A lovely space, part room, part alcove, off of the Way of Olvar. The heady fragrance of the white blossoms still reaches in here to twine about your senses, and part of the underground stream babbles by, matching and complementing the lilting songs of the elves all around you. This alcove is quite large, the eaves of the ceiling rising high above you creating a perfect sound barrier for the music that wells up here, the entire room is done in a rare, rich teakwood. Comfortable benches set here and there and big soft cushions in various shades of green are strewn about casually. There is no formal stage, the area simply has an air of a relaxing place to enjoy the beauty of music and song.
You may 'read walls' here.
Contents:
Fearandir
Raikan
Atalante
Elfin Minstrel
Obvious exits:
Arch
Several long wooden tables have been moved into the Hall of Song for this event. One is laden with delicacies from across the realm, and it seems to almost never diminish, thanks to the serving staff which is constantly replenishing it from the kitchen. The other table, across the hall, similarly never grows empty, though this one is stocked with a pleniful selection of wines from the great cellars beneath the Hill. Along the wall, torches burn in their places, their light filling the area, even on this darkest day of the year.
Raikan walks into the Hall of Song and is impressed at the cheerfullness of the setting and starts to relax by going over to the wine table and picking up a nice red wine.
As Eilialhenel slips quietly into the room, the droplets of rain beaded on her dark woollen cloak trap the flickering firelight that warms the room and return it, greatly augmented, glimmering as a myriad of stars set upon a clear, midwinter sky.
Her eyes flick about the room, settling upon a small group of erynedhrim who recline upon cushions in one corner, accompanied naturally by a flagon of wine and a great deal of merry laughter. It is to her kinsfolk that she makes her way, stopping only to pick up a small pastry top-heavy with pale yellow cream.
Angoldur comes through the stone arch.
Angoldur has arrived.
From the way of Olvar, Angoldur arrives with his viol strapped to his back, he walks in, stops and looks around, and smiles to those he knows, and looks acknowledgingly at those he does not.
A cloaked figure walks through the doorway, and into the hall. The grey hood is pulled back, and ebony hair flows down his back. Fair and well defined features are lit by the warm glow of the torches, and Fearandir smiles brightly as he makes his way across the room. The Randir is apparently heading towards the wine table.
Standing by the wine table, Raikan steps out of the way to allow Fearandir access to the table. "Mae Govannen Fearandir, I hope you have been well since I've been gone."
Atalante sits on one of the couches scattered throughout the hall. He glances around the hall, waving and calling out greetings to those he sees. He holds a selection from the wine table in one hand, a small hunk of cheese in the other. He sits, enjoying the fruits of the realm, and watching the crowd mill around.
As she settles easily down on a cushion, a wood-elf claps Eilialhenel familiarly on the back, and eyes a-sparkle leans towards the rest of the group and says something lost to the general din in the room. He clearly relishes the words he speaks, though, and the delight shown by the rest of the group is obvious as he tells his tale, embellished by gestures that consist primarily of his holding his hands palms up.
A bit of color creeps into Eililahenel's cheeks, and she obviously feigns denial of some charge as she puts a hand to her chest and an expression of astonishment and protest takes over her features, but all the same, she shows no less amusement at the recounter's words than any other of her clansfolk.
Walking over to a couch in the Hall, Raikan seats himself comfortably down and sips his wine lightly while observing the feasting happening.
Fearandir gets a goblet from the table, and fills it with red wine, raising it up on the light. The glass glitters softly, and the swirling liquid is soon flowing through the Silvan's lips and down his throat. With a smile of satisfaction, the Imladhrim looks up to Raikan and nods, "Greetings, mellon. A nice feast, don't you think?" he grins, and is soon walking further into the hall, approaching a group of children. He pulls a wooden flute from beneath his cloak, and shows it to them, waving it as if it rustic flute was a magical treasure. Soon the children have their whole attention focused on Fearandir.
