~The Elven-names~ Unexpected Occurences

I was walking toward a line of trees, and I was hating every minute of it. As I drew closer, I could tell the trees were a barrier of some sort. I wanted to stop, before I passed through them. But someone was pushing me. I twisted my head to see who was behind me, but I couldn't. Whoever it was would not let me turn my head. I passed the line of trees, and immediately an overwhelming fear fell on me. It wasn't safe here. I began to struggle, to try to go back. I jerked away from the person pushing me and looked straight in their face. I saw..

Dad? He smiled at me. "Mirluin, time to wake up."

I had been dreaming again. It was Saturday. And then the realization fell on me. We were leaving Middlecester today. Almost the same sense of fear came on me that I had felt in the dream. A stifling, grasping feeling, it twists in your belly like someone tied it in a knot.

*   *   *

 

As we got in the car, I could see that Thoron and Gilanna felt the same way I did. We were leaving a secure place to go somewhere... I didn't even understand why we felt that way. We shouldn't have this irrational fear about leaving. We could be scared, but to be as terrified as I felt? It was weird.

 

The highway from Middlecester goes through the forest for a long ways, and right in the middle, there's a rest stop. Dad stopped the car there and we all got out to stretch our legs. After a few minutes, I turned to go back to the car.

 

And I saw Dad, confronted by two archers and another man.

 

"Turan!" the man without a bow said. "Do you seek to estrange yourself even further from your people? You know it is forbidden to take a Keeper of the Lore outside of a haven against her will."

 



 Dad went white. "What?" he asked, almost in a whisper. "A Keeper of the Lore?" He looked at me. I looked down. Dad closed his eyes. "I did not know."

I stepped forward. "He speaks true. My father did not know I was chosen Keeper of the Lore." One of the archers looked at me and winked. It was Matt. I crossed my arms. "He did not know."

The man who had spoken to Dad nodded his head slowly. "Still he may not take you any further away from Middlecester. We are nearly on the border of the haven now." He turned to walk back into the forest. "You will all come with us."

And then I saw that there were more than three people. They were all around us. Thoron and Gilanna were looking around in wonder as they emerged from the forest.

Thoron looked at me. "What is this all about?"

I sighed. "I can't tell you right now. But it's something to do with Mom."

Thoron nodded. I wondered how much he guessed--more than I figured, I guessed.

*   *   *

 

On the walk into the forest, Dad wouldn't look at me. He seemed wrapped in thought. I was glad that we didn't have to leave, but what was going to happen now? Everything seemed to be falling to pieces around me.

 

A young woman named Weneithel was walking beside me. She was very friendly, and seemed to know quited a bit about Elven-named, so I decided to ask her some questions.

 

"Wen, (that was what she asked to be called), why do you think my father doesn't like elven-named? He is one."

 

She looked at me, then looked at Dad. "I think he may be sorrowing over your mother still, Mirluin," she said. "Turan was the..." her voice trailed off. It almost seemed like the last part had been talking to herself, not me."

 

I frowned. There were still things that confused me. "Why did the Keeper of the Legacy say that there were few choices for successors? I mean, look at all these elven-named here."

 

Wen smiled. "Yes, there are many elven-named. But there are only a few eldar-hini here. You, your sister and your brother, and two others."

 

My eyes got wide. "How come?"

 

She sighed. "I do not know for certain. But I believe the Enemy has something to do with it. Many Elven-named, when they are grown, abandon their people and do not keep the names. There may be more in the other havens."

 

I nodded. Just then Matt came toward us. "we are almost there," he said excitedly. "I think the Keeper of the Legacy will wish to see you, Mirluin."