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High_Queen_of_Númenor
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Post ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 14, 2006 07:47
Hi! I'm brand new here...and here goes nothing!

This is my idea: I've always wondered about Beleg, friend of Turin and Marchwarden of Doriath. Little is said about his personal life. I thought is would be neat to explore his earlier years (back when he was just a marchwarden and not their Chief) and what relationships he might have had.

This is the story of two young elves, Beleg and his "childhood sweetheart", Almárië. It tells how a frienship grew to be something more and how Beleg was forced to balance duty with love when fate threatens to take his beloved away forever. Romance, action, drama, & adventure! It's all welcome!

But there are a few rules:

-no half elves or mortals, except those mentioned by name in the Silmarillion.
-decent sized posts please; 100 word minimum
-have fun!
-be creative, none of that mysterious wanderer, pop out from behind a tree fluff, please.

Almárië's profile is here:

here

~*~*~

Song drifted from the Queen's chamber, filling her handmaiden's head with ethereal visions of things she'd never seen.

Melian sang of the light of Aman and the radiance of the Two Trees, the image of which filled young Almárië's head with wonder.

Almárië could not rest while brilliant dreams like these danced in her head, so she rose from the bed and crossed the room. Quietly she slipped from the chamber and down the long, dark corridor until she felt the night wind and moonlight on her skin.

Out into the dusky glade she walked, inhaling the scent of night-blooming flowers. She wandered slowly along many winding paths, deeper and deeper into the woods.

When the night grew still aound her, Almárië began to sing a song of her own, a hymn of praise to starlight and growing things, to Varda and Yavanna.

She had gone a long way when her song startled a doe from its bedding place. Almárië laughed and sprinted after the deer, keeping pace with the animal for several leagues when suddenly her myrth betrayed her and she tripped.

Almárië tumbled headlong into a bed of fern and clover, unhurt but out of breath. She lay there for a long moment, laughing breathlessly to herself and gazing at the stars that winked through the trees.

Then she got up, convinced she had gone far enough. As it was, she had gone too far.

Almárië could not recognize where her frolic had landed her. These trees were not the beech and elm she knew, but tall black firs, with tall dark limbs that cast even darker shadows.

She wandered a few yards in one direction and then another, but could see nothing familiar. She could scarecly see the stars to travel by and grew more apprehensive by the moment.

Afraid she might wander even deeper into foreign woods, Almárië stumbled into a dim clearing and sat down, drawing her knees close to her chest. She closed her eyes and tried to recall the melody Queen Melian had sung, with its visions of mingled lights, and prayed for morning, singing softly to ward off the chilling silence.



[Edited on 15/1/2006 by High_Queen_of_Númenor]

[Edited on 26/1/2006 by BerethEdhellen]
~Háthien_Oronar~
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 15, 2006 01:24
(Ooc: Hope this suits you! And, sorry it took so long - the family kept harassing me. )


Moonlight fell through the windows of Menegroth, dousing the rooms and corridors of the royal citadel in a creamy light. It caressed the shadows with care, taming their dusky loneliness and revealing the true beauty of their veiled depths. Fluid and assorted melodies wafted from various alcoves amid the great hall. Distinct voices mingled and rose to the cold summits of the heavens, their staunch differences making the music as a whole beautiful.

Daethan admired the enchanting lyrics, having herself very little harmonic ability. Yet, despite this shortcoming, she found herself humming along as she bustled down one of the outermost passageways. She carried a silver bowl of night-blooming fauna, the lulling perfume of jasmine and angel's trumpet drifting along behind her. Menegroth was always well-stocked with ornate floral arrangements, due in part to Daethan's attentive care.

Her day had been filled with various chores; sweeping the store rooms, freshening the palace's assorted draperies, and shooing a few hungry horses from the cooks' herb garden. The latter of which had gained a few of the younger elves a stern reprimand from the unamused Daethan. And, now, as the stars winked and blinked overhead, she was finishing the last of her self-appointed duties; placing this small basin of flowers in her friend and fellow servant's chambers.

Almárië, however, was not in her room. Nor was she admiring the night-blanketed land from one of the many balconies scattered across this particular section of the royal residence.

