Refuge of Glass (January 3010) - [Finlach]

Niphredil
Ghosts of the Third Age

Posts: 40
Application: https://image.ibb.co/gqC8aH/6f004de67122c249bfe070e42d30139e.jpg

Refuge of Glass (January 3010) - [Finlach] Apr 24, 2018 16:34:59 GMT -5

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Post by Niphredil on Apr 24, 2018 16:34:59 GMT -5

Finlach began to ramble, skin slowly staining bright as an apple at the heart of harvest, and Lathron tilted his head in study. No, the glazier led with, and Lathron was about to speak out and assure him he did in fact know precisely how long it took to go to and from Dol Amroth, for he knew and made his living from the time it took the silks to make their rounds. It seemed, however, Finlach was not quite finished.

"No, you're absolutely right."

Well, yes. He was. Though the young man still did not seem completely done though, his mouth floundering as if trying to draw forth words, yet not even a syllable was coming free. Lathron had known from his first meeting with Finlach those many years ago that the boy was easily flustered; this, though, he had never seen before.

"I never thought to presume... You see, she mentioned a gentleman that she would rather not spend time with... And I wished to give a respectable solution for her to reasonably decline him... Should I have overstepped, I will, rightfully so, apologise."

“A respectable solution,” Lathron repeated, as if ensuring he had understood what it was the young man was saying. He had, of course, not cared for the knight’s interest in his daughter either, though his first thought had not been to whisk her clear out of the city. “Fin,” he started.

The young man, though, was still not done, and Lathron had no inch to squeeze a syllable more out.

"I would of course take care of your daughter, and we would not dally... I mean, not dally dally, but the journey would take no longer than necessary. My word. Sir, there is no disrespect meant, I swear it to you. And if it were more pleasing to you, I could invite my grandfather along, or else hire a guard to accompany us."

“You were going to take her alone?” The man countered, his brow rising pointedly. Haleth caught her breath, and looked down to Rovain, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a firm shove toward the back room.

“But, Hale—” The young girl whined, stumbling over her own feet as she tried to fight the motions toward the entry she was being herded toward. Haleth, though, was having none of it and shushed her.

“Come on,” the elder of the girls clucked. She had in mind to keep Niphredil from wandering back out until this was finished as well; as it was, it was already painful to watch.

Lathron did not even mark his daughters’ exits, and pressed his lips together in a frown. “Fin,” he started, his voice nearly fatherly in the way the tone crept from his lips. “You’ve always been a fine boy, and I never thought I’d have to worry about you. But…” He stopped, unable to even finish his thought.

“Let me get this straight, if you please. You want to take my daughter away—my sick daughter mind you—clear across Gondor, by yourself, winter yet in the air…all because a soldier showed interest in her?”

"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens."

Finlach
Ghosts of the Third Age

Posts: 34
Application: https://s8.postimg.cc/xpvzw8h1x/q_Gog_D.jpg

Refuge of Glass (January 3010) - [Finlach] May 1, 2018 8:00:33 GMT -5

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Post by Finlach on May 1, 2018 8:00:33 GMT -5

Fin recognised he had made a grave error almost instantly, further compounded by the hasty exit of Haleth, dragging along Rovain. The retreat of the women folk left the two men alone to talk, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing in this instance.

”Fin, You’ve always been a fine boy, and I never thought I’d have to worry about you. But…”

This semi-chastisement was even worse than being reprimanded by his grandfather, because whilst he’d always sought to make Beorhtmund proud, he never wanted to lose the good opinion of Niffy’s father. And word travelled fast, no doubt this would get back to his grandfather who would use harsher tones in his upbraiding of Fin’s folly. If anything, this fatherly tone made the disappointment ever more clear and oppressive.

”Let me get this straight, if you please. You want to take my daughter away—my sick daughter mind you—clear across Gondor, by yourself, winter yet in the air…all because a soldier showed interest in her?”

