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Liswen
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Post KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 04:14
Maglor was gone. Earwen could still see his eyes – so full of an undying passion on the surface and cold as stone underneath. Everything around her was in ruins. Her home, her family – her world. She had no recollection of how long she had been sitting here. The tears she had cried for many days were not gone, but dry, for she had no tears left.
All were gone – Maglor, her lover and her sons… She did not want to think about her sons – not about their cold bodies, their faces, seemingly at peace when Maglor had covered them with earth. It had felt as if someone had torn her heart out of her body.

She had known sorrow before, but nothing could have prepared her for this. A long time ago it seemed now, back in Aqualonde she had watched her father and her brothers and the beautiful Swanships . They had been so majestic and she would not have believed that anything at all could destroy her perfect little world.
Thinking back like that she could see her father again – proud he had been, proud and beautiful and so loving. He had always said she reminded him of her mother. Her brothers had been just like him, except for one. Arapen , a noble spirit, like his name, he had been different – not interested in shipbuilding, but in poetry and music and in beautiful things. A pity it all had to end like it did. When she thought back on the massacre now, there were no tears she shed, not anymore.

She had been very young then and very, very afraid. Her father’s ship had seemed such a good idea. She had wanted to hide until everything was over and then, the ships had taken her away – away from her home, away from her loved ones to this strange place where she had lived ever since. She had not even known whether all her family had died, although as she had heard later, the there had been no survivors. The thought that had disturbed her most had been of Arapen, who had loved beauty above all and who could not hurt anyone or anything be forced to fight and see ugly death all around him until he, too had died. She had often wondered if he had been in much pain or if, as she hoped, it had been quick for him.
Earwen remembered the moment she had realized that the ship was moving and the hard weeks that followed. She had hid in the storage room, in a small chamber, designed to hide in case of an attack. But food had been her problem and finally she had not been able to contain her hunger. She had risked much, every time she had sneaked out to get some food or something to drink.

When the ships had landed in Middle Earth she had been discovered. Feanor had wanted to dispose of her, but Maglor had stepped in and taken her under his wings. Beautiful, gentle Maglor - he had reminded her a lot of Arapen, especially his eyes. And as she later found out, he had the soul of a poet – a beautiful voice to go with it and a gentle heart. She had seen the pain in his eyes, pain that she knew had to come of the things he’d seen and not agreed with. He had been very loyal, to his father and his brothers, but he had never agreed with what they had done in Aqualonde and this was what had first made her trust him. He had taken care of her when she was still full of grief, when she had had to stand by and watch the ships, her fathers ship among them, burn and her hope go up into flames. She had been so young and so lost. The first years she had just done what he said and she had not moved from his side. She had taken care of him, as he had taken care of her… and then one night, they had shared everything.

She had known then that she would not leave him. He was the only thing that was left to her and she had fallen in love with him – in love maybe with the only living being that was a connection to her past, because he reminded her of Arapen – her favorite brother for whom she had grieved the most.

Earwen had gone with Maglor, deciding that this would be a new start. She had to forget about her family and concentrate on this, her new family. She managed to get along with Maedhros, but Maglor’s other brothers and especially his father Feanor was a problem. They eyed her with suspicion and would surely have killed her hat some point had it not been for Maglor. Things turned to the better after they had settled down in Beleriand. Although there was many a dangerous situation, for Morgoth did never sleep, they managed to lead a somewhat normal life. Her sons had been born during those years. Happy years they had been to her.

With a smile she remembered holding her fist son in her arms. Arapen she had named him and caused some huge discussions among the sons of Feanor. Maglor, however had just smiled – he had been proud of his son. Happy years, indeed – she had watched her sons grow and she had seen Maglor, being content… but this was all gone now. Maglor – and her sons…

Earwen shook her head violently. She did not want to think of the death of her sons. And yet, the images did not leave her – their bodies – full of blood. The pain in her chest grew stronger and some tears fell down her face. Her children – and this time Maglor was not there. No doubt he had grieved, she had seen the pain in his eyes, but when she had asked him to stay his heart had turned to stone. The oath was all that was left to him it seemed and so he went away, in search of the cursed Silmarils. And she was alone.

Carefully she shifted a bit and lovingly stroked her swollen belly. No, she reminded herself, she was not alone, not entirely. She began rocking back and forth, singing a lullaby to her unborn child. Not even this had been reason enough for Maglor to stay. Perhaps he had never really loved her. Tears came back to her eyes and as the sun rose she sat on the very spot she had been sitting in for hours, ever since Maglor left. She rocked back and forth, in the rhythm of the song. An old song it was, a song she remembered from her own childhood. She had sung her sons to sleep with it… her sons… in front of her, not far from where she was sitting she could see the small hill of earth, covered with stones on top. There her sons lay sleeping. The tears were streaming down her face, and she screamed out her agony, when there were footsteps to be heard behind her.


[Edited on 4/2/2007 by BerethEdhellen]
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 08:42
Hossecáno Manveru now wandered the lands of Beleriand, alone and without an army to lead. He had fought bravely in the war that later became known as Nirnaeth Arnoediad, The war of Unnumbered Tears and had returned with Turgon to reside in the hidden city of Gondolin. Since the fall of Gondolin, and the escape through the pass of Cirith Thoronath, where Glorfindal fell with the Balrog he had battled against, Manveru had wandered south to NanTathren and thus to the Isle of Balar, where he saw the last of his sister, saved during the escape through Echoriath, board a ship and head into the west. He had lost his mother and father in the battle with the orcs and his little sister had been all that was left of his family; his heart ached at her passing westward. But he did not want to leave the world in which he had been born.

Born in the 50th year of the First Age in Nevrast to Alyatirno and Nucumnë, he had been raised to be a warrior after his father, an honored guard to Turgon. He had grown up while Gondolin was being established and during the 250 years of building, had participated in the construction of the beautiful hidden city. His family, including his younger sister, Eruannë, had made the move from Nevrast to Gondolin. He was tall, standing 6'5", and strongly built. His coal black hair flowed over his armor and his eyes, a mixture of gray, green and blue, changing like the seas near the place of his birth, were clear and full of humor. Though more powerfully built than the Sindarin elves who later became his close friends, yet his face carried the beauty and fine chiseled features of the Noldor. During his years of wandering, he had become quiet, a loner, speaking only what was necessary, and seeming to those who did not know him cold and withdrawn. Those who knew him well, though, were charmed by his delightful humor and his gentleness of nature. He carried few weapons, a bow and arrows, a small dagger and his father's sword, Uruvetirno (Keeper of the Flame) and rode his faithful steed Pindal wherever he went. Though a mighty warrior, he preferred to read, to track the small creatures of the land, delighting in their antics, and most of all to sit by the sea. Having been born on the shores of the mighty western ocean, he had never lost a deep felt love for the waters of Ulmo.

Thus it was on one of his treks to the south that he passed the Gap of Maglor near the River Gelion. He had rested a bit further north the night before and had been haunted by the sounds of weeping. He tossed and turned, trying to clear his mind of such thoughts, knowing that his ghosts, those of family and friends long lost, would always haunt him but never had they seemed so real as this night. Yet when he rose as the pale light of the early morn became brighter, the weeping was still sounding in his ears. Puzzled, he began to follow the sound, which turned into an ancient Telerin lullaby the closer he got. As he climbed a small rise, he reached the top and looked down upon a lone woman, sitting before a cairn and rocking back and forth, her hands holding her swollen belly. He watched for a moment as she sang and cried at the same time, shaking his head in wonder. What was she doing here, in the middle of nowhere, singing before the cairn. As he began to quietly walk down the small hill on which he stood, the woman suddenly screamed...the agony of ages of pain crying forth. He hesitated for just a moment then continued to her side. Kneeling next to her, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"M'lady, tell me what I can do to ease your pain."

[Edited on 3/12/2005 by berethedhellen]
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Liswen
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 10:32
"M'lady, tell me what I can do to ease your pain."
The voice came from afar it seemed and yet it was so close. Earwen turned to look into deep eyes, as deep as the sea. The sea… for a moment she just looked at the stranger, dumbfounded, the tears still streaming down her face. Again the stranger asked her the same question it seemed, not with words this time, but with his eyes. Earwen continued to cry and rock and between her sobs she could only say, “They are all gone! All gone!”

“Who is gone?”, the soft voice next to her wanted to know. Again she looked at the stranger without really seeing him. “Maglor,” she finally said “And my sons…” she pointed towards the cairn, sobbing even more for a moment. When she could speak again, she added “Maglor left after we buried them. He left me here. He did not care, he did not love me, not anymore… he left, left me alone to mourn our sons. “ Again she had to stop talking. She was rubbing her belly again. “He did not care for us, only for those cursed Silmarils. He left,” again she looked at the stranger, but although she was looking into his eyes she did not really see him. “He will not come back – he will never see the grave of his sons again – nor will he see me or ..,” again she rubbed her belly gently this time.

Then she began singing again, softly. After a while she stopped “ It is asleep – the baby is asleep and so quiet… This lullaby always helps. My sons loved it. They were asleep instantly when they heard it. This is a very quiet baby. My sons were so lively. They kicked so much that I could hardly sleep. Not this one – it is very well behaved… “ A smile broke through the tears at this moment, then vanished again. “Isn’t it sad,” she said, turning again to the stranger, “That this baby will be born after so much bloodshed, with a madman for a father and its brothers lying cold down there…” Again she pointed to the cairn and began singing – not a lullaby this time, but a song of mourning
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 02:06
Manveru listened to the maiden, who he judged to be the Teleri that had lived with Maglor for so many eons. He had heard of her from Fingolfin and Turgon; she had hidden on one of the Telerin ships that had brought the Noldor to the shores of Middle Earth and had been taken under Maglor's wing. She had given him two sons, both killed in battle, and the last that had been heard of Maglor was that his obsession with the vow of his family to recover the Silmarili had driven him mad. Did anyone know he had left this fair maiden here, by the graves of her sons, carrying Maglor's third child....alone and grieving. He shook his head slightly, thinking to himself that even if they did know, there was no one who would care. None but Maglor had wanted her around in the first place.

