Time... It never stands still... Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. It only felt as though it was yesterday, that Lirita and I sat amongst those in Tinnudir Keep. Word had reached that of Calenglad, of a foul presence beginning to plague that of Enedwaith. A company was set with the task to investigate and set forth on the long journey. Myself, known for not remaining in a single place to long had offered his service. Lirita, at first was hesitant of the task. She pleaded me to remain in Tinnudir and continue with the aide at Annuminas. But she knew I would not be swayed. In knowing this, she followed as I would follow her to the end of time. Yet when does it end? Some would say, death would be considered the end. Some would say it is the beginning of a new adventure, a path we must all take.
Amongst us there where others. Gwaith had kindly offered to aide, though Calenglad wished of her to remain behind. I somewhat agreed with Calenglad, knowing the returning men from Annuminas could use her aide more than what our company could. Yet one that was ordered to follow was Kervan. My trust in this man remained as it had always. His lingering gaze would still be set upon Lirita. The aura of the man’s presence angered me, yet I trusted Calenglad’s word. In time, Kervan may prove himself. After all... It very well could be endless as they say...
We had finally reached that of Eregion, setting up camp amongst the woodlands of Glad Ereg. It would not be long before we eventually reached our destination. As always, I tended to distant myself from the others and chose to take watch. Kervan would attempt to be persistent he would, but a feeling amongst the others believed him unreliable at such a task. As I sat beneath the starlit sky, I suddenly felt the warmth of Lirita’s touch on the back of my neck. She sat down beside me, placing her hand in my lap. She remained silent a moment before finally asking me something unexpected. She asked of my parents and of my time as a youth. I had never spoken of my parents, Taol and Migyon to anyone other than that fateful night with Calenglad.
Taol and Migyon... Two Honorary Rangers of the North, who seeked peace in a small settlement not far from Dol Amroth... My parents...
Taol was a master of the land, teaching me how to track and hunt whilst going unnoticed. Migyon was a very calm and quiet woman, who loved her son dearly. Did I love them? Of course, what kind of monster would I be to say otherwise? They left the life they knew behind, to raise the child into the man I am today... Lirita wanted to know more. Memory had dwindled, as I had not thought on the matter for a long time. The only one that remained as fresh as the days I spent within that Troll Cave with Lirita was the saddest one... There death...
Taol had taken me with him one evening, to teach me more about tracking under the cover of nightfall. I was fairly confident in my efforts, tracking and killing a buck. But Taol remained silent and still. As I looked up and over to what he looked at, I noticed flames coming from the direction of our home. Leaving the buck, I approached my father who dropped his head. Looking down, there was no mistaking the footprint of a Troll. This far out it was odd. All of a sudden, Taol rushed back forgetting I was even by his side. Everything I knew, was engulfed in flame. Women and children screamed, as Orcs ransacked their homes. It was then that I heard my father, Taol scream. Deep down I knew what had happened, but I did not want to believe it.
Migyon, my mother was dead. We fought off as many as we could, but the next thing I remember was the feeling of the arrow which left me the scar across my eye. I fell back, as Migyon’s cloak amongst other things fell upon me. Hiding me from sight. I could hear Taol continue the fight, yet once the wall came crashing down it was too late. The Troll that left that footprint would end any line of defence that Taol put up. I soon blacked out after that point.
Amongst the aftermath, I awoke. Wrapping myself in my mother’s cloak, I crawled to her body. Shaking her, not wanting to believe this was the end I would scream for help. A faint voice could be heard saying my name. Taol, barely alive and crushed by a beam lay half way across the settlement. The Troll had tossed his body like a child throwing its doll. I took hold of his hand as he spoke of things, I did not quite understand. He said I was Dúnedain.. This was the first time I was told that I was born of the bloodline. Taol passed not so long after, falling to the stars within his son’s arms. The time of Taol and Migyon had ended.
Lirita would shed a single tear, hearing the tale and the heartache of my parents’ demise. In attempt to comfort me, she wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. She then spoke of death, being that of a new beginning. That time will always go on and that all will change with the times. Our paths will never end, not in life nor death. She then said to look to the stars. She said that if I look hard enough, that I would see that Taol and Migyon still watch over me from beyond this life. I laughed at first, but when I did look up it was then that I saw two shooting stars. I fell silent and all Lirita could do was smile. Lirita would say quietly that she did not wish for us to choose this path, yet she believed in me. I raised a brow at her meaning, yet did not question her. We then shared a kiss before she returned to camp.
Time... It never stands still... It only changes...
