Chapter two - When the shadows fell

Alduin sat outside, the sun slowly rising, the book of the Tales in his hands. On its olive coloured leather covering he could see the golden letters: “When the shadows fell” written on the front. Under it were some odd runes and swirling letters he could not discern. He was still trying to figure out what happened last night. The hauberk, the pride of his father, Thorstyn, who handed him the book and the keys to the Unfinished Tales Kin Halls. Was it not far away in Bree-land? Lands he only heard of in tales of the past. He had not even once set a foot out of the Eastfold, now he had a house in a land many, many marches away. Pondering in his thoughts whilst overlooking the lush green fields of Aldburg he did not hear Thorstyn approaching. This only proves how deep in his thoughts he must have been, for dwarves aren’t exactly known for having the quietest of steps. With a small groan and a sigh of relief Thorstyn dropped down next to him. “Hmmpff, this used to go a lot smoother…” he grumbled when he finally sat straight up. Alduin looked over to him and saw the dwarf take out a pipe and light it, after he checked to ensure Felothad wasn’t near. “Master Thorstyn…”, he spoke, but the dwarf quickly interrupted: “No ’master Thorstyn’, lad. You sound just like young Althred long ago. Call me Thorstyn or even better Thor, for the names of dwarves may sound strange to a Rohirric ear. I am not your master nor would I ever want to be it, friend!” Alduin hesitated for a moment but then continued. “Thorstyn, why did I get all this?”, he asked while looking at the book and the keys in his hands. The dwarf smiled. “It was long ago decided that one day, a Graymare would receive it all, my friend. The few last elves in these lands are departing and I….” - the dwarf stopped briefly to blow some smoke rings in the air - “Well, I’m not exactly getting any younger. Soon all those who were once in the Tales, will have perished or departed, and to ensure that they will not be forgotten we wish for their deeds and stories to be kept by Men who had shown their quality and character in the past. Your family did exactly that, young friend, and in you we all agreed that we saw a bit of Donhelm, Essea and Althred. Who else would be suited for this task than a descendant of three great men? Men I was proud to call my friends.” Alduin smiled nervously but wasn’t completely satisfied with the answer. “But that is all I have in common with them, though I have visited their graves many times, I do not know them apart from stories I’ve heard, Thorstyn..” He looked to the west, to a small hill in which all three were buried many years ago, amongst their family and loved ones, as was custom in the Graymare family. Thorstyn noticed the young man’s gaze towards the hill and said: “Come friend. We shall head there together. It has been too long since I honoured my friends with a visit. I shall tell you those first tales of the book myself whilst we head there.” Alduin stood up and saw that the old dwarf had trouble rising. He dropped the keys and the book immediately and helped him get up. Groaning and sighing Thorstyn finally got on his feet and dusted off his hauberk. Alduin whistled and within seconds his own horse and Thorstyn’s pony were beside them. After helping Thorstyn on his pony, he quickly jumped on Silvermane. “Mounting a pony used to be a lot smoother as well…”, Thorstyn smiled. They allowed their steeds to walk at a slow pace towards the hill, which was but a small distance from the Estate’s walls. Alduin looked around him over the fields, Thorstyn took in the cool morning air. He sighed and turned his head towards Alduin: “It all started on the 16th of May, in the year 3017 of the Third Age. It was that day that a fellow dwarf named Bolin and I decided to form a kinship to house likeminded souls. To fulfil our part in the bigger chain of events. I met this dwarf when I was but a young and inexperienced guardian. I ventured into Rath Teraig, a vile goblin-infested hole in Ered Luin it was back then. Bolin and an elven huntress by the name of Ceriwen, along with two or three others, joined me. Alas! I assumed they were already there and charged in on my own. Luckily they arrived just in time to help me! The goblins were too many for me alone to best and if it was not for their aid, I would not be here today”, he ended with a smile. “We enjoyed our company so much and saw that we had many things in common, that we travelled together for many more days thereafter. It was then that me and Bolin decided to create a home for those who sought it. A home of Friendship and Companionship. Many more kinships were formed