Summer does not mark its beginning in any particular day, unless one is looking at a calender... yet, it is clear that it is come. The Mallyrn are all waving green leaves in giddy defiance of winter's memory, with only a few withered golden blossoms still clinging here and there. The breeze blowing from across the river is quite warm, and it trickles through the grasses.

This is all there is, at first glance... plants, pebbles and the two rivers, all speaking their own slow or noisy languages. Yet, if one were to look up, one might espy an elleth perched at the very edge of the forest's line, upon an outstretched branch, with a book or something in her lap. Copper curls are all tumbled about her, glinting in shards of sunlight, and her head is bowed.


The breeze shakes the treetops, tugging at branches, leaves, twigs; and occasionally dragging one loose from its moorings to soar dizzyingly through the warm air on a collision course with the ground. Or possibly a potter. One large golden leaf, too stubborn to fall with its fellows, at last forsakes the giddy heights and sinks on swirling currents towards a bent red head. Possibly, it was helped... high in the tree, did anyone look in the right spot or from the right angle, there is a shadow that may not be that cast by a tree-limb.


An elleth strides swiftly through the High Green Wall, her raven tresses resting on her royal blue garment in a becoming state of dissary, with fists tightly clenched at her side. Her piercing silver eyes scan the lawn. After a few moments, her face seems to relax, and she lets out a breath as if she had been holding it in for an eternity. Her hands escape their tense grip as she closes her eyes and breathes deeply once more. Clearly believing she is alone, she strolls over towards the riverbank humming a tune softly to herself, a slightly crestfallen expression on her face.


With the sun shining high above and the breeze nice and warm to her liking Gail desides to make it a day of pure self indulgence, she gathered up a basket with wine and food and drags it down to the lawn, she sees a few people off around the lawn as well but for the most part she doesn't recognize them. She falls back on the soft grass and takes deep breaths and watches the birds.


A large golden leaf lands softly upon a copper head, and the breeze would immediately pluck it away again, but a nimbler elf hand catches it. Caelwen tucks the leaf's stem into the tiny braids at her crown, where it waves or covers her like a unflattering hat. A quick giggle is stifled even quicker, and the Potter's head remains bowed. Her eyes go beyond, studying the newcome ellith.. and slim, dirty fingers go to the packet on the branch before her. A blue bit of chalk is chosen, and chalk is applied to paper.


After the yellow leaf, comes a small mossy twig. Hastily, no fooling with playful breezes, it tumbles straight down in chase of its fellow. And perhaps the day itself is laughing, a soft chuckle melded from wind and water and whispering grass.


Aelinwen glances over her shoulder at the elleth as she enters. She calls out in a polite, yet somehow strained voice, "Mae govannen." She then promptly takes a seat on the grassy riverbank. She picks a somewhat wilted golden blossom from the ground and studies it for a moment. The only emotion her face conveys is one of disturbance. Her brow creases into a frown as she sighs and tosses it into the river, staring after it almost wistfully as it is carried away by the swift currents of the Celebrant.


The twig bounces off of Caelwen's head, dislodging the leaf and startling the elleth enough that the bit of blue chalk is dropped. Down it falls to the ground, disappearing into the lawn. A bit of a complaining sound is softly and indistinctly made in her throat.

She studies the chalk-elleth in the scene on the paper, a vague smudge that doesn't look like an elleth at all. A forlorn sigh she gives. She looks down, eyeing where the chalk disappeared to. A much louder, more dramatic sigh she forces for effect, and hides her grin below her bowed head.


Dialagos Steps into the long lawn. Looking around he steps in further spoting the other's he says "Mae govannen." he nods to all before taking a seat on the grass. looking at the rier flowing down he seems in a slight daze. He soon comes out of it looking back to the others.


sitting up she pulls her bottle of wine out of the basket and sets it to the side, she pulls out her fruit and takes a bite as she looks around the area, she noticed someone in the tree but from here she can't quite make out who. She turns to see Dialagos and hears his greating. She gives him a wave and smiles motions him to come over if he so desired. (Aurgailwen)


The cool breeze playfully skims along each golden leaf in turn, tickling the swaying boughs that provide refreshing shade to a young student. Seated in a clear gem dotted puddle of deep blue clothe upon the robust grass, her crimson bound songbook rests ipon upon the blanket of verdant blades, her gleaming autumn eyes downcast to look at the flowing silver script. Yet, as a blue piece of chalk descends into a pillow of soft earth a few feet away, Liskelindele's pale face raises initially in surprise, long cinnamon tresses falling softly over her cheek while a faint smile delicately curls her ruby lips.


