dear_mun | An Unamused Elf

[ Merry is somewhat surprised to see the lord of Lothlorien again, but is nonetheless pleased. The little he'd known of the man made him seem like a thoughtful elf. ]

And you were not so bound before, sir? If it was predetermined, would it not have started then, instead of now?

[ Meriadoc gets Rohan. He does not understand elven precognition. Or whatever it is that they do. However, he does, in simple hobbit sense, think it would have been rather useful on the quest, all told. Could have avoided a lot, if they'd known it was coming. ]

Edited 2012-08-18 02:02 (UTC)

[ A slight hint of recognition shown in Celeborn's eyes once he spotted the hobbit. He remembered Merry and his friends quite well, especially since the Fellowship did come to Lothlorien seeking his wife's aid.

Inclining his head towards the hobbit out of respect, Celeborn answers. ]

Whether this would've began then or there truly matters not, for it was destined to be.

[ And what does that mean? And how does it matter? Merry is so confused by this. Oh well, best leave the elves to their unfathomable ways. ]

A lot of things seem to have been destined to be, of late.

[ Merry shrugs. With Aragorn and Frodo and Legolas wanting to sail and Eowyn defeating the Witch-King of Angmar, there is a rather lot. It's not like he's any part of that. More just a bystander among legends. He'd rather speak of things he does understand. ]

The mallorn tree her ladyship gave Sam has grown wonderfully in the Shire. Folks come from all around to see it. It's very fine.

[ He's dreamed of past times ad adventures under it many times. Though, to him, it rings more of the Ents than Lothlorien, with it's air of the old world. ]

Edited 2012-08-18 02:56 (UTC)

This is quite true but everything happens for a reason.

[ He could tell that Merry wasn't quite too fond with the queer events that have unfolded so far. How perilous it must've been for these young hobbits to travel into realms unbeknown to them, cursed with the task of escorting the "One Ring" to its fiery doom. Celeborn actually feels regret for not doing more for these gentle Shirefolk. Galadriel and him both feel slightly ashamed for the meager roles they played. ]

The golden leaves of the mallorn tree shall bless your Shire with an endless beauty that will be admired for years to come. Your children and your eventual grandchildren will bask in its brilliance.

Edited 2012-08-18 03:25 (UTC)

[ Merry doesn't have anything to say to that, really. He bites down on his pipe stem though he doesn't light the bowl, for Celeborn's sake.

He doesn't begrudge anyone their role (or lack of one) in the quest he had been a part of. Especially the hospitality of Celeborn and his lady. Lothlorien offered them hospitality and a haven they needed to grieve, and that is no small thing for a hobbit. ]

Aye. That it will.

[ Front anyone else, that would sound almost pretentious, but from the Lord of the Golden Wood, it seemed far more like high praise. ]

A memory or an Age gone by, and those bright stars who went with it.

[ Take care of Frodo, when he joins you where the elves go, would you? It is not a thing Meriadoc would voice out loud, but he hopes that Celeborn will know it, nonetheless. ]

[ The perceptive Lord of Lothlorien merely nods as he hears the unspoken request through Merry's clever words. For someone not of Elvenkind, this hobbit is rather well spoken in Celeborn's opinion. ]

And those bright stars shall never fade.

[ He is a perceptive little hobbit; that is rather his way. He'd be shocked and very honoured if he knew that the Elf Lord thought such of him.

As for those stars, Merry's smile is a bit of a wry one. ]

Though the sky will grow brighter with time's passing, I'd imagine. Enough stories have yet to be told, or reach their end.

[ Just being around Celeborn seems to make Meriadoc more thoughtful. There is a quiet solemnity to this meeting between an early-made old soul and a truly ancient one.

Or perhaps, there is a wisdom in the simple ways of the folk who listen to grand stories and are contented with their own, unsophisticated lives.

Still, Merry is usually much more lively for it, not as quiet. He shakes his head, as if chiding himself. ]

I suppose I sound rather silly, saying things like that.

No.

[ The Ancient Elf was quick to voice his disapproval because Merry has done nothing wrong. ]

I don't believe you do. In truth, I find your words to be rather...poetic. You possess an admirable trait.

[ Merry inwardly jumps out of his skin at that. Outwardly, his surprise is visible in the slight, aborted twitch he makes at the elf's seemingly harsh words. It was... unexpected, how vehement it seemed. (Of course, it was only said firmly, but for an elf, well, it seemed rather weighted indeed.) ]

I- Thank you. That is kind of you to say so, sir. I trust your judgement, as you would know more than myself of such things.

[ Merry had never thought of himself to be poetic. Moments, perhaps, but nothing worthy of such praise. He still thinks he sounds rather silly for a hobbit. ]

I guess I have learned things, with all the noble folk I've come to know. They have long years ahead of them, and place enough in the sky for their light.

[ Merry, of course, would never imagine himself to be one of them.

