================== Eldarin Calendar <in Sindarin> ===================
IC time is: Nighttime < About 11:43 PM >
IC day is: Oranor <Sun-day>
IC date is: 45 Iavas <Autumn>
Moon phase: First Quarter <HIDDEN>
Earendil: Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is: Loa 16 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor <TA 3040>
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RL time: Mon Apr 09 08:54:42 2007
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Long Lawn
You stand amidst a long lawn of shining grass. It ripples in the gentle river breezes like tresses of golden hair, sprinkled
too with hundreds of golden elanor flowers which radiate with the light of the sun. The eastern edge of the lawn fades into
a white-stone beach, lapped upon by the deep and dark waters of the broad Anduin river which flows from the north,
continuing southwards forever onto the sea. Joining the Anduin directly to the south is the Celebrant river, which hurries
towards you from between the groves of Mallorns to the northwest. Northwards, the lawn is bordered by a high green wall of
dense forest growth. With your sharp elven eyes, you spy a small recess in the wall, perhaps a passageway which leads
through it.

Participants:
Galharth
Mia
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It is late at night and, for once, it is silent in Lothlorien.

Well, as silent as a forest can be, what with the incessant sounds of creatures, the rustling of leaves, the gurgling of
streams and babbling of rivers... but other than that...

Mia takes great pains to respect the lack of foreign noise, and treads with tenderness across the lush lawn. Eyes drawn
upward to the aerie, she pauses by the riverbank and sighs.

A little further up the river back, crouched low in a sitting position along the water's edge, the Clothier Galharth sits
quietly staring at the gentle waves lapping atop the water. His interest is so focused upon the water it seems all else is
lost to him.

A whisper of a sigh releases from his lips and the ellon catches sight of a branch gliding along the current. As the branch
passes, he continues to watch it until it passes a figure standing along the riverbank. "Mia?" he calls out softly, in
keeping with the evening's silence.

Mia turns, eyes glowing briefly in the moonlight, until she spots the hunched mound of elf a short distance away.
"Galharth?" She querries, stepping forward a few paces. "What are you doing here? Measuring ducks for cloaks?" She gives a
half-cocked grin, then allows her eyes to travel back towards the Eagle's perch, "Or are you here, as I am, to see if we
still have a visitor?"

A soft chuckle escapes the clothier's lips in reply to Mia's first words. "Nay, it is not waterfoul that bring me here."

Returning his gaze to the water, he takes on a thoughtful gaze. "I've been considering the construction of nets. For fishing
mostly, but now my mind wanders at the possible uses that could come from a well made net. on a night such as this, along
the peaceful bank of the river, the possibilities seem endless."

Mia shakes her head, her smile fading slowly. "I wish that I could occupy my mind so." Again her gaze floats upward, "But I
seem to be too busy worrying about other matters.... and people. Perhaps you can divert my attention for awhile, Galharth.
Tell me, what would you do with your nets? Could you weave one large enough to capture the moon?" She gives a short chuckle,
"Or, perhaps, one that can capture my worries for me, and keep them safely tucked away?"

"The moon?" Galharth blurts out in surprise. "Certainly a net as big as that would be smaller than that needed to capture
your worries."

Shaking his head, he leans forward and sweeps his fingers through the water, he lifts his hand and watches the droplets of
water fall back into the river. "No, I do not look to do something quite that big, but there are a number of things that can
be done, ranging from use within the fields to harvesting of the river's bounty." Looking back towards Mia, a shadow of a
smile can be seen glimmering upon his face. "So tell me, what worries do you have? Perhaps if you share your burden, it will
seem less."

Mia walks a bit closer to the ellon, then settles herself upon the ground. "Please bear with me, as I am unsure of where to
begin. One thing overlaps the other, and none are more or less worriesome than the next, and I keep thinking about it all
over and over again until I end up sounding like a fool. I have become distracted and forgetful, and more than once I have
overheard concerned voices questioning my ability to perform as I should. In all," She pauses to pluck distractedly at her
dress, "I am becoming quite useless. And why is that?" She asks, without waiting for a response. "For the fear of love lost.
Someone that I care about very deeply came all too close to dying recently, and I wasn't here. What's worse? Not only could
I do nothing to help him before, but I find myself unable to help now... and I so desperately want to." She clenches her
fist and brings it down on her leg, jaw working, "I get angry when I think of what might have happened; and do not think I
am making more of this than I should, as he could have easily slipped away from us in a heartbeat.... and where was I?" She
shakes her head, "Inexcusable. And so now I want nothing more than to protect him, and I cannot."

"I can understand the part of being useless. But about the love lost, I can not compare for while I have friends I hold in
high regard, my heart remains ungiven." Pausing a moment, the clothier offers Mia a strange look, "Of whom do you speak that
came close to dying and what help might be needed that you desire to give and yet can not?"

In the starlight, the confusion is clear upon the clothier's face. "You like few others would know the need to protect, and
know how to actually accomplish the act of protection, and yet you also have your renewed love of healing and the gentle
arts of nurturing. Driven by love, I can imagine that you are once more faced with a choice." Pausing a moment, the ellon
looks back over the river. "Possibly I could help you. I know not if I could do well in your place, but I would be glad to
try."

Mia shakes her head, an amused smile playing on her lips, "I'm really not explaining myself well, am I? The love I speak of,
while powerful and compelling, is that of a mother for a child. I speak of the child, Rhibi: as dear a soul as has ever been
given life, and a tragedy should that life be taken away. He is..." she trails off and sighs. "How to express it? Alas, I
cannot."

The maiden looks to Galharth, "However wrong you were before, you are right about something: I know not what to do to remedy
the situation. He looks up to me and always has, and I would be lying to say that I didn't treasure the adoration he shows
me. How, then, do I protect him and defend him when I can do neither? This is the crux and, ultimately, what led me down
that other path. Am I always to be so torn?" She takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly, "You have heard the news, I
am sure, of the Eagle who saved some impudent ranger, and the boy?"

A simple nod is all the clothier gives in response to Mia's explanation of her love. "I heard there was an encounter, but I
knew not of the facts. I'd like to hear what you have heard." Pausing a moment, he turns to look upon the elleth, "Ranger?
Which one? There have been a number of them of late that have passed through our lands. One of which, the lady Ranger, I was
to go with when she departed, but alas, I found myself caught up with other things and missed her departure."

Lookiing back out towards the river, Galharth shakes his head. "Perhaps you should not allow yourself to reach the point of
being torn. When you yourself can not defend, then you should rely upon a friend to do so in your place. You are well liked
by many, my friend. Certainly it can't be that hard to find someone to help you in times such as this."

"I don't like to ask for help," Mia replies quickly, "It makes me feel weak." She holds up a hand, premeptively, "And there
is no need to point out my folly, as I know logically that it is unfounded. As for the ranger, if it is the same one that
angered Galadriel so the other evening, then you should be greatful that you were left behind. I was not there," This time,
she rolls her eyes and sighs, "Of course!", then continues, "but her ire was such that has not been seen in quite some time.
I know not what was said, exactly, as healers, poised as they are to hear so very much, work to honor the privacy of those
in their care. This I find to be difficult, as I spent too many years learning how to listen. The point is, the Ranger has
gone. In her wake, she has left a difficult situation... I think.