Brethil's Roleplaying Logs

Hall of Wisdom
This room is warm and inviting. Colors and textures are rich and warm; from the thick carpets and hanging tapestries, to the overstuffed furniture. Near the crackling fire are couches and comfortable chairs, along with a pair of low tables. Above the mantle hangs a portrait of Finarfin. Against one wall are long, high bookcases filled with all manner of volumes of song and poetry. Also in the room is a small dining table and chairs of richly burnished oak. Thick carpets cover the cool stone floor. A tray of cheeses and fruits rests on a long carved table on the wall opposite the fire. Next to the food is a collection of wines and liqours, some of elven brew and others from the Edain. The room is comfortably warm, and throughout is a faint, pleasant fragrance of pine, from the fire.

The fire burns bright in the Hall of Wisdom, crackling merrily in the hearth, a sweet-scented blaze, kindled of applewood. Flickering light fills the hall, warm, comforting, and the glow of the lamps upon the walls is subdued. The room is mostly empty; most of the elves are at their daily tasks or the noon meal. One figre, however, sits befor the fire, draped across a chair rather than sitting in it. Elwen has her baby lying across her chest, and the child makes soft cooing sounds, trying to lift her head to look at her mother.

The thick carpeting muffles the arrival of Finnabair, who enters the room with a watchful eye. Seeing few there, she enters in confidence and finds the warm atmosphere welcoming enough that she moves toward the high, wide chairs that are set before the fire, unaware that Elwen, with child, is there. Not until she comes round one and sinks down into it does she notice the Elven woman and her reaction tells of her surprise. "I am sorry.", she apologizes quickly, beginning to rise as she looks disconcerted upon the infant, "I did not know you were here."

The child coos at the sound of another voice, a strange voice. Perhaps someone with hair to grab or new clothes to taste, explore. She kicks her legs, gurgling, letting go of her handful of Elwen's hair.

Elwen's reaction is much nmore subdued than the child's, but she does offer a warm smile. "Please, sit, Finnabair. The halls are drafty, but the fire here is warm, pleasant." She looks at her daughter and laughs softly. "My daughter seems to like the sound of your voice. This is Elesteliel... my daughter, and Angadil's..."

Finnabair pauses between rising and sitting for a moment, looking between Elwen and her daughter until she slowly lowers herself back down with her arms resting on the chairarms with her eyes fixed forward upon the crackling flames of the fire. "Your daughter.", she repeats, venturing a glance at the woman again, "That is glad news. I do not think I have ever seen an elven child before.", she adds, looking more curiously at the cooing infant.

Elwen smiles slightly, straightening in the chir, and turning Elesteliel so that she may see the human Ranger. "You are the first adan she has ever seen either," she replies. She looks down at the infant, who is now making faint chucking sounds, almost-laughter. "Would... you like to hgold her?"

"No!", Finnabair blurts out, pushing herself back into the chair and away from the child, but immediately seeking to tone down her reaction, "I could not.", she says, shaking her head, "The first adan she has ever seen.", she echoes, looking upward with dismay and then laughing quietly, "That is unfortunate for her. She will not remember will she?", she asks as she stretches her legs out, growing more relaxed.

Startled at the loud noise, Elesteliel jurks her head and arms and legs, and then begins to cry. Elwen bends over her, soothing her quickly, and then looks up at the Ranger. "She may remember, she may not," she admits honestly. "There are things I recall from my earliest days, and things I do not." She shrugs, and then kisses the top of the baby's head. "Finnabair, may I ask you something?"

Finnabair peers at the child, made to cry by her exclamation, considering her for a long moment as Elwen soothes her into quiet happiness again. Regarding the two of them together, she shifts her gaze to Elwen alone, looking dubiously at the woman, "If you wish.", she answers. With a sigh, Elwen lowers her head a moment, and then looks up again, directly into Finnabair's eyes. "I wondered.... why..." She bites at her lip, and then continues. "Why do you shy from me, avoid me, Finnabair? Does the sight of me pain you so greatly?" Her voice is gentle, but sad, and her keen gaze is piercing.

Finnabair forces herself to meet Elwen's eyes with honesty, "Elwen,", she begins, pausing there for a sigh, "How can I possibly not,after what happened?", she asks, keeping her voice low and glancing behind her to see that none are near, "You were taken, held and driven nearly mad. I will not say that I regret what I did for Istadris, but I did delight in it either.", she says, shaking her head. "When I see you, I know not what to say or how to be. I would have thought it would be difficult for you as well for I do not know how you can forgive such a thing."

"I remember it," answers Elwen with a soft voice. She shivers slightly, and then gives a sigh. "I will not say that it is not an evil memory; nor will I say that I can ever forget it. The shadow fell heavily upon me..." She looks down at her daughter and sighs. "How can I hate you... hate Istadris... for doing what you thought was right? I have had to think long on it... but hate is the province of Morgoth, and I will not embrace it. And I myself am an exile, under the wrath of the Valar for... wekll... for leaving Valinor and following Fingolfin. I should have trusted..." She pauses, and then shakes her head. "One who is in need of forgiveness herself has no right not to forgive another, if she wishes it for herself. I forgive you... and Istadris."

Finnabair sits forward, looking earnestly at Elwen now, "I know little of Valinor or of the Eldar. Right or wrong did not enter into it.", she says, "The shadow that fell on you, fell first on Istadris and it was full of trickery and deceit.", she says bitterly, settling back into the chair, glaring at the flames of the fire, "I would much prefer revenge to forgiveness.", she utters low. Sitting silent she seeks to quell the anger visible upon her. "Moreso now.", she adds at a whisper.

"It fell on me long before I met Istadris," murmurs Elwen, though the words seem directed inward. Yet she stirs herself, and regards Finnabair intently. "You would wish... that I take revenge upon you? Why?"

Finnabair laughs at that, "No, I want revenge on the Enemy.", she corrects Elwen, "Though if you had taken revenge for yourself it might have made matters simpler.", she says too, chuckling to herself and easing back into chair, looking upon the woman and child for a long moment, "What does her name mean?"

"Revenge upon him... is far to great a task for one small Elwen," murmurs the Noldo lady softly. "I know that... and accept it. I try to keep faith that in the end...the Valar or the One will have mercy upon us. Yet... not even Morgoth was evil in the beginning." She sighs, her eyes going distant for a moment, and then she smiles. "Elesteliel means 'Daughter of the Star of Hope,'" she answers. 'For indeed many of my people saw her begetting... and her birth... as a sign of hope and light even in the darkness. We try... not to bear children in times such as these... and it was, I think, not through my intent or Angadil's, but ...a higher will..."

Finnabair lifts her brows, "A good name.", she remarks, turning as a group of elves enter the room behind them. "I need to prepare a few things before the journey back to Brethil.", she says to herself as she watches their quiet movements, "We are already delayed.", she says, standing now and looking down at Elwen and the child. "Take care, both of you.", she smiles slightly, turning and striding out of the room.