(no subject)

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

There's a pretty, traitorous Adan in the bar.

At the bar.

With cider.

And a cat.

Come see if you can pronounce her name. Come on. We dare you.

Comments

[ariseinmight]

And there's an old friend not far away. Not that he's immediately recognizeable, what with the new hair and the unfamiliar colorless eyes.

He eyes the cat warily for a moment. Nope, not Námo.

"Should've known you'd be a cat person."

Same voice, though.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim jumps and spins around and... does a double-take.

"Melkor?"

[ariseinmight]

"No, I'm his evil twin Skippy," Melkor says dryly. "Oh, wait. That'd be redundant."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim gives him an odd look.

"What happened to you? You look... different."

[ariseinmight]

He shrugs.

"Time for a change. I'm not really cut out to be an Autumn anyway."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"I see."

Whatever THAT means. Gorlim has trouble keeping up with Melkor at the best of times.

"Well. I... have something for you." He scritches the cat as she jumps onto his lap.

[ariseinmight]

"Just tell me it's not the cat."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim rolls his eyes. "I thought you knew Ailbhe. No, it's not the cat."

He searches through his pockets and takes out a small, circular piece of carved wood on a strong of braided leather. The wood is painted dark blue, carved with seven stars painted silver. The crown of Dorthonion.

"Just that. Useless, I know, but... there you go. I'm not good for much else."

[ariseinmight]

Melkor looks at the bauble, then at Gorlim.

"Why would you give me this?" he asks, the confused distrust evident in his voice.

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

Gorlim sighs.

"Because I am a broken, confused little soul but whatever I am, you made me, and maybe it wasn't all by choice, and maybe I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and maybe it wasn't all your fault, and maybe a lot of things, and I don't always need to fight you, and you won that battle, and you won the place that belonged to those stars."

[ariseinmight]

He accepts the gift.

"You played your part, just as I played mine. If it weren't us, it would have been someone else. Would you have wished your suffering on another?"

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"No," he says quietly. "Never."





"Nor yours."

[ariseinmight]

"Neither would I."

He sighs, pocketing the gift.

"How go things with my brother?"

[nita_callahan]

"Gorlim!"

Nita comes over, beaming and fingering the bear pendant around her neck.

"Merry belated Christmas."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"And a merry belated Christmas to you, Nita dear!" Gorlim scoops her up in a tight hug. "I got the music! It is SPLENDID! Thank you so much for that."

[nita_callahan]

She hugs back, grinning.

"And this is beautiful. Did you make it?"

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"A small skill of mine," he replies with a nod. "The bear is a symbol of my people -- ferocity in the protection of one's kin."

[nita_callahan]

There's a flash of sadness in her eyes, there and gone, and then she's still grinning at him.

"Thank you so much. It's great."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"I'm not wizard, but the image is supposed to give you its power." He waves her to a stool beside his. "How have you been, Nita? I feel like I haven't seen you in an Age!"

[nita_callahan]

She sits down, holding out a hand to the cat.

"It's. . . been an interesting Christmas. Kind of complicated. What about yours?"

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"Hah! Complicated. Oh, my girl, that's such a lovely word, isn't it? Describes all kinds of situations."

Ailbhe, recognizing Nita right away from her stay with them, rubs up against her hand, running her motor-boat purr.

"I don't recall, are you Bound or not?"

[nita_callahan]

Scritching Ailbhe, she raises her eyebrows at Gorlim. "It's a versatile word, yeah."

Nodding -- "At the moment, yeah."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"Mmm." A noncommittal response. "Very versatile word. Have you met Ramon Salazar, Nita?"

[nita_callahan]

She eyes him. "Yeah, we've met."

[gorlim.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Just wondering."

It's really not a good thing to talk about with anyone who knows him.