AelKennyr Rhiano and Canelle Nightfire
Olwe dresses conservatively, in some haste and threw his cape on one shoulder and attached it. He pauses, regarding the bedroom, which has been more prison than home these last few weeks. But amongst the tortured memories of the weeks past was the memories of sweeter times. So many tender moments, so many precious times. He casts one more look and then, straightening his shoulders, the Lord of Alqualonde goes to attend to one last detail before his departure. The Palace is quiet, empty, ghostlike, and winding through its many rooms, the several floors; he had not realized how full of life it had been...once...how many people claimed it as home and hearth. Descending down to the throne room, he crosses it, the padding of his steps overloud in the morning hush. Even the birds seem silent. Slowly, he looks at the throne upon he has sat for so many years...He looks about, as though to drink in the sight, thirsting for one more look, and then he wanders to the large balcony which over looks the silent Havens of the Swans.
There, looking out over the still Alqualonde was person he is seeking, and the last task he must undertake before he sails. Earwen stands on the balcony overlooking her father's kingdom and taking in the morning air blowing across from the ocean. He walks toward her, trying to assemble his face into one more pleasant of aspect and less grim. "Morrow, Daughter."
Earwen turns and faces her father. "Morrow, dear Papa." She smiles.
Olwe moves up to the rail besides her and smiles a little. "How are you this morn?" He keeps his tone light and bows his head so that she may not see too closely into his eyes.
"I am well Papa. I trust you are feeling somewhat better?" she replies, looking at her father with concern and tenderness showing in her face.
Olwe nods and places a hand over hers, squeezing lightly. "I am as fair as can be," he replies hurriedly, his voice light. He gives her a glance and tries a reassuring smile. "How lovely you are today, Earwen."
Earwen blushes a little and laughs lightly at her father's words. "You always say the sweetest things, Papa." She chuckles. "I must say you look as if you are making ready for a journey - pray tell where are you off to?"
Olwe looks down at his outfit and back up at his daughter, his face coloring a little. The plain blue of his outfit, devoid of any rich trim, and the plainness of his cloak must have revealed his purpose all too plainly. Coughing softly, he tucks her hand into the crook of his arm and leads her back inside. "I..we need to speak together, Earwen, " he says softly, the gravity of the situation now clear upon his face.
Earwen looks up in alarm at her father and sensing the seriousness of the situation, she follows him into the great palace of Alqualonde, her brow furrowing in puzzlement and her heart feeling fingers of ice tightening around it once again. Olwe leads into a side room, off to one side of the throne room and releases her arm. "Sit, sweet daughter," he beckons. Earwen sits in one of the arm chairs and leans towards her father attentively.
"Long you have been away from Alqualonde, creating your own life, with your own family in Tirion, but ever near my heart. Many fostered sons have I in the time you have been away, but only one heir, one child of my flesh to take the swan throne of Alqualonde should aught happen to me. I know your heart and your heartmate lies in Tirion. But things are not as they were."
Earwen looks at her father with a sense of dread, "What do you mean Papa?" she asks.
Olwe pauses and gestures to the book on the table. "All the history of our people, of the Teleri, is in that tome. All the laws, judgements, everthing that make us a people, lies between its covers. It sit there for the one who wears the pearl circlet and is sovereign of this realm."
Earwen nods. "Of course Papa, you have told me of this many times as I was growing into womanhood. But you are the sovereign still." she smiles at her dear Papa.
Olwe shifts a little in his seat, a soft hiss of pain escaping his lips before he continues. "Comet ...." he pauses, and a look of pain, of loss, of fear and uncertainty crosses his face. "Comet is in dread danger. I cannot remain here and do nothing. I must sail with all haste to Sylvahara."
Earwen begins to tremble, "Papa!" she cries. "You are not yourself. You are not well enough to take on this added danger!" she pleads.
"My sword must be her sword. My body must stand in defense. I must hasten to my cousin and prevent great wrong."
Olwe takes in a deep breath, shivering a little in the morning air. "I cannot fail her in this, Earwen." He looks pleadingly into her eyes. "I cannot leave her to stand alone."
Earwen nods sadly. The realisation of the enormity of the situation finally hitting home. "I understand dear Papa," she whispers resignedly. Getting to her feet she moves over to kneel at her fathers's side. "You must promise me Papa that you will take every precaution and come home well!"
Olwe slowly smiles and tenderly strokes her hair. "You must know how much I love you, Earwen. You must know how much you are my heart," he whispers softly. "How proud I am of my daughter.
Earwen wipes back a tear and nods. "You know I will be worrying about you every moment you are away from the Swanhaven, dear Papa." Earwen reaches up and touches his hand softly.
