"Living Jewels" by Shirebound
Aug. 14th, 2009 02:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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lotrchallengesAuthor: Shirebound
Title: Living Jewels
Rating: G
Theme: "Out on a Limb"
Assigned element: Telperion
Character: Yavanna
Summary: The Ring-bearers are welcomed into the West, as is what they bring with them.
Word Count: 419
Living Jewels
“There is some work that may be accomplished once only,” she had said long ago, and such was the truth. But lately, an urge had been growing to set her hand to a new task, and the means to do so had arrived on yestereve's tide.
And so Yavanna had taken to herself the Rings of Sapphire, Adamant, and Ruby, still faintly a-glimmer with promise and purpose; and also the crystalline phial containing the essence of the Silmaril of Fëanor, its brilliance potent, and achingly familiar. All four had been freely given by their bearers, bestowing upon each person a great virtue.
She stood alone beneath the stars, murmuring words to each jewel in the pure language of Eä. Then she knelt and pressed them deeply into the moist earth with her own hands before rising, and spread her arms wide.
Her song was long in the weaving, but after twelve turnings of the Sun she felt the stirrings of new life beneath her feet, a pulsing eagerness. Here, in this verdant meadow, a sapling would rise, tall and fair. Its flowers of white and blue and rose would radiate warmth, their mingled fragrances and colors blending in harmony. And the light of each bloom would be soft, out of necessity, lest the eyes of the mortals who now dwelt here be overwhelmed.
She saw the Tree full-grown bringing forth sweet fruits, their seeds carried to far-flung gardens and lovingly tended. In time, new saplings – sons and daughters of living jewels – would flourish.
Each earth-gem had contributed its essence – vigor, healing, preservation, resolve. And so the faithful Maia, the weary hobbit children, Finarfin’s proud daughter, the Peredhel who had begun to mourn the separation from his home and loved ones... each would come in search of refreshment for their song. Here they would discover the opening notes that would guide their healing; she could already sense faint strains of Music.
All of this Yavanna perceived in her heart and mind before the seed had pushed out the first tendrils toward deep waters and open sky. Of the Tree that would stand here one thing alone she did not know: its name. It would be given by the small one who yet lingered in Middle-earth. Even now, her cherished gardener walked here in his dreams.
When all was prepared, she spoke a soft blessing to the earth, and felt it respond. And then she was gone, only a faint whisper of breeze and sparkle of air to mark her passing.
END
Title: Living Jewels
Rating: G
Theme: "Out on a Limb"
Assigned element: Telperion
Character: Yavanna
Summary: The Ring-bearers are welcomed into the West, as is what they bring with them.
Word Count: 419
Living Jewels
“There is some work that may be accomplished once only,” she had said long ago, and such was the truth. But lately, an urge had been growing to set her hand to a new task, and the means to do so had arrived on yestereve's tide.
And so Yavanna had taken to herself the Rings of Sapphire, Adamant, and Ruby, still faintly a-glimmer with promise and purpose; and also the crystalline phial containing the essence of the Silmaril of Fëanor, its brilliance potent, and achingly familiar. All four had been freely given by their bearers, bestowing upon each person a great virtue.
She stood alone beneath the stars, murmuring words to each jewel in the pure language of Eä. Then she knelt and pressed them deeply into the moist earth with her own hands before rising, and spread her arms wide.
Her song was long in the weaving, but after twelve turnings of the Sun she felt the stirrings of new life beneath her feet, a pulsing eagerness. Here, in this verdant meadow, a sapling would rise, tall and fair. Its flowers of white and blue and rose would radiate warmth, their mingled fragrances and colors blending in harmony. And the light of each bloom would be soft, out of necessity, lest the eyes of the mortals who now dwelt here be overwhelmed.
She saw the Tree full-grown bringing forth sweet fruits, their seeds carried to far-flung gardens and lovingly tended. In time, new saplings – sons and daughters of living jewels – would flourish.
