Arlindel and Terridan speak about Aldarwen

Naith of Lorien
You stand riverside, in Dwimordene, amidst the grey bowls of the mallyrn and the conceiling underbrush on the eastern banks of the river Celebrant. It is here in these golden woods where the rolling foothills of the Misties come to an end and in the Elven realm of Lothlorien, often called Dwimordene or Dreamland by men, begins. It's summertime, and the mallyrn's leaves and branches form a light canopy of green to match the scattered undergrowth below. Presently, the mid afternoon sun casts lengthening shadows across the Wood as it begins its descent.

It's a summer afternoon at the borders of the Golden Wood, and the birds that have nested upon the near trees seem to be holding a party, for the whole place is filled with their singing. The never-ending melody of the river acompanies this birdie music with it's rocking, and the soft warm breeze that blows throught the branches of the trees completes the simphony.
Across the river comes a maiden clad in white, her hair dancing slightly to the breeze. Stepping lightly on the grass of the Naith, she looks at a young bird that is learning how to fly, with a smile upon her lips.

Terridan is sitting at the other end of the river, glancing about on watch. As he notices the maiden, he raises an eyebrow curiously, and stands up a bit, wrapping his cloak about him as he moves forward slightly. After a moment though, he clears his throat, and calls out to her, "Mae govannen."

Bowing politely to the cloaked guard, the maiden walks toward him with quick pace. Stopping just a few yards away from him the maiden answers, "Mae Govannen." After a short pause she goes on, "My name is Arlindel, and I'm looking for a guard by the name of Terridan. I was told I might find him here."

Terridan raises an eyebrow slightly, and smiles, nodding his head slightly, "Then you are in luck, Arlindel. I am Terridan... but why would you come looking for me?"

The maiden smiles broader and says, "At last I have found you, I've been looking for you for a whole fortnight now." After saying this, she takes out a white card from a hidden pocket in her dress and offers it to the guard.

Terridan raises an eyebrow slightly, then takes the card slowly, "Who is this from?" he looks at the card slowly.

The card is written in beautiful calligraphy in soft green ink, and it reads:

"My dear friend Terridan,

        You might remember I mentioned a trip to the valley of Imladris on the last time we met. Even if I still don't know the reason of such a journey, I was called by our Lord to accompany this party to the valley, as a member of the healers.
        I'm sorry I could not say good bye on my own, but I was given very short time to prepare my things and leave. I'm sending this card through my friend Arlindel, so that she might give you my regards.
        I'm looking forward to our next meeting,
                 Love,

Aldarwen"

Terridan nods slowly at the note, and breaths once, as if some weight has been lifted, "I had wondered where she had gone too..." he looks back up towards Arlindel, and smiles, "Thank you, mellon."

Arlindel nods silently with her lips pressed, she looks up into Terridan's eyes and sigh softly, "You know, I sensed that something was wrong with her. On the day of their departure, she seemed so much different from the usual Aldarwen I've known. We've been friends for long centuries, but still I couldn't decipher what was upon her heart." Her gaze goes again toward the young bird that flies clumsily around and then returns to the eyes of the guard, "Do you know what's happened with her?"

Terridan raises an eyebrow slightly, then motions for Arlindel to sit.

Following Terridan's gesture, the maiden sits gracefully with her back against the tree. For a moment she ponders on the question posed to her, her gaze set upon the running waters of the Celebrant. Finally she says, "It's difficult to describe, but she seemed far away, with such an easiness to burst into tears... I sensed a tremendous weight upon her heart"

Terridan nods his head slowly, then frowns slightly as well, "I've noticed a similar thing..." he doesn't mention that he has felt something as well. He looks over towards her, "I am sure that she will be alright."

Arlindel bites her lip and looks at the grass around her for a long moment, in a soft whisper she says, "I do hope so, mellon, I do hope so".

Terridan nods his head once, "How did the two of you first meet?"

Arlindel grins, "Well, that's not much of a story," says the maiden, still staring at the grass and at the few flowers around her, "My mother was a great friend of her own mother, we've always been like cousins, grew together, played together, and shared all our secrets..." She sighs very softly and adds, "But it seems this time is different"

Terridan nods his head once, "She will not share this with you, will she?" he looks over towards Arlindel, then smiles a bit.

Arlindel raises both her eyebrows and stares deeply into Terridan's eyes. Lowering her gaze she says, "Right, this time it seems she cannot even trust me." Her lips are pressed for a short time, as she breathes in and out and then says, "I'm so worried about her"

Terridan sighs softly, then places his hand on Arlindel's gently, "Perhap's it is not quite a matter of not trusting you, perhaps she just cannot find the words."

Arlindel nods in deep silence at the guard's words. She seems to be lost in thought for a long moment, her hands fiddle with the golden ring that shines upon her forefinger, her head shakes a little and she whispers, "I know that she has never been completely happy. Many times she has told me about it. But never had I seen her suffer that much."

Terridan looks over towards Arlindel, and is quiet for a moment, "Why has she never been completely happy?"

Arlindel raises her eyes to look at those of the guard, she hesitates before starting to speak, "Well... Maybe she has told you about her brother, Tuofin? And then, this strange story with the tree-shephard that saved her?"

