Kneeling, slowly the coron undid the bindings on the blankets, folding back the edge, revealing Galarun's visage, the features pale and bloodless. From behind, Aravan's voice came softly. "He let none else touch the sword, and now I know why."
Coron Eiron stood, motioning to attendants, and they came and took up Galarun's body, bearing it out from the coron-hall.
When they had gone, Aravan turned once again unto Eiron. "His Death Rede: was there… more?"
The coron sat on the edge of the dais. "Aye: a vision of the one responsible. It was a pale white one who slew my Galanin; like a Human he looked, but no mortal was he. Mayhap a Mage instead. Mayhap a Demon. Pallid he was and tall, with black hair and hands long and slender… and wild, yellow eyes. His face was long and narrow, his nose straight and thin, his white cheeks unbearded. More I cannot say."
"And the sword. Did Galarun-?"
Aravan's words were cut short by a negative shake of Eiron's head. "The blade was yet with my son when he died."
Frustration and anger colored Aravan's voice. "But now it is missing, is the Dawn Sword. Long we searched, finding nought."
After a moment Eiron spoke: "If not lost in the fen, then it is stolen. And if any has the Dawn Sword, it is he, the pallid one with yellow eyes. Find him and thou mayest find the blade."
Aravan stepped back and unslung his spear from its shoulder harness; he planted the butt of the weapon to the wooden floor and knelt on one knee. "My coron, I will search for the killer and for the sword. If he or it is to be found-"
Aravan never finished, for the coron began to weep. And so Aravan put aside the crystal blade and sat next to his liege, and with tears in his own eyes, spoke to him of the last days of his valiant son.
"After the funeral, I rode back unto the fen, and long did I search, aided by Dara Riatha's company, but to no avail, for no blade did I find. At last I gave up the hunt, for war yet burns across Mithgar, and my spear is needed." Aravan fell silent.
After a moment, Tipperton said, "But with no silver sword to take to Adon…"
Aravan sighed, then said, "We can only trust that the Lian and others who are upon Adonar can carry the day."
"Carry the day?" asked Linnet.
"Win the war upon the High Plane," clarified Aravan.
"As we must win the war here," said Rynna, her voice resolute, her face grim.
'Twas grievous news, the loss of Galarun and the silver sword, and though it had happened some five weeks past, still it was new to the Warrows, and they wept for slain Galarun and those who had died with him.
Nevertheless, as Beau had remarked, in spite of war, life goes on. And so, two days after arriving, Rynna and Tipperton, Beau and Linnet, they took their vows on Winterday eve, Year's Long Night, First Yule, Coron Eiron presiding. And Nix and Melli and Lark and Alor Aravan and other Alori and Darai attended the wedding as well, though most Lian were yet warding the marges of Darda Gallon, or were fighting alongside the Chakka of Kraggen-cor and rooting out pockets of Rupt left over from the siege of that Dwarvenholt.
And so they gathered in the coron-hall, Elves and War-rows alike, with Nix standing at Melli's side, Lark in Melli's arms, Darai casting delighted glances at the wee tot, now some twenty months old. And Coron Eiron stood before them all, Tip and Rynna, Beau and Linnet, facing the Elven lord, Aravan and Velera and Riatha and Talar standing to the sides and behind. And all fell quiet as Coron Eiron raised his hands, but for Lark, and she giggled at a wink from an admiring Dara.
Yet ere the coron uttered the formal vows, he spoke long on the sharing not only of love but on the sharing of work as well. Too, he spoke of the common ground they needs must nourish to keep their love alive, and among his words were these:
" 'Till death do us part' is not a phrase used in Elven vows, for Death was ever meant to be a stranger unto El-venkind. Yet heed, our vows are worthy, regardless of mortality or not."
"Worthy," said Lark. "Worthy, worthy, worthy." Melli whispered in Lark's ear, and the child fell silent.
Coron Eiron smiled and then said, "As does this babe grow and learn and change, so, too, do all things change with the passing of seasons, for change is a fact of life. Some changes are imperceptible, whereas others are swift; some bode well for life; others are harbingers of death."
"Life," said Lark, and then "Saol." Nix looked at her in surprise, for she had spoken Fey, the word "saol" meaning "life." But then Nix turned back to the ceremony as Coron Eiron spoke on:
"Individuals, too, change with the passing of seasons, and vows made should not bind one in a relationship in which common ground no longer exists, no matter the oath, be it for mating, fealty, vengeance, or aught else. For just as death may part one from a vow, so too does the loss of critical common ground.
"Hence, to keep thine own relationships strong ye must share equally in the cultivation of the common ground and in nurturing the vows between; and ye must sort among all duties and participate willingly and fully in all which can be shared."
Lark made a shsshing noise, as of wind among the leaves, and again Melli whispered in her ear and once more she fell silent.
Eiron stepped to Beau and Linnet and softly asked, "Do ye understand the meaning of that which I say?"
"I do," said Beau, looking at Linnet, and with tears in her eyes, Linnet said, "I do."
Eiron stepped to Tipperton and Rynna and asked, "Do ye understand the meaning of that which I say?"
And Tipperton took Rynna by the hand and said, "I do."
"I do," said Rynna, squeezing Tipperton's hand.
Eiron then stepped back and raised his voice. "Then I ask ye to speak true: dost thou vow to thy trothmate to tend the common ground and to nurture the pledges given and received?"
I do vow, they said in unison.
"Then speak true: will ye plight thy troth to one another, forsaking all who would come between?"
I do vow.
Eiron then placed Linnet's hand in Beau's and clasped their joined hands in his. "Then Beau Darby and Linnet Fenrush, each having spoken true, go forth from here together and share thy joys and thy burdens in equal measure until thine individual destinies determine otherwise."
Eiron then stepped to Rynna and Tipperton and clasped their joined hands in his. "Then Tipperton Thistledown and Rynna Fenrush, each having spoken true, go forth from here together and share thy joys and thy burdens in equal measure until thine individual destinies determine otherwise."
Eiron then stepped back from the two couples and called out in a clear voice unto the assembled Lian, "Alori e Darai, va da Waerlinga, Linnet Fenrush e Beau Darby, e va da Waerlinga, Rynna Fenrush e Tipperton Thistledown, avan taeya e evon a plith!" And a great shout went up from all, with Lark laughing gaily and Melli weeping tears of joy and Nix hugging the dammen and slapping both Beau and Tip on the back.
Escorted by Riatha and Talar, and by Aravan and Vel-era, Beau and Linnet and Tipperton and Rynna were led through the gathering, lutes and flutes and harps and pipes and timbrels playing a merry tune, and Elven voices were raised in song.
Out through the doors they were led, the gathered Elves following, and to a snow-covered glade, where paper lanterns were hung-yellow and red and blue and green and many hues in between-and there they took their places among the Elves and stepped and chanted and paced and sang and celebrated not only their weddings but the turn of the seasons as well.
And held by Melli, Lark looked over Melli's shoulder and into the shadow-wrapped galleries of the Eldwood, and again the tot made the sound of the shsshing of leaves in the wind and held out her hands toward the gloom. And in the dimness just beyond the fringes of light cast by the colorful lanterns, there stood a tall creature of limbs and leaves and vines and tendrils. How Prym had gotten to Darda Galion is not told, yet in Darda Galion she was, swaying in time to the Elven rite and keeping watch on her wee Warrow charge.