[piosenniel]

Lyra Greenleaf’s post

Telpeheled smiled slowly. “Liniel I swear it, I saw the Evenstar often in Lórien and you are far more beautiful than she. I-”
”Telp I heard you say that to Elenaya yesterday. Oh, and Thrabduil’s sister-daughter the day before that.
Telpeheled turned to scowl at the Elf who had interrupted him.
“I would rather you stayed out of this Anuion. After all I’ve done for you…”
Anuion choked and opened his mouth to protest. Telp ignored him and turned back to Liniel. She had gone.

“Oh I understand” Telp continued grimly. “It’s jealousy. Simply because I have so many admirers while you…”
Telpeheled paused significantly.
Ignoring the insult he knew was not to be taken seriously, Anuion began to walk. Without words, Telp followed. They walked in silence for a while.
“I-“
“You-“
The two Elves exchanged smiles as they began to talk at the same time.
“Go on, Telp” said Anuion.

“Anuion, you know I wanted the chance to see your land, visit your family don’t you?”
Telp paused, then continued at his friend’s nod.
“I like it here. Thranduil’s court is amusing, there are many beautiful maidens, lots of wine…”
He trailed off. Anuion waited.
“But I wish to see the world again. I want to see humans again. I want- I want to see men, and periannath and Dwarves. I want to see Gondor, Rohan, Fangorn, Ithilien…The tales they tell here of the journey of Legolas, the king’s son! I want to see what he saw. I want to-”
”Go to join Bordarigorn?” Anuion finished for him. Telp nodded slowly.
“Then that is what you must do. Go to him in the North, and I will meet you both, as arranged, in Rohan”
“Thank you.” Telpeheled grinned at his friend. He had known Anuion would not be offended, after all Telp had left the Golden Wood for adventure, not to join a city of Elves in the northern branch of the same wood! So he would find Bordarigorn,. It couldn’t be too hard, after all there was little up north, certainly few men such as Bordarigorn. Just many periannath and suchlike. Telp longed to see Hobbits, they seemed as a tale for the fireside but they certainly existed. There were many tales of Hobbits circulating at the moment. Yes, it would be good.

It did not work out so well. It was fairly simple to find the township of Bree after a short stay at famed Imladris, but there were indeed men aplenty in the area. There were a number of Rangers such as Bordarigorn, but most had gone to the South with the new King of Gondor. The men of Bree were far simpler folk. Yet, Telp had to admit they provided good hospitality- the inn of the Prancing Pony was comfortable, the innkeeper shrewder than he looked. And there were periannath, Hobbits as they were known here. For the first few days Telpeheled wanted to smile each time he saw them in the streets, wrinkled old Hobbits the height of his waist! It was wonderful.

Then he began to worry, and it stopped being so wonderful. He had left much of his money with Anuion to bring to Mirkwood; more was in the bag which Bordarigonr held for him. For the first time Telpeheled began to realise that he could do worse than look after his own belongings.

A few days before he knew he would have to leave the inn, Telp sat with an ale (a new experience but certainly a good one) and listened to the tales of wolves in the neighbourhood. He remembered a time he had fought wolves and had to be carried by Bordarigorn, but was unwilling to share the tale with these assembled man and Hobbits. After a while he noticed one voice louder than the others decrying the foul beasts. Looking with interest for the speaker, Telp noticed someone he had not seen around Bree before- a Dwarf. The dwarf noticed Telpeheled’s astonished stare and frowned.

“What is it, Master Elf?” he asked grumpily. The men and Periannath who had not noticed Telpeheled stirred in interest and turned. They saw few Elves, if any.”
“You have trouble with wolves?” Telp asked lightly.
“Yes. What of it?”
”I believe I could help you” Telp offered.
“Why would you do that?” the Dwarf asked disbelievingly, staring at Telpeheled from under the largest eyebrows he had ever seen.
“Will you let me stay in your house?”

The Dwarf’s mouth dropped open. Of all he had expected, Telp would wager it was not this. Still Telpeheled did not agree with the feud, many Elves disliked humans and he knew that they were certainly not all bad. Anyway there had been a Dwarf mentioned in the tales of Legolas of Mirkwood, along with the periannath. He only hoped the Dwarf was as willing to forget their races’ history.

It seemed the Dwarf, Anuionin was his name, cared more about saving his home than pointless enmities, for to Telp’s relief he offered him a room. In a week they had achieved, if not the lifelong friendship it seemed Legolas Thranduilion had managed, a mutual trust and respect. It was a start.

Today Telpeheled sat in his room in the house of a dwarf, explaining the situation to a friend through the mind-speak of Osanwë
‘A Dwarf?’ Maeralagos asked. Telpeheled could hear the smile in his voice.
‘Are you surprised?’
‘By you? Never’
‘I-’

“Elf?” the Dwarf’s call interrupted Telp. He had learnt that calling him ‘Elf’ was no sign of dislike by Anuionin.
‘Fare well, Maeralagos. Good luck finding a wife before I return to divert the maidens’ attention’
‘Farewell Telp’

Telpeheled left his room.
“Yes Dwarf?” he called entering the passageway. With the Dwarf he saw a man.
“Telpeheled?” the man asked.
“Bordarigorn?” Telp returned in shock.

[ July 17, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]