The Beaded Tapestry

Here is part 1 of a prequel to my book The Beaded Tapestry. The finale part 2 will be shared in the next post.

Very long ago when time was new and no blemish marred Lune, there lived a craftsman together with his sister. His skills were renown among the Eldar race and they coveted all that issued from his workshop. Erendar was his name and his sister was Ellyna. She also was illustrious among the Eldar race, for she was a master weaver and her tapestries were both beautiful and foretelling. Their home they made outside the living world, dwelling instead within the parallel existence of the Fayde. This was much to their liking, being isolated where no being could disturb their creative process or steal away the treasures they created.

The nature of the Fayde was also much to their liking, as there grew within its borders many beautiful things full of color, life and music, giving rise within the thoughts of Ellyna and Erendar ideas of creation and visions of what will come.

Erendar spent many joyous hours walking the paths of their world, capturing visions of the living world and stashing these pictures within the drawers of his mind.  Coming to his workshop, he would open these drawers and transform his visions into items of surpassing beauty and wonder.  Sculptures he produced of ebony wood in the likeness of the night sky, dusted with flakes of mica to mimic the stars, and lanyards of jade in the likeness of weeping willow fronds hanging in curtains above the surface of a sapphire lake.  Verily he labored in his craft, finding joy and fulfillment with each creation. 

His sister Ellyna was no less industrious, but found her inspiration within the depths of her thoughts and not in the outer world.  Instead she sat upon a raised platform on the edge of the forest near their dwelling, heeding only the sounds of the world around with her eyes closed.  Within her mind images began to take shape, bringing her visions of things yet to come, but also things that had already occurred, but were hidden. When all was laid out in her mind, she opened her eyes and set her hands to the loom and began to weave.  As in a trance she remained for sometimes days at a time, sitting still as solid stone except for the blur of her industrious hands.  As the creation at last came to fruition, a great sign would escape her lips and her hands would drop to her lap as her eyes rose to gaze upon the finished work.  A tapestry of exquisite form was always before her, reflecting the vision that she had held in her mind; some scene from the distant past, giving guidance, or something yet to be giving hope for the future or warning for what was to come.

As was said of their endeavors, it was greatly desired by the race of the Doyen, being the eldest and highest race of the world. They made their swellings and halls within the High Realm and had a direct road to the Fayde. The Doyen often sent messengers by this path to request works that they wished for the siblings to create. Erendar sat in his workshop on one occasion when one of these messengers arrived. The messenger decreed that the Elders desired a new creation for their halls; A thing of beauty and enchantment to adorn the entry foyer of their great meeting chambers. So great was their admiration of the craftsman’s arts, that they wished this item to be the first thing they viewed when gathering together in thought and decision; A handiwork of color and sound to adorn the entry and bring pleasure and decisiveness to all who entered their grand halls.

Erendar found delight in this request, being eager to try his hand at new ventures.  In all his endeavors, he had never included music or sound and this he was willing to attempt.

He called his sister to him as the messenger departed and explained with excitement this new commission. She also found enthusiasm in this request as she shared in the joy creation of all things gave just as her brother and knew in this they could work in unison to produce a work of immense beauty.

Thus, on a morning of exceeding brightness, the pair began this undertaking for the great halls of the Doyen. Silver bright and unmarred, was brought from their vast store rooms and was laid out in gleaming sheets along with lesser quantities of gold and bronze. Gossamer strands of silk were retrieved from Ellyn’s weaver’s satchel along with all the tools of their trade and all was made ready to begin their great labor. 

Taking the silver, Erendar wrought the gleaming material into delicate hanging chimes.  Their long elegant vessels filled with the gentle atmosphere of the sibling’s realm.  The shining surface was embellished with runes by Ellyna, telling a tale of great deeds past and odes to those yet to come.  Trace adornments of gold and bronze finished off the creation, enhancing its beauty and adding rich undertones to the chimes melody. The final vessels were strung together is precise order, using the gossamer silk, ensuring the sounds of enchantment.

Erendar hung the finished work upon the branch of a golden laurel tree that adorned their land and the sweet melody of the chimes sang out as the gentle breeze played across the silver surface. Far and wide the music traveled across the Fayde and even traversed the borders of their world and was heard within the great halls of the Doyens.

At this time there was a great musician who was in service within the inner meeting halls of the Doyens.  He was named Galvinar and he spent his days relieving the toils of the weary with his songs of joy and enchantment. His abilities were great and he worked tirelessly and with pleasure, but he was also a proud and vain artist coveting and protecting his standing within the inner halls and reluctant to share acclaim in anything he achieved.

As he sat within the entry foyer of the great hall, he harkened to the sweet melody emanating from the Fayde. At once his jealousy arose, thinking an usurper for his position had come and he left the hall making his way toward the reverberations.