"Earwen, isn't it? That's your name." He knelt at her side in the wet grass, waiting for her to regain her composure. That simple question brought her tears to a halt for a moment and then she gazed away in the distance once again, tears running down her face but silently now.

When she began to sing again, this time it was a song of mourning. Her voice was clear and musical, like silver bells...an inheritance of her Telerin background. Manveru listened for a while and then his deep voice joined hers as they both sang for their lost loves, families and friends. Their voices carried like crystal shards on the wind but there was no one to hear them but the dead. When the song ended, Manveru took her hand.

"Earwen, my name is Hossecáno Manveru. I am from Gondolin...or I was. My parents were slain there during the escape through Echoriath, though I managed to save my sister. But now, she too is gone, having traveled into the west on one of Cirdan's ships. I am as alone as you so I can feel your pain as though it were my own." He watched her shiver slightly and pulled off his cloak, wrapping it around her shoulders. "I have nowhere that I must be and there is nowhere I would rather be than at your side, at least until your child is born and we have you settled somewhere safe and warm," he continued. "Will you come with me now. I have a shelter I have been using not far from here. It isn't much but it is better than sitting here in the chill air. Come with me, m'lady, please."

He lifted her to her feet and whistled sharply once. Moments later, Pindal trotted up and stood by Manveru, knickering and bumping his nose against his master's shoulder. "Pindal, we are carrying a precious burden so behave yourself," he said, patting the steed on his thick neck. As gently as was possible, he lifted Earwen onto Pindal's back and then mounted behind her, holding her safely in front of him. A word to Pindal and the horse began to move forward, his gait smooth as a sleigh. They rode like this along the Gelion River until the reached a craggy group of high cliffs where Pindal made a swift turn through a cleft in the rocks. Shortly they reached a small clearing in the center of the rocks and there the opening of a large cave offered the promised shelter.

Dismounting, Manveru carefully lifted Earwen from the horse and led her into the entrance of the cave. It was a large one, with dry floors and high ceilings In the corner, the embers of a small fire were still glowing and as soon as he had settled Earwen on a stone shelf covered with straw and a fur skin of a large animal, he immediately added small logs to the fire to warm the area. Reaching up to a higher shelf, he pulled down a small pan and a skin of water, and began heating the water for a warm drink. Adding a few herbs as the water bubbled made the air sweet smelling and he poured a mug full to hand to the elven woman.

"You will be safe here and recover some before it is necessary to move elsewhere. Are you hungry?" he asked.

[Edited on 3/12/2005 by berethedhellen]
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
gwendeth
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 06:24
(( Ok, lol, here I go! Liswen, I've created a new char instead of adapting that other one. Tulcaráto's profile is in the DB, though it's rather 'sketchy' at the moment. However, to give you an idea - lol - he's Tulcendor's father. ))

The Nirnaeth Arnoediad was over... and as good a fighter as he was, Tulcaráto had felt 'lucky' to have survived. Following the river as he rode, the ellon brushed his black hair back from his slate-grey eyes.

He'd no home left, now... and no place that - truly - he needed to go... whence his presence just here, riding along the Gelion in the quiet of the day.

And, suddenly, Tulcaráto paused... hearing voices echoing in the distance. They sounded... and he sighed heavily, for the melody was mournful.

Too many had reason to grieve these days, that, the elf knew very well and urging his mount into a faster pace, Tulcaráto headed for where it seemed to be coming from. Perhaps, he thought, he could at least offer a kind word to whoever it was.

Yet, by the time Tulcaráto came to a spot where high cliffs ran along the river, the song had long since faded into the wind. Keenly looking at the ground, though, the ellon spotted hoofprints leading towards a 'break' in the cleft.

Patting his mount's neck for a moment, "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone there? - A 'friend' is without..." for Tulcaráto was quite ready to be one - if the chance arose...





[Edited on 3/12/2005 by gwendeth]
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
Liswen
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 29, 2005 08:03
"Earwen, my name is Hossecáno Manveru. I am from Gondolin...or I was. My parents were slain there during the escape through Echoriath, though I managed to save my sister. But now, she too is gone, having traveled into the west on one of Cirdan's ships. I am as alone as you so I can feel your pain as though it were my own." From afar she heard the voice again – but it came nearer and finally found its way into her consciousness. She noted the name and she also noted what he told her. But it was the final words: I am as a lone as you that brought her back to herself. She shivered and noticed that he had taken off his cloak to put around her shoulders. There was someone who cared, someone who could understand and share her grief – at least a bit Then he spoke again,"I have nowhere that I must be and there is nowhere I would rather be than at your side, at least until your child is born and we have you settled somewhere safe and warm," he continued. "Will you come with me now. I have a shelter I have been using not far from here. It isn't much but it is better than sitting here in the chill air. Come with me, m'lady, please." She nodded.

Before she could really comprehend how she found herself inside a cave, sitting on a soft fur skin. A fire nearby and the sweet smell of herbs in the air. With a hot mug in her hand she finally found back to herself. She felt exhausted and when Manveru asked her whether she was hungry she nodded. She knew she had been neglecting herself and her child and being able to think somewhat clearly for the first time since Maglor left, she knew she needed to be careful. This pregnancy was indeed different from the others, but considering the circumstances this was no wonder.

She watched as Manveru prepared a meal and thankfully ate some of it. “Thank you,” she finally said, “I guess you have saved my life. Although I don’t quite know what to do with it.” She paused, looking at him “You know, I thought that I was finally happy. That I had made it after all those years of being alone, although I was among others. You should have seen him – Maglor was a good father. His sons adored him. Handsome they were – and strong…” She looked off into a distance, then after a while she began to speak again “I guess you don’t really want to hear about that. I am sorry, I did not want to bother you with old stories.” She started looking around, noticing the details of the cave. “How did you find this cave?” she wanted to know, “I did not know it was here. You did a good job in furnishing it…” A slight smile showed on her face. She sipped the hot liquid. It felt so good to be cared for again.

She must have slept for a while, for in the opening of the cave the light had changed. She could hear footsteps and then a voice called "Hello? Is anyone there? - A 'friend' is without..." She looked at Manveru, waiting for what he would do.
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 30, 2005 05:09
As he prepared a meal of rabbit stew, pulling out some chunks of bread to go with it, he listened as Earwen sadly recounted her life with Maglor and her sons. He let her speak uninterrupted as he suspected she had not ever had anyone in her life with whom she could share her thoughts and feelings. She ran out of words and said, “I guess you don’t really want to hear about that. I am sorry, I did not want to bother you with old stories.” He didn't bother to say he knew them all from the tales told amongst the elven kin. He had always thought it a sad tale and now to meet the center of those tales saddened him more, as he realized that the tales had all been true.

He filled a small earthenware bowl with some of the stew and handing it to her with a spoon, he added some of the bread as well. "Here, m'lady Earwen, eat and revive your strength. Then we can rest for the night. We can decide what to do with your life on the morrow."

“How did you find this cave?” she wanted to know, “I did not know it was here. You did a good job in furnishing it…” A slight smile showed on her face. She sipped the hot liquid.

He smiled as he told her of his travels from north to south and how he had located several places similar to this in which to shelter himself on his journeys. "I've had many years to 'furnish' them, as you so aptly put it, for my personal comfort, as well as my safety. The pathways are not always free of the threats of Morgoth and his spawn so I have made certain that my small homes are well-hidden...and well furnished," he finished with a charming grin on his handsome face. She had begun to smile slightly in return and he continued on with lighthearted tales of his treks, keeping the atmosphere as amusing as possible to ease her heart, if only for a moment.

He was in the middle of a silly story of his childhood when he heard hoofbeats trotting along beyond the cleft. He glanced at Earwen and held his finger to his lips, urging her to remain silent. The horse stopped and then, quiet though the were, Manveru heard footsteps approaching through the cleft. Suddenly they both heard a voice calling out...

"Hello? Is anyone there? - A 'friend' is without..."

Manveru looked at Earwen, a warm smile on his face. Standing, he made his way quickly to the cave's entrance, his voice filled with the same warmth as his smile. "A friend indeed. Tulcaráto, you old dog...where in the name of the Valar did you come from? Enter at once, and bring that nag you call a horse with you." Turning to Earwen, his face was alight with joy. "Fear not, m'lady, 'tis Tulcaráto, a brave warrior and a fine person," and turning back to the entrance of the cave, he saw his old friend making his way inside. "Coanya ná coalya. (My home is your home)"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
gwendeth
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 30, 2005 06:52
"A friend indeed. Tulcaráto, you old dog...where in the name of the Valar did you come from? Enter at once, and bring that nag you call a horse with you."
Manveru!!?? Startled to hear his friend's voice, a wide smile spread on Tulcaráto's face. "Come on!" and urging his horse forward. In a short time he was there, and sliding off his mount's back to peer inside the cave's entrance.
turning back to the entrance of the cave, he saw his old friend making his way inside. "Coanya ná coalya. (My home is your home)"

"I thank you indeed!" Tulcaráto laughed to see Manveru standing there, and clasped arms with him as a fellow-warrior... yet with the warmth of long-standing friendship.

"What brings you to living in a cave, my friend?" the ellon inquired, following Manveru deeper into the cavern. Yet, he paused, seeing an elleth... and one obviously with child.

Throwing his friend a curious glance, Tulcaráto bowed politely. "I thank you for allowing me to share your shelter," he said, "I am Tulcaráto - and friend of Manveru, at your service," the elf finished. - And, whilst he waited for Manveru to introduce her, Tulcaráto couldn't help wondering if she was a wife his old friend had been hiding away without telling anyone else...
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: November 30, 2005 07:28
Manveru looked at Earwen, a warm smile on his face. Standing, he made his way quickly to the cave's entrance, his voice filled with the same warmth as his smile. "A friend indeed. Tulcaráto, you old dog...where in the name of the Valar did you come from? Enter at once, and bring that nag you call a horse with you." Turning to Earwen, his face was alight with joy. "Fear not, m'lady, 'tis Tulcaráto, a brave warrior and a fine person," and turning back to the entrance of the cave, he saw his old friend making his way inside. "Coanya ná coalya. (My home is your home)"

"I thank you indeed!" said the newcomer to Manveru once he had entered the cave and the tow clasped arms as fellow-warriors. "What brings you to living in a cave, my friend?" the ellon inquired, following Manveru deeper into the cavern. When Earwen finally saw him, she looked into grey eyes the like she had not seen before. The ellon obviously seemed irritated by her and her pregnancy.