The sound of the sigh catches Aelinwen's delicately pointed ear, and assuming it issued from either the elleth sitting nearby or the eledh who just entered, she studies him for a moment before calling out an answering "Mae govannen."


Caelwen's leaf-hat is gone. The wind gusts protestingly and branches groan in sorrow. Caught from its defiant refuge by the unexpected whirl of air, one of the last flowers dances downward towards the now-uncovered copper curls. Now yellow, now golden, now softly shaded tan, it falls into and out of the tree's own shadow.


Gail looks back at Aelinwen and smiles "I'm afraid i didn't see you there, I must be going blind and deaf or I must need to lay off the Wine" she giggles loudly and offers Aelin some of her fruit. "I do not believe we have met. I'm Aurgail"


Liskelindele's face turns up, and Caelwen drops a fine blushing smile down to her. Just at this moment a flower swirls past the her pointed ear, and slices between the Learner and Potter. "Liskelindele!" she calls downward. "The trees are tossing things at me. How are you? Can you think of a good way to get even with a tree?" She snaps the book closed.


Aelinwen looks up, extraordinarily startled, into the trees to disover that the Lawn is not quite as empty as she had assumed. Then, seeming to recover herself somewhat, smiles at Aurgail and accepts some grapes. "Mae govannen, Aurgail. I am glad to meet you. I am Aelinwen, a Learner of the Glirdain and a member of Daernoss Laiquendi."


Dialagos Waves, and walks over to join the others. He takes a seat down by the others before. Looking back to the group. The Knight-Bachelor settles down placing his things upon the ground.


The blossom misses its target and the great tree itself seems to sigh. Although it could just be a trick of the wind. As if gathering itself, or considering possibilities, nothing more drops from above... for a few minutes anyways. Then a veritable storm of flowers (ok, maybe just a summer shower, there aren't enough left hanging from withered stems in the entire tree for a storm) come down in a flurry.


Softly are the elder pages pressed against one another, the leather songbook shut and positionned gracefully to the side. Sweetly does the deep hue of a flowing gown ripple while Liskelindele slowly stands, milky white face arched up to meet the warming rays of the golden sun and of friendship. "Caelwen, mellon, I did know that fair songbirds graced the gentle boughs above, but never did my imagine stray to venture picturing one as sweet as you within their cradling hold!" A dulcet reply emerges from smiling lips, a delicate laugh and wider grin as the fragrant raining of fresh flowers begins to commence. "But, nay mellon, that friendly tree seems not to be tossing them upon you, but rather bestowing them as a gleaming gift for you to cherish this fine day nestled above."


"Gifts?" Caelwen considers this, then snatches fast several flowers that would drift past her. "In truth, mellon, I think it is another bird that shakes the bough above me, though a songbird... I doubt." She leaps to her feet, balancing on the treelimb, and upwards she looks, peridot eyes narrowed in search. The blossoms are tucked into her hair again.


Gail offers some of her fruit to Dail, she smiles and looks at his shoulder "I hope your shoulder is better today, you seem not to be favoring it as you where when we last spoke" she looks in her basket and had only brought one cup for the wine, she shrugs "I'm afraid i've only one cup. I did not realize I'd be meeting anyone here. So I am afraid we must share if you wish for some" ~she sets it out in the middle of them.


Dark eyes appear around a branch.. odd for a tree that is not an ent to have eyes. Sparkling merrily, they peer down at Caelwen and one eyelid drops in a wink, even as a final lonely flower falls to join its fellows.


