Editing MalekPoem (section)

==Of the Sarnim Stone==

Dim in dusk, dark fields and forests lay<br>
Open, exposed to lengthening light.<br>
Golden beams glinted on heads and helms<br>
Silently slipping from forest fastness<br>
Into open twilight<br>
reaching the road<br>
on the verge of night.  

They were awaited: one in sable silk<br>
Bowed gravely in greeting, held out his hand,<br>
Wishing welcome to His Lady’s lands.<br>
The riders reined in, their heavy helms<br>
Revealing elvish eyes:<br>
Sylvan, unyielding<br>
Wary, yet wise.

Hunched on the heights, a castle crowned the crag:<br>
In fading light it loomed stark and strong.<br>
The cobblestones clattered; flaming torches flared<br>
Shielding corners in shadows that dipped and danced.<br>
They entered the hall:<br>
bright gold, crystal<br>
a fire-lined wall. 

The master of his Hall sat in state<br>
Tall as a tower, gaunt, with gleaming eyes.<br>
Briefly they bowed, then stood silent, still<br>
Like statues in a tyrant's tomb.<br>
The tall lord smiled<br>
as a hunter might<br>
to something once wild.

'Welcome,' he said, 'And where is the smith,'<br>
'Whose skill is famed near and far?'<br>
One stirred and stepped forward; softly spoke:<br>
'The smith stands before you, for Orodruin has come,'<br>
'And would learn from your lips what price you would pay.'<br>
And his face was cold<br>
his voice polite<br>
and utterly controlled. 

'Have you skill sufficient,' said that master of Drow,<br>
'Armour to make unbreakable by man?'<br>
'No price may be paid for the perfect piece,'<br>
'But gifts I may give, exchange priceless for perfect.'<br>
Thus the grim lord<br>
offered for armour<br>
a choice from his hoard.

'If the metal is mithril,' the Half Gnome answered,<br>
'My skill could shape it strong and sure.'<br>
'But armour unbreakable? Only Powers could prove it,<br>
'Or battering of battle, though the smith should strive'<br>
'Armour to make unbreakable by man.'<br>
'But what, great lord,'<br>
might you have to offer<br>
from the depths of your hoard?

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Deep they descended to a hidden hall<br>
Locked with locks, secured with seals.<br>
The narrow gate gaped, they walked within<br>
Dazzled by dance of flickering flames<br>
On diamond and mithril<br>
serried arms and armour<br>
jewels and precious metal.

Their bright brands glanced on stunning stone<br>
Which flashed in the flame like a subterranean star:<br>
And its rose-red ruby like a captive king<br>
Lay enfolded in flowers of moulded mithril.<br>
The Half-Gnome held his breath<br>
at treasure long-lost<br>
in ancient years of death.

He looked at the lord matching eye to eye<br>
And slowly smiled as if to challenge with charm.<br>
'If the mail I make can break the blows<br>
Of your strongest soldier, O Master of Elves,<br>
Would you call this stone an equal exchange?'<br>
And so they agreed<br>
one lustful for power,<br>
he other, from need.

The high-roofed hall given to guests<br>
Echoed with anger and whiplash of words.<br>
Her face aflame, her eyes ablaze<br>
Fèglin, his wedded wife<br>
Spoke for them all<br>
as they huddled close<br>
in that alien hall.

'Make that murderer's armour? His promise to pay<br>
'Is as constant as cobwebs and as safe as a storm!'<br>
'And what can he offer but ill-gotten gains,'<br>
'The pillage and plunder of countless halls?'<br>
Then from her lips a wild cry burst<br>
'Such utter folly'<br>
'This has been from the first!'

'That elf has Sarnim!' So Unglak cried <br>
'That my father found and my mother bore!'<br>
'That price will I pay, and risk what I must<br>
'To ransom their relic from this house of dust!'<br>
Fèhaglin sighed: 'And also strive,<br>
'Gaining the treasure,<br>
'to reach home alive.'

Shrouded in shadows that dipped and danced<br>
The three softly spoke in their gnomish speech<br>
Of cares, contingencies, methods, means,<br>
Secrets, circumstances, purposes, plans:<br>
Lest fear at night<br>
should catch them aground<br>
lacking wings for flight.

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The trumpet's call announced an arrival<br>
Whom the grim lord greeted to his kingly court.<br>
And courtiers crowded to meet the Lord<br>
Sent to speak for the Watery Land.<br>
Among the rest<br>
the dark sea elves came<br> 
to become Sylvan guest.

