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Cinnamon Raymaker and AelKennyr Rhiano
Elwing awakens as the bird song impinges on her dreams, although it is still dark. As she stirs she looks around and sees the fire still blazing close by, and the shadowy figures of her two new elven friends rise and fall gently with their breathing. She rises silently and moves to the edge of the skylet, taking in a last lingering look at the island below - this place of contrast, beauty and danger, flourishing golden shining plants and silvery moonlight. Sadly she wonders what has befallen the fae princess who so openly welcomed her to her realm. Elwing knows that one day she will return to Vana - there is some deep connection here for her. Vana is the last place she felt any contact with her beloved Earendil before the disappearance of the morning star he so valiantly carries with him in Vingilot, day after day, season after season, year after year.
Nimros rouses from sleep in which he was back at home, sleeping in the bed upstairs, the familar sounds and smells comforting him and lulling him into a belief that THIS were the illusion, that he was still in the Swanhaven, and in the distance, he could hear the complaints of the birds for which the realm was named, hungry for their breakfast, too.
Slowly, he blinks and yawns, and comes to the grim realization of where he is-- far away from that bed he now craves as he puts a hand on his lower back and twists and turns to work out the kinks. Rising, he slides off the mushroom, looks around, and spies Elwing the White. Making sure his footsteps are heard, he joins her.
Elwing hears the rustling of the grass close by and is awakened from her reverie, turning, she smiles and greets Nimros. "Good morrow Nimros, I trust you slept well!"
"Good morn, my Lady." He sits down beside her.
Elwing smiles again at the young elf. "Methinks we will have much to do to lie alseep and dream half this day away, Nimros. I suspect the two of us should begin foraging for supplies."
Nimros nods, looking about the skyline and peering up into the sky. A rumble from his stomach caused him to flush bright red and put a hand over his stomach. "If we hurry and gather well, then we can make the morning tide, I am sure, " he said.
Elwing taps her finger on her chin, stifling a chuckle at the grumbling stomach of her companion. "I think we should start with the apple trees close to the mountain path. They have been fruiting well since I arrived here. Oh, and you might like to try one of the fae cookies by the campfire up here before we make our way down to the forest floor. Here, let me show you." Elwing makes her way to the cookies at the campfire.
Nimros flushes a bit redder at her words but then casts her a rueful grin, his eyes boyishly sparkling. Jumping up he follows her steps.
"You may find these a trifle sweet, but they are filling."
Nimros looks at the cookies, the smell rising up and teasing his hungry stomach. Reaching for one, he bites into it and finds it warm. "Where ....who...I haven't seen anyone bring them?" he asks, his words clear despite the mouth full of cookie.
Elwing chuckles. "My dear Nimros, I question not the bounty of our hostess, Princess Fur. She sings to provide for all who reside here."
Nimros looks at Elwing, his eyes round. "Sings? She sings these into existence? "
Elwing gances back to the young elf. "I am not sure how she does it, Nimros. I just know that she has a natural magic which is of benefit to all."
Nimros nods and helps himself to another cookie. "I wish my mother could 'sing' cookies like these." He devoured the cookie and dusted the crumbs from his hands and shirt. "Is the Lady Echuir still abed?"
Elwing glances around at the shadowy bundle lying in the grass close by and holds a finger to her lips, "Shhhh, indeed she is, Nimros. Let's scribble her a note that we have gone to collect provisions and that we will meet her at the White Swallow for the coming tide."
Nimros looks over where Elwing indicates and sees the queen's sleeping form. Nodding, he lowers his voice and responds, "Do you have vellum, quill and ink, or should we find a thin bark of tree and a bit of bloodstone? I have seen both here."
"No need Nimros, Princess Fur has a few items stored in the treehouse over there." With that Elwing ducks into the treehouse on the skylet and finds parchment and quill. Shescribbles a short note to Lady Echuir. Leaving it beside the sleeping elven queen, she turns and beckons to Nimros, glancing at the red stone on which the tree house sits.
