Eratnu had folded his wings long before reaching Estolad on the ground. He'd landed roughly a half-mile outside the village, just over a ridge looking down into the valley. It wasn't a deep valley, and wasn't very large besides, but it provided ample cover as the sun sank slowly behind the edge of the world in the distance in a blood-red and fiery-orange wave of disappearing heat and light. The ground was soft here, but packed well, and there was only the occasional root sticking up from some ancient tree a ways away. The smallest weeds and roots weren't even annoyances. They made the trip quickly, and found themselves in Estolad, in the Kaima inn, in no time.

The Kaima inn wasn't hard to find, as it was the largest structure and the only inn in Estolad. It could supposedly hold hundreds of people, though of course no one had ever managed to truly fill it. No one had ever come close, from what Eratnu understood. The inn had a soft, warm, and very cozy feeling about it. The fire was blazing on one wall, with couches and chairs comfortable and welcoming surrounding it, and there was a long table with some chairs surrounding it in the middle of the right side of the room. The path to the front desk was unhindered, of course. They got a single room rather quickly, and the innkeeper insisted on putting them in the so-called 'Lover's Suite' simply because they did not seem like brother and sister to him. Why they called it that, though, was beyond Eratnu.

While certainly clean and cozy, the large bed against the back wall (obviously made for two people instead of one) was nonetheless plain. The thin sheet of red velvet made it look otherwise, but the rest of it was plain linen, including the blanket upon which the sheet rested. The large dresser had a mirror almost as large resting atop it, and the closet was very large. It should have been called the Mayoral Suite, in Eratnu's mind. When they'd eaten and settled down, Eratnu realized that he wasn't really tired. Perhaps the brief rest had refreshed him for the time being. Instead, though, he felt - odd. He couldn't explain it at first. He had not forgotten Lollinelle, the woman he had loved so long ago, but he was not thinking of her now. That was why it didn't occur to him at first that what he was feeling was the beginnings of love.

"We could spend a few days in the village, if you like. Even small villages often have much to learn and much more to do. Or we could move on to another place."

He was trying not to think of the sailors that had lost their lives back on the sea. So far, he was being successful. Instead, his mind was filling swiftly with thoughts of Gwen.

Gwen and Eratnu had been flying for some time. It was a great way to see a beautiful view of the earth below. they passed over rolling hills, flat plains, and grassy valleys. The world was truly a beautiful place, but its beauty was often masked by the horror that goes on around it. If you lived within the beauty of this world, it would probably be easy for the beauty to fade and become ugly in your eyes.

Gwen could not help but think of the poor sailors that had met their end. The ocean was something new and exciting to Gwen. The water sparkled as the sun hit the clear ocean. The breeze bringing the fresh salty sea air where ever it would blow. That beauty had turned into something violent right before her eyes. That horror would not leave her fresh mind. In the short time she had lived in this second world she had already experienced more awful things than she had ever before in her eternal life of the forest.

After what seemed like a very short flight to the nymph, as she was lost in her head most of the flight, they landed within a small farm city " This place is much more beautiful than the port city you showed me!" That very well could have been because the birds had overrun the city and had it in ruins. Gwen also preferred this city because it seemed to invite nature into their lives more. It was smaller and more rural, but still bustled more than Gwen had ever seen. The sounds of nature filled the air and clashed with those of civilization. The two seemed to coincide in harmony. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

Eratnu soon led her into the biggest building in the small city. Despite the size of the building it held a cozy feeling. The fireplace filled the room in a faint orange glow and a soft warmth that made you feel at home. It was odd to Gwen to see fire so tame that they could use it inside their wooden homes. This was something that the nymph was to frightened to use in her forest home. Fire was not as happy to help as nature was. It was more wild then the winds and far more deadly. Gwen held a natural fear of fire, as she was so closely bonded to the trees. She was however captivated by the colorful flames that danced so magnificently in the fireplace.

It did not take long for Eratnu to secure a room for the two. When he was ready he had called for Gwen and she had snapped back into reality " coming!" She held a smile on her face the entire time and her eyes searched every inch of the room with a feeling of wonder.

Soon she was lead into the most extravagant room she had ever been in. It was larger than the private room she had on the boat. To Eratnu it may seem plain, but to Gwen it was lovely. She moved to the window and pushed it open, looking out among the city. She smiled and waved down at a few children playing and a few mothers had shielding their children's eyes from the scantily clad woman who had long since lost the captain coat in the waters.

She had grabbed a bite to eat and laid comfortably along the bed. She lay on her stomach with her feet propped up on the headboard and her head in her hands. She smiled in Eratnu's direction " This place is perfect. I would love to spend a few days here." She was quite happy that the bird monsters had not been seen in this place. It had been ages since Gwen did not have to worry about attack. Hopefully the peace would last for Gwen and Eratnu to have a bit of fun on their travels.

Indeed, it seemed that peace might finally settle on the pair. Eratnu somehow doubted it, of course. He had long thought that the weapon he'd carried had been cursed, but he'd never been able to really put it away. He had never managed to bring himself to sell it, or to trade it for something. He had never lost it in battle. Yet so long as he'd had it, there had always been trouble brewing around him. Now, it seemed, a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was finally starting to enjoy himself, if only a little. Gwen was proof of that. He definitely had feelings for her, and strong feelings at that. He didn't quite know if it was love or not, but the feelings were there nonetheless. It was something, anyway.

He smiled at his companion. She was so happy-go-lucky, so carefree and innocent. It made him sad that she had to see the horrors of the world before she could truly appreciate the beauty of the Arda beyond her forest and her tree, the Arda beyond the lonely dwelling in which she had blossomed into a beautiful young maiden.

"Very well. Then we shall stay for as long as you like. I've the gold, so it's not a problem."

He was relaxing with his pipe on a sofa made for two people - a love seat, it was sometimes called. Perhaps that was because people used it for more than just sitting - but Eratnu started to turn red as he thought of that, and so pushed the thought away. His pipe had gone out now, though, and the pleasant aroma of tabac had now nearly faded, leaving only a faint scent in the air.

Why am I blushing? I have not blushed since...

Since the woman he'd loved had been killed so many centuries ago. He had felt so secure with her, so...light. Like nothing in the world could touch them. And then...

But he pushed that thought away, too. He did not want to think of such sad memories at the moment. It was not that he wanted to forget her - he could not have even if he really had wanted to - it was just that he could not bear to think of her right now. He realized, though, that he soon found himself thinking of Gwen in the same manner. He found his eyes wandering once more, observing her much-revealed beauty. When he realized what he was doing blinked. He cleared his throat and sat up a bit, putting his pipe away as he did so.

After Gwen had finished her apple she let the core slip from her delicate hand and land on the floor. She watched Eratnu, noticing him blush. That only made her smile more towards him.

The noises of the outside world had flooded into the room, coming from the open window. While she stared she listened to what was going on below. Many women gossiped about trivial and petty things. the games and laughter of children made Gwen remember her own playful nature.

The nymph ran her fingers through her long brown hair. This is the first time she had not put it up in a long while. She had only done so before because of the utter need to. She was more worried of vanity now that Eratnu was in her life. She wanted to look good for him.

She soon became restless on the bed, moving to sit next to her companion on the couch. She pressed close to him, looking out the window. She soon spoke up, her eyes lingering on the outside world " Would you like to wander a bit?" She wanted to be out among the flowers and the people. She did not want to venture out alone though. She knew little of towns and did not want to do something wrong.

She turned now to Eratnu with deep green eyes, pleading over the most trivial of things "It will be fun!" She was quite fidgety, never staying on one position long. She now lay on her back with her legs resting on the armrest. Her head sat him his lap staring up at him, never relinquishing her smile. She liked being close to Eratnu. Sometimes she craved human contact, wanting to not be alone. She was one of the most social people you could meet, dreading being alone. Even the slightest touch soothed her, especially when it was Eratnu that drove off her loneliness.

Had Gwen not been so sweet, so innocent, so beautiful, Eratnu might have believed that she had done something to him. Perhaps she had, if unintentionally. He was beginning to feel things that he had not felt in a very, very long time. Things that were a normal part of life but that, for an Elf, usually only happened once. But now, for Eratnu at least, they were happening a second time. And he wasn't exactly pushing such feelings away, either. In fact, he was very nearly embracing them. He - liked them. He liked feeling like this. He supposed it gave him a sense of living, of being alive, that he didn't have otherwise.

He, too, was smiling down at Gwen. His smile was warm and soft, and it showed far more than mere friendliness. Without thinking, he was suddenly brushing a few loose strands of hair from her face and stroking her cheek gently, lovingly.

"Why not? The air is fresh and the sunset beautiful. Besides, the dances here really spice up the night. I don't think everyone truly retires to their bedchamber until close to midnight. You lead the way. I'll follow. If you want to know something, ask, merir."

That stopped him. Merir. My love. He hadn't said that to anyone before - except his first love. But it was Elven language. Unless Gwen knew the language, she could not have understood. But his smile faltered nonetheless, if only for an instant. One looking might not have even been sure - most likely wouldn't have been sure at all, in fact - that the look had even been there. They might have thought they were merely imagining things.

"Whenever you're ready to go, Gwen."

