Kizár Elená Durin · @SilmarilNaro
21st Mar 2015 from TwitLonger
Quest-verse: Sailing To Himring.
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sl9ddb?new_post=true
Heading for the island of Himring, to meet it's "queen".
@SilmarilNaro @SilmarilAndrast @Gyrfalconsheart @SilmarilAire
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Kizár
The journey through the Shire ended up quiet and they were able to keep well out of the way of the residents of the lands. As they crossed just north of the three Elven towers they did spot another couple of Rangers, but only at a distance and were not intercepted. The Grey Havens however were a place they did not wish to enter, as there were old issues over conflicts in Telpë's loyalties, with him once been sworn to Gil-Galad, but having regained contact with those on Himring. The Ñoldor king was, in his words, willing to leave things be, having an understanding with the Fëanorian group, but Círdan the Shipwright was far less accepting, especially of the Falathrim who remained allied to Cáno. Because the Shipwright still resided in Mithlond and was the current lord of the city, they had no wish to be confronted by him.
The result however of this avoidance was that they headed upriver, crossing at a human village Kizár knew to be one of the westernmost human towns in existence. The humans seemed to be more puzzled by Kizár and Shangraile than the occurrence of Elves passing through, but Kizár knew this village was one of the few places Elves traveling west readily let themselves be seen by the Menfolk of Eriador, as it's ferry was a needed crossing. One of the guards greeted Kíli, who had, in the past few years, been through here a good few times as well, even commenting on his keeping company with Elves.
After then they headed up into the Blue Mountains, seeking a pass that crossed over to the headwaters of the Ascar River, a little south of Cardemir. The pass had been well-known to Durin's folk as leading to the area inhabited by a slightly insular group of Elves who were to treated with caution and respect. Those however were exactly the Elves they were seeking now, the Seariders, the Fëanorion-allied Falathrim who they hoped would be able to give them passage to Himring.
Russandol
The land was changed... it was something Maitimo had become more and more aware of, as they journeyed further west. First he had sensed it in the Blue Mountains, the Ered Luin had once been a mighty chain of peaks guarding the east, now they were lower, broken... shattered and shifted in ways that he could barely imagine. The forces that had overwhelmed Beleriand when the sea came, had shifted the land, torn and twisted it, shattered the Mountain rage in the middle, and eroded it's once mighty peaks. Gone were the ice-capped guardians of the East, who's cold glittering from afar had given the Mountains their name. Now they were lower, rolling valleys and rough Mountain flanks, overgrown by green.
But it was more than just the view... the land itself was changed, like a terrible power had sucked the strength out of the Elements themselves... or at least out of the Earth. The plants he saw - the crippled fir, the winter maple and the yellow birch were all trees grown on poor soil, and the plants around them were the same. Hard plants for hard lands. Like the Earth had been drained. He remembered their visit to broken Belegost - Cardemir - but only now he truly felt how deeply this land had suffered from the breaking of Beleriand.
When they crossed down into Forlindon, Maitmo became more careful - the claims of the Seariders still living here were good, but he was careful, not encounter any other Falathim. It was one evening that they reached a settlement of Falathim, all of them young, children of a younger age, though not necessarily a happier one. They were polite about hearing of their need for passage to Himring. "We will send word and see what our Lady has to say on it." Their leader replied, offering them to camp within the safe confines of their village.
Maitimo had expected the wait of at least a few days, but a ship drew into port by nightfall, and when he saw the sea-elf captain walking ashore... he thought he was dreaming, or maybe, with only a little confusion he could have been transported back a few millennia. For of Egandír walked off his ship, heard what the village's leader had to say and came to greet them.
Lossanárë
Lossanárë stood at Russandol's side as the ship's captain approached them, while Kizár stood a step back, holding Telpë's hand. It did make her idly wonder how they looked, the eldest son of Fëanor standing side-by-side to a lady who was undeniably his sister, even down to their nearly identical shades of red hair. Maferath murmured in the back of her mind about the fuss that had happened when envoys had come to the Havens of Sirion for a peaceful trade, offering to return Elwing's brothers, who had been presumed dead. She quietly acknowledged the reminder, recalling one major factor of the fuss was that the envoy had been Sindar - the "Forsaken One", Egandír.
