Moonlight flowed into the room, until it all glowed in a soft white.
Twilight called to her from the deep blue outside. Placing an almost
caressing hand on one of the marble-white walls, she looked out into the
night. It was like a dream. A gentle wind kissed her face as it wreathed in
and out of the four archways that led out onto a balcony. The whole night
seemed to be bathed in a silvery white - it gilded branches and lined ivory
leaves. The wind led her out to the balcony and she looked down to the
ground below from her lofty room. Twilight called to her from the puddles
of light and shadow below. She pulled herself up onto a tree's branch that
grew over the balcony, and climbed down. The grass was lush and springy
under her bare feet. Then she heard the hushing, crooning whisper of a
river.
It was Ithilain, the tributary of Bruinen that flowed through Rivendell. The full moon shimmered on wet pebbles, and embroidered the ripples of the river in silver. It was a beautiful night, the stars winking through the forest's dark canopy. Occasional shafts of moonlight flowed into pools on the forest floor, lighting it with heavenly light. Dew sparkled like stars. Magical this night seemed.
Through the trees, she could see a stone bridge up river. Two figures stood in the centre of it, facing each other. Compelled, she crept closer, her elven senses aiding her. A lady robed in glittering white stood with a man in dark clothes. Details were indiscernible.
"I chose. a mortal life." The female's voice was like a flowing song. The woman enclosed something in the man's hand; Kathryn saw a quick glimmer of silver.
"You cannot commit this." A soft but rough voice urged sincerely, the man pressed the gift to the woman's bosom.
"It is mine to give to whom I will." She paused and looked up into his face, caressing his hands. "Like my heart." After a moment's silence, they leaned forward and kissed softly, cherishing their complete yet forbidden love. Kathryn turned away, her back thudding against a tree trunk, closing her eyes tightly, not sure if it was to stop tears. She knew those lovers, they were her dearest friends - Estel and Arwen. Deep and forever their love must go, if Arwen was willing to make a sacrifice of her immortality. Confusion flitted through Kathryn; she could not understand how Arwen could bear to do that.
She turned back again. Estel had gone now, leaving Arwen leaning forward over the bridge, watching the flowing waters of the river, the moon wreathed in the currents. Kathryn walked along up to the bridge. Arwen was still entranced, dreams in her eyes. She leaned on the rail beside Arwen. The elf stirred.
"Kathryn!" She embraced her cousin. Kathryn returned the embrace fully. "Gwennin in enninath, I have missed you."
"Too many leaf-falls I have seen since we last parted." She smiled a wane smile. "But this time we meet in your beautiful home, and now I feel ashamed of the ruins I lived in."
"Do not be, they are as precious as Rivendell, in their own way. But here is not my home, I have long dwelt under the golden canopy of Lothlórien with my grandmother as you well know." She sighed and turned back to the river, seeming to remember a meeting amidst the golden trees. Kathryn also turned and watched the silvery moon waver in its shaky reflection, tendrils of silver escaping and slithering along the river currents.
"Something troubles your heart." Her voice a concerned whisper. "It lingers like a dark, heavy cloud, with no wind to send it away."
"I know not of what you speak, Arwen, I am as merry as a springtime lamb!" The lie sounded hollow even to her own ears. "Oh by the Valar! I'll be cursed if I don't tell you. Do you know who I really am, Arwen?"
Arwen smiled with sad knowledge. "So my father decided it was time indeed. Truth be told you are no longer a girl, and with time you will become the great woman that you are foretold to be. A great burden you may take up. At least you have time for reflection. If the time comes and you find the place for you is not upon a throne, mayhap this other heir will take the place instead and you both will be content. Alas it seems to me many years before any hope of such time will come." Her sorrow-filled eyes gazed into Kathryn's, like a ladle dipping into a deep bowl of water. "But that is not the darkness. Kathryn?"
Kathryn relented and told Arwen about Estel.
Afterwards, Arwen frowned, "It is hard for him, I see that. Maybe when he learns of your lineage he will understand better. I see this is indeed a dark cloud, truly it must rain heavily in the valley of your heart." Grasping Kathryn's hands, she said, "A si úcarono amanna Estel." (Yet do not give up Estel hope)
"My thanks. You seem to be far from giving up Estel."
A blush rouged Arwen's moon-illuminated face. "Henion le?"
"Yes I saw you this night, but do not be troubled, I will not tell anyone." She spoke with such passion that Arwen accepted her promise unquestionably. "But I do not understand."
Arwen smiled, "Understanding will come when you fall in love, dear Kathryn." She laughed, and the river chortled with her. "The only understanding that comes from that beloved emotion, I swear!" Then she frowned. "Kathryn pray tell, you have not found someone yet?"
"Nay, not yet. For years I have loved Estel, but as one to a brother. I may still have a few years of sense yet!"
"So the Prince of Mirkwood has not caught your heart?" Arwen asked slyly.
Kathryn laughed long, "Legolas? That pompous elf? Ha! A good jest that is!" But like a cloud another frown passed her face. "The choice that is bestowed upon us half elves is hard, and one that I would not decide upon lightly. The gift of elves, or the doom of men." Then a thought sparked in her mind. "Does Elrond know of this?"
