Twenty-Seventh Bond - The Love Between Two Sisters

Daerundros stared off into the water absent-mindedly, rather unnerved. She did not notice the person in the trees above her much, being far too embossed in her own business to pay attention. The Well of Life, the Hardest Rock on Arda, and the Brighest Light in the World... what were they?
Minyelaírë had given Daerundros three riddles two days ago, stating that, if she had gotten all of them right, she would become a full-Vaydja. Up until now Daerundros had been focused on the answer to the Well of Life... it was something which gave life to others.. so surely it musn't be an object, but an answer? She was getting closer to the answer each moment, and was so immersed in finding out, that she did not notice the cat-like person upon the trees.
There Minyelaire sat, cloaked in dim shadows upon one of the trees. The metallic climbing claws on her wrists, enabled the Kinn-Lai to climb in a quick and formaidable pace, taking hold in the bark. She crouched and then took a long leap, landing onto another tree's branch making almost no sound, but the short whistling of leaves was as if a bird would have left the thick twigs and leafy crowns of the trees. She was well protected from sight, looking down on Lin Giliath, not being bothered to enter it. Daerundros's well trained ears, however overheard the sound, and she looked up and gasped, seeing Minyelaírë on the tree.
'What art thee doing up there?!' Daerundros yelled, concerned. She eyed Minyelaírë warily.
Minyelaire looked down at Daerundros from the branch. As she moved the twigs and leaves aside, her green coppered climbing hooks catch the light of the sun and reflect it like a small mirror.
'Naught but looking.' Minyelaírë shouted back at Daerundros.
'Still angry?'
'I could throw stones on them from up here.' Minyelaírë looked rather angry saying this.
Daerundros looked up at Minyelaírë with concern in her eyes, eyeing the climbing tool especially, 'It may not be the best idea, Loteriel.'
Minyelaire shifted a little and takes another mighty leap, taking hold unto a branch that bends dangeriously. With the swing she got from the jump she hurled herself up, rolls mid-air, several metres over the ground and lands safely on the branch. She smiles.
'Now come down please, and tell me what worries you. I may be able to help!' Daerundros yelled after her
'Why should I?," Minyelaírë scoffed, "I have no desire to walk ''the land of the eldar'', where the ''rules of the eldar'' apply and only the ''pride of the eldar'' is important.' Minyelaire almost spit out the word 'Eldar' everytime she said it, and Daerundros sighed.
'I can tell you why they were offended, though.' Daerundros shouted back, 'I know you did not understand why you upset them!'
Daerundros chuckled as she heard Minyelaírë's next words, "'I do not care for it anymore! They are backstabbers, all together. In combat they need me, to risk my life for others they want. But what is my reward? Ill words and odd looks! I am no token that can be placed and thrown away at will.'
Daerundros shook her head, mournful, 'Do unto others what you want others to do unto you! If you wish to be respected and like you must respect them in turn!'
You shout, 'You must show them that you acknowledge their rules and their customs, and they shall acknowledge yours!'
Daerundros took a deep breath and continued, 'Only in that way shall you earn sympathy from others!'
Minyelaire turned and started to climb up higher unto the tree. The blade of the climbing instrument takes easily hold in the bark and one might be surprised what strength this slender elf has. In a few seconds she had almost reached the top and sits unto a last strong branch. Daerundros looked rather amazed, but in her mind she was more interested in the climbing tools. Instead of changing the subject, she yelled,
'Look at me! I treated you with respect and politeness, and I received the same from you!' She took another deep breath, 'If I had not thou wouldst have wounded me!'
Daerundros found it odd that she was speaking more and more like an ancient Elf, but she knew that it was probably due to speaking to Minyelaírë a lot.
'I did! I did all that in the time thou werest not here! I lead a party to Dol Dinen and none of the eldar fell on this day. But victory was ours. I took many risks for myself on the many times I scouted for THEM!' Minyelaírë shouted at Daerundros, 'I respected them, I ignored assaults on my honour and I was friendly despite the lack of respect. But they are the ones who defy me, even if I have good intentions!'
"You did not upset all of them!' Daerundros was baffled at the amount of stubborness Minyelaírë had. She took hold of a low-standing branch and hoisted herself up, 'You cannot please everyone Minyelaírë. Some are bound to dislike you!'
Minyelaire shouted back in an aggressive way, which surprised Daerundros, 'I care little for it! The Eldar are as my people say: Blinded by their pride and belief in being something better. But I tell thee, They are not!'
'I have met numerous people who hate me, but did I complain and try to earn their acceptance relentlessly?" Daerundros tried to reason with Minyelaírë, but she knew Minyelaírë was far too Nihilistic to listen to her, "No! I accepted the fact that they did not like me!' She climbed higher up the tree, reaching some 3 meters above the ground.
Minyelaire had seen Daerundros climbing up the tree. The Avar frowned and made a high jump unto the next tree. She grasped the branch and it broke, letting her fall a little distance unto a middle-high branch. With quick movements she climb up with the metallic claws, reaching again easily the top of the tree.
