The Veil Lifted

[Firefoot]

A small yelp escaped Raven's lips as she turned to see the witch lady standing there, already holding her cat, already looking quite self-satisfied again. She was trapped. Trapped! The older girl on one side and behind her, the witch lady in front, and a boy menacingly brandishing a cardboard sword on her other side. And now the lady was talking to them! Raven cringed; any time now, the curse would come; what would she do? Turn them into toads? Make them vanish? Take away all their candy?

"...You ought to be ashamed of yourselves."

"N - ye -"

"It was her idea," Tucker answered defensively. Raven spared her brother a brief glare.

"It was going to give us bad luck," she said sullenly, staring at her slippered feet but also watching for an opportunity to bolt. With support like that, Tucker could fend for himself.

[Child of the 7th Age]

"Darlariel, I am afraid you have me at an advantage. Unless you tell me where the library is, I may be walking in circles for the next four hours. And I must get there quickly. Your questions, however, are not easy to answer. You must excuse me if I talk in riddles. It is only that Hedwig and I see so few folk during the year. We live in the woods west of town in a snug cottage made of wood and thatch. Sometimes a young lad or lass will come by and drop off an injured bird or squirrel that needs to be nursed back to health. I have been called by many different names over the years, but to those young ones I am the "Bird-tamer". That name is probably as good as any."

"As to your next question.....how I knew your true name?" Aiwendil paused and stared blankly into the misty shadows, wondering how he would ever explain this in a way that would not seem too wildly implausible. He tried out half a dozen stories in his mind but the only one that made any sense was the explanation that came the closest to being the real truth. "You see, Darlariel, you are an open and friendly person and your thoughts came spilling out to me. And somewhere, amid all those lovely thoughts, I clearly heard and saw the name Darlariel. Back home we have a name for that sort of thing. Generally, it's called osanwe."

"But please, that's enough preliminaries. I need to get to that library as quickly as I can. I would be much obliged if we could go now."

[Dimturiel]

Darlariel had listened to the old man's explanations, frowning slightly. Indeed, he spoke in riddles, but riddles she thought she could understand. "Bird-tamer" was a name that told her many things, and so did everything else that the man had said about himself. But she spoke nothing of her thoughts. She was not sure of them, for one thing, and also, the sensible part of her brain-the part that she hated most-was telling her that most likely the man could be mad. Yet that did not explain how he had known her name.

Darlariel waved her thoughts aside. Whoever the man was and whatever he wanted was not her business. He had asked for her help and that was the only thing that mattered. Darlariel had never backed out when someone required her aid, so why should she now? It was not a hard thing he was asking her to do, she could find the library with her eyes closed, having spent many a hour in there. Therefore she nodded slowly, looking the old man straight in the eye.

"Very well, master Bird-tamer," she said, "I will take you and Hedwig to the library. It is not far from here. Let us go, then."

They started walking, and Darlariel could not take her eyes from her new acquaintance. There was something about him that fascinated her. And she knew that it would have been like this even if he had not said all the amazing things he had told her, even if she had not known who he was. "But maybe he is not who you believe him to be."a voice inside her protested. "How could he be? Maybe he has lost his mind, all because he has been dreaming all his life,just as you have, for the world of almost forgotten legends. Maybe he is like this because, just as you, he refused to acknowledge the world he lived in and sought refuge in the ancient lays." Yet what was to acknowledge in such a world? What could be found in those times save a dull, tiresome stream leading nowhere and lacking all meaning and all splendour?

Darlariel looked around her. Everything had gone quiet, or maybe it was her uneasy mind that made it seem so. This was the night when terrible things happened, or so old tales said. Who could tell what unknown dark creatures lurked in the dark places of the city ready to waylay the unwary. Darlariel felt a shiver run down her spine. Wanting to draw away from her that feeling of uneasiness, she began talking with her new companion:

"You told me very few things about yourself, master Bird-tamer," she began, "Yet I did not find it hard to understand your riddles. You spoke to me of osanwe. Well let me tell you that I know very well what that means and who used it. And also there is your name, and your friendship with your owl, Hedwig. I have rarely seen something like this. Now you call yourself "Bird-tamer", yet I believe that back home you had other names that sounded fairer. Let me see. Could one of these possibly be...Radagast? Or perhaps...Aiwendil?"

[littlemanpoet]

Sid looked. In the darkness was a taste, a scent, a shadow half perceived, of something behind the darkness itself. It was as if the wind, whose voice could be heard almost above a whisper now and again, now here, now there, were a cloak, a thready gown that hid a wilder, freer, weirding of a night. And Sid, for the first time, was able to get a hint of it. He looked back at Becca eagerly.

