"Tell us a story pwincess?" Rhianne says, in a little voice.
"...the Great Enemy," continues Fur, " ....umms..well, in the Elder Days, in the land of the Elves, in the far West, was the land of Valinor.....the Undying lands we know them as," adds Fur. "Aye..beyond the world, to the Void."
Rhianne sits on the bench as her legs begin to quake and casts her spell wildheart.
Fur continues, "...but then, he presented himself as Elf Friend and had a comely and fair visage, and taught to the Elves much lore. There were two trees in the Valinor, one glowed gold, the other silver, before the lights of sun and moon were created." Fur pauses...regarding Rhi, "Sweetest sister..what ails you?" Fur looks back and mouths to the others "Pardon."
She turns to Rhi, "You shake and seem poorly."
"Such beautiful images. That must have been such a wonderous place to be. You tell it so well, Princess," says Drala. Fur nods at Dralan, but regards Rhi with great concern.
Rhianne shakes her head. "I feel no ailment, other than a touch of weariness, I assure you, my caring sister."
Fur says, "You need food..here, have some cookies!" Fur works her magic and produces cookies for her sissy.
Rhianne sniffs and laughs. "Cookies cure anything .... especially chocolate chip ones! "
Fur Yifu emanates a sense of trust and confidence, speaking with convincing words. Fur giggles. Rhianne again casts her magic. Rhianne continues. "I feel better being on the skylet: no war can come up here."
Fur Yifu casts more of her magic. Juniper joins her, and a feeling of well being settles around the group on the skylet. Rhianne casts her spell wildheart and adds, "I hope our friends will be blessed with peace."
Elwing nods. "It is a safe haven."
"Oh yes..except should we be beset by Dragons, or other flying meanies," says Fur.
Dralan raises an eyebrow, "Dragons?"
Juniper giggles. "The dragons will not harm us." She grins and winks.
Dralan adds, "Depends on which dragon."
Juniper giggles. "I am bound to one in Sylvhara.....they would come if I were in need.....I think."
Rhianne interjects, "There are demons in the lands once again." Elwing's ears prick up at this news .
"Weally? ....I mean really," Fur coughs.
"I'm a half dragon, but I wont harm you, friendly fae," says Dralan.
"We know that," Fur giggles.
"You are lucky to have such allies, Princess Fur," says Elwing.
Juniper snorts at Dralan "As if you could best either I or Fur" she says with a grin.
Rhianne smiles. "You have David's kind heart, even if you choose not to believe it, Dralan."
"Well, you both are much too pretty!" says Dralan.
Fur giggles. "Well now...back to my tale...the Two Trees of Valinor were called Telperion and Laurelin.."
Rhianne pleads, "Ooh yes do continue!"
Fur continues. " They were destroyed by a giant spider called Ungoliant."
Elwing shudders. "The spider was summoned by Melkor, another name for Morgoth." says Fur. "Concealed in a cloud of darkness, Melkor struck each Tree, and the insatiable Ungoliant devoured whatever life and light remained in them. Yavanna, one of the Valar, who we call Gods, sang but only succeeded in reviving Telperion's last flower, which become the Moon, and Laurelin's last fruit, which become the Sun."
Fur continues, "Then Feanor, an Eldar Elf who burned with a fiery spirit, swore vengeance on Melkor, and so followed him to Middle Earth, these lands we call home."
"But Feanor had created three jewels called the Silmarils." Elwing feels ill at the thought of the memories of what occured over those three bright, sparkling jewels. "They contained the Light of the Two Trees, before they were ever touched by Melkor," says Fur. Juniper listens to Fur intently. "But when he destroyed the Trees, he also stole the Silmarils...."
Juniper frowns> "He killed the trees?" Her bottom lip starts to quiver as she fights back tears for the poor dead trees.
"....and set them upon his iron crown, their power ever paining his Evil flesh. Yet in his Vanity, he wore them despite this. So Feanor and all the High Elves sought ever to regain them, the cause of much terrible War in the First Age."
Rhianne wonders with a frown what else has to suffer.
"Yes he did kill the beautiful tree." Fur starts to tear.
Juniper looks to the trees surrounding the skylet and whispers "We will not let that happen again."