All seriousness now, the young elf nods and scans their little encampment. "This has been a most accommodating place, my Lady."
"Aye, Nimros, I shall miss being here but my concern for my uncle and my husband overshadows any lingering happiness. My guess is that I shall return here anon." Elwing descends to the tree fort below the skylet.
Nimros nods, his face growing soft with sadness. Moving up next to her, he spoke with a wistful voice. "I, too, miss my home, and I wish to hold my mother and let my father scold me once more for my lousy fishing net knots. And I am troubled for my King, your uncle." Watching her, he, too descends.
Continuing, Elwing climbs down the ladder and continues on her way to the forest floor, beckoning to Nimros to follow her. Nimros looks about the wooden structure. "I remember this from yestereve," he said.
Elwing nods. "Indeed, Nimros, I see you have an eye for detail."
Nimros beams with pride at the praise, but remains observant, and carefully follows close behind the Lady. It has struck him, deeply in whose presence he is in, and the tales he had heard of her heroic rescue of the simaril was the stuff of his dreams as a young elfling. The scent of her perfume mingles in the breeze with the scent of the blooming buds of the trees, and now, as they descent into the lower levels, remembers her cautions from before and tries to be ever watchful.
Elwing looks at the young fisher elf beside her and remembers something she had not yet explained to him. "Nimros, you must promise me that you do not stray from the forest and the paths when we are foraging. There are places on this isle where there have been strange occurrences - I know not what - I just know that something terrible once lived in the deep mountains and something still beckons to the unwary from deep within the bowels of the earth. You must promise me you will take great care!"
Nimros nods absently, the warning sounding much like the ones she gave last night. The forest was strange to him, and the land. Even the birds sounded different. He was far from home, and for all he has been travelling, landfall as been sporadic and confined to beaches and areas close to shore. But his mind was on a million things: the direction of the breeze, the low lying clouds, the rumbling of his belly, the question of how, still, to manage the trip home, the questions that come with thinking of home. Suddenly realizing she was waiting for a response, he answers, "Of course, Lady Elwing."
Satisfied with the reply from the young elf, she nods and continues on her way to the forest floor.
Deflty, Nimros silently follows her down. Elwing reaches the bottom of the rope and heads for the beach to see the White Swallow still moored close by. Nimros catches up to her and follows.
Elwing climbs the rise to wander past the small stone tavern. "If you are still hungry,Nimros, please take more food. I think it will be hard work for all of us this day."
Although his stomach is complaining, he shakes his head. "I think, my Lady, we should collect all the food we can...both prepared, and those nature gives us as soon as we may. The sooner we are on board, the easier I would feel." He blushes at confessing his impatience. "If we miss the morning tide, we would have to wait until sunset, and considering the coastline, I should rather to avoid that, begging your pardon." He swipes a bit of bread, however, blushing and offering half to Elwing." However, Lady, if you need to eat, of course," he finishes a bit abashed.
Elwing picks up some bread and flops an egg inside. She savours each bite as she walks up the mountain path looking for the apple trees she knows are fruiting. "I know you are right Nimros," she smiles, "I can't abide those cookies, however." She finishes as she eats the last morsel of her hurriedly constructed breakfast.
Sensing the young elf's haste, Elwing hurries up the path ahead of him, searching for the trees she knows are fruiting.
Nimros pockets the rest of the bread in a small pouch and runs after Elwing. Catching up to her, he matches his stride to her own, peering ahead curiously. As she climbs up the mountain path she remembers the eerie feeling of what she found inside the earth, feels the chill run down her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She hurries on down the hillside to the trees near the stream below.
Nimros looks ahead and spies an apple tree, laden with fruit. He swiftly moves forward to collect the fruit, his mind bent upon the task i his mind. Later he would reflect that he neglected to tell Elwing where he was going and even worse, he allowed himself to become distracted and parted from the Bearer of the Similarils, a mistake he would come to rue bittterly in days ahead.
As she hurries onward, Elwing the White suddenly feels a change in the atmosphere around her. All goes silent until the screeching of the seabirds forces her to look up.
