Arwen

I read, I plant, I laugh, and smile.
I talk always to Glademother.
No matter which land had borne me, I do believe
I'd never worship any other.


Art by the mega-talented QueenClam ​#161167
Stained Glass Bird by Valyrie
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My name is Arwen and once I was all alone. I'm not sure about my early years, the memories are hazy and distant and I imagine that is for the best. My life is like most others in the respect that I have known so much pain and loneliness and been lifted to the heights of perfect happiness. It's the fate of Dragonkind, I suppose. Was this the Glademother's plan for her children? Was it the will of all the deities that we suffer before knowing happiness, then to have it wrenched from our grasp? I don't know any more than the next dragon and I have served the Mother for a lifetime. But I digress. We are here to record history for the future, for we won't always be here. One day my bones will nourish the plants I love. Enough! I sound like a maudlin old female with no teeth left. Ha! Let's begin again!

I was still quite young when I met first my Paladin. In those early days we were always alone and I was frightened all the time. I had no family to remember and his memories where something that he did not wish to think or speak on at length, and while he has certainly spoken to me enough over the years to piece together his earlier life, that is his story to tell or not. When he encountered me first I was hiding in a cave and nursing a badly torn wing. Seldom do we fae invoke sympathy in the heart of others, as our speech lends a sense of detachment, whether that is our intent or not, but Paladin tells me that while he heard my physical voice as real and substantial as it was, that he also heard my words in his head in a different voice, soft and hurt. He still hears me this way, as no other has ever done so in the many years since. While it long baffled me, it never seemed to shake him for a moment as he says that he knew immediately that he had heard the voice of my soul speaking to him and that it is my true voice, not the physical one. Oh, but he would not share these thoughts with others, and I only share them with you as part of our history to be read years after we have left this life. For a great while we were alone, he caring for my wounds as we traveled the lands of my awakening, the Viridian Labyrinth. He only remembers that he came a great distance and that he followed the windsinger . While I was recovering fresh injuries incurred in a mad flight from a small and angry beastclan, Paladin was covered in a myriad of fresh wounds and old scars. The greatest one could be seen only in his eyes. In fact, in the beginning when I asked his name he hung his head in sorrow and shame and told me he did not have one. I was dumbfounded. I have since heard of extremely pious dragons choosing to call themselves "Unnamed" to reflect any honor or glory they achieve onto their deity, but he was only slightly older than myself and I was not long into early adulthood. I swiftly decreed that I would name him and it would be a grand name to reflect himself. After all, I had chosen my name from a delightful book I had read. He demurred but only a bit, I rather think he liked the owning of a name and one given him based on his personality. I told him to give me a fortnight and I would chose his name and we would have festivities and make a party of it. He blushed a bit, but agreed. Within those two weeks I cannot begin to tell you how much of an adventure we had and how many times I would have died where it not for my dearest confidant. He never showed the slightest concern for himself, he always looked after my safety first. After that fortnight was up we made camp and broke out our stores of food, a plethora of insects for myself and meat (yuck) for my stalwart companion. For much of our travels I had settled on his shoulder and held on tight, for Mirrors are very fleet of foot. After we were all situated to eat I pulled out a sparkly cerdae horn (thanks to my companion's skill) and instructed him to drop to his bended elbows before me. He quirked that eyebrow at me, but complied and I touched each of his shoulders in turn with the horn, being sure to sprinkle a little of the beautiful dust on him each time and said "I, the Lady Arwen declare you to be named now and forever Paladin for your valor and your unending steadfastness to your friend. This name serves as a reminder to all that you value life more than most, have courage greater than many, and have earned the highest honor this mere lady can bestow on you. You, Paladin, are a dragon of honor." (I was SO glad I had read that book) I swear there were droplets of liquid in Paladin's eyes, but that is all I will say on the matter. He has used it as his name ever since.

Not long after, perhaps a pair of weeks later we met Aragorn and his friend Parseltongue. They were not much older than me but oh! so much bolder and of course they were as mountains and myself the anthill with Paladin the in-between. But still, how close we became, we inseparable friends, well, once Aragorn and Paladin stopped their manly posturing and trying to out-do one another. There is still a bit of competition there, but they usually behave. Usually.
My past was lost and Aragorn turned his back on his, having some sort of falling out with his kin and leaving his home. Parseltongue, of course, had set out on the grand adventure of finding his charge and destiny. On learning that I had bestowed Paladin's name on him, Aragorn and Parseltongue both insisted I do them both the same honor. I was flabbergasted, Why on Sornieth, I asked, would they want to change their true names? Aragorn, then Fleetfoot, wanted to break all ties with his family. Paladin nodded his head solemnly in understanding at this, and Parseltongue, who was then named Cletus, well- you can imagine why he wanted a new name. When their vehemence convinced me that they were quite serious I had named them in 2 minutes, falling back on two of my favorite books, (did I mention that I LOVE to read?) for their names. On reflecting that it took me 2 weeks to choose a name for him, and that I chose the others' names in two minutes a look of deep affection came over Paladin. When, after the renaming, I laughingly said we should start own clan-that was it. I had always been devout in my studies and relationship with the Gladekeeper, a fact I had never hidden. Paladin, Aragorn, and Parseltongue encouraged me to continue my studies as a Priestess, while they would train to provide for our safety. This naturally became the charge that would be the focus of Parseltongue's life for eternity. From the beginning we always said our clan would be open for any dragon willing to pull their weight and become part of our family, they would be free to join and leave at will, unlike some of the older lairs, where members were treated like property. Our insistence on the individual's rights and treating all the members as beloved and special family members led to our clan's designation as The Clan of the Great Family. Apparently this ideology resonated with others, as we frequently have to expand the perimeters of our lair as it continues to grow with new members joining and new families expanding inside the great family.

It must be that Paladin's inner demons from his early childhood still linger and haunt him, as he still treats me as the "Lady" Arwen and not an equal, and at this moment I am quite perturbed with him for this ongoing behavior as I have expressed to him the blatant stupidity of this backwards thinking on numerous occasions and he acts as though I am a silly young girl who does not know her own mind. He infuriates me with this condescending "Paladin knows best" behavior because I know that he cares for me. I hate this trivializing of my self awareness of my own feelings. I've known that I love Paladin for years and told him so but he plays it off as a joke or a feeling of gratitude gone too far. I'm not a hatchling. I am a fully mature dragon, I've had short relationships with other dragons to begat acolytes for the Gladekeeper, and possibly to get a reaction from Paladin but he just makes it a point to avoid me for a time and then never mentions it again. The male is absolutely maddening. But I have time, and patience, and a lifetime of love saved up for him, should he ever open his eyes. Any of the four of them.





The dearest dream of my heart has been realized. These last few months have flown as with wings. My love Paladin has declared that he returns my feelings and we have begun our life together. If that were not enough to praise the Glademother for we are to start a family. Oh, and to see the love and pride shining from my Paladin's once sorrowful gaze. I will never know a greater joy until I walk with the Glademother.
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