Egandír's reaction on seeing them was rather well-controlled. Eyes widening ever so slightly that perhaps only sharp Elven eyesight would have caught it. "Prince Nelyafinwë Maitimo, your presence is one I am glad to see once again." He spoke with a bow of respect, before looking towards Lossanárë. "Though I will say truthfully not as surprising even as your Lady Sister walking in such form. Well met, Lady Alissa, sister to the Lady of the Island."
"I thank you, Captain Egandír," Lossanárë said, nodding in acceptance. "'Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood Ilúvatar's will is written.'" She did not know if he knew much of their time in Thedas, but if he did, that verse of the Chant of Light was amongst the few she did like. "I would also introduce Lady Kizár, also known as my sister Elennárë."
Kizár
Taking the idea from her sister, Kizár stepped forward, giving Egandír a nod and speaking her own quote from Thedas. "In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death, sacrifice. Well-met Captain Egandír."
Russandol
Egandír bowed deeply before both of them. "Blessed those who walk out of the shadow." he replied.
Maitimo arched an eyebrow, it seemed that the Falathim Captain knew at least a little about the sister's journeys, which in turn meant that their hope of finding the little Star held true. "We asked the Falathim here for passage to Himring," he said after a moment. "though they seemed shy to consider it."
"Our people are cautious on whom they bring out to the islands, my Lord." Egandír replied smoothly. "it never is wise to bring strangers, lest they might go and tell things they are not to tell - or remember." His eyes went shortly to Kíli and then back to Elves. "If it is your wish to sail at once, Windrunner can leave port within the hour."
Lossanárë
"I would say that I would like to set off as soon as your crew are ready. This has been a long time coming, and with an end in sight, I would be glad of not waiting longer." Lossanárë answered the offer made.
It did not take any more than that and Egandír guided them to his ship, calling on his crew to help move their packs on-board, the horses to stay here on the mainland, kept in a stable that maintained horses for those few islanders who were known to travel inland on a regular basis. A special care was made for Telperinquar when it quickly became apparent the state of his health, and the hour it took to arrange everything and pull out from port was gone almost before it was noted.
Kíli
Kíli was feeling slightly ill as the ship drew out onto the open sea. The sudden loss of contact with the earth made his stomach feel queasy. He inhaled slowly, recalling the day Kélan had first come to the surface, as he left Orzammar to follow Elenaria. He had been determined to not gawk at the big emptiness called "sky" and not to show fear either. He had managed... but he had also felt sick deep inside, and it had taken him days to get over it. Their voyages by ship much later had not had the same impact on him.
He looked over to where Cel was seated, the sea elves certainly fussed over him, in a gentle, worried manner. Egandír had apologized at least twice for not recognizing him.
Trying to distract himself from the rolling of the ship Kíli peered west, where he could see the shores of an island, crowned by a high mountain. There were several more islands there, smaller and all with various hilltops as well. The peaks of a long sunken mountain chain still above sea level.
At his back he heard Egandír's voice speaking to Lossanárë. "We will go directly for the main port, which has the shortest possible way to the castle, my Lady."
He looked around to find Kizár walking up to her. "Are you alright?" he asked her, not knowing what effect the sea might have on her.
Kizár
"I feel... like I have let Alistair convince me to eat more cheese than is good for me," answered Kíli's concern, referring to a problem she had in Thedas with cheese giving her an upset stomach. It had become a joking point with her fellow Warden-turned-king, whose love of cheese was something that became practically legend. "It's a bit funny, since I haven't had that problem in this body, but then I never had any sort of sea-sickness in Thedas, so maybe I traded one for the other."
Kíli
"Maybe you truly became a dwarf in more than one way," Kíli said, putting an arm around her. "and you do feel the separation from the stone." He smiled at the memory of Alistair and the cheese. He had not liked Alistair at first, not for his situation with Elenaria, not for not being faithful to her. But he had accepted it later and he had provided that Carta cheese which had made the one banquet infamous in later years.
Kizár
"Maybe I did, after spending - what fifty five years in Cardemir?" She tried to work out when they finally found and opened the ruined city but gave up when her stomach roiled again. "The Deep Stone may be weak there, but it was there, a gentle hum in the background."
