Post by Lady Elestirne on Apr 19, 2007 15:21:31 GMT -5
Ninth Chapter
"Come now," the mild voice chided; amusement entering into it. "You are neither mute nor deaf. Speak Elentirmo. Tell me why you are here and why you need my council."
Though tense, Elentirmo refrained from whirling his stallion around-as his instincts had urged him to do the moment he heard the voice. Rather, he made sure that he was calm and composed before he turned his stallion. The great horse snorted; placing his hooves with care as he pivoted slowly.
Galion stood not more than a pace from them. His white robes and silver hair seemed to shimmer with their own light in the dark grove-an image Elentirmo knew the seer likely appreciated; appearing as the light in the darkness, the proverbial symbol of hope. The thing was, that was precisely how Elentirmo thought of the seer. The elven-mystic was ancient. He had been there since long before Elentirmo had been born, and since before his father and before even his father's father-and possibly even before the father of his father's father.
Elentirmo had been told by his father years ago-and the seer himself had once or twice hinted at this-that he remembered the time before the feud, which obviously could only mean that he had been there. And the feud had been many, many years ago-over a thousand. And through it all Galion had been there? Mardil it was that guarded the throne in the name of the forgotten kings, and Elentirmo had always been told and thought from an early age that Galion was the guardian of the royal family and the line of kings.
Whether the seer had ever officially acknowledged or called himself such Elentirmo did not know. But, year after year-ever since the feud-Galion had been present, and, ever since the feud, there had always been at least one of the forgotten royal family left to carry on the line. Some of the tales Elentirmo had heard as a child and later, as a youth, told of the seer being unable to lay down his life and leave the world until he had seen the prophecy to fulfillment and had placed one of the line of kings on the throne once more. Whether this was true or not, Elentirmo knew not but the seer definitely communicated a sense of great age and weariness and sometimes the midnight-haired elf saw-or thought he saw-that the seer's form wavered and shimmered; as though he were already fading away.
Galion was looking at him keenly; studying him. Inwardly, the tall elf squirmed under the scrutiny of that piercing gaze. "You would not come here without cause," remarked the ancient elf at length. "And only very rarely have you sought me out. Elsewise it was always I that came to you. Thus, you have a very good reason to be here now. Tell me what that is Elentirmo, scion of House Nolimon. Speak. Why have you come?"
"I…"Elentirmo started to speak, then stopped. The seer always made him feel awkward. He began again. "Have you been there all the time I was calling?"
The elven-mystic chuckled softly, but the intensity of his gaze did not lessen. "Long enough." The penetrating gaze sharpened abruptly. "But do not try to avoid my question. Why have you come?"
"I…I sensed magic."
"That is not unusual."
"Dark magic."
The seer's face revealed nothing-Elentirmo had no way of knowing how he felt. "It is worse Galion-this was tainted magic."
Again, no sign of expression from the seer. Elentirmo spoke again. "It was his magic."
Now Galion did show expression-raising an eyebrow and nodding a little; sagely. But still he spoke no word. Elentirmo continued; strangely desperate to get some response from the ancient seer. "Galion…Elestirne sensed it too. The magic."
"Did she now?" The seer nodded slightly, seeming to himself, as if this had confirmed something to him. "Now I know why you have come."
"You…do?" This was not the response Elentirmo had anticipated. He thought the seer would have asked more questions.
Again, Galion nodded. "You are afraid. And not just for yourself and Amaurea, but for your daughter. More than aught else, you are afraid for Elestirne. Tell me why this should be and why you are so concerned that she was able to sense the magic."
Elentirmo sighed, and took a deep breath. "I am afraid," he began slowly; speaking reluctantly,"because I cannot shake the feeling that something is amiss, that something is wrong, that something bad has happened. The touch of that magic…."the dark-haired elf shuddered and his stallion shifted uneasily beneath him at his rider's movement,"…it felt like I had been discovered, found out. And I am afraid because, if we have been discovered Elestirne also has been discovered and her life is now in danger-doubly so if the faithless one has at last discovered the meaning of the prophecy. And that she was able to sense the magic deeply worries me because I fear her being able to sense the magic only makes her vulnerable to attack by our enemy and his dark magic."
