I am the Voice of the People (vaguely rated M)

[CloudDancing]

Final Product:




My cats promptly chewed the fingers off of it, stoneware fingers, so I am rebuilding it with special air-dry clay slowly.

[CloudDancing]

An old stump, hollowed out by age, the bark a wrinkled grandfather's scowl. Trembling inside it a curled dandelion head, shook, once with sobs, now with rocking in small rotations.

“I'm ready Angharradh. I want to go home. I cannot protect my own friends. I cannot fight. I cannot make him love me. I cannot save him from himself. Just take me. Please just take me away.

I was content to be a failure that day, but not in every single thing I have tried since. Not an event passes where I do not fail and someone nearly or does die.

The path seems to turn in on itself challenging me with a chant “a life for a life.” But as I kept telling everyone who asked, “who is to say one life is worth more than another?”

What would he want anyways, always so self-confident and single minded? Would he ask me to kill him and free his soul? Or would he want to linger on growing every more powerful than he had ever been?

I knew one thing that he would not want us to one by one feed ourselves into the belly of the beasts that took him. Perhaps I was wrong and maybe his vampire-self would indeed want all his friends and companions surrounding him in some mockery of a family. But I would not be there.

Each day I feel my connection to this world dwindling away. It is as if my soul is shrinking smaller and smaller into itself. My eyes turn inward and all I dream about is Arvandor. The songs,the sights, and the sounds of her fill my senses and I awake grasping at the sheets and at one that is not her. And I know not far beyond a dagger's edge or a well-shot arrow lies the door to my heart of hearts and peace.

"Corelleon, Lord of Light, even I can admit failure. Please take me back home soon. I know I have a role to play but I can not bear the touch of this world any longer and all its corruptions and fears. My love for my brothers is boundless and protective, yet they run away. My love for my sisters is more than can be given and not go mad for it. Please return your little servant to her home and be done with it. I beg you. Soon."

[CloudDancing]

Dear Talindra,

As much as it pains me to write this I must admit I have been hiding things from you. As each day has passed I feel this incredible conviction I do not belong to this world. I have smiled and given my affections with an heavy heart and a oppressive lingering darkness with me at all times. When one leaves the golden lands, the life renewed is not the same. It longs for it's true home and the true companions it shared there. And as each day passes that void grows and the voices of those left behind grow deeper and more persistent.

I am sorry I must leave you and head home to the Marches. I will seek my home and take residence with my family for the duration. Perhaps the priestesses there can soothe the darkness that wells in me and keeps me in utter inaction and in terror every time we go underground. Take solace with Akai'ye and know that I am there with you in my heart, though my soul is convinced it does not belong in this world.

I know that Algaril and Theresa know the way to free Sywyn or to do the right thing and put him down. Know that his death is the most vital goal in your quest, far beyond any rebirth. It is the right thing to do. And if I die again, do not try to return me, I will not return. I only am going home to speak with Maer and then settle in a quiet corner with my family. It is a confusing choice but I am so haunted and so pained from this growing void inside, it is for the best of us all.

With loving kindness,

Elrien

[CloudDancing]

*a small note curled and shoved under a specific door*

After the last time we were together, I barely could keep from speaking of the loneliness I feel or my sadness how cold and vengeful you have become. I will be at home if you need me; they need me more than any human right now. And I don't mean to continue this foolish fight or torture living beings. I will only be waiting here for you.

El