"Yet sweet sister, that orb Loving, which we worship, our Luna, her silvery light is of Telperion's last flower. So we all can see its light radiant and unsullied." Juniper looks up to the night sky seeking the light of the moon and gazes upon it with loving eyes.
Fur continues. "Whilst the Sun, which shines a bright in Sylvhara, is the light of Laurelin's last fruit, which is why our Realms of Vana and Sylvhara, are natural kin, and why I call Queen Comet loving dear friend ... our realms of Silver and Gold."
Fur remark. " The Sun shines brighter than the Moon, cause upon a time the Sister orb ventured too close to the Sun, and got burned."
"Oooh ouch!" says Rhianne.
"Yes..so cause the Sun is brighter, it thinks its better ofttimes," adds Fur.
Juniper looks to Fur and smiles. "But they do not know and they do not see that the moon is what tugs the waves of the sea, or so I have been told."
"Yes, sweet Juni, the sea of our sweetest Emotions, but also the nasty ones toos," continues Fur. "So often the Sun realms display a little too much Hubris."
"They are blinded by the light and dont see the dark has a place as well." remarks Rhianna.
"And dark and light ebb and flow each in their own time," adds Elwing.
"Ahhhh!" growls Dralan with satisfaction.
Rhianne's eyes widen as the faegon stands in the blaze. "Oooh 'tis like a steamy shower for you I suppose!"
Dralan nods, "Almost. It reminds me of the baths I used to receive when I was younger."
Elwing looks across with startled eyes wondering at the antics of the creature in the fire.
Rhianne smiles, "I love a bath!"
Juniper squinches up her face "No dips in the sea for me thank you....."
"One reason I hate snow," adds Dralan, "... too cold."
Rhianne Daffyd chuckles at Elwing's expression, "No fear sisster new," she says, "Dralan is of the fire! He has his fire fae mother to thank."
Elwing looks relieved at Rhi's words.
Fur continues her tale, "So..the other two Silmarils were lost...but one survived."
Dralan casts a fiery spell that lights up all the faces on the skylet.
"Ooooh, you found magicks!" exclaims Rhianne. "Dralan, we like our eyebrows where they are, thank you. I don't want to have to pencil mine in."
Fur looks around at Dralan concernedly. Dralan remarks, "I was far away." Dralan notices a few odd glances and wonders if it's him.
Juniper Roxley looks to Rhi "what is a penceal?"
Fur continues yet again. "Now one Eärendil built a ship, Vingilótë, which means 'foam-flower.'He sailed this often around the seas west of Middle-earth." Fur looks at Elwing softly. Elwing looks blindly at the grass in front of her, hearing Fur tell the tale of her beloved. Fur continues, "At this time Elwing ad in her possession the Silmaril that Beren had wrested from Morgoth."
Dralan interjects, "Wait, wasn't he also the one with a Hound wolf?"
"Aye..i think so," remarks Fur. " He was a man."
"Human?" asks Dralan.
"Be that so?" Elwin is asked. She bites her lip as the companions talk around her family who are no longer. Elwing nods.
Fur starts to tear, yet continues. "News of this came to the sons of Fëanor that were still living, and they attacked the people living in Arvernien, and killed most of them. Elwing, rather than be captured, threw herself with the Silmaril into the sea. For there was war between the House of the Elves...the Darkness of Melkor spreading to all Hearts"
Juniper looks to her new friend, "You? You were IN the sea?"
Fur nods as Elwing's tears start to roll down her cheeks, slipping to the ground below. "Yes, Juni," she whispers.
Fur starts to sing. "For Ulmo bore up Elwing out of the waves, and he gave her the likeness of a great white bird...."
Juniper noticing Elwing's tears snatches a cookie off the tray and hands it to her friend, "this will help....cookies always help."
Elwing wipes her eyes and gives a watery smile to Juni, takes the cookie. "Thank you, " she whispers.
"....and upon her breast there shone as a star the Silmaril as she flew over the water to seek Eärendil her beloved." Fur pauses to wipe tears.
