The Amulet of Silmarillion

Tom Bombadil · 08-01-2002, 08:36 PM

Tom Bombadil rode on his pony past the gate of Bree, & waved to the old gate keeper. "I'm expecting some friends to meet me at the inn tonight. Have they come this way yet?"

"No, Tom, not yet," replied the gate keeper, "But I'll know where to be sending them when they do."

Tom thanked him, and rode on to the Prancing Pony. He sang a little tune as he approached the inn.

"Hop along, my little friends, up the Withywindle!
Tom's going on ahead candles for to kindle.
Down west sinks the Sun: soon you will be groping.
When the night-shadows fall, then the door will open,
Out of the window-panes light will twinkle yellow.
Fear no alder black! Heed no hoary willow!
Fear neither root nor bough! Tom goes on before you!
Hey now! merry dol! We'll be waiting for you!"

Nob took Tom's pony to the stables, when he reached the Prancing Pony, & Barliman Butterbur greeted him at the door, "Well now, if it isn't Tom Bombadil! It's been a long time since you've visited us here in Bree. I trust that you & Goldberry are in good health. Let me show you to a table. Will you be staying the night, or just dropping in for dinner & a drink?" He took Tom heartily by the arm, & led him inside, "We've a fair number of customers tonight : Elves & Dwarves from far off places, plus many of my regular customers, too. I'm really busy attending to everyone, two legs can only carry a man so fast, you know, but I'll see that Nob attends to all of your needs." He sat Tom down at a table in the corner which held a good view of the entire room, "And if you've a mind for it, we'd all enjoy hearing you sing. Barliman rushed off then, before Tom could tell him about the guests he was expecting, & began mixing in with the crowd.

Mirendabeth · 08-02-2002, 12:35 AM

As Tom Bombadil retreated to the corner of the inn, he took notice of a rather unusual figure seemingly flow through the door. It appeared to his eyes at first to be a young girl, but as he gazed at her more, her eyes held the light of a woman. She was not so tall, but not so short either, with a very graceful body that literally glided as if she had wings. The figure stood at the desk in the front of the inn, quite unsure of herself; she looked around with curious eyes to this room full of mostly rugged mountain men, not a woman in sight.

"Excuse me, sir," she addressed Barliman Butterbur as he scurried up to the desk to assist her, "but do you happen to have any rooms available," she paused " in a less populated setting?"

"Well, well dear dear," he responded tenderly, " Of course we do; and especially for such a beautiful elf as yourself."

With that comment Tom Bombadil noticed a fierce blaze come into the girl's eyes. It seemed she resented that statement with the entirty of her being. He could see the malice take over her body, then suddenly subside. She took her tiny rosepetal hand and laid it upon Butterbur's coarse one and calmly said, " I am quite sorry. I am not an Elf, nor would i wish to see one. Please make sure no one disturbs me in my room; I much want to be alone."

"Of course, of course. I'll show you to our quietest quarters most fit for a dazzling female such as yourself," he said, and led her towards Bombadil.

As she passed by a lucious scent crept into Bombadil's nose. It was like a combination of fresh rain and blooming roses; he had never once smelled anything like it, not even on Goldberry, who he now realized he was beginning to miss very much. As he looked up at this fairie-like female, he saw her face in full. It was shaped like budding rose with long, flowing waves of sand colored hair and angel almond, sea green eyes which immediately reminded him of the beaches in which he swam with the dolphins. Her full lips the color of sweet dew upon morning strawberries revealing an achingly beautiful smile. This mysterious female's body was cloaked in deep brown silk woven cloak that hugged her body.

The moment he got a full view of her, Bombadil immediately recognized her race, the culture of the Earth Children. They were on Middle Earth long before any elves, hobbits, or humans, and long before Tom Bombadil. He was amazed at seeing one, and so young, or appearing so young at any rate.

This ancient race was supposedly the first of Middle Earth and existed long before the rule of any king. They were a very peaceful, fruitful people who lived off of the earth in such harmony, that anything close to their peace could only be dreamed of by the present inhabitants of Middle Earth, save for maybe Hobbits.