Galion sighed; closing his eyes as if pained. A deep sadness touched the ancient seer's face and Elentirmo suddenly sensed an immense weariness from him. After a moment, the seer opened his eyes again and Elentirmo was startled by the sorrow-and pity? - he saw in the ancient elf's eyes as he looked at him. "I had feared this," Galion murmured-so softly Elentirmo almost did not hear. "And now it has come to pass… I tried to prevent it, but the inevitable cannot be forestalled. I am sorry Elentirmo…but I cannot truthfully say your fears and concerns are for naught."
It took a moment to wholly sink in but, when it did the realization hit hard. "You mean…"Elentirmo stammered; his usual composure gone."…you mean to say…that it has happened…that I have been discovered?" Shocked, he slid from his stallion in a daze.
"Yes." There was immense sadness and remorse in that one word; matching the seer's expression as the ancient elf looked at Elentirmo. "For years I have kept silent watch over you and your family-more so than ever since Elestirne has been born. That, combined with your own efforts to stay hidden, did much to keep your enemy from discovering you. But now, all that is over. Your enemy has discovered you-and Elestirne-and he will come for you; to try to finish what he had began so long ago. All of you are in great danger."
"When?" To his shame, Elentirmo's voice was hoarse from fear. "When Galion, do you know?"
The seer shook his head slowly; silver hair gleaming dimly. His eyes were sorrowful. "Who can say? A few years, potentially more. That much time, at least, you will have, for he will not strike yet. He will want to be utterly sure Elestirne is the child of the prophecy before acting."
"What am I to do?" asked Elentirmo desperately.
"Prepare and wait. It is all you can do. Teach Elestirne all you can, while you can. Already Amaurea has begun to teach her herblore and some woodcraft-including tracking and pathfinding. Teach the child how to fight, how to defend and protect herself if attacked. Show her a basic spell or two; teach her what you can or will about magic and the foresight. Teach her anything you can."
"What of the prophecy Galion?" asked Elentirmo. "Do I tell her at last who and what she is, reveal to her her heritage and lineage; tell her about the prophecy? Warn her about him?"
"No, you must do nothing of the sort! It is perilous and unwise to meddle in, or with, prophecies. She will learn everything when it is time for her to and she must learn it on her own. I am sorry Elentirmo,"said Galion sincerely. "But there is nothing now to be done. Your days of peace and safe hiding are over. You must now let events run on as they are meant to and spend as much time with Elestirne as you can before the faithless one attacks and her childhood is lost in the shattering of her world."
Elentirmo started to mount again, but froze at those words. "You're not saying that…?"
"She will live through the attack, when it comes," the seer reassured him. "Do you not remember? The night of her birth I told you that no evil will come to her." Galion's face saddened now; his voice grown grave. "But you will not. In that, the traitor will be successful alas. You will not live to see your daughter grow to womanhood, or become queen and sit the throne of your ancestors; fulfilling the prophecy. I have seen it."
Stricken, Elentirmo looked at Galion as the seer continued. "I pray that I am wrong, that I am mistaken. The things I see…are like ripples in a pond. Some are clear, umistakeable. Others are half-formed-mere glimpses, faint images-impossible to decipher accurately. Some of what I see never comes to pass and I pray that this is one of them."
"How can I tell Amaurea? It will break her."
"Amaurea is stronger than you think her. She will endure. This risk she accepted long ago, when she wed you." Briefly, Galion clasped Elentirmo's shoulder as the tall elf swung into the saddle and Elentirmo was startled at the strength of the ancient elf's grip. Galion looked at Elentirmo solemnly. "Do not allow yourself or your life to become ruled by fear. Fear will rob you of all happiness and joy. You only get one life. If you live it well and happily there is no need for regret when it is cut short, nor for fear when death comes to claim you. It does not matter how long or short your life is; only how well you live it." The seer bowed deeply and Elentirmo almost thought he saw a tear shining in those ancient eyes. "Go to your family my king, and live as though there is no future or past, only the present; the here and now. Life is too precious a thing to waste in fear. Varda bless you and yours…Tar-Elentirmo. I will be watching." The seer raised a hand in farewell as Elentirmo wheeled the stallion and left the grove at a gallop.