"On a time of night Eärendil at the helm of his ship saw her come towards him, as a white cloud exceeding swift beneath the moon, as a star over the sea moving in strange courses, a pale flame on wings of storm." Fur shudders, fighting back sobs. "And it is sung that she fell from the air upon the timbers of Vingilot, in a swoon, nigh unto death for the urgency of her speed," Fur sobs. "... and Eärendil took her to his bosom."
Elwing looks at Fur, nodding at her words. Rhianne listens silently to the tale. Fur shudders with tears. ".. but in the morning with marvelling eyes he beheld his wife in her own form beside him with her hair upon his face, and she slept."
Elwing closes her eyes and remembers the look on her beloved's face as she awoke after that flight. Fur pauses…then speaks again. "So Eärendil took Elwing to Valinor, to plead the cause of Middle Earth to the Valar. As a mortal, for Eärendil was a Man, death should have been his due to coming to the UnDying lands. Yet, as both were descendents of the union of Elves and Man, the Valar decided in their mercy to grant them a choice: to choose to be of Elfkind or of Mankind. Elwing chose to be Elf, though initially Eärendil choose to be of Men......yet relented for the sake of his wife"
Dralan interjects, "Princess but did they also bore two sons whom also had to choose?"
Fur looks at Elwing. Elwing looks at Dralan, remembering her twin sons. "You are right Dralan. Elrond and Elros also had the gift of choice."
"Yes, Elros and Elrond," adds Fur.
"It must be hard to recall all the years of the pain and suffering. I mean no harm," continues Dralan.
Elwing looks again at Dralan. "Elrond chose to be numbered amond the elves: Elros chose to be numbered among men."
Fur adds, "Aye, that is what my Mamma told me." Elwing nods.
"And this be the last verse of the song she sang to me, adds Fur.
Fur starts to sing again, "Now when first Vingilot was set to sail in the seas of heaven it rose unlooked for, glittering and bright; and the people of Middle-earth beheld it from afar and wondered and they took it for a sign, and called it Gil-Estel..." Fur pauses to wipe a tear… "The Star of High Hope."
Fur speaks again. " For the Valar assigned Eärendil the task of sialing about Over-Heaven with the Silmaril as a sign of Hope for all Creatures who dwell upon Middle Earth, even those who live and wallow in Darkness, but...." Fur pales and tears. "....now it has Vanished!"
Elwing looks at Fur, remembering the day her beloved was sent to the heavens, and the number of times she was able to fly to meet him on Vingilot, and then with a sharp pain, she remembers the feeling of loss when she had lost sight of him as she plummeted to the waves.
Rhianne tries to quiet her shaking need to burst into tears.
".....and Mother Luna weeps in her courses." Fur falls to the ground and sobs and says no more.
Elwing looks to the fae. "Please don't cry, Princess."
Juniper blinks back her tears and takes a deep breath.
"O..where shall times take us, if there be no Hope?" says Fur.
"Know that with your kind hearts, you have given me back some hope," remarks Elwing, smiling at her new friends.
Rhianne retorts, "Fur! there is always hope!"
Dralan adds, "mmhmm."
Juniper looks to Fur with furrowed brows. "Hope is within each of us. It is not something that can be contained."
"The way your land flourishes - there is much hope and much life in this place," smiles Elwing.
Fur sobs more. "The trees of Vana are afeard..they speak of a coming Dark...the Light shall be enshadowed!!"
Juniper frowns at Fur's words "You cannot say such things Princess. We will fight and stand for Vana....her trees are tall and strong."
Rhianne kneels slowly next to Fur and puts her arm around her.
"I have a foreboding. I fear my Heart is to be taken," whispers Fur.
Elwing gasps. Rhianne blinks as the furious tears begin to flow. "Not if we have any say in it! Your heart is the strongest I've ever known Fur! It can only be made stronger when your family is here. I think that would be us." Rhianne smiles at the gathered.
Elwing smiles at Rhi and Juni.
"Thank you all. I should not despair, but a Dark grows upon me." Fur wipes her orbs.
"Yes, love, we will band together to balance the dark," adds Rhianne.
Fur reaches behind Rhi to take a cookie.
"Aye see?" says Rhianne, "cookies cure anything."
Elwing remembers the cookie Juni gave to her and nibbles at it, deep in thought. Rhianne licks off a melted chocolate chip and feels like swooning.
