A Grendel Growth Spurt and a Special Reunion

Alone in the Albian garden, Arianllyn took a moment to ponder the meaning of life. She was still a youngster with some growing to do, but her brief encounters with older Norns had left her longing for a companion who was a little closer to her age. Elder Norns enjoyed a spinning top every now and then, but Arianllyn was all alone if she wanted to play with it like a true Grendel child! She took some comfort in my frequent visits, though. It was impossible not to offer her an affectionate tickle!

Even though he was a little younger, Adaon was more than proud to show how he was finally taller than the drum! His entrance into adulthood made me wonder if he had spent his first few hours in too much solitude. His slower aging meant that he had approximately twenty hours of life to enjoy. I had never seen him without a smile, despite the close quarters. He was as fine a musician as any Grendel ever had been! I also noticed that Adaon was starting to brave the lift a little more often… But he always returned to his drum and harp!

Sadly, I was not prepared for the next death. Llyan was nearly thirteen hours old, yet she still held on. It was little old Rhun who left Albia. At 8 hours and 44 minutes, I questioned whether his time had come a little too soon. He only had two children to call his own, though I was certain his legacy would live on. It was difficult to get him to eat or sleep, which likely stressed him out enough to age him more quickly. I would never forget his funny little body and bald head. Farewell, Rhun.

The last Norn to enter old age was Orwen. She had taken up the age old hobby of sleeping, and I rather thought of her as an Albian version of Sleeping Beauty! I decided to bring her spirits up with a ride above the garden. Her smile was all the proof I needed! She had been waiting for Taran’s return for ages, and with his departure, she had fallen into a state of disrepair. A carrot or two and a ride in the cable car brought Orwen right back to her usual youthful self! Her hair might have been sprinkled with white, but she was far from giving in to old age. She was in such a good mood that she didn’t even dare touch the control lever! Some of these journeys took ridiculously long, thanks to the silly interference of the passengers. I was glad to see such a disciplined Norn.

Then, it happened. The moment Orwen, and I, had been hoping for. Taran stood before his long-lost love, and the same happiness they had shared before came to life in an instant. Orwen seemed a little more interested in what was in the honeypot, yet their reunion was beyond priceless! To prove that they were not just a couple of wrinkled up oldies, they decided to add just one more egg to the mix. It was not the one pictured in the background: That was the glitched egg from long ago that would never grow.

A loud racket from the jukebox caught my attention, and I had a mixture of surprise and laughter when I found the culprit: Adaon! He had ventured outside of his music room, only to find the next nearest source of music. He even carried the trumpet around, although he was unsure of what to do with it. The drum was still his favorite instrument… I could only smile when he decided to start up a chorus of rat-a-tat-tat! Adaon was much more interested in his song than anything else, even though Taran and Orwen attempted to be courteous and introduce themselves. They quickly departed when they realized that this Grendel enjoyed loud noises, and lots of them!

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