Chapter 3- Imladris: River Weasels
The following day dawned bright and exceptionally welcoming. Through the numerous windows and open walls within her chambers, came the warming rays of sunlight, begging her to follow them outside. Being the obliging elleth she was to such requests, Silaerín slipped out of her chambers and found herself ambling along a stone pathway through dense green foliage, enjoying the new morning. She leisurely breathed in the crisp, cool and clean air, filling her lungs until they felt as though they would burst, and then let the air out through her lips.
After doing the slow inhale and exhale of the air a few more times, she found that even the qualities of the air were different here. It was not something she had particularly noticed upon her arrival, but now in the unsullied air of morning, it was more evident. The atmosphere was thin and made her breathe in more deeply to get the amount needed to sustain every breath. It had no scent, but that of a faint tangy-sweet one that permeated from the leaves and bark of the trees, and sharply contrasting to the often times old, stale sea air of the Havens. Beyond that, the climate was invigorating and restorative to her, not unbearably warm and clammy like most days in Mithlond, even during the coolest parts of the year.
Finally, she came upon a babbling stream of water. The strong current assaulted protruding rocks with water, gurgling and splashing ever so slightly. Small silver and white fish appeared iridescent in the crystal clear water as the sunrays shone down on them and refracted on the rippling stream. Silaerín sat upon a large flat rock that dipped slightly into the river and was under the half-shade of a great willow tree. The faint chirping of birds in their morning songs and the rustle of the wind blowing through the trees brought a great joy to her heart. This was as serene and calming as her spot on the beach in Mithlond, but it definitely was a different type of calming effect.
She inched forward on the rock, sticking her toes into the water, finding that it was rather cool, but still lovely. Gazing off down the river, she saw a duck floating in the distance, his head brilliant emerald green and his breast a rich purple. He paddled along, and paused to float in the current for a few moments before dipping his head into the water to collect some food from beneath him. The duck righted himself and shook his head slightly, sending tiny rivulets of water around him.
A dark flash beside her caught her attention, and she turned quickly to find an odd looking creature rolling out onto the green grass. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. The head of the downy chestnut-colored animal was broad and flat, with short, rounded ears. Upon his blunt snout, long, thick whiskers protruded and twitched as he sniffed the air around him. He stood on short, but powerful, legs, his feet webbed and clawed. Letting out a low grunt, he beat his long tail on the ground. When that apparently did not receive the attention he wanted, he let out a loud yelp, which sounded more like a taunt than anything else. Then, the tall plants that the first one had tumbled from rustled, and out came another creature just like the first with a great stumble. The second stood up after a few moments of catching his bearings and jumped quickly, tackling the other to the ground.
The first animal's sleek body allowed for his escape and soon both were frolicking about in the water, swooping around easily with and against the current. After awhile of this, and seemingly tired, they each pilfered a tiny mollusk and small stone from the bottom of the river. While floating along on their backs, they worked adeptly at opening the shell with the rock and feasted on the meal inside. Whatever these creatures were, Silaerín knew she liked them already for their playful natures.
Silaerín let out a long sigh and hugged her legs close to her body as she turned her attention from the now-lounging creatures, sunning themselves on two rocks in the center of the stream. Could any place be more perfect than this? She was not sure she would ever be able to leave Imladris, much less this wonderful spot, without feeling like part of her life was taken away from her. And she had only been here for one day! Not even one full day!
The morning moved on around her as she sat gazing across the river into the thicket and pondering how things would be different now that she was away from Mithlond. Not entirely sure how long she had been sitting upon this rock, she heard the under-foot crunch of someone or something approaching her. Silaerín turned to see that it was Lord Elrond taking a leisurely stroll with one of his advisors, the one she thought to be Erestor. They were deep in conversation over something, in a language she could not quite understand, but knew well as the tongue of Men. Elrond said something with an air of finality to it, and the advisor slightly bowed his head and swiveled on his feet to walk soundlessly back in the opposite direction.
Elrond glanced at her as he walked, and smiled warmly. She had not pictured him to be much of a smiling and happy Elf, but, she figured, anyone would be overjoyed to dwell in such a place as Imladris, much less maintain lordship over the land. Today, she noted that the Elf-lord was without his circlet around his head, and some of his long, dark hair had been fastened back in a braid of some sort. He also seemed less weighted with heavy robes of excess fabric, though he still wore a robe over his tunic and leggings. Perhaps it was because the day's cares had yet settle on his shoulders that made him appear so happy.
Whatever the reason, he came to her and she began to stand to give a proprietress bow to her host and lord, but he motioned for her to stay sitting. He smiled again, "You cannot go around Imladris thinking you should bow to every Elf you see. It really is superfluous to many of us, and especially not required of anyone who resides here in Imladris. As long as there is respect, then you need not show it."
