Jesslyn nodded, and took a seat near the fire, and Annanoldowen joined her. Jesslyn was so excited to be talking to an Elf, up close! Jesslyn had always considered the Elven kind the folk of fireside stories, and couldn’t recall ever speaking to one before Annanoldowen decided to speak to her.
“Annanoldowen,” Jesslyn began, and the Elf nodded, willing Jess to go on. “You have such a long name! Mind if I call you Anna? My mother says that means ‘gift’ in your tongue. I can’t speak Elvish though. I’ve never really met an Elf before. What’s it like? What does Annanoldowen mean?”
Jesslyn had spoken in such haste and only stopped to breathe after she had spoken, that it took a moment for Annanoldowen to collect her thoughts.
“Annanoldowen means ‘Gift of Knowledge’. You’ve never met an Elf before? You’re brother hasn’t either? What is it like to be an Elf, you mean?” Annanoldowen continued when she saw the look in Jesslyn’s anxious eyes. “I’m not sure. What is it like to be human?”
“No, no! My brother has met Elves before. Thanks to them, he knows how to shoot with those bows and arrows of yours. Cartil wasn’t careful about what…or whom…he used as target practice after that. Being human is wonderful, once one grasps the idea that they’ve only got so long to live. Once a human realizes that, they know that they better do something worthwhile with that time. Not enough humans realize this in time, though,” Jesslyn’s voice tarried off as she noticed something near Annanoldowen. Annanoldowen’s sword in its sheath! “Miss Anna? Might I see your sword? Looks beautiful from far away, would it be alright for me to see it up close?”
Annanoldowen nodded, and handed Jesslyn the weapon. Taking it from its scabbard, Jesslyn’s eyes widened and she held the shining blade in her hands. Something was written in it, and Jess squinted to try and read it.
“It’s Elvish, Miss Stone.” Annanoldowen chided, and Jesslyn nodded.
“Jess is fine, Miss Anna,” Jesslyn smiled inwardly and resolved to call the kindly elf just Anna, if it was all right with her. “What does it say, Anna?”
“Annanoldowen, daughter of Imladris,” Annanoldowen replied as Jesslyn let a finger run along the curved edge of the blade. Jess nodded approval for the weapon and returned it to Annanoldowen.
“And how old might you be, Miss St- I mean, Jess,” Annanoldowen asked.
“Eighteen. Is it proper to ask how old an Elf is? I’d sure be embarrassed to say how old I was if I lived to be more than a thousand,” Jess replied bluntly.
“That is because your kind do not live as long as mine. It is not strange for me to say to someone ‘I am four and a half thousand years old’,” Annanoldowen answered, and returned her sword to a resting place next to her.
“You’ve lived so much longer than I have! You must have been to so many places, whereas I’ve only been around Tarnost until now! Can you tell me about your travels?” Jesslyn continued, and Jess’ new friend began to tell some stories about her travels. As Annanoldowen spoke, Jesslyn came to have deep respect and admiration for the Elf's wisdom.
[ April 22, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]
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...Come down now, they'll say. But everything looks perfect from far away - Come down now! But we'll stay.
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