A time spent in thought and learning

[Ilah]

Uma goes to her room after Von'nes leaves and sinks gratefully into the bed. The softness seems strange after a month of sleeping in the glade under the stars, as does the silence in this Place. Strangely enough, despite the peace she feels, she can not rest in the bed. She wanders outside and sits leaning against the door listening to the sounds of the night and finally falls into a reverie. She thinks over her month in the glade and the changes it has brought her, not just her acceptance as part of the People, but of changes deeper inside. There were physical changes that month in the grove made, and her perceptions of things have been altered as well. So she sits that first night outside the grove trying to understand them better.

Ever since her first talk with Von'nes in the grove, a few days into the month she was to spend there, she felt changed. Perhaps it was the magic of the grove, perhaps it was the way Von told the stories of Shevarash and Valaderion, perhaps a combination of the two but what ever it was, the effect was profound. After Von collapsed at the end of the instruction (for that is what Uma realized afterwards it was) an incredible weight pressed down upon her until she crumpled to the ground as well. As she lay there some force, some knowedge, made her
struggle to throw the few things she had left that were human made away from her. Her gold, her bedroll, that was all she had left to her after Von'nes told her to surrender all of her things, yet as soon as they left her hands she felt better than since she could remember. Ever since then she had no need for sleep, yet the brief periods of rest she did take in the grove rejuvenated her more than a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed did before. Even after Von'nes second visit, the one where she beat Uma senseless to reinforce her lesson, she found that the reverie she took healed her just as well, if not better than sleeping ever did.

The second change was more obvious to others than to herself. It occured after Maeve came to spend some time talking to her, instructing her in his own way, as Von did in hers. He told her two stories that stuck in her mind, not only for the message they conveyed as well but for the impact that they had on her. Again, perhaps because of his telling them in the grove and her time spent in meditation. He told her the story of a warrior he knew who's rigid code of honour lead to his early death because he could not, would not change the way he approached a battle that he could not win at that time and place. The other story was of the killing of a drow who was killed only because she was a drow. There was no questioning of the drow, no asking what it was doing there alone, it was killed out of hand because of what it was when really all it wanted was to be alone and in peace away from it's murderous kindred. More so than with of Von'nes instruction Uma felt the weight of Maeves words and images made almost real as he spoke them but they did not leave her huddled on the ground. Rather they seemed to remove cares from her she didn't know she had, leaving her face less care worn and more ageless, her features more aligned with her unknown fathers Elven heritage than her human one.

The rest of her time in the grove she spent most of her time on the meanings that her lessons had taught her. From Vanavar
whos good words about her allowed her the chance to gain acceptance she learned that keeping her past inside, keeping parts of herself hidden from herself would not let her grow and find a home. From Von'nes the lesson was that duty to the People comes first. That one should put their duty before other things and all actions should stem from this sense of duty. From Maeve the lesson was multifold, that her life was a gift and to respect that gift and not throw it away needlessly; also not to judge others too quickly, no matter what they were or where they came from. And from the ghost of the Elven ranger she learned that sometimes actions can be redeemed. There was another lesson there, more unstated than anything, that made her think the most. This was that Maeve's point of view was so at odds with that of Von'nes, to be two ends of a spectrum, something she didn't expect when she started her journey here. Much of her thought the rest of her time was spent wondering where she fit in on that scale, certainly not at either end but somewhere in between. No answers were quickly forthcoming, but then again, they never were before, and so she'd go on looking, but maybe she'd found a home to find them in.

[Dorn]

Very Nice Ilah.
Sorry Cal cant be round to round out your learning But i'm sure the others will show her every aspect of elvenhood there is.

[Rusty]

Good stuff.

But i'm sure the others will show her every aspect of elvenhood there is.

Can't you read, man? Von's done that already.

Impressed that you made your will saves vs suicide while Maeve talked to you... if you could get pocket protectors for wands I'd swear he'd have one.

[Arkan Bladesinger]

Nice writing, Ilah!
Vanavar will be happy to find that Uma is progressing in elvenhood now that he´s back.

Can't you read, man? Von's done that already.

Solonor protect us!

[Mateusz IV]

And where is she anyway? havent seen her for a while