Terridan nods slowly, "Both of these stories she has told me about."

Arlindel nods once and then goes on, "Well, it seems her heart did never stop missing Tuofin, she's always been wishing for someone that may accompany and protect her the way her elder brother did." She makes a pause, while still fiddling with the ring on her finger, then goes on, "And about that tree-shephard, I think she missed him badly, too, always spoke of him, sang for him... It seemed to me she couldn't stop thinking about him." A worried look fill the fair face of the maiden as she goes on, "However, she told me that she had met him, Longlimb is the name of the Ent, not so long ago, just before the winter started. She didn't tell me what happened with him, but it seems the meeting was not good to her heart, for she passed the whole winter alone in the forest, walking around without knowing her way... Has she told you about that?"

Terridan nods slowly, "Aye... she did."

Arlindel nods and goes on, "Finally, and this is just what I suspect, I think that she was much touched by the wedding of her other brother, Lindil. I mean, she was very happy with their getting married and all that, but then, when they had left, I had the sensation that she envied their love. She felt that it was unfair that her brother might have found his love, but that she was still alone..."

Terridan nods slowly again, then sighs, "And what do you think on this?"

Arlindel shrugs slightly and says, "I just don't know." She makes a pause to breathe in deeply and adds, "The time for loving arrives to all of us. But while the right person does not appear into our lives, we may still be happy. That's what life is for, to be happy, isn't it?"

Terridan nods his head once again, "Aye... but I remember a while back... nearly a year or so... she was indeed happy... with everything."

Arlindel keeps her lips pressed and shakes her head from side to side many time, "She was usually happy, specially when she was with many people, because she forgot the ache of her heart. But when she was alone, many times she felt this 'call', this feeling of needing someone else that would accompany her." The maiden shudders as a cool breeze makes her dress shake a bit.

Terridan nods his head once, then sighs, "I did not know she was like that..."

The maiden shrugs slightly and her eyes meet Terridan's, "She used to say that bards ought to be always merry, she felt it was her responsibility to bring bliss to the hearts of the rest of the elves in Lorien. I think that that's why she became such a master in song, because she used it as a way of serving the others, and also as a way of escaping her own suffering".

Terridan frowns again, then nods once, then lowers his eyes, "I did not realize that... Otherwise I would have tried to bring her joy... of some kind."

Arlindel nods and stays silent for a long time. Her gaze is full of deep thought, and her eyes seem to have become of a deeper blue. When she speaks once again, her voice is still touch by sadness, "This trip to the Valley may help her. Maybe she'll meet someone there that may heal the wounds of her heart..."

Terridan nods his head once, "Perhaps.. but I feel that she may find them here, rather than outside of the woods."

Arlindel raises an eyebrow and the shade of a smile appears upon her lips, "What do yo mean, mellon?"

Terridan hmms, then looks over towards Arlindel, "Um... I... I'm not sure..."

The maiden remains in silence, her eyebrow still raised, her gaze frozen on Terridan's eyes.

Terridan blinks curiously, "Um... mellon?" he fidgets slightly, "I just meant that this is her home... and... these woods seem to have a way of helping elves find what they search for..."

Arlindel nods slowly, "Yes, I see. Well, it is a possibility, too. Time will tell us what will happen with her in the end." After saying this, the maiden stands up gracefully and bows her head to the guard, "May you have a nice night, Terridan, thanks for the chatting. I do hope we will have some nicer news to speak about the next time we meet"

Terridan looks up, then smiles, nodding his head once, "Aye... it was good to talk to you as well, Arlindel... and I trust that we will have something to talk about next time that is more pleasant."

Arlindel nods and smiles to the guard, then disappears into the trees of the Woods, in silent but quick pace.

Arlindel
A gown made of bright white silk flows down the body of this elven maiden. Her hair is of golden color, and it reaches her waist in two thick braids. Her eyes, the color of the evening sky, show the deepness of thought and time.

Terridan
You see a youthful elven man who stands 6'10", his athletic build moves quietlyand fluidly, making only the slightest of sounds. His deep brown hair is the color of tempered gold and flows loosely around his shoulders, framing his sharp features. On his left ear is a silver earcuff. Around his neck is a silver chain, a slender rope that looks much like liquid silver in the way it moves, hanging from it is a small red stone which shines and glitters, An elven T is carved on to the surface and the rest is polished to a smooth glint. His deep blue eyes have a look of warmth and dedication to them. Drapped over his shoulders is a large grey cloak, a black cowl resting above it. Along the inner line of the cowl, near where it meets the cloak, you can see a thin silver cord. The cloak itself is fastened by a crystal starburstwith a silver cresent set in the center, the symbolof house Dinlom. Slung across his back is an finely crafted elven longbow, and a quiver full of arrows is strapped onto his right hip. Beneath the cloak you can see his torso is covered by coat of shining ringmail, and on his left hip, a finely crafted longsword rests. His forearms are covered by a pair of leather wrist-guards, that extend halfway down his fingers, allowing him a better grip. His legs are covered by a pair of brown leggings, and on the belt there is a heavily padded satchel. On his feet are boots fashioned from a dark brown leather.