Cae-a-odog

[inafadingcrown]

[First, business. Even on the anniversary of her arrival, there are things that can’t be neglected.]

[Arthur Pendragon]

Greetings. I am the Lady Galadriel. We have spoken, though you have little reason to recall my name. I would have word with you, if you are not otherwise occupied.

[Morgana]

[This is delicate. Her tone is carefully measured and deceptively casual.]

I was pleased to hear you have awakened; you gave us some cause for concern.


[Then, on to less serious matters. Someone is feeling cryptic and mysterious today. The following is written in the journal in an elegant hand- no comment, no signature. Just food for thought.]

Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away. – Marcus Aurelius

[Anyone who has shown Galadriel kindness in the past year]

[You have find a bottle of wine or a small selection of tea (whichever you would prefer) delivered by the ghosts today. Minors will either be receiving tea or a selection of sweets, since she was told that it was frowned upon to give alcohol to the underage. Who knew, right? Each gift is accompanied with a simple note, thanking the recipient for making her stay a little easier.]

[Friends]

I believe a number of you expressed interest in hearing me play the harp. If you are not otherwise occupied, I would not mind an audience at the moment. [The sudden need for music has nothing to do with her feeling wistful today. Nope. Nothing at all.]

Comments

[doublethefun]

[written back, the sounds of a quill scratching against the paper can be heard.]

And yet, not one of these things is insubstantial.

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh, someone who shares her rather archaic preference for writing materials.]

Nay, they are not insubstantial. Oft that which is most fair is also most fleeting.

[doublethefun]

Wherefore doth it flee? Even as the waters of thy river wend their way to sea, it is certain that one day, they will make that selfsame journey once more.

[it's the ciiiircle of liiiiiife and the water cycle /shot]

[inafadingcrown]

Perhaps, then, that is where our metaphor fails, for there is much that, once lost, cannot be regained. Each moment must be taken and treasured as it comes and it falls to those of us who remain to remember and share the beauty of that which has passed from existence.

[doublethefun]

Forsooth, there are precious few with such long memories and there are even fewer who care to learn of events that have no bearing on their lives today.

[inafadingcrown]

[Doesn't she know it?]

And so lore passes into myth, and myth to legend. I know it well.

[doublethefun]

[heh. She finally puts down the quill and speaks.]

There is naught I can add to such truths, lest I also start painting lilies and gilding gold.

[inafadingcrown]

[And that gets a laugh before Galadriel speaks herself.]

I would not object to it.

[doublethefun]

[a soft laugh. Yup, she's definitely enjoying this conversation.]

Thou wouldst not object to what? Expounding upon a subject thou and I both agree on, finding some paint and unduly stressing a poor gardener somewhere, or apprenticing myself to a goldsmith?

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh, yes, it's lovely to find someone with a similar sense of humor.]

Perhaps I should satisfy myself with asking your name.

[doublethefun]

[well, that requires a lot less effort than doing any of those other things.]

My name is Luna.

[inafadingcrown]

Well met, Luna. I am Galadriel.

[doublethefun]

A pleasure to meet thee, Galadriel.

[hm] Who is this 'Marcus Aurelius?'

[inafadingcrown]

He is not of my world- a human ruler and general, it seems.

[doublethefun]

I have been reading up on humans but -

[dryly amused] I suppose I should not begrudge them for writing so much.

[inafadingcrown]

[A little amused sound] You would not find elves much better in that regard; it is only that Men seem to be favored here and in many worlds.

[doublethefun]

There does seem to be a dearth of other peoples here.

[ears perk up] Treebeard mentioned elves once, 'long with humans and dwarves. Yet, he doth refuse to describe the differences amongst them, saying only that the explanation would take too long.

[might be sounding a bit irritated.]

[inafadingcrown]

[Treebeard does have that effect on people.]

And no doubt it would, told from his lips. Treebeard is a very old friend, but he moves at the pace of an Ent, which even elves are wont to find slower than they would like. What would you wish to know? I will explain as best I may.

[doublethefun]

[yessss] Merely the main differences 'tween them, so that I might cease identifying every bipedal creature here as 'human.'

[inafadingcrown]

[Okay, so you are not bipedal. Hmm...]

There are no dwarves in residence, to my knowledge, but were there, you would have no difficulty in identifying them. They are, by nature, small in height and broad in build, with a great love of jewels and mining as well as a tendency towards the use of axes as weapons. Most also have very full and prodigious beards.

Elves are another matter. I am the only one of my world here and I am something of an oddity. But, as I know them, elves appear much as men. We are taller, generally, and out ears pointed, but the physical differences are not of great import. Of most significance is that we, unlike humans, do not fade with time- nor do we die, save from mortal wound or grief.

[doublethefun]

Verily, the spirit affects the body, as 'twere.

[hmmm] How long lived are elves?

[inafadingcrown]

If we are not slain, we will live until the unmaking of the world itself- we are immortal.

[doublethefun]

[hm. Kindred spirits?

dryly] That would be something to see - even if it does sound rather painful.

[inafadingcrown]

To all things that begin must come an end.

[doublethefun]

[so what'll happen to her sister when the sun starts becoming a red giant?]

A sobering thought indeed.