Yesterday the Lord Tindir’s company returned to us at last, leaving the remainder of our missing company to be the Lords Estarfin and Veryacano, and Nirhen, but she is said to be out scouting, by orders from the Hammer-Lord. And after hearing our worries of how Lord Estarfin was alone, and wounded from the battle with the monstrous orc, Lord Tindir decided that we would go forth and search for his soldier. He led us up the river, which is a very beautiful one, but very winding, so we were obliged to go far out of the way, before we could get to any fording. And around a bend, we had the happiness to find Lord Estarfin lying on the shore, very wet all over and shivering cold. I tried to wake him as gently as I could, but to my great grief found him in a worse condition than when I last saw him, and he was very faint and weak.
‘Twas great fortune that we found him so close by, otherwise he might have met up with a worse situation! Laurelindo immediately saw to his wound, which was still open and ragged, and there was a large, discolored swelling as big as my doubled fist upon his back. It seemed to trouble him terribly, and make him cough; but he did not complain. I think this bruising was caused when the rotten scaffolding crashed upon us; at least the wound was not throwing blood out, and that is something. We made off as fast as we could, and crossed the river again, I sweating and struggling to keep Lord Estarfin’s heavy shield high out of the water, for we concluded to take every one of his burdens away for him, so that he could better manage the crossing. As soon as we reached the far side, Lord Tindir halted by a large boulder, not too far from the burned-up barracks, where we buried the fallen Horse-Men. Lord Estarfin immediately dropped to the ground, and as Laurelindo tended to him, we made a large fire with driftwood with which to dry out our clothing.
Here the Lady Himwen proved her skill with the fishing, and supplied us with two large fish, which we roasted and ate up. I wished to enquire what might have been the reason of Lord Estarfin setting out alone, but he being fatigued, and sick from his wounds, I concluded that this should wait, and endeavoured to spend the time as pleasantly as I could, and see to his comfort. Methinks it would be better if we knew where Lord Veryacano had wandered off, but we had found most of our missing companions. Then we talked of less important matters, and we thought to forage for parsnips, or some other hearty food, as we missed bread, amongst other things. In this country, there is great plenty of deer, and many large bears, but we are grown tired of our unvarying diet of red meat, and bear meat is oftentimes rank and full of grease. And then bedding down, we slept as well as we could that night on the river-stones; and I lay on the ground having nothing but my pack for my pillow, wrapped up snug in my cloak, feeling my health recover, for I was safe among friends, well-protected, and not having anything to fear, now that Lord Estarfin was found.
I had heard so much talk of these Horse-Men, that I was sure that by the course of the country, we would see the sight of many armies of them, but those that we had seen were mostly dead, and those few that were not looked upon us with malice, as if we were evil spirits. Then my thoughts drifted back to the Wild-man who called us murderers, but we do not esteem the killing of an enemy, or any one that has injured us, but we are forced to kill them, in order to prevent others from doing the same. For we cannot persuade Men from doing ill, nor command them, as we are not their Masters; and if they will hold themselves to barbarous practices, and cannot master their animal passions, they are no better than dogs, and are undeserving of mercy. My people did not come from the utmost parts of the earth, or from over the vast seas ages ago, to have Men overrun the land with their wicked, short-sighted manner of living. We mark their dreadful fate; for we have seen how some Men are slain, or enslaved by the Enemy; and their fellows care so little for their brethren’s fate, or for the lands wasted, as long as they can take what they want; and so they live their lives on the wrong side of the door, as the world burns behind it.