That stumped Fin, because when it was put like that, it clearly highlighted his idiocy and the impetuousness if his idea. He hadn’t really registered the motivation of his actions as being from jealousy, but that was how it looked. Fin had thought merely to remove Niffy from a situation she wasn’t comfortable in, he’d not thought it to keep her from the advances of another young man, at least with not the clarity he was now.

And he felt ashamed.

All movement from him stopped as he bowed his head. At no point had he meant to bring dishonour and disrespect to Niffy or her family, and that was precisely what he had done. The trip, even in its infancy, had to be called off forthwith and not mentioned again. That was plain to see now. And if Lathron wished to banish Fin, forbidding him to see her ever again, well that was understandable and acceptable.

“I crave apologies, sir.” Fin said, his voice quiet and tinny. “I was... I didn’t mean... Niffy said she didn’t want to meet the man alone, and I thought to give her a reason not to.” Fin stammered, uncharacteristically still, as if expecting a sword of an executioner to cut through his neck at any second.

“I wasn’t thinking, I merely wished to help, and when Niffy said she’d never seen the sea, I got carried away and did not think of the implications.” Fin dare not look up at the man before him. He didn’t think he could stand up to the ire or crippling disappointment. This had been the first time he had ever wished to whisk a girl away with all his heart, and he’d never have the chance to do so again, nor would he want to. Not only had he risked losing his very best friend, Niffy, he had just cast doubt as to whether the tailor would ever want to do business or trade with the glazier again. Both were unforgivable.

Niphredil
Ghosts of the Third Age

Posts: 40
Application: https://image.ibb.co/gqC8aH/6f004de67122c249bfe070e42d30139e.jpg

Refuge of Glass (January 3010) - [Finlach] May 1, 2018 13:47:45 GMT -5

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Post by Niphredil on May 1, 2018 13:47:45 GMT -5

The poor boy seemed to melt before Lathron, and the man watched with a shade of amusement. Finlach had always been a nervous sort, though Lathron had never minded. And yet, now, it was almost comical to see the glazier fash and flutter; Lathron was not cross—not yet, at any rate. He was, however, confused, and rightfully so.

Finlach had been nearly a part of his family since he was a boy for as often as he had been playing with Niffy, and later the younger girls. A part of him had always wondered when or if the boy would wake up and see the way he looked at Niphredil the way Lathron and his wife had been able to, though as the years wore on it became more of a question of if Finlach would ever notice.

This almost seemed to be it, and yet…

“I wasn’t thinking, I merely wished to help, and when Niffy said she’d never seen the sea, I got carried away and did not think of the implications.”

“Fin,” Lathron started; he could see the young man yet fading into a puddle. A part of his tone morphed now into laughter, for the berry shade of the man’s cheeks and ears was something he had never seen before.

Lathron waved a hand. “Breathe, now. No passing out in my shop,” the tone was almost blithe. “I…I appreciate you thinking of my daughter and her wishes. You…see her as I do.” A hint, perhaps, that Lathron knew how deeply the glazier cared for her, whether Finlach knew he did or not.

“I’m surprised by the request to take her, though,” Lathron added, his humor for a moment fading. This part was entirely honest and frank, and his expression belied the truth in his eyes. “Unless there is something else you wish to ask of me that would override my wishes on the matter, I am going to have to thank you for your concern but assure you Niffy is not travelling anywhere until it is well warm.”

He had almost lost her this past fall; she was one of the strings of his self Lathron still had left, and he was not going to let her traipse through Gondor during winter and risk her already weakened system. Her dizzy spells were enough for Lathron to hesitate even sending her to the market alone—clear across the country seemed enough to make his heart seize. “If you return during the summer, you can ask me again and I will reconsider,” Lathron added seriously. “But you won’t be taking her alone, even then. Not unless—well, never mind.” That would fluster him further, and Lathron had no desire to make the matter worse. Finlach might very well pass out right there.

"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens."

