Geirdrifa
Geirdrifa..Geir..to this day one of my dearest friends, if not the dearest of them all! I care for him with a fondness that is not easily obtained by me, and he will forever hold a special place in my heart.
We have been through so much together and my hope is that it will be more to come.
I remember meeting him with his good friend Halsarn. Halsarn had already become a part of the Company and he had followed him.
This particular morning I had woken up and found a baby in a basket by the foot of my bed. The baby was one of Fiontann's good friend's and was left with a note for me to care for it while they all set out on a mission.
Oh I remember how angry I got! I was not interested in caring for a baby, not this one or anyone else's,I did not even want to have one myself! Horrible little creatures..
I had picked up the baby and stormed off to the Hall only to catch them in the last moment before they were about to take off. The Company stood ready at the Hall to go on a contracted mission to find a missing person that had been taken into an Orc camp.
Shoving the baby back into the arms of that wretched wench who had given life to it, and the woman had no said a word to me.Not wondering why I did what I did, she had just stood there with the expression of a ruminating cow.
I never liked her before that, and surely not after this! I remember turning to Fiontann who stood gaping at my actions and loudly proclaimed to him that " I was no' a baby sitter to tha' wench, or to anyone else for tha' matter!".I was ready to follow them out into the field!
He protested ,of course ,he always set my safety before anything else to a fault, and said I was not ready for such and this is when Geirdrifa and his friend stepped up and said they would make sure I would be protected by them, should I choose to come.
I did accompany them out in the field and kept myself by them at all times, casting angry glares at Fiontann every time he looked at me.I think that during that time, subconsiously I had taken a stand.No one was going to stop me from doing what I wanted to do.Not even Fiontann, and thus, this was the beginning of the end for the two of us.
I spent alot of time with Geirdrifa and his friend. They trained me and took me up as one of them, they took me drinking in the Pony and we shared many laughs together.Especially Geirdrifa and I. We shared the same liking for a drink and words passed easily between us.But he was a tough trainer.Complaining or not following his orders during the training session was for naught.He was relentless, and many were the bruises I came home with.
The day his friend Halsarn returned south to Gondor, Geirdrifa told me that he had promised him to stay behind and keep an eye on me, to make sure no harm came to me.I didn't fully understand what he meant then, but I had my suspicions.
Geirdrifa one day proposed me with a suggestion. Since the work at that time was scarce in the Dawn, maybe we should promote our skills on the side together with a few of his friends? I readily agreed and so we did. Well, he did and I tagged along, not fully skilled in negotiating any contracts just yet.
We got some, and kept ourselves afloat during this time. One of the contracts was to keep a woman safe from Hardoleth. I have already written that story somewhere in this book...
Time passed and I spent more and more time in the company of Geirdrifa and his peers.Happy were those times, and I remember them with a light heart.Still to this day the memories put a smile on my face!
Geirdrifa also introduced me to his wife.What a stunning woman she was! I remember the first time I laid eyes on her.Not only was she strikingly beautiful, with long black hair and eyes like precious stones, she also carried herself with a natural grace that I had never seen before. She made the "noble" women of Gondor that I once in a while came across at the tavern, look like sacks of turnip!
She was good hearted and kind and took to me like a dear friend, even though we had a bit of a struggle to understand eachother.Her westron was not very good, and my Bree accent...well, just say that it did not help her much.
She opened her home, the large tent they shared, for me when I left Fiontann.Took me in as a relative in need.I will always remember her kind spirit and I hope that I one day will see her again.Yes, I write again. She is missing and no one know where she is at. Geirdrifa has lately been at his wits end in his search for her.She went out to collect herbs only to never return.
I have been there out there with him, trying to find any trace of her, searching high and low for her, asking for her among folks. Not a trace have been found, and I grieve with him.All I can do for him at this point is to be his friend. To listen to him, to let him rage, to drag his sorry arse out of the Tavern when the drink is getting to be too much for his stomach to handle.
Oh we have had our quarrels, don't think we do not argue.We don't see eye to eye all the time.He is one of the most honest and loyal people I've ever met, and always think of what is right or wrong.I do not always do that. I can be careless and not morally as inclined as he is.He thinks first and acts later, I tend to do it in reverse.There is where we clash, and it has happened that we have stormed away from eachother, both fuming at the other.But we always find our way back. I'm honored to call him my friend.He is truly one of a kind.
Penned in at a later time, the handwriting almost unreadible, perhaps written with a shaking hand.
He too will leave me. Going back home to his fathers farmstead..Saying that my behaviour stems from the way I was raised and that his teachings has been for naught.Saying that the only way I would keep them in mind, and grow, was for him to leave me.I know he has other reasons as well, but I can't help to think that my choices has pushed him closer to leaving...
I wish I had some things undone...
When he told me, all I could do was weep. Weep and plead with him to stay.Crying into him, my fingers digging into his leather hauberk, staining it with my tears.
I cannot stand this.I do not know what to do.
I have submerged myself in drinking and other obscure activities lately, only to wake up the day after with regrets.
I need him here,I need him to be accountable to.
To be my conscience, when mine is lacking.
I am so sorry Geir...
Please...stay...
