Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams

[Orual]

Ravion kept his face impassive, but glanced from Aeron to Gwyllion to Mellonin in confusion. "Lord Fingon"? Was that spontaneous, or had it been planned? Either way, it presented him with both an opportunity and a challenge. Could he really play it off that Mellonin was a noble...and a lord rather than a lady at that? He gathered his wits about him and plunged in to the game.

"Would you prove before a judge that this lad is your thief?"

Inspiration hit Ravion like one of Raefindan's better-aimed arrows. "My lord!" he exclaimed. Mellonin turned to him, surprised. "My lord, with the authority granted to you by his Majesty the King Elessar, you could pass judgment on our...predicament."

He turned to the merchant. "Surely you would accept the judgment of a Lord of Gondor, would you not?"

The way the Ranger phrased it, the merchant could hardly disagree. "Of course."

Almost gleeful in his pride, Ravion turned back to Mellonin. "My lord, who has the greater claim to Aeron's services? Myself, or the merchant?"

[mark12_30]

Mellonin drew herselkf up to her fill five-foot-nine height, and cleared her throat with as much rumble as she could muster. Then she sipped her tea as regally as she could while perusing Aeron's face. Thankfully, the lad was staring at the ground for fear of smirking.

She could do this. She and her brother used to make a game of imitating the master of the house. She closed her eyes, and quickly ran a verse of a noble song through her head. Then she opened her eyes, and turned to Raefindan.

"You call for proof that this boy is the thief of the necklace, and I deem this a wise question."

Raefindan stood, eyes sparkling, but he managed not to smile, or to hide the smile with chattering teeth. "Yes, lord."

"You also ask about the choice of the boy's punishment; to boil his hand rather than break his arm?"

Raefindan's jaw dropped. "My lord, such methods would not be my choice."

"Ah. And what would you choose for him as punishment?"

"Rehabilitation, my lord!"

Mellonin could not bite back the laugh that escaped her, but she ended it as gutterally as she could. Raising one hand (and then lowering it lest her callouses draw more attention) she said, "In the Common Speech, please, my friend."

Raefindan smiled, and shivered harder to hide it. "Training and practice in good deeds, under the guidance of a strong hand."

"Ah. Then you would have the boy-- for boy he is-- taught to do right."

Raefindan nodded. "Yes, my lord."

The merchant shifted, displeased already.

Lord Fingon turned to the merchant. "Good merchant, is the necklace that the Ranger tossed to you indeed the necklace that was taken from you?"

"Of course it is!"

Mellonin took a deep breath. "And how will you prove that it was the boy who stole it?"

"Of course he did! He's just a theif! Anyone can see it in him! Just look at him!"

Mellonin hardly knew how to argue with what the merchant said; Aeron's shifty eyes, expensive yet ill-tailored clothes and his quickness to cringe did indeed cast a shadow on him.

"That was not the lord's question, " Raefindan retorted. "The lord wants proof."

The merchant stood. "It's my necklace!"

"How do you know this was the boy who took it?"

"He's a well- known thief!"

"He is not the only thief in Gondor, " replied Mellonin. She watched the merchant's face, and then regretted saying it.

The merchant's eyes went wide.with indignation and he turned on Ravion, and they were both on their feet.. "You! You had it in your pocket! You took it! You --- so you want mercy for the boy, do you? You miserable prowling trickster-- when did you take it? I ought to drown you right now! Draw, vermin!"

Their blades sang and crossed; their eyes glittered, and the footwork began as they tested each other. The henchman drew, and stepped forward, watching for foul play.

Mellonin drew a quick breath, and glanced at Raefindan, who was standing wide-eyed, and had shouted "Stop! "Stop this madness!"

Aeron stood. "He did not take it! I took it!"

Mellonin stepped as close as she dared and held up a shaking hand. "Stop. Stop, halt!" Her voice was shaking, and it broke into a girlish squeak.

The two men stepped back, with their blades still raised.

Aeron said it again. "He did not take it. I took it."

The merchant spoke through his teeth. "Then you'll drown!"

Raefindan waved his hands. "We were supposed to let the lord decide the boy's fate, remember?"

Still seething, the merchant faced Mellonin. "Well, Lord Fingon?"