As he entered the Fayde and crept nearer the din the sweet melody ceased and he stood as one awakened from a trance.

It chanced that as Galvinar approach her dwelling, Ellyna sensing that their chimes had completed the cuing of its wood, retrieved their hanging creation and wrapping them in silk to quiet and protect their music, placed them in a silver casket decorated with runes of giving. Little did her thoughts dwell on things of deceit or malice being a creature of peace, or she might have known her response as being a warning of peril to this creation she had come to love. 

Unknown to Ellyna, Galvinar had crept up to the edges of her land and espied what Ellyna did, noting the nature of the casket and the letters of giving adorning it.  Then he knew in his heart that this was indeed a gift for the Doyens and the chimes enamoring melody, surpassing his own gifts would threaten his position in the great hall. His thoughts also dwelt on Ellyna and he could sense that she possessed a great gift of foretelling.  This he coveted being aware of its advantages, both good and malicious.  Thus he wished to possess both the woman and her creation, not knowing that the chimes also contained her brothers’ abilities. 

The musician stood long at the borders of the property, watching the woman as she went about her daily rituals, hoping she would release her vigil on the silver casket long enough for him to spirit it away without her knowledge.

It happened at this time that Erendar returned from a visit to their mother’s home a half days travel from the siblings swelling.  She also possessed talents for the foretelling which she had passed on to her daughter although it was altered in nature.

Erendar coming up the road that led to their dwelling beheld the musician watching his sister from his hiding place.  Unlike Ellyna, Erendar was quick to discern evil intent within others and he came upon Galvinar and held him fast demanding words of his intent.

Galvinar caught unaware could not answer truthfully without revealing his evil intent or lust for their creation, thus he remained silent in the strong grip of the craftsman, meeting his eyes with false innocence. Ellyna, hearing the raised voices quickly left her liturgy and raced to her brother’s side.  Seeing the musician restrained by her brother, Ellyna quickly stayed his hand as she recognized him as in direct service to the Doyen and Doyenne.  She pleaded with Erendar to release him,  not caring what he had done, for she knew pain of punishment was placed on any who hurt or hindered one of the Doyen’s inner circle.

At his sister’s words, Erendar released the musician and he fled down the road, returning hence he had come and one again entered the foyer of the Eldar halls. There he sat in silence, pondering and scheming how to bring about his possession of the chimes and the weaver without breaking the laws of the Doyen, his masters.

The siblings, not understanding the extent of their peril, quickly put the occurrence with the musician behind them and prepared for the ceremony of the giving of their labors.  Their joy of the finish creation was empowering and as their nature was at once proud but not possessive, they did not covet the chimes, but only thought of its qualities as a gift. To share with others and thus receive more pleasure from this giving was the extent of their ambition.

The day of the ceremony was set for three days’ time and the brother and sister made all ready for their visit to the realm of the Doyen and Doyenne. 

The morning of the ceremony opened bright and clear and the siblings took to the road leading from their home.  By midday they entered the realm of the Elders, carrying the silver casket between them.  Leading from the great entry of the meeting hall, many steps ran down to the road.  As their journey drew to a close, Erendar and Ellyna came to these steps and made their way up their white lustrous surface to the closed doors.  Many were lined along the stairs to witness the giving ceremony and they cheered and raised their limbs in praise as the siblings reached the top of the climb.  A short note from a gong announced their arrival, although the striker of this note was not visible, and the tone seemed to come from the depths of the structure.  The doors were flung open by wardens within the hall and Ellyna and Erendar entered the foyer.  Round was the foyer, with a lofty domed ceiling and all was built of snowy marble veined with ebony. Across their sight, all dressed in fine silks with flower and wreaths adorning their hair, stood the Doyen and Doyenne in an arch around the center of the foyer. The hall was also adorned in lanyards and wreaths of blossoms, trailing across the arched passageways leading off the domed foyer.

A short stair was in the center of the entry and the siblings ascended these with great ceremony and placed the silver casket upon the raised platform that had been raised there. They lifted the hinged cover in unison revealing the silk covered contents within. Ellyna lifted the chimes from the cushioned interior with her left hand, than unwrapping the silk cover from the gleaming cylinders as she did so, handed the creation to her brother.  Erendar then climbed onto the lofty platform next to the casket, and finding a silver clasp just within his reach, made fast the chimes to the domed ceiling.

At once the space was filled with the music of the chimes and the glittering reflections of the sun as it hit the rune covered surface.  The dance of light mingled with the frolicking melody and all that were within and without the hall were lifted in a tenor of great heights.

The siblings retreated to the entry of the foyer and bowing spoke words of farewell to their creation, relinquishing ownership to the Doyens. 