> Next Vana > Next Morning Star
"...the Great Enemy," continues Fur, " ....umms..well, in the Elder Days, in the land of the Elves, in the far West, was the land of Valinor.....the Undying lands we know them as," adds Fur. "Aye..beyond the world, to the Void."
Rhianne sits on the bench as her legs begin to quake and casts her spell wildheart.
Fur continues, "...but then, he presented himself as Elf Friend and had a comely and fair visage, and taught to the Elves much lore. There were two trees in the Valinor, one glowed gold, the other silver, before the lights of sun and moon were created." Fur pauses...regarding Rhi, "Sweetest sister..what ails you?" Fur looks back and mouths to the others "Pardon."
She turns to Rhi, "You shake and seem poorly."
"Such beautiful images. That must have been such a wonderous place to be. You tell it so well, Princess," says Drala. Fur nods at Dralan, but regards Rhi with great concern.
Rhianne shakes her head. "I feel no ailment, other than a touch of weariness, I assure you, my caring sister."
Fur says, "You need food..here, have some cookies!" Fur works her magic and produces cookies for her sissy.
Rhianne sniffs and laughs. "Cookies cure anything .... especially chocolate chip ones! "
Fur Yifu emanates a sense of trust and confidence, speaking with convincing words. Fur giggles. Rhianne again casts her magic. Rhianne continues. "I feel better being on the skylet: no war can come up here."
Fur Yifu casts more of her magic. Juniper joins her, and a feeling of well being settles around the group on the skylet. Rhianne casts her spell wildheart and adds, "I hope our friends will be blessed with peace."
Elwing nods. "It is a safe haven."
"Oh yes..except should we be beset by Dragons, or other flying meanies," says Fur.
Dralan raises an eyebrow, "Dragons?"
Juniper giggles. "The dragons will not harm us." She grins and winks.
Dralan adds, "Depends on which dragon."
Juniper giggles. "I am bound to one in Sylvhara.....they would come if I were in need.....I think."
Rhianne interjects, "There are demons in the lands once again." Elwing's ears prick up at this news .
"Weally? ....I mean really," Fur coughs.
"I'm a half dragon, but I wont harm you, friendly fae," says Dralan.
"We know that," Fur giggles.
"You are lucky to have such allies, Princess Fur," says Elwing.
Juniper snorts at Dralan "As if you could best either I or Fur" she says with a grin.
Rhianne smiles. "You have David's kind heart, even if you choose not to believe it, Dralan."
"Well, you both are much too pretty!" says Dralan.
Fur giggles. "Well now...back to my tale...the Two Trees of Valinor were called Telperion and Laurelin.."
Rhianne pleads, "Ooh yes do continue!"
Fur continues. " They were destroyed by a giant spider called Ungoliant."
Elwing shudders. "The spider was summoned by Melkor, another name for Morgoth." says Fur. "Concealed in a cloud of darkness, Melkor struck each Tree, and the insatiable Ungoliant devoured whatever life and light remained in them. Yavanna, one of the Valar, who we call Gods, sang but only succeeded in reviving Telperion's last flower, which become the Moon, and Laurelin's last fruit, which become the Sun."
Fur continues, "Then Feanor, an Eldar Elf who burned with a fiery spirit, swore vengeance on Melkor, and so followed him to Middle Earth, these lands we call home."
"But Feanor had created three jewels called the Silmarils." Elwing feels ill at the thought of the memories of what occured over those three bright, sparkling jewels. "They contained the Light of the Two Trees, before they were ever touched by Melkor," says Fur. Juniper listens to Fur intently. "But when he destroyed the Trees, he also stole the Silmarils...."
Juniper frowns> "He killed the trees?" Her bottom lip starts to quiver as she fights back tears for the poor dead trees.
"....and set them upon his iron crown, their power ever paining his Evil flesh. Yet in his Vanity, he wore them despite this. So Feanor and all the High Elves sought ever to regain them, the cause of much terrible War in the First Age."
Rhianne wonders with a frown what else has to suffer.
"Yes he did kill the beautiful tree." Fur starts to tear.
Juniper looks to the trees surrounding the skylet and whispers "We will not let that happen again."