The grey-cloaked Daenath decided to wait for her friend, but as the night trudged on, there was still no sign of the handmaiden. "Where could you have gone, my friend, that you have not returned?" The mahogany-haired elleth wondered, silently, her worry burgeoning with each passing moment. It was hardly like Almárië to vanish for hours on end and not mention her excursion.

Stealing through the darkness, Daenath hastened back the way she had come, in search of one of the royal wardens. Perhaps they had seen her, and if not, then she was going to explain the situation. Surely, they'd send someone out after the wayward handmaiden!
Morsul
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 15, 2006 03:50
Calaelen strode through the city. It had been awhile since he had been inside a human city. They were so full of energy and hope. While elven ones just pined away at lost beauty. Shaking his head, he moved on, picking his way through the crowd. He saw his target, the royal citadel. He came up to the great doors and knocked on them three times.
Lady~Eowyn
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 17, 2006 02:34
((OOC: Hey, glad to be here. Sorry this post isn't very long. Normally I can write longer ones...))

Beleg yawned quietly, his eyelids beginning to slip over his eyes. The night was growing later and later and it was only now that he had been able to wrap up his duties as one of the marchwardens. Beleg ran a hand through his soft, dark hair and thought of sleep. Sleep. Oh, how he desired to rest and wash away into his sweet dreams. Today had been a long and exhausting one, with so many demands thrust upon him. But it was over now, and soon he'd be able to wind down and just rest.

Abruptly, his pace faltered and Beleg came to a stop. Carefully, he scanned his surroundings from right to left. So, someone was still up, he thought. He couldn't decipher the identity of the elleth, but she wore a concerned, searching look on her face. Murmering slightly, he supposed that decency would demand for him to offer his aid, at the very least. As he walked over to her, Beleg recognized the elleth to be Daethan, whom he was only an acquaintance of. "Lady Daethan you are up late. Are you in need of something? If I may possibly be of assistance?"

[Edited on 18/1/2006 by Lady~Eowyn]
justice
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 19, 2006 05:33
Melian sat in her chair by the window singing...her voice was sweet like honey and cool as the night..It rose and fell as the song progressed. A bird landed on the tree whose Branch's hong by the room in which she lounged. It's silver breast puffed out. However, It sang not a note...It seemed just to listen to Melian's voice...

Melian sighed with contentment as her last note faded into the night air. Rising from her set she walked over to one of her tastefully carved chest, Opening it she took out her dark cloak and rapped herself up in it's rich folds...A sweet sticky smell came to her nose. Walking out into the garden. She strolled slowly through the moonlight. Touching the flowers that the aroma had came from she slowly began to sing again. A sadness was in her voice so that all who heard it would find them selves weeping or just being silent...Melian smiled and began singing of happy things of Stars and of the Valor. She danced through the garden on her way to somewhere and actuality nowhere at all.....


00C: sorry it's so short...
~Háthien_Oronar~
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 19, 2006 07:05
Daethan, determined to find one of the night watch, had continued her search until it had led her into the lower level of the King's stronghold. Just shy of the entry hall, luck would have it, she paused, halted in her pursuance by the masculine voice she only later recognized as Beleg Cuthalion. A wave of consolation descended over her, extracting a sigh and delivering a pleased smile to her lips- she had found what she was hoping for.

"Ah, my lord Cuthalion, glad I am to have found you!" Her relief, though, soon turned to apprehension as she related to the warden the events of the night. "Almárië is not in her chambers, nor has she been all evening. I was delivering a basin of night flowers not terribly long after nightfall, and thought it odd that she was not there. I waited for her, mind you, until a short while ago, when I decided to find one of the wardens."

Worry for her friend hung with the weight of a storm cloud upon the maidservant's brow. A night of inertia, keeping anxious watch by Almárië's door, hadn't soothed her tension in the least, and she was now finding it difficult to countermand the urge to pace back and forth across the stone floor. Surely, she kept telling herself, there was no need to worry; Almárië was sound and most likely in some other portion of the mighty Menegroth. Yet, Daethan worried nonetheless.