"But your advisor just bowed to you, my lord," Silaerín spoke, surprising herself that she said this and quickly looked away from him.
Elrond chuckled, "You will come to know Erestor and his proclivities. And bowing to others is just one of them. But you should also note that he is a very serious one, and does not take much for granted. That is why he is so valuable as my counsel. He and Glorfindel balance each other."
Silaerín laughed at that... really and truly laughed from the pit of her belly... and it was something she had not done for a long while. And she found herself now in a position of having a easy talk with Elrond, knowing that he was not going to be anything like other males she lived with. "My lord, do your advisors know you speak of them in such ways?"
"I need not speak it. They know it very well themselves," Elrond replied and gracefully sat down on the rock beside her. "You speak as though you are much wiser than you look, my lady. Perhaps it is your grandfather whom you get that from? "
"I have only had thirty-three begetting days, my lord. So it certainly must have to do with something other than my age and limited knowledge of this world. It could be my grandfather's influence," Silaerín spoke, looking back out at the stream. She found it so easy to talk to Elrond, as long as she did not need to maintain eye contact the entire time. "He is very wise."
"I will not disagree with you, Silaerín. Lord Círdan has been a most wonderful ally to all the peoples of this world because of that," Elrond smiled and followed her gaze towards to the creatures lounging on submerged rock in the stream. "But it is true, you have much to learn. Though, I am sure you are the most mature Elfling I have met in a long while."
"I do not know about that, but I am sure I am certainly the most quiet Elfling you have met," she said softly, letting a sigh escape her lips.
"It is a nice change from the chatter and boisterousness of my sons," he chuckled.
Silaerín looked up at him, "They are not boisterous, my lord. My cousins in Mithlond are disruptive and disobedient. Elladan and Elrohir most definitely are not."
"Let us speak of Elladan and Elrohir for a few moments." Elrond said, "My lady wife has told me that she found them in your chambers upon your arrival?"
"Aye, my lord," she replied, feeling the heat of a blush creep to her cheeks and she looked away in an effort to hide that fact. "They only wished to welcome me."
He gazed down at her for a long while, in a judging sort of way, though it was not harsh and was along the same lines as what Lady Celebrían had done the evening before during said incident. "How did they get into your chambers, Silaerín?"
She glanced quickly at him, but did not meet his eyes. She made the first lie the previous evening, so she had to keep with this one going and protect Elladan and Elrohir's secret. After all, they were not telling Lord Elrond of her eavesdropping incident, which was something she would rather no one know about. "I invited them in because I ached horribly from the riding and needed to sit."
"I know that after riding upon the back of a horse for any amount of time does not make wish to sit because of aching limbs and muscles. I would much rather walk." Elrond sighed, "My lady, if you are worried that they will be punished, then they will not. It is best to have a clear conscience. That also helps with the ability your grandfather has written to me about."
"I am sorry, my lord." Silaerín slumped her shoulders, but was excited at the knowledge Lord Elrond knew something about the things she had recently been noticing about herself.
"Now, can you tell me where they were hiding this time?" Elrond asked, an oddly soothing tone coming from his mouth, though she could sense what was going through his mind.
She asked innocently, "This time, my lord?"
"You are not the first guest they have spied on." Elrond smiled, "They have even been known to spy on their grandparents."
"They were in the wardrobe, my lord," Silaerín said and turned back to her creatures on the rocks. Elladan and Elrohir spied on Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel? She had yet to meet these two high Elves, but she could not even imagine spying on them even if they were her grandparents.
He let out a long sigh, and shook his head in defeat. However, he let out a low laugh. "Really, the wardrobe? I am surprised they fit into the space."
She giggled, "They were tightly packed in when I discovered them."
Elrond shook his head again in dismay, but the smile remained on his lips. Silaerín wondered if Celebrían would appreciate that her husband found this whole situation amusing as she had been quiet angry the previous day. Though, deciding that it was not her place to worry about such things, she quickly pushed the thought from her mind. Maybe it was just the fact that she was so used to her grandfather acting like Elrond, then having her father come along and disagree with everything that she thought this.
Her thoughts were shifted though as the brown creatures submerged themselves in the water again, and began playing like they had earlier. She motioned out to the stream, "My lord, what are those creatures called?"
"You mean to say you have seen no such creatures in Mithlond?" Elrond asked. "They have cousins in the Sea. These, however, are called river weasels, or otters. And those two have been named Nad Min and Nad Tad."
"Who named them, my lord?" she questioned with a laugh, gazing at the otters.
