Portraits of Brothers Parted

Two young men stand alone in a rather stately home in Pelargir looking up at a brand new painting hanging on the wall. It has been many months now since corsairs took over the city, but with the help of the citizens, it was not long before the port city had been reconstructed.

"Where will you go, brother," the younger of the two questioned. He was thin as a post compared to his muscle-bound brother, though he carried himself with double the confidence and was a few inches taller than his elder.

"North, to Eriador. There are many historical sites that I long to see for myself. The ruins of Evendim and the North Downs, the ribbons of light said to only show themselves in the furtherst reaches of the North." The shorter of the brothers turned to see that his raven-haired sibling's expression grew saddened. "Do not grieve my leaving, Braegnir. You already swore to visit every now and then, remember. And you shall remain with me for as long as we are parted," he says, gently patting the frame of a much smaller portrait that he carries under his arm.

The younger sighs. "You are right, Ped. You are right." He pauses for a moment before placing a hand on the broad man's shoulder. "Shall we go fetch something to eat before your departure. I can cook up the boar that you brought in this morning and make it a small feast as a worthy send-off for my brother."

"That would be perfect," Pedhir replies. They both move away from the wall to reveal the large portrait of the eldest brother, finished only a few days ago.

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Months later now, the older of the two brothers now sat alone, sipping from a cup of spiced, orange tea and flicking the corner of an envelope. It was stuffed quite full of papers, so stuffed in fact that one would barely be able to feel the outline of the steel arrowhead within. The last sheaf of parchment, though, was a plea.

"I hope you can help, brother," Pedhir says solemnly to the portrait of a sagging, thin willow tree across from him, resting in the second chair in the room. Today had been the final straw.