Approaching the wine table, Angoldur selects a cup of fine red wine, and glances around him, looking for a nice quiet place to sit, and tune his instrument...selecting a corner, he sits down on a cormfortable stool, and begins tuning his tenor viol, the stringy-sounding instrument rasps at first..and Angoldur screws up his face, and from the case, he gets some rosin, and applies it to the bow, and tries again, this time a sweet and pure sound is heard, and he then finishes tuning, and begins to play a comfortable ballade in E-minor, shifting around many harmonies.
Raikan smiles upon listening to the music played throughout the hall.
Taimavar comes through the stone arch.
Taimavar has arrived.
Taimavar says, "hello everyone"
Hearing a slight rumble in his stomach, Raikan stands up slowly from the couch and proceeds to venture over to the other table and selects a few pieces of fruit to nibble on, as he turns around he hears the flute of Fearandir being played and decides to walk towards the music to listen to the melody and observe the faces of the children. But before he continues he hears a voice of a fellow elf and turns towards him, "Mae Govannen mellon, decided to join in on the feast have you?"
Taimavar smiles and says "yes I have, how are things so far
Passing his hand towards the room, Raikan responds, "As you can see we've been doing quite well." He points to one table, "We have all the wine," then to the other, "and food that we could ask for."
Taimavar looking at the bountiful supply of food, Taimavar says "Yes of course! Things are well indeed.
Angoldur looks up from his place in the corner, and sees the people arriving slowly, and then pauses to take a drink of wine, before overhearing a flute melody...he stands up and wanders to the source of it...and takes a seat nearby, and slowly begins to accompany the melody, listening carefully to the movement of the melody and its timbral quality.
Smiling upon hearing a calming melody, Raikan turns his head towards a corner then back to
Taimavar, "And ofcourse we have plenty of music to keep the heart happy"
Taimavar sits down at a table and pours a some wine, sipping it slowly
Taimavar smiles at Raikan, listening to the melodies
Taimavar walking over to Raikan, says "what have you been doing as of late my friend?
Fearandir grins to the Silvan children, leaning forward while says, "I just finished crafting this very special flute. Do you want to listen to it?" and in a chorus, all the children shout back, "Yes!" -- Grinning Fearandir leans back once more, and glancing around he spots Angoldur. "Mellon, care to join me in this melody? Just follow the rythm... It is a simple one. I'm not that much of a bard to work in anything complex." he smiles and raises his flute up to his lips. Slowly some notes are raised, echoing softly.. Soon the tune is linked, and a soft and fair melody is drifting across the air. And it is light-hearted and merry.
Raikan grins, "An interesting story mellon, I have just returned from Lothlorien and such a beautiful land it is."
Angoldur smiles at the Noldor "Aye, I would be glad to" and without much more ado, he begins a pizzicato accompaniment to the merry tune, turning it into a dance number. Angoldur's eyes sparkle as he plays along with the flute, obviously enjoying the opportunity to play an improvisation.
As the gales of laughter subside amongst her, Eilialhenel accepts clear mug of heavy glass proffered by blond-tressed maiden near her and fills it from a small wooden cask with a liquid that effervesces and grows a creamy, mushroom-like head that wobbles upon honey-golden liquid. She takes a long draught and as she lowers the mug she lifts her free hand to wipe away a moustache of foam that clings comically to her upper lip. Her companions burst anew into gales of wild giggling, but Eilialhenel shakes her head and gestures with her chin towards the musicians. Their attention thus diverted, she wipes her
hand upon her dress and sets her mug down on the clear floor besides her.
Taimavar intrigued says "tell me more, as Lothlorien is but stories to me
Raikan chuckles, "The stories that have been told do not do the land justice, and it has that feeling of complete familiarity though I do not know why, enter those fair lands is like entering Taur-e-Ndaedelos when it used to be called Eryn Galen"
Raikan starts to tap his feet to the music and starts to feel like dancing. He looks around the hall to see if anyone would like to dance with him.
The melody moves on, and Fearandir now has his eyes closed as he plays the flute. As it is turned into a dance number by the skillful Angoldur, all the children raise from their seat to merrily dance and pounce across the hall. There is general laughter and the fair music continues to echo through the warm cave.