back then, as was custom in those days, but we remain one of the few that did not fade away. Alas, Ceriwen did not join us and I have not heard from here since then. Perhaps she has already sailed into the West.” Alduin looked at Thorstyn and asked “But what about Bolin? He was not here if I’m not mistaken.” Thorstyn nodded. “Aye, that he was not. After a while Bolin felt that the urge to return to his home was too great, and so he did. I only hope he has lived for many good years, for he was an old dwarf even in those days.” “But how did you come up with the name?”, Alduin asked. “Aaaaaah, now there’s a story for you. Many nights we spent in the inn pondering over possible names for this band of adventurers and many names passed, from ‘Baruk Khazad’,” Thorstyn couldn’t surpress a small laugh, “to ‘An Unexpected Party’, for we might be adventurers but we sure like our parties and time off in the inn! But nay, it became ‘Unfinished Tales’, for we knew even then that all those who would call themselves a Taler, were yet at the beginning of their own tales.” The riders had reached the hill by now and Alduin dismounted, holding the reins of Thorstyn’s pony so he could safely dismount as well. With their arrival Thorstyn said “Now let us be silent, young Alduin. I shall tell you more later but for now, let us show respect for great friends and family.” And there they stood in front of the hill, in silence. The Simbelmynë on the crown of the hill slowly waving into the wind. On top of it there was a small statue: a warhorse staring into the west to Edoras, the Golden Hall far beyond the horizon. At it’s side stood three bronze men gazing to the south, One bearing a bronze greatsword, one a horn and the last one a bow. At the feet of the archer lay a warden shield with a spear and javelin crossed over it. On the shield, golden letters said: “May they protect their friends and loved ones forever.” Thorstyn smiled and Alduin swore he saw a tear in the dwarf’s eyes. The dwarf kneeled before the statues and as Alduin saw him doing this, he quickly dropped and did the same. Thorstyn whispered a few words and then fell silent for several minutes. Alduin wasn’t sure what to do and just remained quiet himself. Suddenly the dwarf stood up and spoke “Come young friend, it is time we enter.” It was not custom to head into the burial chambers when no funeral was held. But the Graymare burial mound was unlike most Rohirric mounds. The chambers were only matched by those near Edoras for the royal family. They were crafted by the finest dwarven masons, sent from Erebor. Silently the stone door to the mound opened and both Thorstyn and Alduin stepped inside. They turned a quick right and came into a wide dark space. Alduin lit a very small torch and with it he quickly went around the room holding it close to the candles. The light of the candles lit a magnificent marble room, with three tombs neatly spread out over the room. Thorstyn’s face showed an expression both grim and happy. “My friends I’ve come to say hello and goodbye. This will be the last time I visit you…” He walked over to the tomb in the middle and put his hand on it. A man in stone laid resting with an identical greatsword in his hands as the one from the statue outside. “My trusted friend Donhelm. May your sword ever protect those in need, even in afterlife… And by Durin, if you had ever known Ghralin had dwarves outfitting your and your cousins’ tombs, you would have gone mad.” A small laugh left his lips as he put his hand on the arm of the stone figure. He moved to the left side of the room and there was a bearded man in stone with a horn in his hand “May your call be heard over the everlasting green fields to summon your allies, Essea. If Aulë permits it, I will hear it again before long…” Finally, he went to the right side of the room. A large tomb displayed a stone man laid, on his right side a bow on which his hand rested, on his left a beautiful stone maiden resting her head on his chest, as if listening to his heart, his left arm wrapped around her. “And you young Althred. Caring and deep was your heart for those around you. May it keep guiding you and your beloved Releanna wherever you both dwell...” Thorstyn fell silent for a while again, and Alduin looked at the dwarf and saw how much they clearly meant for him and finally saw why out of all Men, they chose a Graymare to keep safe the legacy of The Unfinished Tales. Thorstyn stood up. “Let’s go back lad. There’s a lot more to tell you and not a long time to do so.” With that he turned and looked for the last time in his life at the Graymare statue, a smile on his face, hoping that he’d soon be able to see his friends again.