Olwë Goes to Estelin

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Shawn Daysleeper and AelKennyr Rhiano

Estelin, the Teleri musican, who is Irmo, Lord of Dreams and Visions, is practicing upon the harp, playing the way he was instructed by the Vanyar, remembering the way they taught him some time ago.  Compared to the existence of his being, it wasn't very long ago at all, but now, in this form, he begins to realize the passage of time. Upon the table is some weak tea he managed to brew. He is beginning to take control of his Teleri physical form.

King Olwë

Under a blanket of stars lay the Swanhaven, each point of light twinkling brightly, much as they had once, in the Undying Lands, when Alqualonde was a glittering and vibrant city.  A cool breeze sweeps up from the harbor, dissipating the heat of the day, finally, and everywhere branches creaked and groaned as they trembled in answer, the leaves rustling. The wind moves like a sigh across the grass.  Olwe, Lord of Alqualonde and Tol Eressea, climbs up the rocky path, pausing only to look down over the forest as an owl gives a lonesome hoot and flies over an open space to find an unfortunate small mouse for his evening meal.  As always, his eyes roam lovingly over the city of the Teleri. When his eyes find the palace, he thinks of a few hours ago, in the heavy of the afternoon, when he found Elwing unconscious upon the palace balcony. When he left the palace, the dwarf mother had set about to tend her, but the brave Sindar princess was still unconscious.

A melody floats upon the breeze, causing the King of the Teleri to turn his head toward the sound. The music of a harp, played masterfully, the notes each precise and pure in tone. He catches the melody as he listens, and then hastens along the path to the door of the house wherein plays Estelin, who is, in truth, no other than the Lord of Dreams and Master of Visions.   For long moments, Olwe listens, music sweet as ripened fruit, clear as a warm blue ocean, touching as the coo of baby.  As the music fades away, and a last note played, Olwe reaches up a hand and knocks upon the wooden door.

Irmo, in disguise as Estelin

Estelin stirs from his thoughts as he hears the knock. Rising, he sets the harp on the table before him and instinctively goes to the door. He thought this was the proper procedure when someone arrived at his door. He opens it and sees Olwe, King of the Teleri, before him. "My Lord," he says and  bows.

Olwe could hear the sound of footsteps coming toward the door, and then it is opened, and there stands the disguised Lord of Dreams, looking for all the world as nothing more than a gentle musician who, although he loves to cook, could win a war simply by serving the opposing army supper. A smile curves Olwe's lips, for as time has progressed, he has grown to a fondness for the Vala. As he steps inside, his eyes take in the sparsely, elegantly furnished main room.  Close by, awaits Estelin, his hair mussed and disheveled, but the clothes impeccable. "Greeting, friend Estelin. I thank you for allowing me in." His eyes travel, openly, about the room before resting on the chairs." May we sit and talk?"

"Greetings, my King." Estelin returns the greeting, maintaining his Teleri custom. Olwe is aware of Irmo's disguise, but Irmo has decided it was best to remain Estelin. He smiles at Olwe's request. "Yes, let us sit and talk. I just brewed a pot of tea," he says as he gestures to the teaset on the table.

Olwe returns the smile, although it flags for a moment at the mention of tea.  Although the rest of the homes along this ridge are now abandoned, their owners are somewhere: Blessed Eru  must know, for the Lord of the Teleri did not. He steps forward and says in a normal voice, "I would be most honored." Then dropping his voice to the barest of murmurs, he whispers, "Please, my Lord, I need to speak with you."

Estelin notices Olwe's whisper, and realises something must be concerning the King. He takes his seat and nods for Olwe to do the same. Changing his tone, he whispers, "Please, Olwe, speak your concerns."

Olwe bows his head and slowly takes the other seat, his eyes drifting over the items on the table until he raises his gaze and meets the eyes of the Lord of Visions. "My  Lord, " he says softly. "I was with Nole and Elenwe today. The swordmaiden's skills are considerable, but she lacks the training her sisters would have given her, and I am but a poor substitute." He leans forward in the chair and  rests his hands in his lap. "My Lord, your sister's absence - Apakenwe's absence- has been noticed and remarked upon. Indeed, when I count back the days since she was last seen, I find I wonder at her sudden disappearance. Alqualonde is an island, now, and all the swanboats are docked in the harbor. She cannot have left by means available to the Children, and Elenwe and Nole are growing concerned." He pauses, and raises a hand to rub a finger at a knot in the wood of the table. "I must confess my concern as well."