"Come now," the mild voice chided; amusement entering into it. "You are neither mute nor deaf. Speak Elentirmo. Tell me why you are here and why you need my council."
Though tense, Elentirmo refrained from whirling his stallion around-as his instincts had urged him to do the moment he heard the voice. Rather, he made sure that he was calm and composed before he turned his stallion. The great horse snorted; placing his hooves with care as he pivoted slowly.
Galion stood not more than a pace from them. His white robes and silver hair seemed to shimmer with their own light in the dark grove-an image Elentirmo knew the seer likely appreciated; appearing as the light in the darkness, the proverbial symbol of hope. The thing was, that was precisely how Elentirmo thought of the seer. The elven-mystic was ancient. He had been there since long before Elentirmo had been born, and since before his father and before even his father's father-and possibly even before the father of his father's father.
Elentirmo had been told by his father years ago-and the seer himself had once or twice hinted at this-that he remembered the time before the feud, which obviously could only mean that he had been there. And the feud had been many, many years ago-over a thousand. And through it all Galion had been there? Mardil it was that guarded the throne in the name of the forgotten kings, and Elentirmo had always been told and thought from an early age that Galion was the guardian of the royal family and the line of kings.
Whether the seer had ever officially acknowledged or called himself such Elentirmo did not know. But, year after year-ever since the feud-Galion had been present, and, ever since the feud, there had always been at least one of the forgotten royal family left to carry on the line. Some of the tales Elentirmo had heard as a child and later, as a youth, told of the seer being unable to lay down his life and leave the world until he had seen the prophecy to fulfillment and had placed one of the line of kings on the throne once more. Whether this was true or not, Elentirmo knew not but the seer definitely communicated a sense of great age and weariness and sometimes the midnight-haired elf saw-or thought he saw-that the seer's form wavered and shimmered; as though he were already fading away.
Galion was looking at him keenly; studying him. Inwardly, the tall elf squirmed under the scrutiny of that piercing gaze. "You would not come here without cause," remarked the ancient elf at length. "And only very rarely have you sought me out. Elsewise it was always I that came to you. Thus, you have a very good reason to be here now. Tell me what that is Elentirmo, scion of House Nolimon. Speak. Why have you come?"
"I…"Elentirmo started to speak, then stopped. The seer always made him feel awkward. He began again. "Have you been there all the time I was calling?"
The elven-mystic chuckled softly, but the intensity of his gaze did not lessen. "Long enough." The penetrating gaze sharpened abruptly. "But do not try to avoid my question. Why have you come?"
"I…I sensed magic."
"That is not unusual."
"Dark magic."
The seer's face revealed nothing-Elentirmo had no way of knowing how he felt. "It is worse Galion-this was tainted magic."
Again, no sign of expression from the seer. Elentirmo spoke again. "It was his magic."
Now Galion did show expression-raising an eyebrow and nodding a little; sagely. But still he spoke no word. Elentirmo continued; strangely desperate to get some response from the ancient seer. "Galion…Elestirne sensed it too. The magic."
"Did she now?" The seer nodded slightly, seeming to himself, as if this had confirmed something to him. "Now I know why you have come."
"You…do?" This was not the response Elentirmo had anticipated. He thought the seer would have asked more questions.
Again, Galion nodded. "You are afraid. And not just for yourself and Amaurea, but for your daughter. More than aught else, you are afraid for Elestirne. Tell me why this should be and why you are so concerned that she was able to sense the magic."
Elentirmo sighed, and took a deep breath. "I am afraid," he began slowly; speaking reluctantly,"because I cannot shake the feeling that something is amiss, that something is wrong, that something bad has happened. The touch of that magic…."the dark-haired elf shuddered and his stallion shifted uneasily beneath him at his rider's movement,"…it felt like I had been discovered, found out. And I am afraid because, if we have been discovered Elestirne also has been discovered and her life is now in danger-doubly so if the faithless one has at last discovered the meaning of the prophecy. And that she was able to sense the magic deeply worries me because I fear her being able to sense the magic only makes her vulnerable to attack by our enemy and his dark magic."
