Tales for the New Year by Kaylee Arafinwiel

In The Beginning

OC-centric, Awakened Elves at Cuivienen.

The stars were singing.

In all her life after, she could never be sure how she had known that.

Stars. Such a small word, yet it meant so much to her.

And why was she sleeping with her eyes closed? Eyes. The word flashed across her consciousness, and suddenly she knew, and knew how to open them...a brightness paired against the darkness, so bright that she rolled over on the sand, above the gentle lapping of the waves - and pressed herself into the one lying next to her.

All the while, the stars sang. They sang of welcome, of brightness, of life. Life.

Slowly, she sat up, relishing each new sensation, memorizing the Song, for something told her not to forget, oh, she must not forget...

The one next to her leaned into her as he sat up himself. Awestruck and wondering, he stared heavensward with her as the Music reigned over all. Around them, some near, some further, other figures like themselves were stirring to wakefulness.

A name came into her mind. Caleilil.

"Calelil," she said softly, aloud, to hear the sound of her own voice. Around her, others were speaking softly, now the Music had died away.

Beside her, Caleilil's companion lay a - hand? hand yes, that was the word - on her arm, and spoke just as softly. "Aramath," he said, his voice musical and pleasant to her ears.

Their eyes met, and the two knew they belonged together. "Aramath," she whispered, as he murmured her name, honey-sweet. Around them, others were discovering each other among the hushed whispers of the waves on the starlit beach. Further away, when they had time to think of aught but each other, they would discover camps in the nearby woods and meadows.

The Elves had awoken.