- 3 years, 7 months and 3 days since my departure from Harad.-
My decision to remain here has been sealed. Meeting properly with a few of this town called Bree instead of stalking them, did teach me quite a bit and made me wonder about many things.
First of all, I do not understand their ways. While I always found tall folk rather peculiar, everything is so strange and different from Home. Women are treated like fragile vases, incapable of holding a blade and yet cannot wear flattering clothes without immediately being called derogatory names. Men on the other hand are seen as the pillars of society and the family, everything resting upon their shoulders and they bear it without asking for help. And those who fail or seem to fall into pits of misery and lawless actions are never to be spoken of again in polite society. Not even when they make (apparent) amends. I do not fully understand how that works in a society, because burying it will certainly not help matters.
Secondly, there is no help for orphans here. No organizations, no schools, no orphanages that are worth having such a name. And us in Harad are called savages! Yes, we are more prone to violence and we have a history of having helped some powerful dark figures in the past, but...But we do look after one another. While the lords reigning over the smaller folk go make alliances, those who have no part in those live as well - and the inclusion of taking care of our orphans, widows and elderly are very important. Even those who have no families looking after them - and while those usually end up in Courts of Miracles, they are still tended to.
And do not let me get started on the illiteracy of people. It is painfully common! At least elves and dwarrow have the good sense to make sure most, if not all of their people can read any contracts presented to them.
But...while they have stark differences, like refusing to wear bright colors like at home for example, or to use a miswak (A tradition from home, that apparently people from Rhûn use as well: a twig of a particular tree that is chewed upon. It cleans one's teeth, avoids gum infections and teeth rot, as well whitens one's smile - while the traditional tree cannot be find around these parts, which is the arak, one could walnut, liquorice and certain acacia trees instead), they do however traits I wish my homelands would forego. Slavery is non-existent, orcs and trolls do not mingle with them as easily (I do not envy the tribes near Mordor, Eru protect them). They also seem to have trade systems that seem fairer with certain items - but this could be explained by the fact dwarrow folk trade more eagerly with them than with us. Even at home, their smith work is legendary and it is seen as great luxury to own one of their hand made items. And well, their paler shades of skin are rather pleasant to look at, I must admit...
The reasons that sealed my decision to remain in Bree are caused by a few folk. A man and a child, truth be told. I shan't write their names on these pages as of yet, not until they either join this Court, or they become trusted allies at least.
The child was small, malnourished and near savage, perhaps thirteen years old. However, her face was endearing and while she snarled and spit at the man, the child was not unintelligent. Terrified, desperate for food and affectionate to her serpent pet, that, she was however. I took it upon myself to attempt and take care of her. A spur of the moment decision.
The man however, I might not have been completely and purely honest with him. While I do stand by my words that he was a good man, I did not reveal properly who I was, nor did I give him my name. Instead, I named myself King, and thus by tradition, bound myself to Bree and it's lands, so to build the Court in proper. The man was kind, rather patient, even though he did nearly lose his temper with the child. He hinted at several things of his past, which in the end made me make up my mind about wishing to draw him among our folds.
I just hope that my instincts will lead me true in the act of finding my companions for the future.