Galion sighed; closing his eyes as if pained. A deep sadness touched the ancient seer's face and Elentirmo suddenly sensed an immense weariness from him. After a moment, the seer opened his eyes again and Elentirmo was startled by the sorrow-and pity? - he saw in the ancient elf's eyes as he looked at him. "I had feared this," Galion murmured-so softly Elentirmo almost did not hear. "And now it has come to pass… I tried to prevent it, but the inevitable cannot be forestalled. I am sorry Elentirmo…but I cannot truthfully say your fears and concerns are for naught."
It took a moment to wholly sink in but, when it did the realization hit hard. "You mean…"Elentirmo stammered; his usual composure gone."…you mean to say…that it has happened…that I have been discovered?" Shocked, he slid from his stallion in a daze.
"Yes." There was immense sadness and remorse in that one word; matching the seer's expression as the ancient elf looked at Elentirmo. "For years I have kept silent watch over you and your family-more so than ever since Elestirne has been born. That, combined with your own efforts to stay hidden, did much to keep your enemy from discovering you. But now, all that is over. Your enemy has discovered you-and Elestirne-and he will come for you; to try to finish what he had began so long ago. All of you are in great danger."
"When?" To his shame, Elentirmo's voice was hoarse from fear. "When Galion, do you know?"
The seer shook his head slowly; silver hair gleaming dimly. His eyes were sorrowful. "Who can say? A few years, potentially more. That much time, at least, you will have, for he will not strike yet. He will want to be utterly sure Elestirne is the child of the prophecy before acting."
"What am I to do?" asked Elentirmo desperately.
"Prepare and wait. It is all you can do. Teach Elestirne all you can, while you can. Already Amaurea has begun to teach her herblore and some woodcraft-including tracking and pathfinding. Teach the child how to fight, how to defend and protect herself if attacked. Show her a basic spell or two; teach her what you can or will about magic and the foresight. Teach her anything you can."
"What of the prophecy Galion?" asked Elentirmo. "Do I tell her at last who and what she is, reveal to her her heritage and lineage; tell her about the prophecy? Warn her about him?"
"No, you must do nothing of the sort! It is perilous and unwise to meddle in, or with, prophecies. She will learn everything when it is time for her to and she must learn it on her own. I am sorry Elentirmo,"said Galion sincerely. "But there is nothing now to be done. Your days of peace and safe hiding are over. You must now let events run on as they are meant to and spend as much time with Elestirne as you can before the faithless one attacks and her childhood is lost in the shattering of her world."
Elentirmo started to mount again, but froze at those words. "You're not saying that…?"
"She will live through the attack, when it comes," the seer reassured him. "Do you not remember? The night of her birth I told you that no evil will come to her." Galion's face saddened now; his voice grown grave. "But you will not. In that, the traitor will be successful alas. You will not live to see your daughter grow to womanhood, or become queen and sit the throne of your ancestors; fulfilling the prophecy. I have seen it."
Stricken, Elentirmo looked at Galion as the seer continued. "I pray that I am wrong, that I am mistaken. The things I see…are like ripples in a pond. Some are clear, umistakeable. Others are half-formed-mere glimpses, faint images-impossible to decipher accurately. Some of what I see never comes to pass and I pray that this is one of them."
"How can I tell Amaurea? It will break her."
"Amaurea is stronger than you think her. She will endure. This risk she accepted long ago, when she wed you." Briefly, Galion clasped Elentirmo's shoulder as the tall elf swung into the saddle and Elentirmo was startled at the strength of the ancient elf's grip. Galion looked at Elentirmo solemnly. "Do not allow yourself or your life to become ruled by fear. Fear will rob you of all happiness and joy. You only get one life. If you live it well and happily there is no need for regret when it is cut short, nor for fear when death comes to claim you. It does not matter how long or short your life is; only how well you live it." The seer bowed deeply and Elentirmo almost thought he saw a tear shining in those ancient eyes. "Go to your family my king, and live as though there is no future or past, only the present; the here and now. Life is too precious a thing to waste in fear. Varda bless you and yours…Tar-Elentirmo. I will be watching." The seer raised a hand in farewell as Elentirmo wheeled the stallion and left the grove at a gallop.