Throwing his friend a curious glance, Tulcaráto bowed politely. "I thank you for allowing me to share your shelter," he said, "I am Tulcaráto - and friend of Manveru, at your service," the elf finished.

Not waiting to be introduced Earwen looked straight into those grey eyes and answered, "It is not for me to extend any hospitality for I am enjoying it myself. Your friend was good enough to provide me with some shelter and food. My name is Earwen, M...," she did not finish the sentence for all of a sudden she felt a sharp pain in her stomach which made took her breath away. She knew what it was - the first sign of labor.

However she did not want to worry Manveru and Tulcaráto. She basically knew what to do and this was no subject for warriors. So she waited for the pain to cease and then turned to Tulcaráto to finish her sentence. Breathing a bit harder than before she said," Forgive me, I am a little out of breath - I am Earwen, Maglor's w...," she stopped again. Had she the right to call herself his wife? Was that bond not severed since he went away and did not care what happened to her or his child? She started once more, "Well, I lived with Maglor for a long time. He left. And Manveru was kind enough to take care of me..."

Again she had to stop talking as a new wave of pain came over her. They were mild yet she noticed. It would at least take the night until she would be ready to take birth and it was not long past noon yet. She still wished there were some women around to help. With a small shudder she remembered how afraid she had been when her oldest son was born. Arapen had been very big, so the birth had not been an easy one - how she had wished her mother there...

Now this was not her first concern. If it was a normal, easy birth like the birth of her second son, there would be no problems, but if she needed help, she would probably be lost with two ellons here, who did not understand anything about childbirth.

She would have to tell them sooner or later what they were about to see and experience, but Earwen decided not to frighten them before it was necessary.
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 01, 2005 04:14
"It is not for me to extend any hospitality for I am enjoying it myself. Your friend was good enough to provide me with some shelter and food. My name is Earwen, M...," she did not finish the sentence for all of a sudden she felt a sharp pain in her stomach which made took her breath away. She knew what it was - the first sign of labor. Breathing a bit harder than before she said," Forgive me, I am a little out of breath - I am Earwen, Maglor's w...," she stopped again.

"Tulcaráto, allow me to introduce Earwen properly. She is Maglor's wife," he said, not hesitating to use the phrase as she had spent centuries at his side and borne him two sons, "and I found her not far from here, at the side of the graves of her sons. You've heard about Maglor, I am sure. She was left alone and I could not have her sitting in the chill air, alone and uncared about. So I brought her here, to my 'well-furnished'," he smiled mirthfully at Earwen, "abode, one of many I keep for my travels. You caused me some concern when I first heard your footsteps, wondering who could have discovered my hide-away."

He noticed Earwen holding her belly and another moment of pain crossing her face and knew what was happening. He had assisted in the birth of many children during the escape from Gondolin, as the stress of the attack brought on early deliveries of many infants. He had become extremely adept at assisting in these deliveries.

"Earwen, you have begun the beginning of the birthing process, I see. Let us make you comfortable and Tulcaráto, there is a spring at the back of the cave. Grab that large metal bowl and fill it quickly. We will need to put it on the fire to warm the water." He began to rummage in his various bags and packs, pulling out various items and laying them out on a clean cloth. Among the objects was a small knife, various herbs, more cloths and a small blanket. Picking through some of the herbs, he began to crush them in a small bowl, adding water from his water skin and then handing it to Earwen.

"Drink this, Earwen, as it will ease the pain. Lay back and rest for now. We will be here when the time comes for this child of yours to make its appearance. You will not be alone."
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 01, 2005 04:48
"Tulcaráto, allow me to introduce Earwen properly. She is Maglor's wife," he said, not hesitating to use the phrase as she had spent centuries at his side and borne him two sons, "and I found her not far from here, at the side of the graves of her sons. You've heard about Maglor, I am sure.

Tulcaráto nodded, for he had, indeed, heard about Maglor... a sad tale, that one, and the ellon found himself grieved for Earwen that she had seemingly lost all her family...

She was left alone and I could not have her sitting in the chill air, alone and uncared about. So I brought her here, to my 'well-furnished'," he smiled mirthfully at Earwen, "abode, one of many I keep for my travels. You caused me some concern when I first heard your footsteps, wondering who could have discovered my hide-away."

"My apologies, Manveru, for causing such," Tulcaráto answered. "I prefer 'openness' to stealth whenever possible, as you know... and why I called out as soon as I was certain to be heard."

With that, the elf bowed to Earwen again, and turning back to his horse began unloading his packs.

"Earwen, you have begun the beginning of the birthing process, I see. Let us make you comfortable and Tulcaráto, there is a spring at the back of the cave. Grab that large metal bowl and fill it quickly. We will need to put it on the fire to warm the water."

Abruptly straightening from his work, Tulcaráto turned quickly. He had never witnessed a birth... barring that of a mare he'd once had. 'Afraid' he was not, but was grateful his old friend apparently knew what to do. - And, after bearing children before, the ellon knew Earwen must know what to expect.

Yet, "At once!" he answered, and quickly fetching the bowl, went in search of the spring.

It wasn't far, to his relief, and only pausing to splash some of the cold water on his face and to wash his hands, Tulcaráto dipped the bowl in and carefully walked back with it.

He'd no idea how long a birth might take, and seeing Manveru busy with his own packs, put the bowl down by one side of the fire. Taking a sturdy stick from his friend's wood-pile, the grey-eyed elf made a place at the edge of the fire and then settled the bowl to begin warming the fire.

And then, knowing he'd not much else that might be of use, Tulcaráto fetched his cloak from his bag, and folding it, approached Earwen again. "If this will help..." he said, offering it to the elleth as a cushion for her head...
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 01, 2005 07:59
"Earwen, you have begun the beginning of the birthing process, I see. Let us make you comfortable and Tulcaráto, there is a spring at the back of the cave. Grab that large metal bowl and fill it quickly. We will need to put it on the fire to warm the water." He began to rummage in his various bags and packs, pulling out various items and laying them out on a clean cloth. Among the objects was a small knife, various herbs, more cloths and a small blanket. Picking through some of the herbs, he began to crush them in a small bowl, adding water from his water skin and then handing it to Earwen. "Drink this, Earwen, as it will ease the pain. Lay back and rest for now. We will be here when the time comes for this child of yours to make its appearance. You will not be alone."

How good this felt to have someone there, who obviously know what to do. Tulcaráto seemed less comfortable though, but when he came back with the water he approached her with his cloak and said “If this will help…” . Earwen smiled at him and said “Thank you – of course it will” and let the ellon put the folded cloak behind her head as a cushion. Turning to Manveru, she said. “You seem to have done this before. But you will have no need of most of it. I can feel that this birth will be easy. This baby is a very quiet one. It has given me no trouble at all.” She laughed slightly. “It must be a girl then – my sons were a lot more trouble – never let me sleep and shortly before the birth they kicked so hard I thought they were trying to get by opening my stomach.” She drifted for a moment, thinking back… after a while she continued. “Not this one though. Very quiet and well behaved – a real lady. Has not kicked me at all since my sons died…”

Another wave of labor passed over her, but she guessed that the herbs Manveru had given her were beginning to work. This felt half as bad as it had before. Smiling now, she leaned back. She was determined that her daughter should not come into the world hearing her mother cry or scream. Some hours passed – Earwen dozed often in between the pains and she felt save and protected, listening to the two old friends talking. But in the evening the pains grew worse and even a second doze of Manveru’s herb drink did not help. Soon Earwen began to sweat and it took almost all her strength not to cry out when another wave of pain passed over her. And yet, the birth did not seem to progress very fast. She had thought that this would be a relatively easy one, but she had never hurt like that when her sons had been born – but then, things had been different. She had to admit to herself, that she had been stronger back then. Grief and lack of food had weakened her considerably.

She could no longer hold back when the next wave of pain passed over her – she screamed it out. This scream felt good, but by now, the pain was all over her body and she did not know how she could escape from it. The baby did not seem to want to come. Her body felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. Again the pain, still stronger now – and the world around her ceased to exist. From far away she could hear Manveru talking to her and giving instructions. She tried to follow them, but she could start pushing, not for the life of her … Manveru’s voice grew louder, forcing itself into her consciousness, not instructing anymore, but commanding. She tried to obey, tried to push, but she felt so tired, so tired…
But when she said so, Manveru did not let her be, on the contrary, he demanded more of her and more. She felt her head and her hand being held- probably Tulcaráto, trying to help, too. Poor Tulcaráto, she wanted to express her thanks, but before she could muster the strength to say something another wave of pain passed through her and she heard Manveru’s commanding voice again, telling her to push…. and push…

And then the pain stopped and she heard a baby cry. She saw Manveru hold the baby and look at it, no – examining it. “Give her to me –“ she said, all of a sudden it was not hard to talk. The pain was gone and she could breathe easily again. She saw Manveru turn, then hesitate. Tulcaráto got up from beside her and went over to Manveru. She could not see the baby anymore now. Again she said, louder this time. “Let me hold my child… Please, you can dote over her later.” Somehow a strange foreboding feeling crept over her. Why were they not giving her the child? Desperately she tried to get up, but could not. Then, after she had asked a third time, Manveru turned, his expression grave and sad and layed the baby into her arms.

It was a wee white little lady, but her eyes were closed and there was no life in her. Earwen stared at the dead child she was holding. If she had been able to think rationally she would have had to admit to herself that she had somehow felt it. The child had not moved for days and this, she had known, was not normal, but she had not wanted to see it, as she did not want to see it now. Her expression changed, form horror to happiness. “Look at her Manveru,” she said, “Isn’t she beautiful. I will name her Lythfaen (radiant white flower). And she will grow into a beautiful young maiden…” on and on she went, talking about something that would never happen. Tulcaráto had turned away, and Manveru just stared at her. Finally he took her shoulders and shook her. “Stop!”, he almost shouted, “This child is dead!”