The Marid smiled, benignly bowed,<br>
Wishing them well with liquid voice.<br>
Seuse, he noted, his Lady and liege,<br>
Was friend to their folk since the sea faring Age.<br>
His thin lips smiled<br>
as a shark’s might that stalked<br>
Prey in the wild.

Their talk soon turned by delicate degrees<br>
To the mail to be made for the land's own lord.<br>
That grim lord laughed and with braggart's boast<br>
Said that they should be finest friends<br>
Since both in their worth<br>
worked to make him<br>
the strongest on earth.

Their words wound on to meaningless matters<br>
And soon they stopped when others arrived.<br>
His evil eyes, though, caught Unglak’s face<br>
And scanned and studied each feature and fault<br>
As if there he read<br>
with gruesome pleasure<br>
ancient tales of dread.

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The seasons spun with ponderous pace<br>
From Summer to Spring, and the fiery forge<br>
Roared red-hot in a hollow hall<br>
Where metal's might was shaped by skill,<br>
Where anvil sang<br>
where bellows hissed<br> 
and heavy hammers rang.

And Fèglin, furtive, with soft-paced steps<br>
Lurked where the Lord was wont to walk,<br>
In sunlight strolling, head to head,<br>
Closely consulting Seuse’s ambassador.<br>
And her Gnomish ears<br>
heard what they said<br>
confirming her fears.

If our friendship is firm, we stand established,<br>
strong and sure. My lord would ally<br>
his crown to your cause, securing your strength<br>
Should rivals arise. As sign and seal<br>
Will he give you a gem<br>
potent with power.<br>
And one more thing

The ambassador added, with whispering words:<br>
My lord by your leave, a matter to mark:<br>
Lord Fringol has stated, and so it is certain:<br>
That elf once escaped my Potentate's prisons;<br>
His features remind him<br>
Of unfinished business<br>
He would put behind him.

The water lord grinned, his sharp teeth shining.<br>
I need him now, nor would it be wise<br>
To give a guest into hostile hands.<br>
Yet robbers are rife; when he leaves my lands<br>
Would any think it strange<br>
Were he caught by ambush<br>
Covertly arranged?

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Argent the armour shone in the sun;<br>
The grim lord grinned at its dazzling display.<br>
A strong man stood with mighty mace;<br>
Let fly such force the mace head burst.<br>
The blows fell thick;<br>
it still shone silver<br>
without scratch or nick.

‘Such magnificent mail,' said that master of Drow<br>
'Is well worth winning; the price I pay<br>
'A pittance so paltry it beggars the brain.'<br>
'Come! The stone is yours; then let us make mirth<br>
'With as splendid a feast<br>
as ever was served<br>
in West or in East.

High that hall, and wide-spread its walls<br>
Yet filled overflowing: all manner of men<br>
Were gathered together with bounty before them,<br>
Washing the wine down from flowing flagons.<br>
Above all the rest<br>
the Drow sat<br>
their grim host's guest.

Unglak cracked jokes, laughing loud,<br>
But his stare often strayed to the distant doors.<br>
Fèhaglin fidgeted, her hasty hands<br>
Flickering, fluttering with hummingbird's hovering.<br>
Nearby, gleaming bright<br>
Sarnim lay, glistening<br>
with roseate light.

At length it was late; the brands burning low<br>
Spat and sputtered with flickering flames.<br>
Some now slept, but many more<br>
Muttered, murmured, drunk and dazed.<br>
Then, her voice strong<br>
Fèhaglin offered<br>
to sing them a song.

Silence struck, and in that instant<br>
Orodruin called from his flute a soothing song<br>
That softly sounded through the eery air<br>
Like a spirit singing of light and life<br>
Undying over mortal lands<br>
which it blew past crying.

Unglak followed with a song like the sea<br>
Soothing yet surging as wild as the waves,<br>
Echoing endlessly, rhythmically rocking,<br>
Roaring, resounding, repeating, returning,<br>
Foaming floods whose constant dashings,<br>
wash all away<br>
with lullaby crashings.

Heavy heads hung, dull eyes drooped,<br>
Then one by one each dim face fell.<br>
And last like a leaf the tall lord's gaze<br>
Dropped faint and frail to face the floor.<br>
Some snoring mutters<br>
then all was still<br>
as the last torch sputtered.

