Lumiel tilted her head and paused for a moment before answering. "For...for honor. For myself and one that I loved. I made a promise to a man named Farin, who was like my father, that I would redeem his honor and find my place in the world. This quest will help me towards that end." she said. "But even if I didn't have such things to compel me to act as I have, I would still have come along. There's a man out there who needs help, who's alone and afraid." Her eyes showed the sympathy that she felt for Eodwine, though none of them had met him. "If we don't try and do some good in this world, what are we doing?"
Though she did not raise her voice, a certain passion entered her speech as she finished. She believed in the goodness of the world, in the necessity of preserving it. She would always do all she could to live as she should and to help others do the same, regardless of what may be required of her. She had a warmth, a light, a fire within her that shone fiercely when called upon, that could break darkness and carry burdens greater than what most could hold. But she had yet to fully tap into this, her greatest strength.
"I know that all of this" she swept her hand towards the landscape, "has cast a veil upon all of us, heavier on some than on others. But remember, all of this was once beautiful and full of life, though it may have forgotten. Eventually it will forget its hurts and renew the life that once flourished here." She paused. Her eyes seemed distant and Gorby wondered at her. It was hard to imagine that Fornost had ever been vibrant and lovely. "Besides, I'm expecting you to teach me some hobbit songs when we get back to Bree!" She laughed and stood up, going to her horse. The laugh pierced momentarily through the dismal fog that had penetrated their spirits, but it was quickly swallowed up once more.
Gorby shook his head. A strange elf, that one. But pleasant at least.
It was decided among the group to delve deeper into Fornost before deciding who would return to Bree with the prisoner, and they prepared to leave. Falco was quite blunt in his suspicions of Falowik's suggestions, but Lumiel merely scoffed. She didn't know what exactly was going on, no one did, but she did not believe Falowik or Uien to allied with their enemies.
As they plunged deeper into the heart of the mystery that was Fornost, the sense of impending doom became heavier. Lumiel kept close in her mind fond memories and fought off as best she could the strange trance that Fornost seemed to cast upon the elves. She seemed least affected, and she wondered at it. She realized though, that there were reasons for it. She had not grown up among elves, and any special elven senses she had were not as acute as the others. Her human upbringing had its benefits.
Still, she held the reins tightly as they entered the forbidding Deadman's Dike and whispered an elven prayer. The others seemed wary as well, and several had swords drawn. She hoped that they would not be attacked here, their chances of victory would be slim. They had been lucky the first time, but now they knew a little more about the brigands and what they were after. And their enemies had the group's fear on their side. Lumiel stayed on edge and prepared for the worst that could happen.
<font size=1 color=339966>[ 6:14 PM January 24, 2004: Message edited by: Lumiel ]
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