Aelinwen smiles at the others. "That is quite all right, Gail." Turning to Dialagos, she speaks in her melodic, purposeful way. "I am sorry to hear your shoulder has been ailing." She nods cordially to both of them. Standing up, she strolls over to the riverbank once more, a restless expression poised upon her face. A sudden gust of wind blows her raven tresses about her face and she pushes them aside impatiently, her brow slightly creased in a small frown. In her piercing silver eyes a deep, wistful emotion resides.


And Caelwen laughs, giggles warming into chuckles, as she plucks this last flower from the air. She leaps upwards, hand catching a higher bough, and proceeds to nimbly climb upwards in persuit of a Minister aloft, eyes glinting and smile firmly in place.


A tender smile silences any further bardic word from stirring in the dancing summer air, eyes glinting a vibrant gold and deep emerald both from Liskelindele's sweet gaze lifted upwards into the reflecting boughs.


Dialagos Looks back over to Aurgailwen smoothing his cape and his cowl backwards. His face brightens and his mouth turns up in a smile "Yes my shoulder is feeling much better today thank you." nods in understanding of the cup. He speaks again "And how are you on this fine day?" He says in a cheerful tone.


Something gold floats in the air; a golden leaf falls from above. The light of the summer's morn outline a the figure of a maiden clad in green. As she steps into the lawn, the gold leaf falls down, landing upon a bare foot. Though she takes no notice, but instead her sparkling eyes of emerald dance across the faces of all those gathered here, here at the Long Lawn.

Not as of yet, being noticed by anyone, the golden light engulfs her, the reflection gathering up in her golden hair and bursting into a reflection of the sun's own light. And there Merilwen stands, but for only a moment, however she is quiet not for long. "Caelwen! Lady Caelwen!" Merilwen beams, her words as equally as bright as her face.


Swinging around the great silver bole of the tree, Lothdaimoth's tall form comes at last from shadow into substance as he lowers himself from branch to branch. Nimble of hand, sure-footed, lithe and tall, he comes down from his airy perch faster than Caelwen can come up.


Aelinwen glances over her shoulder and smiles at Caelwen and Lothdaimoth. "Mae govannen, mellyn!" she calls with something resembling amusement in her voice, oddly contradictory to the expression that had rested upon her face a split-second before.


Gail watches Aelin with a confused and concerned look. "what troubles you Aelinwen? I am no expert on others emotions but you truly look upset. Is there something I can help you with?"

She turns for a second and chuckles "my arn't we merry today Sir Dialagos, I'm doing very well, thank you. I'll probably be doing much better when this wine gets to my head"


Aelinwen looks over her shoulder at Gail warmly. "Nay, that is quite all right. There is something resting upon my mind, but it is nothing anyone can help me with. I should try to cheer up, and I think I shall!" The tall elleth laughs merrily and rejoins her friends, taking a seat beside them.


Caelwen suddenly finds herself quite near to Lothdaimoth, and leans across as if to steal a kiss, hand reaching to tuck the last blossom down inside the minister's shirt. She jerks back when her name is called, and looks down blushingly, flush deepening at the second shout. "Isn't that... Merilwen? From Imladris?" she murmurs.

Without waiting for a reply, she begins to climb down again, as nimble as before and moving as if she has had a long, intimate association with this particular tree over the course of her life. She drops to the ground with a soft thump.


With a gentle laugh, reminiscent of a serenade, Liskelindele bends like a willow beneath a strong, cool breath and rises with a scarlet book held softly with her pale arms. Casting one more hazel glance upwards into the thick, gleaming boughs, the student silently traces her way from the jocund verdant lawn and further into the solace of the golden woods.


Merilwen? Lothdaimoth looks up, that is down, peering through the ruffling leaves after Caelwen's retreating form. In another second, he is after her, dropping to the ground not far away. "Merilwen! You've returned and safely?" He looks at her keenly, searching for any signs of injury.


Eyes of the once Ambassador of Imladris fall upon Lady Caelwen as she drops to the ground. With a hint of joy, even in her step, she continues closer to where the others are gathered around. The strands of gold that fall upon her bare shoulders, are braided dozens of times over and still wave about as she moves. It is not long before she appears infront of the maiden. She stands, perhaps a bit shorter than the red-haired Lady of the Dinlom, and at her arrival gives a bow.