She drew herself up to her height again, and still trembling, she replied with a quavering voice, "You show no mercy, sir. And I would not trust such a boy-- however guilty he may be-- to such a jailer. You may not drown the boy, nor break his arm, nor boil his hand."

The merchant sheathed his blade, a cold sneer of contempt etched on his features.

Mellonin tried to stop shaking, and could not; and her voice shook. "You, " she managed to say, "will take your necklace. And this ranger will take the boy, and train him to be good. I have decided."

[littlemanpoet]

The merchant eyed Mellonin distrustfully. "Lord Fingon, eh?" His tone dripped with suspicion. "Prove it. You are no lord. Prove it to me, or your judgement is false. Worse, if you are no lord, you lie and are no better than this thief, who at least has admitted his crime." The merchant walked up to Mellonin with measured steps, staring into her face. He got up close and sneered into her face, "Prove it, girl." He grinned, then laughed. "Some lord, so soft of face and rough of hand! You'll have to do better than that!" He laughed even harder, then broke off and scowled. "The boy has spoken his crime. Since he stole from me, his punishment is mine to mete out."

Raefindan spoke up. "Sir, you have us at a disadvantage. But we need this boy and his sister." Raefindan did not know precisely why this was so, but it seemed to him that it was so, and would be proven in the future. His own usefulness to this party was more in doubt, as far as he was concerned.

"Take me as hostage until the boy returns to Gondor."

"No!" Mellonin cried, forfeiting all pretense to manhood.

The merchant regarded Raefindan, rubbing his unshaven chin. "What use would you be to me, Red?"

"I will serve as your steward, if you would have it so."

"Raefindan! No!" She ran to him and whispered into his ear, "The dreams!" So that was his usefulness. He had forgotten in the chaos of the day's events; but he had made his offer, and there it stood.

"What does she whisper to you, Red?"

"It has to do with our quest."

"A quest, eh? Tell me of it."

[Imladris]

Aeron shivered by the fire, his clothes clinging to his skin like blood sucking leeches -- except that they, instead, sucked the warmth from him. He smiled at Gwyllion as she came and hugged him, cradling her head on his shoulder. He knew she would forgive him. The merchant had hastened the forgiveness, of course, but his personal charm would have made it irresistable for her to be angry with him for more than a few days. He smiled at her.

Mellonin draped a blanket around their shoulders, and he said, "Thank you, my lord Fingon." Gwyllion shoulders shivered with laughter and Aeron himself wrestled with a grin that strived to appear. Calling her a lord -- he wondered if she could pull it off. She was nothing but a servant woman! It would indeed be interesting if she could or not.

"You should have called her something other than a lord," Gwyllion whispered.

"I know, but if a lie is to be told, why not make it into a glorious lie," Aeron murmured into her ear. "It is more fun that way."

"Your fun could get you into trouble."

He rolled his eyes. How typical of his sister to point that out to him. He was already in trouble and if the merchant discovered his falsehood it would not matter.

What was this? The merchant was accusing Ravion of stealing the necklace? Drat and blast, how could he sully the Ravion's name as a ranger? A ranger! Aeron's mouth gaped and his brows met in a jagged frown. Of all the the things that he had been hearing today, stupid lectures and all, this was the most outrageous of them all. It was a far stretch of the imagination to imagine a ranger stealing a bit of jewelery. Aeron wondered the ranger had a young sweetheart...but still! Then again, if the ranger was accused it would make his life ten times easier. He would no longer be his servant...but...then there was Mellonin and Raefindan. They were kind folks...and the ranger would have to protect them. Shaking himself, grimacing at his stupidity, Aeron climbed to his feet as the merchant and the ranger crossed blades. "He did not take it, I took it!" Aeron shouted. Seeing as the shout had no noticable effect, he bellowed, "He did not take it, I took it!"

"Then you'll drown," the merchant said through clenched teeth.

Aeron rolled his eyes. It was most probably an empty threat. Ravion would not let him drown...but why? Aeron shrugged and sat back down. It was a mystery that he could not fathom.

He listened as Mellonin passed judgement on him, but was not satisfied that it would sway the merchant to a more lenient heart. He would be a deaf man if he did not realize that her voice was forced, a blind man to realize that her air of lordship was a bit false, and a man of dim wits if he could not see that she was shaken by the encounter.

