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ha!
I guess that is what he says.
I drink tea, even if he doesn’t.
Fires will rise to testify that 2+2=4. Swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer
@ellette-giselle @koshka @keilah-h @hybridlore @theducktator @anyoneinterested
Some days we kinda forget,
Some WIPS will never go on.
Gotta get the rest of it done,
All the way to the Silver Star.
(Far away, through writer’s block so bold.)
*cough cough*
Although it’s been neglected, it has not been abandoned. We have another chapter!
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
In Which Trees are Dangerous, and Aenwest Considers Doubles
Chapter 7
The closer we got to the Dell, the more tangled the trees became. It should have been much like the woods around Multnomah Falls, WA, but years ago, as I told Dwogin when he tripped over an exposed root, the Rangers had planted saplings between the older trees and woven them with the older branches. Now the forest was strangely impassable except on the Ranger Roads, if one could find them.
Dwogin was not impressed. More’s the pity. I have wanted to rant on Ranger brilliance for months. But sometimes we writers just have to rant to our pillows. Not that I could really blame Dwogin. As the trees grew more tangled and the path wound ever closer to an unknown number of Rangers, the little warrior became grumpier. He marched behind Randal with his thick red brows so drawn together I couldn’t see his eyes. We went on for at least an hour ignoring the invisible stormcloud building.
Randal finally asked what was wrong, although I knew he knew what we all knew. Dwogin huffed and Dwogin rumbled, but only Randal dared to understand his meaning. The old Lorekeeper looked up into the trees and sighed.
“Yes, dwarves have rarely been friends here. But there have been a few worthy characters among them, and I think,” There was a mischievous light in Randal’s eye as he surveyed the dwarf. “You are not the worst they have made friends with.”
And that was that. Dwogin shot off into a monologue on the loyalty and honor of his family, and how much they had given up when the main dwarf bands turned over to darkness. The others ahead of us slowed a bit until we were all within a comfortable earshot of each other.
“Yes. It is a good family.” Randal began, but seemed to lose his train of thought. He studied the dwarf reflectively for a moment. The laughter in his eyes was well hidden.
“You are with me, Dwogin. It may not count for much, but the elder of the bands were my friends before you were born.”
“Besides.” Travenor called over his shoulder. “If Onnendel can tolerate you, we Rangers have no excuse.”
The elf laughed, but Travenor had a point. Imraldis’ heir had of all people the most to blame the dwarves for. Dwogin scowled determinedly into the distance, his hand on his axe.
The woods had grown thicker, and the ground rougher. We followed our unflappable guide down washed out embankments and up mossy boulders. He went on with an eager spring to his movements, leading us through the thickening shadows. He had probably played in these woods as a kid long before he accepted the wandering life. It was nice to have someone on the team who knew where to go.
Darkness was stretching between the trees, filling the brush around us till the wood began closing like a great rustling wave. Soon I found myself shuffling along behind Dwogin’s glinting helmet in a useless effort to not trip on the thousand invisible roots my favorite people had littered the place with. Somewhere outside this tangled wilderness, the moon had slipped behind the Misted Mountains on its way to the sea. It would be a cold night here in the foothills.
Eventually my eyes adjusted to starlight, but not before I had scraped a knee and bruised an elbow in a mostly silent crash landing. An owl hooted deep in the woods, but I don’t think it was laughing at me. The air smelled heavy of mulch and damp leaves. I smiled.
And narrowly avoided slamming into the dwarf in front of me. We’d stopped, just as I’d gotten my sight back. I glanced around mildly perturbed, then blinked and looked again. I knew this place although I had never seen it in real life before. A slightly clear space opened up before us, hemmed in by a clump of darker, older trees.
My pulse kicked up.
“Follow me closely, and do not speak until I say it’s safe.” Travenor paused outside that wild tangle of foliage. It was nothing compared to the knotted excitement that gripped me. We were literally walking into the ancient stronghold of the most fantastic sneaks in Middle Earth.
