I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold; (Open)

[inafadingcrown]

Who: Galadriel and you
What: Wandering through the forest because oh, thank God, spring!
When: 4/7, anytime during the day
Where: the...forest
Rating: Can't see this going higher than PG
Notes: Brackets and prose are both fine; I'll switch to match.

It had been too long. Too long since she’d wandered through the woods, too long since she’d felt the grass beneath her bare feet.

Galadriel closed her eyes, letting the warm breeze blow back her hair, breathing in the first scents of spring. She placed a hand on each tree as she passed it, an almost affectionate gesture, making her way deeper into the forest.

At last, when the woods had begun to darken, the small amount of light filtering in through the canopy leaving them in a perpetual twilight, she stopped to rest and take in the stillness, unwilling to venture further- at least today.

Comments

[wolfchild]

Nymeria follows Galadriel's movement. Her yellow eyes glimmer in the dim light. Strangely enough, despite the lateness of the hour, there is no lantern or torch to be seen.

"My brother and I planted it a few days ago, my lady. It was around here." Arya holds her hand at half the tree's current height to show how small it had been.

[inafadingcrown]

"In only a few days!" Her eyes go wide, despite herself. Even in Loríen, under the nurturing power of Nenya, trees rarely grew so fast. "Extraordinary."

[wolfchild]

Arya hides a smile.

"What do you want?"

[inafadingcrown]

"Must I want something?" She doesn't, in all honesty. It had been a chance encounter and she is happy to leave it just as she came.

[wolfchild]

She barely bites her lip on a 'People like you always do.'

"You would know, my lady."

[inafadingcrown]

"In fact, I do not. I chanced upon you here and now that my curiosity has been settled, I am more than willing to leave you be if that is what you would prefer."

[wolfchild]

She shrugs. That's about as close to an invitation to stay as Galadriel will ever get.

[inafadingcrown]

She'll take it. It's an improvement and progress in her eyes.

"Had you arrived in this world sooner than you did, you might have spoken to a tree in truth. Or a shepherd of the trees, rather."

[wolfchild]

"How long ago was that?"

Arya sits. She has to call Nymeria twice before the wolf acquiesces to lay down beside her. The animal huffs.

[inafadingcrown]

"It has been over a year now, I think." Galadriel follows suit, seating herself against a nearby tree.

[wolfchild]

"And how do you know how long I've been here?"

She tries not to make it sound like an accusation. She does. It falls short of its intended mark.

[inafadingcrown]

It's an accusation she's not particularly troubled by, at least. She smiles and tilts her head slightly. This, of all things, is what she chooses to question?

"I know many things, my young friend. But this is supposition. Mayhaps I am wrong. Yet I neither saw nor sensed you before that time and I do make some effort to watch after the little ones."

[wolfchild]

"I'm not little. We're not friends. I don't have friends."

[inafadingcrown]

"As you wish. My answer stands." She bites back the questions Arya's response had brought to mind. They wouldn't help.

[wolfchild]

She does not like Galadriel's answer. Arya glares sullenly.

[inafadingcrown]

"Come now, is it truly so troubling? You are perfectly capable of fending for yourself, but I could not have known that from the first. And there are many your age who are not."

[wolfchild]

"I didn't ask for it," she snaps. "I don't need anyone getting interested in what I do or where I am. You're not my family. I'm not your ward. It's creepy."

[inafadingcrown]

"Is it?"

Well. That may have been the first time anyone has ever said that to her face, but it's certainly not the first the sentiment has been expressed. She leans back against the tree and grows quiet for a moment.

"Then you have my apologies."

[wolfchild]

"Your apology is accepted," she relents. "Don't do it again."

[inafadingcrown]

"What is it you do not wish for me to do, precisely? To take note of you? Or to care for your safety at all?"

[wolfchild]

"The-the first one. Both. Um..." she trails off.

[inafadingcrown]

"The first is far easier to amend than the second. But I will do my utmost not to trouble you unnecessarily."