A moment passes, and so it passes so quickly it might be said like a fleeting dream, before she returns to standing tall. "There is something that was trusted in my keeping that I am to give to you, m'lady. All the way from Imladris, unopened and unharmed I can assure you." Merilwen then extends a hand to Caelwen. As she then opens her hand, and uncurls her fingers a small paper, that looks to be a letter is found.


Across her lips grew a amused smile as she sees Loth antics in the tree, she waves at him. She trys to act like a good little Courier and hands the bottle of wine to Aelin. "you never saw me with this" she mumbles "least not around the Minister when I probably should be off studying" she giggles and winks.


Aelinwen raises her hands, palms upward, saying "Ah, none for me, but thank you." She glances over at the group standing around the trees. She speaks softly, "Is that elleth not recently returned from Imladris?" A frown once again creases her brow, and she seems lost in her own thoughts for a few moments, oblivious to all around her, even the answer to her question if it came. A sudden wind whips her raven tresses in her face and she snaps out of her reverie, and noticing that Gail and Dialagos are happily chatting once more climbs to her feet and stands a few feet away by the river Celebrant, gazing wistfully into its depths.


Caelwen blinks, and takes the bit of paper from the lady ambassador. "Aye, was your trip safe? Is all well?" A grin. "I am more than happy to see you home again, mellon." She steps back to be closer to Lothdaimoth, but it is only a moment ere her curiosity overcomes her and she opens the letter, eyes eager for the contents.


Lothdaimoth doesn't see the passage of the wine bottle, for he is watching the newly-returned Counsel, but sharp elven ears catch the soft words that attend it. Turning, a smile spreading across his face even as he looks from Aurgailwen to her companion. "I think I would be stripped of my rank in the Gwaith-I-Thein did I tell anyone to not drink of the fruits of my labors..." He winks and looks back to Caelwen and Merilwen.


Halidrear To the west is a young yet muscular elf, standing about 6'8 and piercing the gathering of elfs in the long lawn of lorien. Mae govannen to you all the young elf says. There is one elf maiden that stands out from the rest t'would seem that everyone else has a group of there own their own. This young elf runs down to this fair maidens side to greet her. Fair maiden I have hear of you are you by chance named Aelinwen. For I have heard of you in all of Lorien why do you seem so sad fair maiden for troubles you?


Her eyes, green as ever, dance back and forth between the Royal Arnpand Minister and the Lady Dinlom. Hidden, but not for long, as a soft giggle escapes Merilwen's lips at all the questions. "Yes, Sir. Safe and sound as ever, might I assure you. Not even as a little scratch on me. See?" She holds out her bare arm for him to inspect.

Looking back to Lady Caelwen the maiden of roses speaks again. "All was well with our trip from the Master's Valley to the realm of Lady Galadriel. But I must say, I had been holding on to that letter for sometime. Well, to be honest..." Merilwen's words are interrupted here by a smile so bright that turns into a laugh, "It was first given to Faye, who nearly lost it! I then took it into safe keeping." Her lips curling upwards into a smile that lingers on.


Aelinwen turns abruptly around, startled by the sudden rush of words coming from the tall eledh behind her. "I believe we have met before, Halidrear, and you seem to be as complimentary now as you were then." A faint blush creeps over her face that slowly grows, tinting her cheeks the rosy color of a freshly-picked apple.


Caelwen is quite absorbed in her letter, the parchment held wide open with silver ribbon dangling down. First an alarmed squeak emerges, then a delighted gasp. Bright eyes dart up. "She nearly /lost/ it? Ooh, thank you, for keeping it, mellon! Thank you both for taking it?"

Down again she looks, gaze jumping side to side as she reads. "Glasiel sends her warm regards to you, Dar, and she..." she murmurs distractedly ere trailing off. "Oh! Your wines are safe! Aiya, and...!" she cuts herself off, and satisfies herself with grinning happily in silence.


