Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams - Discussion

[littlemanpoet]

I'll start up an Ædegard good-bye, and a Raefindan as well. Tonight.

[littlemanpoet]

I've added to the now gargantuan post # 739 on the Tapestry One thread. But it needs Nuru to write for Leafa.

Here's what I have so far:

By day's end the men were ready. All that remained was to bid farewell.

Ædegard

Ædegard asked Leafa to walk in the garden beside the Inn. From there one could look out over the heights of the Third Circle to the vista of plains, river, forest, and mountains, the sickle moon rising above the Ephel Duath in a clear night sky.

"Maybe we will not be long, Leafa," Ædegard said presently. "Maybe you and I will soon be on our way to find your father."

Nuru, can you pick up where I left off, here on the discussion thread? When we've written a proper farewell conversation, I can edit it into the post.

And while we're at it:

Raefindan

Raefindan strolled toward the home of Mellondu and Mellonin with the purpose of bidding farewell to his new friend and promising to keep a human eye out for her brother. It was a pleasant, well kept dwelling, as stone buildings in Minas Anor went (for he remembered that the old name had come back into usage by rule of the King).

He knocked on the door and waited.

Your turn, Helen!

[Nurumaiel]

lmp, thanks. I'll do my best to have the rest to you within the next day or two.

[mark12_30]

(Watch-- the sophistication with which I reply! How elegantly I will say this! Ready?)

"lmp-- Ditto."

*bows* Thank you, thank you.

(I must be in a really wierd mood. I hope nobody's taking notes.)

...........And I never did find my bowstring.
..............The good news is, the local archery guy can ake me a new one.
.....................But it won't be natural Hempen Twine.

[Nurumaiel]

lmp, I'm sorry it took so long to get this to you! Hopefully it suffices for a proper farewell.

------------

Leafa turned her eyes to Ædegard, a low sigh escaping her. "I hope we shall find him," she said. "Rather, I hope we can. I could not say where he might be. He might even be here in Gondor while we speak."

There was a small pause, and during that silence Leafa was deep in thought. It was a sorrowful contemplation, for she was very much troubled, and at length she sighed again.

"Leafa?" said Ædegard, a loving concern in his voice which dispelled some of the chill in her heart. "What worries you?"

"It is my father who concerns me," she replied.

"You fear he will not give his consent?"

"Oh, no! I fear no such thing, and am almost sorry for it." She smiled when she observed the expression on his face. "Of course I would wish for him to accept you. And yet, at the same time I wish there were some chance that he would not."

Ædegard remained silent, but his eyes questioned.

"How may I explain it?" Leafa said. "His consent will be given without thought. He will not reflect on whether or not you are a strong and upright man, and whether or not you will be a good husband to me. Were you a low scoundrel his consent would come with no less reluctance. My father loves me, and at the same time, he does not care."

She turned and bent over some of the garden bushes to hide the tears that she could not keep from shining in her eyes. For a few moments she played with the leaves, breaking them off and letting them fall to the ground, while Ædegard looked on without a word.

"When Liornung offered me the chance of going with him and the rest of your group," she went on after a time, "I saw not only that chance, but also the chance to settle down to a quiet life when your quest was done. My father loves the life of the wayfarers, but I do not. Nor does my mother, though she follows him, for her love for him is greater than her wish for a peaceful life. He loves the both of us dearly, but not enough. The call to travel means more to him than the silent pleading of my mother's eyes."

She straightened up, and let a few more leaves fall to the ground. "But I hope that our union will be the means of his return. Perhaps he will come live near us, and quit his wanderings. I hope with all my heart that it may be so."
"As do I, Leafa," said Ædegard, with all gentleness in his tone, for despite all efforts, her tears had not gone unnoticed.

She turned back to him, and taking his hand, attempted a smile. "Yet why am I so gloomy at this time, when you are soon to leave? Your memories of me on the road should not be of a tear-filled and miserable girl."

She looked up at him, and he down at her, and they remained standing that way for some time. Time and again she tried to speak, to express her love, and her longings for his return, but she found it impossible. And so at last, she shook her head and laughed.

