Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[mark12_30]

Raefindan watched as Mellonin's happy smile and perky chatter faded to a pale gaping stare. He followed her eyes. Erebemlin stood in the door, and Mellondu and his father were retreating to the back room; father looked very stern, Mellondu looked angry. Very angry.

Mellonin's mother stepped to her side, and slipped her hand through her daughter's arm. "Perhaps we should join them, " said mother. "Your pardon, good Raefindan; please, have some wine." Nodding gracefully to the Rohirrim and the strange wanderer-boy, she led her daughter after her son and her husband, into the tiny back room.

[alaklondewen]

Erebemlin looked into the small house and into the uncertain faces of the young mortals. His eyes followed the blacksmith’s mother and sister into the back of the home and then flitted back to the group of travelers who watched him questioningly.

Young Bellyn stepped forward, fiddling with her fingers anxiously. “Pardon, my lord,” she paused, looking down at her hands, then gazing up into the face of the Elf towering over her. “What is going to happen?” Turning over her shoulder, she searched the faces of her companions for support. “Will the quest be finished? Will we find ever Nimrodel or will this be the end of our journey?”

The Elf pursed his lips, unsure of the response he should give the young woman. He breathed in deeply, flaring his nostrils. Choosing his words carefully, he began, “I am not certain of the outcome, my lady. I do not understand the thoughts and actions of mortals, but…” Erebemlin stopped, furrowing his brows as his eyes alternated back and forth between Bellyn’s sparkling, hope-filled eyes. “But I have hope, my lady.” It was difficult to say what hope Erebemlin had. Was it hope for the return of his king, or hope that a young blacksmith would realize his destiny and choose to defend his honor, whatever that was to a foolish boy. The Elf was uncomfortable trusting the boy to make the right and honorable decision. Amroth’s flame was still within him, however buried. The boy had to feel it, but why could he not surrender to it?

[mark12_30]

Father gently closed the door behind Mellonin and mother. In the heavy silence, Mellonin's nervous fidgeting contrasted with Mellondu's sullen resentment. Father waited; mother's gaze moved across the room.

Finally Mellonin could stand it no longer. "What will you do?"

"Hush, Light-Love, and wait, " murmured mother.

Father gazed at his son. "Mellondu, the elf is cold, but I deem he lies not."

Mellondu's scowl deepened. "Confound him."

"Is it true, " said mother, knowing it was.

"Yes, " said Mellondu through his teeth. "And what else can I do? I must serve him, or lose my honor. And how would I ever regain it, save by serving him?"

"But we just brought you home, " said Mellonin.

"Surely the elf need not leave today, " mother said.

"But what if he never finds her? What if you never find her?" Mellonin cried.

They looked at one another; no one answered.

"Son, " said father softly. "Tell me; do you carry the elf-king even now?"

Mellondu hesitated, wrestling with his anger, unwilling to respond. Slowly he said, "Perhaps; perhaps I-- " His face went red. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Father's eyes went distant; his hand went to his beard, and he slowly turned, went to a chair, and sat in it, deep in thought. Mother turned to her son. "So it would seem that you serve not one, but two, " she said.

"I do not wish to serve either. Not any more, " said Mellondu.

"Are you free to choose?" said Mother.

Tears sprang to Mellondu's eyes, which he angrily dashed away. "It would seem not."

"Son, " said father, "How did the elf-king first come to you?"

Mellondu looked down. "In my dreams."

"And?"

"They were wonderful dreams, and I wanted more, " he said. "But now they are nightmares, and I have had enough; I have had enough." He fought back tears once more. "I just want to stay home."

Father stood and came to Mellondu's side, and laid his hand on his shoulder, saying nothing. Mellondu fought for his composure while Father waited.

"Father, " pleaded Mellonin.

"Hush, daughter, " said Mother, blinking back her own tears. They waited while Mellondu's inner storm lashed and battered him. Slowly, finally, he became calm. Father gave his shoulder a firm shake; Mellondu looked him in the eye, squared his shoulders, and nodded. The sun was westering; the family slowly walked back out into the front room. They looked only at the tall elf.

Mellondu faced Erebemlin. With a steady voice and clear eye, he said, "I will serve you til my life-debt is paid."

Mother tightened her grip around Mellonin's arm. Mellonin's tears would not stop, but Mellonin dashed them away, standing tall with gritted teeth.

[alaklondewen]

"You are a brave young man, Aeron," Ravion said quietly. Aeron glanced at him. "Braver than I."

Aeron drew his eyebrows together with puzzlement as he looked at the ranger’s face. Aeron did not think himself brave. In fact, he considered himself a coward. He had not been able to save Gwyllion. He had run from the group in the night without giving word to anyone.

“Nay,“ the boy’s face relaxed as he spoke, and a sarcastic grin spread across his thin face. “I am far from being braver than the Lord Ravion.” Aeron’s smile faded when the sadness in Ravion’s eyes did not change. “You know,” he started again as he rocked, wrapping his arms around his knees and looking back up to the stars. “I may not be able to find my lass, but you…” Aeron stopped himself and sighed before glancing back at the ranger.

[alaklondewen]

The humans talked nervously among themselves while waiting in the small Gondorian home. They engaged in idle chatter to hide the conflict and uncertainty that filled them all. Erebemlin remained distanced from them, unmoved, still standing by the door like a cold statue from ages past.

