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Darlariel listened to the old man fascinated. Never had someone spoken such words of wisdom to her. Not in the real world, anyway. When she read The Lord of the Rings-and that would happen quite often-she fancied she heard the characters talking near her. And their voices sounded just like Aiwendil's-soft, gentle, yet also persuasive, as if urging her to understand. She knew quite welll what Aiwendil meant when he told her about the meaning behind the words. Yet she could never explain that meaning save only through blurred visions and dreams.
She remembered a dream she had once had, not a very long time ago. She was sitting on the grass of a sunny glade with Aragorn. And he was talking to her, in the same deep and gentle voice that Aiwendil had used with her. When she had woken up, she could not remember what he had said, save only that his words had been full of wisdom and comfort. Even now when she thought of that dream she felt her heart invaded with peace and joy. Yet also, there was a pang of sorrow, and the beginning of a great emptyness. She could not recall his words. She had tried many times to bring back into her mind if only a sentence from that conversation, yet it had all been in vain. Would it be so this time also? But no, she would not let it happen. And plus, this was not a dream. She was wide awake. Or was she?
They had stopped in front of the library. Aiwendil then began talking of something she could not quite comprehend. He spoke of danger and of choices. She felt puzzled about what he had said, so puzzled that she had little time to realise that he had headed to the back entrence without waiting for her. She ran after him, and caught up just in time to see him jumping over the huge fence with an agility that was amazing at a man his age.
Darlariel frowned. Entering a deserted yard near midnight on Haloween was not exactly what she felt like doing. Who knew what struggle would take place there, or what creature of darkness had found refuge in that place? She had never considered herself a warrior, she could not even fight with someone from her world, let alone some unknown peril that Aiwendil was now ready to face. Maybe she should turn away and go back to the safety of her home.
Yet she found out that she could not. Not now, not when she knew who her aquaintance was. She would not turn back, and risk turning this meeting into a dream, an unsure vision of a much too troubled soul. Not matter the cost, no matter what lay in store for her. Therefore, she too climbed over the fence and ran after Aiwendil. She saw that he was now accompanied by two figures but she did not care. She ran until she reached him and spoke to him in a quiet, yet pleading voice:
"I do not know what lies there. I am sure I have little power against it. Yet I cannot turn back. I am afraid but I cannot turn back. Please, please let me go with you. If my thoughts have indeed told you so many things about me, then I have no doubt you will unerstand me and let me come with you."
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