Flames licked the lace of Velspeth's sleeve as she extended her arm over the tallow candle positioned by her calendar. An irritable wave of the arm resulted in the assault of the instrument and the smudging of the wet ink on the page as wax spilled over it's surface.
An eruption of laughter could be heard from the doorway where Deluros stood, clutching another set of papers.
'Quel undome, Velspeth', spoke the Elf between sitfled laughs, noting the unamused expression forming upon her face. ' It is late, yet you call for more calendars?'
A short nod was the resolute response to Deluros's question, with which Velspeth moved towards him, relieving him of the calendars.
'I'll be finished soon mellonamin, then you may take the room for your own studies.' With this, she ripped the page cleanly from it's gold-leaf bind, discarding it into the mouth of the hearth. 'I do not wish to continue with these writs any further should my own futility be the hinderence of it'. Standing with haste and some frustration, she collected as much as she could carry from the sea of papers before her and moved past Deluros.
Smiling, he gripped her arm, and motioned towards the long chair positioned before the fire. With a curious eye fixed upon him, she allowed herself to sit, placing the works beside her.
'Tula hama neva i'naur, tell me what troubles you' offered the Elf, looking down at Velspeth as she shuffled uncomfortably in the seat.
'It is nothing mellonamin, nothing but the sorrow felt by most of our Kin in these days' replied Velspeth. 'The sun sets on our days here, yet I feel little for the lands of this Middle Earth. I will make path to the West when I make travelling company'.
Deluros grinned mischeviously. 'Set away your calendars Lady, and follow me to the Ford'. He paused, taking a silver-lined cloak from it's resting place. 'Wear this, and observe that every sunset is replaced with the sunrise of a golden morn, and hope for the day is brighter than the last'.
Velspeth followed Deluros, almost silently, save a few intonations towards passing acquaintances in the halls. They reached the stables within minutes, where Deluros explained that they would ride at haste, to make sunrise at the Ford of Bruinen in time.
For what seemed little more than moments, they rode, the light wind animating her loose-fitted cloak and the rhythm of the horse-ride hypnotising her almost. Leaves rustled as they tore through tight rows of hill-trees and the moonlight illuminated Deluros's bright face as they passed into clearings on the hill-side.
Her dreaming was interrupted by a harsh command shouted by Deluros, as he reigned his steed. 'Tampa!' he proclaimed, silently slipping from his steed to the dew-soaked grass. The Sun was visible in the far distance and they had reached the Ford from the hill-side.
Velspeth followed him as he left the horses free to roam, unbinding his cloak and slipping off his soles.
'We shall be connected, as you might wish Velspeth' he laughed, watching her follow his actions, still silent. He began to rejoice, dancing along the hillside and spouting verse of song, predominantly welcoming the Sun and blessing the Valar in divine gratitude.
His celebration meant he did not realise as Velspeth disappeared into the wood, following the solitary song of bird. Slipping over wet rock and through mature foliage, she spotted the songstress. For a moment she admired the beautiful colours of the creature. Blue feathers crowned the birds back, spreading to a span of silver-feathered wing. Reaching forth to the bird, she sang an encouraging verse.
The bird flew from her, becoming lost in the orange sky quickly. Sighing, Velspeth dropped to the floor, dusting the rock beneath her and letting her bare feet explore the loose soil. The bird-song was resumed for a moment, before falling silent once more, and Velspeth noticed that another bird like before rested upon the rock nearby. This bird was frail and the song it had chirped moments before was to be it's last, as Velspeth felt it pass in her presence.
A sorrowful tear wet Velspeth's cheek. She lay beside the bird, her gown dirtying as it met the ground. She sang to the bird the same verse she had to the other, caressing it's tiny form as the Sun rose in the sky to bare a new day. She carried the bird to the hill-side where Deluros sat, next to a grave he had already dug for the bird. Velspeth inspected his dirtied nails, as she placed the bird into the hole.
'The bird will die in the morning Velspeth, so he may see hope for the others. He will remain to see the age renewed for his kin and to witness the remembrance of himself.' revelled Deluros as he covered the silver-feathered bird with the soil. 'Will you remain to see such renewal in these lands?'.
Velspeth picked a flower from a nearby bloom and placed it upon the grave of her silver-bird, smiling through her tears at Deluros, before picking her own silver-cloak from the dewed grass and setting forth to find her steed.
'There is hope in this morning Deluros, let us ride once more.' sang Velspeth.