He sighed and grinned at Mellonin. She had tried after all and she had done a pretty good job of it he figured.

[alaklondewen]

Celegtâl waited as Caranduin descended and met him on the ground, then the pair strode to the group. “Be forewarned,” Caranduin’s voice was firm, and his grey eyes flashed. “If you as much as show a hint of hostility toward us, you will not live to regret it.”

Celegtâl did not look toward his companion, but placed his hand over his dagger. To be honest, the elf did not wish to do battle against these mortals, especially being outnumbered, and he hoped Taitheneb was lurking nearby, in case they found themselves in need of another hand.

“Tell us more of this Gondorian blacksmith, Sir Ædegard. You say he believes he is the Lord Amroth?” Celegtâl lowered his hand from his dagger and stepped closer to Ædegard.

“Yes, sir. He claims to be.”

Celegtâl tried to touch the edge of Ædegard’s thoughts, but the Rohirrim kept his mind closed. He was distrustful, and most rightly so. Celegtâl respected this as he himself trusted very few. “The lass mentioned two that you pursue, yet you only speak of one. What of the second?”

“He is a boy, a teenager, from the wandering peoples. He accompanied Amroth when he rode from our camp this morning.” Seemingly predicting the next line of questioning, Ædegard continued, “we followed their tracks here, sirs.”

Celegtâl nodded and turned to Caranduin. “What do you make of this?” He whispered in his companion’s ear.

“I believe he speaks the truth. No deception lies in his voice or expression.” Caranduin glanced at the group before continuing. “I feel the real concern lies in the blacksmith. We cannot allow a disillusioned man leeway in the forest, especially one that claims the kingship.”

Celegtâl remained silent a moment and piecing together what he had heard. “You may enter the forest, but only with our guidance. We will take you to Erebemlin. He watches over the forest, and if your blacksmith is here, he will know of it.”

~*~*~*~
Orual's post: Erundil

Erundil stepped forward. "If I may, sir...?" he began. The elf nodded. "I am not a companion of the blacksmith. Perhaps I should take my leave now."

Celegtâl looked at him for a long moment, as though trying to divine his intentions. "I am a Ranger, and must go back to my work," Erundil continued. He didn't add that all this talk of the blacksmith made him uncomfortable.

Finally, Celegtâl nodded. "Be on your way," he said. Erundil bowed, turned to the company, and bowed again. Then he left, going to his horse.

He would do well to tell his fellow Rangers of this straightaway. Who would be out?

As he nudged his horse to a canter, it hit him. Ravion! Ravion was always out. He would find him, and tell him of this matter...

[mark12_30]

Mellonin packed with haste, face turned away from her friends. They heard the snickers that escaped her; she could not help that; but she was determined they would not see her blush.

Over the last day, she realized, she had fallen in love with each and every one of them. Silly Aeron, full of mischeif. Gwyllion, vulnerable and earnest. Raefindan, the bold, brash peacemaker. And Ravion.

She donned her pack, and stood beside Raefindan, and as they walked she spoke in a low voice.

"Aeron and I both are in your debt. I am in awe of your courage on Aeron's behalf," she said.

"Oh, be serious, " Raefindan laughed.

"What?"

"It was a tight spot, and we all did what we could," Raefindan shrugged.

"Alas, I did little. But you? Bidding the merchant take you as a steward in Aeron's stead? Diving into the river to save the cruel merchant? And bidding the henchman to release Gwyllion... and he did."

She blushed again. "You were truly brave. And wise."

Raefindan's eyes twinkled, and he glanced back over his shoulder at the ranger. "And Ravion?" he whispered, watching her.

Mellonin did not turn. Her blush deepened. She studied the ground and did not answer.

Raefindan smiled.

[alaklondewen]

Erebemlin looked on Amroth with eyes full of concern. “Lord Amroth, we have no need for a watch here. You are still in need of much rest before you will be well.” Amroth met Erebemlin’s gaze and the Sinda saw the king’s fear. Opening his thoughts, Erebemlin touched Amroth’s mind. Come, rest…I will watch over your dreams tonight. You have no need for fear.

