Video/Action; pretend this was posted at a normal hour

[inafadingcrown]

[The video feed flips on, focusing (after a few seconds of jostling around) on Galadriel, sitting on the steps of the Initiative Hold, her sheathed sword beside her. Having just finished training, she’s attired appropriately, wearing a simple dress and with her hair braided and wound about her head- displaying those pointed ears quite prominently for those who might have missed them before.]

I grow weary of the constant grey here. It is overlong since I have heard a running stream or seen the sunlight filtered through the forest canopy.

Tell me, those of you who have journeyed outside this city: does greenery yet remain in this world? It would do my heart well even to hear of it.

Comments

[uncalled_for]

[She doesn't entirely get what you are trying to say there...]

In a way, yes.

[inafadingcrown]

In a way? [She frowns a little, aware that they aren't exactly thinking on the same level here.]

You do not feel it, then- the deathly still of it.

[uncalled_for]

[Woman why are you frowning at her she didn't do anything harrumph.]

The deathly-- no.

What exactly are you referring to?

[inafadingcrown]

[Because she's realizing that she may be very wrong about something and she doesn't like that!]

The land. [Wait. She needs to back this train up.] It is the nature of my people- our souls are bound to the land. I gather you would not say the same.

[uncalled_for]

[Chugachugachooch-boomcrash/explosion.]

Your people? But no, you're right. I wouldn't say the same.

[inafadingcrown]

The elves of my home, to speak plainly. [For once, she isn't referring to the people she rules. Just her race in general.] I beg your pardon; I had not realized this was another difference between us.

[uncalled_for]

[There's a long pause.]

You haven't offended me. I just don't believe I understand what you mean. How are the elves in your world connected to the land? I've never heard of that.

[inafadingcrown]

I do not know how to explain it- it merely is. They say it is the reason behind our immortality; our souls will remain until the world itself is unmade.

[uncalled_for]

[You're breaking her brain Gladdy stahp it. There's a short sound as though she was taken aback and another pause.]

And are there no humans in your world?

[Because she assumed there was...]

Elves of Thedas haven't seen immortality since Arlathan and that was over a millennium and more ago. If elves in your world are immortal then... [There's an odd shimmer of hope and then it dies. Instead there's a short huff of breath. It's honestly more for herself than anyone.] Our worlds are different, so naturally so are the people within it.

[inafadingcrown]

There are, naturally. I fear I do not understand the relevance of the question, however...

[What do humans have to do with anything?]

Mortal elves. [Her thoughts flash to Arwen and the choice she has made. But that's different- a rare exception, a gift from the Valar.] I would not have thought it possible.

[uncalled_for]

[There's a bitterness to her voice.] Perhaps in your world that is the case then. [And then it turns to sadness]

Elves once had immortality, we had our own language and our own culture. It was the humans that took this from us. Our exposure to them, it's believed. In the end we lost everything and were enslaved by them. And when we were finally freed and given our own home, they took that away too. We live in their cities and speak their languages as servants or however we can get by, and those that don't keep to themselves and are called the Dalish.

[There's an elongated pause.]

So we are not alike.

[inafadingcrown]

[There's silence on her end for a long while. She had heard bits and pieces from Merril. Had made some guesses, but the way Merril is- she is so upbeat and moves so swiftly from topic to topic. It had been difficult to get an impression of the full picture.]

Perhaps not.

[What does one say to that? An explanation of the workings of her own world would be wildly out of place. Insulting, even-rubbing salt in the wound, as it were. Years of diplomatic training did not teach you how to react to something like this. If she had heard this as the Lady, perhaps. If she had been asked to give aid to an oppressed people or give her political opinion...

But this was different. This was Galadriel, an individual, speaking to Fiona, another individual. She can think of nothing does not ring hollow. After another long pause, she settles on something simple.]

I apologize if I have troubled you with my questions. It was not my intention.

[uncalled_for]

[There's silence and then the most lady-like snort to lighten the mood. Sort of. She didn't totally intend for her to feel guilty over the conversation.]

It is not really a question that you asked, is it?

Thedas is what it is and so are the people within it. Is it truly a surprise that I am nothing like you? Even if we are both elves, it's not the same. The same goes for the humans here, I would imagine.

[inafadingcrown]

[It's less guilt than total inexperience with anything like this. Polite niceties are an easy thing when you don't know what else to say- manners as a shield.]

That we are different? No, that is not such a surprise. To hear of such atrocities? Yes, it is.

[uncalled_for]

[Well that seems... odd]

Does your world really have nothing like it? Not even in history?

[inafadingcrown]

Not to such a degree. We have had wars enough, and bloodshed, but no one race has enslaved another, nor sought to destroy its culture.

[uncalled_for]

Then... that's a good thing, isn't it? [There's a humble pause as she settles into the thought a bit more] It's good to know not everywhere is full of twisted people that would take advantage and enslave another if given the opportunity.

[inafadingcrown]

It is. [We'll just...not mention Morgoth and Sauron for the moment. Fewer twisted people, a couple of twisted divine beings. Whatevs.]

[uncalled_for]

[There's silence for a while, it's admittedly an uncomfortable one. Finally, with a sigh, Fiona will decide on an attempt to shift the subject some.]

You said before you could feel the land. So then, are you all right? The land here isn't exactly doing very well.

[inafadingcrown]

I am well enough. It is distressing, but it does me no physical harm.

[uncalled_for]

It's a relief to hear, but then what land are you connected to? Only that of your home?

[inafadingcrown]

Perhaps. Until my arrival, I had not thought of the existence of other worlds; it is beyond my ken.

[uncalled_for]

I believe that is the case for most people here. Still, I would think there is some connection or we wouldn't be here at all. Although, perhaps it's very different than the sort of connection your elves share with their land.

Tell me then, the elves in your own world, your people, do you have your own languages and culture? All of which having had no influence from humans?

[inafadingcrown]

We do, yes. [A little pause.] No. It is wrong to say we have had no influence from humans. Yet we have had no more from them then they have had from us. Indeed, I should say that human society has been more greatly touched by that of the elves than the opposite, though they may not realize it for themselves.

[uncalled_for]

[Snort] It's hard to realize something when it is not blatant enough to stare at you in the face.

But still, it's odd. I would assume Thedas could have been the same were we... immune to the changes man brought to us. So many things would be different.