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AelKennyr Rhiano
To Ulmonan, the underwater palace of Ulmo, Valr of the Waters of World, came Unien, the Maia of the Sea and wife of Ossë'. Beloved she was of the Teleri, and much love she bore them. Bitter the tears she wept at the kinslaying at Alqualondë, but now her tears caused the seas of the world to rise, so deeply she mourned their disappearance and lamented the torment of their Mariner King. Now came she unto her Lord, her hair a net upon the waters, masking her grief-stricken face. "Lord Ulmo, " she greeted, and the waters carried her dismay to him.
Furrowing his mighty brow, Ulmo rose from his seat, and climbed down his dias to peer into her anxious face. "Speak, Lady of the Sea, Cherished of Ossë, what news of Alqualondë, from thy husband?" he commanded.
She sank, graceful, down before him, head bowed. "Dread news, my Lord," she replied. "Blood once more stains the docks of the Swanhaven, Teleri blood, Olwe's own."
The waters swirled about the great Valar of the Seas, and his eyes grew dark as the most terrible of sea storms. "How came this blood to be shed, Unien?" he asked, his voice the more terrible for its calmness.
"My husband bid me tell you, that by no mortal hand was Olwe's blood shed. He was returning the surplus fish unto the seas, since the elves that remain in the Swanhaven had gathered all they needed, and he beheld Olwe and a small company of Teleri gathered upon the docks, as though to set sail. As he watched, one of our own appeared, and as he drew closer to hear, the name of the Steersman of the Moon dropped from the lips of the Ainu, as a drop of water into the seas." She paused, the motion of the whirling waters pushed her hair clear of her face and Ulmo saw the anguish that rested heavy upon the Maia.
"My Lord, the mere mention of Tilion's name brought great wounds to the Teleri king and such pain did he suffer that he was rendered unconscious. Yet still, for all that, he spoke of love e'er he lost his senses."
Ulmo remembered the words of the Lord of Dreams, spoken to him: "His hair is wild and his eyes sunken. And... and his skin is broken by crevaces, from which blood freely pours. His kin are constantly treating these injuries, but they return often without hinderance."
"Great Lord of the Seas, surely he cannot continue to endure such pain?" asks Unien, slient pleading in her eyes.
"It sounds as though his very life is being drained from him," murmured Ulmo to Irmo when they had talked. It seemed now, that his words were akin to prophesy.
Ulmo reached out his hand and pulled the Maia from the floor of his palace, where she had sunk in great despair. "To Irmo, Unien, speed and bring word from me. Tell him, hasten to Alqualondë, with his wife Este, for Olwe cannot endure much longer. Tell him what you have learned of Olwe's Cousin, Comet, that she again is possessed fully of her power in Sylvahara but fragile is the balance and precarious is her hold as darkness falls across the world. Say unto Lord Irmo that the Lord of West has heard the words of the Lord of Dreams. He says that the time is fast approaching for Olwe's note in the Song of Creation to be sung, and only Olwe can give that note voice.
"Tell my brother, Irmo, that Manwe has not spoken on the matter of the questioning of Melkor, though the Great Deceiver lies still imprisoned. Tell him also, that Manwe's reason for keeping the Steersman of the Moon apart from Olwe is known only to Blessed Eru and to Manwe himself. But I saw the Lord of the West heave a sigh that was felt throughout Aman, and his eyes filled with a heavy sorrow."
The Lady of the Seas bowed her head in obedience, her hair a halo about her gentle aspect. "I shall do so, speedily, my Lord," she replied.
Ulmo rose to his full stature, a great wave of churning water, the bottom of Vai groaning, as he adorned himself in his glittering green armour, and took up his great horn Ulumuri. Into his palace, rushed Ossë, ocean water swirling and roiling in his wake, his face flushed and lips pursed. "Lord Ulmo," he said, and schools of fish, returned to the seas from the banks of the Swanhaven, darted by him and rushed through the palace halls. "Send me, my Lord! Let my hand smash the prison of the Great Deceiver, let me ...."
"Peace, Ossë, and still thy voice," commanded Ulmo. "Stay you close by the Lord of the Teleri. Watch over Olwe from afar."
The Lord of Sea Storms stilled his tongue, but his anger still was clear upon his darkened expression. "As my Lord commands," he murmured, a sullenness in the words. "But he has already the Lady Nienna and Lord Ir..."
"I did not ask thy counsel, rebellious one, " roared Ulmo. "Hasten back to the haven of the Swans, and keep watch over it and its king. His life is now a frail thread in Vaire's tapestry." Ulmo moved as a huge undertow toward the doors of his palace.