'I ignored them and went on!' Daerundros had just hoisted herself up a branch as she sees Minyelaírë fall, and she gasped, but sighed in relief as she saw her unscathed.
'Thou understandst not! I do not want them to like me!" Minyelaírë yelled, truly angry, "I do not care for it. But I will not have myself being told that I am a lesser being! I have led them to victory and I deserve respect.'
Daerundros felt dejected and her eyes filled with tears: How could her sister say something like that to her? "I understand not?! What are you saying?!'
'I say that I do not need the appreciation of them. But neither will have myself been insulted!'
'Then if you do not wish to be insulted, respect their wishes and their desires!'
'Hast thou not been listening?! I did exactly that!'
'If you discard their feelings and choose your own desires, they shall mock you!'
'You did not respect all of their wishes! You insisted on staring at a patient while Nimlith had told you to stop doing it, you continued!'
Daerundros climbed higher and higher unto the tree, her tears pouring from her tears. She was dejected and hurt that her sister could say such words to her. Minyelaire frowned down at Daerundros and remained silent her words, thinking her to be of the same opinion as the others. The Kinn-Lai turned and hurled and jumped herself over the branches and trees until she was out of sight. At the same moment, there was a loud "crack" and Daerundros' branch broke, sending her plunging down to the ground on her back. She screamed as she hit the ground with a dull thud, moaning weakly for Minyelaírë
Minyelaire heard the scream and turned around. She had seen the falling Daerundros but does not return as she she sees that the fall is not long. With a far jump she had set over the branches until she was several hundred yards away from Lin Giliath and had finally climbed down. Daerundros followed, mildly shaken by the impact. She had some bruises but was otherwise all right, nearly collapsing from effort to run 'MINYELAÍRË!'
There she was, standing on the edge of the stream, not regarding Daerundros in any way.  'M-minyelaírë...' Daerundros pleaded, 'P-please....'
Minyelaire looked sideways at Daerundros, her eyes hard and merciless. She did not come to the aid of her sister and just let her stay there. Daerundros could feel the wetness in her cheeks but did not care;
'P-please come back... We do not wish for you to go so easily. P-please, Loteriel. Not all hate you...'
Minyelaire remained with her silent gaze unto the Noldo-maiden. She saw the tears, the heavy eyes and the panting... but she remained still.
Daerundros, still shaken and weak from the fall, pondered and remembered how hard her life was when her Mother did not say goodbye and left without her. She did not wish to experience that terrible memory again, and she had almost lost her will to live--
Daerundros's eyes snapped up in realization as she had realized what the Well of Life was, and she immediately gazed up at Minyelaírë with steady and fierce eyes.
'Will.' She stated simply, 'My will to live... I-it weakens without you...'
Daerundros took a deep breath and continued with her answer, 'The Well of Life... is the Will to Live.'
'Please remember Loteriel, I love you dearly.' She added, still weak from the fall.
Minyelaire looked down on Daerundros, and quite suddenly, she grabbed the Noldo by the arm and with a quick pull she set her standing again. Daerundros did not react, but her face looked long and steadily at Minyelaírë, who then said, 'Leave me and my problems with the Eldar be. I know thou meanst good, but there is little good to achieve with me. There are other ways to show me thy love. Proof for it I need not though. And do not cry! Thou art one of the Vaydja not a whinning Elda-child'
Daerundros looked at Minyelaírë for another split second, relieved and pleased that she had calmed Minyelaírë down, and suddenly, in a very quick way, embraced her in a crushing hug. Minyelaire patted Daerundros' back, aswering the hug carefully.
'I am sorry that I cannot tend to your problems, Khalisah, but... we are not yet done with this war.' Daerundros said, steadying herself, 'And what is started must be finished. Of course, if you will not go, I shall not insist.'
Minyelaire looked rather surprised, 'Khalisah?... Thou callst me my name that I wear among men. No, my dearest friend, my exile is over, I am once again Minyelaírë Eru'Narleis and only Minyelaírë Eru'Narleis.'
'Minyelaírë Khalisah Shiannaféya Loteriel Eru'Narleis...'
'No... only Minyelaírë.'
You say, 'Minyelaírë and Latala...jah...'
With these words Daerundros slumped and fell unconscious. However, her expression was a smile, no longer agitated.
Minyelaire held Daerundros' for a moment, before she tried to wake her with sharp but light slaps on her cheek. The Method was successful, as Daerundros wakes up sharply and shakes her head idly, rather unnerved, 'Ungh.... I... must... learn... how to climb trees... quicker..'
Minyelaire chuckled, 'First of all thou hast to learn to climb.'
'Must... look... like a weakling.. in your eyes.' Daerundros hung her head in shame, feeling small as she realized how weak she was. Shame turned to sorrow and sorrow turned to anger, before she finally came back to her senses.
'Thou art not quite the Vaydja yet, no... but that does not mean thou couldst not become one'
Daerundros gave a shaky laugh, 'At least... the first riddle... done.'

 ((OOC: A glance into Daerundros' vulnerable side. She gets soft very rarely though :P))