================== Eldarin Calendar <in Sindarin> ===================
IC time is: Twilight < About 8:54 PM >
IC day is: Oranor <Sun-day>
IC date is: 70 Laer <Summer>
Moon phase: New <HIDDEN>
Earendil: Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is: Loa 17 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor <TA 3041>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RL time: Tue Jul 24 07:58:09 2007
=====================================================================
Mallorn Stairway
Clear as the sky on a summer's day are the golden steps of the stairway. Almost at the top of the, one can enjoy a spectacular view over Caras Galadhon and its winding paths. Silver lanterns kindly illuminate the steps, and small platforms to the side, holding wooden benches assure a warm atmosphere, where one may wish to sit down for a moment, and enjoy the view.

Contents:
Galharth
Mia
Rhibi
=====================================================================

The stars are shining faintly overhead, and the trees rustle in the breeze. A slight youth is skipping along the stairs, coming down from the lawn above and singing to himself. His red hair shines in the last remnants of the western sun. And then... strangely... he goes sprawling in an ungraceful tangle.

With his gaze upwards towards the western horizon, the Tailor Galharth slowly rises up the stairs towards the lawn. As he catches sight of Rhibi, he raises a hand and opens his mouth to call out a greeting. As the boy tumbles, the greeting falls unspoken and the crafter hurries up the few steps between them. Kneeling at the tangle of elven arms and legs, he gently asks, "Are you alright, Rhibi?"

The youth's tumble does not go unnoticed, as one of the Quendi makes her way up the same stairway. Not suprisingly, she laughs. "Well done! Enough practice and you might become quite a Fool in the Lord and Lady's court!"

Mia pauses standing up on her tip-toes to better see where the youth has fallen, the tailor now there to lend a hand. "I'm sure he's fine, Galharth; the boy is tougher than most Knights I have known. And far less whiney, as well." She adds in muttered tones.

Rhibi stares up at Galharth for a moment, eyes wide. Then he gasps in a breath of air and picks himself up. "I am fine," he says, with a peevish note in his voice - a note which turns to bewilderment and something like fear as he turns to look at the stairway he has just come down so precipitously. His eyes go to Mia and he says very softly, "I do not know why I fell."

Glancing to Mia, and then to Rhibi, the Tailor shakes his head. "Incidents seem more frequent of late. Perhaps the first born grow lazy in their actions..... it's very odd." Rising up to his feet as the boy rises, he smiles. "All aside, it's good to see you both. Tell me, is there any interest in your comings or goings? I myself wander aimlessly in thought while taking a break from clothing repair work."

Mia shrugs, "He is a growing boy: is it any wonder, really? Why, when we first met, he was just a tiny thing with bravado that bellied both size and years. Perhaps it is simply that he is finally catching up with the spirit trapped within?" She moves forward to better look at the boy, her eyes scanning him quickly but efficiently. "Nothing broken, nothing cut? A painful blow to the pride, no doubt, but one that we can all appreciate. Just be glad that you were on solid ground when it happened!"

She sighs and looks to the tailor. "Mundane would be a good word to describe me, of late. Boring might be another one. Better yet, uninspired. I have yearned for something to come along and spark some interest, so if you have any suggestions..."

"But I never fall!" Rhibi protests. "And now... I always do." He glances sheepishly at Galharth and looks back to Mia. "Is it only that?" he asks hopefully. "No, I am not hurt." There is a scratch on his chin and a bruise blooming on one arm, but that is all. But then his mysterious fall flees his attention. "Bored?" he says amazed. "I am /never/ bored!"

Glancing towards Mia with a frown, the Tailor considers her words. "If the ship that lies within a watery grave is not something to inspire you, then I would think you're well beyond my means to manage events to hold your interest." Struggling to maintain his smile, one corner of his mouth rises in defiance and in suggestion of his true mood. "Have you considered a new job, or perhaps an additional job?" Looking up and down the form of the Lady's companion, his smile grows. "Have you considered sculpting? There truely is nothing like a nicely grounded craft to keep the inspiration flowing."