He said this last in a more normal voice, somehow refraining from clearing his throat. He knew he'd already started to turn slightly red again. Not as much as before, but certainly a little. He did find, however, that he'd absently laid his arm across her bare stomach lightly, comfortably - familiarly. But he didn't bother to remove it. He'd let her do that.

I'm in love.

The thought came to him suddenly and surprisingly. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, but there it was. The revelation mystified him, though he gave no outward sign of it.

I'm in love. With a girl I hardly know. A girl who most likely is nowhere near my age. But I don't care. I'm in love with her...

Gwen's heart seemed to jump as he brushed the hair out of her face and touched her. For a second she did not want to move, only lay in his lap forever looking up at him. Then that second that felt like forever was gone without warning and Eratnu soon spoke up.

The nymph's eyes filled with curiosity at the word she had not known. Gwen not knowing what the word meant took it to be a person's name. Did Merir know much of the city. "Who is Merir?" She had noticed he blushed once more and it made her giggle. She brought up her soft hand and touched his slightly flushed cheek, feeling its warmth " Soon I will be calling you the elf of many colors" she jested.

When he placed his arm over her it only made her want to stay on the couch more. Just being close to him had drove off the boredom that plagued Gwen more that most. She could do nothing but watch him, in longing. She was their, but really gone in her own head, dreaming of what life would be like with Eratnu.

The clamor of life soon brought Gwen back to the room. She sighed about having to get up, but slipped out of her companion's grasp. She longed to call him more than companion. She longed to call him lover.

The nymph's hand wrapped around Eratnu's arm and helped pull him off the couch " Let's go. I do not want to waste the light. I want to see everything!" Her voice was no longer dreamy. Gwen's loud but sweet voice had returned. She took his arm and wrapped is around her own shoulder as the two scurried out the door.

It was not long before the two stepped out into the light of the world. It was much brighter and more full of life than that of their own little world in the bedroom. Truly this was what Gwen was looking for. In a way the village reminded Gwen of her forest home, but it also held so much more life within it. If Gwen was to ever stop her travels with Eratnu, this was where she would want to live.

He blinked. He hadn't realized he's spoken the word aloud. He cursed himself inwardly for the fool he seemed to be. It was love's work, he knew. He was seriously falling for this girl, and it was making him act the fool in more ways than one. The Elf of many colours? So it wasn't just his imagination, then. He really was blushing more than he had in three thousand years. Twice, perhaps thrice, already. All in the space of - what? Five minutes? Certainly not ten.

"Er...it's...an Elf word...it, um...well...nevermind," he finished in a mumble. Now he was flushing worse than ever, his face and neck a beet red that he couldn't seem to get rid of. He grinned boyishly at the mention of 'the Elf of many colours' bit, though, even if he did think himself a fool for blushing so much. He let himself be pulled off of the couch, though he was disappointed that he couldn't just sit there and enjoy talking to her. Enjoy being with her. Yes, Eratnu Folliernes was falling in love once more - something he never thought he would do again.

The evening air was cool after the head of the day, and the breeze felt good. Of course, he'd spent most of his time in the air today, so Eratnu hadn't really noticed the heat all that much. Still, it was a good feeling. And an even better one was having his arm on Gwen's bare shoulders. It was now a certainty that a small, all-too-revealing smile was plastered on his face like ants on sweet cakes. If that didn't tell all, the sight of he and Gwen together certainly did. They walked for a while before they really saw a lot of people. Yes, they were holding another dance. This one wasn't a participatory dance, though. Oh, you could dance to the music on your own - but the main show seemed to be just that: a show. The best dancers and dance contest winners in the village were putting on a show, it seemed. There was food and drink, certainly - the barbequed pork and roasted venison and, most delicious of all to Eratnu, the tossed chicken salad, were only a few of the dishes there - but there was also a main stage set up for the show to commence and the entire square had been reserved for the event. Already, there were over a hundred people - most of the people in the village, in fact - preparing to either participate or (mostly) watch.

Gwen strode threw the streets, feeling at home with Eratnu's arm around her. She always felt safe around him, even during the hardships they had faced in the beginning. If only he had been their those dark nights she had been stolen away from her forest. She remembered that time well. Being alone had amplified her fears. She knew that she would not want to be away from Eratnu for too long. She could not bare it if he was just something to tease her with before he was taken away from her.

She rested her head on his shoulder as they moved through the town. It road threw the city had become more quiet and held fewer people. There was a dull roar of laughter, chatter, cheers, and music coming from the distance " It sounds like a party! Hurry I don't want to miss a thing!" She moved quickly out from under his arm, but slid her own hand down it until she met his. She held his hand as she hopped ahead of him, like a little kid pulling her parents to a festival.

Soon the sounds of music and laughter became louder. Every step they took brought them to more people. The nymph's excitement building with every step. Finally they were on the outskirts of a large crowd. A few people were dancing to the rather happy music, while most watched. Small children were weaving threw the crowds of people playing their games. It was certainly a happy time for everyone.

Gwen turned around quickly and looked up at Eratnu with a smile and sparkle in her eye " Cities are so fun! Do they get together like this every day?" She turned from him to let her eyes scan over the crowds of people once more. There were more hear than she had ever seen. Gwen stood out amongst the groups though. Most everyone wore practical clothing of earth toned colors. They were a bit worn from the simple life of the town. The performers on the other hand wore beautiful and bright colors, like the flowers in her forest. They stood out and shined amongst the crowd, as did Gwen, but for a different reason. She wore little to no clothes, only hiding her private parts. She received a few glances of distaste from the mothers and old women. She knew why, but did not really understand.

"No, I'm afraid not. But many nights, they do hold such dances. This one is one of the rarer ones, wherein the show is on a stage and the rest are either watching or participating from where they stand."

He had noticed the looks, as well, and they were to be expected. They, after all, were conservative in their beliefs regarding the body. In their minds, it wasn't to be displayed like some trophy. Gwen might not have been doing that, but it was certainly a distraction for the men and their wives and the other village women didn't like that at all. No, not one bit. They also didn't like Eratnu, it seemed, for he was with her - and condoning it. Personally, Eratnu didn't care how Gwen dressed. He was a bit embarrassed by her dress, of course, but that was because he - like most creatures - had grown up in a world where it wasn't prudent to display the body in such a manner as Gwen was now doing here. Actually, though, Eratnu had grown accsutomed to her dress - and even grown to love her for it. That wasn't the whole reason he loved her, of course. There was an ocean of reasons.

And here he was thinking of her as though she were already his lover. He truly had fallen once more. He let himself be led along by her hand, enjoying the feel of her cool, soft, moist skin clasped gently, yet firmly and comfortably, in his own large hands. Powerful hands. Deadly hands. Hands that had not seen action in a long time, not so much as his now-lost katana had, at any rate. He needed to use them again. He needed to return to his original way of combat. It was certainly more effective - less bloodshed that way, and more efficient.

But now was not the time to think of such things. Now, he was with a woman he was growing to love, a woman he now cared for very much. A woman that would hopefully be his for a very, very long time...

Gwen turned towards the stage, leaning against Eratnu's chest as he wrapped his hands around her. She seemed weightless when he touched her, like she was free from the earth and all the evil that clung to it so tightly.

The dancers moved nimbly across the stage with grace that Gwen had not seen before. They moved like the brightly colored birds that weaved with ease through the trees of the nymphs first home. They looked so beautiful and caught in the moment as they moved.

Gwen rested her head against his chest, feeling the warmth that his body gave off. She talked quietly as if her words were a secret she did not want anyone else to know. She kept her eyes glued onto the stage as she spoke " Thank you Eratnu...." She felt as if he was her savior. It was him who wisped her away from her old life in the forest, saving her from rotting away alone. It was him who had shone her that these lands had beauty amongst the sorrows, showing her nature beyond her forest. It was he who saved her from certain doom on more than one occasion. He had shone her so much, given her so much. All she wanted to do was give that back to him.

The was setting slowly over the horizon, filling the land with a soft golden glow. The clear sky was painted pink, orange, and red. The sky seemed so much bigger here, without the canopy of trees to keep the view all for themselves. Gwen let out a sigh " Its beautiful!"

It was not long before candles and lanterns were set out to ward the darkness away from the party. The sky soon began to fill with stars that twinkled in the sky far above them. Gwen was no longer envious of the jewels that the night sky decorated itself with for she had reached their heights with Eratnu's help. A few lightning bugs awoke and flew through the cool night, breaking through the night with their feint green glow. Gwen was fond of the little insects, spending many nights in the forest chasing them. This was truly a beautiful night for a party. It felt strange not being the only person stirring among the beauty. It filled her with happiness knowing that she could enjoy the true wonder of night with others, especially Eratnu.

Night swiftly descended upon the party as Eratnu danced with Gwen, but to Eratnu, it felt as though no time had passed at all. Time seemed a distant thing, everything was in slow motion, and all he felt - all he knew - was the gentle swaying of himself and Gwen together, the touch of her soft, cool, tender flesh against his own harder, more muscled body. He felt, almost without knowing why or how, his hands moving slowly around her, taking her into his arms with such care, a firm strength to keep her safe and a gentle touch to give her his love. And it was love. It was a deep, penetrating love, a love that permeated every fiber of his being. He had knonw Gwen for only a very short time. It was true that they had shared so much already, but had they really? A fight that had nearly killed him. A city overrun with the things that had nearly killed him, and Gwen if they'd had the chance. And he'd nearly lost her at sea. He probably should not be so worried about her. But he couldn't help it. He...he loved her. Yes, he did.