Taimavar fills his mug with the sweet wine once again
Taimavar looks up from his mug and says "What of Atalante's unvieling a new piece tonight, of which I have heard rumours?
Not spotting anyone nearby, Raikan walks across the room to fill his mug with a white wine and takes a light sip. Then returns to Taimavar and shrugs upon his question, "I do not know mellon, though I am hoping to hear it before I start to drink too much of this lovely wine." and takes another sip from his mug.
From deep in her nest in the cushions, Eilialhenel raises two (freshly-wiped-clean) hands and begins to clap them together in time with the music, smiling broadly as she watches the young ones twirling in their dance. Her foot taps upon the floor, her head bobs in time, and it might seem as though she is ready to leap up at any moment to join in the frolicking, but any who know her at all know that this is not the case!
Angoldur taps his foot as he plays, watching the merry folk dance with a smile on his face. He picks up the pace a little, cueing to Fearandir next to him, building the music into a crescendo, leading up to the end of the music...but instead of ending the piece, he trails off, and allows the flautist to play a solo while he takes a sip of red wine.
Hearing a cheerful clap within the room, Raikan turns his head trying to the origin and spots Eilialhenel matching the beat of the music with for foot tapping and hand clapping, then starts to walk slowly over to her, as he reaches the couch in which she is sitting in, he bows and asks, "May I have the pleasure of this dance m'lady?"
Angoldur makes a cue to Fearandir to show he is ready to come in again after 4 more beats of the music..
Fearandir opens his eyes, the tune of the flute still gently dancing around the air as Angoldur gives him room for a solo. With light and smooth steps, almost in a dance-like movement, he approaches those gathered near the senior healer Eilialhenel and the newly arrived Raikan. In front of them he continues to drive the melody further, into a more dymaic rythm now, his feet moving with agile movements, following the music. And thus.. the flute comes to a sudden halt, and Fearandir nods his head to Angoldur, hoping that he will continue from there.
Angoldur has his bow ready, and plays Fearandir's final note at the same time, so as not to break the integrity of the music, and gallops away with the tune, adding double-stops, and triple-stops in a dazzling display of virtuosity, modulating the music into remote keys in the same quick triple-time..keeping the dance alive, while at the same time alluding to musical jokes.
Eilialhenel looks surprised, even as her kinsfolk laugh heartily and urge her to accept, their voices breezing like the wind playing in the trees as they chatter in their wood-elf dialect. The grey-clad maiden shakes her head, declining the invitation even before she opens her mouth to reply.
"I'm sorry, friend," she says as she remains staunchly planted in her spot. "But you - and your feet - would be much better off were you to invite another! Thank you ever so much, though," is her explanation, and she nudges the blond-haired elf next to her with an elbow. "Maybe you want to dance with this worthy elf, though?"
Nodding towards the blond-haired maiden, Raikan offers his hand to her, "May I have this dance m'lady?" and helps her up and whisks her away into the throng of people while dancing elegantly the entire time.
Taimavar stands to his feet and waves goodbye to all who are looking his way "I must be going, but maybe I'll drop in later on this evening.
Taimavar with that he leaves the feast
Raikan nods to Taimavar all the while dancing.
Though the continuing music and merriment drown it out, Eilialhenel's entire body is wracked with a shuddering giggle which threatens even to jar her hand so much as to spill the mead which she again lifts to her mouth.
Fearandir stands before Eilialhenel as she speaks about her dancing skills and he laughs rather outloud, placing his wooden flute black into a hidden pocket somewhere within his cloaked self. "That is nonsense. Anyone can dance. Or are you afraid to try, mellon?" he chuckles softly and with a sudden movement his hand descends to grab hers, and gently but in a determinated fashion he is pushing the healer from her seat, his intent obviously being the one to drag her to where the elves are dancing. The merry elf doesn't seem to leave any room for the so expected refusal.
Raikan and his dance partner seperate for a second to allow a couple of elven children run pass while their course included the spot where the two were dancing, after the children pass Raikan spins his partner back to him and they continue their dancing across the floor.
