Whilst thee cry?

[Arwen]

Kalmyr had begun walking again, lips taking pause to ponder over the young woman’s question. Would it make her cry? He wasn’t sure. Well, to one that did not know, it was only a beauty, but something somber, through its beauty, to one that did.

“It may, he whispered as they stepped through the trees of the orchard, the quickest way through to the statue. “But it will be beautiful all the same… And perhaps you shan’t, perhaps you shall simply… understand. But I do not doubt for a moment that you could very well cry.”

The tone was not one to be taken wrongly. It was one that simply came from knowing the woman all to well in the past days, and one spoken truthfully from that knowledge of exactly how the girl seemed to be.

He did not want her to cry, by any means… He wanted her to simply examine the beauty of the thing, take it in, perhaps ponder Aricin’s past, but not cry—anything but cry. Then again, if Shieg wanted to cry, he supposed she could. After all, he was here, right? He could wipe those tears away, as her friend and companion, and as the one that had brought them upon her in the first place.

[Lazy Tiire]

"Well.. I shall have to try my best not cry to then!"

She said in a whisper, not daring to speak any louder should she squeek with exitment... or disdain. She wasnt sure she should see whatever it was, but she was sure that there was some great injustice that had gone on and was still going on. However... it may only still be going on in the minds of the people that had witnessed whatever it was.

Sheig was convinced that whatever had gone on should have ended when it ended, but for some reason... everyone was holding on to it. Like a cancer, she saw it. The person carrying the festering disease too scared or to.. something to let it be treated. And the people who knew... protecting their cancered friend. Watching the problem grow. Protecting it from those who dared pry to deep.

A cancer of the heart and mind both.

Sheig wrapped the fingers of both hands on Kalmyrs left forearm.

"I... I definately have to figure this out. I want to <i>know</i>...."

[Arwen]

"Hmm... There, m'dear," he murmered, pointing as they emerged from the trees of the orchards to see the statue, so lifelike in its size and beauty, and such a perfect epitomy of what Efion had been.

He remembered her--somewhat. It was only shortly after he returned that her tragedy had taken place. What he did remember was shown in the statue quite well enough...

"I believe-- I may be wrong, but I do believe it to be so--that Aricin might have been here. Something seems to have taken him of late... a regret, almost loathing. This may be his escape. His Efion..."

[Tiireness]

Tiire quietly shimmied up to the statue, reaching over the caress the hard, smooth surface of the statue.

"I have never seen such a work of... beauty before!"

She gasped. All concerns falling away to reveal a childs delight. One never would have thought this tender girl could have possibly controlled part of a war-hardened army.

After a moment her eager hands fell from the statue, and she murmured a quiet prayer. So quiet, that it seemed she wasnt speaking at all, merely moving her lips. It was impossible to tell what god she was praying to, or for what reason.

When finished, the dark skinned elf turned to Kalmyr, a tenderness in her eyes. One that showed many years of life in a single glance, and also... a calmness. Respect, even.

"She was his love, wasnt she? Efion you say. Beautiful name, for what I am sure was a beautiful soul. Whenever her time came..."

She turned back to touch the statues arm, smiling.

"Or for whatever reason, painless or tragic, I... well... Im sure she considered her life up to that point blessed. Who wouldent? I mean... with such a wonderful man in such a wonderful place with such amazing people.

I myself feel blessed, even if all I have caused is rukus and; and all I have done to help has hindered."

A childish grin slipped across her face, solumn look in her eyes replaced with a glitter. What she did next would have made a monk die of shock.

She grasped the statue round the waist in a great bear hug.

"If we had met, I am sure we would have been like sisters!"

[Tiireness]

((Gahk I wrote tiire instead of sheig O.O shows how out of it I am.... eheh. Sorry for the ridiculously long wait!! ))

[Arwen]

Whilst Shieg spoke, Kalmyr had taken notice of a small bunch of pale white blossoms at the foot of the statue, and after solemnly listening, was in the midst of bending down to touch the moonflowers when the woman clutched the statue about the waist in a hug. His eyes went wide, words half fallen from his lips, having been about to state the find and that indeed Aricin had been here, and to tell Shieg the story of Efion's demise. He quickly contained himself though--he had to, knowing Shieg as well as he did in the short time he had. Well. He might have coughed in amusement, but he could not bring himself to.

"These moonflowers," he managed after a moment, kneeling and touching the soft petals, "were Efion's symbol you might say. A very special something between the two--she loved them and he loved gifting her with what the things of her passion, especially the flowers. She... she died in childbirth. Shouldn't have, but she did. She was shot twice, though one of the arrows was meant for her son Erados. The arrows were poisoned, and meant to be the death of her son and the child she carried. But when she stepped in front of Erados to protect him, she took double the poison. She was weak and died soon after. It... it broke his heart. Erados blames himself to this day. Aricin knows better, of course--Efion was stubborn. She would have never let Erados be hurt, even if she knew it would break them both as much as it has. But would it be any better if Efion had lived and both children died? They were together for all of five years before she died. Five years of a lifetime that lasts on the eve of forever of happiness, and fifty of spite. Why? Who knows?"

[Tiireey]

((my computer wont let me log in O.O ))

"Ah. A brave, strong woman. I really would have liked to meet her. You know..."

She stepped back from the statue, lifting up one of the flowers and placing it behind the carved ear of the marble elf.

"Erados needs to forgive himself. By constantly greiving in the like you say he is, it seems almost as if Efions sacrefice was in vain. She died so that he may live... but... how can you truley live if you burden youself in the way he has?"

Pearls of wisdom from a woman that half the time resembled a child. Some things, perhaps, are better off not explained. She tucked her long silver hair behind her pointed ears. Hair that had taken hours and hours to unbraid, wash, and brush.