"Yet sweet sister, that orb Loving, which we worship, our Luna, her silvery light is of Telperion's last flower. So we all can see its light radiant and unsullied." Juniper looks up to the night sky seeking the light of the moon and gazes upon it with loving eyes.
Fur continues. "Whilst the Sun, which shines a bright in Sylvhara, is the light of Laurelin's last fruit, which is why our Realms of Vana and Sylvhara, are natural kin, and why I call Queen Comet loving dear friend ... our realms of Silver and Gold."
Fur remark. " The Sun shines brighter than the Moon, cause upon a time the Sister orb ventured too close to the Sun, and got burned."
"Oooh ouch!" says Rhianne.
"Yes..so cause the Sun is brighter, it thinks its better ofttimes," adds Fur.
Juniper looks to Fur and smiles. "But they do not know and they do not see that the moon is what tugs the waves of the sea, or so I have been told."
"Yes, sweet Juni, the sea of our sweetest Emotions, but also the nasty ones toos," continues Fur. "So often the Sun realms display a little too much Hubris."
"They are blinded by the light and dont see the dark has a place as well." remarks Rhianna.
"And dark and light ebb and flow each in their own time," adds Elwing.
"Ahhhh!" growls Dralan with satisfaction.
Rhianne's eyes widen as the faegon stands in the blaze. "Oooh 'tis like a steamy shower for you I suppose!"
Dralan nods, "Almost. It reminds me of the baths I used to receive when I was younger."
Elwing looks across with startled eyes wondering at the antics of the creature in the fire.
Rhianne smiles, "I love a bath!"
Juniper squinches up her face "No dips in the sea for me thank you....."
"One reason I hate snow," adds Dralan, "... too cold."
Rhianne Daffyd chuckles at Elwing's expression, "No fear sisster new," she says, "Dralan is of the fire! He has his fire fae mother to thank."
Elwing looks relieved at Rhi's words.
Fur continues her tale, "So..the other two Silmarils were lost...but one survived."
Dralan casts a fiery spell that lights up all the faces on the skylet.
"Ooooh, you found magicks!" exclaims Rhianne. "Dralan, we like our eyebrows where they are, thank you. I don't want to have to pencil mine in."
Fur looks around at Dralan concernedly. Dralan remarks, "I was far away." Dralan notices a few odd glances and wonders if it's him.
Juniper Roxley looks to Rhi "what is a penceal?"
Fur continues yet again. "Now one Eärendil built a ship, Vingilótë, which means 'foam-flower.'He sailed this often around the seas west of Middle-earth." Fur looks at Elwing softly. Elwing looks blindly at the grass in front of her, hearing Fur tell the tale of her beloved. Fur continues, "At this time Elwing ad in her possession the Silmaril that Beren had wrested from Morgoth."
Dralan interjects, "Wait, wasn't he also the one with a Hound wolf?"
"Aye..i think so," remarks Fur. " He was a man."
"Human?" asks Dralan.
"Be that so?" Elwin is asked. She bites her lip as the companions talk around her family who are no longer. Elwing nods.
Fur starts to tear, yet continues. "News of this came to the sons of Fëanor that were still living, and they attacked the people living in Arvernien, and killed most of them. Elwing, rather than be captured, threw herself with the Silmaril into the sea. For there was war between the House of the Elves...the Darkness of Melkor spreading to all Hearts"
Juniper looks to her new friend, "You? You were IN the sea?"
Fur nods as Elwing's tears start to roll down her cheeks, slipping to the ground below. "Yes, Juni," she whispers.
Fur starts to sing. "For Ulmo bore up Elwing out of the waves, and he gave her the likeness of a great white bird...."
Juniper noticing Elwing's tears snatches a cookie off the tray and hands it to her friend, "this will help....cookies always help."
Elwing wipes her eyes and gives a watery smile to Juni, takes the cookie. "Thank you, " she whispers.
"....and upon her breast there shone as a star the Silmaril as she flew over the water to seek Eärendil her beloved." Fur pauses to wipe tears.
"On a time of night Eärendil at the helm of his ship saw her come towards him, as a white cloud exceeding swift beneath the moon, as a star over the sea moving in strange courses, a pale flame on wings of storm." Fur shudders, fighting back sobs. "And it is sung that she fell from the air upon the timbers of Vingilot, in a swoon, nigh unto death for the urgency of her speed," Fur sobs. "... and Eärendil took her to his bosom."
