Upon entering the common room of the Prancing Pony late one evening, I was pleasantly surprised to see Izre sitting at one of the tables. I approached, asking permission to join her. She seemed pleased to see me, as it had been a significant amount of time since our chance encounter upon the road. We exchanged the usual courtesies, sharing stories about our most recent travels and business, before the conversation took a turn. It is clear to me that Izre does not mince her intentions. Far from it, she is rather direct, but by no means in a rude way. I believe it would be fair to say that she is highly inquisitive and asks questions that are usually reserved for people who have been well-acquainted for some time.
We spoke heavily upon the past, and our views on life as a whole. Evidently, she wished to know more about my history and, to my surprise, I found myself obliging her. She was the first to speak, telling me of where she came from and what brought her to Bree. She spoke of the betrayal that was previously mentioned upon or first meeting, a betrayal that carved the path to where she was now. She spoke of how she found it difficult to trust, as a result, which given the circumstances I am not surprised by at all. Yet, she has found it within herself to trust me. It has been a long time since someone has shared intimate details about themselves with me. Not since the days of Sparrow, which leads me on to the next part of our conversation.
Izre asked where I hailed from. This was information privileged to very few, especially in the years past where I remained a mystery to most. However, I have decided that if I am to make allies in Eriador, true allies, I must offer a part of myself as a gesture of goodwill. I told her that I hailed from Gondor but went by a different name. She of course asked what that name might be, which I declined to share. I did however tell her that I was a Knight, but that was a distant memory to me now. It was then that she decided to ask what I intended to do with myself in the present time. I spoke of my desire to become a reputable mercenary, a business that I have already set into motion. But she did not think that was a path I should choose to pursue. Apart from becoming a Knight again, which I found highly amusing, she asked why I do not put my skills in combat to better use in the way of teaching. In all honesty, I could not think of a stranger situation to be in. Who would wish to be the pupil of a man such as I, for a start. But more than that, to what end would the teaching of my experience be beneficial to another?
I made it very clear that I had no intention of returning to Gondor. I did not say why, as I do not wish for Izre to be dissuaded from my company. Her questions however continued to flow, this time asking where I had been for all these years. I explained that I went on an expedition to Rohan, in the company of a partner of mine. This intrigued her even more. She pushed to know who this companion was. Time has passed long enough for me not to feel the pain and shame of Milawyn. It is true, and I accept, that without me her life would have no doubt been easier. But that last act of taking her home to Rohan, that was my way of setting things right in the best and only way I could. The truth of the matter was, I needed to close that chapter. It was vital for me to see her safe and, of course, for her to raise our child. My son. The boy whom I abandoned.
I found myself trusting Izre and therefore shared information that I had never uttered until now. My marriage to Milawyn was common knowledge, a marriage of convenience. The child however was not. We left Bree in the early stages of Milawyn’s pregnancy and with good reason, as we had many enemies who would be more than happy to seize upon the opportunity to attack us whilst we were vulnerable. Memories of Milawyn came flooding back to me, memories I had long since buried. Izre pressed me, asking why I chose not to stay in Rohan with her. Asking why, after all the months of travelling to the land of the horse lords, did I not choose to live out my days in her company and father the child. My answer was simple, men such as I were not made to be fathers.