"Also, for somone so kind, gentle, and wise... It is very hard for me to see this being such a constant pain for Dearest Aricin. Perhaps it isnt. Something else must plauge his thoughts.

Perhaps it is me. I shouldent have been such a bother for him. I feel as If I have shattered a stain-glass window."

[Arwen]

"A love like that is difficult to let go of, Shieg. Something so pure... But who am I to speak? There has been no pure love in my life since birth, therefore... who am I to know what a pure love is between a man and a woman such as these two?" He sighed softly, and reached out, placing his hand under Shieg's and squeezing it gently as he gazed upon the carven icon.

"I assure you though, dear, it is none your fault any more than it is that of I, who rarely bespeaks the man. Though I must say that there is something else. Perhaps it is Erados that troubles him, though something draws spite and... regret into him, as if Aricin almost believes that he hath commited some fine crime, though I could fathom to guess not what. Perhaps we shall find out soon enough, if it be in his will. I pray his trip to Anoria will lessen that pain and he would come back a happier man."

[Sheig]

"Oh, never once did I think he should banish his love for her... I just think... She wouldent be happy; seeing him like this, that is. I know what it feels like to loose the one you love. My own situation helped me learn that we, as the living, should continue going on with our main purpose in life.
To live. Not just survive. Its hard, but.. If I had the strength to keep going, I am sure they do as well."

Sheig patted his arm lightly, before settling herself down beside the statue, dress pooling around her in a way alarmingly similar to that of the statues. Her bare left foot slipped into the stream, one arm supporting her seated position on the ground, the other gently slipping from Kalmyrs grasp to straighten her hair and eventually fall into her lap.

"I think I would like to stay here for a while, my dear friend. I adore your company, always, but you dont have to stay."

[Arwen]

"Is that a hint that you wish me leave or is it truly an offering of leaving me to mine own devices?" he asked softly, lifting a brow as he gazed at her. Truly, he was unsure of the answer to this question. The answer should have been obvious, considering Shieg's attitude towards everything living past and present, but he wished to know what truly the answer was. "And please be honest in that answer, Shieg. What is it that rests in the fathoms of this sweet mind of yours? And your heart? If any part of you wishes me leave, please tell me."

[tire]

"Truely Kalmyr, I meant the second of your suggestions. I do not wish you to leave, nor do I wish to keep you tethered by my side. I merely want to spend some time here... Ive had a very long night, even though it is not past the moons highest point."

She smiled dreamily across the moonlight waters, mindlessly putting one of the flowers in her own hair. One would have expected the with flower to blend in with her moonlight-silver hair... but on the contrary, (although it fit in quite beautifully) the little blossom stood out, plainly seen.

"I thought you might have wanted to re-join the party..."

[Arwen]

"I care not for the parties anymore," he remarked softly, shaking his head as he sat slowly beside her, tilting his head back to glance up at the starry sky, and pondering over the points of the conversation and the night in general. "I care not for any dinners or celebrations, or any merrimaking ways of these overly cheerful people. There is enough happiness here to share with the world, yet with the world it is not shared. The world is welcome, but somehow locked out at the same time. Don't you see it, Shieg? There is nothing in the world and there is everything here, it seems, and yet for me... For me there is no longer anything here. Surrounded by pain where some are completely oblivious to it. I long for something more and at the same time I wish to remain here."

He sighed softly, reaching up with a tender hand to move the flower minutely in her silvern hair, adjusting its bloom to the full light of the moon above. "Dear Shieg... You're a wise lass, of course, wiser than most here... Surely you do understand." He shook his head again. "And yet, if I do not quite understand myself, how would it be that you do? I've lost us both, haven't I? I know I've lost myself."

[Sheiig]

"Youve live here your whole life, almost. And this place... it seems you are tired of its nobility. I mean, that basically means... erm... These elves... or at least, you think they do, they invite everyone in to join them, but then judge them when they see them.

Or... maybe... You are just looking for something that youve seen people here have, but you yourself cant find in this very place, making it seem as if this thing is not... an option to you. Or... I dont know. Im sorry, I think I understand what you mean but... I dont know."

The dark skinned elf-girl looked at the statue a moment, and then mimiked its expression to Kalmyr... failing miserably and ending up looking like she had just inhaled chilly powder. Not to be daunted, Sheig cracked a smile, grasping a random object from the bed of rocks below the flowing eddies of the stream.

Absently she lifted up whatever it was and started fiddling with it.

(I dunno... a rock or summit 0.0 could be interesting, could be useless, I havent decided. XD I hate those characters that randomly find these amazing things by 'accident' but... you know. probably just a rock...)

[Arwen]

"I truly do not know, Shieg. And--they do not judge people easily, that is not the issue. Not at all. Maybe I am looking for something though. But it's something that I will never find, no matter where I go. But... I can not spill my heart to you no more than I could slice yours open, you see? Whether it be by my will or not, I could not tell you everything that resides within my breast, and my entire being.

"Some things that are wanted can never be had, I suppose--well, no... I know. There are few things that a man or woman can want--truly want. And most of those cannot be had."

[yargartiire]

"It may sound strange but... maybe you should stop worrying about it. Occupy your mind in something else... do something time consuming. Kinda like what Aricin needs to do, except its a different situation... dont move on, just move up."

She yawned softly and leaned over, resting her head on the statue Efions lap. Her burnashed gold eyes stared at the shimmering waters with a flicker of tired childish delight, little river-object clasped in the fingers of her left hand.

"I think I will stay here this night. I do so love the beds but... I am more used to the outdoors. So many natural things... you know... I..."

she let out a soft yawn,

"Love.... Love."

Without any more (coherant) words, Sheig fell asleep; quite happy to be right here on the grass, by the stream, her head resting on the lap of a carved woman of whose living self she had never met, but already held great respect for.