If he had wished, the elf could have sent his thought into the tiny backroom and heard all that passed between the boy and his family. However, he chose not to do this. He would wait until the decision was made.

He did not simply listen to the humans, but he let his mind wander to the North. A sweet melody filled his thought. It was a song of reeds dancing in a cool breeze along the river, the grasses swaying on the banks. Then, he saw the homely cottage, covered in vines and creeping plants that were rich in color and texture. He noticed the cottage door was open before he saw her step onto the threshold. His heart began to beat loudly in his ears. The wind ruffled her hair around her face and shoulders. The brown, green, and gold waves of her hair lit up as the westering sun’s rays streamed beneath the canopy of the porch. A smile formed along her mouth as she saw him and she stopped singing.

No, do not stop, my lady.

Her smile faded for a moment, yet her eyes twinkled still. You are troubled, Erebemlin. What ails you?

The elf did not answer immediately. He did not wish to show the beautiful lady how vulnerable he had become with Amroth’s departure, yet…when he looked into her eyes no judgment could be found and she appeared to already understand his weaknesses and his troubles.

You worry the boy will not choose to follow the path you have laid before his feet. Am I right?

Yes.

Are they not his feet to follow his own path?

Yes, but… Erebemlin started but stopped himself, filled with his own uncertainty. Instead he whispered to her, What of Lord Amroth?

I cannot answer that for you, but I see you have some hope…however small. Marigold smiled and held out her hand to him. Hold tight to that hope. The boy will choose the right path. Now we shall see whether the right path is the one you would have him choose.

Erebemlin wanted to touch her outstretched hand. His mind reached out to her…

The door in the back of the house scraped along the floor as it opened. Erebemlin quickly drew his thought back to the small home. The room fell silent. The humans looked uncertainly from the blacksmith to the elf as Mellondu stepped forward. “I will serve you til my life-debt is paid.”

The tall elf exhaled very slowly. “You have chosen well, young man.”

Mellondu clinched his jaw, then replied, “I will not have my honor destroyed.”

Erebemlin narrowed his eyes slightly and looked upon the young man with curiosity. What the elf thought to himself about the worth of the boy’s so-called honor, he kept to himself and only nodded in reply.

Mellonin sniffed as she brushed away a tear, and Erebemlin looked over the boy to his sister, then to the hurt and understanding faces of his parents. Tearing his eyes away from theirs, the elf turned back to the young blacksmith. “Rest while you may for we will leave the White City at dawn in three days.”

[alaklondewen]

Father placed his hand on Mellondu’s shoulder, squeezing it to convey the pride he felt for his son at that moment. Mellondu pulled his shoulders back and raised his chin a bit higher.

Even though lines of concern were written on Mother’s forehead and brows, she forced a smile and turned to their guests. “At least we have this night. Good Raefindan, and everyone, I do hope you will stay for a bit of supper before you go back to your rooms at the inn.”

Mellondu threw his mother a look of disagreement, but she did not acknowledge it. The boy gritted his teeth. How were they going to feed them all? He knew his parents had naught to spare for so many. In all honesty, he hoped they would leave. He was not in the mood for company, and he wanted the tall elf out of his sight.

“Oh, yes, please stay!” Mellonin pulled away from her mother’s hold and stepped forward, taking Leafa’s hand. She then turned to Liornung. “Oh, Liornung, you must sing for Mother and Father…and Bella! How I loved your song! Please stay!”

“I do not think they wish to…”

“Nonsense, Son.” Mother interrupted. “We would be honored to have to you as our guests. Besides, we have yet to hear the tales of your travels. What do you say?”

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“That is very kind of you,” Liornung was the first of the group to speak. “I would love to stay for a while, to visit and talk.”

“So would I,” added Argeleafa, who smiled. Bellyn liked to see her friends happy; it had been a long journey and now they could rest for a while. “There are many of us, though. Will it be trouble to feed everyone?”

“Of course not,” said Mellondu’s mother, earning a look of dismay from her son.

“It is settled then!” Mellonin looked happier than all of them. “Come, sit. Leafa and Bella, over here…Ædegard…”

Mellonin and Mellondu were finally home. Bellyn wondered why she did not feel more at home. Though she had been born in Minas Tirith, she had not been back to the city in over six years. Bellyn had thought she would be fine returning to the city, but as soon as the company had entered the walls, memories had begun to flood back. She remembered so many things. She remembered the day she fell and scraped her knee, and her mother carried her home. On her third birthday it had been raining, and her brothers took her outside to dance in the puddles. Ever since she had been tall enough, Bellyn helped her mother every day to make dinner. Her father spent most of her youth traveling. Sometime when she was twelve, her mother and oldest brother grew ill. When her father finally came home, it was too late.

The memories made Bellyn sick to her stomach. She forced a smile. Mellondu’s parents searched for more chairs, and the visitors made themselves comfortable in their home. Bellyn and Argeleafa stood to help Mellonin and her mother prepare something to eat.

“No, no, sit,” Mellondu’s mother insisted, “I would love to hear of your travels.”

“I do not know the whole story myself,” Bellyn replied with a wry grin. “Let me help, and someone can tell the story from the beginning.”

“Or we could let Liornung sing us a song!” Mellonin suggested.

“Yes, he is very good at that,” Ædegard mused.

Sing something from some distant place, Bellyn hoped inwardly. She could not wait to leave Gondor in three days.