Turning his gaze towards Rhibi, a nod is given to his words. "I've noticed that you have been having more accidents of late. Perhaps it's a stage in your growth?"

Mia purses her lips, eyebrows furrowing as she haughtily replies to the tailor, "You're a fine one to talk, as you go galavanting around in search of adventure. Perhaps my interest in your ship might not wane if it wasn't taking a lifetime to retrieve. I worry that by the time it sees the light of day, I will have grown weary of this world and moved on."

She cannot keep the expression for long, though, and allows the corner of her mouth to rise in the semblance of a smile. "And I do enough to keep me busy, that is not the problem. It is excitement that is lacking, not the filling of my days. We cannot all be thrilled by the stitching of cloaks or the warp and weft of cloth."

Again she looks to Rhibi, her smile a full grin now. "Why do I not find it difficult to believe that you are always entertained? Ah, yes... because if there is mischief to be made, there you will find a Rhibi. It is one of the things I like the best about you. Always have, really, though I will deny it if you tell anyone: The lengths you will go to for fun are ingenious... if not a bit unconventional. I don't know if I ever told you how much I truly appreciated your forray into Fangorn..."

The boy looks a bit startled, and then he laughs. His earlier mishap is entirely forgotten. "I was only a child!" he protests, a grin hovering around his lips, valiantly squashed. "It is very dangerous for little children to leave Lorien. You should not be saying such things!" Eagerly, he turns towards Galharth. "Is there more to retrieve? What did you learn from Curunir? You never told me! I did not get to speak with him further," he adds, sadly. "I wished to ask him how to make a sword that would cut stone."

Eyes narrow defensively as they turn to gaze at Mia. "I went in search of questions, /not/ for adventure." Clearly from his expression, the Tailor is disturbed by his friend's words. "Had I found something of interest then we might have some idea of what to search for and where to search upon the ship. As it is, we'll have to do the search blindly."

An expression of defense turns to disappointment as Galharth turns towards Rhibi. "We discovered nothing from Curunir. His time was devoted elsewhere, and our answers never came."

Mia looks at Rhibi slyly, "Say what? I didn't say a word; no, not me! Never would I encourage someone so incorrigible." She reaches out a hand to ruffle the boy's hair. "Were you ever just a child? No, I think not! You have always been more than the sum of your parts: a force to be reckoned with in your own right. Why do you think I took such an interest in you then? And why do you think I have remained your greatest admirer? There is more to you than others see, far more than a mere troublemaker!"

Galharth's response, while unexpected, is greeted with kind laughter by the elleth. "It amuses me, how much you enjoy structure in your life! Not all things can be carefully planned, nor will you always find the answers you seek! Relax, Galharth, and enjoy the journey you are on! So you have to figure this out "blindly", as you put it? Is this really a problem, or does it make the discovery all the more exciting?"

"I am not a trouble-maker!" Rhibi says indignantly, but his attention is as mercurial as ever and he is turning to Galharth almost before he has done speaking. "Let us go and look!" he almost shouts beneath the ever-brightening stars. "We shall find more, much more, I am sure of it! Like.." but he stops here, cutting off the words abruptly before tugging at both of the elder elves' sleeves, as if he truly is still the child he named himself earlier. "Come, come, let us go and see!"

"There is time," Galharth says, resisting Rhibi's pull. "I need to check in with the Royal Court to see if they have any tomes not copied and available within our Library." His gaze flickers towards Mia as he continues to speak. "I was searching through our references the other day and it came to me that the Court might have additional references." Shrugging his shoulders he glances from Mia to Rhibi. "I felt it couldn't hurt to look."

"If I learned anything from my trip to Isengard, it was that I should think before I act." the Tailor says firmly. "While I do not fear diving in the Anduin, I've learned a certain respect for the unknown. I know not what the ship was, or what it carried, so it should be treated with some measure of respect. If only to protect those who venture forth with me into the water."

