Chapter 3: Daydream
The fallen dew was cold, and the ground was soft and wet. The surrounding mist was light and almost refreshing, as they journeyed north under the sunset. As they travelled, the mist got heavier. And realizing that it was not morning, it was not dew that covered the ground. The sky was falling in flakes of heaven. It was snowing, although it was not yet winter. Even then, weariness was near for the weathered ranger. As delicate white flaked of snow fell around them, Janyn too felt the urge of mortal sleep and they rested on the frosted land.
Janyn lay on her back, Aragorn beside her. She stared into the think night and closed her eyes. She could not feel the cold air or the frozen ground. She could not feel her limbs, and soon she could not feel anything.
She opened her eyes and saw the mauve sky spinning around her floating
body. Janyn smiled as she glided above the clouds. She was an Angel. She
spread her arms out and laughed as pastel flakes drifted around her. Two
white eagles soared about her, in an ever-closing circle.
Her hair was as fine as strands of silk which flew in the wind. She
was on top of the world as she peered down at the golden meadows below
her, and green fields covered with white flowers. She listened to the
sweet sound of an unexplained music that sang in the air. It was the
sound of a million violins, a hundred harmonious voices and one pure
clear tone that seemed to vibrate through the heart and call the soul. It
was a solo voice of light, a voice of truth and reality.
'Engel! Engel!' It was calling to her. She followed the sound below
the clouds, and saw in the distance a ranger standing atop a mountain.
She soared closer to Aragorn, but she seemed to be picking up speed,
until she was gliding out of control over a never-ending forest of
mountain ranges and cold desserts. She screamed 'Estel! Estel!' She was
in a raging current and as she passed Aragorn, scraping the side of the
mountain, Hands outstretched, their fingers touched, but she was blown
away, suddenly darkness surrounded her mind...
She opened her eyes unknowingly. What had just happened? Where was
Aragorn? In front of her lay a silver lake, and in the centre was a
golden tree, engrossed with raindrop diamonds and green emeralds for
leaves, and tiny pearls of silver mithril which lay embedded in the bark.
She stood up and examined her surroundings. The entire landscape, save
the lake, was hill after hill of silver grass that disappeared into the
distance. The air was still and suffocating. The sky above the rolling
hills was grey and cloudless. Janyn concentrated on the tree in the
middle of the water. She waded out, not really knowing why, but it seemed
the only thing to do. As she approached the tree, she saw an apple
hanging on one of the silver branches. She reached for the golden and red
apple on her toes, until suddenly the water started bubbling. The lake
turned into an ocean, as she fell through the waters floor. She struggled
to reach the surface, but she was sinking... sinking.
Janyn woke with Aragorn's warm body beside hers. She lay back down and peered at Aragon's sleeping face. How young he seemed when he was asleep. She brushed his hair off his face and kissed his forehead. What harm could it do to him, she thought, or her. She turned away, and thought of that dream again.
She was in Ithilyn, she gathered. The feel and look of the land was her home. But she had never seen that tree before. What about the apple? What was it for? This dream made no sense, and she decided to forget about it. It would not bother her.
Aragorn woke with a start as he unsheathed a blade and stabbed the air. She looked at him dumbly, and he returned the expression.
'What's wrong?' Asked Janyn curiously. She thought maybe he had a peculiar dream too.
'Nothing.' He said quietly, as if he didn't want Janyn to hear. He stood up and shivered. It was cold, and the two were numb from the snow. He looked around and said to Janyn, 'Where do we go now?'
Janyn shook her head. It was true that Janyn didn't know, but she figured the only thing to do was to return home to Ithilyn. Maybe then she would get some answers.
Aragorn bent down and helped Janyn to her feet. She was very conscious of him. Having him so close, with his hands around her arms made her blush violently. Why couldn't he be rude, selfish and arrogant? But then she would not love him. Oh! How unfair life is. It was also then that Aragorn noticed her height. She was taller than Arwen, about half a head shorter than himself. She seemed very elf like, which appealed to Aragorn. And, being a usually positive person, he realized he wouldn't have to strain his neck to kiss her. He smiled, almost laughing, but bit his lip. What was he thinking? What were these thoughts?
'We've stopped for too long already. Really, we must go back to Ithilyn.' She looked at him innocently. 'I believe the gateway lies east, near Minas Morgul.'
'Minas Morgul?' Aragorn looked surprised.
'It was the gateway long ago, when it was still known as Minas Ithil. The Tower of the Rising Moon.' Janyn looked at the ground. 'But no living Mortal has set foot in Ithilyn since my mother. She loved my father greatly, and after his death she followed him into the Secret World and there she lived until death took her.'