We had only taken a few steps when our Ranger halted us again, an odd look on his face.
“Stay here.” He murmured. “I need to speak with the watch.” The next moment he’d disappeared into the shadows. We hung back with the creaky sounds of woodsy nightfall filling the silence around us. I cut a quick glance at my companions.
Dwogin stood stoically with his axe slung over his shoulder and a hand on his bow. Onnendel was leaning against a tree as if he had grown up in the place along with the saplings. His dark hair shone in the starlight. I caught Randal’s eye and smiled back. He had taken a place as near the forward path as he could find. We stood in silence as the minutes ticked by.
The tree trunk behind me dug into my side as I leaned against it. I didn’t move, giving in for a moment to the day’s weariness and my quietly aching feet. My excitement dwindled. My skinned knee stung. Worse, something niggled at the plotline in my head, which was more irritating than helpful. This wasn’t how I’d planned things. We would have been escorted by Travenor’s kindred, no need for waiting around in mildly creepy woods. My idea would have been a good deal more comfortable.
Something moved with a sound not entirely nightish. My senses, after over a week spent in the wild, came alive. I froze.
“Come in and welcome.” A gentle voice called through the gloom. A kind, feminine voice no one had expected. I pushed up on my tiptoes to see over Randal’s shoulder. In the dim light, all I could make out of our host was a faded green cloak. Her face was in deep shadow from her hood, and a thatch of undergrowth hid her boots. Still, I knew who she was by the half smile on Travenor’s face as he followed her back.
The tension in the group slipped away through the night. Travenor actually gave a low chuckle as he took his place at Onnendel’s side. The two exchanged a quick word, and I just caught the smile in Onnendel’s voice as he turned to the lady ranger.
“Mae govannen!”
“Namarie,” Her reply was a soft laugh. “It is good to see you again. You kept Travenor alive?”
“For the most part.” The elf shrugged.
“We all thank you. Father especially. It would be dreadfully unwise to feed the wargs.”
“Certainly not yet.” Travenor agreed. “The poisoning would kill them.”
They laughed, which drew Dwogin’s attention. He shot them a suspicious glance and then turned to mutter something. He must have caught sight of my grimace when he did. He looked back at me with a raised brow.
How could I help it? That conversation was not as funny as when I had first penned it. A dreadful feeling told me it was now a running joke that I would never escape. My poor characters.
I needed to work on my wit.
The path twisted around to reveal a narrow door. Dark ivy hung over it in thick, sweeping curtains, casting the place in shadow. Venere stepped forward and pushed back her hood.
“Brother Warden. We have brought Travenor’s companions.”
There was silence as a vague shape stepped into view behind the ivy. Steel flashed in its hand before disappearing entirely. Probably one of many weapons I had decided were cool enough for the Ranger-Wardens. The green curtain swished out of our way. He surveyed us a moment more before stepping back to let us pass. His voice grated through the night air.
“Welcome to the Dell of Exiles.”
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
Some reads we never forget
Some books we never forgive
Haven’t seen the end of this yet
We’ll write as long as we live.
All eyes on the hidden door
To the lonely laptop borne
We’ll ride in through the scribbling storm
Till we write our long forgotten WIPs…
A cup of tea is cheaper than therapy.
That’s perfect! I love it.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
I have wanted to rant on Ranger brilliance for months. But sometimes we writers just have to rant to our pillows.
Lolol.
Great section!
"Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ~ C.S.L.
I LOVE THIS!!!
Now go write more! Now!
🤣
I must know what happens!!!! *sob*
Fires will rise to testify that 2+2=4. Swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer
Yay! Glad y’all like it! The next chapter is coming, bit by bit. We’ve actually been looking forward to it for months. XD
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
@elishavet-pidyon I love how the writer is confused when things don’t go exactly the way she tried to write it lol
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Yes. Absolutely. I am having so much fun being the author of an author who is not an author anymore and thus has no veto or reliable foretelling powers. XD It’s splendid.