"Oh." Rhibi sags a little, disappointedly. "Well, then," he says, brightening with a sudden thought. "I shall go down to the ship while you look through papers!"

Mia rolls her eyes, visibly distressed by what she has just heard. "It will be years before you actually make it to the point of considering whether or not you should possibly search the vessel, itself, Galharth!" She nods her head to the excited boy. "Look at the poor child, longing for the adventure that awaits submerged within the river. And I, too! Next you will tell us that you have to travel the length and breadth of Arda before you attempt to pass a toe beneath the surface of the water! Respect is one thing, Galharth, but hesitation and fear seem to be your commanders!"

"There is no diving scheduled in the dark." Galharth says quickly. "Since Maglind nearly drown, it has been a standing rule, and all crafters currently working on the hoists are well aware of this."

To Mia, the Tailor places folds his arms over his chest and frowns at her. "Would you have me break free of my hesitation and run head long into the arms of the unknown? I did this not once, but twice, with a Troll. And to be honest, it turned out to be foolish. I'll be diving on the morrow, so no amount of teasing will divert my course. I will seek information where it lays...... to the western shores should someone tell me it awaits me there. Fear...." He snorts harshly at his final word, shaking his head.

The youth watches, his eyes going from one to the other as they argue, his own desires barely restrained. The flame of his hair dims as the sun dips out of sight and its last rays are lost in shadows. And overhead, the stars blaze out fiercely. "But..!" Rhibi bursts out, then stops himself.

"Yes, fear!" Mia responds with a grin, "Fear of the unknown! Fear of a misstep! Fear of looking the fool!" The elleth laughs, her head shaking from side to side as she considers the tailor. "And do not try and confuse being bold with being foolish. Would I suggest to anyone that they should run head-first into a thorned bush or, in your case, a troll? No, but neither would I suggest that one should take a lifetime to plan a course of action. There is a happy medium here, Galharth!" Again, a slight shake of her head as she mutters, "Comparing a ship to a troll... as if the thing were a living creature that could cause such damage. It is, at best, an object!"

She sighs and looks to the boy, eyebrows raised, "And what do you think of all this, Rhibi? I think you have more than earned the right to be a contributing part of this forray into the unknown."

"There is no convincing you!" Galharth says in clear frustration. "This you say to me, and yet I went forth to Isengard, looked very much the fool. Even returning empty handed, I still continue the efforts to raise the items lost within the wreck." Taking a step closer, and narrowing his eyes, he peers into Mia's face. "I have not gone where you have gone, I have not done what you have done in life, but I will not be pushed into being reckless all in the name of proving to you that I hold no fear of the unknown. Nay, instead, I hold a desire to embrace and understand the unknown and through effort, make it known."

Unfolding his arms and running a hand over his brow as if taking an effort to calm his frustrations, he lets out a breath. "How you can do this to me, where no one else can, I'll never know." he mutters, turning his attention to Rhibi. "She is right, you have a voice...."

"You ventured to Isengard, yes," Mia replies, amusement still lingering in her eyes and tone, "But for what purpose? Answers to a question that could have been asked right here. And were you successful? No, the humans proved... pointless. Rude. Arrogant. In other words, you relied upon the unreliable. Being bold does not mean being reckless, Galharth; a lesson you must learn if you are to understand me at all."

She narrows her eyes slightly, her next question softly spoken, but no less important. "Have I ever held my actions up to you as an example? Waved them before you? Belittled you in any way about what I have done that would make you come at me with such ire? No, it is you who bring it up so often, you who seems to have issues with where you have been. I am quite content with who I am, very happy with what I have become. Is it what I expected? No, but it is the path that I have chosen and, as such, I am content. A gardener. A healer. A friend and companion. Yes, I am happy."

She pauses, eyebrows raised slightly, "But I would have raised that ship by this point, and it is not reckless to think thusly."