"I love you," he found himself murmuring quietly, his words barely audible above the sound of the music and the dancing. "Merir." He was silent for a moment. "Merir. It means 'my love'."

He didn't say anything for a long while after that. He just danced with her, slowly and affectionately. He loved the feel of her soft skin, her warm body pressed to his. He loved everything about her. He had dreamed of her at night, even, but he had those only random dreams. Until now. Now, he knew. Now he knew why he had had such dreams of her, why he had thought only of keeping her safe and making her happy. Now he knew that he loved her as deeply as any man could love a woman. And yet they had known each other for so short a time. It was truly something to marvel at, the power of love...

Gwen rested her head against Eratnu's muscular chest, letting a yawn escape her. The fright and the flight had definitely taken a lot out of her. She could not help but lean on her companion, resting on him. It was not like she minded resting on him either, enjoying every time they touched.

Her sleepiness was banished away when he heard the words he spoke, only lound enough for them to hear. The words were sweet music too her ears, filling her with an emotion that had not been known to her. She was filled with an emotion that you could not describe, only feel. She was filled with love.

She turned around looked up at him with a smile and deep eyes filled with happiness, more so than usual. For the longest time she could do nothing but look at him, hugging him tightly. She felt light, like only his grasp was holding her down.

Finally Gwen build up the strength to break the glorious silence between them " I love you too..." To the nymph they were the only too at the party. The cheers, laughter, and chatter of the crowd escaped her. All that mattered was Eratnu, their bond accompanied by the music that filled the night.

Gwen had never felt love quite like that before. She had known that the forest had loved her dearly. That love was like a mother loving a child. The love Eratnu made her feel was like the love of two people that only needed each other to be happy. It gave her the feeling that no matter what the world would throw at her she could handle it, as long as Eratnu was there to handle it with her.

Gwen stood on on her toes, reaching up and pressing her soft warm lips against his. The kiss, only lasting a few moments, seemed like forever. She felt complete and safe, never wanting to break the bond that the two shared at this moment. It was true that they had only known each other for a short amount of time, but she felt a bond to him, one stronger than that between her and her tree, the very bond that gave her life. She held no doubts that Eratnu was whom she was suppose to be with.

That sweet smile. Those deep eyes. Even the pale flesh of her soft cheeks...everything about her was like looking at a goddess. It had been said that the gods were sometimes cruel, that they sometimes asked people to sacrifice those they loved so that the world could be balance. In truth, Eratnu had believed for a long time after the destruction of his home, and for even longer after the death of his first love, that Threnody wished him sorrow and pain, that she was in truth a cruel goddess. But his anger had eventually faded into sadness, and sadness into sad memories. If another was to be sacrificed during his life, it would not be Gwen. He would not let it be Gwen. He would challenge all the dieties and subdieties of the supernatural planes before he would let Gwen be taken.

That was how he felt about her now. What was to come, he did not know. He did not think it would be good. The creatures he'd encountered, the battle on the sea...they were precursors to darker times. He could feel them coming. But with Gwen by his side, nothing could harm him. He could have all that he was stripped away, he could be flayed alive, and he would think only of Gwen, of Gwen's safety, of her happiness. And he would want to survive so badly that he would, and he would thrive, if only to make her happy. That was love. That was love beyond simply affection. Far beyond it. Far beyond anything like it.

As he gazed upon Gwen's beautiful features - beautiful to him, at least - he particularly grazed her lips with his eyes. He wanted to kiss her, to feel her lips upon his - but no. He did not know how strongly she felt about him, if she felt anything at all. And then the kiss came. Her lips were soft and moist, warm life flowing through him as he pressed his own to hers, engulfing himself in her scent, in her being - and then it was over. It had not been enough, in his mind. Not nearly enough. He wanted to be her very heart and soul. He loved her that much. He couldn't explain it - no one could; love was stronger even than the gods and goddesses themselves - but he didn't want to, either. He didn't need to. He only hoped that such joy would last more than a few years. He would do anything to keep Gwen from the fate that had befallen his first love. Anything...

Gwen relished in Eratnu's loving embrase for as long as she possibly could. She did not want to let him go, for fear that she would not have this glorious feeling again. She held her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, listening to the rythmic thumping of his heart, feeling the warmth that made her feel so cozy. It was truly a tranquil moment as the lightning bugs flew around them, the music playing only for them in Gwen's mind.

Little by little people were straying from the party and retreating back into their homes. It was not long before the beautiful candle light burnt out and the only glow came from the fire flies and the moon itself. Gwen gave out another yawn before pulling out of the grasp, taking Eratnu by the hand " Lets go back to the inn!"

The two walked hand in hand down the dirt road, slowly finding their way back to the inn. Gwen decided to break the sweet silence of the night " Did you have fun? I thought it was beautiful" She rested her head against his shoulder and began to swing their arms a bit. She was truly in one of the happiest moods she had ever been in. She was feeling something she had never felt before. It was a magnificent feeling to give love to someone that could truly love you back.

Soon the two arrived at the inn. It was a bit more full now that nobody was out under the starry night sky. A few people sat and chatted, playing card games. Gwen noticed an old couple cuddling in front of the fire place. The nymph could not help but smile at the sight. It looked as if the two had been together forever. Hopefully Gwen and Eratnu could one day become that beautiful couple.

But of course, Eratnu would never age beyond his silver hair, and even that he would not gain for a few years yet. Still, the thought was nice, and it was one shared by both of them, even if neither realized it at the moment. Gwen, now, was his life - his heart, his soul, his significant other, the half that made him whole. She was a part of him now, and he could not - would not - lose her. He refused to give her up, radiant creature that she was.

He smiled at her question. It was so innocent, so sweet, and her voice was so evident of the blossoming, bubbly happiness that she so obviously felt in his presence that his smile only broadened into a friendly, almost mischievous grin. He replied in his usual strong voice, but that voice was kind and soft as well, as though meant to hurtle snakes from the room while at the same time comforting a child.

"I thought you were beautiful, Merir."

There it was again - that word. He couldn't help it. He had grown so used to using that word in the Elven tongue, where only he and his love had known what it meant, that it came naturally to him now as he thought of Gwen wrapped in his arms, her tender lips upon his own, her slender arms touching his body, caressing him as he did to her. It was...wonderful. It was love.

As they made their way up the stairs to their room, they saw through a window to the stables behind the inn that even the horses were giving in to sleep, peacefulness coming over them as they relaxed their stiff and standing joints into a comfortable position.*

"Nature is such a beautiful thing," he murmured quietly, admiring the horses in their innocence. They were intelligent, yes - all horses were, he had found - but they truly knew nothing of the evil that plagued this world. Eratnu and Gwen did. They had both seen it. For now, though, they were concerned only with themselves. He smiled and looked back down at Gwen, putting his arm around her shoulders and squeezing gently in a sideways hug of deep affection. "And you are the most beautiful piece of nature I have ever had the great pleasure of seeing. I am glad to be a part of your life, Gwen."

*((Just so you know, though horses do sometimes lie down when they sleep, they usually stand. :) ))

Merir... The word sounded so beautiful. Gwen wanted to hear it from Eratnu over and over again. It was the only elvish word she knew, but she did not need to know another. She smiled at Eratnu from his compliment, hugging him from the side " Your so sweet!"

Gwen knew that the bond between them was real. She knew that Eratnu was not after sex. He knew love with his heart, not just his eyes. She would protect him with a greater force than she had protected her forest with since the beginning of her existence. She would rather lose her own forest than herself. That was a very deep thought coming from a Dryad, as their lives were intertwined with the trees of their woods. The thought alone scared Gwen in a way. She was willing to die for Eratnu, but she knew he would do the same for her. She really hoped he would anyways.

Gwen would really like to hope he felt as strongly for her as she did for him. She could not be certain because of the short time they had known each other, the short time they were allowed to grow together. She was blinded by love however and those thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind, giving no thought to them at all.

She pushed their door open and stumbled into the cool room. The night breeze rolled in from the open window, fighting off the summer heat. She slipped out of the grasp Eratnu held her with and moved to the bed. She laid across the soft mattress, never taking her longing gaze away from Eratnu. He had been her first love. She was like a love sick little girl, experiencing the intoxicating feeling for the very first time. Few things were sweeter than your first love. Thinking about this made Gwen a bit curious " Have you called other Merir before me?" She wanted to know how loosely he used the word love.

Eratnu smiled at her words. He was more than merely sweet. He was deeply in love with this innocent, child-like creature that was so playful, so radiant, so beautiful both inside and out. He knew only a little about her, but he - most importantly of all - that she was kind and compassionate above all else. He gently squeezed her to him, enjoying - loving, even - the feeling of her skin pressed against his, the touch of a warm body so deeply connected to his own, and not just in a physical way. To him, it was not merely the heat of the body that touched him, but heat of her heart, the fire and passion of her young, yet immortal soul.