There they lived, hardly aware of what was going on in the world around them, they were bound to the earth with a rugged beauty of nature about them. You could always tell them by the stars in their eyes and their achingly beautiful, yet sorrowful aura. Their tale is a long, mournful one Bombadil wasn't to go over just yet.

Immediately her gaze turned away as she realized this stranger knew her secret. A wretched secret she longed for only her heart to know. Shame filled her being and she felt herself turn blood red in her face and was glad to be away from this noise, these men, these dirty creatures who, if they only knew...

She had a strong heart and will to survive, which she would do, if only she would be able to find the key to what her soul needed with a dangerous yearning.

Tom Bombadil · 08-02-2002, 01:20 AM

Tom pondered long after the Earth Child woman. He wondered what had brought her here, & if she needed his assistance. He remembered from times long ago, that he had a debt to repay...

úliel · 08-02-2002, 01:28 AM

A lone traveler on a horse approached the gate to Bree. The rider dismounted in one fluid movement and knocked. After a moment the gate keeper appeared and slid open the peephole.

"Whats yer business?" He asked.

The strange rider replied in a deep husky voice that was very melodious to the old man's ear. "I have business at the Prancing Pony."

"And so does every strange traveler who has come this night..." He muttered. He peered at the stranger harder, trying to discern an identity, even a gender, though he was fairly certain it was a female, for the voice was too beautiful to belong to a man, and no man would wear that type of cloak. The cloak was made of silk, and he couldn't discern the color. He guessed blue or gray or black, but it was hard to tell for the moon had not yet risen and everything was hidden in nights shadow. She was tall. Maybe an elf? Sighing, he opened the gate and allowed her in. Once she got into the torch light he could see the cloak was a silvery gray blue. The color reminded him of rain. The cowl was deep and he could see nothing of her face save the mouth and chin. The rest of her body was shrouded in the silken material, except for the golden white hand which held the reins of her horse.

She turned to him. "I thank you, gate keeper." Her lips curved in a smile, and the mysterious woman pressed a coin into his hand. He grinned and gave a jaunty wave as she set out into the dark city, leading her horse.

She arrived at the Inn with no trouble, and handed over her horse to the man who waited for customers to do just that. He took a look at her beast and whistled.

"A fine horse ye have there, milady."

"Why thank you, good sir. Her name is Uryale, I hope you would take good care of her," she replied, sure the man would.

"Of course. That name... Elvish, right?" He asked.

"Yes, it means burning one."

"I can see why," the man said and led the horse away. The woman smiled, she loved that horse. She had been very lucky to get it because it was quite a unique color. Uryale was a deep flame red color with orangish dapples and a black mane and tail. Fire to my water, the woman thought to herself.

She entered the Inn and was greeted by a very hassled looking Barliman Butterbur, but when he took in the color of the cloak and got a look inside the cowl he was suddenly very happy.

"Lady Úliel! It's been a long time since you've come around these parts!"

Her full lips curved into a smile that many would call sensuous. "Barliman, you know I would have come sooner, but I was detained."

"Detained!" He cried with a laugh. "Indeed, detained for ten years!"

"Ten years is but a day to my kind." She said.

"Of course, of course. You elves, all the same. Your usual room is still empty, though we've had many come through lately," he said, leading her to the back stairs. "I guess I had an inkling you were coming!"

"You always do," she replied, still smiling. "Barliman, I think I will sit out here for a bit. Could you perhaps have someone make sure my room is in order and that the saddlebags are there and safe? All I want right now is to sit and maybe some of that gods awful ale you have here!"

He looked at her and made a tsking sound. "Ale is not for elvish Ladies such as yourself. I will bring you some wine."

"No, Barliman," she said with a laugh. "Even the wine you serve here is not fit for a lady, or a horse for that matter! I would enjoy a cup of water however." Their bantering bespoke of many years of friendship and an old familiarity and the lady's iciness began to drop from her. She was still graceful and aloof to the rest of the room, but Barliman was like an old uncle to her.

"You will not get a cup of anything if you continue to insult my Inn! Someone might overhear!" He said tapping his nose. "Bad for business."