[Edited on 2/12/2005 by Liswen]
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 01, 2005 08:50
Manveru thanked Tulcaráto for the water and smiled another thank you when he cushioned Earwen's head. He stood beside Earwen, watching the pains wracking her body, and tried to make her as comfortable as possible. Adding wood to the fire, the cave was warmed for the moment to come. He made another herbal drink which she sipped slowly, relaxing some. And he listened as she talked.

Turning to Manveru, she said. “You seem to have done this before. But you will have no need of most of it. I can feel that this birth will be easy. This baby is a very quiet one. It has given me no trouble at all.” She laughed slightly. “It must be a girl then – my sons were a lot more trouble – never let me sleep and shortly before the birth they kicked so hard I thought they were trying to get by opening my stomach.” She drifted for a moment, thinking back… after a while she continued. “Not this one though. Very quiet and well behaved – a real lady. Has not kicked me at all since my sons died…”

He reassured her that he had indeed done this before and that, yes, girl infants were frequently more 'well behaved' than male babies. But a dread was beginning to fill his heart and mind. He watched her stomach contract each time and saw no movement. He laid his hand and then his ear on her stomach, feeling and listening, and again there was nothing. His eyes fell on her face, clammy and sweaty, her eyes glazed from pain and an overwhelming compassion filled his heart for this poor bereft woman. He turned from her and walked toward the entrance of the cave, staring out into the starlit night.

"May the Valar be kind to this lady...she has suffered enough," he prayed. He stood there for a long time, glancing back every now and then at Earwen, who was falling in and out of troubled sleep. His eyes met Tulcaráto's and he shook his head, despair filling his eyes. Then he turned and looked out into the darkness once again until Earwen screamed out in utter pain.

He immediately returned to her side, checking her contractions, which were but seconds apart. "Push, Earwen. Push as hard as you can on the next welling of pain." Tulcaráto held her head between his hands, staring at Manveru, and Manveru held her hand, squeezing it to keep her focussed on him. "Push, Earwen, NOW!" She was in agony, he could see that, but this child was not going to help her, he feared. She would have to do it all herself no matter the pain.

At long last, the head of the infant appeared. Another wave of pain tore through Earwen's body. "One more push, Earwen, only one more," Manveru said quietly.

He held the lifeless infant in his arms. “Give her to me –“ she said, all of a sudden it was not hard to talk.

He turned his back to her, and Tulcaráto got up from beside her and joined Manveru, shielding her from the view. Manveru looked over his shoulder at Tulcaráto, thanks in his eyes. Then he bent his head to the tiny infant and breathed into its mouth and nose. He tried again and again but he knew it was useless, still he didn't want to give up. Gazing down at the baby, he whispered a plea to it. "Breathe, little one, please breathe.

“Let me hold my child… Please, you can dote over her later.” Then, after she had asked a third time, Manveru turned, his expression grave and sad and layed the baby into her arms.

“Look at her Manveru,” she said, “Isn’t she beautiful. I will name her Lythfaen (radiant white flower). And she will grow into a beautiful young maiden…” on and on she went, talking about something that would never happen. Tulcaráto had turned away, and Manveru just stared at her. Finally he took her shoulders and shook her. “Stop!”, he almost shouted, “This child is dead!”

He hadn't meant to shake her, nor did he mean to raise his voice, but he could not bear to hear her rambling on as though everything was normal. The infant was her last connection to Maglor and now, along with her sons, her infant daughter was gone too. He could feel his own heart breaking with the sadness of the scene before him.

"I'm sorry, Earwen. But you must accept it. The infant, as beautiful as she is, is gone. Let me wrap her in a blanket and you can hold her until morning's light but then we must take her to her brothers." Tears filled his eyes as he wrapped his arms around both the mother and child and simply held them close to his chest. He looked at Tulcaráto with sorrow deep in his expression.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 02, 2005 04:29
"I'm sorry, Earwen. But you must accept it. The infant, as beautiful as she is, is gone. Let me wrap her in a blanket and you can hold her until morning's light but then we must take her to her brothers."

Earwen just stared at Manveru as he took Lythfean from her and wrapped her in a blanket. But of course, she thought, my girl musn't be cold...
When the child was back in her arms, she looked at her again and slowly Manveru's words sank in - as beautiful as she is, she is gone -

Gently she drew back the blanket a little to look at the infant's face. She looked a lot like Maglor, but she could also recognize traits or her family in her. Then she looked at Manveru, tears in her eyes. "No," she whispered and again looked at her child, "No," she said again, louder this time. Then, turning to Tulcaráto she said, "Look at her, Tulcaráto, she is so beautiful when she is sleeping!" and turning back she continued "Look, Manveru you are wrong - it is not true, it cannot be true - it musn't be true!" She was sobbing now. Manveru did not answer her, instead he wrapped his arms around her and the child. She could see tears glistening in his eyes...

After those dreadful first moments of realizing what had really happened Earwen turned calm. She had remembered that she had not wanted to cry, that she had wanted to welcome this child with joy. She wiped away her tears, thanked Manveru and Tulcaráto for their help and turned back to her daughter.

Gently she began to prepare her for the last journey. Talking softly to her she explained everything to her, about her father and about her brothers. She then called her dead sons, seeing them standing there in the back of the cave. She then started to explain to them, too. They were both as she had known them, not the dreadfully mutilated bodies she had found just a few days ago. Arapen was tall and strong and serious, like his father; his brother, Nowe, was a little smaller in built, but he - as always - had a smile on his face and possibly a joke on his lips. She introduced them to Lythfean and asked them to take care of her in the Halls of Mandos until one day they would see each other again - one way or the other. Then she talked to Lythfean again, telling her all she needed to know about the period of time she would spend in the Halls of Waiting with her brothers. Then with the first morning light she kissed her little daughter and looked up at Manveru.
"I am ready," she said "her brothers are waiting for her."

All through the ride back to the cairn her sons were with her, silently joining the funeral procession. Earwen was still very weak, so she sat on a blanket, holding Lythfean while Manveru and Tulcaráto worked hard to open the cairn and the grave beneath it. When the grave was finally open, her sons standing next to it, Earwen got up, carefully and not without pain and walked to the open grave. Silent tears ran down her face as she lay her daughter next to her sons. She straightened and with a firm voice began to sing an old Teleri song, meant to guide the dead to the Halls of Mandos. When the song had ended she looked up and still saw her sons, standing next to the grave. Arapen was holding Lythfean and Nowe was tickling her toes. The baby giggled contently. Then her sons looked at her and she knew that all three of her children would be all right and when Manveru and Tulcaráto had closed the grave again her sons and her daughter were gone.

She let herself be brought back to the cave. All her strength seemed to have left her. Back near the warm fire she accepted the food and drink Manveru had prepared. She had been doing what someone else wanted of her for so long that she did not even think to reject the food. After she had eaten exhaustion and one of Manveru's herbal drinks finally overcame her and she sank into deep sleep.


(ooc: of course her sons are not really there...she just imagines them)
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 02, 2005 05:52
Turning to Manveru, she said. “You seem to have done this before. But you will have no need of most of it. I can feel that this birth will be easy. This baby is a very quiet one. It has given me no trouble at all.” She laughed slightly. “It must be a girl then – my sons were a lot more trouble – never let me sleep and shortly before the birth they kicked so hard I thought they were trying to get by opening my stomach.” She drifted for a moment, thinking back… after a while she continued. “Not this one though. Very quiet and well behaved – a real lady. Has not kicked me at all since my sons died…”

He reassured her that he had indeed done this before and that, yes, girl infants were frequently more 'well behaved' than male babies

Puzzled by that, Tulcaráto shrugged, and for the time being, stayed out of the way, letting his friend talk to Earwen, and do what he could.

Soon Earwen began to sweat and it took almost all her strength not to cry out when another wave of pain passed over her. And yet, the birth did not seem to progress very fast. She had thought that this would be a relatively easy one, but she had never hurt like that when her sons had been born – but then, things had been different. She had to admit to herself, that she had been stronger back then. Grief and lack of food had weakened her considerably.

As he kept watching, Tulcaráto was becoming more and more 'uncomfortable', well aware the elleth was in great pain, and his heart went out to her. Was birthing this way for all women? He wondered, and was amazed at how she could bear it.

However, he could sense that Manveru was unhappy about something - in particular, when he walked to the cave's entrance for a very long time, and then sent a glance of utmost despair his way. - Until…

She could no longer hold back when the next wave of pain passed over her – she screamed it out.

At the elleth's cry, a shudder ran down Tulcaráto's spine, and the ellon paled. - Yet, in response, he knelt by Earwen's head, and cradled it - hoping to give her some comfort that she was (despite there was nothing either he or Manveru could 'do') not 'alone'.

What transpired next, was nothing less than a living nightmare for the grey-eyed ellon, as Manveru tried to comfort Earwen, at first urging her - and then commanding her to 'push'. He couldn't look at the elleth, to see her face contorted with pain was more than he could handle, and so Tulcaráto kept his eyes on his old friend.

At long last, the head of the infant appeared. Another wave of pain tore through Earwen's body. "One more push, Earwen, only one more," Manveru said quietly.

“Give her to me –“ she said, all of a sudden it was not hard to talk.

The immediate relief that Earwen was out of pain when the baby came, was swept away when Tulcaráto saw his friend stand and turn his back to the now-quiet elleth. Why hadn't the infant begun to cry? Why didn't Manveru set the babe in her mother's arms? - And, "Ai, Eru!" he whispered, gazing at the child he could now see had no life in her at all.

Manveru looked over his shoulder at Tulcaráto, thanks in his eyes. Then he bent his head to the tiny infant and breathed into its mouth and nose. He tried again and again but he knew it was useless, still he didn't want to give up. Gazing down at the baby, he whispered a plea to it. "Breathe, little one, please breathe

Please!! Tulcaráto could only echo his friend's thoughts silently, but it was of no use. Stillborn the infant was, and…

“Let me hold my child… Please, you can dote over her later.” Then, after she had asked a third time, Manveru turned, his expression grave and sad and layed the baby into her arms.

“Look at her Manveru,” she said, “Isn’t she beautiful. I will name her Lythfaen (radiant white flower). And she will grow into a beautiful young maiden…” on and on she went, talking about something that would never happen.