Nimros rouses from sleep in which he was back at home, sleeping in the bed upstairs, the familar sounds and smells comforting him and lulling him into a belief that THIS were the illusion, that he was still in the Swanhaven, and in the distance, he could hear the complaints of the birds for which the realm was named, hungry for their breakfast, too.
Slowly, he blinks and yawns, and comes to the grim realization of where he is-- far away from that bed he now craves as he puts a hand on his lower back and twists and turns to work out the kinks. Rising, he slides off the mushroom, looks around, and spies Elwing the White. Making sure his footsteps are heard, he joins her.
Elwing hears the rustling of the grass close by and is awakened from her reverie, turning, she smiles and greets Nimros. "Good morrow Nimros, I trust you slept well!"
"Good morn, my Lady." He sits down beside her.
Elwing smiles again at the young elf. "Methinks we will have much to do to lie alseep and dream half this day away, Nimros. I suspect the two of us should begin foraging for supplies."
Nimros nods, looking about the skyline and peering up into the sky. A rumble from his stomach caused him to flush bright red and put a hand over his stomach. "If we hurry and gather well, then we can make the morning tide, I am sure, " he said.
Elwing taps her finger on her chin, stifling a chuckle at the grumbling stomach of her companion. "I think we should start with the apple trees close to the mountain path. They have been fruiting well since I arrived here. Oh, and you might like to try one of the fae cookies by the campfire up here before we make our way down to the forest floor. Here, let me show you." Elwing makes her way to the cookies at the campfire.
Nimros flushes a bit redder at her words but then casts her a rueful grin, his eyes boyishly sparkling. Jumping up he follows her steps.
"You may find these a trifle sweet, but they are filling."
Nimros looks at the cookies, the smell rising up and teasing his hungry stomach. Reaching for one, he bites into it and finds it warm. "Where ....who...I haven't seen anyone bring them?" he asks, his words clear despite the mouth full of cookie.
Elwing chuckles. "My dear Nimros, I question not the bounty of our hostess, Princess Fur. She sings to provide for all who reside here."
Nimros looks at Elwing, his eyes round. "Sings? She sings these into existence? "
Elwing gances back to the young elf. "I am not sure how she does it, Nimros. I just know that she has a natural magic which is of benefit to all."
Nimros nods and helps himself to another cookie. "I wish my mother could 'sing' cookies like these." He devoured the cookie and dusted the crumbs from his hands and shirt. "Is the Lady Echuir still abed?"
Elwing glances around at the shadowy bundle lying in the grass close by and holds a finger to her lips, "Shhhh, indeed she is, Nimros. Let's scribble her a note that we have gone to collect provisions and that we will meet her at the White Swallow for the coming tide."
Nimros looks over where Elwing indicates and sees the queen's sleeping form. Nodding, he lowers his voice and responds, "Do you have vellum, quill and ink, or should we find a thin bark of tree and a bit of bloodstone? I have seen both here."
"No need Nimros, Princess Fur has a few items stored in the treehouse over there." With that Elwing ducks into the treehouse on the skylet and finds parchment and quill. Shescribbles a short note to Lady Echuir. Leaving it beside the sleeping elven queen, she turns and beckons to Nimros, glancing at the red stone on which the tree house sits.
All seriousness now, the young elf nods and scans their little encampment. "This has been a most accommodating place, my Lady."
"Aye, Nimros, I shall miss being here but my concern for my uncle and my husband overshadows any lingering happiness. My guess is that I shall return here anon." Elwing descends to the tree fort below the skylet.
Nimros nods, his face growing soft with sadness. Moving up next to her, he spoke with a wistful voice. "I, too, miss my home, and I wish to hold my mother and let my father scold me once more for my lousy fishing net knots. And I am troubled for my King, your uncle." Watching her, he, too descends.
Continuing, Elwing climbs down the ladder and continues on her way to the forest floor, beckoning to Nimros to follow her. Nimros looks about the wooden structure. "I remember this from yestereve," he said.