"Of course," the lady replied and seated herself at the table in the corner Barliman had led her to. He bustled away and she sat back to watch the people in the room, being careful to keep cloak closed about her body, the cowl hiding her face in shadow.

Eylsa · 08-02-2002, 01:48 AM

Eylsa looked back in disbelief. The gate keeper had let the graceful elf come in with hardly a second thought.

"All that trouble for nothing." She commented quietly to herself, remembering how the scruffy man argued passionately against her entering. Trouble and ruffled tempers would have been spared if she had only simply mentioned Tom Bombadil at the beggining. Which had, indeed, granted her her immediate entrance.

She shook her head in humurous disbelief and slowly made her way towards the Prancing Pony, taking her time to enjoy the last of the rose light of the setting sun.

The Prancing Pony was a most welcoming sight after such a long journey. Eylsa was excited yet impatient to find her old friend Tom and his supposed important news. Wondering what he had for her for so long had left her testy and moody. Not only that but the sooner their reunion ended, the sooner she would be that much closer to finding a hot bath. She could just feel the grim that always seemed to work its way to her skin, even despite the tough black riding gear she always wore.

The warm room had visitors of every kind, it would be hard to pick just any person out of the crowded room, but not Tom. She smiled reflecting on the familiar sight just to catch his lingering stare.

Frowning at why he would look so remorseful, she turned her head to where he was looking, understanding right enough the solomn expression Tom wore. She frowned slightly at that other familiar sight, after all, who could miss the presence of a Earth Child? An especially important Child at that.

She returned her sobered gaze to Tom finding his own meeting hers, he grinned merrily and the joyful glint returned to his eyes. Smiling, she made her way over towards his table, hoping for the best of news.

Mirendabeth · 08-02-2002, 02:31 AM

After she was in the safe retreat of her room, Mirendabeth would not allow herself to sleep, not just yet. Her whole mind swam with present, past and future.

She turned to the moonlit window and gazed out to the east yearningly; far into the endless sea of stars which decorated the sky, the same sky of her home. Her attention was turned to the window of The Prancing Pony's main room, which now, even at this early morning hour, was quite bustling with men of all walks. The window was far enough away, facing directly west, some few thousand yards from her room. She remembered being led down a lengthy corridor, but paid no attention to where the innkeeper took her because she would be able to sense where she was and how to get back anyway, as a result of her earthen instincts.
The hall she passed through had been rectangular resulting in her window facing the main room of the inn.

As her eyes bore into the main room, two things caught her : one, a lone man sitting in the corner table at the very edge of the window. He seemed very intent on what was going on and she realized he had been the one who had noticed who she was. two, a gorgeous figure seated on a stool at the bar talking jovially to the innkeeper. she hadn't taken note of his name, names weren't important to her. souls, souls were what she cared about.

But those two figures in the room haunted her mind. Her finger traced the iciness of the windowpane slowly, as if she was creating the intricate frost herself. The woman was an elf definitely; she knew of no other creature who moved so gracefully like that. No other. And the eyes also hooked her, the way they danced through the room from one man to another.

Then it struck her, she went dumb, her entire body frozen in it's place. Those eyes! His eyes! The eyes of despair themselves.

úliel · 08-02-2002, 03:41 AM

Úliel was now sitting on a stool at the bar occasionally passing a comment with Barliman. If anyone had been sitting near her at that moment who was intelligent and sober they would have noted the elven lady's wry sense of humor and keen observation. The familiar banter that passed between her and Barliman made her seem much more approachable than the normal aloof elf, yet it took nothing away from the natural grace that over flowed from her. Most would be surprised she even deigned to sit at a bar with the dirty grubby men around her, laughing raucously, but those who knew her also knew that she was not at all afraid to get a little dirt on her, nor did she consider herself above anyone or anything.

The Elven Lady sat with her back to the bar. She watched the room and drank her water and talked to Barliman when he wasn't busy serving the customers sitting at the tables. She had not wanted to take the hood off for she did not want to be recognized. She finally gave in when she realized she'd be recognized by her cloak anyway. The color and quality of the cloak was totally unique to her, Úliel, the Princess of Mirkwood.