Now many watched these proceedings with joy and amazement, but one remained apart from the others and looked out from the shadows of one of the many alcoves of the entry to the inner halls. This was Galvinar, who also was the hidden striker of the gong that announced entry into the hall. At first he was hesitant to attend the giving of this item he coveted, knowing it was given to others, but he desired more to gaze on it once more and also to glimpse Ellyna in her triumph. Thus, only he, giving his full attention to the weaver, noticed the slight hesitation she showed when relinquishing the chimes to her brother and also the reluctance in her tone when she spoke the final words of farewell.  Then he became aware that within her heart a possessive flame had been sparked for the exquisite creation.  A glimmer of design awoke within him, laying out how he could master both the chimes and Ellyna.

The renown of the chimes spread out through the realm and the entry foyer was visited by many. They found delight from their beauty on these visits to the council halls of the Eldars, but many came only to view the gift of the siblings and marvel at the emanations.

The care of the chimes was given to Erendar and he made regular visits to the hall to warrant the chimes were well maintained.  On many of these visits a sense of watchfulness would shadow him as he worked and he spent much attentive energy searching about him for the culprit. On his return to their dwelling after one particular disturbing visit to the hall, Erendar voiced his concerns to his sister, hoping she would alleviate his suspicions, knowing she herself was rift of this mistrustful affliction.  To his dismay she only compounded his worry with her own wariness and voiced her desire to accompany him on her next errand to the chimes. In the months since the relinquishing of the chimes, the unrest in Ellyna had been growing and in this unrest her work had suffered. Although the renditions she begets were both beautiful and full of knowledge, they all contained a taint of possessiveness, creating an overprotective tendency in the recipients.  This flaw in Ellyna’s work haunted her thoughts, thus it came to her mind that a visit to this coveted work would relieve her troubles.  For although this desire for the chimes was buried deep, she still felt its pull from afar and felt this was the source of her affliction.  

The following month, Ellyna and Erendar traveled from their home into the Realm of the Doyen and Doyenne.  At the entrance to the meeting hall they were greeted by the High Doyenne, she was delighted in seeing that Ellyna accompanied her brother. They entered the hall together and stood admiring their gift as it encompassed the foyer with its light and sounds.  The watchfulness again smote Erendar as he stood watching the dance and as his gaze tracked around the domed room, came to rest on a figure standing in the shadows of the left alcove. The Doyenne also became aware of the figure and a look of great pride crossed her face as she went to greet him.  She at once took his hand and drew him near to the siblings and introduced him as the musician to the Doyens and one much revered amongst their kind. 

The siblings greeted him with much show of respect and admiration in reverence to the Doyenne, but a shadow was on their hearts at this meeting, remembering their encounter with Galvinar near their home in the Fayde.

Brother and sister were left to their task of the upkeep of the chimes and the Doyenne along with Galvinar traveled together further into the inner chambers.  It was forbidden by any save the Doyens and their retainers to enter the inner halls of the structure.  Ellyna and Erendar remained in the foyer, but troubled thoughts entered their minds as they watched the pair depart.  They both looked with knowing at one another, but remained silent until they were once more in the privacy of their dwelling.  For now they bother realized where the watchfulness came from and that Galvinar coveted their gift to the Doyens.  Nowhere in their thought entered the suspicion of the musician’s desire for Ellyna or his aspirations for her talents.

Before their labors were complete, the awareness of surveillance returned and looking up from her work, Ellyna spied the musician watching her from the doorway leading to the inner chambers.  His eyes glinted with a strange light as he met her gaze and a cold shiver traveled down Ellyna’s spine as he drew near them. A desire to renounce her gift to the Doyens flashed into her mind as she watched the man approach and she quenched the compulsion down before it overtook her will.  She knew as she looked on the musician that the thought emanated from him and a hatred never know to her before grew in her heart.  She at once began to weep and ran from the hall, not knowing what had come over her. Erendar, completing the final care of the chimes, turned from his work to find Galvinar standing beside him and sister nowhere to be seen.  He knew not what had occurred between them or what had become of his sister. He then became aware of her cries, but they were far down the road leading back to the Fade.  He then took up the tools of his trade and let the entrance hall of the Doyens, remaining silent in fear of speaking harsh works to the musician in his wrath.  For he knew that the cause of his sister’s weeping was due to this retainer of the Elders and other ills as well in the months that had passed since the creation of the chimes.  But he stayed his hand, knowing the penalty for violence within the realm and especially to one of their liegeman. He also had no knowledge of the altercation between Galvinar and his sibling, being engrossed in his labors at the time. 

An hour after Erendar took to the road; he came upon Ellyna walking as if in a daze. Her eyes were still bright with unshed tears, but she did not respond to him as he drew to her side. In silence they made their way back into the Fayde and entered their own lands. A deep silence filled their home from that day forward and was only broken by the repressed weeping of Ellyna.