Prologue of the Prologue: Nelora Mahariel

Chapter 2: Arlathven

Summary:

Every ten years, the Keepers of the Dalish clans convene in a meeting called the Arlathvhen, which lasts usually two days, to compare any recovered knowledge or artifacts. During that event also some members from different clans get relocated.

Notes:

"There's something about childhood friends that you just can't replace." - Lisa Whelchel

It is late summer. The sun has just risen to the sky. There are no clouds in sight as if someone ordered the perfect weather for this special day.

Nelora is very excited. She barely got any sleep. The youngling walks out of her tiny tent. The clan is very lively. They are all preparing for it.

Nel can barely take a few steps when Ashalle stops her in her tracks "Now where are you going, young lady?"

She shrugs "Nowhere in particular. I just wanted to look around and see how everyone is preparing."

Ashalle raises her eyebrows; she has this look of a condescending mother about her right now. "If everyone is preparing then why aren't you?"

She grunts "Ughh I just got out of my tent."

Her 'mother' wags a finger at her "No excuses. You will go and gather firewood for the bonfire."

She knows that there is no point to arguing with Ashalle, she has tried it many times but not even once has she succeeded. Nelora nods "Yes Ashalle."

The older woman gives her the 'you better do as I say' look and orders "Go quicker and no wondering around, getting distracted, getting into trouble or other fun things. Did I make myself clear?"

She understands no fun at all, how amazing. "Yeah, yeah I got it. You don't have to keep telling me these things. I'm no child anymore."

Ash is being sarcastic "Of course you are no child anymore. You are quite the grownup at age 13."

Now she is making fun of her. I can be quite the adult at age 13! "Oh stop it."

The older elf raises her hands in the as if she's surrendering "Whatever the grownup says."

"Very funny."

She smiles, dimples appear in her pale cheeks. "And you thought that ole Ashalle can't make a joke. Now off to work with you."

"I'm going, I'm going."

Nelora starts walking away. There is so much going on. Some elves are cooking, some are cleaning and making sure that the ascetics would be the best, some are gathering wood, some are bringing in fresh game to be cooked and some are missing, they are probably out there hunting or handling the firewood situation.

She glances back and sees Ashalle looking at her to make sure that she gets to her job. It is going to be hard to slip away from mother Ash's motherly gaze. It is simpler just to get the job done.

She goes to the forest near the camp where the other firewood gatherers are. It seems that there are some who are chopping wood and cleansing the forest of the dead, not so healthy and the trees that are hindering other trees' growth. Others are just picking up the chopped and sawed wood as well as stacking it.

She can see someone waving to her. It is Fenarel "Aneth ara Mahariel!"

She smiles slightly "Aneth ara Fenarel. May I join the wood gathering?"

He picks up his axe again and continues chopping wood. "Hey the more the merrier."

She has to remind herself that here is a bright side to this. "And more people means that it will be over quicker too - yay." That didn't sound very enthusiastic.

She starts picking up wood.

Fenarel tries to make conversation "Let me guess Ashalle sent you."

She picks up a few pieces of wood. "You've got that right."

He snorts "It was about time. You were one of the last elves in this clan who wasn't doing anything."

"And you are the responsible one who always does the chores even before you are asked to."

He laughs "You are just jealous."

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that."

Fenarel is not that much older from her. What was it a year or two? Something like that. He is such a pushover when it comes to cores and being all polite, proper and things. When he is in the company of his peers then he can be pleasant enough conversation partner.

****

It has been a couple hours of handling the wood. Finally it is over. She has never really liked chores or being told what to do. Ashalle often complains: when she will grow out of it. Seriously grow out of not wanting to do chores and being told what to do?! – Not likely to happen.

Nelora is heading towards the camp to find her best friend. She needs to complain about the wood gathering and express her exaltedness for the Arlathvhen .

As the girl makes it out of the forest to the border of the clan area she spots a slumped figure under a tree and walks over to it.

She is standing behind the elf now, he looks very familiar, is it Tamlen? The person speaks "Hi lethallan."

It is Tamlen. Why is he here? "Tamlen? What are you doing here?"

"Sitting and thinking."

She nods "I can see that. Why are you sitting and thinking all the way over here?"

"It is quiet."

So it's dragging words out of him this time. Nothing she can't handle "You can pretty much always find that kind of peace in the camp. Are you alright and why are you so gloomy?"

He looks troubled. "I've been washing dishes since this morning and finally it is over."

So they put him to do chores too, makes sense. To be honest washing dishes isn't that bad of a job. "I know how you feel. I was out gathering wood for a long time too."

"Still beats doing the dishes."

She laughs a little "Yeah I don't quite agree. You know that made me feel better that I was not the only one unhappy with the preparation chores."

He drops his head in his hands, he looks frustrated. "You can be very mean, you know."

What did she do now? Doesn't matter, she'll go along with it and do the bitch act: "Uuu... You found that out just now?"

He looks up to her like she proved his point perfectly just now. "That's what I'm talking about."

She sits down next to him and leans on the tree. "Chores are chores but chores don't make you feel so down." She gives him a friendly nudge, "What is truly wrong Tam-Tam?"

He stares off in the distance. "It is the Arlathvhen."

The Arlathvhen? It is such an amazing event, what could be making him so sour about that. "What about it? It is so exiting! We may get some new clan mates!"

He tilts his head back "Do you know the cost of it?" He lets out a heavy sigh "At whose expense it all happens?"

She is confused "What are you talking about Tamlen?"

He runs his thumb along the scar on his left hand. He only does it when he is nervous. "Arlathvhen happens every 10 ears. Keeper tells us that the main reason for it is to share the knowledge that the clans have gathered. There is also a secondary goal that is actually more important to us. It is the exchange of people. Someone from other clan will come here and someone from here will go there. It is a way to get some fresh blood."

She turns to face him. "And why are you worried about that? It is not like they are going to send you away."

His voice is shaky just like when someone is trying to act normal while holding back their sobbing "That is exactly what I'm afraid of."

It is absurd, does he know how silly that sounds? "You've got to be kidding me Tam. There is no way they would do that. You belong here!"

"Well look who is speaking – the last of Mahariels. There is no way they would send YOU away because of all that has already happened to your family line but there is nothing that is holding me in this clan."

Now he can't mean that, he is full of rubbish in this front but what if he is right? "No they can't do that. I won't let them take you away."

He stops tracing the scar and looks in her eyes; she can see genuine uncertainty in them. "Do you truly think that they are going to listen to you? You are just a kid like me and nobody is going to ask what the kids want when important decisions are being made."

By the Gods, he may have a point. This is so unfair, it can't happen. She feels a little empty inside. "Tamlen I'm so sorry. But you don't know what is going to happen, so we have to hope for the best."

He frowns. His voice is barely loud enough to be heard, it breaks her little heart. "Hope for the best? Is that all you've got."

Nel can't be gloomy when this could be the last time she spends time with her best friend. She can't let him be like that either. They both should lighten up. She leans her head on his shoulder "It is better than volunteering to be the exchange elf and it is better than whining. Suck it up and toughen up."

"It is easy for you to say."

"It is but it doesn't make it any less true." There is a brief moment of silence.

She gets a tiny smile from Tam-Tam "You won't let it go unless I do as you say, will you?"

She grins "You know me well enough that I won't."

"Fine. I'll try."

The corners of her mouth rise. She stands up and starts bouncing "Now to get your mind off these bad things. We are going to 'borrow' some delicacy food from the cooks."