His smile faded, however, as she posed a question to him. His eyes took on a look of deep sadness. He felt ashamed inwardly - deeply ashamed - as he realized that he did not want to think of his first love ever again. He did not want to remember her touch, her soft kisses, her gentle caress.

"Once," he said, hesitant for a multitude of reasons. "Long ago...there was one..."

He shook his head. He couldn't continue to mourn her, not after three thousand years.

"She...she is long gone. She passed from this world many, many centuries ago. Now, there is only you. You are but the second woman I have loved, and I know that I love you as deeply as I loved her. I think...she would not mind."

He paused.

"I think she would want me to be happy."

His gaze returned to Gwen, and he smiled. It was more than a smile of affection. It was a smile of love, and one which his eyes reflected.

"And I am. I am very happy."

He went and sat by her.

"I am much happier, in fact, than I have been in a very, very long time."

He brushed a couple strands of her hair aside, feeling the tender flesh of her soft cheek. His heart was racing suddenly, and his pulse was setting his body on fire. It was Gwen that was doing this to him, he knew. It was a wonder he didn't gasp for breath, for her beauty was swiftly stealing it away from him. He did not sweat, not yet, but his passion for her...he would destroy the gods themselves to protect her. He wanted to be her skin, to be her garb, to be a part of her very soul. He wanted to be with her in all that she did, in all places that she went. He loved her so very much...

Gwen could not help but feel a stab of jealousy knowing that she was not Eratnu's first and only love. That feeling was gone as soon as it had come, knowing it was a selfish thought. Gwen wanted Eratnu to feel as happy as she did right now. If he had experienced the glorious feeling of love before, that was a good thing.

Gwen gave him a soft smile " If she really did love you, then she would be happy that you are not sad and alone anymore. I am sure she would want you to carry on your life." She did not want to talk about a past lover any longer. She wanted to be the only thing on his mind, for all her thoughts had him in it.

Her heart jumped every time that he touched her. It seemed to make the world stop, but time seemed to pass faster than ever. She was never able to get enough of his loving embrace. She loved his warm touch, finding someone that could truly love her back.

The nymph pressed her body tight against his, pressing her lips tight against his. The warmth of his body mixing with hers. She could feel him pulse, the sweet sign of life. He made her feel safe, like she would never have to worry about anything, because he would be their. She was truly swept up in the moment, a love sick maiden.

She rested her body on top of his, smiling down at him " I am glad that I can make you happy!" At least Gwen could do that. She had experienced times where she had been so helpless. She knew times where she could not defend herself, much less another. Eratnu gave her so much adventure, safety, freedom, happiness. Gwen may never be able to protect Eratnu from certain death, but at least she made him happy. At least she could fight off the sadness that came with a lost lover.

The soft bed was so comfortable that it would have been almost too easy to fall asleep, but the soft, warm embrace between Eratnu and Gwen made it even easier. It was ridiculous to compare her to something else, as nothing could compare in Eratnu's mind, but she was like a warm bath that kept him company on cold nights. He loved her scent, loved the sweet tone of her cheerful, pleasant voice, loved the feel of her skin and the beauty of those deep, wondering eyes of hers. She was fairer than the fairest maiden, more beautiful than Lothlomendil herself, the most exquisite creature of Lothlomendil's paradise called Arda. She had given this beautiful creature, this delicate flower life, and now love had given her to him. He would not let anything happen to her. Material possessions were for the rest of the world. Just as he had forsaken such things for Threnody, now he would sacrifice all for her. He would still follow Threnody - that was his calling. But this...this wonderful beauty was his life now. Gwen was his life. They were one and the same, two souls intertwined into one solid, unbreakable thread. If ever they were parted, he would come for her. He would not stop until he found her.

Eratnu found himself kissing the moist lips of the lovely Nymph now lying atop him softly and gently, lovingly, almost a caress. He placed his arms around her, holding her, feeling the warmth of the body that was now pressed against his own. He rested his chin upon her head and closed his eyes - not thinking, not doing anything, just holding her and feeling her presence. Gods, how he loved her. He couldn't help but say an almost silent prayer as he did so, a mere breath of love exhaled almost as though it were merely the wind.

"Bless us, Threnody. Bless our love..."

Gwen's head rested on his chest as they lay their in peace. The only sound she heard was the rhythmic melody of his heart. She loved to listen to it play. She longed to feel the full force of love that was held tight in his heart. She long to rid his heart of the scarring from his lost lover.

Everything of this night was rushing through her head. She remembered the nimble dancers in their brightly colored clothes, more flashy then the birds of her forest. She remembered the fireflies that lit up the night so faintly with their green glows. She remembered the wine, having her first taste of it today. That was one of the few good things that came from people meddling with nature.

This was a nice change of pace. It seemed like they had been running and running the entire time they had traveled. Finally they had this wonderful night. This was what Gwen had pictured when she first decided to leave her forest and travel with Eratnu. This was a moment more thrilling than any danger she had been in.

Gwen lifted her head from his chest, pulling away from his warm embrace for only a second. She smiled down at him once again. So many words were rushing through her head. She wanted to tell Eratnu just how she felt, she wanted to thank him, she wanted to talk of their future and about his past. She wanted to say so much, but her tongue would not move. The only words she could manage to produce were " I love you!" Her voice was quiet as to not shatter the peaceful serenity of the room.

Her hands than moved to her back, nimble fingers working away at the vines that held her top of leaves together. Soon the top was off, leaves falling about the bed. She rolled over playfully, taking Eratnu with her till he was over her. She wanted to show him just how much she cared for him. She wanted the two of them to be one. She wanted to feel how much he loved her.

(( Ok I think this is worthy of a little time skip to the next morning))

((Aww, and it was just getting to the good part. ;) Kidding. :D ))

The sun rose slowly over the western horizon, the purple-hued hills in the distance suddenly tinged with red and pink and gold and orange as that flaming ball crested them. It was a beautiful sunrise, and one only a pure being of nature could truly appreciate. Eratnu was appreciating it, certainly, but he was more focused on his slow, precise movements than anything else. He'd tried to clear his mind when he awoke, but it was no good. It kept drifting back to the sweet love of the night before, his own body intertwined with that of Gwen's. She was his lover now, as well as his love. It had been so long since he'd been intimate with someone...and now his mind was filled with Gwen as he worked - her scent, her tender skin...everything that was her. It was beyond beautiful, wonderous...it was beyond words.

It had been an even longer time, however, since Eratnu had fought without his katana. He had been given it so young, and his mastery of the martial arts had only added to his mastery of the katana - the way he moved, the way he fought. Now, though, he slowly went through the motions of ancient combat, ancient practices of balance and exercise. Wearing only his breeches, he practiced on the small balcony attached to their room. His arms, hands, and fingers moved as though they were liquid steel flowing into a mold, becoming something dangerous and beautiful at the same time. His legs moved from time to time in an almost rhythmic flow of balance and skill. Once more, he remembered the deadly motions that had made him a living weapon so many centuries ago...over four thousand years ago, in fact. Now, he would be a living weapon again. He had lost his katana, but he did not wish to purchase or forge another. No, instead he wished to become once more the silent warrior that had won so many battles so long ago. Before he'd lost his friend, the White Dragon; before he'd become a soldier more than a warrior; before he'd sought out the balance that Threnody gave. Now, he was going to become the Dragon Master he was once meant to be.

He practiced ancient arts that now had other names. Jujitsu, Tai Chi, Tae Kwan Do, Kendo, Kung Fu, Aikido, and Judo were all a part of his arsenal of combative knowledge. Kendo, of course, concerned the use of various long-bladed weapons - primarily katana, but also shamshir, scimitars, and similar swords. Aikido was primarily defensive, relying on the avoidance of attacks upon oneself, and Tai Chi was almost solely an exercise in balance and environmental harmony - though it could be used to defend oneself if need be. Together, these ancient arts made Eratnu an extremely deadly opponent. Even without a weapon, Eratnu had no problem killing a small army of well-trained indiduals. But he had forgotten so much. Now, it all came back to him as he practiced the Old Ways once more.

His Elven ears perked up slightly at the sound of soft footsteps padding lightly and slowly through the hotel room behind him, as though their owner was still half-asleep. He did not falter in his movements, though, nor did he turn to see his lover behind him. Instead, he continued what he was doing. He would let her do whatever she was doing until she wished to address him. Besides that, his mind was finally starting to slow and calm itself and he wanted to enjoy his martial movements for just a bit longer before he allowed himself to revel in the scent and feeling of Gwen...

Gwen had awoke to see Eratnu walk onto the balcony. He was just beginning to go over his form, turning everything into one fluid motion. She could not help but smile upon him as she got up, wrapping a blanket around her naked body. She did not bother interrupting him, rather likely the way his body moved. It was graceful and powerful. A totally beautiful sight.

Before she greeted him, she would remake her natural outfit. She could not just walk around the town completely naked, as she did not like having all eyes on her. She loved socializing and companionship, but when everyone was looking and talking of you it was almost always not good.