She gazed up at Beleg, imploring silently of the hansome young guard to affirm that he would go himself or send someone to look for the missing Almárië. "I realize it's late and you are weary, but I did not know what else to do..."

(Ooc: Hey, Lady~Eowyn! Hullo, justice!)
Lady~Eowyn
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 21, 2006 05:42
Beleg listened to Daethan tell of Almárië's disappearance. His first, initial thought was that perhaps her friend was overreacting, be she truly did look very worried and he couldn't very well refuse to help her. "I realize it's late and you are weary, but I did not know what else to do..."

"Please, it is my duty...I will go look for her," He paused and looked around for a couple of seconds and then continued, "She must not be inside. I will scout the grounds and I will let you know when she is found. Do not worry Lady Daethan...I'm sure that I will be able to find her." Beleg smiled gently and hurried off.

The sky was veiled with the many stars of Varda and the song of Queen Melian hung in the air. However, the marchwarden was not aware of this as his eyes gingerly searched the land for any clue of where Almárië could have headed off to. The woods, perhaps? Beleg bent down onto one knee, examining the ground, then as he gazed upward, looking further out into the horizon. The grass held the imprint of someone roaming the grounds quite recently. Of course, the imprint could've been left by any number of elves, but as fate would probably have had it...

Beleg followed the trail, winding and leading further into the woods to the point where the trees grouped together in such a density that it was quite difficult to distinguish one from the other. How was he supposed to find Almárië like this? Or had she not been here at all? And then he heard a soft voice, singing...it could only be her at this point. Beleg pushed several tree branches out of the way, and listened as he walked closer to the voice. "Lady Almárië? Is that you?"
High_Queen_of_Númenor
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 25, 2006 01:20
"Lady Almárië? Is that you?"


Almárië started violently at the sound of Beleg's voice. She hadn't heard his approach. The elleth leapt to her feet and looked into the darkness just in time to see the young elf warden immerge from the shadows.

Bright-eyed and swathed in a white cloak that gleamed in the dimness, Beleg seemed to Almárië's startled eyes like one of Maia, a being of terrible beauty, for her troubled heart was filled with strange visions.

When the wild thrill had faded she saw her friend and ran toward him, taking Beleg's hand as she drew close. "You are an answer to prayer, mellon-nin," she said. She felt foolish, for she was almost crying with relief. "Curse my weak heart!" she exclaimed, "When you have no thought of fear whatsoever, and I tremble at an unknown grove!" She laughed, but was clearly embarrassed.

((sorry it's so short...))
Lady~Eowyn
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 30, 2006 11:54
Whomever it was that was out there, they didn't answer. At least not for a moment. Emerging out of the shadows cast by the trees, Beleg saw a lady jump to her feet and then run towards him. Shocked at first at the lady's reaction, he realized it was his friend Almárië.

"You are an answer to prayer, mellon-nin," she said. She felt foolish, for she was almost crying with relief. "Curse my weak heart!" she exclaimed, "When you have no thought of fear whatsoever, and I tremble at an unknown grove!" She laughed, but was clearly embarrassed.

Beleg chuckled a little bit, but didn't say anything. He was a bit embarrassed himself...he'd never realized how beautiful an elleth Almárië was until, well, now. "Er, what caused you to venture out so far? Lady Daethan informed me that you were missing from your chambers...she was extremely concerned for your safety and ... I was too. These woods do not present a welcoming aura."
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: January 30, 2006 04:57
“I…I was lost in thought,” the elleth said, as if she had only just decided it was true. “I could not rest. My Lady’s songs had put strange and stirring visions in my head. I meant only to walk among the night garden, but a strange feeling seized me. Before I knew what had happened, my feet had carried my to this gloomy spot.”

Almárië watched the young elf warden’s face as she spoke. “You must think me daft,” she remarked, “and Daethan too.”

“I have not caused too much distress I hope?” she said sheepishly, loosing his hand. Beleg only smiled. Almárië glared up at the towering firs. “Let us go back, my lord. These trees hold no welcome at all.”

Beleg led the way back to Menegroth. The night-cloaked halls were silent as he led her backed to her chambers but when Almárië came into her room, she found Daethan seated upon her bed.