Elwing nods. "Indeed, Nimros, I see you have an eye for detail."
Nimros beams with pride at the praise, but remains observant, and carefully follows close behind the Lady. It has struck him, deeply in whose presence he is in, and the tales he had heard of her heroic rescue of the simaril was the stuff of his dreams as a young elfling. The scent of her perfume mingles in the breeze with the scent of the blooming buds of the trees, and now, as they descent into the lower levels, remembers her cautions from before and tries to be ever watchful.
Elwing looks at the young fisher elf beside her and remembers something she had not yet explained to him. "Nimros, you must promise me that you do not stray from the forest and the paths when we are foraging. There are places on this isle where there have been strange occurrences - I know not what - I just know that something terrible once lived in the deep mountains and something still beckons to the unwary from deep within the bowels of the earth. You must promise me you will take great care!"
Nimros nods absently, the warning sounding much like the ones she gave last night. The forest was strange to him, and the land. Even the birds sounded different. He was far from home, and for all he has been travelling, landfall as been sporadic and confined to beaches and areas close to shore. But his mind was on a million things: the direction of the breeze, the low lying clouds, the rumbling of his belly, the question of how, still, to manage the trip home, the questions that come with thinking of home. Suddenly realizing she was waiting for a response, he answers, "Of course, Lady Elwing."
Satisfied with the reply from the young elf, she nods and continues on her way to the forest floor.
Deflty, Nimros silently follows her down. Elwing reaches the bottom of the rope and heads for the beach to see the White Swallow still moored close by. Nimros catches up to her and follows.
Elwing climbs the rise to wander past the small stone tavern. "If you are still hungry,Nimros, please take more food. I think it will be hard work for all of us this day."
Although his stomach is complaining, he shakes his head. "I think, my Lady, we should collect all the food we can...both prepared, and those nature gives us as soon as we may. The sooner we are on board, the easier I would feel." He blushes at confessing his impatience. "If we miss the morning tide, we would have to wait until sunset, and considering the coastline, I should rather to avoid that, begging your pardon." He swipes a bit of bread, however, blushing and offering half to Elwing." However, Lady, if you need to eat, of course," he finishes a bit abashed.
Elwing picks up some bread and flops an egg inside. She savours each bite as she walks up the mountain path looking for the apple trees she knows are fruiting. "I know you are right Nimros," she smiles, "I can't abide those cookies, however." She finishes as she eats the last morsel of her hurriedly constructed breakfast.
Sensing the young elf's haste, Elwing hurries up the path ahead of him, searching for the trees she knows are fruiting.
Nimros pockets the rest of the bread in a small pouch and runs after Elwing. Catching up to her, he matches his stride to her own, peering ahead curiously. As she climbs up the mountain path she remembers the eerie feeling of what she found inside the earth, feels the chill run down her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She hurries on down the hillside to the trees near the stream below.
Nimros looks ahead and spies an apple tree, laden with fruit. He swiftly moves forward to collect the fruit, his mind bent upon the task i his mind. Later he would reflect that he neglected to tell Elwing where he was going and even worse, he allowed himself to become distracted and parted from the Bearer of the Similarils, a mistake he would come to rue bittterly in days ahead.
As she hurries onward, Elwing the White suddenly feels a change in the atmosphere around her. All goes silent until the screeching of the seabirds forces her to look up.
Pushing ahead, Nimros draws close to the tree and pulls down an apple. He bites into it, experiementally. A little tart, but edible.Quickly scanning the area and finding nothing to use as a container, he peels off his jacket and makes a make-shift sling, in which to collect the fruit. Keeping the apple he bit into in his mouth, he reaches up and plucks all the apples within his reach. Another time he would climb the tree, but the hours are fleeing quickly, and he dare not waste a moment.
Dimly, he slowly comes to realize he feels a chill in the air that he had not felt before., but he waved it away as an umfamilarity with the area. Ahead he thinks he spotted other apple trees and perhaps berries. He sniffs the air, catching the salt of the sea, the perfume of flowering trees, the lazy aroma of pears, fallen and overripe somewhere ahead.