Soon she had collected the leaves that were scattered on and around the bed. The nymph's nimble fingers soon began to work away at the leaves, tying the stems together to form her top. As she did this her eyes were focused on Eratnu's movement. He looked happy and focused, which made Gwen happy as well. She did not need to watch herself work, or even focus on it. The movements were all but memorized, having had to make herself clothing many times while in the forest. She always liked to decorate herself in the beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows when her forest was lit aflame by autumn. It was not long before she had her clothing of leaves finished.

Once dressed she moved over to the mirror. Gwen was slowly becoming accustom to the invention. It allowed her to gaze upon herself and fix herself up for her love. She ran her fingers through the thick long hair, taking out any flowers along the way. They had not wilted, feeding off the nymph. They had however lost their fragrance and she had grown bored of the colors. She went for the vase and picked the flowers from it. She then took her long hair and put it into a high ponytail. For the finishing touch she tied the string of small flowers around the base of the ponytail, letting a small strand hang from each side.

Once she was done prettying herself up for her lover, she moved to the balcony. She did not interrupt, just watched and enjoyed the fresh morning air. When he was done she moved over, hugging him tight " Morning!"

It was a good half-hour before the sun finally crested the distant hills in full, shedding a vast amount of orange-red light upon the valley in which the village of Estolad now sat, like intangible fire raining down upon the people of Arda. It was a beautiful sunrise, but it was also one that made you think about things. About life and love, about friendship and kinship, about brotherhood and sisterhood, about family and history. All things were rolled into one sunrise, and such thoughts often came to Eratnu at this time. The only difference now was that, once again, he was reliving the movements that had served him well for so long - and would now serve him well once more.

It was a good hour from the start until the time Eratnu actually completed his exercise. He slowly, fluidly came into a set posture of simultaneous relaxation and preparedness that would have given just about anyone pause, for Eratnu was clearly no ordinary Elf. Few Elves knew what he knew, after all; few Elves were capable of what he was capable of. Few Elves had reached such a spiritual peak that their physical bodies not only became perfect in all they did, movement and speech alike, but became deadly weapons in and of themselves to such an extent that only a handful could come against them.

At last, however, Eratnu's early-morning exercise was completed. A smile crossed his face as soft, silky arms came around him from behind, wrapping him in their gentle caress, and his lover's voice rang out softly to greet him with such love. It made him think of their love-making of the previous evening once more, and the wonderful feeling of waking up next to someone. It was...there was no word for it. Contentment, perhaps. Yes, that would do for now. Eratnu was...content.

He turned slowly and wrapped his arms around Gwen, kissing her deeply and passionately as he did so. Gods, how he loved her. When the kiss was done, he proceeded to romantically kiss her neck over and over, until he finally pulled back with a loving smile.

"You are so beautiful today, Gwen. Of course," he chuckled, "you are always so beautiful. More beautiful than any flower."

He kissed her again, just as deeply, just as passionately.

"I'll go get dressed."

He gave her a peck on the cheek and went to do so. He dressed quickly. As he was pulling on his boots, he spoke again - all the while staring at the lovely goddess he'd come so quickly to fall for.

"What do you want to do today, Merir?"

Gwen was overjoyed to be united with Eratnu's lips once more. His lips made all other thoughts leave her mind. When he kissed her she was left only in the moment, not foreboding the future or regretting the past. She giggled when he playfully kissed her neck over and over. Finally she pushed him away. She did not want him to stop, but they could not very well waste another peaceful day.

Gwen twisted a strand of her hair as she moved to the railing of the balcony, looking over the city. She remembered the people of the town staring at her. Mothers and old women giving her spiteful glances and boys hoping for the leaves to fall. She did not want to draw more attention " How about we take a look in some of the shops! We do not have to spend our whole day in them. I just want to see some more inventions. Some of things people can make are quite beautiful!" With that she walked past her lover, giving him a bashful smile. Images of the night before danced through her mind. That had been her first time with anyone. She was no longer the little innocent forest maiden. She had given herself to Eratnu in a unforgettable mix of pleasure and a bit of pain.

She took once final look in the mirror before opening the door, waiting patiently for her love to get dressed. Once he was ready the two walked out of the inn and back into the world. Gwen kept her hand in his, not wanting to forget his touch even for a second. The beaten path was littered with playful children, gossiping mothers, and a few men taking a brake from the toils of the fields. She watched all of them carefully. It reminded her greatly of the animals in the forest. They had very similar behaviors if you thought about it.

The two were soon coming up towards a shop with mannequins sitting outside, sporting eye catching and colorful clothing. This was what Gwen was looking for. Her carefree walk soon turned into her leading him into the stall " Can we look in here first?"

The nymph pushed through the door, hearing a pinging bell ring through the small store as they entered. She let her hand slip from the firm embrace of her lover, but she did not dare leave his side. Soon a slender woman with a somewhat aged face stepped out of the back room, her eyes falling on the scantly clad nymph " Well I think I know who the customer is!" Her voice was exceeding perky, a smile never leaving her face when with a customer. She intimidated Gwen, who shrunk back behind Eratnu slightly.

Before long The woman had been picking through extravagant outfits for Gwen to wear. She was having a jolly good time dressing up the nymph. She was already a beautiful girl and it was easy to find dresses to accommodate. The outfits felt strange to Gwen though. They seemed constricting and unnecessarily flashy. Dress and dress was rejected " All of these outfits are very lovely, but they are not me! I am looking for an outfit that does not make me stand out." It was a strange request, but an easy one to fill. This was a rather poor town and plain clothes were all many could afford.

The tailor had brought out another dress. It was a loose fitting dress made of light material. It was a light earth tone shade of green. over the dress she wore a brown bodice laced half way up, not being able to bare it being any tighter. It was definitely a different look having her body covered by clothing. It was far to restricting and did not seem natural to Gwen. It was a rather strange custom, but Gwen just wanted to fit in.

She soon stepped out of the changing room and showed the look to Eratnu. She had been very self conscious of the new look. She did not know if he would consider her less attractive now that she wore these plain garments over her frame. She kept her head low, but made a full spin to show off the new look " I look ridiculous!" It would be a lot to get used too wearing clothes. Now that she did not use nature to clothe her body she could pass for an elf if one was not looking carefully. She did not know it yet, but she was slowly becoming domesticated by the wonders of civilized life.

(( well its not full of wonderful adjective and adverbs but it is longer than normal. I was a bit tired, but this was the only time to post and i wanted to get it all in one post. ))

((Not a problem.))

"All right."

Eratnu followed Gwen out and through the city. Once more, the looks came. Once more, Eratnu kept close to her both to protect her in case someone starting doing a little more than looking and because, in truth, he was a little bit jealous. He supposed that was a part of being in love with someone. He'd certainly been jealous of several people when...but that was a long time ago. It was time to stop thinking of that. She would not want Eratnu to dwell in the past, but rather to live for the present and look ahead to the future. That was exactly what he intended to do.

Eratnu tried not to smile when Gwen ducked behind him. He gave her a little squeeze to show it was all right, and then watched as she tried on various dresses. He couldn't completely deny himself a bit of disappointment. Gwen was a creature of nature, and it didn't seem at all right for her to be doing something just to fit in. She should just do what felt natural. It had nothing to do with admiring her female form - well, not completely - it was just that she was so obvioulsy uncomfortable with the whole situation. Finally, she blurted out that she felt ridiculous.

"Don't wear it, then."

The statement came as flat pronouncement, completely nonjudgemental, though secretly Eratnu was pleased. Perhaps she would throw off trying to fit in completely.

"You shouldn't do something if you're uncomfortable doing it. And...fitting in with others just takes away from one's individuality."

That was true enough. If everyone looked like everyone else, after all, the beauty of the world's varied peoples would cease to exist. Arda would become a monotonous planet.

He smiled at her.

"You look gorgeous in anything you wear, of course, but I don't want you to be unhappy. If you don't want to wear the clothes, don't wear them."

Gwen was happy to hear his suggestion. She was glad to know that he liked her how she was. He did not want to conform and fit in. He wanted her to be herself " Maybe I will get used to these clothing though. I will not forget I am from the forest, but we will be in cities throughout our travels and I do not want to hold everyones attention, only yours. Think of it as camouflage. Animals blend in with their surroundings to survive." The nymph was trying less to convince her love, as she was herself. She took one final look in the mirror " I am doing this more me.I am doing this for us" She told herself before turning back to Eratnu, walking beside him.

The lady soon came out from the back room. She gazed upon Gwen. The dress was not worth her natural beauty. It was strange. She had never met a girl that did not wish to dress in fancy and beautiful dresses. This girl actually requested a plain outfit. It was not to say the dress made her uglier, just less exotic. She looked more plain and everyday. This was the look Gwen wanted. She wanted her new life to be about Eratnu and herself. She did not need nor want the attention of everyone else.

The woman soon piped up in her normal perky voice " You look lovely in the dress. So will you be buying it?" Gwen turned to Eratnu and nodded " Can I have it please?" She did not have money herself an depended greatly on Eratnu for shelter, food, and anything else she wanted. This was another strange thing about city life. In the forest everything flowed together. Food was free and the trees were more than happy to shelter her from the cold, rain, snow, and heat. In the city if you did not have money, you did not get what you needed to survive.