Shuddering again, Tulcaráto could not watch. Shaken by watching Earwen's suffering to birth her child… but for it to be born dead… and now, it was quite obvious she was *not * 'accepting' the truth! His own tears were sliding unashamedly down his cheeks.

Finally he took her shoulders and shook her. “Stop!”, he almost shouted, “This child is dead!”

At his friend's shout, Tulcaráto whirled, and stared at him. How could Manveru be so - so - cold as to put it in so 'blunt' a manner?

"I'm sorry, Earwen. But you must accept it. The infant, as beautiful as she is, is gone. Let me wrap her in a blanket and you can hold her until morning's light but then we must take her to her brothers." Tears filled his eyes as he wrapped his arms around both the mother and child and simply held them close to his chest. He looked at Tulcaráto with sorrow deep in his expression

Gently she drew back the blanket a little to look at the infant's face. She looked a lot like Maglor, but she could also recognize traits or her family in her. Then she looked at Manveru, tears in her eyes. "No," she whispered and again looked at her child, "No," she said again, louder this time. Then, turning to Tulcaráto she said, "Look at her, Tulcaráto, she is so beautiful when she is sleeping!" and turning back she continued "Look, Manveru you are wrong - it is not true, it cannot be true - it musn't be true!" She was sobbing now. Manveru did not answer her, instead he wrapped his arms around her and the child. She could see tears glistening in his eyes...

Tulcaráto writhed inwardly as he looked briefly back at the elleth, trying to figure out just how he could answer Earwen's question. Yes, she was… beautiful, he supposed, never having seen a newborn before. - But 'sleeping'?

Eventually, though, he could tell she'd accepted the Truth, and the grieving new mother began preparing her babe to join her already-dead brothers in their carin.

Without speaking, Tulcaráto numbly followed Manveru's lead in what must be done; following in their wake; helping to open the cairn; and then to once again close the grave. Earwen's song the ellon almost couldn't bear to witness, but he did, knowing there wasn't anything else he could do for her… and just as silently, swung back onto his horse's back and followed the two back to Manveru's cave.

The quiet obedience with which the elleth ate was almost more unnerving than anything else, and when she finally fell asleep, Tulcaráto could take no more. Gripping his friend's arm tightly, and with a shake of his head, "I'll be back!" he half-sobbed, and then raced from the cave. At a dead run, the elf cared not where he went… except, he could not go in the direction of the babe's tomb.

At length, he slowed, and with his chest heaving in great gasps, Tulcaráto tried to comprehend the tragedy he'd just been through. True, it was worse - much, much worse for the elleth, but still… 'Death' the ellon had seen plenty of… and the cries of the wounded and dying in battle he'd borne without flinching - as horrible as they were. - But this? - To go from such promise… to the death of One so deserving of a full and happy life? To add such agony onto an already laden heart such as Earwen's?

After a time, Tulcaráto had finally calmed himself, and slowly made his way back to the cave, only meeting Manveru's eyes briefly before settling down by the fire and giving Earwen a long, sad, look. 'Friends' the elleth would need, and if nothing else, he would be one…
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 02, 2005 05:31
For a long while, Manveru sat holding Earwen and her dead child in his arms, rocking her. Then she began to talk, not to him or Tulcaráto, but to Lythfean, the dead infant. She spent the rest of the long sad night telling her child about her older brothers and her father. Manveru left her side and went to sit near Tulcaráto, where the two of them listened to the mother softly talk to her baby. At some point, she must have been seeing visions of her sons, as she began to introduce Lythfean to Arapen and Nowe, asking them to see over their baby sister in the Halls of Mandos.

Manveru heart ached but could do nothing to help. He glanced at Tulcaráto and saw the same sorrow in his eyes. Finally, the long night passed and the sun sent rays through the entrance to the cave, lighting up the inside. It was at this time that Earwen bent her head, kissing her daughter on her tiny head, then she looked up at Manveru.

"I am ready," she said "her brothers are waiting for her."

Manveru gently lifted Earwen, still holding her baby against her chest, onto the back of Pindal, then climbed on behind her. Tulcaráto mounted his own steed and they rode to the site where Manveru had originally found this sad woman. Now they were returning to the same place to bury yet another of her children. He and Tulcaráto set Earwen on a blanket on the slight rise, and then they dug another grave. When they had reached the edge of the shrouds that were the remains of her sons, one on either side with a small opening between them, Manveru walked up to Earwen, helping her to her feet. But it was alone that she walked to the grave and alone that she lay her child between Lythfean's brothers. She stood for a while, then began an ancient song of the Teleri, a funeral song to guide her daughter to Mandos. For a brief moment when the song was ended, Manveru saw a small smile on her face, as though she were watching her children playing one last time. Then exhaustion covered the expression and she looked as if she would fall if not held up.

Manveru went to her side, guiding her back to his horse, and the three of them rode silently back to the cave. He helped her back to the shelf of stone and lay her back on the bed of straw and fur. Preparing a warm drink and food, he gave her some, which she ate as though she wasn't even tasting it. Finally, she lay back, her eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep.

Manveru sat with Tulcaráto in silence for a while. Their eyes met now and then and the sorrow was deep in both of them. At last, Manveru began to speak.

"Tulcaráto, this woman has no one left in her life. Everyone she has ever loved...her parents and brothers, her husband, her children...all are dead or gone. Her despair is deep. I can well imagine her returning to the cairn of her children and laying down to die herself. Yet she is still young (in elven years, a few hundred years is barely out of her youth). I cannot tolerate that thought. I want to bring her to the Isle of Balar, to Cirdan's realm, where there are people of her own kin to help heal her soul. Perhaps we can even persuade her to return to Valinor. But, Tulcaráto, I cannot leave her here. I can't," he avowed.

He continued, "I think if we leave tomorrow morning, we could begin the journey south and west to the mouth of the Sirion. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Tulcaráto. "Have you anything pressing? Can you come with us?"

[Edited on 3/12/2005 by berethedhellen]
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 02, 2005 07:38
Manveru sat with Tulcaráto in silence for a while. Their eyes met now and then and the sorrow was deep in both of them. At last, Manveru began to speak.

"Tulcaráto, this woman has no one left in her life. Everyone she has ever loved...her parents and brothers, her husband, her children...all are dead or gone. Her despair is deep. I can well imagine her returning to the cairn of her children and laying down to die herself. Yet she is still young (in elven years, a few hundred years is barely out of her youth). I cannot tolerate that thought. I want to bring her to the Isle of Balar, to Cirdan's realm, where there are people of her own kin to help heal her soul. Perhaps we can even persuade her to return to Valinor. But, Tulcaráto, I cannot leave her here. I can't," he avowed.

He continued, "I think if we leave tomorrow morning, we could begin the journey south and west to the mouth of the Sirion. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Tulcaráto. "Have you anything pressing? Can you come with us?"

Only a moment did Tulcaráto consider. "No, you can't leave her here," he agreed. And then, with a sigh, shook his head, "I've nothing 'pressing' at all," he answered, and even if he did... Tulcaráto wouldn't have cared at all. "I'll come, of course, my friend," he said quietly, and looked long at the sleeping Earwen.

"You should get some rest, too, Manveru," Tulcaráto then urged his friend, being quite aware that he was in no mood to do so himself...


[Edited on 3/12/2005 by gwendeth]

[Edited on 3/12/2005 by berethedhellen]
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 03, 2005 07:38
Earwen woke up with the first sunlight touching her face through a small crack in the cave. Her eyes were still closed and for a moment she was sure that everything had been a bad dream and when she would open her eyes, Maglor would be next to her, admiring their daughter, lying between them. In the corridor outside their room she could hear soft voices - doubtless Arapen and Nowe, being all too curious to see their new sister.

But when she did open her eyes nothing was like she had imagined it and the reality of the days before hit her with full force. She swallowed hard, trying to avoid tears. Then her eyes fell on Manveru and Tulcaráto, who were still sitting around the fire, talking in low voices. She smiled a grateful smile, but saw that they had not noticed her yet.
"Good morning", she said getting up and moving closer to the fire. She was still hurting from the birth, but that pain was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

She sat down between Manveru and Tulcaráto, and accepted food and drink. For some reason this time she was really hungry. After she had eaten something she felt a little better.
She looked at both ellon in turn, then said "My eternal gratitude to you both - I would not have survived last night without you."

She stared into the fire, looking for words. She knew there was one last task for her to do, one last task before she could really be at peace. She had to find Maglor. He had a right to know about his daughter and she needed to know whether he loved her or not. No - she corrected herself, she needed to know whether she still had a reason to remain here or if she indeed could join her children in the halls of Mandos....

When she looked up again she said, "I have one last thing to do - I need to find Maglor - he needs to know about his daughter... I understand if our ways must part here; I have probably kept you from your tasks long enough. Even though, if there is nothing else you have to do, I would ask your help once again, for I well know that by myself I hardly stand a chance to find him in these dangerous times." And I have no idea where to look for him, she added in thought. She swallowed hard. then asked the direct question she had meant to ask all along.

"Will you help me find Maglor?"

[Edited on 4/12/2005 by Liswen]
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 04, 2005 09:31
As the morning sun filled the cave, Manveru and Tulcaráto were busy preparing the morning meal when they heard the voice of Earwen, who they had allowed to sleep as long as possible.

"Good morning", she said getting up and moving closer to the fire. Accepting food and a warm drink, she began to eat ravenously. When her bowl was empty, she looked at both ellon in turn, then said "My eternal gratitude to you both - I would not have survived last night without you."

"I was glad to be there with you, m'lady. The past days have been cruel to you but you are with friends, who care deeply for your welfare," Manveru said softly. Her head lowered and she seemed lost in thought.

When she looked up again she said, "I have one last thing to do - I need to find Maglor - he needs to know about his daughter... I understand if our ways must part here; I have probably kept you from your tasks long enough. Even though, if there is nothing else you have to do, I would ask your help once again, for I well know that by myself I hardly stand a chance to find him in these dangerous times."

"How can we help you, Earwen?" Manveru asked.

"Will you help me find Maglor?"

