Arhuine, Tuonoorwen  and child-Gillhach dreaming

Elven Dreams
This is the world of Elven Dreams. Other Elves appear to you here as their true selves, if you have the wisdom and heart to see in this place. Dreams and thoughts, yours and theirs, come to life here.

Tuonoorwen stands on a small patch of grass, surrounded by blooming flowers on all sides. The flowers reach up to her waist, and above raises a waving haze of bees and hummingbirds. The vision is fleshed out in every detail around her, but slowly fades into gray mist as you turn your eye away from her.

Some distance off Arhuine appears in the mist. She gives those she sees only the slightest glance, showing little interest. Turning away her attention is held off in the mists a moment then she begins pacing in silence. A restless step as if the very act of standing still causes her discomfort.

With a sudden wail, a weeping child runs along the way. From whence she comes you cannot guess, nor whither she goes. Beneath her feet a path springs into being, fading into nothingness after her passing, it meanders hither and thither, and the little girl is oft times lost in the grey mists. She has lost her way on the road, this little maid and her crying worstens for it, cutting into the silence of this place like a knife. Tears streaming from her eyes she runs on, before tripping on something unseen, falling spralled upon the unseen ground and lays there, sobbing into the silence.

Tuonoorwen wades through the sea of flowers. As she moves, the flowers she passes by bloom brigher and their colors gain in vibrance. Behind her, the vision gradually fades away. As a sudden scream comes from behind her, she spins about in an instance, and hopefully peers into the mist. The vision around her waves and flickers for a moment before regaining its rich details. As she makes out the shape of the other Elf, she shakes her head slightly, and disappointment is evident in her features. Were you standing close enough you might here her whispering, "Not she". Nonetheless, she stretches her hand forward, and the path opens among the flowers, leading toward the fallen girl.

The child causes Arhuine to pause her pacing a few seconds as she stares, then tossing her head she turns away to again stare into the mist. The air about and near her becomes colder, and icy tendrils of mist creep about her person briefly obscuring her from sight. Suddenly, almost in a show of disgust she turns away, attracted by the sound.

Sitting up, brushing her coppery tresses from 'fore her face, so still the child weeps. Pulling her knees up to her breast, hugging her arms about them there and swaying to and fro, tears now less numerable; "Why?" She mutters the word unto herself, "Why?" She asks the emptiness, and as she speaks the word it seems to take on form, echoing as it swirls out into the swirling mists. And the girl shakes her head, "Not ready for this..." As she says the last, her lower lip starts to tremble, and she weeps tears anew.

It is enough for Tuonoorwen to step on the path the child was running along to have a few flowers sprout on both sides, colorful and cheery remains of her own dream. Tuonoorwen quietly sits on the ground near the child, and reaches forward with her hand, about to touch her on the shoulder. At the last moment she hesitates, and her hand hangs in mid-air. The flowers around her seem to mimic her mood, they bend toward the child, then freeze. "Do you still blame me for what happened to your sister?", quietly ask the older Elf.

From one quarter behind Arhuine the mists grow darker. A sinister scraping sound is softly heard as of something moving with great care. The darkness grows, slowly taking form, towering near thrice the height of a tall elf and more. A faint wisp of flame flickers briefly as it draws nearer then two huge lidless eyes glowing with a pale sickly light can be seen in the gloom looking down upon the assemblage.

Tuonoorwen briefly glances up, but does not seem to be overly disturbed by the appartition. She does, however, raise and now stands, bent forward just enough to shield the child.

Frowning, now lost in thought, Arhuine stares at the ground before her feet. When at last she looks up she speaks. Her voice is harsh and almost painful to the ears. "What means this?" Her arm raises to indicate the child. "Why is she here?" The eyes in the blackness at her back fix upon the child as well, an almost palpable wave of malice in that unblinking stare.

Like glass, so do the last remnants of the girl's dream shatter, falling in many-faceted splinters down into infinty, glittering as they descend into the mists. Proud, the child stands then, lifting her chin. "No," She says, and in a tone befitting an innocent, as one who bears no malice, "I blame myself..." Tear-streaked cheeks are creased as she shutters her eyes, holding back the tears.Opening her mouth then, as if to speak she percieves the thing, and cut short, as might the child she is, the little girl shelters behind her elder, gasping a breath upon sight of the thing, and the eldritch fire in it's eyes. "What means this?" She calls out in contest, "What have you brought here with you? As for my right... it is greater than yours in this."

Arhuine regards the child a moment longer then turns away, loosing interest. that harsh gutteral voice dropping to a murmur. "Shades walk where they will. Expect them if these paths you would tred." With that she resumes her pacing.

Tuonoorwen tosses back the hood of her cloak, and lets her hair fall on her shoulders, at the same time revealing her light. She stands besides the child, just one step short of coming between her and the eyes in the dark. Trimmed with radiance, but apparently unmoved by the malice emanating from them, she remarks to the elf at her side, "Your right cannot be denied, but many voices join here in the song. Some we do not hear under the shadows of the mellyrn, for they do not dare to enter."

"Aye," Says the child to all, then "I claimed my right, she is my blood. And I braved the entrance, for I can and may..." She points to the thing, "I do not fear your shade... it may walk where it will, you say? I see it is about you, do you permit it by the anger you bring with you, as have all your kin?"