He sits quietly for a few moments, contemplative, before deciding how to phrase what he wants to ask. ]

Why are you fair folk so sorrowful? I hadn't noticed it so much before, but many of the Elf-woods seem... heavy. The Entwood is ancient, but it doesn't feel the same.

[ Merry winces slightly; it seems much ruder spoken than it had in his head. ]

I don't mean to be rude, if it isn't my place to ask.

[ The Elven Lord took no offense to that question because he knew Merry meant no harm. Sometimes Celeborn wondered that question himself in regards to his people. Why were they constantly weighed down by such sorrow and melancholy? Was it because they've seen the world throughout the ages and tasted the bitterness war far too many times to count? Celeborn wasn't very certain why all of Elvenkind was marred with such unspeakable sorrow, but he has a theory. ]

It's because the promise of "eternity" is more likened to a curse than a blessing, young one. We have watched the world change from within the shadows, constantly seeing a bloodstained past reacted with no end. We've acted as history's scribes for one too many years and watched as all of Arda changed into something so unrecognizable that we don't dare call this land "home" anymore.

[ A slight sigh almost passed through his lips, but Celeborn didn't allow it to pass. ]

You see, we are...weary.

Edited 2012-08-18 05:46 (UTC)

[ Of the little elf-lore that Merry knew, no elves were eternal, not really. Not if sailing across the sea counted as passing. Still, he supposed, it was eternity enough, to live through not one but three ages of men. That however, begged the question: If this was not 'home' then why had they not allleft? Not that he had wanted them to, of course. He enjoyed the company of those elves that he knew ]

You needn't, though.

[ That wasn't quite as clear as he had intended it. ]

Be weary, I mean. All the world changes around us, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. But the seasons still turn, and Iarwain Ben-adar [ He hopes he's pronouncing Tom's name right ] still roams.

'Re's not much you can do about the world changing, and you needn't mark it, for men and dwarves and we hobbits do that for ourselves, now. Or y' can leave the shadows and step out on the earth again, an' find something new worth exploring.

Treebeard says the old elves loved to talk with everything. Find someone who has a voice that can't be heard, yet.

[ It really seems all this simple to Merry. For all that he was a knight of Rohan, now, and for all that he had seen and experienced as a member of the Fellowship, he was just as contented as before, and even moreso. More vibrant and filled with joy at life, for it was a remarkable gift, meant for living to its fullest, and not continuing on because one must. ]

Have a feast because you feel like it, because the sun is shining bright and the trees seem more golden than they did yesterday. Simple pleasures. Sing because you can, and the air filling your lungs is fresh and full of green.

Or go out and dance in the rain and the storm, that you are among the elements of nature, unscathed.

[ Perhaps the problem with elves was that they dwelled too much on the past. Perhaps Merry just didn't understand elves. ]

'ts what Pippin and I do, when we think too much on all that we've lost, to remind us of all that we've gained, all that has changed for the better.

[ Celeborn's weary gaze closed as he listened to the Hobbit speak. A small smile nearly settled on his lips as he envisioned the days when Elvenkind wasn't burdened by misery. Merry spoke of such days clearly, announcing for the Elves to return to such golden days in the form of celebration and not remorse. It humored him greatly that a Hobbit would be so quick to cast such words his way but he couldn't see any fault with that. ]

Had we Elves resorted to such halcyon days once more, we would be no different than Hobbits.

[ It's not very often that this happens but sometimes the Lord of Lorien can show some humor. ]

Perhaps our final days on Middle-earth could be spared of our grief and rejoiced in happiness. I have longed to enjoy the days for what they are, unblemished by the dark past that haunts us. If the chance comes to me, I shall take my wife's hand and dance with her within the glimmering shine of the moon rather than talk of ill omens.

The happiness our kind once knew has been lost but it can still be found.

[ Merry thinks that my be a bit of a friendly prod, so he'll reply in like kind ]

If the elves are to aspire to be any other on this earth, then Hobbits are definitely the best choice.

[ They can even learn to smoke! Like proper individuals. ]

If the chance- Sir, if you don't mind my sayin'... if Sam 'waited' for his "chance" to "come", he'd have never up an' danced with Miss Rose. And ev'ry hobbit knows they are the sweetest pair in all the Shire.

[ He pauses, and pretends like he's taking a deep breath of his pipe. It's not quite the same, but it helps to calm down a bit and think more. ]

It won't hurt if you give that moment a little nudge.

[ And Merry is steadfastly refusing to think deeply about what he is advising the lord of Lothlorien to do with his wife, Lady Galadriel, ring bearer. ]

Happiness isn't hard to find if you've lost it. Just decide that you want it back.

[ Merry sits down on a large root and begins to swing his legs. ]

You smile, and sometimes it isn't a real one, and it's all you can do to keep it on your face, but eventually you'll remember what your smilin' for. And then it just can't seem to go away.

Edited 2012-08-26 02:50 (UTC)

An Unamused Elf

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