But as he gathers the fruit, he slowly began to feel anxious, apprehensive, the little hair on the back of his neck, exposed by his hastily done ponytail, standing up. Somewhere, in the distance, he marks the racuous call of seagulls and suddenly notices that the area he was in was quiet...too quiet. He stopps and looks around. Where was Elwing? Nimros looks abouts and calls softly, "Elwing?"
Nothing...Nimros whirls about. There is no sign of Lady Elwing. Nimros carefully takes the sling off his shoulder and set down the bundle of apples. Cautiously now, he moves ahead, sweeping his eyes from side to side. Surely she would not go back the way they came, with fruit and nuts avaiable here. With a blush, he moves forward. She must have gone on ahead, and he was oblivous to it. He quickens his pace, and rushes ahead, look around. "Elwing?" he calls again, more urgently. "I did not mean to fall beh---" Suddenly a darkness, unnatural and sudden, envelopes the young Teleri. And when it cleared, all that marked his presence was his abandoned jacket, full of apples.
Elwing turns and notices that Nimros is no longer following her. She quickly retraces her steps along the mountain path, a darkness descending on everything around her, the screeches of the seabirds louder and louder assailing her sensitive ears. Seeing the dark tunnel which she feared and the scattered apples lying wrapped in the discarded jacket of the young Teleri elf upon the cold grey stone ground in front of her, she realises the horrible truth. The young Teleri has somehow vanished.
With the prompts from her friends, the seabirds, and fearing for her sanity and the safety of Lady Echuir, Elwing runs as fast as her legs can carry her back down the mountain path, her lungs near to bursting from exertion. Reaching the enormous tree, she scrambles up the rope and races up the system of wooden ramps to the tree fort, then hurries to the fae skylet.
> Next Nimros
Dimly, he slowly comes to realize he feels a chill in the air that he had not felt before., but he waved it away as an umfamilarity with the area. Ahead he thinks he spotted other apple trees and perhaps berries. He sniffs the air, catching the salt of the sea, the perfume of flowering trees, the lazy aroma of pears, fallen and overripe somewhere ahead.
But as he gathers the fruit, he slowly began to feel anxious, apprehensive, the little hair on the back of his neck, exposed by his hastily done ponytail, standing up. Somewhere, in the distance, he marks the racuous call of seagulls and suddenly notices that the area he was in was quiet...too quiet. He stopps and looks around. Where was Elwing? Nimros looks abouts and calls softly, "Elwing?"
Nothing...Nimros whirls about. There is no sign of Lady Elwing. Nimros carefully takes the sling off his shoulder and set down the bundle of apples. Cautiously now, he moves ahead, sweeping his eyes from side to side. Surely she would not go back the way they came, with fruit and nuts avaiable here. With a blush, he moves forward. She must have gone on ahead, and he was oblivous to it. He quickens his pace, and rushes ahead, look around. "Elwing?" he calls again, more urgently. "I did not mean to fall beh---" Suddenly a darkness, unnatural and sudden, envelopes the young Teleri. And when it cleared, all that marked his presence was his abandoned jacket, full of apples.
Elwing turns and notices that Nimros is no longer following her. She quickly retraces her steps along the mountain path, a darkness descending on everything around her, the screeches of the seabirds louder and louder assailing her sensitive ears. Seeing the dark tunnel which she feared and the scattered apples lying wrapped in the discarded jacket of the young Teleri elf upon the cold grey stone ground in front of her, she realises the horrible truth. The young Teleri has somehow vanished.
With the prompts from her friends, the seabirds, and fearing for her sanity and the safety of Lady Echuir, Elwing runs as fast as her legs can carry her back down the mountain path, her lungs near to bursting from exertion. Reaching the enormous tree, she scrambles up the rope and races up the system of wooden ramps to the tree fort, then hurries to the fae skylet.
> Next Nimros