Aglahad and Glinden on Cerim Amroth

Cerin Amroth
You are standing by a great mound on which grows two rings of trees. The trees of the outer ring are leafless with a bark of snowy white; beautiful in their shapely nakedness. Those of the inner ring are golden Mallorns. In the center of the mound stands the tallest Mallorn of all, and high up in its boughs rests a wide flet. There of old was the dwelling of Amroth, Prince of Lorien and lover of Nimrodel. He departed over the sea long ago, yet you can feel his spirit around you here, lingering still...

From between the tall mallorns on either side of the path strolls a tall grey-clad elf. No cowl overs his head, and his honey-brown hair is tussled by the cold wind. His cheeks and ears are slightly red, and he walks with no weapon in hand. Hands clasped behind his back, he looks up at the top of the mound and at the clear winter sky.

Sat crosslegged there on the hill, her eyes to the west and her back to the path; cloaked and cowled in the fashion of the Gweth Mellyrn. The elleth is quite still, save only for that same wind tugging at her clothing. She has her cloak gathered up about her for warmth, and some measure of comfort.

Gathering the ends of his cloak to his body, Aglahad brings his gaze down to the foot of Cerin Amroth, noticing at once an officer of Gweth Mellryn sitting. Walking closer, he thinks about offering a greeting, but then reconsiders.

Her shoulders rising and falling with a shuddering sigh; Glinden is shivering visibly at the cold now, she stands and turns about. Walking down the hill now, though her pace is slow and measured, and her eyes are downcast.

Aglahad watches the officer walk down the hill toward him, his eyes observing the other's movements for familiarity. After but a moment he begins up the hill, his head looking down at the ground to shelter from the hill's wind.

Starting at the realization of another's prescence; some telltale noise or motion catches the elleth's eye and she looks to it. Stopping midstep, she awaits him on the path. The wind tugs at her cloak and batters her back as she faces downwind, and looks along the path.right hand.

He does not speak, but continues up the hill. A smile flashes on his face as he nears the cowled one.

Suffering the cold at that, the elleth moves a hand to draw back her cowl. Shivering slightly, she manages a smile at the greeting that Aglahad offers; shaking her hair loose from the constriction of the cowl now settled on her shoulders.

Watching the hair cascade from the cowl Aglahad's smile widens before he speaks. "A cold afternoon...love?" He points up to the top of the mound. "I was about to spend some time on the hill....."

Nodding slowly at that, and gathering her cloak ever tighter about her. Her smile widening before she answers in like fashion, "A cold afternoon yes." She tosses her head slightly to indicate where she sat but moments before, "As for me, I have spent some time up there already."

Aglahad nods. "Even though I know its too much to ask....but I was wondering if you would join me?" He smiles again. "I had been wanting to talk....."

Shaking her head slightly at that, the elleth answers "Not too much to ask, but alot no less." She shivers slightly then, as a chill wind blows past, "It /is/ cold you know."

Pointing to the bottom of the hill. "If it is too cold for you....we could head to the Half-way House...It is not that far from here." He clutches his cloak closer as the wind picks up again.

Pursing her lips pensively, Glinden nods then. "An acceptable compromise I suppose." She offers up a little smile and gathers her own cloak tighter about herself to ward off the cold.

Aglahad turns to the side, offering with a hand for Glinden to go ahead of him.

Nodding her assent and walking past, the elleth sets off down the hill towards the westward path.

Common Talan
This spacious talan is wrapped halfway around the great trunk of its tree, concealed from below and sheltered from above, but allowing a magnificent view. The gleeful babble of the stream far below joins the song of the birds and the sibilant chant of the trees and the distant laughter of Elves, and behind it all, the Song of the Wood. Two light, freestanding screens block out the wind on the western edge; a tall cabinet, plain but elegantly proportioned, stands on the eastern side, beside a stack of firewood and tinder and not far from the entrance hole in the floor. Soft furs and thin white cushions surround a round, slightly concave stone set near the middle of the flet, its center blackened by many a cozy fire. A long table curved to match the trunk holds cups and carafes and trays of food whose smells mix with the gentle sweetness of the flowering vine growing thick on the tree trunk.

Climbing up the ladder, Aglahad takes off the grey cloak and sets in on a table. Removing the scabbard from his belt, along with the bow on his back he places them on his cloak. Walking over to a cabinet, he turns back and smiles. "You want anything to warm you this cold afternoon? I was thinking we could eat too...." He rummages through the cabinet.

Similarly depositing her gear there on the table, the elleth seats herself then. Following Aglahad with her gaze, she nods slightly, "No food for me love, but a drink would be more than welcome." She smiles slightly at that.

