06 - Star people
Weeks of travelling together with the caravan brought new worries, new experiences and new friendships.
Regarding the worries, they were many. But all with a common denominator: the enemy. Every evening at the campfire Kor spent lot of time talking with the Rangers. According to news from west, north and east, troubles increased everywhere. Darkness started to soak into life of all. The Rangers were telling stories about strange beasts and creatures full of terror. Dread was coming from former kingdom of Angmar, which seemed now rebuilt again. Shadow was spreading in Rhovanion lands too, according to latest tidings.
“I believe you, Saeradan,” said Kor. “Although I met only a few of these what you speak of, I saw with my own eyes the cursed wraiths of the dead. I have fought dire wolves filled with unearthly evil vigour. I stood against foreign tribes, driven by uncommon madness, greed and cruelty.”
“Then you know,” concluded the Ranger simply.
It all was making sense when put together. It fitted in the whole picture. But as a result even more questions came up.
The goal was now overwhelming. There was so much evil everywhere. To stand against it, more places needed to be investigated and secured. So many orc scum needed to be killed or chased away. To find the right place where to strike effectively seemed nearly impossible. It all became a huge, unswallowable morsel.
Still, there was only one way. To go and fight.
And - he didn't notice now, but something deep inside him slightly moved. Sometimes, unwillingly, he reached it and subtly touch it, although he didn’t know when it would happen and what it really was. But in the right times it helped him. Gradually came the time that the thing would emerge out entirely.
But it could not be dug out within a few moments. It was a long-lasting snail-slowly process.
*
Regarding the new experiences, there were many. From learning to properly roast animal on a campfire, through helping to build a log bridge across a stream to slaying a strayed gwiberling. And there were many more. But some of them remained in memory outstandingly. Those were often connected to the few of the elves in the company.
Kor spent a lot of time speaking to them, mainly to Ryon, who was most open to talking. He started to like his new acquainted elf friend more and more. Also Sheila was listening to their dialogues often, fascinated. Ryon was eager to hear all their stories, therefore asking a lot of questions. But in the end, he was talking about himself and his kin most of the time due to Sheila‘s voicelessness and Kor‘s concise words.
Sheila looked astonished, when she learned about elven long age. Ryon belonged to the youngest of their race being only three hundred years old. This was the reason he still craved so much for adventure.
Kor was slowly digesting and comprehending everything he heard. All the new knowledges were opening to him a whole new world.
But Ryon has also put a particularly important milestone into the lives of Kor and Sheila with one thing: new entitling of Kortheod’s henchwoman.
The caravan stopped to make camp for the night. Ryon joined the pair at picking up firewood.
„Remind me, Kor, what is your brave friend’s name?“ asked he with an inquisitive look at her. The setting sun again created golden aura around her face.
„Sheila,“ replied Kor ingenuously.
Ryon nodded, silent for a while. Then he added:
„She seems more like Plusheila to me.“
Kor smiled. Ryon proved to be crazy and zestfully playing with words. This was just a small show of it.
Sheila frowned at first, not sure if it is an insult or a compliment. But when she saw the grinning faces of the two men, she smiled.
Since that day, she was only called this name.
*
The new friendships were obvious. Of the Rangers, Cannuion became closest to Kor. But all of their group would now call him a friend and would truly mean it. Anyone who stood in battle side by side shared an unspoken bond.
Because of the same reason, Kor became also a friend of Ryon. He could consider himself lucky. Elves were mostly keeping to themselves, in spite of their openness and hospitality. And Kortheod‘s interest in the mysterious people was natural.
*
The caravan finally arrived at its destination. Echad Mirobel, large, ruined fortress, was looming above them in the afternoon sun. The settlement perfectly fitted into surrounding somehow arid land. Plusheila was silently admiring the buildings sensitively added to the landscape, finely enhancing the already beautiful outlook rock. Kor felt pity about the destroyed elven towns they saw on the way.
After the caravan people settled their things, people gathered again around fires. Larger group of elven inhabitants from Echad Mirobel joined their company.
New topics and tidings were discussed. Loud voices were alternating explosions of laughter and finally it could be heard also slower, dramatic narration.
When the night was reaching its half, the fires were slowly ceasing as well as general conversation. Now most of the elves were looking to the silvery lit sky above.
Then some of them started to sing.
“A Elbereth Gilthoniel,
Silivren penna míriel…”
The melody was so foreign, yet beautiful. Full of love, passion, and sorrow at the same time. It was pushing tears into eyes and soothing all earthly pain.
“This is a reason, why we sometimes call them star people,” whispered Saeradan.
When they ended, Ryon turned to Kor, whose eyes had widened with extraordinary impression.
“The song was praising Elbereth, the Lady of the stars.”
“We have sacred animal spirits, and ancestor ghosts,” pondered Kor, “but this goddess must be powerful.”
“She is not just powerful. She is one of the creators. We call her Gilthoniel – the star-kindler.”
Kor looked up at the glowing dots, silent. He was not laconic as usual, this time he had true loss of words. The name had burnt itself in his brain with silvery engraved letters. Elbereth Gilthoniel…
Ryon smiled and joined him at the looking in the sky.
Creator… ignitor of the stars…
“Can you imagine…” whispered Kor both to himself and Plusheila, staring up. She was gazing too, sharing the greatness of the moment and the serenity.
Then, suddenly, she put her hand on his arm. Their first physical contact since they set on the journey together. Former captain and his actual henchwoman… or something else?
He looked at her. Now it was absolutely different view.
He saw it finally. Her beauty came out like a butterfly from its chrysalis.
Kor was surprised, but not confused. For the first time he admitted to himself, that there could be something about her.
But she was not looking at him. With glittering eyes, she was still under the spell of the atmosphere, admiring the stars.
Improper… not yet…
His mind was confused only now, an utterly unusual moment, when he found difficult or impossible to understand himself and the situation.
Then he just took her hand with a firm but gentle grip. The mind whirl calmed somehow, he started to perceive everything around him again.
There is a rope we can catch, to get away from the abyss. There is a light ray opposing the shadow.
Elbereth…