Arhuine glances at the one who spoke to give the briefest nod. The pacing continues in silence. Finally she comes to some decision and approaches the two, the icy tendrils of mist about her legs following, hoarfrost forming upon the flowers. She looks down at the child with not quite a sneer . "Softly little one. Lest you bring about thy own assortment of demons. Close is thy guess and yes, the doom walks this land. But it is best if you watch thy mind as well as speech."

Tuonoorwen makes a half-step forward, but at the same time wraps her cloak around her, and the flowers before her fade into the mist. The radiance around her fades, as if she had withdrawn her light into herself, and let the mist come closer. Yet, in a guarded show of hidden power, she does not permit the halo to shrink as to abandon the child, and she remains engulfed in the light.

So does the child rebuke those words, "I am a child still, and bear no demons in my innocence. All mine are reconciled and at peace in myself, and yet yours are manifest," She shakes her head, "No, in this place I shant fear your demons or the doom which follows you." And she laughs then as one carefree in her youth, "Ah, I had quite forgotten what is was to be a child, and fearless in my childish ignorance." And, clad quite suddenly in a dress of blinding white, unblemished by the shadow of the thing she steps away from Tuonoorwen and in a little gesture of defiance laughs once more.

Arhuine's lip curls in a sneer and she gives a scraping laugh. The great dark form of Glaurung revealed in the light for a brief moment before it dissolves. The Isyara shakes her head, still chuckling. "Waste not your time with things long gone. Thine enemy is at hand but it is not what you perceive." She turns away once more as the restlessness seizes her to withdraw into the mists and the darkness of her won thoughts.

Tuonoorwen folds her arms on her chest, palms pressed against each other. She lets Gillhach step away from her protection, at least if it extends just as far as the radiance. But, as the menacing dragon's shape is revealed, dark even agaist the darkness, the light around her hand suddenly flares up in what might be a flaming sword, but does not persist for long enough to be certain, "Heed your own advice, Istyara, for Eldalie are not the only ones who can see in the mist."

Giggling inanely, the girl turns from both shadow and light. A strange smile curling her lips as the colour of her dress fades to grey, "Aiya!" she cries with joy, taking her dress at the hem and wheeling about, "To be a child again... with all my remembrances," A multitude of images swirl in the mist about the child, failing to coalesce completely before they are dispelled; children playing, dancing, singing. She smiles at the sight of them, and then with a frown creasing her brow she sighs, "But that is not why I came..."

Pacing back to stand shrowded in mists, Arhuine watches the child with mild curiousity. "Knowest why you have come then?"

Suddenly, a wheel of silver fire rolls away from Tuonoorwen and rests at the girl's feet. Once it stops spinning, you can see that it is actually a mithril helm, with three elf-stones seated in the petals of mithril flowers. Once a pride and protection of a mighty warrior of the Quendi, it now rests in the grass at the child's feet. Not waiting for a word, or even a questioning look, Tuonoorwen remarks to the girl, "And you should be reminded of this".

Arhuine raises her eyes questioningly.

Taking up the thing as if 'twere weightless, bouncing it betwixt her dainty hands, so does the maid smile. "I know my purpose, though it is not for me to speak of it. I shall fulfill it, and have in part already... though my task is not fully done." Sharp eyes fall on the Istyara, "And you," She says, something of scorn in her voice, "have you come only to darken this place with your shadows? Or do you serve a purpose here? I should think mine were clear, she is of my blood... but you, I cannot divine your motives or mission."

A sift sigh and Arhuine shakes her head. She regards the child and nods her head once.
Slowly Arhuine smiles. She too raises an arm, palm held out towards the mists. Two figures shimmer as they appear. On one side, a mighty warrior. Stern and proud his visage. Draped in chain armor with a sword by his side. Upon his head a helm with the wings of a seagull. On his brow a blazing gem the light of which penetrates the deepest shadows of the dream world. His left hand rests upon the hilts of his sword, the right is raised with palm held out in a gesture of defiance. Upon his arm the figure beside him lightly rests her hand. As a beautiful flower she is, delicate and kind, and in her eyes is tenderness and peace. Behind her faintly seen seems to be the outline of gossamer wings. Their feet stand upon what appears to be the wooden planks of a ships deck while tiny gems sparkle as stars behind them.
Arhuine murmurs, 'Look beyond what thy eyes may see young one."

Tuonoorwen shakes her head slightly, "A purpose it is, but of a different kind."

Only after the vision fades is the faint roaring sound of a distant ocean noticed.

Arhuine turns to Tuonoorwen. "How so? Does she not seek to aid another with scant heed or her self?"

Tuonoorwen nods, "Indeed she does. That much is true".

"So, you come then to show us images of things denied us? Or perhaps to stirr in us the desire of the sea?" The little girl shudders, "No, I am contented to see these things as is permitted me, as in tales or from afar..." And she shakes her head, "As for myself, it is perhaps as you say. She is dear to me, as dear to me as is my own self."

Arhuine shakes her head and turns away.

Tuonoorwen also quietly steps back, but from the mist which begins to surround her she comments, "You are here to search, Istyara. We are to find."

Gillhach's form flickers momentarily, fading to translusency. Holding a hand before her face, she frowns. "Time grows short... I must leave it seems, perhaps even I am not ready for this thing..." A bittersweet smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, "I shall miss this, for a while..." And with that says, silently she is gone, without rumour of her prescence remaining.