Manveru shot a look at Tulcaráto then looked back at Earwen. "Maglor?" He sighed, as he knew in his heart how difficult a task that might be. Maedhros and Maglor had left their lands to search for the Silmarils and fulfil their vows, but where they might have gone, only the Valar could tell. But knowing that with or without their aid, this woman would search to the ends of the earth on her own, a most dangerous enterprise, to be sure.

"Earwen, perhaps if we head for where Cirdan is now, we will hear news of him. If you are healed enough to travel, we can leave for there this morning. And I will be more than happy to stay at your side until whatever end." He glanced once again at Tulcaráto, not knowing whether his friend would come or not but thinking that, if he knew Tulcaráto as well as he did, he would also join them.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 04, 2005 11:47
"Will you help me find Maglor?"

Manveru shot a look at Tulcaráto then looked back at Earwen. "Maglor?" He sighed, as he knew in his heart how difficult a task that might be. Maedhros and Maglor had left their lands to search for the Silmarils and fulfil their vows, but where they might have gone, only the Valar could tell. But knowing that with or without their aid, this woman would search to the ends of the earth on her own, a most dangerous enterprise, to be sure.

"Earwen, perhaps if we head for where Cirdan is now, we will hear news of him. If you are healed enough to travel, we can leave for there this morning. And I will be more than happy to stay at your side until whatever end." He glanced once again at Tulcaráto

Hoping the elleth would agree with Manveru's suggestion, Tulcaráto nodded. "I'll go along," he answered, "As I told Manveru, I have nothing 'pressing' on my time, so you have no concerns with delaying me from anything."

With that, the ellon rose, and stretched just a bit. "It won't take me long to get my horse ready to go," Tulcaráto added, "so whenever you feel up to leaving, just say the word..."
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 06, 2005 04:42
When the breakfast was finished, Manveru cleaned up any sign that they had been there, covering the fire site in dirt, and using a branch to wipe away even their footsteps. He had stored the straw and the fur skin in a hidden niche along with a few pots and bowls. They would all be there the next time he needed to use this cave. He packed whatever he felt they would need until they reached the next shelter he had found for himself years ago.

Tulcaráto had agreed to travel with them and left the cave with, "It won't take me long to get my horse ready to go so whenever you feel up to leaving, just say the word..."

Turning to Earwen, he asked, "Earwen, did you bring anything with you to where I found you? Is there anything you wish us to collect for you before we leave?" He noticed she looked better this morning but the exhaustion .. and the sorrow .. were still evident on her face.

He went to speak with Tulcaráto about the direction they should take. "Tulcaráto, you've been traveling in the south, have you? I've been trying to decide whether we should continue along the Gelion to the south and then try to cross through Taur-im-Duinath to reach the River Sirion....or should we cross through the remains of Doriath and meet up with the Sirion at it's northern end, then follow it to the south. Where are we most likely to encounter problems?"

Together, they tried to plan the route they would take to reach the mouth of the Sirion. It would be days of travel, and Morgoth's evil beings still roamed freely. This would take a lot of care if they were to make it alive. And they had the added care of Earwen to concern them. She was hardly a fighter or a warrior and they were determined to protect her until the reached the Isle of Balar, where they might get word of Maglor's whereabouts.

When they had made their decisions, the mounted up, Earwen tucked in front of Manveru, and they began to ride. Manveru glanced across at Tulcaráto and smiled briefly. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find another horse, would you?"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 06, 2005 07:57
"Tulcaráto, you've been traveling in the south, have you? I've been trying to decide whether we should continue along the Gelion to the south and then try to cross through Taur-im-Duinath to reach the River Sirion....or should we cross through the remains of Doriath and meet up with the Sirion at it's northern end, then follow it to the south. Where are we most likely to encounter problems?"

Tulcaráto considered carefully, and grimaced. Neither were truly his 'choice' of paths, but for where they needed to go... "I'd avoid Doriath unless we had no other choice," he answered at length. "The forest isn't much safer, but I think it will be easier to remain unseen within it," the ellon added, " - And, if it wasn't so far out of our way, I'd have suggested we skirt Taur-im-Duinath completely, and come up along the Western side, between it, and the coast. But," and he glanced back towards the cave, "the sooner we get Earwen to good healers, the better, so we dare not take that much time."

After more thinking, "I think our best choice is to follow the Gelion southward, until we reach where the Brilthor feeds into it," Tulcaráto mused, "From there, we can cut straight across the forest to the Sirion. It's not the narrowest part of the Taur-im-Duinath - but not the widest, either..."

When they had made their decisions, the mounted up, Earwen tucked in front of Manveru, and they began to ride. Manveru glanced across at Tulcaráto and smiled briefly. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find another horse, would you?"

Chewing on his lip, Tulcaráto then nodded. "Sarn Athrad, perhaps," he replied, "where the Gelion crosses the Dwarf-Road. It'll take a few days to reach it, but there's a small settlement there, and I think we can find you a suitable mount, Earwen," and gave both the elleth and his old friend a small smile.

Their progress was slow, but Tulcaráto didn't mind. Care for the elleth was on both his, and Manveru's uppermost thoughts... and with his friend carrying Earwen before him, the grey-eyed ellon kept himself alert... quite aware that it was he who would be doing first battle with anything that might interrupt the three travelers...


"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 07, 2005 12:06
"Earwen, perhaps if we head for where Cirdan is now, we will hear news of him. If you are healed enough to travel, we can leave for there this morning. And I will be more than happy to stay at your side until whatever end."

Earwen nodded, thankful that both her new friends had agreed to come with her. She would have gone alone, but she dreaded to be alone. Once she felt well enough to travel... well, she still hurt - but what did it matter - the sooner she found Maglor, the sooner ... the sooner what? She had actually no idea what was going to happen after they found Maglor.

Turning back to her friends she said, "Yes, that might be best for now - probably....

She watched with awe as Manveru cleaned up the cave. When he was done there was no clue of anyone ever living there left. Turning to Earwen, he asked, "Earwen, did you bring anything with you to where I found you? Is there anything you wish us to collect for you before we leave?" Earwen thought long about the question, then she slowly shook her head. Everything that she had owned was gone – the only thing she had left were memories.

When they had set out, Earwen sat in front of Manveru, only half listening to what her friends were saying. They were obviously discussing the best way to go, but the way did not matter to Earwen. The only thing that mattered was finding Maglor.

While they were traveling the landscape passed before Earwen’s eyes. Everything looked so sad. The landscape she saw was a mirror of her soul. Scared and with gaping wounds. To her everything looked darker, grayer and she could still sense battle and death in many of the places they passed. She sighed and then started to sing a song Maglor had composed. It was tribute to the beauty of middle earth. It seemed ironic to sing this song now, but she felt as if this song could sooth the land’s pain a little and remind it of what it once had been and maybe would become again, someday far in the future, when someone would have defeated Morgoth….
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 15, 2005 05:24
Traveling through the bleak landscape, Tulcaráto listened in silence while Earwen sang. So many things ran through the grey-eyed ellon's thoughts... but most of them, he brushed aside. What he could not, though, was sorrow for the elleth's grief.

The small group was following the Gelion southward... yet only in the general direction. There was little or no movement - of anything besides the two horses... even small animals seemed to hide from the light of day. But, the scenery was no different than the last time Tulcaráto had passed through a few years ago.

It was, he sighed heavily, as if the land itself resisted new growth...

Yet, as the sun began to set, Tulcaráto urged his mount up to walk beside Manveru's. Glancing at his friend and Earwen, "M'lady," he said in his quiet voice, "the day is beginning it's end. There's an old campsite I used once... a few years ago. It's not much farther, but I would suggest we stop there for the night..."
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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on: December 19, 2005 07:54
The landscape before Earwen's eyes did not change much. In her thoughts, she traveled in time and space. The grief was still with her, but the sharp pain had lessoned to a dull heartache. Having a purpose helped her to go on and not to despair - and she reminded herself, her newfound friends, who seemed to have been with her for ages, were also a reason why going on was not as hard as it first had seemed.

As the day grew late, Earwen wished more and more for a place to rest. Her body still hurt from the birth and spending all day on a horse had not helped to ease her pain. She had not complained, because she wanted them to cover as much ground as they could.

Yet, she was thankful when Tulcaráto urged his mount up to walk beside Manveru's and said in his quiet voice, "M'lady, the day is beginning it's end. There's an old campsite I used once... a few years ago. It's not much farther, but I would suggest we stop there for the night..."

Earwen nodded and not before long they had made camp. A little fire was warming them and they had tea and something to eat. Earwen did feel a lot better. Rather shyly she looked at her new friends, "Well, Manveru, Tulcaráto, you know more about me than I know about you. Yet, I feel as if you were friends of old - but please, tell me about you and your lives..." she paused for a moment and then added, "and feel free to ask any you have about mine."
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 19, 2005 10:36
Doubtful, Drandwen eyed the lanscape before her. It was so different from where she had lived all her life... Just a couple of trees, no flowers blooming in the short grass... And even the green of the leaves and of the grass was bleak.

Drandwen cast a look over her shoulder to where she had come from. The thick majestic woods could be seen no more, and for a moment she wondered whether it had been a good decision to walk away... But then she knew it was. How could she have remained in a place where everything around her reminded of death? So many of her friends had fallen there, and among them her beloved mother...

Shaking her head fiercely to chase away the sorrow, Drandwen made a decisive step down the hilltop into the valley of a river. She had no idea what was its name. Well, at least she thought the river should have a name...

A sound caught her attention. The elleth froze, alert. There it was again, behind a large rock that was encircled by thorny bushes. Instantly, Drandwen had her bow in her hands, arrow set and ready to fly. When the sound repeated, the elleth moved closer. Her mover were smooth and gliding, as if she were akin to the big wild cats of the woods. The minutes passed, as she mover closer, her hands soon got tired and she put the bow down, but ready to draw it again. Step by step she approached the origin of the strange repeating sounds, making a large circle around the corner of the rock. Her nostrils trembled, catching a dreadful smell... And then she saw them - a large grey horse laying flat on the rocky ground, so thin it was merely a skeletton, and what had been a warrior still in the saddle. The elleth gasped, put away her bow and got down on her knees. There was something wild in the black eyes of the horse, as it watched her approach. Closer to the animal, Drandwen could see now what had been making the noise: the front leg of the poor mount was caught in between two stones, and the horse had been trying to stand up and was kicking the stones with the other foot. The animal's skin was badly scarred by the thorny bushes and by the sharp stones in many places. The elleth aproached the trapped horse, talking to it in a calm, low voice, trying to avoid the eye contact. After what seemed an eternity, she was next to the horse. The smell that was coming form the dead warrior was sickening and seemed to scare all the fresh air away. Still, Drandwen remained there. She first looked at the stones that had captured the horse's leg. With an effort, she managed to push the top one away. The opened gap discovered a badly injured leg. The horse shivered nervously, but lay still. Dradwen reached for her dagger and cut the strings of the saddle in an effort to set the horse free from its dead rider. She dared just one closer look at the corpse. There was an arrow in what had once been the man's throat. An orc arrow. Sadness again filled her heart.

