And so it was that, upon Solstice Eve - the Eve of Turuhalme - Aegledor was welcomed into the Loth-i-Lonnath, even to the wearing of the blue, rather than the grey of a recruit.
An eve of great joy it was, for Aegledor had proven himself a warden of honour, humility and courage. Were we not all aware of his many ages of training – of putting such training into practice in skirmishes and battles as a March-Warden of old! Indeed, our recent foray into Rath Teraig had but given evidence to our eyes of that which we already knew in our thoughts and hearts.
Not that I am one to make such comment on martial skills - I who know little of spear and javelin and shield. I know not the finer skills of a warrior, nay, not even those of one with but a few hundred years training. But I trust our Hirgonui; I trust our Cauns that they know of what they speak. And I know the evidence of my own presence – I would not stand yet upon the sward of Thamas Lorn were it not for the unselfish skill of Aegledor.
Now an unexpected honour was bestowed me. Alas, it was that my dearest friend Durthand was delayed upon her return from patrol yester eve. Message was sent by hawk that she would not be able to take her place at Aegledor’s ceremony. So it was that Curugirion bestowed upon me the honour of presenting the swan cloak. Though others could have stood in Durthand’s stead, I believe Curugirion allowed me to do so in a gesture of honouring the one who had so recently kept me from harm.
Saerdir, who was a guest-become-friend in our halls in recent days, also stood with us in honouring Aegledor, and he himself a warden of many, many centuries experience. Though as yet I know little of him, there appears much of interest about Saerdir – not least his willingness to speak openly of matters of history that intrigue me greatly. Care must I take, however, not to cause sadness of reflection to our Noldo guest, or in any way lower his most genial mood.
After the ceremony, we gathered again near the hearth in the main hall of our homestead, to celebrate with food and wine and song, the newest member of our ‘family’. And family do I view the Grey Watch to be, though each in their own way. While it is true that my parents yet dwell in Mithlond, my sister, her spouse and many others of my line in Aman, and an uncle and few second cousins still upon these shores (or a few leagues away from them, as is oft the case with my uncle!), I have come to view those others of Grey Watch as true kin. My years of nigh solitary wandering save for my animals are now over, and with the imminent return of the light of Anor a new season of enlightenment is begun in my life.
So we ate of the food prepared by our cook and his attendants, and drank of the wine - a fine spread of our favourite fruit and cheeses and fresh bread and roasted meats, and some specially devised pies; vintage wine from Limael’s vineyards, two bottles of rare, fine Dorwinion red, and that which had been warmed and spiced. Of course, there was also cake! Then, at my request – though doubtless such had been his intent – Aearandir took up harp, and played and sang for us. Such beauty has his voice that at first song I was moved in thought to that place which is only a whisper upon the eastern breeze to me – the valley nigh the foot of the Misty Mountains where dwells the Lord Elrond and his kin.
‘May it be that one day you will visit that place of enchantment, Aearlinn,’ Aearandir had said to me when he finished his song. Indeed – I should like to behold fair Imladris; even more so to speak with the scholars who study there – but how to say to a seasoned traveller of both sea and land that the greater enchantment I already behold! He would think me but naive in my lack of years; so did, and do, I keep silent.
I sought at one moment to encourage Aegledor in the dance, yet as ever he replied ‘nay’. Yet he did so in a manner most courteous that I felt not down heartened. He has ever refused invite from any who asked or implied, that I took it not as a personal refusal. Mayhap one day he will dance, but that at a time, and with a partner of his choosing, I have no doubt.
And seeing my feet were eager to move, did Curugirion, aye, even our Hirgonui himself, ask me to dance! Such an honour in an evening of honours was it for me – who am no Lady, but a maid of the Falas with no noble blood in her veins, nay - not one drop.
As the evening turned to night, and night to nigh the herald of minuial, our conversation and laughter and music lessened, that Saerdir took his leave, and then I also. How it is when one would stay forever in a moment of time, yet cannot - for the hope of almost all I could desire was contained in the moments of this Solstice Eve. Yet seek rest I was bound to do, for I had not slowed the race of my myriad thoughts, not taken solitude to meditate upon the bliss of the Great Sea in two days.
We stand at that time of Turuhalme, when darkness holds sway and we gather round the hearth-fire to tell stories and remember our family, our ancestors – the longest night of the year it is. As I ascended the stairs to my living quarters it was in my thoughts that we stand also at the brink of a time that will see much of darkness in our lives – mayhap for some of us our own longest night is close at hand? But this also was in my thoughts, that as from this day forth Anor will increase in her strength, and slowly turn the darkness into the lesser force by far; so shall we ‘family’ rise again in the light of our love for each other and for our land, to drive back the darkness and reclaim Ered Luin for all that is good and true.
The light is returning – the darkness retreats. So be it!