Olwe drops his hand from her hair and slowly reaches up and takes up the pearl circlet from his brow. "Long ago, Ulmo did bestow upon me a crow with three pearls of rare value and size and bade me lead the Teleri to Aman. There, upon its shore, he crowned me their king with the same circlet. " He raised the circlet above her head. "So now, daughter, I give you a circlet like mine own and name you my heir apparent." Olwe slowly brings the circlet down to rest upon her head. "Princess of the Teleri, it is your sovereign's will you sit as regent for this land in his stead, governing it according to its laws and traditions, forsaking allegiance to all others, and swearing to love, serve and protect it, to keep it for its people against my return." Olwe fixes his gaze upon her, kindly, but yet with resolve. "Should I not return, you will remain and assume the throne as Queen."
Olwe's feels his eyes fill with tears at the great burden now placed upon his daughter, his dearly loved child. He knows he asks her to sever herself from the land wherein lives home, hearth, husband, children, and he closes his eyes for a moment to summon the dread realization of the sacrifice to pass.
Earwen bows her head at the solemn words her father has spoken. "Fear not dearest Papa, sovereign Lord of the Teleri, your daughter will protect this land with her heart, body and soul. She will hold it in trust from all who would try to invade, cherish it as she has raised and cherished her children and care for those Teleri who find their way to their home shores. This I so swear."
"Then, Daughter, I go, in full and complete knowledge Alqualonde will be well. But if things advanced and you are threatened, with all speed take our people such as are here and flee quickly to Aman, to Tirion."
Earwen looks to her father and nods her head. "That I shall Papa, there they will be welcomed and be assured they will be taken care of."
Olwe nods, slowly and then raises from the Chair. He pulls his daughter into a fierce embrace and whispers, " I would not part you from your husband and children for any mortal thing, would I could do otherwise, Earwen. Know that, know that." He enfolds her in his arms, the sweet scent of her perfume mingling with the salt of the sea in the morning breeze.
"I know Papa," she replies as she throws her arms around his waist to hold him close. She looks to him with concern yet maintains a stern hold on her emotions for both their sakes.
Olwe kisses the top of her hair, as he did when she was a small child and for a moment, he holds tight. " I will return, Earwen, " he whispers. "I will." Then he gently pulls away from her.
Earwen smiles. "Please take no risks Papa and hurry back. You know I will be worrying after you." She kisses her Papa's cheek and stands back to allow him to leave, holding back the tears bravely.
Olwe gives her a smile and a boyish wink. "And if you are very good, " he says, giving her the line she heard many times in childhood. "I promise to bring back something just for you, little princess." With that he gives her one more smile, less sure, and quickly leaves, without a backward glance. But as he walks away, a hand slowly goes up to his cheek to wipe away a single tear, rolling down.
> Next
There, looking out over the still Alqualonde was person he is seeking, and the last task he must undertake before he sails. Earwen stands on the balcony overlooking her father's kingdom and taking in the morning air blowing across from the ocean. He walks toward her, trying to assemble his face into one more pleasant of aspect and less grim. "Morrow, Daughter."
Earwen turns and faces her father. "Morrow, dear Papa." She smiles.
Olwe moves up to the rail besides her and smiles a little. "How are you this morn?" He keeps his tone light and bows his head so that she may not see too closely into his eyes.
"I am well Papa. I trust you are feeling somewhat better?" she replies, looking at her father with concern and tenderness showing in her face.
Olwe nods and places a hand over hers, squeezing lightly. "I am as fair as can be," he replies hurriedly, his voice light. He gives her a glance and tries a reassuring smile. "How lovely you are today, Earwen."
Earwen blushes a little and laughs lightly at her father's words. "You always say the sweetest things, Papa." She chuckles. "I must say you look as if you are making ready for a journey - pray tell where are you off to?"
Olwe looks down at his outfit and back up at his daughter, his face coloring a little. The plain blue of his outfit, devoid of any rich trim, and the plainness of his cloak must have revealed his purpose all too plainly. Coughing softly, he tucks her hand into the crook of his arm and leads her back inside. "I..we need to speak together, Earwen, " he says softly, the gravity of the situation now clear upon his face.
Earwen looks up in alarm at her father and sensing the seriousness of the situation, she follows him into the great palace of Alqualonde, her brow furrowing in puzzlement and her heart feeling fingers of ice tightening around it once again. Olwe leads into a side room, off to one side of the throne room and releases her arm. "Sit, sweet daughter," he beckons. Earwen sits in one of the arm chairs and leans towards her father attentively.