He sighed, the otters moving closer to them, and a great splash of water was displaced from the stream and landed on the rock in from of them as one of the creatures dove into the water. "I believe it was my sons who named them. I will have to warn their wives that they should be aided when it comes to naming their children."
She smiled and brushed back a few strands of hair that had fallen in her eyes. "I thought that it was the sole right of the father to give his child their first name, especially in the customs of your people. That is at least what my tutors explained to me when they were teaching me of Lady Galadriel."
"My family has many people from whom we can draw our customs from. It i is /i a tradition of the Noldor, but that does not mean that we hold true to form," Elrond chuckled lightly. "Lord Celeborn gave Galadriel her Sindarin name out of necessity because Elu Thingol forbade the usage of Quenya."
"That makes perfect sense, and sense that my tutors were not quite able to explain," Silaerín said.
He looked at her for a long while, growing very quiet and pensive. Silaerín felt extremely self-conscious then and turned her attention away from him. This gaze reminded her of what her grandfather was so fond of doing when he was trying to glean some information as to what had gone on during her lessons or after there had been a misunderstanding with her father. And the best she could describe this certain look was something that spoke of worry and disbelief for the situation. Perhaps it was what one would call a fatherly look? One of knowing something was terribly wrong, but not being able to think of a way to deal with the problem.
"Well, I would understand if they were not to teach of the Noldor, there are long, horrible histories that your grandfather remembers," Elrond said finally, as though he were trying to get more information before assuming anything.
"My lord, it is not that my tutors could not teach it," Silaerín said. "My grandfather has done everything to make sure that I learn as much as I can, though our histories of the Noldor are limited. It is the conditions in which my tutors try to teach me that prohibits any decent explanations."
"The conditions, Silaerín? I do not think I understand," he replied.
She glanced up at him and let a long sigh out. "My cousins ask too many questions. Questions that are not necessarily conducive to learning anything beneficial to our knowledge. And my brother would rather spend time being punished by the tutors for not learning his required lesson."
Elrond furrowed his brows, and pursed his lips. "And your grandfather allows this to go on? I am sorry if I act as though I am exceptionally dimwitted, but I know your grandfather, and I know he would never allow such things to happen."
"My father is in charge of lessons, my lord," Silaerín said. "I believe that my grandfather would change it if he could, but even I, as a young elleth, know that taking that duty away from my father would not be wise. The only way he could change anything was by sending me here, and away from the interruptions of my family in Mithlond. He said that besides what I could learn here, I would also be sent for some reason that could influence another person or myself. Some greater reason that I do not know of."
He smiled warmly, and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "You wish to know what that is?"
"I do, my lord," Silaerín said. Oh how she hoped that her voice was not dripping with anticipation for the answer that she had been trying to figure out since she left the Havens. She did not wish to appear too desperate for an answer.
"As much as I would like to give you the reason, Silaerín, I do not have one," he replied. "No one can really know what change you were sent to make, and what type of change that was meant to be... besides your grandfather perhaps. It could be in regards to your father. Or it could have something to do with one of us here in Imladris. But if there is one comforting thought I can offer, it would be that everyone is sent to this land from Aman for a greater purpose. No matter how small their influence in this world may be, they are here for some reason or another whether it be great or small. And we all live with that unknowing as to when and where our influence will take hold."
Silaerín nodded her head and gazed out at the stream again. "I suppose I must wait then."
"My lady, it will do you no good to sit around and wait for this thing to come to you. You must go find it yourself." He stood from his spot, dusted himself off and walked to the line of plant life surrounding the stream. Stopping, he looked back at her. "I believe what your grandfather is trying to tell you by sending you here is that you cannot change or influence anything if you just sit on the shores and wait for life to happen. It is what you put into the life through experiences and the relationships you have with others that make the Elf. Life is not entirely what you can learn from books, in the safety of the words on the pages. It is about taking risks. And it is those risks and the interactions with others that shape the situation in which your influence will be seen."
He paused again when he was only a few more steps away. "Do not forget about the welcoming celebration we are having for you and your fellow Falathrim this eve."
"I will not, my lord," she responded. Silaerín watched him as he walked back along the path he had come, his final statements resting in her head. What Lord Elrond had said was startling to her... that he would come out so quickly and with this ultimatum of taking risks, but she figured she needed that. It did not matter how much she liked to sit on the beach and drown her fears and insecurities in the waves on the shores of Mithlond, or now here by the stream and allowing the otters to occupy her, she knew it was time to become a different person. If there was going to be influence from her in any matter of great importance in the future, she needed to change herself first and foremost.
And she knew Imladris was just the place that would aide her in becoming the elleth she wished to be.
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Nad Min- Thing One
Nad Tad- Thing Two (My homage to the great Dr. Suess)
meal.