Kíli
"After sixty years as a dwarf sister?" Kíli asked, and seeing that it got worse, guided her to one of the barrels stored on deck, to help her sit down. In a way she had spend almost the entire time linked to his mind, his soul... and while Kíli would not presume that it would have changed her overall soul, it might have made her receptive for the dwarf aspects in the setting of her stone form. "You know what makes me curious... we keep hearing about a Queen... and if she is, who we think it is - Lady Alana - then she must have found a way to take form as well." He had to stop speaking while the ship rolled stronger as they were now sailing into stronger gales. "I wonder if any elven smith survived who could have done it."
Kizár
"Maybe it is a question that we will only have answered when we meet with her, though who knows who might have ended up heading up this way just after the cataclysm?" Telpë, in telling what he knew, made mention of how those of Fëanorian loyalties had trouble peacefully remaining in the coastal settlements, under the suspicious looks and disapproval of both the Sindar and the Ñoldor more loyal to the lines of the sons of Indis. It was one of the reasons he had gone to Eregion, though he knew many had headed northwards when rumour of Cáno being alive had spread. "Though I thought you said at one point the design you worked was based on something Thoraine a Telpë theorised, and that those who survived Eregion's fall mostly ended up in Imladris."
Kíli
"It was a theory back then - something they liked to debate and experiment on," Kíli replied. "if Cel knew of any practical use for it, he certainly did not say." He knew that there had been a split between those elves loyal to Indis' line and those loyal to House Fëanor. Thoraine had known very well and cheerfully sided with Celebrimbor on that matter - being an arcane crafter first, made that choice simple enough. Though, for dwarves the line of the first wife came first, except if changed through adoption. Kíli shook his head. Whom was he lying to? Thoraine had gone where his sympathies lay, and those had been with Cel and would have been with any Fëanorean over other elves.
"Unfortunately I know little on the formation of the elven kingdoms - and their split. Askíl did not care much what they did, and why. He paid attention to Númenor, but that was for other reasons. I think he heard of the elves being at odds over the past and all he wanted to know, if he'd have an elven civil war on his hands any time soon." He could remember that perspective well enough, it had not been a good time to annoy Askíl in any shape or form, still raw from his brother's and Talion's demise, and regularly at odds with his wife and family, over his personally raising Hurán. Even obnoxious courtiers had stepped more carefully those days.
Another memory slunk at him, like so often he could not really chose what memory pushed into his mind. "I think.... I think Tiórvi wondered if the Lady of the Islands would be involved in the Last Alliance." he said softly. "Though he did almost step on toes when he called her the High Lady, in the council at the Meeting Stones."
Kizár
"Telpë hasn't said anything about it and I haven't asked, but what Aelin said about her butting heads with the Lady of Lothlórien made me think there was another who some preferred to be called a title like that. Frankly knowing what Losá thinks of Galadriel... well apparently my dear cousin had an ambitious streak that even existed in Doriath, even if she willingly stayed in Melian's following." There was reason Kizár had not asked her nephew about that issue, and it had been over how Galadriel and Celeborn had been the first lord and lady of Eregion.
Kíli
Kíli laughed, it was a deeper, amused laugh. "Oh there was, believe me. She liked to play at it... and she certainly was vexed, though she did her best to not show it." He closed his eyes, focusing inward, for some reason this had brought up Tiórvi even stronger. "I think there are more than a few aspects of Cel's life and *her* that are complicated."
Kizár
Kizár sensed that something had shifted a bit in Kíli, one of his other lives close to the surface. "Well no matter what ambitions Galadriel might have, Alana remains my queen, in whatever form Little Star has now." She gave her head a tilt. "Do you think I should quit calling her 'Little Star'?"
Kíli
"I think she would smack you right over the head, if you stopped calling her that." Kíli replied. "Albeit... I'd love to see her reaction when you call her your Queen." He smiled, gently clasping Kizár's shoulders, letting their foreheads touch. "She will have missed you and Losá as much as you missed her."
