Baggage-Arien Ironstar
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:30 pm
I shoulder my pack and adjust the straps, trying to take some of the weight off my shoulders. I need those to carry my maul, Squisher. My farewells are done, my duty done. "Duty" I sigh to myself, absently fingering the collar of my cloak. Thinking of what is hidden there.
<e> "Are you ready to go, Arien?" I turn to look at Velyn and I smile. For years after Arakiel's death I never laughed, and rarely smiled. My heart felt like room long shut up. Then Velyn came with his gift of laugher. He walks through the vaccant room, pulling the dust covers off of precious things. I look at him and nod.
Rose and Millia follow us on the road. Rose, my apprentice must be apprentice no longer. She goes to Daggerdale for her coming of age. Millia is just curious, I think, with her love of mischief. They make a noisy duo as we walk toward the border.
We are further down the road, now. We have spotted a camp. A tent, a fire, and a figure sitting slumped in front of it. I smile, for I know who it is. Though his face is in shadow, I see the armor. Only two sets of mithril and barkskin armor were ever made. One had belonged to Arakiel, the other to the man at the fire.
"Sulak!" his name flies from my lips as I fly into his arms. Brother of twently years, a lad who became a man. From a wellspring deep within me, my memories roll over me in a flood. For here is my past. Solid, visible, and made real again. I look into his mild eyes and see the same thing.
"Arien, you know I can't come with you." "I know, brother". "But I will walk part way with you."
Again we begin walking, and soon Rose and Millia are not the only noisy ones on the road. Sulak and I talk, his voice flowing over me like water. Faces of people long gone rise up, fresh washed in my memories. Those of our Fellowship and the Circle, so many gone. Aramis Zegna, poor tormented Kemeras, Varc'urn safe with Mielikki, Dash who was such a joy to be around, gentle Hallen killed by a golem, Viith, slain by a worg. Voran's sister.
I hope he is happy, the Arch Druid of Cormyr.
I see the recent losses. Ahleera gone, taking the frog and Alendir's heart. I think of Arakiel, my heart, my husband, my beloved.
"Remember when?" "Yes".
The others are there too. Rem a loss too soon. Malek, the Battlehound of Tempus. I see Tace, not as I last saw her, half eaten by orcs, but when she tried to be femine to woo Dain. "Try a little Nina cake". Poor Dain, he closed in upon himself when Tace died, and after Arakiel went too, he locked the door.
I wonder if he has thrown away the key.
More faces, more memories Errik and Tania. Kerrick and Falin. Mother Manara, who gave me a house. I feel each memory as a lead weight, a stone in my pack. Babras, especially Babras.
No Da, you are not too heavy, not too heavy at all.
At last, near the bridge we come to the parting of the ways. I look at Sulak, I look at my past, and I remember somethig Arakiel had said. "Elves live many lives in their long lifetimes." Sulak and all he had brought out in me was my last lifetime.
I hugged him and let him go.
I looked at Velyn. I looked at Rose and Millia. I allowed myself to think of the children. Keriwen the wreckless, Xavien the Deep, and Teia the bold. My future. My next life time.
I turned away from my past and embraced it with joy.
Arien
<e> "Are you ready to go, Arien?" I turn to look at Velyn and I smile. For years after Arakiel's death I never laughed, and rarely smiled. My heart felt like room long shut up. Then Velyn came with his gift of laugher. He walks through the vaccant room, pulling the dust covers off of precious things. I look at him and nod.
Rose and Millia follow us on the road. Rose, my apprentice must be apprentice no longer. She goes to Daggerdale for her coming of age. Millia is just curious, I think, with her love of mischief. They make a noisy duo as we walk toward the border.
We are further down the road, now. We have spotted a camp. A tent, a fire, and a figure sitting slumped in front of it. I smile, for I know who it is. Though his face is in shadow, I see the armor. Only two sets of mithril and barkskin armor were ever made. One had belonged to Arakiel, the other to the man at the fire.
"Sulak!" his name flies from my lips as I fly into his arms. Brother of twently years, a lad who became a man. From a wellspring deep within me, my memories roll over me in a flood. For here is my past. Solid, visible, and made real again. I look into his mild eyes and see the same thing.
"Arien, you know I can't come with you." "I know, brother". "But I will walk part way with you."
Again we begin walking, and soon Rose and Millia are not the only noisy ones on the road. Sulak and I talk, his voice flowing over me like water. Faces of people long gone rise up, fresh washed in my memories. Those of our Fellowship and the Circle, so many gone. Aramis Zegna, poor tormented Kemeras, Varc'urn safe with Mielikki, Dash who was such a joy to be around, gentle Hallen killed by a golem, Viith, slain by a worg. Voran's sister.
I hope he is happy, the Arch Druid of Cormyr.
I see the recent losses. Ahleera gone, taking the frog and Alendir's heart. I think of Arakiel, my heart, my husband, my beloved.
"Remember when?" "Yes".
The others are there too. Rem a loss too soon. Malek, the Battlehound of Tempus. I see Tace, not as I last saw her, half eaten by orcs, but when she tried to be femine to woo Dain. "Try a little Nina cake". Poor Dain, he closed in upon himself when Tace died, and after Arakiel went too, he locked the door.
I wonder if he has thrown away the key.
More faces, more memories Errik and Tania. Kerrick and Falin. Mother Manara, who gave me a house. I feel each memory as a lead weight, a stone in my pack. Babras, especially Babras.
No Da, you are not too heavy, not too heavy at all.
At last, near the bridge we come to the parting of the ways. I look at Sulak, I look at my past, and I remember somethig Arakiel had said. "Elves live many lives in their long lifetimes." Sulak and all he had brought out in me was my last lifetime.
I hugged him and let him go.
I looked at Velyn. I looked at Rose and Millia. I allowed myself to think of the children. Keriwen the wreckless, Xavien the Deep, and Teia the bold. My future. My next life time.
I turned away from my past and embraced it with joy.
Arien