"I cannot speak," she said. "Words cannot suffice to tell all that is in my heart. I fear that I can make no passionate speeches fit for this time. I try to speak, but nothing will come." The merry flickering faded suddenly from her eyes, and was replaced with a tender and sorrowful earnestness. "Farewell, dear Ædegard. Return to me soon. I will wait for you."

And she bent and kissed his hand.

[littlemanpoet]

That's a beautiful post, Nuru. Just two minor things: (1) I thought Leafa's mother was dead. Am I wrong? (2) I'd like to insert just a brief answer from Ædegard toward the end of your post:

"I cannot speak," she said. "Words cannot suffice to tell all that is in my heart. I fear that I can make no passionate speeches fit for this time. I try to speak, but nothing will come." The merry flickering faded suddenly from her eyes, and was replaced with a tender and sorrowful earnestness. But Ædegard smiled gently.

"I need no great speeches, Leafa, my heart. Your eyes say all I need."

She smiled then. "Farewell, dear Ædegard. Return to me soon. I will wait for you."

Okay for me to do that, Nuru?

[Nurumaiel]

lmp, I read through the thread and it appears that Leafa's mother is still alive and well, though unhappy with her life as a wayfarer.

And yes, by all means insert Ædegard's answer!

[littlemanpoet]

I've edited in the Ædegard/Leafa post. Let me know if I need to change anything.

Helen, soon as you get back here with something, I'll see what Raefindan can do with it.

[mark12_30]

Raefindan

Raefindan strolled toward the home of Mellondu and Mellonin with the purpose of bidding farewell to his new friend and promising to keep a human eye out for her brother. It was a pleasant, well kept dwelling, as stone buildings in Minas Anor went (for he remembered that the old name had come back into usage by rule of the King).

He knocked on the door and waited.

Mother opened the door, and smiled. "Good Raefindan, welcome. Please, sit down." She faded into the back room, and soon emerged with Mellonin and Father.

"Raefindan. It was good of you to come, " said Mellonin.

Raefindan blinked at her newfound formality. "Mellonin?" He hesitated.

She smiled. "Forgive me. But I will miss you. I assume you have come to bid farewell. All is set for your departure, then, " she said, nodding, trying to sound as if she was not jealous, not envious, nor the least bit resentful to be staying behind. "Between Ravion and the elves, you will be very well guided. You will take up your archery lessons again?"

Raefindan smiled. "Perhaps I will not be the only one. Ravion was admiring Mellondu's fine bow. A ranger's bow, he said, of good workmanship. "

Father bowed slightly.

Mellonin hesitated. "Perhaps I will learn to shoot, while you are away. And then perhaps when you return..." Suddenly she laughed, and drew a hand over her eyes. "What am I saying. I will have plenty to keep me busy; the Inn is thriving, and I am busy all day long. Safe travels, Raefindan. May the Valar guide your path. Return home safely. All of you. I look forward to your return." She stood as if to leave, as the triple passions of mirth, grief, and desolation vied to rule her.

[littlemanpoet]

I'll try to squeeze in some time to take care of things regarding Raefindan today.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Here's a post for Nethwador/Bella. If anything isn't right about it or if you want to add/subtract (Helen), go right ahead. I guess it should go somewhere in the mondo-huge post with all the other goodbyes.

---

“I do not want to stay here,” Bellyn murmured from where she sat, in the main room of the Seventh Star. Nethwador stood next to her, and when she rose from her seat and shouldered the small pack which she had carried all the way from Rohan many days earlier, the boy looked at her with furrowed brows.

“Nethwador mellon Bella,” said he, fervently. He spoke this one phrase, which he had often said on the road, with a wonderful certainty.

Bellyn nodded. “I know. But you have to go. Because Nethwador is also the friend of Amroth…and Amroth needs you now.” Bellyn went to the door, Nethwador close behind. She opened the door and felt the harsh, crisp breeze hit her cheeks.