And was saddened once again, for he could see the starlight glittering in her eyes; she was watching the night as if seeing many wondrous things at a remove, cherished memories bittersweet now because they could not be added to anymore.

"Becca," Sid said softly, "I'm going to go have a look around, if you know what I mean. Is it okay if I come back a little later? Maybe we can talk."

Becca nodded and smiled for him. He began to walk away toward the street, and looked back once to see Becca wave and close the door. Midnight was standing in the window watching him. Maybe I need a cat of my own, or some kind of animal. I wonder if Midnight was able to go with her?

[piosenniel]

There were sounds as they neared the end of the tunnel. Little shufflings and shushings which fell into a deep pool of silence as they passed the stacked wooden crates lining the walls.

From the corner of her eye Gilli caught a quick glimpse of someone’s small face. And just as quickly it disappeared, as if the owner were jerked quickly back into the shadows. In a few quick steps she caught up with Jack, and nudging him, nodded toward the boxes.

‘The small folk,’ she whispered . . .

[Noinkling]

‘Now you’ve done it!’ hissed Daisy as she pulled Ferdy in close beside her. She clapped her hand over his mouth as he started to protest.

‘But Daisy,’ he said in a muffled voice through her fingers. Ferdy reached up and pried her hand from his mouth. His face scrunched up as he licked his dry lips and tasted the sweet, buttery residue. ‘Hmmmmph! You’ve been eating the toffee out of the bag, haven’t you?!’

Tolly stood up from where he was crouched and stepped into the weak light left behind as Jack and the others passed. ‘Well, they’ve seen us now.’ He motioned for the others to follow him. ‘We might as well see what they’re doing.’

[Celuien]

What on earth? Bad luck?

Becca hadn't been expecting that answer from the children. She knew, of course, that black cats were supposed to be unlucky, but didn't think that anyone took the idea seriously. She didn't. If anything, Midnight had brought her only good luck since the day two years earlier when Becca picked a tiny jet black kitten from a neighbor's litter. She scratched behind the cat's ears and Midnight nestled her head into the crook of Becca's arm, purring.

The children looked more nervous by the moment.

"Black cats bad luck." Becca shook her head. "I suppose you think I'm a witch too."

The girl looked more startled than if she had been caught with her hand in a cookie jar. "Ye-n-n-n-no," she stammered.

It was Becca's turn to be startled. Startled and amused at the silly notions in the girl's head. The corner of her mouth twitched, hinting at a grin despite her irritation.

"Now that's just silly. Hmmph. What's your name?"

Terror entered the girl's face. "R-r-r-a--v-ven...and this is my brother Tucker." Becca forced herself to stifle a chuckle. Raven wasn't about to give her name without making sure that her brother was identified too.

"Well, Raven and Tucker. Though I'm sure we're almost neighbors, we don't seem to know each other very well. That's a shame, but it seems the way of the city these days. I can tell you that I'm harmless and that Midnight is the sweetest cat who ever lived, but I have a feeling you won't take my word for it. What do I have to do to fix that?"

[Forest Elf]

After she had gotten over the fact that he hadn’t noticed it, she decided it was probably better to climb down rather than be stuck up in a tree all night, “besides, Jacinta, you’re not the sort to wait in a tree all night. You’re the kind who’d much rather chat with you’re friends, no matter-AYAZ!” she yelled, as her boot slipped and she hung upside down, bending upwards, frantically trying to keep her skirt from turning upsidedown. Her foot was caught between two branches, and she was still a good four or five feet from the ground.

Her palms began to sweat, a shiver went down her spine and fear’s icy fingers took hold of the back of her throat. “Okay, Jacinta, don’t panic, what ever you do, don’t panic.” She whispered to herself and started to think logically, whispering the thoughts to herself as she did so, “If I move my leg, so much as an inch, I’m dead, well, fallen out of the tree and down onto the next few branches then on the ground…and the other branches are too weak to support me, other than the one right below my head…better to call for help than to stay up here all night trapped in a tree. HELP ME!!” She called out into the night, causing a bird that had not noticed her before, suddenly cry out and fly off into the night sky.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Aiwendil turned towards the young woman and smiled gently. He did not look surprised, only tired and resigned. "You may be right, my friend, or perhaps you are just talking to a batty old man who clings to half muddled stories and forgotten dreams. But you are the only one who can weigh what we have said and try to see what lies behind the words. Words are important, very important, yet they can only take you to a certain point. It is the truth behind the words that we must try to hear and remember." Under his breath, the old man muttered to himself that this was something Master Tolkien with his great affection for words had not said clearly enough. Aiwendil waggled a finger at the woman and then went on to explain, "I come to the city but once a year. There were other years when I spoke with someone living here, and they heard my words and understood a little. But the next morning, by the time the sun arose, they had forgotten my name, who I was, and everything else I had told them. So try to remember Darlariel, Try to remember the meaning that lies underneath the words."