Also insanely relatable.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
@ellette-giselle @koshka @keilah-h @hybridlore @theducktator @anyoneinterestedinRangers
It’s been a week. Did the two sometimes-forgetful Scribblers write another scene?
YES!
In Which the Band Gets Interrogated, and Storytime Makes a Comeback
Chapter 8
The corridor beyond was just like I had imagined it. Stone walls curved around us in a precision that looked almost too smooth to be natural. The floor was scattered over with trampled grass and leaves, tracked in by each change in the watch. In the morning someone would come and sweep it out, but for now it perfumed the place with the great outdoors.
It grew darker as we went on until I was once more straining my eyes to see the dwarf in front of me. We turned sharply to the left, and all was thick blackness. My skin began to crawl.
“Stay a moment. The lamp went out.” Venere called back to us. Two muffled strikes of flint on iron sounded in the dark before a soft glow lit up the silhouettes of my companions. The light lifted up near the low ceiling and there hung, casting its warmth over all the shadows.
“Oh, Thank you. I never can reach the hook without terrifying Father.” She said, to Travenor apparently. The next moment we were walking down a set of carved steps. Delicate patterns of vines and flowers still added traction to the stone after their hundreds of years of wear. I bent to trace one especially beautiful detail with my finger tips.
A sudden draft lifted my runaway curls from my forehead. I straightened to find a door open at the passage down below. Yellow light poured from it onto the forms of my friends. They looked rough.
I was suddenly glad there were no mirrors available. I pulled my hood up over my head as I joined them on the level floor.
The room through the door was small but surprisingly cheery. A fire burned in a small hearth built into the wall. A man sat with his back to it, working a scrap of leather under the light of a bright lamp. Another warden, if I were to guess. A short polearm was set against the wall within easy reach of his seat. He watched us as we entered, but other than nodding to Vanere, made no comment as we passed.
There were arched doors set in each wall. Venere turned to the one on our right. She led us down another long passage, its arched ceiling cast in shadowy light by a few sconces in the walls. Travenor walked beside her now. He said something that made her glance back at us, then at Randal. She smiled.
“I am glad you came when you did. I was about to leave to scout out the area. I’ll stay to see you through to my father before I go.”
“Thank you.” Randal said quietly.
The passage wound its way underground in a twisty, back and forth way that reminded me that I had never actually sketched a map for this place. Several doorways appeared on either side leading to more stone corridors with flickering light and echoing voices. At least Dwogin seemed to have relaxed somewhat, sparked by the dwarvish love for cave things no doubt. I drew my cloak a little tighter around me.
Finally, I recognized a door with two carved steps leading up to it. Venere paused with her hand on the latch and turned to face us.
“My father and the council will be glad to see you, but it may be a few minutes before he can give you all his trust.” She looked Dwogin in the eye. “Please, be patient. He is a wise man. He will question so he can understand.”
“It will be good to see him again.” Travenor said softly. Venere smiled and opened the door.
The room inside was lighted with a huge fireplace. Dwogin instantly surveyed the place for hidden vents to bring in the good air. Instinct, I guess. I rolled my eyes. If there weren’t vents, someone would have fainted by now in the hundreds of years the place had been used. I stepped in behind Randal. My hood slipped back as I looked up at the arching roof.
It was lovely.
Venere began to introduce us. She didn’t get far before calls of welcome overcame her voice. And a few not so welcoming remarks.
“They brought a child?” I heard one husky voice murmur to his friend. I pretended not to notice.
Dwogin, however, had no such scruples. He turned to glare at the man until his eyebrows stood out. “Child? Pah! The lady is a lorekeeper.”
The room fell eerily silent. All eyes fell from me to my red bearded champion.