Momentarily Amroth appeared flushed, but he immediately hid it. “Maybe you are right, Erebemlin. The forest is safe, and I do still feel as though I could sleep some more this evening.” The king flashed his eyes to his faithful servant. Thank you.

The elves sung a song of peace and restfulness as they worked together to make comfortable beds for the guests. Soon six small beds of thick blankets lined the left side of Erebemlin’s talan, and as the four elves continued to sing the guests became weary and soon laid down, each peacefully sleeping, even the cautious Ædegard who expressed his wariness of sleeping in the tree.

After quickly cleaning the mess of the evening’s dinner, the four elves sat, still as stone, discussing the day’s events. Erebemlin remained near Amroth, while the others faced him.

Do you truly mean to leave the forest, Silmaethor? Taitheneb finally asked what had been on his mind the majority of the evening.

You must understand, Mellon. He is my king, and I have sworn allegiance to him, even before his arrival this day…in this mortal body. The Sinda looked down at Amroth’s sleeping face then back to Taitheneb. I must aid him and see he is safe.

Taitheneb remained silent and studied his hands that lay crossed in his lap. Caranduin and Celegtâl look at one another. This was the first they had heard of Erebemlin’s leaving. We will be greatly grieved at your departure, Silmaethor. Caranduin’s eyes were saddened.

It will be difficult for me also, mellyn. I shall miss each of you greatly, but I will return when the quest is over. You have my word. Now, I will need your help. We will need enough lembas to last possibly weeks…enough for all of us. Can you do this?

For all? But, my lord... Celegtâl raised his eyebrows and looked from Erebemlin to the humans and back to Erebemlin.

Yes, mellon. Erebemlin gazed down at the young mortal who housed his king. I know not how Lord Amroth returned to us, but I have made an oath to aid him with whatever means I have.

That is well, Silmaethor, to help Lord Amroth... Caranduin glanced at Celegtâl before continuing. It is rare, indeed, for lembas to be given to any mortal...not since the Ring Bearer...

I know our traditions, Caraduin. The elder's eyes flashed. I believe this is a time where an exception may be made to tradition. It seems this is the chosen company of the king. What fate draws us, I know not. The younger Sindar lowered their eyes and said nothing. I will ask you again, Erebemlin's thought became more gentle. Can you do this?

Yes, we will have it for you by sunrise. Celegtâl bowed his head, and then he and Caranduin rose and left the flet to gather supplies for the travelers. Taitheneb remained.

Let me go with you. Taitheneb flashed his eyes with determination.

Erebemlin was surprised by his statement. Why do wish to go on such a journey, Taitheneb? Why would you wish to leave the forest?

Taitheneb looked down again. I cannot see you leave this forest without me, just as you cannot see him go without you. Slowly Taitheneb raised his eyes and looked at Erebemlin’s face.

Astonished, Erebemlin considered the elf’s request. In his heart he did not want Taitheneb to have to give up the forest to go on mission about which he cared little. However, he could not deny that another elf could be needed if the group came across any trouble. After his long silence, Erebemlin reached out his hand and took Taitheneb’s. I would be honored to have your company on this journey.

Taitheneb smiled and sat back. The weight had been removed from his shoulders and he sighed.

[mark12_30]

Mellonin's sore legs gradually warmed up, and her stride became easier; but her back did not stop aching. Raefindan was limping and sniffling. Gwyllion and Aeron kept up a steady whispering banter, as Gwyllion tried to walk and talk like a man, when she wasn't whining about her sore legs and back.

Even Jorje was weary. Mellonin half expected him to give up and go home, but he trotted stubbornly along, whining if he lagged behind, occasionally distracted by rabbits or mice.

Aeron and Ravion and Gond showed no discomfort, walking easily over the miles. They briefly stopped for lunch and a short rest, but Ravion drove them on long before they felt ready. Sunset came and passed, and the stars came out, and still Ravion drove them on. Mellonin wondered why, til they finally stopped beside a dead tree. Firewood. She was grateful. Briefly she thought about putting pen to paper, as she had promised the lady Estelyn. But she was too weary.

Ravion took the first watch and Aeron took the second. Raefindan grimly took the last watch, limping in circles to stay awake. Mellonin and Gwillion slept soundly through til dawn.