Kizár
"I know she is getting a huge hug from the both of us, that is for sure." Kizár said, smiling at the touch of foreheads. Such a dwarven gesture with so many meanings, but all of them in some way speaking of personal connection. "I do wonder how long it does take to reach the island though," she turned to look towards the prow and see if anything was evident. With the evening darkness it was less easy to see but she caught sight of lights off in the distance. The islands would maintain beacons for the ships, of course, though this cluster of lights seemed more than one small island lighthouse, so she thought maybe they were getting close.
Egandír
"We have to get around Himring first, my Lady." Egandír responded to the question he had heard. "There is almost always a strong western gale out here, and approaching the island from the inland side is hardly possible. We take a long turn around Himring, past Farwatch Point, Four Winds Island and Dreamer's Rest to then approach Himring port. The light you see astern is the Lighthouse on Coldrocks Island, guiding ships to not come too close to the jagged riffs beneath."
Kizár
"Ahh, thank you Captain. It is good to know these things," Kizár gave him a nod and a smile.
She settled back, leaning on Kíli's shoulder and let her sight wander, seeing her sister sitting with Telpë, Maitimo speaking with one of the crew, and Shangraile at the prow watching the sea ahead. She idly wondered how Elenlossë would react to his presence as well, though given that a lot of Kizár's own memories of him were ones Elenlossë would share, she had no doubt that she would welcome him.
Russandol
For several hours the ship had been maneuvering against the wind before they slowly turned around a smaller island, which bore the signs of settlement and let the wind push them towards Himring. They could see the bright lamps which lit the main pier of the island, lights shining out silvery into the night.
Maitimo watched as they drew closer and closer, and now, that the ship was drawing onto the side of the quay he could see several people standing down there. His heart almost stopped when he saw a beautiful Lady at the shore, along with an elf... someone he had doubted he'd see again in this world.
Kíli rose, extending a hand to Kizár. "Let's meet the Queen."
Kizár
As Kizár took Kíli's hand, the crew of the ship seemed to go into double the activity as the threw out mooring lines and the ship drew in to the dock. when everything was secured and the drawbridge extended, Lossanárë was the first of their group to cross, Telpë with her. Kíli and Kizár next off, with Maitimo and Shangraile behind them.
Kizár looked closely at the group standing to meet them. Cáno was the first she picked out, as he was the face she recognised the easiest, however the figure next to him was the one who drew her attention. Perhaps only a little shorter in height than Cáno, she was still of respectable stature, with long straight hair that was the off-white blonde that Kizár had seen was common amongst the Searider folk. Dressed greenish blues and a circlet highlighted with pearls and blue gems, she did make a very regal figure, but one thing drew Kizár's eye, and that was a brooch in the form of stylized dragon enameled in purple, around a white stone. It was maybe the closest thing to the private symbol Elenlossë had in Thedas without having her own stoneform at it's centre, the dragon even had the characteristic double horns Elenlossë had always insisted on.
Lossanárë
Lossanárë stepped forward, a slight smile as she looked over her sister, and crossing her arms over her chest gave her a brief bow. "I hail thee, my sister, Alana Theirin, once-queen of Ferelden, favoured by the Maker." There was a small teasing tone as she spoke the greeting in Thedosian, then switched into Westron to continue. "And glad I am to see you happy and well, Lady of the Islands. I have heard a great deal about you on my way here and while the tales have gladdened my heart, it is better to see you in person."
Formalities done her first action was to immediately step over to draw Elenlossë into a hug.
Elenlossë
Though Elenlossë held her reactions to seeing who had come to the island, when the proud redheaded figure spoke her greeting in Thedosian, a smile broke through her careful mask, only to broaden as Lossanárë reached out to hug her. The hug was very welcome and it was a struggle to draw back from it, from the sister all tales said was out of reach.
"My sister, I am glad to see you hear as well, and with those in your company..." her eyes lighted on Telpë, who had moved towards Cáno, then to Russandol, who she offered a smile. At first the two dwarves seemed only familiar in the sense of the generally known manner of the House of Durin's looks, but the young woman of the pairing took a step forward and changed in a brief flicker of white-gold light, into someone far more familiar.