Elwing looks at Fur, nodding at her words. Rhianne listens silently to the tale. Fur shudders with tears. ".. but in the morning with marvelling eyes he beheld his wife in her own form beside him with her hair upon his face, and she slept."
Elwing closes her eyes and remembers the look on her beloved's face as she awoke after that flight. Fur pauses…then speaks again. "So Eärendil took Elwing to Valinor, to plead the cause of Middle Earth to the Valar. As a mortal, for Eärendil was a Man, death should have been his due to coming to the UnDying lands. Yet, as both were descendents of the union of Elves and Man, the Valar decided in their mercy to grant them a choice: to choose to be of Elfkind or of Mankind. Elwing chose to be Elf, though initially Eärendil choose to be of Men......yet relented for the sake of his wife"
Dralan interjects, "Princess but did they also bore two sons whom also had to choose?"
Fur looks at Elwing. Elwing looks at Dralan, remembering her twin sons. "You are right Dralan. Elrond and Elros also had the gift of choice."
"Yes, Elros and Elrond," adds Fur.
"It must be hard to recall all the years of the pain and suffering. I mean no harm," continues Dralan.
Elwing looks again at Dralan. "Elrond chose to be numbered amond the elves: Elros chose to be numbered among men."
Fur adds, "Aye, that is what my Mamma told me." Elwing nods.
"And this be the last verse of the song she sang to me, adds Fur.
Fur starts to sing again, "Now when first Vingilot was set to sail in the seas of heaven it rose unlooked for, glittering and bright; and the people of Middle-earth beheld it from afar and wondered and they took it for a sign, and called it Gil-Estel..." Fur pauses to wipe a tear… "The Star of High Hope."
Fur speaks again. " For the Valar assigned Eärendil the task of sialing about Over-Heaven with the Silmaril as a sign of Hope for all Creatures who dwell upon Middle Earth, even those who live and wallow in Darkness, but...." Fur pales and tears. "....now it has Vanished!"
Elwing looks at Fur, remembering the day her beloved was sent to the heavens, and the number of times she was able to fly to meet him on Vingilot, and then with a sharp pain, she remembers the feeling of loss when she had lost sight of him as she plummeted to the waves.
Rhianne tries to quiet her shaking need to burst into tears.
".....and Mother Luna weeps in her courses." Fur falls to the ground and sobs and says no more.
Elwing looks to the fae. "Please don't cry, Princess."
Juniper blinks back her tears and takes a deep breath.
"O..where shall times take us, if there be no Hope?" says Fur.
"Know that with your kind hearts, you have given me back some hope," remarks Elwing, smiling at her new friends.
Rhianne retorts, "Fur! there is always hope!"
Dralan adds, "mmhmm."
Juniper looks to Fur with furrowed brows. "Hope is within each of us. It is not something that can be contained."
"The way your land flourishes - there is much hope and much life in this place," smiles Elwing.
Fur sobs more. "The trees of Vana are afeard..they speak of a coming Dark...the Light shall be enshadowed!!"
Juniper frowns at Fur's words "You cannot say such things Princess. We will fight and stand for Vana....her trees are tall and strong."
Rhianne kneels slowly next to Fur and puts her arm around her.
"I have a foreboding. I fear my Heart is to be taken," whispers Fur.
Elwing gasps. Rhianne blinks as the furious tears begin to flow. "Not if we have any say in it! Your heart is the strongest I've ever known Fur! It can only be made stronger when your family is here. I think that would be us." Rhianne smiles at the gathered.
Elwing smiles at Rhi and Juni.
"Thank you all. I should not despair, but a Dark grows upon me." Fur wipes her orbs.
"Yes, love, we will band together to balance the dark," adds Rhianne.
Fur reaches behind Rhi to take a cookie.
"Aye see?" says Rhianne, "cookies cure anything."
Elwing remembers the cookie Juni gave to her and nibbles at it, deep in thought. Rhianne licks off a melted chocolate chip and feels like swooning.
> Next Vana > Next Morning Star