Day 18

[laurefindil]

[Greenhouse]

Glorfindel has been spending a lot of time in the garden, what those on the train called the greenhouse. His flowers were already starting to push up through the dirt, which he was encouraging with his light. He was also singing some songs from his old home, back when Ecthelion kept making up songs for every occasion and then getting them stuck in everyone's heads.

If anyone else is growing something in the greenhouse, it is thriving by association.

He is singing softly to his flowers as he waters them, the room is suspiciously bright.


[Cabin](For roommates to walk in on him if you want to!)
Glorfindel frowned at his bed. It was...functional, but lacked interest. If he was going to spend time here, he wanted to personalize his space more. He knew there was fabric available somewhere on the train. He wondered where he could get his hands on some, and if they had any greens and yellows, if there were sewing kits available, and what his roommates would think of custom curtains.


[Hallway]

Glorfindel stepped out into the hall, glancing out the windows at the colorful display outside. He was on a mission to find a sewing kit. He wondered where to start looking.

Comments

[laurefindil]

"Some need to be shown the light, no pun intended, in order to see that it is in their best interest." He shook his head. "Though I am not one to force anyone to change, but only persuade them. If their heart lies elsewhere, then that is the lesson they need to learn. Not everyone is meant to be a warrior, in other words." And as the teacher, it was important for him to remember that.

"What do you mean by balance?" There were many ways to take that, and Glorfindel was curious.

[achickenformylove]

"That is true. You cannot force someone to change." He had tried so many times to get WuXian to turn away from demonic cultivation. Unfortunately, he hadn't understood at the time why he was so unwilling to give it up. If he had known the truth, maybe he could have helped him or approached it differently, but that was in the past.

"As cultivators, we protect those who do not have abilities. There are many forces that could cause problems. We have spirits, demons, ghosts, and monsters. Often, their appearance means that something is not right. It is our job to deal with them."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel smiled. "My first impression was right then. You are elves with curiously rounded ears."

[achickenformylove]

"It is quite likely. There are other races in your world besides elves?"

It sounded logical since Glorfindel was specific about cultivators sounding like elves.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel nodded. "There are the Valar, the Maia, the elves, the Dwarves, the Humans, and the Hobbits. There are also Ents, the Giant Eagles, and other races of light. Then there are the Goblins, the Orcs, Balrogs, Spiders, Dragons, and variants thererof.

[achickenformylove]

"It seems there are a lot of races in your world. They all have different characteristics then? Different abilities. I am familiar with the concept of dragons and spiders, but spiders at least are very small."

This was all very interesting, learning about his world now as well.

[laurefindil]

"Very different. Though enough alike that we can forge alliances and friendships," he said with a smile. "In my home of Imladris, we had a Hobbit living with us for quite a while. He'd travelled with a Wizard and Dwarves, met Men and Elves and fought a Dragon. He even wrote a book of his adventures, called, "There and Back Again.""

[achickenformylove]

"Fascinating. Did you ever have the chance to read it?"

He would have been interested in reading such a book if something similar had been written in his home. He would have been interested in reading that book if he had the chance. It sounded like it would be an interesting read.

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel laughed. "Not exactly. Bilbo was a bit of a...showman, he liked to perform, so in the evenings, he would read to us from his story. It was quite entertaining, he really had the flair for it. So I never actually got to read more than a few chapters, but I did get to know it well."

In fact, the chapters he'd read were to the letter the same as what Bilbo told them, so it ended up preferring the live re-telling.

[achickenformylove]

"That sounds like it would more entertaining than simply reading it. Hearing it from the one who wrote the book."

To be fair, most of the books he read were very old so he'd never have the chance to hear it told by the person who wrote it and those that were still alive, they were more serious texts related to the managing of their sect. But hearing it told by the person who had lived it...

[laurefindil]

"He was quite popular. Whenever he'd finish, people would ask him to start over. With Lindir accompanying him, it was quite the show." Glorfindel said. It was as amazing as he described it. The fact that it cut down on the times the story of him slaying the Balrog was told was just a bonus.

[achickenformylove]

"If he was asked for repeat performances, then it must have been entertaining. Lindir? Who is that?"

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel smiled. "He is one of the best bards of the Age. He plays the harp, most of the time, though he iss fluent in almost every instrument that existed, and a few that he just made up. Some day I hope to hear him play with Maglor and Ecthelion."