The fallen dew was cold, and the ground was soft and wet. The surrounding mist was light and almost refreshing, as they journeyed north under the sunset. As they travelled, the mist got heavier. And realizing that it was not morning, it was not dew that covered the ground. The sky was falling in flakes of heaven. It was snowing, although it was not yet winter. Even then, weariness was near for the weathered ranger. As delicate white flaked of snow fell around them, Janyn too felt the urge of mortal sleep and they rested on the frosted land.
Janyn lay on her back, Aragorn beside her. She stared into the think night and closed her eyes. She could not feel the cold air or the frozen ground. She could not feel her limbs, and soon she could not feel anything.
She opened her eyes and saw the mauve sky spinning around her floating
body. Janyn smiled as she glided above the clouds. She was an Angel. She
spread her arms out and laughed as pastel flakes drifted around her. Two
white eagles soared about her, in an ever-closing circle.
Her hair was as fine as strands of silk which flew in the wind. She
was on top of the world as she peered down at the golden meadows below
her, and green fields covered with white flowers. She listened to the
sweet sound of an unexplained music that sang in the air. It was the
sound of a million violins, a hundred harmonious voices and one pure
clear tone that seemed to vibrate through the heart and call the soul. It
was a solo voice of light, a voice of truth and reality.
'Engel! Engel!' It was calling to her. She followed the sound below
the clouds, and saw in the distance a ranger standing atop a mountain.
She soared closer to Aragorn, but she seemed to be picking up speed,
until she was gliding out of control over a never-ending forest of
mountain ranges and cold desserts. She screamed 'Estel! Estel!' She was
in a raging current and as she passed Aragorn, scraping the side of the
mountain, Hands outstretched, their fingers touched, but she was blown
away, suddenly darkness surrounded her mind...
She opened her eyes unknowingly. What had just happened? Where was
Aragorn? In front of her lay a silver lake, and in the centre was a
golden tree, engrossed with raindrop diamonds and green emeralds for
leaves, and tiny pearls of silver mithril which lay embedded in the bark.
She stood up and examined her surroundings. The entire landscape, save
the lake, was hill after hill of silver grass that disappeared into the
distance. The air was still and suffocating. The sky above the rolling
hills was grey and cloudless. Janyn concentrated on the tree in the
middle of the water. She waded out, not really knowing why, but it seemed
the only thing to do. As she approached the tree, she saw an apple
hanging on one of the silver branches. She reached for the golden and red
apple on her toes, until suddenly the water started bubbling. The lake
turned into an ocean, as she fell through the waters floor. She struggled
to reach the surface, but she was sinking... sinking.
Janyn woke with Aragorn's warm body beside hers. She lay back down and peered at Aragon's sleeping face. How young he seemed when he was asleep. She brushed his hair off his face and kissed his forehead. What harm could it do to him, she thought, or her. She turned away, and thought of that dream again.
She was in Ithilyn, she gathered. The feel and look of the land was her home. But she had never seen that tree before. What about the apple? What was it for? This dream made no sense, and she decided to forget about it. It would not bother her.
Aragorn woke with a start as he unsheathed a blade and stabbed the air. She looked at him dumbly, and he returned the expression.
'What's wrong?' Asked Janyn curiously. She thought maybe he had a peculiar dream too.
'Nothing.' He said quietly, as if he didn't want Janyn to hear. He stood up and shivered. It was cold, and the two were numb from the snow. He looked around and said to Janyn, 'Where do we go now?'
Janyn shook her head. It was true that Janyn didn't know, but she figured the only thing to do was to return home to Ithilyn. Maybe then she would get some answers.
Aragorn bent down and helped Janyn to her feet. She was very conscious of him. Having him so close, with his hands around her arms made her blush violently. Why couldn't he be rude, selfish and arrogant? But then she would not love him. Oh! How unfair life is. It was also then that Aragorn noticed her height. She was taller than Arwen, about half a head shorter than himself. She seemed very elf like, which appealed to Aragorn. And, being a usually positive person, he realized he wouldn't have to strain his neck to kiss her. He smiled, almost laughing, but bit his lip. What was he thinking? What were these thoughts?
'We've stopped for too long already. Really, we must go back to Ithilyn.' She looked at him innocently. 'I believe the gateway lies east, near Minas Morgul.'
'Minas Morgul?' Aragorn looked surprised.
'It was the gateway long ago, when it was still known as Minas Ithil. The Tower of the Rising Moon.' Janyn looked at the ground. 'But no living Mortal has set foot in Ithilyn since my mother. She loved my father greatly, and after his death she followed him into the Secret World and there she lived until death took her.'