The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Green Dragon Inn #11

littlemanpoet · 04-27-2005, 02:33 PM

Uien looked at Falowik, who watched her in agitation. What do I want? She did not want to probe anyone's thought. She would not allow her heart to be so flayed again. Never! She swallowed, blinking back tears she did not want seen, not even by Falowik. Maybe she wanted a child; maybe not. It seemed to have lost its import.

"Eswen," she said, her voice sounding cold in her own ears, "tell me what happened." Eswen explained what she knew: she had seen Uien crawling, in terror and agony; she had seen Falowik walking away, leaving Uien.

Uien looked at him. "Where were you going, Falowik?"

"I - I-" he stopped and swallowed, and stood striaighter, regarding her. "North. You carved an Elvish man and child with you. Is that your desire?"

Uien bowed her head and sighed. "I do not know." She looked up at him, saw that he was smitten by her words; his throat worked. He needed her to come to his rescue, to save him from the despair he might succumb to. I have given my heart to you, Falowik Laurëatan. But she did not speak the words, nor send them into his mind, for there was something within her that she had not noticed before, something hard, as if a bit of iron was merged within her, and she did not wish to be always the giver anymore. Let him stew.

"Leave me alone," she said. "All of you!"

"Forever?" Falowik asked. She looked at him again. His eyes were narrowed, as if he expected her to say yes.

"No, Falowik," her tone made his name seem to mean fool. "Give me the afternoon." She turned from them and walked away.

"Uien!" called Eswen. Uien ignored her and continued across the back of the Inn, away toward the pasture. She came within earshot of an Elven song.

"Who shall heed a broken ship on the black rocks under broken skies, a bleared sun blinking on bones gleaming in the last morning?
Who shall see the last evening?"

It was Mithalwen, singing to a human man Uien had not seen before. The song was a beautiful elegy. It reminded Uien that her family had gone over sea and that she had been left behind, forgotten. Unvalued. Uien pursed her lips and swept by the two of them, her mind closed against the Elven woman, this lady who had asked for aid but gave none. Heart's friend? Uien had much to think about, to reconsider.

04-27-2005, 02:33 PM	#1799
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Uien Uien looked at Falowik, who watched her in agitation. What do I want? She did not want to probe anyone's thought. She would not allow her heart to be so flayed again. *Never!* She swallowed, blinking back tears she did not want seen, not even by Falowik. Maybe she wanted a child; maybe not. It seemed to have lost its import. "Eswen," she said, her voice sounding cold in her own ears, "tell me what happened." Eswen explained what she knew: she had seen Uien crawling, in terror and agony; she had seen Falowik walking away, leaving Uien. Uien looked at him. "Where were you going, Falowik?" "I - I-" he stopped and swallowed, and stood striaighter, regarding her. "North. You carved an Elvish man and child with you. Is that your desire?" Uien bowed her head and sighed. "I do not know." She looked up at him, saw that he was smitten by her words; his throat worked. He needed her to come to his rescue, to save him from the despair he might succumb to. I have given my heart to you, Falowik Laurëatan. But she did not speak the words, nor send them into his mind, for there was something within her that she had not noticed before, something hard, as if a bit of iron was merged within her, and she did not wish to be always the giver anymore. Let him stew. "Leave me alone," she said. "All of you!" "Forever?" Falowik asked. She looked at him again. His eyes were narrowed, as if he expected her to say yes. "No, Falowik," her tone made his name seem to mean fool. "Give me the afternoon." She turned from them and walked away. "Uien!" called Eswen. Uien ignored her and continued across the back of the Inn, away toward the pasture. She came within earshot of an Elven song. "Who shall heed a broken ship on the black rocks under broken skies, a bleared sun blinking on bones gleaming in the last morning? Who shall see the last evening?" It was Mithalwen, singing to a human man Uien had not seen before. The song was a beautiful elegy. It reminded Uien that her family had gone over sea and that she had been left behind, forgotten. Unvalued. Uien pursed her lips and swept by the two of them, her mind closed against the Elven woman, this lady who had asked for aid but gave none. Heart's friend? Uien had much to think about, to reconsider.