Each earth-gem had contributed its essence – vigor, healing, preservation, resolve. And so the faithful Maia, the weary hobbit children, Finarfin’s proud daughter, the Peredhel who had begun to mourn the separation from his home and loved ones... each would come in search of refreshment for their song. Here they would discover the opening notes that would guide their healing; she could already sense faint strains of Music.
All of this Yavanna perceived in her heart and mind before the seed had pushed out the first tendrils toward deep waters and open sky. Of the Tree that would stand here one thing alone she did not know: its name. It would be given by the small one who yet lingered in Middle-earth. Even now, her cherished gardener walked here in his dreams.
When all was prepared, she spoke a soft blessing to the earth, and felt it respond. And then she was gone, only a faint whisper of breeze and sparkle of air to mark her passing.
END
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Date: 2009-08-17 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-17 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 12:09 am (UTC)What a beautiful thought-- I just love what you did with this, dear! It's just beautiful!
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Date: 2009-08-18 12:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 12:29 am (UTC)"When all was prepared, she spoke a soft blessing to the earth, and felt it respond. And then she was gone, only a faint whisper of breeze and sparkle of air to mark her passing."
Beautiful.
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Date: 2009-08-18 12:39 am (UTC)Dear Sam. :)
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Date: 2009-08-18 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:34 am (UTC)Lovely!
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Date: 2009-08-18 11:23 am (UTC)We both wrote about new life from revered objects, a subject I love.
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Date: 2009-08-18 11:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 11:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 12:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 12:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 01:50 pm (UTC)A piece I shall enjoy reading again and again.
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Date: 2009-08-18 02:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 02:45 pm (UTC)Even now, her cherished gardener walked here in his dreams.
And this was the heart of the story!
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Date: 2009-08-18 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 03:51 pm (UTC)Since Yavanna was the "Queen of the Earth and Giver of Fruits", it follows that Sam, the gardener, would hold a special place for her and that he is "her gardener". I love that idea.
"Of the Tree that would stand here one thing alone she did not know: its name. It would be given by the small one who yet lingered in Middle-earth. Even now, her cherished gardener walked here in his dreams."
Follow-on story, please!
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Date: 2009-08-18 04:10 pm (UTC)I wrote a brief meeting between Yavanna and young Sam in my AU story "Healed", but I hadn't thought about a meeting with adult Sam. I'll see if my Muse can come up with anything! :D
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 04:30 pm (UTC)Okay, I totally lost it when I read this. I'm still crying.
What a beautiful, beautiful story, Janet. I feel that this must indeed have happened.
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Date: 2009-08-18 04:43 pm (UTC)I feel that this must indeed have happened.
That's a compliment I treasure.
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Date: 2009-08-18 05:19 pm (UTC)I hadn't thought about the further use of the rings and phial--how beautiful that this is what use they were put to! Of course!
That ending is so lovely--beautifully told.
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Date: 2009-08-18 05:23 pm (UTC)Surely such amazing energies could be put to use, one last time, by someone as creative and loving as Yavanna.
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From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 05:48 pm (UTC)What a beautiful gift to await Sam's arrival.
Thank you.
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Date: 2009-08-18 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 06:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 06:32 pm (UTC)Thank you.
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Date: 2009-08-18 06:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 06:59 pm (UTC)Of the Tree that would stand here one thing alone she did not know: its name. It would be given by the small one who yet lingered in Middle-earth. Even now, her cherished gardener walked here in his dreams.
What a wonderful thought!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 07:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 08:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 08:44 pm (UTC)Thank you!
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Date: 2009-08-18 09:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 08:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 09:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2009-08-18 08:59 pm (UTC)That just gave me chills up my spine.
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Date: 2009-08-18 09:04 pm (UTC)I just love imagining all this. Who knows, maybe it happened just this way...
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Date: 2009-08-18 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-19 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-19 06:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-19 11:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-19 09:56 am (UTC)I'm sorry for being predictable but the bit about Sam getting to name the tree was my favourite bit (and ASD's suggestion that Frodo will be sitting underneath that tree is lovely, too!).
Thank you! Utterly enchanting!
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Date: 2009-08-19 11:28 am (UTC)Thank you so much.
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