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They stood with stealth, gently lifted the jewel,<br>
And softly slipped from the hushing hall.<br>
In silent slumber a kingdom slept<br>
Unwarned of absence. They fled for freedom<br>
Leading in quiet line<br>
those of their folk<br>
who had helped with the wine.

A stair fell steep from the castle crag,<br>
Its base abutting a quiet cove<br>
Whose quay held craft both strong and swift.<br>
Straight down the stair the three came<br>
Then checked in fear.<br>
Hatori’s ambassador softly smiled,<br>
'What brings such nightbirds here?'

The castle-crowned crag lay quiet, cold<br>
With neither light nor lamp. But a mass of men<br>
Two score in sum were placed to bar their path.<br>
'The lord would not like to hear of your haste,'<br>
'To borrow wings and fly.'<br>
'Why, what a reaction!'<br>
-'You'd surely die!'

The Marid eyed them with sinister smile.<br>
'But need he know?' he suavely suggested.<br>
'We can mend the matter to our own advantage.'<br>
'Consider, Orodruin! My Potentate will pay you<br>
'What you truly deserve:'<br>
'Not trifles like he<br>
'Whom you would no more serve.'

But savage and sudden Orodruin cried out<br>
A wild cry of war last heard long ago<br>
When Fithurin's warriors, defiant, despairing,<br>
Sallied in strength from besieged Amras Hall<br>
And charged to their doom:<br>
seeking others' escape<br>
and they, the tomb.

The Drow above from the steps of the stairs<br>
Drew aim in the dark with Elvish eyes<br>
And let fly a flock of feathered fangs.<br>
And Unglak came forth, defiant, determined<br>
And slashed his axe<br>
with leaping lunge<br>
at that Marid lord.

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But he stepped aside, and with mighty power<br>
Swiftly aimed to cripple or kill.<br>
Eluding, evading, they danced a dance<br>
As light as lovers, as deadly as death.<br>
But with lightning speed<br>
the axe did the kissing<br>
And Unglak the deed.

That servant of Hatori slid from his axe<br>
Lifeless and limp back to the river.<br>
Then Fèhaglin found him, her spear stained with blood:<br>
The three were alone but for Death and the dead.<br>
So they swiftly embarked<br>
the ambassador's boat<br>
and were lost in the dark.

In far-off Balem, in a hidden hall<br>
Fèhaglin faced him with unwilling eyes.<br>
In his hands Orodruin held the gem,<br>
His head tilting forward, his gaze to the ground,<br>
His grey eyes glimmering<br>
with sudden sheen,<br>
with gem’s light shimmering.

'I will not bear it. It is bought with blood.'<br>
Her words then wavered; by will they went on:<br>
‘Many of our folk died to deliver it;'<br>
'And how many more shall pay your price,'<br>
'And fall at his hand<br>
Because we have made<br>
Armour unbreakable by man?'

A sad smile sat on her lovely lips<br>
But her face was firm with cold conviction.<br>
Turning Unglak took the bright hard stone,<br>
Laying it lovely in cushioned coffer,<br>
Then closed the lid.<br>
And there it lay,<br>
deeply hid.

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'There is more to be mended,' Unglak softly sighed.<br>
'For dark years are dawning when Hel will seek<br>
'A world bowed to her will, and our halls fastness<br>
'Lies exposed in the East, no haven from hunters.'<br>
‘There will come one in whom we trust’<br>
‘To use this power and end’<br>
‘The evils dominion a power hungry lust.’

'I have had dark dreams,' she suddenly said,<br>
'But in shadows there shone a vision unveiled,'<br>
'A city encircled by mighty mountains<br>
'Whose white walls stood high strong<br>
'In a high and significant place.'<br>
Could we build such a city<br>
To help shelter our race!'

'I know of a mountain,' Orodruin answered at once,<br>
'Whose crystalline crown covers cavernous caves.'<br>
'And the sun shining down through the secret stones<br>
'Diffuses like dawn through the hollow hills.'<br>
'That is a high and significant place<br>
safe for a city<br>
that would shelter our race.'

Her head held high, she held out her hand;<br>
His hand met hers; they stood face to face.<br>
'Let us dream this dream, and dare to defy<br>
'The Servant of Shadows!' - so he softly said.<br>
Their eyes were wild<br>
like eagles untamed<br>
And they suddenly smiled.