Balkumagan

Naraal let himself drift in the dream world. She was looking appreciatively at him, as she held a piece of the armour Tazakr had found. Then she was running away through the deep snow towards the edge of a cliff. He gave chase. But he was only wearing one of his Umbari tunics and his feet were bare. It was freezing. Then, thankfully, she halted. Something large and dark had climbed up the cliff, and now stood beside her…protectively. 

He was dreaming.

She had red hair, long and flowing unbound. The breeze swept it back, and lightly tangled it in invisible fingers. It took up part of her red gown as well, so that it ballooned out behind her. She laughed. 

There were thirty left. 

She was sitting at her desk in the side room that was lit by only one lamp, and turned as I was but a few feet away. “You!” she said. There was no fear on her face, only disgust. “Ungrateful creature, after all we did for you.”

Estarfin….beloved...I saw you for a moment, I heard your voice, calling to me. I hear it still in thought and I reach out to you. 

But I could not answer you in words. I knew what would happen if I did.

‘Where had it all gone wrong? ‘Jexson thought again, for the umpteenth time. There he was, sitting on a stone in a cave in Angmar, barely able to stand or move or even speak. ‘What had brought him so low?’

It had been a long ride more than a difficult one. The path from Bree to Angmar was not well-worn, neither were there welcoming places to stay, not even for one such as her. Khahaynd had known that when she set out she would be on her own until she reached Lady Zairaphel’s house. But difficult? Nay, there were Men around Trestlebridge, but not the sort she would waste any time on. They were not interesting nor threatening enough for her.

Meldanya, 

I have been dreaming. Not a foreshadowing of things to come I think, neither a message of doom. But it has left me confused upon waking. I would warn you, if you could but hear - just in case there is more to the dream than is usual. 

Estarfin…

…take care, wherever you are, meldanya. I miss you.

(continued from this...)