As Aiwendil finished up his little speech, the two stood in front of the New Ford Library. It looked dark and foreboding. The front door was securely locked, and the old man could not even see any hint of movement in the bushes. "They must be around the back," Aiwendil muttered to Darlariel, but did not bother explaining who "they" might be.

"Follow me if you like. I am meeting someone . Yet I must warn you. I am not all that sure what is inside. Usually, the library is a warm, safe place filled with books and memories. Perhaps it will be so tonight as well. But Hedwig has heard that strange things may be going on." Here Aiwendil nodded at the owl before continuing, "I don't care for danger myself. I prefer peace and quiet and the company of birds who sing their tunes amid the forest trees. Still, the world is the world, and sometimes fears must be faced. This seems to be one of those times. But the choice to go forward or turn back must be yours alone."

Without stopping to wait for her answer, the istar strode forward and, with an easy grace surprising in one his age, climbed the old iron fence, thrust his body over, and landed safely in the back garden. Hedwig flew up and over the fence in one swift bound.

Inching forward in the dark, Aiwendil whispered huskily, "Jack, is that you? I am here, and I am afraid Hedwig has brought me some bad news." Two shadowy figures stood under a tree just a few paces in front of the wizard. "Let's go inside and I'll explain," the old man urged. "Safer there than here. But who is that with you? And how are we going to get inside?"

[Dimturiel]

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."

[Undómë]

Jack stepped forward from the shadows as Aiwendil approached. ‘An old friend,’ he said. At least for this little span of life allotted her he went on, speaking mind to mind with the old man. ‘Gilli, the fiddler. We were just about….’

Before he could show where the entryway was, another figure….a girl, slender and fair came running up. All out of breath from exertion and a little fear, too, it seemed. And quite in a rush to assure Aiwendil of her intent, and her need, to carry through.

‘I do not know what lies there. I am sure I have little power against it,' the girl said. '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 understand me and let me come with you.’

And aren’t you the naughty wizard! Jack’s eyes glimmered with amusement. Reading her thoughts were you! Recruiting her for some adventure on this night?

Jack looked the newcomer up and down. She was comely enough he thought, looking at her in a mortal’s way. So young looking. Though, if he looked a little closer he thought there was the shadow of some old sorrow sat heavy on her brow.

Plucking out the two slender volumes he’d put in his coat pocket, Jack tucked them securely beneath his arm. ‘Well, I suppose we should be heading in before anyone else shows up, eh?’ He cocked his head and grinned at Hedwig. ‘You don’t have some feathered friend you want to come along, do you?’

Jack led the little group around to the rear of the building. There was a short paved driveway leading down to a small loading dock where the library took in shipments of books or sent them out for any major repairs. To the left of it was a heavy metal door with the tag on – Staff Only, and next to it a small metal box with buttons.

‘Let’s see,’ he said, running the fingers of his right hand lightly over the numbered and lettered keypad. 03J92 he tapped out, listening closely for the familiar click. There was none. He screwed up his mouth. ‘Ah! The woman’s changed it! Clever git!’ He turned round to the others. ‘Tis a game we play. The head librarian and I. She’s a fan of The Professor. Now, let me think, let me think.’ He rubbed his forehead as if the act might prise some hint of the new code.

ScullHammond came next – the door remained firmly locked. Followed by Snergs and next, Hurin in the off-chance the woman was looking ahead. No hint of tumblers sliding back could be heard. Cellardoor? No!

Then his fingers tried out a long ago password. Delighted laughter spilled from his lips as the handle turned and the door opened to the old six-lettered word.

‘Well, come on in, m’lord, m’ladies!’ Jack said, holding the door open for the others. He made a sweeping bow, his right hand gesturing toward the dim lit basement room.

The librarian had left a small light on at the far end of the room for him. Jack smiled and dug deep into his pants’ pocket, searching out the small green jewel he’d brought for her this time.