* Faintly at first came the sound of harps, like clear stars spilling into a soft silver waterfall over tinkling-smooth pebbles. A voice flowing with honey-rich life raised a sprightly dance tune on the wind, propelling the music spinning and wheeling through windows broad-framed and slitted. An air slow and melancholy rippled up next, bidding its hearers remember where fate ought to have carried them in a white ship upon the Western Sea. A flute then joined the harps, and two Elvish voices joined the mortal one to offer its hearers a musical glow of shared light. *
* Anna, Calimiel, and Celumëomaryu heard. The Butler darted hurtling through walls towards the sound approaching the front gate, gasping once outside at the sight of the parading two files of twinkling candles and lanterns. Kenelm heard. For Maladil the music only filtered in as a backdrop for the insane restless rovings of malicious thought that haunted him and so he ignored it or failed to recognize it as anything new. Thus Maladil did not stir from where he'd flung himself brooding atop his bed, unaware or uncaring that he'd sank into what remained of his own shattered dust-laden skeleton. As for Halblung the man-at-arms, Lasrain the gardener, and Tella the cook, they heard, and dashed out to the front gate. *
* Among the approaching company, Menelduliniel, Nardol, and Gandalf could make out a dim white glow of blurred and featureless shapes, just at the edge of sight, phasing in and out, accompanied by a clammy chill. Aislan, Bird, Hinura, and Poppy saw nothing, but noticed a wan chill in the air. *
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