Eratnu nodded in understanding. She didn't really want the dress, but she also didn't want everyone looking at her. Plus, some people weren't so nice as those in Estolad had been thus far. Some of them were like animals. No, that was wrong. Animals did what they did out of instinct. Some people were much worse and decided they'd have their way whatever it took. Of course, Eratnu was not about to let that happen. He would be like Gwen's second skin if that was necessary, but he would not let any harm come to her. Ever.

Eratnu stood and nodded at the both of them.

"If you want it."

He couldn't help but be a bit disappointed, but he understood why she was doing it. He understood completely - probably far more than she did.

He paid for the dress and came back to wrap his arms around Gwen.

"So, Merir, where to next?" he asked her with a smile. "We can go anywhere you like. It seems peace has settled upon us, so why don't you just lead the way? Ask anything, and I'll tell you what I can. I don't know everything, but I have been alive on Arda long enough to be able to tell you most things."

He kissed her again - he couldn't help it. Her lips were so soft and warm, so lush, like a rare and ripened fruit in full bloom. And he had picked her, or rather love had picked the both of them, and he was glad it had come. As they stepped out of the shop, he took her soft hand in his and squeezed it gently, smiling at her all the while. Children ran around nearby, playing some kind of game - Weasel, it looked like, where the foxes would chase the weasel until one of them touched the weasel, at which point the weasel would become the fox. It was older than Eratnu, if history could be believed. No one paid much mind to them now, he noticed, though a few people that had looked before seemed more satisfied than they had been previously. Those satisfied looks were even worse than the ones from before. They prompted his face to get a dark look until they were out of range of their eyes. He sighed. Nothing was ever easy. People were simply far too judgemental for their own good - or anyone else's, for that matter.

Gwen was happy to be done shopping. She did not care for it much. The things man made were pretty and interesting yes, but not needed. Everything you would need was given to us by Liara and material things did not hold much weight in her eyes.

She walked once more in Eratnu's loving embrace. She hoped that he did not like her less for choosing to wear the dress, even when she thought it silly. She did not think she was sacrificing herself. Now that she had thought of it though, things were changing. She found herself looking into her own reflection more. She did her hair and made herself look as pretty as possible for Eratnu, not wanting to let his gaze be drawn to a more beautiful girl than she. Now she was wearing clothing. These were small changes in the grand scheme of things, but they were changes none the less that she now noticed. Was the city life really taking her in, pulling her away from the forest. She had to admit that she heard the calling of her tree a little less, being drown out by the sounds of the city and even more so by Eratnu's intoxicating words.

Gwen had told Eratnu that she would just like to walk a bit, wanting to enjoy the outside world with him. They had walked for some time, and had walked without the scolding looks. It had truly made Gwen smile. She was not the center of attention. She was no longer what everyone wanted to look at. It made her feel much more comfortable.

As their walk went on, they had ran into a group of people. They had all come to see the traveling circus that made their stop here on their way to Lómëdor. The area was filled with performers: Jugglers, dancers, actors, acrobats, contortionists, fire spitters, animals, and much more. Everything had looked very exciting and glamorous " Eratnu, what is this? It looks like another party, but one much more chaotic!" This was truly something that had caught her eye. The music and movement flooded into her mind, pushing back the thoughts of losing herself to the city and the worries that Eratnu was disappointed in her.

Eratnu, too, seemed suddenly taken in by the circus. Ah, the wonders of a circus. Eratnu found a slow smile spreading across his face, one of mirth and humor. His eyes produced a knowing look, a look which clearly said that he was pleased as well. The circus - it was such a wonderful thing. He didn't particularly like the fact that people were displayed like animals in cages, though - but that was a minor point. The rest of it was quite entertaining. A huge spurt of fire suddenly shot into the sky, for example, drawing cheers and laughter and much clapping. But then, though it was only Eratnu's Elven ears that enabled him to hear Gwen - and even then, he could hear her just barely - Gwen posed a question to him. Ah, of course. She had never seen a circus before. She'd probably never even heard of one.

"This," he said, raising his voice to make himself heard over the sudden noise of both the crowd and the circus itself alike, "is a traveling circus. People create illusions and perform tricks that boggle the mind, using no real magic at all but people think it is magic because it is so spectacular. Be careful of those bins over there."

He pointed to the bins containing what looked like giant toys of every size, shape, and description.

"Those are fireworks. They're quite dangerous, but also beautiful to behold. Someone will light the fuse - the long rope at the end of one of them - and stand way back. Suddenly, it'll shoot into the air and when it reaches the sky, it explodes with brilliant colours and designs. Some of them are slightly magical in nature, but most aren't. If you cut them open, though, they explode and that's not a good thing when you're three inches from them. But they're fun to look at, even if they do blind you temporarily sometimes."

This would be fun. He wondered how much they would charge for the shows.

Gwen watched in amazement as fireballs and explosion of colors shot into the air. The circus was truly a wonderful thing. Gwen had not heard so much laughter and excitement. Energy and happiness washed over the crowd. It was like a spell emanating from the area.

The nymph took Eratnu's hand, moving closer to the big crowd. It was there where two small men were taking coins to enter. The men were as small as dwarfs, but looked human. The two were also twins, looking and sounding alike. The strangeness of these two were like nothing she had seen in the forest.

Of course, like everything else in this city life, gold was needed to enjoy the wonders of the circus. Once Eratnu had gave them their payment, Gwen pulled him into the crowd. She did her best to maneuver through the people, bringing Eratnu through the motions with her. People with funny painted faces and colorful clothes moved around telling jokes. People juggled knives, balls, and flaming objects. Gwen was most taken by the fire tamers, throwing balls of fire around, making it dance more them, eating the flames without being burned. More fireworks exploded in the air, some raining down confetti down onto the crowd. It was a marvelous sight indeed " Isn't this exciting!" This was her first time seeing a traveling circus and she was taken by everything that was going on. So many sounds and sights were going on at once it gave her such a rush. Beautiful lights in the sky, fast moving and high music playing, laughter all around. This was a real party

The next sight her sparkling green eyes befell made her stop. The large cries of the circus falling back as she looked upon some cages. The cages housed exotic animals and grotesque creatures that did not look any race she had ever seen. They did not look natural " What are those things in those cages?"

It did not take long for Eratnu to shell out the pricey amount of gold. Such things were usually very high-priced, of course, but it seemed the price had skyrocketed since the last time he'd seen one of these things. Of course, it had been almost a decade since he'd seen a traveling circus - he didn't follow them much like people did - but still, the price would have been considered outrageous to others. Eratnu didn't fuss over it, though. He just paid the Halflings and moved through, letting Gwen lead the way as he'd promised her. They quickly found a seat, too, though that was a bit surprising. They were fortunate. Eratnu sat in the seat with Gwen in his lap, his arms wrapped around her romantically as a small, loving smile played upon his face and a twinkle lit in his eyes. The smile and the twinkle were only for Gwen, of course. He did enjoy the circus, but he was enjoying Gwen's presence so much more. She was so beautiful, so warm and soft...like a living pillow filled with friendly bubbles of exquisite joy. He kissed her neck romantically and watched the circus.

Ah, the fire-eaters. Of course. And the sword-swallowers. Heh. Either the fire-eaters were masters of their element and doused the flames skillfully as soon as they entered their mouths, or they filled their mouths with cold water. It was difficult to tell which was more dangerous. Then there were the collapsible swords that the sword-swallowers apparently 'ate'. He'd learned these things over a century ago when he'd been hired on as a guard for a traveling circus; there had been a lot of goblin raids in the Salquedor Grasslands at that time, and they'd wanted to reach Lomedor in one piece. It had been a hard fight, even for Eratnu, for there had literally been hundreds of goblins in that place, but they'd finally made it all right and he'd gone back to finish them all off. With a few chosen allies, he'd been able to almost completely rid Salquedor of the nasty little creatures, driving them back to the swamps of the Misty Forest. They hadn't left since, or so he'd heard.

Then Gwen directed his attention to the creatures in the cages. His smile faded as he looked upon those wretched beasts.

"Some of them," he said to her with a hint of sadness in her voice, "are the last of their kind, ancient beasts wiped out by one source or another - hunger, hunting, or something else - and so they're bred for the sole purpose of being used in such circuses as this or sold to other circuses or court carnivals - the kinds found in royal palaces and such. Others are everything from Dwarves to humans to Elves to half-Dragons - all of which were born deformed. Some were cursed, others were tortured and mutilated, but all have come to the circus in some way because they cannot fit in anywhere else. Many of them scare the general populace, and so this - though it is a lesser extension of their social prison - offers them a way to at least live in peace. 'Tis a sad thing, really. Entertaining, yes. But sad."

Then something else came - something even Eratnu hadn't seen before. They were announced just before they came, and their massive gray bodies made Eratnu stare in wonder just as much as they probably made Gwen stare. Elephants. They were magnificent. Each of them had to be a couple of hundred feet tall* and perhaps that much in length, as well. According to the Ring Master, they weighed in at over six tons - over twelve thousand pounds. Each of them had trunks about twenty to thirty feet long, with tusks nearly twice that length and massive ears even larger than their already massive heads. Each of them carried a gigantic redwood trunk, cleanly cut, in their trunks. Redwoods were upwards of a hundred feet tall, and if this sight and the Ring Master's words could be believed, they had ripped the trees straight out of the ground.

