The Small and Secret Things by Dawn Felagund

Words to Tell

Finwë, upon returning to his people from Valinor, ponders the difficulty of putting into words what he has seen. I've gone for a slightly surreal feel here in hopes of maybe conveying what it was like for the early Elves, dwelling in a world where so many things are new to them and there is much still to understand. This is a tribble, 300 words.

We pause before reaching Cuiviénen, standing in the shadows--for once without fear--watching our people. Fire we found shortly before departing, and upon the dark lake, it sparkles like a scattering of rubies and topaz.

Ruby. Topaz. I taste the new words upon my tongue, recall colors seen for the first time, in Light, sifted through the broad hands of the one called Aulë.

I feel the others recalling it too. And unease. They are--we are--uneasy. For how to express to our people the splendor of this place we have been? How to convey Light to those who have known only darkness; color to those whose world is painted only in washes of gray? Language is new to us, and there are still so many things for which there are no words. We turn our hands a certain way, let expressions writhe upon our faces, convey it with a touch, a kiss. The words for these things take longer to come, murmured and sighed on a sudden, into the darkness between us.

But there are no words for this. Not yet. How will we--wayworn from our journey--describe what we've seen? Yet unless we persuade our people to come, the words will never be; so many possibilities will be doomed into silence, never to be whispered into the dark spaces between us.

We watch a bit longer. They are celebrating, for it is Darkest Night, and it is almost over. The fires leap high, and the people whirl faster, dancing, and lift their voices in song.

These things they know: joy and hope. Despite the darkness and the gloom, these were among the first words we crafted.

And so maybe there is a chance of understanding? Ingwë steps forward. Elwë and I follow.

We must try.

Chapter End Notes

Today's Word:

wayworn WAY-worn, adjective:

Wearied by traveling.

Wayworn is way (from Old English weg) + worn (from Old English werian).