Gail laughs "then I don't mind sharing, Luckly I thought I was rather hungry today" she pulls her basket around and opens it up pulls out some more fruits and another bottle "and thirsty evidently" she shakes her head at herself. "bad bad elf"


Dialagos Nods looking back. He looks at the basket and the food and drink coming out of it. "Indeed." He says. He opens a bottle of wine and pours it into the cup, and hands it to gail. "Here you go." he turns back to look at the river for a second before turning back around to all the others.


"I am glad. I was worried it might not make the journey well." A step closer he takes, glancing from the letter to Merilwen's outstretched and blemishless arm and back. "How is Glasiel? Does she say how the journey home for them went.?" (Loth)


"Here, Caranteil, look," Caelwen offers the letter to Lothdaimoth. "She is /very/ well, as you can see, but the journey was not well at all." Her tone drops from chatty to scolding. "Honestly, I don't see how anyone can make that trip more than once, or how they find good enough reasons." She gasps. "Aiya! And now they'll have to travel back for the wedding!" She nibbles on her lip. "Aiya..." she repeats worriedly to herself in an undertone.


A soft smile is given to both Caelwen and Lothdaimoth. "I must say, that it is quite an honor to be home once more, and to see the golden leaves fall. However, in coming home, there is a list forever long of things to do." Even now the smile still finds its way to her lips. "My heart is lighter now that your letter has found its home, but I fear that I have dozens of other things that must be attended to as well." Looking at first up to Lothdaimoth, and then to the lady as she continues on reading. "My I find you both again soon that our company is not rare." Giving a bow of her golden head, as she did upon entering Merilwen stands, smiles and turns on her way. The sun lingering on upon the ground in her footsteps and passing by a small patch of roses, the newly opened blossoms seem to turn their faces in the direction in which Merilwen vanishes. The wind? Perhaps. Perhaps not.


Dark eyes scan the letter thrust so abruptly into his hands, the minister's expression varying with each line he reads. Dark memories of sorrow and pain give way to pleasure to a humorous chuckle to pleasure again. "Namarie, mellon," he says, lifting his head as Merilwen leaves then returning to reading.


Aurgail stands she streightens out her dress and smiles to Dial. "Well it seems i must be leaving you yet again, i have to stop running out on you like this but study calls me" she giggles then turns to Loth and bows a goodbye and then again to Caelwen. She picks up her basket but leaves the wine, they'll probably get good use out of it.


"Namarie, Merilwen. Again, I thank you... and am glad to see you safe." The young Indiri crowds close to the Minister, and Caelwen re-reads the letter over his shoulder.


Lothdaimoth tilts the letter so Caelwen can see it more easily, his dark head bending above her bright one. "It is good news, is it not?" he asks softly, again looking up to wave a farewell. "Namarie, Aurgailwen."


From an easily overlooked break in the High Green Wall emerges yet another elf. The figure is feminine but solid and carried with a ease that can only be brought about by true confidence. She pauses upon realizing the lawn rather abuzz with activity and steps aside as another moving in the opposite direction makes for the same passage by which she arrives. She carries a longbow in one hand and considers the group on the lawn as she unstrings it and stows it on her back. Then she makes her way towards the river, nodding a familiar hello to the boatmen. (Talia)


Caelwen nods fervently, dislodging a blossom from her hair, which drifts downwards on fluttering, bruised petals. "It is indeed!" she answers. "You know, I got the feeling while she was in Lorien... you know, I did not think that dour forester /Randinen/... or mayhap I did!" she spends a moment, eyes squinted in memory as she ponders her own intuitiveness, ere something distracts her and she lifts a hand. "Mae govannen Talia!" she shouts.


In low tones, Aelinwen mutters something to Halidrear. He nods, and she strides past him to join Caelwen and Lothdaimoth. "Mae govannen, mellyn. I trust all is well with you?"


Talia has stooped to refill her water skin from the river. She looks up at the sound of her name and returns the wave to Caelwen. Before standing back up, she rinses her arms to the elbow with the clear water and, as she stands up, dries them, half on the waving grasses, half on her pants legs. Then, straigtening again, she turns towards the small group and strides towards them slowly.


