Everlong

40

"So, how long have you been able to see things? Is it something you've always had, like since birth?" Thorin was curious. His eyes moved from the view before him to the elf beside him. Liruliniel looked better than she did moments ago, being outside seemed to be doing her some good. Although she had tried to insist she was fine, Thorin could see when someone wasn't; so, with a hand kept resting against her shoulder, he had led her out of the room with guilt weighing slowly down on him.

He didn't know that was going to be the reaction she'd have, but then would anyone presume another would act such a way when surrounded by such wealth? She had originally asked him to take her to one of his favourite parts of his home. So he did, he led her through straight corridors of black stone and rock and eventually exited through the large open doorway to reach the ramparts again.

Liruliniel had hesitantly looked over them, she had commented they were above the main gate to which he nodded his head over. He liked coming up here to think. Obviously, he wasn't alone most of the time, there were guards positioned up here after all. But none of them bothered him, Thorin could simply stand and look outwards and let his mind wander. It didn't wander too far, but he found peace in being outside and seeing the neighbouring city happily thriving. A little beyond that if he trained his sight a bit more was Esgaroth, Thorin had only been a few times, nothing too special, but he'd heard people within Dale speak a bit negatively about their neighbours. If Thorin really strained his eyes, he could just about see the Woodland Realm lurking on the horizon.

Liruliniel had enjoyed the sight but then oddly seemed more fascinated with the banners which were flapping in the calm breeze of the day. The golden rod which they were tied to reflected the sun brilliantly and she turned away with a hard look. No item that was gold or too little would be left out. She had listened to his question while taking to leaning against the heavy brickwork. She thought over it, maybe for a bit longer than usual seems the answer wasn't all too long. "No, I wasn't born with it. I found out when I was younger."

"How? If you don't mind me asking?" Thorin ventured on, Liruliniel seemed to be quite accommodating when it came to talking, and questions; but more importantly answering them too. He wasn't too sure the other elves in her company would be the same. But, his curiosity was still quite high. He knew strange things could happen in the world, and that skills could be acquired or others born with them; he didn't ever think he would ever meet someone like that though. No offence to other visitors, but no one that interesting ever visited Erebor.

Liruliniel's eyes looked around at the view, it was different then the one in her room. She enjoyed seeing the kites flying over Dale, and it wasn't hard for her to imagine the happy faces of children as they gazed upwards. They hadn't travelled through the two nearby cities, instead they had stuck to the woodland that went around both to lead them to here. It was a straightforward journey, surprisingly they hadn't encountered any spiders in the forest, and the rocky terrain near the mountain was different and sometimes a little difficult to traverse, but they all got here. Her eyes moved away from the colourful kites and back to him, moving from her leaning post she turned her back and leaned back too. Crossing her arms, she eyed up the large doorway they came out of. There was no door attached, no hinges to show there even was one once. Still didn't mean that like most of the kingdom, this door had escaped being carved brilliantly and carefully.

Thorin just looked at her patiently, he was in no rush to hear anymore of her story, she could take as long as she wanted. Liruliniel looked at her boots and squinted her eyes in thought some more. "Our homeland is dying, but it is dying a slow death, an agonising death. Some are more susceptible to feeling shifts and changes in their environment than others, elves are perceptive anyway, but I think I am more so. I was running away, wanting to explore more of our new home and I fell. The tree I landed in was rotten, decaying from within and it couldn't bear my weight. I wasn't alone, but that didn't mean I was believed when I started saying something was wrong. I remember my vision blacking out at the corners, not being able to breathe, and this whispering sound. That was the beginning, and for many years after all I had in my dreams were images of death and war. At the moment, all I have is fire and death. I don't sleep much, I struggle to sleep. It is hard to when that's all that can be seen."