Nimuviel’s Diary: Page 8

Iavas day 7, I Randír Îdh Now I am useful to the company, even if it is in but a small matter. All the Wandering Company are gathered in the great hall and speak with each other, while Hiril Aldalin is in her study with the doors open and discusses such news as her wanderers must discuss with her, or else reads letters that they have brought for her from faraway lands and she writes replies to them in consultation with Hiril Liwurien, who is kind to me generally but of a stern, yet truthful, disposition. Serathuil the swordsman and Galvathalion master of herblore are sat together in a corner near the library and speak softly to one another of their homeland, which is Greenwood the Great, and I dare not interfere except with my business… which is to provide everyone with tea and wine! I am now able to find my way around the pantry even if I were blindfolded and even if I have nothing much to contribute to the company at present, its members seem appreciative of my efforts to serve them in this small way and they cast me smiles and thank-yous and I am able to converse with them individually from time to time. Rain is pouring down outside and it makes me restless not to be able to go into the garden without making a muddy mess of the halls after coming in again afterwards, though I keep myself as busy as I possibly can within the halls with the small tasks I set myself. Hiril Liwurien found me idle in the library early this morning, while I was dreaming away there looking at the shelves full of scrolls, and contemplating how they remind me of my youth and the study that Adar had me sat in when I was little; she asked me if I studied any subject, or whether I had an interest to take one up, and I answered ‘Nay, for I have been an apprentice with my master to be a woodworker these seventy years, and was not allowed much time for extensive study in anything but my own craft.’ She smiled at me most gently and said that ‘Sometimes it is well to extend and perfect one’s own craft through time and devotion, and sometimes it pays also to lay aside the perfected and take up a new pastime of which one does not know the first thing.’ She then asked me if I played an instrument, gesturing at the extensive collection of music scrolls the library has, and when I said I did not, or at least not at all well, she feigned surprise, ‘for how’ said she, ‘is it possible that one who has undoubtedly been trained in the crafting of instruments cannot know how to utilise their purpose?’ I had not answer to that, but merely stood blushing, ashamed that I should have seen over a hundred and seventy summers, yet be near unfamiliar with the arts of such pleasures as poetry and music except for the passive listening to them. The lady laughed and told me to meet her in the library again tonight after our evening meal. Oh, the evening meal. I had better hurry now and clean the fruits and prepare more drinks.