass, we need to be wary of others who pass!"

Elwing nods. "Indeed!" Elwing adds, "There are other places I have seen here of which I have never seen the like." Elwing rises from the tree stump slowly and looks to Juniper. "Shall we go above and sit in safety and eat to our hearts' and stomachs' content?"

Juniper grins broadly. "I am not one to pass up a cookie!"

Elwing giggles and heads for the rope to the tree fort. Climbing the rope, she reaches the ramps and makes her way to the safe skylet, hearing the flutter of Juni's wings as she passes her on her ascent.  The two new friends sit by the campfire on the home skylet and eat the sweet gooey chocolate cookies as the sun disappears from the sky and darkness falls in the wilds of Vana.