"Such power...such magnificence...they're beautiful..." Eratnu found himself murmuring. He didn't forget about Gwen, of course. A broad grin crossed his face. "Even I have never seen Elephants, Gwen. It seems we're both in for a wonderful treat today." He squeezed her gently, a gesture of love and affection and happiness, his arms wrapped around her hugging her lovingly. "What do you think of the circus's newest attraction, eh?"

((*I'm using the LotR-style elephants as an example here, since it's supposed to be like a more ancient time or whatever in Arda than in present-day Earth. ^_^ ))

Gwen felt sad for the creatures. They had lost their freedoms because they were not normal. It was a common thing in the nature for the norm to shun difference. Most creatures were afraid of those that they did not understand. She felt more sad for the rare creatures that had been locked away. At least the deformed people had chosen to reside in the circus. The rare and exotic animals did not.

The nymphs attention was torn away by the enormous creature that had stomped forth. It was like none that Gwen had ever seen in the forest. It was truly magnificent. The creature was easily taller than trees, dwarfing the crowd. She was surprised when she found that even Eratnu did not know of these creatures " Then this is something that we can share! They are truly brilliant animals. They look like no other I have seen!" She loved animals dearly, and finding that their were more animals than those in her forest was truly a joyous thing.

As she sat on her lovers lap, she laid her head back against his " This place is so great! The performers here are amazing! Everything is so fun and beautiful" Gwen was ignorant to the tricks the performers played. She actually believed that they had swallowed swords and eaten flames. She did not even think of these things being tricks.

Gwen noticed a performer moving up and down the rows of seats. There were knives snuggled warmly to his waist. He seemed to be gazing on the crowd, scrutinizing them. The man was moving up and down quickly, coming ever closer to Gwen and her lover. When their eyes met he clapped his hands and gave a bow to her, slipping his hands around hers " Enjoying the show miss? How would you like to be a part of it? I am sure your pretty face would be a great addition to my act!"

Before Gwen had time to protest, the performer pulled her off Eratnu's lap quickly, but softly. He began to lead her unto the stage, keeping a tight grip on the confused girl. All Gwen could do was look back at Eratnu, seeing if he knew what was going on.

When the two had reached the stage the man left Gwen standing in front of a large wooden board. He then turned and bowed to the crowd, announcing just what he was going to do. Gwen did not hear what his performance was going to be as she was trying to figure out what had just happened. She snapped back into reality when she heard the sound of splintering wood. She turned to see a knife stuck in the board, only a few inches from her. She immediately stiffened at the sight, her heart racing.

The crowd gasped and then cheered as he threw another blade, this one cutting away the band that held her ponytail. Her hair immediately fell down too its full length. Gwen felt adrenalin pumping through her as the blades hit closer and closer. The crowd roared with excitement. He tossed Gwen an apple and a second after she had caught it, a knife wisped it out of her hands, sticking it to the board.

After the act was over the man stepped towards the nymph, taking her hand and kissing it. He then pulled her away from the board and they bowed to the crowd together. Gwen truly had a rush going, her heart still beating rapidly, the thump drowning out the claps and cheers.

Eratnu smiled as he stroked Gwen's long, beautiful hair. He'd seen the man, too, but he hadn't thought anything of it. Most knife throwers tended to pick people that were alone, after all, and they generally asked before just whisking someone away. One moment, though, he had his arms wrapped around her and was kissing her neck romantically as she enjoyed his presence and the sights and sounds of the circus, and the next, he was fighting through the crowd trying to get to her. By the time he managed it, the show was almost over. The man was just heading off the stage when Eratnu seemed to appear out of nowhere. In an instant, the man's knife seemed to have flown out of its sheath and the man was grunting as he fell back - very hard - against the side of a small shed to the side of the show, away from where people were watching. His own knife was pressed hard against his throat, and it was a wonder that Eratnu did not draw blood. The man's eyes were wide with shock and his skin was paler than Eratnu's by far with sheer terror at what was happening.

"P-please, I...I j-just..."

"Shut up," Eratnu growled. He was furious. Enraged, almost. Both at himself and at the man that had taken Gwen so suddenly. He had not been able to react quickly enough to stop him. He'd been too comfortable. If he hadn't turned the man aside from his mind...if the man had slipped and hurt Gwen...he would never have forgiven himself.

"If you ever," he huffed quietly, in a voice of deadly calm that would have scared a snake into birth, "touch her or come anywhere near either of us again, I will personally gut you like the slimy fish you eat for lunch. And I will do it slowly, and painfully, and you will beg me for death before I finally decide to end your pathetic, pitiful little existence. Understood?"

Eratnu's tone left no room for negotiation. Either the man understood, or he lost his throat and his life all in one fell swoop. Plain and simple. The man didn't dare gulp, but he nodded slightly, terrified of what Eratnu might do to him if he didn't.

"Y-yes, I-I-I u-underst-stand...p-please d-d-d-d-don't k-kill me...p-please..."

Tears were now sliding down the man's face. He'd have to change his pants when this was done, that much was for certain. Without another word, the knife blade was slammed into the wood of the shed a hair's breadth above the man's hat.

"Go. Now."

The man was gone in an instant, not even bothering to recover his knife. It was almost comical the way he stumbled away from the seemingly crazed Elf. After watching him go, forcing himself not to chase the man down and kill him, he frantically turned to Gwen. He brushed his hands over her body, over her hair, checking to make sure that she had not been harmed.

"Are you hurt? Are you hurt? Anywhere? Are you okay? Please...if you were hurt, I...I couldn't..."

Words failed him as he stared into her eyes, his face filled with both fear for her and guilt that he had not been able to prevent her being taken like that. He grabbed her and held her close, just cherishing the feeling of her being there. Logically, she wouldn't have been in any danger. The man had to have been an expert, or he wouldn't have been doing the act. But Eratnu wasn't feeling at all logical now. He was just scared for her. He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her...

Gwen had not been there to see how Eratnu handled the situation. She had been waiting at their seats, trying to find him. When he came to her she was surprised to find him so astatic. She wrapped her arms around him, shushing him " I am fine, trust me. The man did not hurt me." Her voice was still shaky, along with her body, as she was still recovering from the fright and thrill. The adrenalin's affect was slowly waring off.

As she pressed against him tightly she could hear his heart racing. He had truly been scared for her. The nymph could not help but smile at this. She now knew that he truly cared for her like she did for him. He was honestly concerned for her saftey and wanted nothing bad to ever befall her. Now she knew that Eratnu loved with his heart and not only his eyes.

After Gwen had stopped shaking, and after she felt certain her lover was now calmed, she pulled away from the hug " What do you want to do now?" She had led the trip all day, and wanted to now do something that Eratnu would enjoy. Gwen had had a more than exciting today so far and now wanted Eratnu to pick their next trip. She danced around him, her dress wirling this way and that " We can do anything you want!"

As Gwen waited for her answer she watched as a few jugglers and acrobats made their way through. the acrobats did flips, cartwheels, and rolls as they made their way through the crowds. One of the jugglers was jugglings six apples as he followed the acrobats. As he made his way past, he handed Gwen a shiny green apple, holding a friendly grin. She excepted the apple, bowing her head slightly to show thanks before taking a bite. As the sweet juice of the fruit filled her mouth, memories of the forest came flooding back to her, reminding her of everything. As fast as all the memories hit her, they were gone. It felt good to remember though. She now knew that the city life had not swallowed her up. She still held her nymph roots, even if the hold was thinning.

(( I'm thinking about a midnight raid to free the animals in their cages. After that we may have to leave the town so it will be a perfect transition))

((Okay, but Gwen would be leading that one. Eratnu would most likely see the danger in letting loose large animals that had never been in the wild. Keep in mind they're bred now by the circus folk...))

He hardly listened as she said that she was fine, though her voice was like the sweetest honey on just the tip of his tongue. Her voice drove him wild, as did the rest of her, and he had just a taste of it now - but he wanted so much more. He loved her so much. Had meant it when the thought had crossed his mind to challenge the gods themselves should anything happen to Gwen. Her death would be the end of his life.

She pulled away from him and danced about, her cheerful self once more. Eratnu had calmed a bit now, but he was still concerned. He couldn't help it. He loved her so much...

He took a deep breath before answering, trying to steady his nerves.

"Something without sharp objects."

He hoped she would laugh at his small jest, though it was only half-jest. Perhaps her light, beautiful laughter would soften the mood for both of them. He watched as the man handed her an apple and she bit joyfully into it. He smiled. He heart fluttered in his chest to see her so happy, almost bringing him to tears. But he warded the tears off forcefully. Gwen was fine, she was safe, and nothing was going to harm her now that she was safely back with Eratnu. Nothing at all.

Eratnu wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her on her lovely, smooth cheek. Then he led her, arm still around her, through the circus. They finally came to a pig racing show. It was often quite humorous to see the races, so he pointed to it and grinned.

"How about watching that? It's pretty funny sometimes, watching them - and there's no fear of getting something stuck in you," he said, still trying to lighten the mood - perhaps more for his own sake than his.

Gwen laughed at Eratnu's jest " I am sure we can manage to find something that lacks any sort of blade." She once more felt the warm familiar lips on her cheek and after she had swallowed her bite of apple returned the kiss with one of her own.