Aglahad talks as he reaches through the row of bottles. "I am a little hungry....but I think it can wait a little bit. But a drink....that would be good." Finding something that pleases him, he takes two plain glasses from another cabinet and turns and sits next to Glinden at the table. Placing the glasses on the table he takes a knife and uncorks the green-tinted bottle. Pouring the golden liquid into both glasses he offers the second glass to Glinden.

Accepting the glass offered 'her, the elleth lifts it to the light before sipping slowly at the liquid held therein. She sighs deeply then, before speaking, "Much better." She smiles, and turns towards Aglahad, "You said you wanted to talk?"

Aglahad nods and takes a small sip before looking in his life's love's eyes. "I have recently been wanting to ask you of your opinion on some matters...about my life mostly..."

Nodding slowly, the elleth looks back to the table as she places her glass there, then returns her gaze to Aglahad, "Sounds serious...." Her voice trails off, "Is it?"

Aglahad shrugs and takes a larger sip. Swallowing he looks at the glass and absently shakes it around. "It may be serious....I dont know. I am thinking of leaving the Order for good....sometime in the near future." He looks back at Glinden to gauge her reaction.

Her eyes widening slightly at that revelation marking her only visible reaction, the elleth manages a drawn out nod followed by a simple response, "Why?" Her gaze is searching as she awaits his answer.

Aglahad chuckles softly. "My heart is telling me this....in fact it has been telling me many things lately." He looks up, his deep blue eyes cast with a shade of light grey.

Smiling wanly, Glinden catches his eyes with her own. "Hearts do that occasionally, do they not?" Reaching out then, she touches a hand to lightly touch his cheek, "I would not dissuade you from it, love."

Aglahad smiles. "Another thing....my heart yearns for you...more and more." He shakes his head. "I dont know why. Maybe in this time of personal indecision I need something or someone... I feel I see you less and less." His smile fades away to a melancholy frown. He places his glass on the table and leans back in his chair, eyes squinted and brows furrowed.

Frowning slightly, for that concerns her deeply. Glinden coughs lightly to clear her throat, "And leaving the order would change that for us?" That same frown is still set on her face, "You forget my duties perhaps?" She pauses, "I would gladly be with you love, more than gladly as you know. But leaving the order.....?"

Aglahad shakes his head again, more vigorously. "No... That isn't what I meant. I would never keep you from being happy... I know what the Order means to you."

Smiling slowly, the elleth shakes her own head, "You could never make me unhappy." She pauses, "What my job means to me is self evident, but what does the order mean to you?"

Aglahad chuckles. "It meant a lot to me... It still means much. But I think that I need a new direction in my life. I dont want to change who I am... The Order will always be a part of me. I just need something else in life."
Taken aback slightly, Glinden is silent for some time before she replies, "Something else?"

Aglahad nods. "I mean a new calling." He looks at Glinden with a collected gaze.

"I cannot help you make such a choice." The elleth bunches her shoulders to a shrug, "What would you have me do?" She seems somewhat confused at that.

Aglahad takes a deep breath. "I only need your love and support in anything I do...."

A slow, mysterious smile creeping over her visage, Glinden shakes her head, still moderately confused "Need you ask for them? You should know that you have both."

Aglahad shrugs and smiles. "You asked, love...." He finishes his glass and sets it on the table again.

With a near indiscernable nod, the elleth smiles, "I did, didn't I?" She pauses, and abruptly changes the subject "Then what is your new calling to be?"

Aglahad says, "I dont really know right now....I need to do a little searching. But I am not leaving the Order just yet."

Her curiosity seemingly sated, Glinden gestures her acceptance of that before taking up her own discarded glass and drinking the remainder down, "You will tell me when you have decided on't then?" She asks between sips.

Aglahad nods. "Of course.." He looks at Glinden again. "Is there anything you needed to say to me?"

Shaking her head slowly, she lowers her glass, "Only the things you should know already." She pauses and adds, "That and a certain dissatisfaction as to our somewhat.... delayed marriage."

Aglahad nods slowly. "I did not want to bring that up... But now that you have mentioned it..." He stands up and kneels down next to Glinden. "I want to marry you, my love...I do." His blue eyes grow large as he looks upon his betrothed. "Tell me when, and I shall marry you."

Looking down now, a smile gracing her face and her emerald eyes twinkling. The elleth shakes her head slowly, "Do not fret love, I will ask it of you one of these days." She places some emphasis on that last word.Aglahad laughs. "One of these days then....I will wait for you..."