"Long you have been away from Alqualonde, creating your own life, with your own family in Tirion, but ever near my heart. Many fostered sons have I in the time you have been away, but only one heir, one child of my flesh to take the swan throne of Alqualonde should aught happen to me. I know your heart and your heartmate lies in Tirion. But things are not as they were."
Earwen looks at her father with a sense of dread, "What do you mean Papa?" she asks.
Olwe pauses and gestures to the book on the table. "All the history of our people, of the Teleri, is in that tome. All the laws, judgements, everthing that make us a people, lies between its covers. It sit there for the one who wears the pearl circlet and is sovereign of this realm."Earwen nods. "Of course Papa, you have told me of this many times as I was growing into womanhood. But you are the sovereign still." she smiles at her dear Papa.
Olwe shifts a little in his seat, a soft hiss of pain escaping his lips before he continues. "Comet ...." he pauses, and a look of pain, of loss, of fear and uncertainty crosses his face. "Comet is in dread danger. I cannot remain here and do nothing. I must sail with all haste to Sylvahara."
Earwen begins to tremble, "Papa!" she cries. "You are not yourself. You are not well enough to take on this added danger!" she pleads.
"My sword must be her sword. My body must stand in defense. I must hasten to my cousin and prevent great wrong."
Olwe takes in a deep breath, shivering a little in the morning air. "I cannot fail her in this, Earwen." He looks pleadingly into her eyes. "I cannot leave her to stand alone."
Earwen nods sadly. The realisation of the enormity of the situation finally hitting home. "I understand dear Papa," she whispers resignedly. Getting to her feet she moves over to kneel at her fathers's side. "You must promise me Papa that you will take every precaution and come home well!"
Olwe slowly smiles and tenderly strokes her hair. "You must know how much I love you, Earwen. You must know how much you are my heart," he whispers softly. "How proud I am of my daughter.
Earwen wipes back a tear and nods. "You know I will be worrying about you every moment you are away from the Swanhaven, dear Papa." Earwen reaches up and touches his hand softly.
Olwe drops his hand from her hair and slowly reaches up and takes up the pearl circlet from his brow. "Long ago, Ulmo did bestow upon me a crow with three pearls of rare value and size and bade me lead the Teleri to Aman. There, upon its shore, he crowned me their king with the same circlet. " He raised the circlet above her head. "So now, daughter, I give you a circlet like mine own and name you my heir apparent." Olwe slowly brings the circlet down to rest upon her head. "Princess of the Teleri, it is your sovereign's will you sit as regent for this land in his stead, governing it according to its laws and traditions, forsaking allegiance to all others, and swearing to love, serve and protect it, to keep it for its people against my return." Olwe fixes his gaze upon her, kindly, but yet with resolve. "Should I not return, you will remain and assume the throne as Queen."
Olwe's feels his eyes fill with tears at the great burden now placed upon his daughter, his dearly loved child. He knows he asks her to sever herself from the land wherein lives home, hearth, husband, children, and he closes his eyes for a moment to summon the dread realization of the sacrifice to pass.Earwen bows her head at the solemn words her father has spoken. "Fear not dearest Papa, sovereign Lord of the Teleri, your daughter will protect this land with her heart, body and soul. She will hold it in trust from all who would try to invade, cherish it as she has raised and cherished her children and care for those Teleri who find their way to their home shores. This I so swear."
"Then, Daughter, I go, in full and complete knowledge Alqualonde will be well. But if things advanced and you are threatened, with all speed take our people such as are here and flee quickly to Aman, to Tirion."
Earwen looks to her father and nods her head. "That I shall Papa, there they will be welcomed and be assured they will be taken care of."
Olwe nods, slowly and then raises from the Chair. He pulls his daughter into a fierce embrace and whispers, " I would not part you from your husband and children for any mortal thing, would I could do otherwise, Earwen. Know that, know that." He enfolds her in his arms, the sweet scent of her perfume mingling with the salt of the sea in the morning breeze.
"I know Papa," she replies as she throws her arms around his waist to hold him close. She looks to him with concern yet maintains a stern hold on her emotions for both their sakes.
Olwe kisses the top of her hair, as he did when she was a small child and for a moment, he holds tight. " I will return, Earwen, " he whispers. "I will." Then he gently pulls away from her.
Earwen smiles. "Please take no risks Papa and hurry back. You know I will be worrying after you." She kisses her Papa's cheek and stands back to allow him to leave, holding back the tears bravely.
Olwe gives her a smile and a boyish wink. "And if you are very good, " he says, giving her the line she heard many times in childhood. "I promise to bring back something just for you, little princess." With that he gives her one more smile, less sure, and quickly leaves, without a backward glance. But as he walks away, a hand slowly goes up to his cheek to wipe away a single tear, rolling down.
> Next