After walking around a bit, people watching, they came upon a pen with people gathered around it cheering. Squeals and snorts filled the air, dominating over the cheers of the crowd. Eratnu had cleared a spot for the two and Gwen pushed up against the wooden fence, watching as three pigs were about to be let out of their starting boxes " This is a rather odd game too play? Do people race pigs often in the city?"

The tree were released and they began to run as fast as they could down the other end. The man made the pigs move by shooting off a firework that made a loud booming noise that would startle them. People roars and cheered for their pig to win, as if it would make their little hooves scurry any faster. Gwen could not help her laughter at watching this event. It was definitely an odd sight to behold, at least to Gwen.

After the race Gwen ran down to the finish area and dropped the rest of her apple into the pin for the winning pig " There you are little guy! You ran your little heart out!" They were rather smelly creatures but Gwen loved them all the same. She loved all creatures. The nymph was not afraid of spiders, snakes, and other large beasts like most were. She was also not disgusted by bugs and smelly pigs like most maidens.

The two moved on from the pigsty and began to see what else the circus had to offer. They soon came upon some stands where men tried to sweet talk girls and challenge the men and boys alike to games. There were games like throw the ring around the bottles, throwing tomatoes at a target, knocking the stacked up bottles over with a ball, and much more. If one were to succeed at the game they would win a prize. Gwen laughed as she watched the contestants prove their might, and she watched most fail. As the two passed the stands the worker's eyes soon befell the couple and he called Eratnu out " What about you mister! Do you think you have what it takes you win a prize for your girl?"

Eratnu laughed right along with Gwen at the funny little animals oinking and squealing and grunting as they ran along. He watched as they bumped into one another and into the rails that kept them on the track. It really was quite humorous. He got some feed out of a small bin and dropped in a piece of gold. Then he deposited some into each of the bins for the pigs and watched as they hungrily gulped it up - apple, feed, and all. He had to chuckle as he saw that.

Then his arm was around Gwen's beautiful, slender waist once more and his feet were plodding along with Gwen's soft, sensitive ones. She was so delicate, like a pleasant little flower, and it was his duty to protect her. But it was more than just duty, and he knew it now - and so did she. They knew it full well. And they were absolutely perfect for each other. Yes, they knew that, too.

As they traipsed through the traveling circus, Gwen asked about the pig racing.

"Well, not really. Some villages do it as part of their annual or seasonal festivities. Every village and city has its own celebrations of its history and culture; some festivals are seasonal, some are annual, but they all have different activities. Some, like horse racing or pig racing, aren't just restricted to a particular festival, but most are. And look over there - there's a pig-catching contest. People fill a pit with mud, and the one that manages to catch a pig - which is very, very difficult - gets a huge prize. That's also something done by villages. You don't usually find events like that in the larger cities, as most people consider it primitive. People in larger cities don't really see the value of people that have lived off of the land all of their lives."

It was as he was speaking that someone called out to him. Boomerangs were thrown at targets to win prizes. Three, five, or ten targets could be hit for different prizes. Eratnu grinned and gave Gwen a loving squeeze as he looked at her. He stepped up and nodded. He shelled out his gold and got ten Boomerangs. He began tossing. Thud. Thud. Thud. And then there were seven more thuds as Eratnu hit every last target swinging very, very fast before him. He was an Elf, after all; ranged combat was most definitely his forte, and this was just like ranged combat. He got to choose one of three different prizes. He chose a large, stuffed toy monkey with a long, rope-like tail. He handed it to Gwen with a broad grin upon his Elven face.

"What do you think of that, Gwen?"

((I took that from the image in your sig. :p ^_^ ))

Gwen stood behind Eratnu, watching him happily. He was an expert with the boomerrangs, hitting the targets perfectly. She jumped and cheered for him merrily, giving him a big kiss on the cheek in exchange for the gift " That was great! I love it, thank you!" She did not care much for the toy itself, but it meant so much more that it had been won by her lover. She would never have just went to a store and bought it, but she would keep it always because it was a gift from Eratnu.

Gwen held the monkey to her chest with both arms as Eratnu held her around the waist. It was getting dark now and the excitement had settled down some. The smaller children had fallen asleep by now or were taken home. The older ones still ran a muck around the circus area, playing around and trying to impress the oposite sex. Couples sat on the ground and on benches to watch the firework show that would end the night.

The nymph found a spot in the grass and pulled Eratnu down quickly, just in time to see the first explosion of light " Such beautiful inventions. They are like giant blossoms in the sky!" She laid herself in front of Eratnu, supporting herself against him as he wrapped her arms around her. Gwen had always loved the thunderstorms and to see the giant streaks of lightning light up the night sky. These fireworks were so much better. They painted the sky in bright colors and were gone as soon as they came. This was truly her favorite part of the night. It was her favorite invention of the city life. This had been one of the few good things that came with mans need to improve things.

Eratnu accepted the kiss greatfully and then returned it with one of his own - another deep, passionate kiss upon her tender, lovely lips. It was a kiss of love. He then smiled the whole way as he walked with Gwen down the road, through the dwindling crowds and the laughing children, the show-offy boys and the girls rolling their eyes as they sighed with exasperation at the boys' foolishness, the entertainers trying to get in some last-minute customers, and the couples just trying to enjoy what was left of the day's fun as they prepared for the fireworks display that was about to begin, thus signaling the end of the day. Finally, though, they'd come to a part of the ground where lush green grass grew and where people were already starting to fill up. Eratnu blinked, and then laughed, as he was suddenly pulled down and practically fell on top of Gwen. He was still grinning as he adjusted himself so that Gwen was basically sitting in his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. The bright stars of flashing, smoking light that the fireworks created were brilliant and beautiful. Yes, it was truly one of the most spectacular things that man had invented. It blinded people for just an instant, leaving bright spots of colour in their vision, but it was beautiful and they loved it. It was a joyous sight, those fireworks, and something Eratnu had always personally enjoyed.

He remembered how there had been a celebration of some village festival just a few miles from where a battle in the last war in which Eratnu had fought. He'd watched the fireworks for a moment, but then he'd had to get moving. There had been no time to enjoy the distant show. He'd had to remember where he was and what he was doing there, and he'd had to be reminded by a fellow officer. He'd gotten back to the fight pretty quickly, shelling out commands to his fellow soldiers in order to get the camp moving toward the battle. He remembered wishing then that he'd been able to stay and watch the fireworks display, and he'd even shot one last, regretful look at another burst of red, blue, yellow, and green before finally heading out.

But now, sitting with Gwen, he could enjoy them fully. He could appreciate them. He could even love them, though of course, nothing could ever compare with his love for Gwen. But still, they were enjoyable. And the entire situation was very, very romantic besides as he kissed her neck softly and watched the show. Mostly, he was just enjoying the feeling of being with Gwen, his strong arms wrapped around her soft, warm body.

Gwen giggled as her lover nibbled on her neck. The night was truly romantic. The day had been exciting, nothing she had ever experienced. It was a magnificent feeling, something she would remember forever, as fondly as she would remember the love Eratnu and her shared. The scene was tranquil and awe inspiring. Couples were easily lost in their own little paradise as the flashes of light mesmerized them. This was true with Gwen. Her only thoughts were of Eratnu and the blooms of color in the air.

Before long the end came, finishing the show with the nonstop wave of fireworks, using up all that they had left. Gwen's eyes lit up in excitement, the color in the sky reflecting in her bright green eyes. She turned herself around, pushing Eratnu too the ground. She smiled down at him before giving him another long and passionate kiss, not caring who was watching. She wanted to thank him for everything. She wanted to thank him for the wonderful day, the even more wonderful night, the monkey, the dress, for showing her companionship, for showing her how it felt to truly be loved.

As she kissed him, her mind began to wonder. She could not help but to think of the animals trapped in those cages. Binds sickened Gwen almost as much as death. Chains and cages did nothing but take away the freedom that all creatures had. It stripped man and creature alike from their dignity and power. They teased their captive, hanging the freedom of nature in their face, but just out of their reach. She knew how it felt to be in chains. The nymph could still feel that cold and horrible steel around her wrists. She had once been the caged bird, and did not want that for anyone else, even if they had never known freedom at all.

She pulled away from their kisses, half wanting to stay their and enjoy their passion. She knew that she could not sit idly by though. Her nymph ways still chimed in her head, even if it was being combated with the new sounds she knew, the sounds of the city and the booms of the fireworks. She pressed herself off the ground and looked around. Now that the show was over almost everyone had left. This would be the perfect time for the liberation. She held her hands out to Eratnu smiling " Will you help me with something Eratnu?" She was not sure if he would help her. Gwen only seen the liberation of the caged animals as good, but Eratnu may see it as breaking the law. He may be worrying about what threat a small heard of freshly released animals may cause. Gwen did not think of such things. She only knew animals to be gentle unless provoked. She had never been attacked by an animal, and would never think that one may turn on her. " I would like you to help me free those poor animals. The circus people use them as if they were property. They keep them in small cages and make them do tricks. If we do not help them they may never know of the wild and the joys that nature holds. You do not have to come if you do not want too. I will do it alone. I will be ok on my own if you do not wish to follow."