Have you seen them?
The summer flowers wilt and break as the warm weather turns to biting coastal winds. The sun does not shine as freely as it used to. The days are shorter, and the lands of Belfalas turn from gold to grey.
And the sea? You used to love our sea. Now, you only look upon the water with dread, searching every shadow for the black sails of Umbar. It is wrought with storms, yes, but it is still our home.
I wonder, sometimes, if you even take the time to notice these things anymore. You retreat behind the high white walls of the citadel, as if thick stone can keep the encroaching shadows at bay. You no longer appreciate the rugged beauty of the coast, nor the strength of the daughter standing right in front of you.
I know why you changed. I know the sea took her from us, and I know that grief turned your heart into a fortress. You believe that if you lock me inside those walls, I will be safe. But the world is changing, Father. The flowers and the winds are not to blame for the darkening skies, and neither am I.
You have let fear steal the beauty of Gondor from your eyes. Perhaps I have changed as well, but it is because I refuse to do the same.
The seasons are changing. Winter will be bitter and cold this year. But I will not hide from the storm. I only wonder what we will have left when the spring finally comes.
