Rhûn Darkmoon and Lihan Taifun
Aule looks deeply into those green eyes a moment longer and then slowly nods."As you wish. We must do it slowly though, else I fear you would find it all too overwhelming. So we shall begin a little at a time, and I shall control it until you are comfortable with what you feel. I shall keep hold of your hand to help the connection, but you must open your mind to me and let me build what is needed. Then I shall open each path a little at a time. Do you trust me with this, Nienna? Will you let me guide you in this thing?"Nienna looks back. "Of course. You are Vala. How could you do ill?"
Aule nods. "Good." He settles her hand more firmly in his own and fastens his dark eyes upon hers. "Now you must open your mind. Let all your shields and barriers relax, and let mine join with yours fully. Let your eyes close and picture your mind open and welcoming. Breathe deeply and relax. That's it."
His voice had become a mere whisper by the time he felt her mind open before his own. With the gentle touch of a summer's breeze he wound his way through her thoughts and memories as he searched for where he must build. He works swiftly for he knew well how draining such work could be on both of them if he tarried overlong, yet still he took the time to make sure that he built well. Satisfied at last, his voice still a mere whisper he says, "It is done. I shall withdraw now and leave a small control connection only. For now I have left all the major pathways closed, but I am about to open the one for your sense of touch in this hand I am holding. I will open it slowly until you can fully feel my hand as it holds yours. Open your eyes now, Nienna, and let yourself feel my hand."
Nienna follows the sound of Aule's voice, back from the fuzzy mental sensations while he was working within her mind. Her hand ... yes ... she stares at her hand, wide-eyed in wonder. The pressures are different on different parts of her hand, where it rests in Aule's. The breeze is soft and cool against her palm. "The mortals feel this?" she whispers in awe.
Aule watches her reactions carefully, ready to lower the input to her mind if necessary. Instead he finds himself smiling at her wide-eyed wonder. He lifts his other hand and again strokes the back of hers, watching her response. "Yes, Nienna, the mortals feel this. And this is just a small part of what they feel."
"Amazing," she whispers. "So delicate."
Aule finds himself smiling again at her wonder, "This is just your hand. Are you ready to try the rest of your body now?"
"There is more? How can you handle so much at once?"
Aule nods, the smile still on his lips as he says, "There is indeed much more. Think on it like the far vision we have when we do not have this mortal form. We see so much then yet are quite accustomed to it. This is the same. Your body and brain will become accustomed to all that you perceive through your senses. Now I will open the path for the rest of your skin, slowly, so it is not too much. It will feel strange at first."
Nienna relaxes, and allows Aule to open more pathways to her senses. A wave of awareness creeps up her arm from the awakened hand. Strange sensations indeed! The breeze flutters against her arm. The intricate gold cuff on her arm presses cold and hard against the skin. Breeze tosses her hair against her neck. Her dress is a pressure against her shoulders, her stomach, her hips. Her skin ... her skin is all around her, forming a shape that "she" is within.
Her feet have a most unpleasant and insistent sensation. "Ow," she gasps, shifting her weight away from the sensation. That makes the other foot worse, and she staggers, off balance.
Aule reaches out swiftly with his other hand to steady Nienna as he sees her stagger. He had been watching for just such a reaction as he'd sensed the wave of awareness sweep over her though the connection he still maintained with her mind. "Steady now." His voice is gentle and encouraging, so different to the tone it had taken on in recent times. "It will settle in a moment. Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly."
Nienna dutifully takes a breath, and lets it out with a gasp. "It pokes on my feet! The ground," she rasps.
Aule's eyes twinkle in amusement at the outrage in Nienna's voice, but he suppresses the smile that twitches at the corner of his mouth as he says, "Try again, little one. Take a breath and let it out slooowly." He draws the word out for emphasis, "Help your body adjust. It will be harder if you do not."
Nienna tries again. Inhale -- she can feel her ribs expand as the air moves into her lungs. Her dress tightens around her ribs, limiting the depth of her breath. Exhale -- the air flows out through her nose, and the dress becomes less constrictive. He is right, this helps. She takes another breath, inhaling and exhaling, and nods.
Aule watches Nienna closely as she follows his instructions. He feels her relax through the connection they share and gives a small satisfied nod. "Good." He glances down the road and points with his chin. "There is a lake not far yonder which would make a good place to camp for the night. I do not think we should walk you too far without some protection for those feet of yours. If we camp there tonight, I shall fashion some footwear for you. It will make the rest of the journey easier."
He looks down into Nienna's face, seeing all the wonder there as she discovers the feel of her skin. "Come, Nienna, walk with me to the lake. It is but a short way, and as we walk together I will show you more of what it means to have a mortal body."
He settles her hand in his, half to maintain the connection and half to steady her as she learns her new senses and gives it a gentle tug to begin the short walk to the lake.
Nienna takes a tentative step forward, gingerly putting weight onto a foot on the uneven surface of the path. Her foot is experiencing sensation, but not actually pain. Just a distraction. She takes another step. Her balance feels off -- not the way it was when she learned to walk in a physical body. She clutches Aule's hand tighter, to steady herself, and hobbles beside him, conscious of every twig under her feet, of her dress brushing her legs, of the sunlight warming her skin.
Aule smiles and nods encouragingly as Nienna takes those first few hesitant steps beside him. She would adjust the more she used her body, he knew. The walk to the lake would not be too arduous for her, and her body would do more adjusting overnight as she slept. Matching his stride to her halting steps he turns his eyes towards their destination, their ultimate destination, the Halls of Mandos. Soon, his heart sang. Soon he could return and be at peace.
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