“I will see you again, I promise,” Bellyn said, turning to Nethwador. She said this, more of a reassurance to her own worried mind than for Nethwador. Bellyn took Nethwador in an embrace, a quick embrace; for she felt her eyes suddenly begin to water. Then she turned away, off down the road she needed to take to get to the home of her nephew and her brother’s wife.

“Nethwador mellon Bella!” She heard, from behind. Bellyn paused. She turned around and ran back to the door of the Seventh Star, where Nethwador stood, and she flung her arms around him once more. It was a tight embrace, and Bellyn did not know how long it lasted before she withdrew, smiled, and turned away once more down the street.

The walk felt longer than when she had visited her sister-in-law earlier. When she reached the door once again, she felt the wind running through her hair as she knocked. Rosa opened the door, and Bellyn entered, saying goodbye to nights under the stars and to the promise of a new adventure every morning.

---

-Aylwen

[littlemanpoet]

I'll wait for you two to finalize it before adding it to the "mondo-huge" post.

EDIT: I'll add it now. If there's anything else anyone feels needs doing, now's the time to say it; otherwise, seems to me we've covered it all. Yes? No?

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

I'm good with everything.

Where is everyone?

[mark12_30]

Nethwador watched Bella go.

Taitheneb watched Nethwador. There had been many late-night discussions between the boy and the elf over the past two days. He felt the boy's heartache well enough without touching his mind. Perhaps he felt it more than he wanted to. But no; the boy needed a friend, now more than ever. He waited. Bella disappeared from sight. Nethwador seemed poised to run after her.

Taitheneb sighed; then he smiled.

The boy wavered, and suddenly ran out the door, rounding the bend in the road 'til he could see her once more. But he did not call her name; he only watched her walking, til she slipped out of sight once more. Again he ran after her; again he watched, til she disappeared from his sight. Several folk gave him odd looks, and a few soldiers frowned. Again he pursued her.

By the time Rosa opened the door for Bella, Nethwador was wearier than he could ever remember being. He saw her disappear within Rosa's house, and stood for a while. Taitheneb watched over him, and Nethwador clung to the elf's gaze. His heart had never been so heavy. Slowly he walked back. When he came to the door of the Inn, Taitheneb was waiting for him.

Taitheneb thought that now, perhaps, Nethwador understood Amroth a little bit better. Nethwador looked up, startled; there was more in that thought than Taitheneb knew at first.

You?

Yes, little brother. You understand Lord Amroth. And perhaps now you understand me as well.

They went into the Inn, and together they sat silently by the fire, long into the night, til all the other folk had gone to bed. Finally Nethwador, weary from heartache, fell asleep on the hearth. Only then, in the red ember glow did Taitheneb allow three tears to fall. One, he reasoned, for Nethwador. One for Amroth. One last tear fell because his long years apart from his own wife had not yet ended.

Then he stirred, stood, and added some wood to the fire, watching over Nethwador til dawn.

'*****************************************

Originally Posted by lmp

seems to me we've covered it all

Weary nod. We can always pick at it for a while. But let's call it "Mostly done", and move on.

[littlemanpoet]

Okay, added, Helen.

So now it's time to move on? In the new discussion thread?

[mark12_30]

Yes, I think so.

Let's leave Book 1 in Gondor, though, until Book 2 is quite established. We found (in the Lonely Star) that there was quite a bit of "woops, irt would have been good if we had done such and so" in a previous book, and we often did just that-- went back and corrected it. So let's leave room for that possibility.

But yes-- the new thread for Book 2 is now open.

I wish we had Alak, but we can carry her characters 'til she resurfaces. Let's press on.

[mark12_30]

***bump***

[littlemanpoet]

*bumped*

[piosenniel]

Is there a reason this thread is being bumped?

Is there something I can do for you?

~*~ Pio

[mark12_30]

Why, thank you for the interest, Pio. However, it is just because we are winding down in Book 2, and we will be revisiting some of the material in the process. So we all needed a review. We were bringing it up so that it would be handily accessible.

However, I also added a pair of links to the book 2 discussion thread. So no worries. Thank you.

Is all well with you?

[piosenniel]

For the time being, this thread will be stashed safely in Elvenhome.

It may be resurrected upon request.

~*~ Pio