Nimuviel’s Diary: Page 7

Iavas day 6, I Randír Îdh Away is the tranquillity of the garden! Apart from Hiril Aldalin and myself, and those who I have named before, Nathoruil, Gildin, Ashareth, Celebhir, Galvathalion – who called on us two days ago and is a loremaster of some skill, and also a wanderer of the company – three others have arrived yesterday, weary with the leagues of the journey that they have put behind them, and they are Serathuil the swordsman and his wife Liwurien, and with them came one of the lord Gildin’s company, a herbalist who is named Llerieth. They all stay in the halls now to exchange news and tales of their journeys and I can hardly keep notice off all the stories they tell, for there are so many! Some have come from the northlands, where the great lake of the old kingdom of Men lies with its ruined cities; others have travelled here from Eregion and through my homeland, of which I shall attempt to pry news when everyone has settled down a little. Hiril Aldalin has told me that there are to be meetings between the members of her kin of which I cannot be part, for they must discuss such things that are not matters which I require to hear, nor would I be able to understand them, being much younger than any other in the gathering and not a wanderer like they are. I understand from the conversation around me that there are others in the company that will likely not make it to this meeting, nor have they done so for the past months, or even years, but those present seem not overly worried. I can but wonder at their strength and skill if their kin and company trust in their well-being even after so much time, and I would like to meet these lost wanderers one day, and converse with them, for I now begin to feel some degree of admiration for these travellers whose vigour shows even through their intense fatigue, and I begin to envy their tales of faraway places, and the sights that their eyes have seen. However, for all my awe of them, I fear I can only dream of the skills that they possess and their strength, for I, too, have travelled this past season, and yet I cannot remember of the places I traversed apart from trees and fields, and no tales have I to tell of my journey, for I was too busy wallowing in my own laments to pay much attention to what was around me at all; nor did I find my own way back to civilisation, for it was Hiril Aldalin who found me, and took me in, and offered me comfort, and I have nothing of myself to share with others that can bring them any delight. I now start to wonder how long I may remain here still, for although I offer to help with everything I can, I find it difficult to make myself useful, and, not wanting to impose, I fear that I must leave these halls soon unless I find such occupations by which I may prove myself useful to my hosts. I must speak to Hiril Aldalin about this, for this matter has begun to concern me, and I must know for how long I may remain a guest here, or else take up a function within the company, if they will have me, or else, again, move away, and go back to my wandering, even though I fear for the grey loneliness of winter that will surely press upon my heart if this comes to pass.