((I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave this rp because I'm going to be gone alot, without internet access. Thanks for the fun so far )

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Thanks Nurratiel, *Ennostiel*, PD, and Githoniel

(Okay, Syneva! It's a pity you have to leave the RP, your charrie's been great. =) Was nice to have you on board!

Will, I'll fast-forward in time a little so than Lainathiel is leading Firyal inside the halls of Elrond ^_^ And I'll take on Elrond's charrie for when she introduces her to him )

Lainathiel had left both her horse and the Harad girl's in the stables. She now led her through a small garden which looked off one of the waterfalls, making sure to keep an eye on her. These were unnatural surroundings for the girl; the Haradrim did not live in lands where it was green or where flowers grew. She wounded round the side of the house, the sound of the waterfall trickling loud in the silence that stretched out between the elf and her guest. There was nobody around in this part of Rivendell to marvel at the odd clothing of the human girl; nobody to point or exclaim. Lainathiel had, tactfully, planned the route so they could go unnoticed.

She paused before a small door on the side of the house. "I will take you to the Lord Elrond, Firyal," she said. "He shall decide, in effect, what is to be done with you accordingly." She offered one of her strange half-smiles then opened the door. It led into a small corridor; it was completely empty, and was adjacent to a set of rooms which belonged to Lord Elrond. Here they could speak with him privately.

Lainathiel paused before an intricately carved door and glanced over her shoulder at the girl. Swiftly, she turned again and tapped quietly. There was the sound of soft footsteps coming across the room from within the door.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Firyal followed the Elf through the gardens into one of Halls. The girl was too much in awe from all the beauty which flourished in this place to say a word. It wasn't really the right situation to do so anyway.
Her heart bounced in her chest upon appraoching a beautiful carved, wooden door. She should never have come here. A soft tap on the door. She never would be accepted here. She would be chased away as an unwelcome guest. Soft footsteps came near. There was no opportunity of going back now.. And the door was opened by a darkhaired, stern-looking Elf.

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

"Lady Lainathiel." Elrond observed the elf and her guest, framed in the doorway, with a stern gaze. "Who have you here?" The young girl was Harad of origin, he could tell, by the darkness of her skin, by the style of her garb. But he did not address her yet; he met the eyes of Lainathiel over her head. Why have you brought me this human child?

Lainathiel inclined her head to him.
"My lord Elrond, this is Firyal," she informed him. "She tells me that she is of the house of Ciryaher. She has come from the Haradrim. I found her on the borders of our land; she wished to be brought to you."

Elrond paused to consider this. Finally, his dark eyes met Firyal's; a majestic, almost frightening, depth of knowledge, age, and memory danced his irises. He looked at her as if he would know the truth of this matter; not to judge, but only to know.
He extended one arm towards the room within. "You may enter," he said. He glanced at Lainathiel. "I thank you for taking the trouble to lead the child here. It was a task you did not have to take upon yourself."

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Firyal beheld the Elven Lord and thought him to be wise and powerful. His gaze was stern but not unfriendly. His face still looked young although the way he moved and spoke showed that he had seen many years. Was it true then? Were Elves immortal?

Her eyes averted his piercing gaze. The Lord seemed able to look right through her, read her mind.. enchant her. Indeed, Firyal had heard enough stories about the Elven Magic though she did not not that half was untrue.

When she was asked to come in the Harad girl threw herself at Lord Elrond's feet. She lay on her knees with her head bowed, a position of surrender and fear, but familiar to the Harad as they all were expected to pay this tribute to the High Chiefs.

"My Lord" Firyal spoke quietly with her Southern acent. "You must wonder what a dark-skinned Haradwaith is doing within your borders. I abandoned my people as I couldn't live with them any longer. They answer to the Dark Lord now.." Although her voice was clear, her body trembled and she hoped that this message didn't give the Elven Lord to much displeasure.

