Tarsorel stood bare chested in front of the mirror. His right shoulder bore the signs of recent injury. An arrow had pierced his shoulder while he had been off in search of Sicarra’s daughter, Salin. The pain was dull yet ever-present, an improvement over the sharpness that had plagued him for weeks since his return. He had tried to ignore the pain when he had returned to Herne. To work it out through rest and light training. Yet the pain had not gone away, just as the healer in Mossward had said. The Mossward healer was not as skilled as Winnie, few were this far north, but Tarsorel was confident enough in her abilities to allow her to treat his wounds, both in his right shoulder and left legs.
The bandits that inflicted the wounds were all dead at Tarsorel’s hands. Of that much, at least, he could be satisfied. The quest to find Salin has not been in vain either, for Tarsorel has returned with the midwife, Negath, as his prisoner. The woman was relentless in her determination not to reveal what had happened to the child, and even tried to impale herself on Tarsorel’s blade rather then submit to captivity. But in the end, he had found his way back to Herne with the midwife in tow.
Shortly after that, the company, or clan as Ryheric and the others were not calling it, set off to Swanfleet in search of the child. Ryheric and a few of the others, SIcarra included, were able to find the child, and the mother and daughter were reunited. Tarsorel did not voice his pain. Perhaps it was his own foolish pride, but he did not want to ruin the reunion between the two. When, around the campfire, the child Salin tried to bolt into the fire it was Ryheric that saved her, though Tarsorel was the closer one. His reflexes were dulled by pain, and in retrospect he was not sure he would have been able to lift the child anyway due to his shoulder and leg.
And so for the next several weeks after their triumphant return to Herne Tarsorel went off alone in the morning, trying to work out his injuries and resume his former capabilities. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not lift his sword past level to the ground, nor would his shoulder allow for it to be held for long. His left leg started to betray him, and he was only barely able to hide the limp that came so easily.
Then came the conversation on a rainy day with Winnie. Several months prior Tarsorel has availed Winnie of his lines of credit with the various merchants in Bree so as to provide a supply source for her clinic. Now Winnie was asking him to return to Bree and take her off those lines. That the merchants had confused Tarsorel for the owner of the clinic, not Winnie. He was mortified to be sure, as Tarsorel had been very clear to the merchants he worked with that the access to his lines was not an indication of his ownership in the clinic, but apparently there was confusion anyways.
Early the following morning Tarsorel departed from Herne, returning to Bree. The ride was painful for him, as gentle as his horse Bounder was the pain in his shoulder and leg was noticeably worse by the time he arrived in Bree. He took a room at the Prancing Pony that evening, the next day to begin the task that Winnie had requested of him.
Though it took three days, Tarsorel was able to do as requested and remove Winnie’s clinic from access to his available lines. The lines of credit had not been utilized much at any rate, so the removal was not difficult. The time was mostly spent tracking down the various merchants and getting the new arrangements in writing. Tarsorel specifically made sure that each merchant was aware that he did not, nor had he ever, had any ownership in the clinic and that it was Winnie of Rohan’s going concern.
At the end of the three days, Tarsorel had a decision to make. He knew he could not return to Herne. His injuries were too severe, and while with great effort he may be able to travel to Herne, he would not be able to take on the additional journey’s Ryheric’s company…he continued to call it that and not a clan out of habit, were to undertake in the Spring. He wrote a letter to Winnie, explaining his situation and asking her to communicate his intentions to Ryheric. That he would remain in Bree for the foreseeable future and oversee his business dealings. That he would forward any financial support the clan may need as he was directed and able, though he realized once they began traveling remaining in contact would be difficult. Then he wrote a separate letter to Sicarra. He offered her the chance to come live with him in Bree, a safe place for the child to grow and prosper. He did not, however, expect Sicarra would take him up on the offer. The Dunlending woman had other aspirations, he knew, and sitting in Bree would not suit her.
And so ends, for now, the story of Tarsorel of Calembel, son of Bansorel, known as Amathwain, the Renewed Shield of Gondor to the elves of Imladris.
