[Imladris]

"You do realize that you are being a fool trying to track the man in the swamps?" Gwyllion remarked, stretching lazily.

Aeron sighed. She could be so difficult when she didn't want to do something. "I don't understand you," he said. "Why do you not want to split up? They haven't treated us well, Raefindan virtually left us in the hands of that vile merchant, and Ravion left us too -- allowing you to be captured by that swamp elf," he added in a fierce whisper.

"I happen to like Ravion and the others," said Gwyllion softly, turning around to smile at him. "I don't know why Raefindan let the merchant capture us, but I am greatful that the elven lords rescued us."

"Yet even they won't go after Agard...Idegard...whatever his name is!" Aeron snapped. "They say they don't want to be separated, yet they won't go after him and try to overtake him! They say he deserted when he merely wanted to rescue his lady love! How is that bad?"

Gwyllion's smile faded and she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Aeron," she whispered. "But they are elves...surely they know what to do?"

Aeron scoffed and looked towards the murky, green slimed ground. Yes...he could vaguely see the outline of a hoof. "We'll catch up to him," said Aeron easily. "And then we won't be alone in the swamps."

There was harsh, sharp whistle and a soft plopping noise. Aeron frowned, and glanced around. "What was that?" he whispered to Gwyllion.

She made no answer, but merely sagged forward, and would have fallen off the horse if Aeron hadn't grabbed her. A thin dart was buried in her skin -- a trickle of blood dribbled down her neck.

Aeron's heart stilled, and he jerked around. There was another whistle, a bite of pain. As his vision blurred, and clouded, Aeron saw black shapes ripple towards him. He tried to shout, tried to spur the horse forward, but his legs were dead -- or were they merely asleep?

A dark tentacle wrapped itself about his neck, dragging him into watered darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwyllion

The grass was green, they sky clear of all clouds...why was she skipping, dancing over the lawn? Where was Aeron, where was the horse?

The birds sang sweetly -- it had been long since she had heard such singing. As she danced, she saw two women. One was huddled to the floor, oblivious to the the singing birds and the golden sunshine. Her golden hair fell wildly about her shoulders, tears stained her face, madness flushed her cheek.

Why would one cry in such a lovely place?

There was another lady who stood looking on...who was she?

Gwyllion stared at the other woman, she raised her head. Her face was pale, her cheeks were hollow, her eyes dark as they locked onto Gwyllion's.

Sad darkness poured into her, stained her memories with a dirge of tears, changed her eyes to see shapes of twilight, the grass was a weary path, birds sighed wistfully as a lady wept. "Does she not know that I miss my lover too?"

Gwyllion buried her face in her hands and wept -- wept for the strange lady who stood veiled in dying twilight, garbed in silent tears...