((Correlates with this))
Later in the night…
Undómion watched the stars while lying atop a rock; the glade was so peaceful and quiet, and the hawks particularly caught his attention. He did a few bird calls; yet the birds did not give heed to them. Perhaps they respond to a different call; different pitch, tone? He will learn eventually. It took some time for Undómion to realize the glade was a bit too peaceful. How could he be certain what is too much or normal in a place he has not been in before? Natural instinct or perhaps some other unnatural thing that was in the air. Surely there was no danger in Lórinand…unless a wandering Noldo should consider its residents to be threats. The bushes ahead rustled, Undómion stood up and he heard…giggling? Only soon after a couple of elf-children were seen. Strange and unique clothing they wore; leathers and plants…
“Aiiiiii!”
Undómion heard one catch sight of him. Why would they be afraid? He did not want to find out why and leapt off the rock to the side where none could see him…that easily. He took a few steps forward, and met an arrow pointed at his face. The Noldo backed up against the rock; hands raised.
The bower spoke words in a language the Noldo did not understand; though there were bits and pieces that were easily connected to Sindarin.
“Man de?” the Silvan elf asked.
“Ni edhel, mellon!” Undómion spoke quickly and firmly.
The arrow was lowered, though the Noldo got down to the ground and set his weapons upon the grass; just as a self-reassurance that these wood-elves understood he meant no harm. There was no movement in the shrubs; had the Silvan left? Instead of standing up to his full height, he elbowed his way out of the bush and into the air, and met three pairs of feet. A part of his pride was hit, and it made Undómion a bit irritated. The three Silvan hunters looked down at the Noldo, in wonder it would seem. Undómion got to his feet eventually, now making the wood elves having to look up. One was a bit intimidated, the other two remained steadfast.
“Who are you?” one asked.
Undómion had hidden relief that someone knew the language all elves should know, “Thúlendil I am known in the ancient tongue…here among your kin I will be known as Erebrandir.”
“You come alone?”
“I came with one other, where he wanders I know not…yet I can take a guess in the same situation I am in.”
The questioner appeared vaguely amused, though remained stern, “Then why are you and your companion separated; become lost, have you?”
“…a game.”
The three Silvan elves burst into mirthful laughter and somehow the tension lessened, in which Undómion was confused.
“A game! Who can survive the longest without going mad?”
“To be discovered first by your people.” Silence fell then, and tension rose again. Undómion could tell that the three in front of him became very suspicious, ‘A wary lot they are, are they not…? They are indeed like the Laiquendi…only less learned of those from the West.’
“We know not your intentions…it does not matter if they are good or not; you are a stranger to us.”
The next words Undómion could not make out…except when he vaguely understood something about having to be watched. Fury sparked in his eyes and would have argued, yet the better of him prevented him from doing so. Unwillingly he complied and was led away…
“I will never hear the end of it.” He grumbled in a low voice.
What was intended to be a peaceful and wonderful time turned to an irritating and tense experience. Though being a ‘hostage’, as Undómion would call it, he did notice and learn more of the wood-elves way of life. The telain in the trees he did not notice before…he even was in one for quite a long time. His ability to stand on the branches with ease (a skill he picked up during the First Age) and commune with birds made the Silvan a little less wary of this ‘lone wanderer’. Undómion learned the Silvan were very peaceful too…he could not blame them for being cautious of newcomers, they have not been disturbed for thousands of years, only near a decade or more ago their lands were being invaded. It drew near the time when he must head back to where he and Aridhor split up. It took a lot of persuasion and patience, though the Noldo was able to leave without being hindered.
Undómion wandered by the banks of Celebrant, drifting into thought as he caught glimpse of the Anduin. The Great Journey…what a heart leap when they must have seen these forests for the first time. Was it in greater splendor back then, before the enemy tainted it further? Who knows, other than the Valar? A splash from the water woke the elf from his dreams. Undómion looked about with confusion and self-irritation.
“The swans, perhaps…But, I am getting tired of being made a fool of here!” with an abrupt turn Undómion went up the hill. By mischance or fate, something ran into him; with enough force to make him stagger.
The angry look he had soon fell to a stunned and amazed look when he saw who blindly collided with him. A silver haired elleth adorn with vines and flowers over her white leather dress, and pouches attached to a belt, sat on the ground. Plants were scattered on the forest floor; possibly they were carried. The elleth stared with astonishment, embarrassment, and fear.
Undómion was staring too, without really acknowledging it. Was this maiden a Sinda? No, no… Silvan? He was too dumbstruck to know! Surely this was an enchantment of some kind? The Silvan had their ‘magical’ abilities. No matter what kindred this maiden was…he had to be polite some way. The Noldo took one step closer to the elleth, and without expecting it she grabbed a very leafy branch; waving and whacking it against the tall ellon.
The blur and quickness was too much for Undómion’s mind to comprehend. The waving stopped eventually and he casted the branch aside, only to see that the elleth was gone; he looked about the area, bewildered once more, yet smitten with this particular elleth. The ‘enchantment’ lifted, and he finally recalled where he was headed to.
Later…
“Ai, háno!”
Undómion gave a lazy wave, “Splendid sunrise…”
Aridhor disregarded that, “I was about ready to hunt you down like some animal. Were you lost?”
“Lost?” Undomion asked with no sense of the question, “…if you mean lost in wondering, yes.”
Aridhor inspected his younger sibling up and down, “You looked to have seen a lot. Did you get discovered?”
“By the first evening…a bunch of elflings yelled after seeing me.”
Aridhor stared, “What in Arda did you do to cause that reaction?”
“Nothing but exist? I was a guest in one of their tree platforms for a while. Then after my pathetic attempt at communication I was free to leave…”
“I was not noticed; I do not think I was at least.”
Undómion slapped his brother’s shoulder, “You are mighty; and it shows.”
“No matter…what would you demand of me for your victory?”
Undómion blinked, and he felt heat rising to his face, “…you to return back to Imladris, and I remain here…”
Aridhor appeared surprised, “For what reason makes you want to stay here?”
Undómion did not want to admit it, but instead gave him a cheeky smile.
“…you have the looks of a love-struck elf.”
“Perhaps.”
Aridhor grew a bit stern, “You very well know the risks of this path you plan to take.”
“I am aware…yet, I also might want to go further east, where our forefathers walked from Cuivienen. Besides…I made clear my demand too.”
Aridhor lost his seriousness, and snorted in light humor, “Then I will await news about my little brother being in some high position in a few years.” He said in jest.
Undómion laughed, “That will never happen…I already admit my poor skill in that area of work.”
“I expect some bird from here to come by my dorm in Imladris one day too.”
“And that will happen.”
The brothers embraced each other, and Undómion watched as Aridhor began his trek back over the Mountains. Undómion turned back to look over the canopy of the Mellyrn trees.
“Let us see what comes to pass here…”
((translations:
Man de- Who are you (sindarin (silvan dialect)
Ni edhel, mellon - I am an elf, friend (sindarin)
háno- brother (quenya)
Erebrandir- lonely (lone) wanderer (sindarin))
phrases: http://www.realelvish.net/phrasebook.php))