"I.." The young elf is leaning forward eagerly, when something falls from the sky and lands with a soft splat on the top of his head. Surprised, he looks up, then lifts a slender hand to feel his hair. "Ohhhh," he says - a quiet sound of annoyance and his nose wrinkles up, fingers now chalky-white with bird doo. He bends and wipes his hands on the moss by the base of the trees. Then straightens. "I wish to dive now," he states. "I can see perfectly well. But I do not wish to drown. Can we not go and see, and yet be careful? It is like..." he hunts for an example, then brightens. "Like when you are hunting the yrch. You see how many there are, and where they are going, and then you plan! So we shall go and see to this ship, and plan to be safe."

"The Lady herself couldn't answer the questions, and she spoke to the elders within the wood." Galharth said flatly. "Did you think that they would suddenly wake up and be able to answer me when they could not answer our Lady?" Again, his arms cross over his chest and he frowns. "For one who's never left the wood, I define my actions as bold."

Opening his mouth to say more, the plop of something falling and striking soundly, silences the Tailor and he turns towards the source of the sound. "Um...." Gaged by the sight, he falls silent as his eyes flicker over the white mess. The boy's words bring forth a smile, and he shakes his head. "Perhaps a visit to the stream for a rinse would be better than traveling the full distance with..... a mess in your hair."

Mia sighs heavily, "You seek answers to a half-formed question, Galharth!" She throws her hands up in the air, exasperated. "Bring up the ship, THEN look for its origin!"

Anything more she may have said is halted by the droppings of a passing bird, a welcome diversion in the midst of a heated, if not ultimately pointless, arguement.

"What does it matter if it is dark?" Rhibi asks, reasonably. "It's not like we are of the second-born who are blind in the night. Let us go and think of a way to hoist it out, and perhaps by then it shall be light, and we can see what is inside and what it looks like!"

"What does it matter if it is dark?" Rhibi asks, reasonably. "It's not like we are of the second-born who are blind in the night. Let us go and think of a way to hoist it out, and perhaps by then it shall be light, and we can see what is inside and what it looks like!" He glances at Galharth and laughs a little. "All right, I shall stop and wash my hair first."

"I do not believe that I'll be bringing up the whole ship." Galharth says after a moments thought. "But the objects that lay hidden within it's hull hold my interest."

"And darkness matters not, but deep within the depths of the water, that darkness has proven to be a hazard when mingled with simple things such as duck weed. We dive during the day when the hoists can be safely positioned over the wreck and there is enough elf power to lend a hand." Chuckling softly, he nods an approval to the boy. "I'm glad that you'll agree to wash before we venture south."

"I do wonder what will be found when, finally, something is done." Mia says with a grin. "Tomorrow, you said? Better than never, I suppose." She looks to the boy and reaches out a hand to ruffle his hair once more, but halts in just enough time. "Yes... time enough to get clean..."

Rhibi bounces a little, then darts down the stairs calling back, "I shall go now!" His last words are almost lost in the wind. "Tomorrow...!"

"Tomorrow it is." Galharth says firmly as he takes a step up the stairs. "Till then, I'd like to continue my search for information." Narrowing his eyes slightly towards Mia, he adds, "Even if some of you think it's a waste of time when I can just plow my way through the water to find whatver might lay ahead."

Shrugging, Mia smiles at the tailor as the boy runs off, "One day, Galharth, you will hesitate overlong, and that which you seek will be gone." She begins to walk to the next set of stairs, heading up towards the lawn. "Lucky you that this time it is a ship and, apart from natural disaster occuring, it will still be waiting in much the same place a hundred yeni from now."

"You speak as if I'm missing something now," Galharth says off handed as he follows Mia up the stairs. "Since you've come to know me, have I not already opened my mind and thoughts to this boldness that you speak so highly of." Dropping his arms from their resting point over his chest, he draws his hands behind him to clasp lightly. "Caution is not always a bad thing, but I do know its hazards. I can only try, and I can only promise to continue my efforts."