Now Drandwen realised that this had been the easiest part. Still talking to the horse soothingly, she slowly went round the laying animal and with a moan of disgust cut her dagger through the dead flesh of what had been the mans leg, that was now pressed to the ground by the heavy body of the horse. Her head went spinning and her stomack jumped to her throat, but she went on. That same moment, the horse jumped up as if it had not been close to death. The saddle slid off the mount's back along with the rider's dead body.

"No!" Drandwen screamed. She couldn't let the horse leave without receiving the proper treatment! Letting the dagger fall, she grabbed the horse's mane and pulled herself on its back, as the wounded animal limped forward, trying not to touch the ground with its injured leg. Still, the speed was reasonable. With a neigh filled with madness, the horse rushed forward, away from the place of long sufferings, bearing the elleth with it. The light of the day was fading away, and a gleam of a fire could be seen in front. Drandwen screamed warning whoever there was about their coming, but then the horse crached right in the camp. Its bad leg got caught in the loose reigns, with a painful scream the animal fell down, sending Drandwen in a salto over its head. The elleth crushed down with a loud moan, but instantly she jumped up ready to protect the horse.

"Don't touch him!" she rushed forward. The animal was panting heavily, out of any forces left, madness still gleaming in its black eyes. Gently, she laid her palm on the horse's dry, hot nose, her attention fully on the animal. Somehow, she managed to forget about the possible danger for herself, she never even had had the time to look around and see the owners of the camp she had crushed in so unexpectedly...

[Edited on 19/12/2005 by Nifredil]
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 20, 2005 11:51
The three companions had ridden south following the general path of the Gelion though not along the river's basin to avoid the possibility of meeting with others who might be camping where there was water to be had readily, like orcs and trolls. As the sun began to set, Tulcaráto spoke out.

"M'lady, the day is beginning it's end. There's an old campsite I used once... a few years ago. It's not much farther, but I would suggest we stop there for the night..."

Manveru was most grateful for this offer as he realized that the campsites he had set up for himself over time were spread much further apart than he had calculated. When riding himself, he would have made much greater progress than the slow pace they had made to ease Earwen's travel. Were they to stay at Tulcaráto's site, they would not only give Earwen the rest she needed but it would still allow them to possibly make it to Sarn Athrad by the next evening. If not there, they could still use his own campsite along the river north of the small settlement and make Sarn Athrad the following day.

It was twilight when they made the campsite and as soon as they had made Earwen as comfortable as possible, the two ellons searched for firewood and before long had a nice fire burning and a hot meal cooking in a small pot. They had first boiled water for tea and Manveru had placed an additional herb in Earwen's...a soothing and relaxing one. As they sat around the fire, Earwen spoke, glancing at both of them shyly, which amused Manveru considering what they had all gone through together already.

"Well, Manveru, Tulcaráto, you know more about me than I know about you. Yet, I feel as if you were friends of old - but please, tell me about you and your lives..." she paused for a moment and then added, "and feel free to ask any you have about mine."

Manveru glanced at Tulcaráto and grinned. "Which of our lives do you think is the most interesting, my old friend? Would you like to begin with yours?" The three of them began sharing anecdotes about their respective lives when suddenly, the sound of beating hooves and a voice calling out a warning crashed through the brush surrounding their campfire. Manveru stood, holding his bowl in his hand, and was knocked over by a horse and rider barrelling into the campsite. The bowl flew off into the bushes but not before it had spilled down the length of Manveru's tunic and pooled in his lap where he landed on his rump in a bush. Eyes wide, he watched as the horse fell, dislodging its rider, an elf maiden, who immediately jumped to her feet and ran to the side of the horse, grabbing its reins as the frightened animal rose to its feet.

"Don't touch him!" she yelled at the three people, who were too shocked to move. The animal was panting heavily, out of any forces left, madness still gleaming in its black eyes. Gently, she laid her palm on the horse's dry, hot nose, her attention fully on the animal.

Manveru righted himself and began to brush the stew off his tunic as he walked forward to the side of the strange woman, whose voice was calming the frightened, and obviously injured, horse as she softly spoke to it.

"Welcome to our camp, m'lady. Won't you join us for dinner? That is, assuming there is any dinner left, given that your arrival was somewhat...how shall I say this?...abrupt." His eyes were full of mirth and laughter as he watched her. "My name is Manveru. These are my friends, Earwen and Tulcaráto. And who might you be?"
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 20, 2005 03:10
she was thankful when Tulcaráto urged his mount up to walk beside Manveru's and said in his quiet voice, "M'lady, the day is beginning it's end. There's an old campsite I used once... a few years ago. It's not much farther, but I would suggest we stop there for the night..."

Seeing the relief in Earwen's eyes when he mentioned halting, Tulcaráto nodded, and moved to the fore to lead the way.

Earwen nodded and not before long they had made camp. A little fire was warming them and they had tea and something to eat. Earwen did feel a lot better. Rather shyly she looked at her new friends, "Well, Manveru, Tulcaráto, you know more about me than I know about you. Yet, I feel as if you were friends of old - but please, tell me about you and your lives..." she paused for a moment and then added, "and feel free to ask any you have about mine."

Manveru glanced at Tulcaráto and grinned. "Which of our lives do you think is the most interesting, my old friend? Would you like to begin with yours?"

At that, Tulcaráto chuckled softly, and shook his head. "There is little to tell," he answered, and shrugged. "I'm a Warrior, and fight when the need arises. I have no family… nor a wife," he went on, and then bit his tongue… hoping his comment wouldn't bring additional grief to the elleth. - But, nearly immediately to draw attention away from that 'slip', he began recounting the time he and Manveru had met… which had ended up with them both soaked to the skin from being 'dunked' into a muddy river.

suddenly, the sound of beating hooves and a voice calling out a warning crashed through the brush surrounding their campfire. Manveru stood, holding his bowl in his hand, and was knocked over by a horse and rider barrelling into the campsite. The bowl flew off into the bushes but not before it had spilled down the length of Manveru's tunic and pooled in his lap where he landed on his rump in a bush. Eyes wide, he watched as the horse fell, dislodging its rider, an elf maiden, who immediately jumped to her feet and ran to the side of the horse, grabbing its reins as the frightened animal rose to its feet.

Scrambling to his feet and dropping his own bowl on the ground, Tulcaráto pulled the Earwen out of harm's way, thinking that - later - he'd laugh at how funny Manveru looked with his dinner dripping down the front of him.

"Don't touch him!" she yelled at the three people, who were too shocked to move. The animal was panting heavily, out of any forces left, madness still gleaming in its black eyes. Gently, she laid her palm on the horse's dry, hot nose, her attention fully on the animal.

Manveru righted himself and began to brush the stew off his tunic as he walked forward to the side of the strange woman, whose voice was calming the frightened, and obviously injured, horse as she softly spoke to it.

"Welcome to our camp, m'lady. Won't you join us for dinner? That is, assuming there is any dinner left, given that your arrival was somewhat...how shall I say this?...abrupt." His eyes were full of mirth and laughter as he watched her. "My name is Manveru. These are my friends, Earwen and Tulcaráto. And who might you be?"

Ache for the injured horse touched Tulcaráto's heart, and though he was listening for the newcomer's reply, the ellon slowly approached the ailing animal, coming to a stop a few paces behind the new elleth. "He needs help, milady," the elf said in his soft voice. "If you can keep him calm, I'll wrap a warm cloth around that leg. It'll help soothe the wounds…"
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 20, 2005 06:54
To her surprise Earwen enjoyed the funny anecdotes, told by both Manveru and Tulcaráto. She even had to smile at times and for a few moments she forgot - forgot about her pain and her sorrow.

Then everything happened very fast. Before she could really comprehend what had happened there was a horse in the middle of their camp and an elleth stood close to it, shouting,
"Don't touch him!" The animal was panting heavily, out of any forces left, madness still gleaming in its black eyes. Gently, she laid her palm on the horse's dry, hot nose, her attention fully on the animal.

Earwen stared at the horse, wide eyed. You fell as lost and hurt as I do, poor creature, she thought. She could almost not bear the sight of the poor animal and in her mind pictures began to flash in rapid succession. First she saw the animal, then her sons, then the bloody cloth after the birth of her daughter.... and then at last the grave. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath - she did not want to cry.

Then she heard Manveru say, "Welcome to our camp, m'lady." and she opened her eyes again. " Won't you join us for dinner? That is, assuming there is any dinner left, given that your arrival was somewhat...how shall I say this?...abrupt." His eyes were full of mirth and laughter as he watched the newcomer. "My name is Manveru. These are my friends, Earwen and Tulcaráto. And who might you be?"

Then Earwen turned to see Tulcaráto also staring at the horse. In his eyes she could see the same ache for the injured animal that had touched her own heart. She watched the ellon slowly approached the ailing animal, coming to a stop a few paces behind the new elleth. "He needs help, milady," the elf said in his soft voice. "If you can keep him calm, I'll wrap a warm cloth around that leg. It'll help soothe the wounds…"

Fascinated now, Earwen watched as the two worked on calming and tending to the horse, which was somehow accomplished. Earwen sighed a deep sigh of relief, when the animal finally rested peacefully between Manveru's and Tulcaráto's horses. She watched with interest as the new elleth and Tulcaráto joined them at the fire.
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 20, 2005 10:54
"Welcome to our camp, m'lady. Won't you join us for dinner? That is, assuming there is any dinner left, given that your arrival was somewhat...how shall I say this?...abrupt." His eyes were full of mirth and laughter as he watched her. "My name is Manveru. These are my friends, Earwen and Tulcaráto. And who might you be?"


