PART ONE: Bewitched
“Keep up Galvathalion!” Isoldis had insisted somewhat rudely, vexed by such recent trauma that even her innate courtesy was beginning to slip; if the last five years had been a war of attrition upon her nerves than the present cycle of the moon was bringing her to boiling point.
She peered at her kindred gathered about and wondered if any were even remotely aware of the troubles that abounded her. Was it not obvious to her esteemed company that she was suffering some sort of bewitchment? What else could explain the vanishings! Yes, vanishings...and if they lingered too long at her side, they too would poof! Vanish.
It started with the disappearance of her lute that she lent Lord Anglachelm for an evening of music just prior to his leaving in search of his sister, a personal treasure to him as the lute was to Isoldis. It had been crafted from the first timbers felled at Hithlum in Beleriand and despite frequent offers of a replacement after its disappearance, Isoldis meant to retrieve her own worn and weathered property, gifted to her by her father.
Alas, her lute concerned none more than herself, even Lord Elrond dismissed her entreaties when she sought his council, waving her be gone with one hand and the casual remark, “look high and low, search therein...” She took offence to his subtle mockery and left in a huff as the Lord’s thoughts turned ever to “this stoor age”. He obviously had a lot on his mind and despite doing Lord Elrond’s bidding and searching every room of his house to no avail, the denizens of Imladris soon tired of the lady’s constant question, “have you seen my lute?” It had become her refrain to sour the otherwise omnipresent harmony begot in the vale.
Now add to this, the mysterious case of a disappearing brother and sister, the burgeoning tale Isoldis found herself woven into by chance or fate, or more likely bewitchment that began with a visit to Bar en Vanimar. Isoldis had offered the services of her gardener to the then Tûr, Lord Veryacano, who was having troubles with his own gardener in the management of the estate. It seemed a simple gesture at the time and yet, the mere mention of her gardener’s name drove her long time friend Arvaryar into hysteria. He became quite overcome with emotion and revealed that the maiden who tended Isoldis’ gardens must be his estranged sister, who last he saw in the first age, and to whom he had given the epessë Nedhlam! No other maiden could call herself such since its Sindarin meaning was so particular to his sister’s condition that caused their heart-rending parting. Never had they met since despite once being so close that they could read each others’ thoughts.
Such startling revelations must perforce be confirmed and Isoldis sent for the green fingered maiden as Arvaryar wept with gladness and swore his sword and his life to Isoldis in gratitude. Alas, never was this meeting of siblings to occur, since both brother and sister had since vanished! Arvaryar’s sudden disappearance leaving all who knew him perplexed as to his fate whilst Nedhlam, who had been in the custody of Isoldis’ messenger and was happily travelling to meet with her mistress also vanished suddenly and without trace! Despite that the messenger was a skilled pathfinder, he returned to Isoldis empty handed and could only report that there was neither tracks in nor out of the camp, by possible assailants or the maiden herself, leaving Isoldis only the grim task of marrying all these vanishings into some bewitchment.
Thus, since Lord Elrond could offer her no more council, Isoldis came to the only conclusion possible: She would travel eastward, under the misty mountains and return to her homelands of Lothlorien, where the Lady’s mirror would proffer wisdoms as yet unrevealed. And she meant to leave right away...given that to linger was only to engender further vanishings!