“How many times must a tell you not to worry for me so?” she teased, flashing her friend a smile that was much brighter than she truly felt.


((hope this is ok....))
~Háthien_Oronar~
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: February 02, 2006 09:10
Daethan, having paced the floors a time or two more, had finally decided that she was of no help to anyone here and that, if anything, she was wearing the stone beneath her feet into a rut. Still worrisome and on edge, she moved off to the handmaiden's chambers, finding the door open as she had left it. A step into the room revealed a suddenly desolate atmosphere; the candles had burnt low and were now long extinguished, and the sheer drapery blew back from the windows with every haunting gust of wind. The place was hardly welcoming, or so it felt to the solemn maidservant, her concern seeming to have cast a heavy blanket over the otherwise welcoming bedchamber.

Taking a moment to survey the dimly lit landscape outside the unshuttered window, Daethan sent a silent prayer carried on fleeting wings towards the Furthermost West, hoping that a mere servant's request would reach the ears of the great Ainur. Daethan's thin shoulder rose and fell with a sigh. She turned to the bed, and sat down, glancing up only when she sensed Almárië enter the room.

“How many times must a tell you not to worry for me so?”


"At the very least, once more." Daethan's voice was grave and unamused, very different from her usual cheerfulness. She eyed her friend with a scrutinizing glance, and noted the strain behind her smile. Her foul mood ascended. "I worry for a reason, you know. I am rather fond of you, and would be incredibly distraught if some ill circumstance snatched you away."

She extended a hand towards Almárië, and smiled with relief. "You're alright, and right now that's all that matters."
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: February 11, 2006 02:04
Almárië blushed at her friend's sentiment. "I'm surprised," the younger maiden teased. "You are fond of me, Daethan? Truly? And all this time I thought was doing a grand job of being a young nuisance."

Almárië pulled her friend to her feet. "You owe my return to the Strongbow, you know," she said with a wistful look down the hall. The young warden was already gone.

"Get some rest, or we shall both be useless tomorrow."

_*_

The next morning was clearer and colder than normal, but Almárië's cheeks were flushed as she went about her chores.

Rumor hung heavily about the halls and she could sense tention in the air. Melian had dismissed her handmaidens and widthdrawn to her chambers. The doors to the Hall were shut, but the elleth had seen it crowd with many elves before the doors were bolted. She heard the raised voices of many echo through the beech wood as she passed the doors on her way outside.

Pulling on a green-gray mantle, Almárië emerged into the sunshine. She found the garden filled with Melian's other handmaids, who chattered senselessly about nothing in particular.

She spotted Daethan speaking with her brother beneath the branches of a solitary birch and walked towards them, smiling warmly in greeting.
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Post RE: ~My Heart Bids Me Stay~(A Tale of Doriath)
on: February 16, 2006 06:52
Clad in her usual silver cloak, Daethan had ventured outside not long after leaving her chambers. She had paid a visit to the kitchens, per her normal routine, and had found the place in an uproar. The cook, the events of the day having thrown her into a foul mood, had the servants stepping on each other's toes in an effort to avoid finding themselves the target of her ire. It had not taken the unsuspecting Daethan two strides to discover a long, pale finger pointing precariously at her nose. She had done her best to soothe the frayed nerves, but was soon bolting from the general vicinity and the irate head cook.

Thorondir had espied her, cloak in hand, on her way towards the courtyard. He had greeted her, and she him, and together they had exited through the heavy doors. The garden was relatively empty at that time, and the lone birch looked an appealing enough spot for a chat. As the conversation evolved, more and more Elves escaped the apprehensive air that had settled over Menegroth, the handmaidens of Melian counting for well over half of the peace-seeking refugees.

By the time Almárië exited the repressive halls, their conversation had turned to her and the previous nights events. "... has a knack for disappearing, it seems. I was quite worri-" As the slim, cloaked figure of the young handmaiden came into view, both Elves paused. Daethan's rose-pink mouth parted with a warm-hearted smile. "If it isn't our favorite topic of discussion this morn!" She greeted pleasantly, the citadel's disquiet having no visible effect on the maidservant's mood. "How are you, my dear Almárië? Chased from the King's halls as well?"

((I hope this is alright...))
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