Kizár
"My Lady Alana," Elenaria spoke, a small grin. "As Warden-Commander I once again swear my allegiance to my queen and soul-sister. I would also reintroduce to you Senior Warden Kélan Brosca, now known here as Kíli, son of Thorin Oakenshield of the Line of Durin, my adopted brother for the last sixty years." She turned and held out a hand to Kíli.
Kíli
Kíli took Kizár's hand and stepped forward, to bow to Queen Elenlossë. While her face was different in this world, with the sea-foam white hair and eye of the colour of the stormy waves, it was beyond doubt her. The brooch she wore resembled Asha'bellanar's dragon form too much to be an accident either. "Hail to thee, Queen Alana, blessed by the Maker, may the Earth and Sky grant you peace," he said first in Thedosian, recognizing her for the time she once had been his Queen too, in a way. Things gone now, he could and would not repeat the vow that Elenaria had given. "Mahal's blessings upon you High Lady of the Islands, may the Light illuminate your path." he went on in Westron, trying to not allow any of his memories to push to the foreground.
Cáno
The appearance of the beautiful red-headed lady came as a surprise, especially as she greeted Elenlossë as a sister - a sister they all believed lost to the lone vigil in the skies. What almost hurt more was the realization that she looked like Russandol - like a maternal twin of his older brother, who too had come off the ship, but was keeping more to the background. Cáno stepped up to him to greet his brother with a warm hug. He had not believed that he may yet live, too many had been the tales of his fiery demise. Though wild rumour about Silmarils and Fëanorians and Dwarves had run rampant since last spring, he had not dared hope.
When the small dwarven lady stepped forward and announced herself the Firestar Cáno wondered if he was dreaming, seeing his three sisters - the three Ladies of Fëanor's house united on this side of the sea.
Shangraile
Keeping to the edge of the quay Shangraile watched the first encounter of the elves - if legends could meet in the world, it was certainly here. He had never formally met Queen Alana Theirin but still recognized her - less from the time in Thedas, but from an echo he would never forget. He had never forgotten either of their voices. Careful to keep his head down, lest an ancient Falathim might recognize him, he was very content to watch.
Elenlossë
"Thank you Prince Kíli," Elenlossë accepted his greeting, "and I am glad to see you again as well and hope this life does you well." There was a small sign in her words, as she knew that they had met in other lives of Kíli's in the past, particularly when the events of the War of the Last Alliance had drawn Elenlossë to some of the major meetings, as the one who held the loyalties of a portion of the army lead by Gil-Galad.
She wrapped an arm around Elenaria's shoulders, turning to a couple of the Elves who had stood at her shoulders. "I have two people I believe you should meet as well, Narwafindë and Elenairë, mine and Macalaurë's children." The pair who she indicated were an elven man and woman, well into adulthood the both of them. Narwafindë had red hair that was lighter than the usual Fëanorian shade, while his sister had pale hair like her mother's.
"But right now I do believe we would all be more comfortable indoors, where we may be out of the winds and can have something to eat," Elenlossë spoke, looking around everyone gathered. Her eye caught on one figure standing back and she looked at him thoughtfully.
Kizár
Elenaria caught the direction of Elenlossë's attention and looked towards Shangraile. "He is maybe the true surprise of us all," she spoke across their renewed sister-bond. "I did not even expect to meet him again... but maybe it is best to hold off on that until we are inside."
Shangraile
Shangraile bowed deeply towards the Queen, but refrained from speaking. Silently he agreed with Kizár, that this was not a debate for the quay. Though... sensing all their echoes in close proximity again, woke memories for him. Sometimes, in that life, that seemed now so long ago, others had doubted that he truly could hear their voices, his own sons had believed him one crazy old warrior, who had lost his mind during the Vanyar battle. Maybe there had been moments when himself had doubted his his fleeting memories.
Russandol
Maitimo stepped back from the greeting with Cáno when Elenlossë introduced their children. A part of him wanted to tease his younger brother, simply because Cáno had always been sweet on the Little Star, but he bit back the words. The elven heart was too complicated to not err, and right now he was more happy to see that Cáno and the little Star had found something in this life. He and Cáno assisted Telpë, as they left the quay to follow the others inside.
Kíli
"Being out of the wind and spray would be a treat indeed." Kíli replied with a smile, having noticed her sign, the small gesture that told him she knew, that she had recognized him for Tiórvi... and maybe for another as well. With a small bow he let Kizár go first, following the sisters.