"And you, my Lord?" askes Unien, meekly, a hand upon her husband's arm to quiet him, lest he stir the Lord of Waves to wrath. "May I ask whither you go?"
Like the etermal movement of the sea itself, Ulmo stopped not but answered her as he rolled through his great hall. "I go to Vana," he said.
"It is time."
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Furrowing his mighty brow, Ulmo rose from his seat, and climbed down his dias to peer into her anxious face. "Speak, Lady of the Sea, Cherished of Ossë, what news of Alqualondë, from thy husband?" he commanded.
She sank, graceful, down before him, head bowed. "Dread news, my Lord," she replied. "Blood once more stains the docks of the Swanhaven, Teleri blood, Olwe's own."
The waters swirled about the great Valar of the Seas, and his eyes grew dark as the most terrible of sea storms. "How came this blood to be shed, Unien?" he asked, his voice the more terrible for its calmness.
"My husband bid me tell you, that by no mortal hand was Olwe's blood shed. He was returning the surplus fish unto the seas, since the elves that remain in the Swanhaven had gathered all they needed, and he beheld Olwe and a small company of Teleri gathered upon the docks, as though to set sail. As he watched, one of our own appeared, and as he drew closer to hear, the name of the Steersman of the Moon dropped from the lips of the Ainu, as a drop of water into the seas." She paused, the motion of the whirling waters pushed her hair clear of her face and Ulmo saw the anguish that rested heavy upon the Maia.
"My Lord, the mere mention of Tilion's name brought great wounds to the Teleri king and such pain did he suffer that he was rendered unconscious. Yet still, for all that, he spoke of love e'er he lost his senses."
Ulmo remembered the words of the Lord of Dreams, spoken to him: "His hair is wild and his eyes sunken. And... and his skin is broken by crevaces, from which blood freely pours. His kin are constantly treating these injuries, but they return often without hinderance."
"Great Lord of the Seas, surely he cannot continue to endure such pain?" asks Unien, slient pleading in her eyes.
"It sounds as though his very life is being drained from him," murmured Ulmo to Irmo when they had talked. It seemed now, that his words were akin to prophesy.
Ulmo reached out his hand and pulled the Maia from the floor of his palace, where she had sunk in great despair. "To Irmo, Unien, speed and bring word from me. Tell him, hasten to Alqualondë, with his wife Este, for Olwe cannot endure much longer. Tell him what you have learned of Olwe's Cousin, Comet, that she again is possessed fully of her power in Sylvahara but fragile is the balance and precarious is her hold as darkness falls across the world. Say unto Lord Irmo that the Lord of West has heard the words of the Lord of Dreams. He says that the time is fast approaching for Olwe's note in the Song of Creation to be sung, and only Olwe can give that note voice.
"Tell my brother, Irmo, that Manwe has not spoken on the matter of the questioning of Melkor, though the Great Deceiver lies still imprisoned. Tell him also, that Manwe's reason for keeping the Steersman of the Moon apart from Olwe is known only to Blessed Eru and to Manwe himself. But I saw the Lord of the West heave a sigh that was felt throughout Aman, and his eyes filled with a heavy sorrow."
The Lady of the Seas bowed her head in obedience, her hair a halo about her gentle aspect. "I shall do so, speedily, my Lord," she replied.
Ulmo rose to his full stature, a great wave of churning water, the bottom of Vai groaning, as he adorned himself in his glittering green armour, and took up his great horn Ulumuri. Into his palace, rushed Ossë, ocean water swirling and roiling in his wake, his face flushed and lips pursed. "Lord Ulmo," he said, and schools of fish, returned to the seas from the banks of the Swanhaven, darted by him and rushed through the palace halls. "Send me, my Lord! Let my hand smash the prison of the Great Deceiver, let me ...."
"Peace, Ossë, and still thy voice," commanded Ulmo. "Stay you close by the Lord of the Teleri. Watch over Olwe from afar."
The Lord of Sea Storms stilled his tongue, but his anger still was clear upon his darkened expression. "As my Lord commands," he murmured, a sullenness in the words. "But he has already the Lady Nienna and Lord Ir..."
"I did not ask thy counsel, rebellious one, " roared Ulmo. "Hasten back to the haven of the Swans, and keep watch over it and its king. His life is now a frail thread in Vaire's tapestry." Ulmo moved as a huge undertow toward the doors of his palace.
"And you, my Lord?" askes Unien, meekly, a hand upon her husband's arm to quiet him, lest he stir the Lord of Waves to wrath. "May I ask whither you go?"
Like the etermal movement of the sea itself, Ulmo stopped not but answered her as he rolled through his great hall. "I go to Vana," he said.
"It is time."
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