"My father? I fear that he does, if he does not himself truly know, it may lie within his darkest fears." She sighed. "I do not think he will let go of me easily. No doubt he will set Estel a challenge to prove his worth. But he will be fair in the end, even if it kills him." Then she smiled trying to put happiness back into the night, tired of melancholy reflections and cried, "Come! Let us go to our rooms, and leave the darkness outside."
It was Ithilain, the tributary of Bruinen that flowed through Rivendell. The full moon shimmered on wet pebbles, and embroidered the ripples of the river in silver. It was a beautiful night, the stars winking through the forest's dark canopy. Occasional shafts of moonlight flowed into pools on the forest floor, lighting it with heavenly light. Dew sparkled like stars. Magical this night seemed.
Through the trees, she could see a stone bridge up river. Two figures stood in the centre of it, facing each other. Compelled, she crept closer, her elven senses aiding her. A lady robed in glittering white stood with a man in dark clothes. Details were indiscernible.
"I chose. a mortal life." The female's voice was like a flowing song. The woman enclosed something in the man's hand; Kathryn saw a quick glimmer of silver.
"You cannot commit this." A soft but rough voice urged sincerely, the man pressed the gift to the woman's bosom.
"It is mine to give to whom I will." She paused and looked up into his face, caressing his hands. "Like my heart." After a moment's silence, they leaned forward and kissed softly, cherishing their complete yet forbidden love. Kathryn turned away, her back thudding against a tree trunk, closing her eyes tightly, not sure if it was to stop tears. She knew those lovers, they were her dearest friends - Estel and Arwen. Deep and forever their love must go, if Arwen was willing to make a sacrifice of her immortality. Confusion flitted through Kathryn; she could not understand how Arwen could bear to do that.
She turned back again. Estel had gone now, leaving Arwen leaning forward over the bridge, watching the flowing waters of the river, the moon wreathed in the currents. Kathryn walked along up to the bridge. Arwen was still entranced, dreams in her eyes. She leaned on the rail beside Arwen. The elf stirred.
"Kathryn!" She embraced her cousin. Kathryn returned the embrace fully. "Gwennin in enninath, I have missed you."
"Too many leaf-falls I have seen since we last parted." She smiled a wane smile. "But this time we meet in your beautiful home, and now I feel ashamed of the ruins I lived in."
"Do not be, they are as precious as Rivendell, in their own way. But here is not my home, I have long dwelt under the golden canopy of Lothlórien with my grandmother as you well know." She sighed and turned back to the river, seeming to remember a meeting amidst the golden trees. Kathryn also turned and watched the silvery moon waver in its shaky reflection, tendrils of silver escaping and slithering along the river currents.
"Something troubles your heart." Her voice a concerned whisper. "It lingers like a dark, heavy cloud, with no wind to send it away."
"I know not of what you speak, Arwen, I am as merry as a springtime lamb!" The lie sounded hollow even to her own ears. "Oh by the Valar! I'll be cursed if I don't tell you. Do you know who I really am, Arwen?"
Arwen smiled with sad knowledge. "So my father decided it was time indeed. Truth be told you are no longer a girl, and with time you will become the great woman that you are foretold to be. A great burden you may take up. At least you have time for reflection. If the time comes and you find the place for you is not upon a throne, mayhap this other heir will take the place instead and you both will be content. Alas it seems to me many years before any hope of such time will come." Her sorrow-filled eyes gazed into Kathryn's, like a ladle dipping into a deep bowl of water. "But that is not the darkness. Kathryn?"
Kathryn relented and told Arwen about Estel.
Afterwards, Arwen frowned, "It is hard for him, I see that. Maybe when he learns of your lineage he will understand better. I see this is indeed a dark cloud, truly it must rain heavily in the valley of your heart." Grasping Kathryn's hands, she said, "A si úcarono amanna Estel." (Yet do not give up Estel hope)
"My thanks. You seem to be far from giving up Estel."
A blush rouged Arwen's moon-illuminated face. "Henion le?"
"Yes I saw you this night, but do not be troubled, I will not tell anyone." She spoke with such passion that Arwen accepted her promise unquestionably. "But I do not understand."
Arwen smiled, "Understanding will come when you fall in love, dear Kathryn." She laughed, and the river chortled with her. "The only understanding that comes from that beloved emotion, I swear!" Then she frowned. "Kathryn pray tell, you have not found someone yet?"
"Nay, not yet. For years I have loved Estel, but as one to a brother. I may still have a few years of sense yet!"
"So the Prince of Mirkwood has not caught your heart?" Arwen asked slyly.
Kathryn laughed long, "Legolas? That pompous elf? Ha! A good jest that is!" But like a cloud another frown passed her face. "The choice that is bestowed upon us half elves is hard, and one that I would not decide upon lightly. The gift of elves, or the doom of men." Then a thought sparked in her mind. "Does Elrond know of this?"
"My father? I fear that he does, if he does not himself truly know, it may lie within his darkest fears." She sighed. "I do not think he will let go of me easily. No doubt he will set Estel a challenge to prove his worth. But he will be fair in the end, even if it kills him." Then she smiled trying to put happiness back into the night, tired of melancholy reflections and cried, "Come! Let us go to our rooms, and leave the darkness outside."