The cloak was not the only thing some people would recognize. The lady's strange looks were very unique also. Her hair was straight and hung down past her shoulder blades like most elves, but the color was different. It was completely silver, but not the type of silver that comes with old age. In fact, old is the last thing you'd think when looking at the beautiful elf. It was a molten silver, a very gorgeous color, and half way down the length of her hair the silver faded into a creamy yellow/blond/white color as if the hair had been dipped in moonlight. Her eyes were a piercing blue gray color. The color of rain. Everything about her was rain like, and most thought her parents had a mirror like Galadriel's that told the future for they had named her the Sindarin word meaning 'having rained'.

If Úliel was rain, then her twin brother was the sunshine that departed before the rain clouds, and always came back afterwards. His hair was blond and his eyes were much the same as his sisters only her's were more gray. He was a master of the bow and a deft wielder of elven knives. Úliel missed him dearly, for he was her other half; they had shared a womb and connection that would last all their lives. He had even taught her to be a master of the same weapons he was...

The princess' face was one to rival that of the Evenstar and the Lady of the Wood themselves. Her lips were full and red, and her eyes were framed by long black lashes and her eyebrows were arched perfectly. Her nose was straight and she had high cheekbones. She was clad in a loose white blouse, blue-gray riding breeches, her cloak, and black boots that protected her calves when she rode. She had knives hidden in her boots and up her sleeves. There was also one hidden at the small of her back. She knew from past experiences that you could never carry too many knives.

She was about to get up to go to her room for the night when suddenly a woman appeared in the door to the bar room. Earth child, she thought. Suddenly her stay at Barlimans seemed more interesting. She relaxed against the bar and waited to see what the earth child would do.

Qlippoth · 08-02-2002, 11:06 AM

Out of the west in the darkness of early evening, two dragons glided silently & touched down in the courtyard in front of the Prancing Pony. Their riders dismounted & removed their gear.

"That was a long flight from our continent in the West, to this place you call Middle Earth. Mahakala & I will need some time to rest, & to do some hunting in that forest we just passed over. If you have need of us, you need only mindsend, & we will come, but please stay out of trouble. We want time to explore this part of the world on our own for awhile."

With that the dragons took off for the Withywindle...

Sepheroth_Daath · 08-02-2002, 01:23 PM

Sepheroth Daath, & Semaj the Sorceror entered the inn, and straightaway spied Tom Bombadil over in the corner. Barliman Butterbur hurried over to greet his new guests.

"We're with him," said Daath, pointing out Tom Bombadil. "We'll have some of your ale, then a meal, & rooms for the night."

Something told Barliman that these might be very dangerous men, if angered, so he merely said, "Yes, sir!", and went to fetch their ale & see that they had accomodations ready.

The room quieted as they strode over to the corner table. Their auras were charged with palpable magic, and a potential menace. Tom rose to greet them, & the room went silent. Even Úliel had a look of concern on her face, she was thinking back to a far time, certain that she had once known one of these strangers.

"Tom, you old scoundrel! How long has it been? 200, 300 years?", Daath seized him in an embrace, & laughed. They hugged for a long moment & the room relaxed. "I want you to meet my friend, Semaj, the Sorceror."

Semaj the Sorceror · 08-02-2002, 01:57 PM

Semaj bowed politely to Tom Bombadil, "Daath has told me much about you, & spoken well." He took a seat at the table, with a view of the room. "You know why we are here, do you not?"

His gaze fell upon the elf seated over at the bar. "I see that others here may know of our quest, and I sense the presence of another nearby... One of the Earth Children is staying at this inn." He gave Tom a piercing look. "Well, thank you, Tom Bombadil. I see that you have not spoken of this to anyone, who need not know." He glanced at Eylsa, " Please excuse me for being abrupt, but I must speak with that elf. Úliel, is her name, if I remember correctly.

He rose & approached the bar.

Sepheroth_Daath · 08-02-2002, 02:17 PM

Daath sat down at the table, and looked at Eylsa, "You'll have to excuse my friend, Semaj. He gets very intense, when he is on a mission. You appear to be no ordinary woman. Pray tell, & what is your name, miss?"