Finding herself so insitently drawn from her rest, Eilialhenel scarce has time to leave her mug behind before she is pulled up into a swirling dance with the accompaniment of Angoldur's string playing. Despite her protestations, she is light enough on her feet, her movements naturally imbued with the inherent grace of the first-born. Like the gentle swaying of a slim birch in the breeze she moves, her face at once showing her surprise and joy as mouth agape she laughs.
Angoldur sees other approaching musicians, and he calls out to them...three elves stride up and take their seats, one with a finely-crafted harp..which he had to drag across the dance floor, much to the annoyance of the people frolicking there. The second, a shorter, blond-haired elf pulls out a fiddle, and the third elf, taller than the others, rolls out a sizable drum, and places a bass viol nearby...and suddenly the hall explodes into musical life with a jig.
Seeing that his partner is tiring, Raikan slows down the dance while guiding the two back towards the couch, and assits her to sit then bows, "You dance well m'lady, perhaps once you've rested we may dance again"
Fearandir laughs as he conducts Eilialhenel through the room, his feet as light as hers, his movements swift and smooth. "Hah! She can dance as a natural in the art! I knew it." he chuckles merrily, as they continue to swirl across the hall.
Angoldur looks at the musicians around him, and, each nodding to each other, finish on a loud "ta-da", and the dance is over...The fiddle continues, playing some mild background music accompanied by the bass viol, and the harp...a peaceful ayre. Angoldur goes over to the wine table, a grin still on his face at the joy of the performance, and re-fills his wine glass and goes to join the other elves.
Walking back towards the wine table, Raikan picks up his mug which he had left there and checks to see if he had any wine left, Ah ha, there was and finishes it off before replenishing the mug with a sweet wine. Turning around he spots the senoir healer dancing along with Fearandir and smiles lightly.
It is only a matter of time before the inevitable happens. It is not a lack of grace that haunts Eilialhenel, to be sure, but there must be some ill-fate that burdens her dancing, for it happens : a young elfing dancing nearby crosses paths with the twirling healer, and in an undignified heap, the two crumple to the ground. In the general melee, it is an unobtrusive event, but nonetheless marks the continuation of the streak of dancing mishaps that has dogged Eilialhenel for countless years.
Angoldur As Eilialhenel and the elfling crash to the ground, the music stops abruptly....over the hall a voice can be heard "no no no NO, its one TWO, one TWO, can't you count?" and then the music begins again.
Fearandir seems startled at first, but he chuckles lightly as he notices that the fall caused nothing serious, aside injured pride perhaps. Walking over to Eilialhenel he extends his right hand to her, "I am sorry for that, m'lady." he grins, "But believe me, you are a great dancer. Thank you for the pleasant dance."
Angoldur wanders over to where the healer is, and offers her another glass of wine. "Mae govannen my fair lady...as you can see, I have returned"
Eilialhenel giggles with childlike abandon, and is about to reply when the music stops, the silence halting her words. Astonished by the outburst, she turns her face towards the musicians, but as the music starts again she shrugs and with a light leap is upon her feet again. The young elf who collided with her bounces back resiliantly as is a young one's wont, and with barely a word is off dancing again, twirling like an eddy in a forest stream.
Eilialhenel's response to Fearandir is a nod, and as she is approached by a dark-haired silvan, she can't help but grin at his outrageously obvious statement. There is nought to be said but, "Yes, I see," and so she speaks.
Fearandir chuckles to Eilialhenel, nodding to her. Cleaning the sweat from his forehead with the sleeves of his tunic he is handed with a goblet of wine from a passing servant. Nodding and smiling to the lad, Fearandir looks back to the others around him, "Well, mellyn. I enjoyed your company alot... Unfortunally, I believe that I must go back to the road soon. In a week, perhaps. Be it winter or not, I promised myself that haste would be my companion in this errand." he sighs softly, grinning faintly.
Even as the bright colors and scents of this mid-winter feast swirl about her, Eilialhenel murmurs a brief farewell to those directly about her, and quickly ducks out into the hallway beyond the doorway.