As Drandwen heard a voice from behind her, she almost jumped. Looking over her shoulder but still keeping her hand on the horse's nose, she met an ellon's kind eyes.

"Drandwen... I am called..." she didn't know what else to add and lowered her sight. Then she was saved by another ellon.

"He needs help, milady," the elf said in his soft voice. "If you can keep him calm, I'll wrap a warm cloth around that leg. It'll help soothe the wounds…"


"Oh, thank you!" Drandwen responded readily, then turned her full attention back to the horse. "Hush now, easy... We'll take care of you... You'll see... There now, good boy..." At this point she got confused, because she didn't even know whether the horse was a he or a she. But it didn't really matter. The animal trembled nervously, as Tulcaráto wrapped its leg with a damp cloth. By the morning the wound would be soft enough to try to clean it.

Giving Tulcaráto a thankful smile, Drandwen followed his advise to place the suffering animal in the company of the other two horses. Much to Drandwen's joy, the others accepted the newcomer gladly.

Finally, she could breathe easy! Accepting Manveru's invitation, she sat down by the fire, greeting the elleth there with a nod. Then her eyes fell on Manveru's tunic... And she recalled what he had said previously... A deep flush of red covered her face until the very tops of her pointed ears...

"By Eru, I am sorry! I I couldn't controll the horse and..." she didn't know how else to apologize for the ellon's spoiled tunic and dinner.
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
In the Realm of Ulmo
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 22, 2005 11:37
Manveru heard Tulcarâto's voice, as he softly approached the elleth and the horse, who's eyes were wildly looking as though for any means of escape.

"He needs help, milady," the elf said in his soft voice. "If you can keep him calm, I'll wrap a warm cloth around that leg. It'll help soothe the wounds…"

Manveru stood nearby, ready to assist if needed but felt it would be better not to frighten the horse any more than it already was with more people gathering around it. Between the two of them, Tulcarâto and the newcomer, whose name she told them was Drandwen, they managed to calm the horse and tied it between their own two horses. Some feed and water was placed before the animal and though he appeared too overwrought to eat, drank hurriedly until the water was gone. Manveru refilled the bucket and then rejoined his friends and Drandwen by the fire. He watched as Drandwen eyed his tunic, noticing, even in only the firelight, the blush on her face.

"By Eru, I am sorry! I I couldn't controll the horse and..." she didn't know how else to apologize for the ellon's spoiled tunic and dinner.

Brushing the few remaining bits of food from his chest, he smiled and patted her hand. "It is no problem, m'lady. I wonder, however, how your horse became so unruly. Has he always been such? And where ever did he come by the injury? Were you yourself injured?" Manveru looked Drandwen up and down yet saw no blood or any sign of any injury but was concerned nevertheless.

"We are traveling to Arvernion and the Bay of Balar to speak with Cirdan. It is not a journey we take lightly as there are still many evils in this area. How come you to be traveling here and by yourself? It is a dangerous road to take for an ellath alone. Where are you headed? If it is anywhere toward the River Sirion, we would welcome your traveling with us. We plan a short stop at Sarn Athred to purchase another horse for Earwen here as she has none. Do say you will at least come that far with us. It would ease my heart to know you are with company."
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Nifredil
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 27, 2005 12:13
As Manveru smiled at Drandwen and patted her hand assuring that everything was all right and that she was forgiven, she smiled back at him. It felt so good to be among elves again!

However, asked about the horse and its injuries, the elleth frowned.

"The horse is not mine, hir Manveru. I found it just a short while ago. The poor beast had its front leg stuck among rocks. I believe it had escaped from a battlefield, because its dead rider still was in the saddle..." Drandwen contemplated the sand beneath her feet as she was telling this. The memories now semed more dreadful to her than it had seemed back there... "The scars must be left by the sharp stones and the thorny bushed there... I tried to free it and had just managed to do that when it jumped up and started running... I barely caught its mane... And managed to lose my dagger in the process!" she finally smiled and looked up. "As to your kind offer - I gladly accept it! I have been missing company terribly, and, I must admit, I am not too good a warrior to be able to stand against a horde of orcs, no matter how bad fighters they would be..."

Drandwen looked at the others. They seemed kind and good people. The elleth had sorrow in her large eyes, though... And Drandwen wished she could see through to help her if she only could...

"I am afraid, however, that I would be slowing you down. I don't think the horse is well enough to be mounted again, and it needs healing... And I just can't leave it here, untended. If you are hurrying to reach Bay of Balar, I will understand if you will decide not to burden yourselves with me and the horse..."
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
In the Realm of Ulmo
BerethEdhellen
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 29, 2005 10:17
"Drandwen, we will not be moving that quickly," he said quietly, leading her aside and out of the range of Earwen's hearing. "Earwen has only just given birth to a stillborn child and we cannot rush this trip along until she has recovered some. When we reach Sarn Athred, we will most likely spend a day or two while we find a gentle steed for her to travel on which will give your own horse time to heal as well." He glanced over his shoulder at Earwen and Tulcaráto, who were chatting near the fire and his expression filled with sorrow. Earwen seemed to handling her situation extremely well until you looked into her eyes, where the sadness and loss was still evident. Her bravery and steadfastness touched him deeply.

Turning back to Drandwen, he looked at her thoughtfully. "You say you have been missing company and that you are not much of a warrior. Then pray tell me, what are you doing wandering here in the north, alone and unaccompanied? I feel you are braver than you think you are," he smiled. "Where were you headed before you came across the horse and rider? And the rider? Do you know who he was? We should perhaps not leave him to the wild. Could you find him again, do you think?"

Drandwen told Manveru where she had found the horse and rider, which was not far from their campsite. Manveru spoke softly to Tulcaráto, telling him what his plan was, and began to trek off in the night with a torch in hand, until he reached the site of the fallen warrior. He gazed down at the ellon's remains, noting that he wore the armor and colors of Doriath. What had he been doing out here in the wilderness and how had he come to fall, alone and unattended, Manveru wondered. He stuck the end of the torch in the ground and began to dig a grave, gently laying the warrior's body into the open ground when he had finished. He took the colors from the neck of the ellon on the off chance that they should encounter any who would recognize them and could identify him. Somewhere, there was a family who would be waiting for his return and they should know that he would never come home again. So much death and destruction was swirling around Manveru's life and he wondered to himself if he too should sail to Valinor as his sister had. Sighing, he spoke a prayer to Mandos to protect the soul of this warrior, and then headed back to the camp. He sat quietly, thoughtfully, until the sky lightened in the east.
Life is good! Live it to the fullest. Love well those near and dear. "You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are ever flowing on ....." Heraclitus I Aear cân ven na mar
Nifredil
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: December 29, 2005 10:54
With her breath held, Drandwen listened to Manveru as he told her about Earwen, about her stillborn child. It was so horrible... And so wrong! What she had seen today was nothing compared to what Earwen had survived. Shocked, Drandwen stared at the dancing flames of the fire. She barely noticed Manveru standing up and leaving, but she tought he was just checking on the horses or decided to inspect the perimeter of the camp. So the elleth just sat there, looking in the fire and thinking... In the ever-changing flames she saw her father and mother, and her friends that had left Arda and her... Their spirits now dwelled in the Halls of Mandos. What were they like now, she wondered. Were they like these flames, alive and eager to live? Or were they rather frozen like the pillars of ice that were to be found in the dep caves of mountains - still and seemingly lifeless? Did they think, did they feel? Did they remember her...?

Looking up in the starlit sky, Drandwen understood that Manveru was gone for a long time now. She stood up, looking around. What if he, too, was in danger? What if someting had happened while she had sat lost in her musings? She would never forgive herself...!

No, there he was coming. He gave her a small smile that looked more like a courtesy, added more wood to the dying fire, and sat down. The ellon had a sad and distant look... And Drandwen instantly understood where he had been and what he had done. Lowering her head, she felt ashamed for herself. She should have done this! Or at least aided him!

Drandwen looked at the other side of the camp, where the flames were playing games of light and shadow on the calm face of the peacefully sleeping Earwen. The sad elleth's head was resting in Tulcarato's lap, who seemed to be dozing, too. Feeling the need to do something, Drandwen quietly approached Manveru and put a light and comforting hand on his shoulder. Just in case he needed a support...
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
In the Realm of Ulmo
gwendeth
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Post RE: KEEP: The smell of the sea (Permission by PM only - please see OOC before joining)
on: January 01, 2006 04:37
"I am afraid, however, that I would be slowing you down. I don't think the horse is well enough to be mounted again, and it needs healing... And I just can't leave it here, untended. If you are hurrying to reach Bay of Balar, I will understand if you will decide not to burden yourselves with me and the horse..."

"Drandwen, we will not be moving that quickly," he said quietly, leading her aside and out of the range of Earwen's hearing. "Earwen has only just given birth to a stillborn child and we cannot rush this trip along until she has recovered some. When we reach Sarn Athred, we will most likely spend a day or two while we find a gentle steed for her to travel on which will give your own horse time to heal as well."

While the newcomer, Drandwen, and Manveru talked, Tulcaráto divided his attention between the injured horse and Earwen.

"When we get to Sarn Athred," the elf asked her, "What would you wish to look for in a mount, Earwen? - Anything in particular in temperament? Something that you liked in a horse you've ridden before?"

They spoke for a while longer, Tulcaráto not missing when Manveru quietly left the camp. - Nor did he miss the weariness in Earwen's eyes. "If you wish," the ellon told her, "use my lap as a pillow - the ground is quite hard for sleeping. In the future, we'll look for more comfortable places to stop - if any are to be found."

In the quiet of the night, as Earwen settled down to rest, neither was it long before Tulcaráto began to doze, too. - Yet, always, his ears and elven senses were alert for any danger that might arise - he'd spent too much time as a warrior not to. He knew when Manveru returned… and when Drandwen quietly approached the other ellon… but gave no sign of doing so. Since his old friend was awake, Tulcaráto determined to himself that the Second Watch would be his…
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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