Chapter 7

Warnings: none (plot ppl, PLOT!)

xxxxxx - passage of time

italics - thoughts or memories

(Elenna)

I was lost.

The maze of pathways through the trees seemed to never end, twisting and turning this way and that.

I marveled at how I had ever found my way to the higher levels the night before.

Suddenly I heard someone call my name behind me.

"My lady Elenna!" cried a rather disheveled elleth, her pale green skirts gathered in her hands, running towards me.

I turned to look at her.

"My lady Elenna!" she said again, stopping in front of me, gasping for breath. "I have been searching for you all morning. The Lady sent me to your talan but you weren't there." She was wringing her hands anxiously.

"I'm sorry." I replied apologetically, "I was… elsewhere."

"T'is fortunate I have found you now. The Lady has requested your presence." She continued, looking a little less fretful. "I have left you a change of clothes in your talan, if you will follow me, I'll take you back."

"That would be most helpful." I said, "These pathways seem all the same to me."

"I know what you mean." She replied gloomily. "I have lived here all my life and I still find myself lost after making one wrong turn or the other."

She stared sullenly at the winding walkways.

"But come now, the Lady awaits you." she added as an afterthought. "Follow me."

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After several twists, turns, bends and sharp turns, we finally made our way back to my talan. Sunlight was streaming through the trees, landing in mosaic patterns on the roof of the flet.

"Here we are my lady." she said. "I will come back to find you in a few moments and take you to the Lady."

"Thank you for your kindness." I said to her. She bobbed a curtsy, then, smiling, turned to go.

I realized I did not know her name.

"Wait." I called to her. She turned, looking expectantly at me. "I do not know your name."

"Most here call me Nimloth." She said. "White-blossom, like the tree."

I smiled at her. "Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo."

She smiled back. "And the same to you."

Quenya-'a star shines on the hour of our meeting.'

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Nimloth left me a pale grey dress, lying neatly folded on a recliner.

I lightly ran my fingers over the fabric that seems to shimmer faintly in the early morning light. Black thread wove entertwining patterns around the neck and the wide, flowing sleeves. A broad piece of long white fabric served as a belt. It was also embroidered over with patterns in black thread.

It has been a long time since I wore a real dress. It was simply unpractical living in the wild. Usually, I had black leggings underneath a long, dress-like tunic. I wore my grey cloak over everything.

I quickly changed into the dress.

I felt oddly unprotected without my white daggers, even though I did not use them often, but there was nowhere to fit them under the dress. It couldn't be helped. I laid them lovingly on the recliner.

"Lady Elenna?"

I turned around to see Nimloth behind me.

"We must go now." she said. I nodded.

She led me once again, weaving through the labyrinth of pathways in the trees.

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We came once again to the wide flet in the trees that served as a hall for the Lord and Lady. Nimloth left me at the doorway and disappeared once more.

I lingered for a moment outside, hesitant to go in.

Longing of news of my family filled me, but I dared not hope that the lady would tell me.

I folded my hands together nervously, and, gathering up all my courage, I entered inside.

The hall was almost empty, except for the two stately chairs that the Lord and Lady had sat in the day before. The Lady was nowhere to be seen.

I looked around the room; there were several other doorways that led of the talan.

I moved warily to one hidden in the far corner of the room. I seemed drawn to it somehow, but maybe it was because it was the only one with a closed door.

It had a slender wooden handle. On closer inspection, there could be seen next to the handle, carved faintly into the wood, one of the figures of a little girl same as the one in the abandoned watchtower. I reached out to turn the handle….

"Do not open the door."

I spun around to see the Lady standing in a door way across the room behind me.

I dropped my hand.

"My Lady, you wanted to see me?" I asked timidly.

"Come with me." she said. I followed her through a doorway in the opposite side of the room. We came into a large chamber.

"Sit." she said, gesturing to a low couch.

I sat.

The room was a circular one, tapestries lined the walls, and half finished embroidery work lay on the tables.

The Lady sat down next to me.

"Do you know how to weave, Elenna." she asked, her eyes following mine.

"No." I shook my head.

"Weaving is a taxing labor, it requires all your thoughts, your mind, your soul." she said. "Every line demands the utmost attention. Patience is a virtue you must have."

I looked curiously at her. Why was she telling me this?

"You must have the patience to watch its story as it unfolds. Hasten and it will fall apart, and all will be in vain." She said, still looking at the tapestries on the wall.

"Do you understand what I am saying, child?" she turned to look at me.

"Yes my lady." I replied. "But why are you telling me this?"

She smiled faintly, but did not answer.

"Do you want to learn to weave?" she asked me.

"If it would please you, my lady." I said.

"Good, come here again tomorrow, and we shall begin." She said.

"My lady…." I started.

"I will see you tomorrow." she said with a tone of finality. She rose to leave.

"Yes, my lady." I said submissively, and bowed as she left the room.

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Why is she teaching me to weave? I wondered as I followed Nimloth back to my talan.

"You look troubled, my lady."

I turned to see Nimloth looking at me concernedly. I gave her a weak smile.

"There are many things on my mind these days." I said.

She gave me an encouraging smile. "I'm sure the Lady will help you." she said.

"Perhaps." I replied, lapsing into thought again.

"Nimloth," I asked suddenly, "does the Lady always speak in riddles?"

She laughed. "That is the Lady, she never tells you anything directly but leaves you to figure it out for yourself." she said.

"I wish it was not so." I said sullenly.

"I have served her for many years now." she answered. "The Lady always has her reasons."

"I only wish I knew what they were." I replied.

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So everyday, I made my way to the Lady's chamber, where I learnt to weave with her and her maidens.

It is surprising how much of your mind is involved in its process. When you wove, you thought of nothing else but the shuttle and thread in front of you. All else is pushed back to the recesses of your mind. Each thread is carefully, lovingly woven.

When you wove, you could forget everything.

There we would sit for long hours, time flying past, until the evening would creep up on us again, and the Lady would dismiss us back to our talans.

Everyday, I would ponder the meaning of the Lady's words, and why she was insisting I learn how to do this.

The same word rang over and over in my head.

Why?

Patience is a virtue you must have.

The Lady's words echoed in my head.

I did not want to be patient.

I sat in my talan one night, mulling over my thoughts.

Patience, child.

Sighing, I rose from the recliner I had been sitting on and walked out onto the terrace. It was late in the night, and Caras Galadhon was silent. Not even whispers sounded. The mellyrn glowed comfortingly with a silvery-golden light, so like the color of his hair……

I had not seen him since that night in the watchtower. He did not seem to be around in the city, so I assumed that he had left to return to the borders again.

I missed seeing him.

I don't know why, but as surely as the sun traverses the sky, I missed him with all my heart. For some reason, he was the only one I truly felt comfortable with here.

Something that can be called a friendship exists between me and Nimloth, but I am never completely at ease with her. The Lady was kind, but she had a daunting presence about her that unnerved me. But in his company, I felt peaceful and relaxed.

But he was nowhere to be found.

Where are you my friend?

(Haldir)

The borders were silent. Rumil yawned beside me. All was quiet.

I had not seen her again since that night in the watchtower. That morning, having fulfilled my task of bringing her to the Lady, I left for the borders once again.

Memories of her filled my mind. I could not stop thinking about her. Her brilliant gray eyes, her silky black hair that flashed silver in the sunlight, her smile that could outshine the stars themselves, high in the heavens……

Ranaew…

My little wandering bird…

Where are you now?

Sorry it took so long to update….. went away for the spring break heheheheh

nways…… READ AND REVIEW! cheers!