"Yes." Lothdaimoth turns and grins at Aelinwen. "Doubly so, for the gift of good news from friends." Caelwen's sudden move and call draws his attention to Talia. "Mae govannen," he echoes.


Aelinwen smiles, her eyes displaying warmth. "That is well. Good news from friends is always uplifting to the spirit. But tell me, mellyn, when is the wedding to be?" A mischevious glint enters Aelinwen's eyes as she raises an eyebrow delicately.


"Mm," Caelwen agrees, nodding her head again, shaking her curls. "May I have my letter back?" she whispers loudly with mock accusation, and grins at the approaching Talia. "Oh, the wedding is to be next spring. So short a time. Less than a loa now." Somehow, her smile grows just a fraction wider, and the corners of her eyes wrinkle.


"I was reading it," the minister protests with a grin, but the letter is held out for her to take. Another flower caught by the wind whirls towards them, and he reaches up absently to snatch it from the air, threading it into Caelwen's curls while she talks.


Talia's casual pace brings her close to the group in an indirect sort of way. She gives a general nod in greeting and speaks quietly, almost to herself, "I only caught the tail end of that conversation,but concerning weddings, a loa is only just enough time to get out of one." Her face does not betray whether she jests or is serious, but there is a telling edge of sarcasm to her voice.


Aelinwen laughs softly at Talia's words. Noticing the blossom in Caelwen's hair, she keeps her eyes trained on it, waiting for someone to notice.


Caelwen retrieves her letter and carefully refolds it, remaking the original neat square, broken edges of the seal matching up. She either does not notice the minister's hands in her hair, or ignores the subsequent decoration, but glances upward, startled, at Talia. After a time of uncertain thought, she answers low, "Hrm. I'd have to work quickly, then." She sneaks a glance sidelong towards Lothdaimoth.


The sun sinks in the sky and falls below the horizon. Nighttime takes over. Aelinwen laughs at the jests before her. She tilts her face up to the sky, a pensive expression coming over her semblance. Yet in a moment, as if a great light had suddenly illuminated her, she looks back at her friends, eyes wide. "Ai! I had not realized it was so late! My apologies to you all for leaving so abruptly, yet I must. Namarie! I hope to see you again soon, mellyn."


But the minister only chuckles. "Nay, it is too late already, nin Barawen. You have had something over 300 years which you might have spent distancing yourself from me and now you must live with the results of your choices." One thumb idly turns the new silver ring on his finger around and around. Teasingly, he adds, "You didn't /have/ to follow me everywhere I went, you know."


Talia's expression is distant as she observes the interchanges between the couple, seeming to have exhausted her supply of witticisms on the evils of marriage. She gives up and offers a small, but genuine smile instead, "A sincere but hearty congratulations to the both of you."


"Of course I did," is Caelwen's answer, without any further explination. She bows her head deeply to Talia, dislodging a blossom once more. "I thank you, Hiril," she winks at using the old title. "It means a good deal to me. Terridan was at the betrothal ceremony, do you know?" Her fiery head is lifted again. "What is he doing now that he is not the Commander? I'm most curious."


Lothdaimoth chuckles softly at the young potter's reply, but says nothing more, merely bowing his own head in thanks and waiting for news of Terridan.


"For the past week we have been tracking a she-boar together." She absently motions to her stowed bow. "A month ago the devil killed one of the herder's hounds. And today we found her den. Alas, that she is nursing a litter of six or that would have been the end of it." The elleth frowns slightly, but it is gone quickly. "In a year, we will have good hunting," the remark is not malicious, but matter of fact and her minds seems already to be elsewhere. "But anyhow, I had business with Barg, so another congratulations to you, and good luck."


"Mother mentioned that hound," Caelwen nods with a smile. "I'm glad you both are busy, and well... or hope that you are well, anyway. Namarie, Talia." A finger reaches out towards Lothdaimoth's ribs in a jab, and after laughing whispers exchanged between the two, they disappear into the tangled forest growth.