"Elves are quite fond of music, making it, singing it, playing it, listening to it. Our world was created through Song."

[achickenformylove]

"Oh, I see. The two of them together must be a good pair of storytellers." One who always got asked to tell his stories again and other a well-known bard. It really must have been something.

"I see. Then it would make sense to play music. If your world was created through song, then that would help keep the balance of the world."

[laurefindil]

"Quite. Others also play, it is more open and inclusive than a concert. Everyone is encouraged to participate. Do you have anything like that on your world?" Glorfindel asked.

"In a way. We can always hear the Song flowing around us, through everything. Some hear it better than others, of course. Playing, singing, paying attention, they all help you be able to hear the Song better." He smiled.

[achickenformylove]

"In a way. There are elders who travel from town to town telling stories to the younger generation about things that have happened. Sharing our collective history through word of mouth as many cannot read. Potentially there could be several in a day. They don't usually come with musical accompaniment. Certain celebrations do bring out people, such as weddings prompting amateur musicians to accompany the lion dancers in the parade."

"So those who are musically inclined can hear the song that created your world, more likely than those who do not."

[laurefindil]

"No professional musicians?" [Except he used a word meaning devoted to playing but not really paid except in compliments, because cash isn't something really mentioned in Tolkien.]

"More that they can hear it...better. All Elves can hear the Song. It's just that some can make out nuances and such. Like any artisan is going to notice more details of any work when they are familiar with the style, but anyone can appreciate the work as a whole."

[achickenformylove]

"There are professional musicians, yes, but they don't usually accompany storytellers. There are musicians for banquets, weddings, rituals. Wedding parades, however, require noise the scare away evil spirits. Which is why they usually have lion dancers with drummers and firecrackers."

"I see. That does make sense. A useful ability to be able to hear that."

[laurefindil]

"Lion dancers?" Glorfindel asked. He'd not heard of such a thing before.

He smiled. "As it is something we've had since birth, it is so ingrained that the fact others cannot hear it is very foreign to us."

[achickenformylove]

"Yes, they are a troop of dancers, but there are two per lion costume at a time. One is the head and front feet, the other is the back feet. The troop also consists of musicians with gongs and drums. The lion symbolizes power and wisdom. They dance at ceremonies and festivals to drive away evil spirits and bring good fortune."

"I suppose being a cultivator is the same way. Of course, we know that those without cultivation skills cannot do the same things we can, but the idea of what that would be like is difficult to understand unless our powers are lost or sealed."

[laurefindil]

"That sounds amazingly interesting," Glorfindel said, picturing it in his head. "That sounds like something my people would enjoy, too bad we don't have something like it."

He nodded in agreement. "Lost or sealed. That sounds painful. You haven't had that happen, I hope?"

[achickenformylove]

"If there was a way to show you, I would." He was probably strong enough to do some of the feats the lion dancers did, but that was not near his station in life. As a member of the gentry, that would have been looked down upon even if Gusu Lan had allowed its disciples to do such a thing.

"It depends on how it occurs. I sealed my own temporarily when WuXian's life was in danger. Sect leaders had theirs temporarily sealed when someone was trying to kill them and frame WuXian. They didn't realize it had happened until their abilities and weapons started failing. However, there used to be a cultivator named Wen Zhuliu. He was known as the 'Core-Melting Hand' as his ability was to destroy the golden cores of other cultivators. That did not look to be a pleasant way to lose it and it could never come back."

[laurefindil]

"I wonder if there is something in the cinema that might?" Glorfindel asked. [Unless this is pre-cinema, lol!]

His eyebrows rose. "That sounds decidedly uncomfortable. And that fellow, I am imagining he met a bad end? That type usually does."

"Wei WuXian...has lived a very interesting life, hasn't he?"

[achickenformylove]

"Hmm... perhaps. I have not watched any of what they have." [Don't remember so we'll say it's good]

"It did not appear pleasant. I would not want to try it since the effect is permanent. He did. Wei Ying took care of him."

"Yes, Wei Ying's life has not been one that most would have."

[laurefindil]

Glorfindel smiled. "The more you tell me of Wei WuXian, the more I like him."

"My life is not one that most would want, either, to be honest. But these are the lives we are given, I wouldn't change...well, there are one or two minor things, like going with Celebrian on her last trip to Lothlorien, but other than that, I wouldn't change anything, not really."