Eylsa · 08-02-2002, 02:43 PM

"I guess these are the other two friends Tom said we should wait for before things will be explained." She thought, absently playing with a dark tendrel of hair.

She watched them make their greetings and tried to blend into the shadows as much as she could, which wasn't that difficult. One left towards the elegant elf she first saw when she first came to this town, and the other turned towards her asking her name. A little taken back that he noticed her, (like anyone had until then), she quickly answered.

"I am known as Eylsa," she replied to the tall man. He reminded her of her older brother, (wherever he might be), except a little cleaner, & better dressed. She grinned at that.

Eylsa dropped her smile when she noticed someone over his shoulder, the Earth Child had already entered the room.

"I think an explanation is in order." She looked at the man named Daath, then to Tom. Then after a pause added, "Preferably now."

Mirendabeth · 08-02-2002, 03:37 PM

Although slipping softly into the room, Mirendabeth's entrance did not go unnoticed by those aware of her presence at the inn. As she stole into the crowded bar her senses immediately heightened to the four foreign auras surrounding her, seemingly waiting for her.

She realized they were going to be looking for her, asking her questions, pretending not to know where she came from. She felt their tension pulse inside of her, her tiny hands and arms becoming hot coals. She kept her cloak close and glided over to the fire, capturing the blaze of the flames with her heart. If they only knew how her heart burned for one soul to engulf her own as it had once done. "Couldn't they understand?" she thought fiercely her eyes coming alive with that same malice as she had in being mistaken for an elf. There was only a handful of elves who were not too haughty towards her kind.

As she stood over the glowing fire she could see the willowy figure seated at the bar with her eyes rigidly upon Mirendabeth. She appeared to be sifting through her mind, trying to see what she would do next, how she would react to the situation. With this, she also noticed the small man in the corner seated with what appeared to be a ranger, those type knew her and her people all too well, and two sorcerers. They were unfamiliar to the earth child, but she sharply felt their knowledge of who she was.

"What do you think is going through the child's mind, dear friend?" Daath asked Bombadil.

"It is obvious she is aware of us so we must not linger, and also afraid. Can you not see the fear in her eyes?" he replied, unaware that both Mirendabeth and Uliel distinctly heard what passed between the two men.

Semaj the Sorceror · 08-02-2002, 04:02 PM

From across the room, where he was standing only three feet away from Úliel at the bar, Semaj spead his hands to his sides, palms open in a welcoming gesture. He spoke not with words outloud, but directly into Mirendabeth's mind.

~I think we ought to talk. Please join us at Tom Bombadil's table. I believe we can come to an arrangement that will be fair to all~

Mirendabeth · 08-02-2002, 04:02 PM

"Ah! My dear child," thought Uliel. "Do not think your presence has gone unnoticed by those with a mission in this room." She leaned back upon her stool and cooly sipping her drink inquired of her old friend,

"Dear Butterbur, do you happen to know the girl by the fire? "

"Well," his voice lowerd to a whisper," I believe those gentlemen over there seem to be quite interested in her. Personally, I haven't a clue. She has been quiet and keeping to herself."

"Hmm..." the elf replied thoughtfully, " She hasn't mentioned anything about elves at all has she?"

"Come to think of it...........I had mistaken her for one, being her appearing to have that certain elven beauty about her, and she got quite maddened at my blunder and requested to be left alone."

Uliel let out a small laugh, " Sounds right." Though gazing more and more at this Earth Child, this long ancient race almost now extinct because of the fault of one, and her mood became more morose as her brother came again into her mind. Her hand slipped to the knife well hidden against her breast," Just in case," she whipsered to herself.

"Damn her eyes! Damn the elf's eyes!" They reminded Mirendabeth of all that she had lost so long ago and realized now that she could not live without. Her soul would almost surely wither and die. Her hand crept to the chain aorund her neck, and the beautiful soft stone set masterfully upon it. "I won't lose you again, love. I promise."

At once Mirendabeth realized she had to get back to her quarters and make a hasty retreat, this inn was not as safe as she had thought.