"I had nowhere to go and traveled North. The White city had closed its gates, I traveled further and escaped from the Bear-People. I ask you to let me stay here. No trouble will be caused on my behalf and I.. I am able to work.."

Firyal stopped her plead. There was nothing more to be said now. She waited.

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Elrond watched, surprised, as Firyal flung herself to her knees and bowed her head. He listened carefully as she spoke. Slowly, he stooped and took one of her hands; he rose her to her feet and met her eyes sternly, but not unkindly. "You are the first of your people ever to set foot in Imladris," he said. He scanned her face, looking for deception, but found none. "If you were a spy for the Haradrim this would be the worst of places for you to come. Yet I do not believe that is why you are here. I would hear more of your tale, and also decide what is to be done. Please step inside."

Lainathiel hovered, waiting to be dismissed. Lord Elrond nodded at her. "You may take your leave, Lainathiel," he said. " Hannon le. "
Lainathiel bowed her head to him. "Yes, my lord." She glanced at Firyal, eyes gleaming in her flicker of a smile, and turned and strode down the corridor, not looking over her shoulder.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

A spy? Firyal thought after Lord Elrond had helped her up. Did they think she was a spy? That idea sounded so ridicule to her that she had the inclination to laugh. Realising that this, under the circumstances, was not appropriate she just answered: "I am no spy."

The woman watched how the other Elf took her leave and made herself comfortable on a sofa which was standing inside the beautifuly decorated room. She took off her dark cloak to reveal her red dress with small silver and wooden beads embroided on it. She watched the Elven Lord and again waited for him to speak.

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

{Bumpeth}

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And all will turn to silver glass...



By Goldstrike

[ *waits for Goldy* ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

(Thanks for the bumps, guys! ^_^)

Lord Elrond swept ahead into the adjacent room and closed the door behind him. He noted the Harad woman sitting down on a nearby couch. He crossed the room towards the balcony, which looked out over a waterfall; the trickling of water sounded near. He said nothing for a few moments, and the silence seemed to stretch out longer than it actually did as he stood there, thinking. Finally, he turned towards Firyal.