Finlach
Ghosts of the Third Age

Posts: 34
Application: https://s8.postimg.cc/xpvzw8h1x/q_Gog_D.jpg

Refuge of Glass (January 3010) - [Finlach] May 2, 2018 5:57:32 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by Finlach on May 2, 2018 5:57:32 GMT -5

”Fin,”

The young man jerked, his head lifting for a split second, as if he meant to look at Lathron, but ultimately remained bowed. It was much easier when he didn’t have to make eye contact or see he expression of the man’s face. Though no doubt his imagination was conjuring a more sneering and mocking face that Lathron would never wear.

“Breathe, now. No passing out in my shop,”

That comment made it infinitely worse, especially as he was stranded in the centre of the shop with nothing to hold himself upright with, and nowhere near a counter to lean on. His grandfather would tan his hide black and blue if he made anymore of a spectacle of himself, the least he could do was stay on his own two feet.

”I…I appreciate you thinking of my daughter and her wishes. You…see her as I do.”

The glazier didn’t consider that he thought of Niffy in a fatherly way. He supposed that he wanted to protect her and keep her from harms way, and that was what father’s did for their children. Still, wasn’t their relationship more brother and sisterly than the alternative? At least Lathron understood his intentions came from a good place, unlike the soldier Niffy was so keen to get away from.

”I’m surprised by the request to take her, though. Unless there is something else you wish to ask of me that would override my wishes on the matter, I am going to have to thank you for your concern but assure you Niffy is not travelling anywhere until it is well warm.”

Something else? What else could he possibly ask that he hadn’t just proposed already? No, if he needed to wait until summer, he could, and that was provided as to whether Niffy wanted to come with him. After this colossal humiliation, he highly doubted he’d see her in his shop ever again.

Feebly, he nodded his head. Lathron made his stance clear upon this, and the glazier sought to get back to his refuge within his own shop, amongst the glass and ceramics of his own creation. After this little incident, he might take his mind off of the whole affair and manufacture some more items.

”If you return during the summer, you can ask me again and I will reconsider. But you won’t be taking her alone, even then. Not unless—well, never mind.”

Fin glanced up, thinking there might be some reprieve, and instead was once more disappointed. It was still a few weeks away until summer, and having to take a chaperone wasn’t the end of the world, he could still show her everything he’d planned. After this ordeal, he didn’t even blame Lathron for wanting to send a chaperone with his daughter, considering the discredit he’d almost done her.

Summer was still so far away, what if she found someone else? What if she changed her mind about the trip? So much could change and nothing was guaranteed. Perhaps this was a gentle deterrent from Niffy’s father to send him on his way and not darken the door to the tailor shop again.

“Th- thank you for your time, sir.” Fin stammered. His heart was sinking, it felt like he had a stone lodged in his throat, and his cheeks were burning so hot he thought his eyes may water. Blinking twice, he turned sharply on his heel and made to depart the shop. As he got to the door, he chanced a quick look back, catching sight of Niffy coming back in to the room. Bravely, he swallowed back the entire ordeal and managed to give her a formal and polite bow. Not that he could conceal the hurt and disappointment in his eyes. This was probably the last time he could ever hope to see Niphredil again.

And with the formality dealt with, Fin hastily left the shop, and with the door closed behind him, he stood stock still for a moment. He felt drained, and yet strangely worked up. It was no fit mood to work, not with his hands and knees trembling as they were. Instead of turning right and heading back to his shop, Fin turned left, breaking into a brisk walk, which then quickly sped and tumbled into a jog, then a run. He kept running until he was breathing heavily, lathered in sweat, his clothes sticking to him, snd thoroughly exhausted. Then, and only then, did he return home. He didn’t stop for supper, Fin disappeared straight into his room, and no sight or sound was heard from him until morning. When his grandfather tried to rouse him, Fin claimed he was unwell, and could not go to work. Later in the afternoon, he appeared in the shop and silently got to work, Beorhtmund neither questioned him, nor did Finlach enlighten his grandfather as to what ailed him.

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