Randal spoke up. “Endrion, master of the Dell. Meet Lady Aenwest, and Dwogin Frelds son, one of the best Dwarfs you will ever know.”
“I can agree with you there.” Endrion glanced at the dwarf meaningfully. There was an awkward moment as most of the rangers assembled shifted from foot to foot. Travenor sighed.
“He has the friendship of a Lorekeeper.”
“Two lorekeepers, and one is of the Wise.” I added with a wry grin. Might as well back up my champion when he needed me.
Endrion’s attention switched back to me. Amusement flickered in those cool gray eyes. “So, you are a lorekeeper?”
I’d read enough books and daydreamed enough scenes to know that the smart aleck-y barb I wanted to fling wasn’t the most tactful reaction. Instead I took a moment to gather my thoughts, locked eyes with him, and slowly smiled. “You wouldn’t be the first to question that title. And,” the word came out in a small sigh. “You won’t be the last. Yet, I do not fault you for your questions. I am not what you know as a Lorekeeper. Not one of the Wise like Randal or Mithrandir or Querrel. But I am older, and younger, than I look.”
His eyes narrowed a little at that, but he nodded and turned back to Randal. I could see Vanere waiting in the corner of my sight. She relaxed as her father spoke his verdict, which comforted me more than the twinkle that had slipped back into Endrion’s eye.
“These are hard times, but you are all welcome. With such friends as Randal, and the Shadowbreakers, I would let worse in. Kali!”
A young boy hopped out of one of the side doors with a hopeful grin that wasn’t dimmed by the large burn scars splashed over the left side of his face and neck. I smiled back.
“Yes, Sir?”
“Show our guests to the chambers in the western passage. Venere, I would have a word with you.”
We were led by our new guide down several twisting hallways until we were in a set of rooms. I stood in the silence of my borrowed chamber and sighed long and deep. It was beautiful, and I had it all to myself.
Except, maybe not all to myself yet. Kali still stood in the door, his round eyes filled with awe. I tipped my head in question.
“You are a lorekeeper?”
I nodded. His eyes went even rounder and he did a little bounce on his toes.
“What do you do?”
“I write stories.”
“What kind of stories?”
I laughed. What would this kid ask if I said Fantasy fanfiction and middle-grade his-fic? Or that he was one of my all time favorite SC’s? “Good stories. Come on in, if you’re not wanted elsewhere.”
He stared at me for another moment, then took a careful step into my room. “Then why are you traveling with Travenor and Randal and Onnendel to the heart of the Dark Mountain?” His eyes were sharp and knowing. It was sad to see them suddenly turn dark. I whispered conspiratorially.
“Because I’m writing their story, though they don’t know it yet. I also happen to know a good deal about the Dark Mountain and its poppycock of a lord. So I’ll probably end up being some sort of guide to Mr. Slimehead’s lair.”
His mouth popped open.
“You mean Ban-Serecon?” His question ghosted out.
I shrugged. “If you’d rather call him that, yes. But I like my names better.”
The kid grinned and followed me onto my rug when I sat on it.
“He blinded Prince Onnendel, didn’t he? When he attacked the Gleaming City? Have you ever been there?”
“His shadows did, but that was a bit of a mess up for him. He meant to kill the young prince and steal the crown.” I hesitated on the rest of his questions. “I don’t think I have been there.”
“Oh. I haven’t either. Travenor once told me about the climbing trees there, but that was a long time ago. He isn’t here much. Not anymore.”
We were quiet a moment together. I was debating how much I could tell this sharp young ranger.
“I think you will be seeing much more of Travenor after a while.”
Kalli looked up at me. “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
And for y’all’s information, we have just reached over 12,000 words on the completed chapters doc.
A cup of tea is cheaper than therapy.
Aw, Kai is so cute!! I love him already. 😉
Congrats!! 12k is exciting!!
"Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him." ~ C.S.L.
Yay! He just sort of happened, but I am so glad he did.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
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