"You told me that you went to Minas Tirith," he said, at length. "It is no wonder that you were not permitted entry to the city of Gondor. Their lands are often attacked by your people, now." His expression was grim, and thoughtful. "Many of my people would advise me to turn you out of Imladris. They would see you as an enemy."
He took a few steps towards her as he spoke. "I, however, hope I have reason to believe your story. I could see no lie in your eyes, though believe me, I did look for it." He paused. "Tell me more about yourself, if you will. I can guess that your life was uncomfortable paying tribute to the Dark Lord."

~~~

Lainathiel headed towards the breakfast hall, humming an Elven melody. Her job had been done, and she was starving after days of travelling. She had not walked in the halls of Elrond for a long count of years; memory echoed in the Elven haven, old memory of past pains, past days. Her weather-worn boots rung on the floor as she walked swiftly down the corridors, and she idly wondered what Lord Elrond would do with the Harad girl; would he allow her to stay? Lainathiel was old, very old, and she had known the Elven lord for a very long while. He had been witness to the long years of her sorrow whilst she mourned for her husband; seen how the bitterness of death had knocked the joy from her, and turned her into the hardened being she was now.

She entered the hall and almost paused at the threshold of the door; across the hall, by a windowseat, there was a most curious sight. A red-haired elf that seemed very familiar, sitting there, wiping tears from her eyes and trying to fight back an outburst of emotion, with a dark-haired mortal man standing by, looking quite discomforted, trying to comfort her. Lainathiel choked back a laugh, and, smiling, she headed towards attendants serving breakfast.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

"I'm so sorry, m'lady." Meldiron, so bold just a moment before, felt as though he were a bothersome grasshopper. "I... I should not have asked." Where's a clean handkerchief when you need one? he thought to himself angrily. He did not dare contemplate what his mother must be thinking at the moment. Reaching down, he patted one of her hands with his own leathery one. "Now now, please don't cry... please? Oh, please forgive me, Vard-I mean, Vanya! I..." He turned quickly away, panicking at both the situation and at his mistake. He stayed there for a moment, his face half-turned to her. What have I got myself into now? he cried inwardly.

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Banner from Nellie

Vanya kept her composure as Meldiron desperately tried to comfort her; she steeled herself against expressing any further sign of emotion. She was still furious for having cried in front of him. Inwardly, she flinched as he patted her hand. Outwardly, she ignored the way he almost called her by the wrong name. Did he really almost call me Varda? Why on earth was he practically falling over himself for her to forgive him? Silently, she rose from the window seat and faced him.

"My lord," she said steadily. "As I have said before, you had no idea of the consequences of your question, which I understand you did not ask in order to upset me purposefully. The mistake is quite forgiven." She looked him in the eye; the last of her tears had vanished, it was almost as if her outburst had never happened. "Now please, do not trouble yourself further."

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

{Bump}

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And all will turn to silver glass...



By Goldstrike

Firyal bowed her head while listening to Lord Elrond's words. Perhaps she just shouldn't have come here.. she should have kept riding. Settle in the wild.. These dark thoughts clouded her mind, gnawed her confidence while her doubt only grew.

"My Lord" she said with a soft voice "The Harad have attacked the People of the South as the Gondorians have taken our lands. Where does it end? I've learnt to hate all men that are not my kin, yet you have never harmed me. My life has been made difficult for the reason that I'm now able to communicate with you-"

The darkhaired woman stopped speaking. Perhaps she was embarassed or just at loss for words. Then she looked pleading in the grey eyes of the Elven Lord. "Please give me a place to stay and work so I can earn your trust."

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Lord Elrond looked at the Harad girl for one long moment. All that could be heard in the space of time was the trickling of the nearby fountain; his eyes never wavered in their stern grey assessment. He had listened intently to everything she had said to him in this room; again and again he had scanned her eyes for any trace of a lie, unblinking, several times he had cast out his senses to look for deception. But there was honesty in her voice that was even a little unsettling. Never before had one of the Haradrim came to Imladris, as he had said to her. There was sure to be an uproar from his people if he allowed her to stay here. Yet she seemed genuinely anxious to be allowed to stay here. Finally, he broke his silence and nodded.
“I have weighed over this situation, and I believe I have come to a conclusion,” he said. “Firyal of the house of Ciryaher, you are hereby permitted to stay here. You have asked for refuge here and I grant it, a choice which goes against any other judgment you might receive elsewhere. You have asked for lodgings and work. You shall be provided with a room, and I believe I could also provide you with a fitting vocation.” He paused. “I understand the Harad lands are quite barren. Therefore you might enjoy working in one of the gardens of Imladris.”
He took one more smooth step towards her, halting so that he towered above her in height. “This is all from kindness on my part and my trust in you. But if I discover that both my kindness and my trust are wrongly placed, then there the sympathy shall end.”
Lord Elrond turned, the hems of his grey robes sweeping the floor in a circle. “But there the matter will rest. I shall summon one of my people to have a care for your wellbeing. I have no doubt that the enormity of this gesture, my allowance for you to dwell here for the time-being, is not missed at all on you.” When he looked over his shoulder there was kindness in his eyes, despite the apparent severity of his words.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Firyal was stunned by the magnanimity and kindness of Lord Elrond, realising that the whole situation could have been much worse for her. She wondered why he allowed her to stay when, as he had said so himself, all his people would be against it. But she did not utter her question. The Harad woman understood very well that one chance had been given to her. Just one.

With her eyes cast at the floor she listened to the warning he gave her. She marvelled over how only his words, his features and attitude could enforce such respect even fear which the Chieftains in her lands could only obtain by threats and violence.

She fell on her knees once more and Firyal called out: "Please tell me how I am to repay your kindness and trust Milord? For I will not abuse it."

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.