The disguised Vala looks down as Olwe rubs on the table. Days? He wondered, How long had it been since his sister vanished from Alqualonde? To Irmo, the concept of time is certainly new to him and before now it did not warrant his attention. He speaks. "Apakenwe is seeing to a concern of Lord Manwe. I do not know when she will return."

Olwe looks up, blue eyes the color of the sea surrounding the Swanhaven.  "My Lord, I am being asked whether a search party should be formed to look for her." He straightens up in his chair, pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and chews on it a moment as his brow furrows.  "Some explanation for her absence must be found, one that Elenwe and the others will believe."

Estelin nods, understanding the issue at hand. "I will make contact with Nienna and find out her situation. Once I find out from her when she will return, we may be able to come up with a reasonable explanation for her absence."

Olwe nods, visibly relieved. "My Lord, " Olwe responds. The Teleri Lord is curious, but Olwe would not presume to ask Lord Irmo ... Estelin ... for more than he has been chosen to receive in the way of information. Instead his mind turns to the slumbering dragon down below. "I think that Dometis is healed enough to take his leave of us and continue on his quest." He pauses. "What think you?"

Estelin can see Olwe's relief. However, the disguised Vala is concerned that he was not able to contact his sister on his earlier attempt, but now he must be able to sense and communicate with her.. He nods to Olwe's question, relieved himself at the change in topic. "Dometis has indeed improved his health and is certainly on the mend; enough for him to depart to where he will."

Olwe is silent a moment and then asks, "My Lord, are the dreams of dragons as clear to you as the dreams of the Children? Are there many, free of the Dark's Lord's taint, like Dometis? Could it be that they, though not Children of Eru, still fight with us against that which is coming?"

Estelin closes his eyes in thought and speaks slowly "the dreams of dragons are clear to me," he speaks, choosing his words carefully considering what Olwe should know. "The world is not split into only two paths, one of light and one of darkness. Many of these beasts follow paths made for themselves, independent of any other master. While these could become potential allies, there are others yet that seek out the way of light. The dragons are every bit as complex as the other species of Arda."

Olwe watches the Lord of Dreams close his eyes as he responds to the question.  Carefully he looks at Estelin's face and sees the careworn lines about the eyes and brow, the more relaxed lines about the mouth. He thinks back to the conversation with Nole and Elenwe. "It is not easy to clothe yourself as one of us  and live as we do, is it, my Lord?" He asks, his voice respectful and cautious. "We must seem limited and clumsy to you."

"The Children have their own strengths far different than ours. I am clumsy in your world, as Nole has kindly told me. My cooking, he says, leaves much to be desired. While I eat it, he says that the taste is not very good. It seems my sense of taste is not like yours. There, that is one way i am more limited than you."

Olwe blushes at the words and lowers his gaze a moment. "Forgive me, Lord Irmo. Not for the world would I offend you, but by far your hands are more graceful with the harp than the skillet."

Estelin smiles at Olwe's words. He looks at the harp on the table, recalling the day his sister and he went to the Vanyar and learned music. His thoughts go back to his sister: where could she be?

 Olwe slowly rises from his seat, bowing his head in respect. "Pardon me, my Lord.  Thank you for speaking with me. I should return to the palace. Elwing has returned to Alqualonde." Here he pauses, and his mouth turns downward, his eyes revealing a hint of concern. "I found her, collapsed, upon the great balcony of the palace, unconscious. She still was when I left to come here." He pauses, his blue eyes regarding the disguised Lord of Dreams for a moment. His voice, when he next speaks, is thoughtful and his words measured. "I would not have even seen her, but a voice called for help, and I went in answer to it." He steps out away from the table. "The problem though, my Lord, is that it was Elwing's voice, and there were no others about. It is a voice I have never before heard." His eyes rest upon Estelin's face. "Good night, my Lord. Sleep well."

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