Lossanárë
Packs of the travelers were quickly organised to be delivered to the keep and they headed along the docks and up to there themselves, Narwafindë heading on before them to give out orders for a meal and rooms prepared. Lossanárë settled into step at her sister's side, Elenaria on the other as they walked, and she observed the building as they entered. When they had stopped in Rivendell she had learned some about Russandol's fortress and the island it was now on.
At one point when Morgoth's forces had pushed her brothers from the lands they had held, the fortress had been taken over by orcs, but if so, the Elves who had reclaimed it had an admirable job repairing and rebuilding, and while there were places where newer stone was noticeable, the fact that it was long held by better folk meant it felt like any foul takeover had never truly happened.
The insides gave that feeling as well as sense of homely comfort and a quiet pride in the symbiotic culture of both Ñoldor and Searider becoming evident in decorations along the walls. Paintings and tapestries that documented events in history, with themes of the sea and sailing a big part of their imagery.
Elenlossë
"I have no doubt you all could appreciate time to wash up, and being able to do so will allow the staff time to lay out a meal," Elenlossë spoke up, as they came to the family wing, where she, Cáno and their children had their personal rooms. They only ever opened the guest rooms in this wing for those who were close and trusted friends, and now they would finally be opened for close family, family they had not expected to ever see again.
Cáno
Cáno watched as the servants guided their different guests towards the rooms where they could bathe, change into clean clothes and generally leave some of the dirt of the journey behind. It still seemed like a dream to see Maitimo again, and with Losá looking like a twin to him, no less. The entire group was colourful to say the least, how their little Firestar had ended up the sister of dwarf Prince was a story he wanted to hear, as well as on how Maitimo had survived.
He approached Elenlossë and gently touched her arm. "Your sisters... they are as surprising as ever." he said softly. She had told him of their journey to Thedas - at least in parts. "And changed in many ways too."
Elenlossë
"I know," Elenlossë's voice falling into a soft warm tone. "Those who we believed were lost, out of reach, unable to come back, or even simply gone to Lord Mandos... I saw only a shadow in Losá and Eleni's minds of the extent of their adventures, but it will be a great tale to hear when they have the chance to tell it. And then to come in with Maitimo and Telperinquar with them..." A small smile glittered in her eyes. "Though there is something poetic that Eleni seems to have found her way to the latest incarnation of Durin, considering her bond with Kélan."
Cáno
"You mentioned Kélan in your tales," Cáno had the memory of a bard, able to recall stories he had heard well. "he was in love with her, was he not?" He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Could she... could she be the fabled One of the Soul of Durin?" It would be a poetic sad tale, for she had not been born at a later hour, but their paths had been sundered and only united in his seventh incarnation as legend said it would. Though if so, Cáno might have to pick a bone with this dwarf about toying with Telpë's affections in the past.
Elenlossë
"No, she was not his One, and they both knew as much," Elenlossë answered, remembering what Cáno himself had told her back when Durin III became involved with Telpë. "There was night after a battle, near the end of the Fifth Blight. Eleni, Kélan and the other two young Wardens had been told of the cost of killing the Archdemon and Eleni... she expected she would be killed in the final battle and took it as confirmation and wanted to stay near Kélan. She did fear somehow facing the creature would do her true soul damage and tried to reinforce the bond she had with Kélan, ending up drawing him into a vision-dream with her." She took a moment as they moved into the dining hall, where the servants were abuzz, laying out the meal. "Amongst other things they saw, Kélan saw his One, Eleni saw she would return here to Arda and saw she too had a One, a dwarf of the Line of Durin, and though he would be someone close to Kélan, it was not Kélan himself."
"Though Kélan did love her, he never made any move beyond friendship and though Eleni was aware of how he felt, she let it be as well. They knew their future had other plans for them."
Cáno
"Then he was wiser there then he was in other lives," Cáno did not really want to argue, but he was protective of his family, his sisters and his nephew. "Though how Eleni ended up being his sister in this life is a story I truly am curious about." There were many stories he wanted to hear, and even more... their family was united again, more than they had ever hoped it could be.
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tbc...