champion

I met my father on the way and told him everything. He has agreed to go with me to the rescue of The Champion. We then followed all the way to the place where her trail led us. My father was following me silently. I had that feeling that he trusted my leadership somehow. I took cower behind a large rock to spy on the towers' defences and soon only issue around were the two nearby guards. We stayed silent to spy on them as we weren't sure if the Champion was still there.

I left the next day, without wasting time. It was still raining, my clothes had not had time to dry during the short night. This day was still long and I had to cross the Shire as soon as possible, since the day of the rendezvous was getting closer. It was during this monotonous march under the greyness, which did not honor the green hills of the country, that I began to ask myself serious questions about what was waiting for me beyond the land of halflings. Will I be accepted? How will my comrades be? What will I do if I have to turn back in these lands that I do not know?

Earth! After a good breath, I decided to leave the waters and these pirates, to launch me without losing time towards Evendim. It was raining. And I still had to leave Ered Luin on my steed, cross the Shire obliquely, then cross the northern border to arrive in Evendim. This part of the trip would probably be more pleasant, with a tavern where human warmth and a good meal would wait for me almost every night.

Finally decided, I wandered a few days on the docks of Dol Amroth in search of a boat that could bring me closer to Eriador. I ended up taking a place on a 300-ton brig-schooner, which is fifty meters in length, laden with meat, cloth, and around fifty crew members of the most abject scum. The sailors do not really frighten me to tell the truth, on the other hand, the Captain seems able to lynch a man for a bad look, he inspires no confidence. But to rally Evendim on time, I have no choice.

Well. I have never been a leader, nor the most courageous, I am rather of lonely style but I had to fight for my comrades and my land. Gondor is my land. It is by being part of small platoons along the western border that many orcs fell under the wire of our swords. We were fighting mainly when we had the advantage, laying ambushes, and it was successful. The other part of the mission was to patrol along the border trails, reporting what was happening. This is where I served for a few good years. I learned to fight, to lose, to survive ...

Day 200 at Duin Dae

I am iron, I am stone.  I cannot be moved.  I cannot be outlasted.  I cannot be overcome.

The training has increased, so much so that in the past days and weeks I have had no energy to do anything but sleep and eat.  But I notice the effects, and my muscles no longer scream when I lift my spear, my arm no longer complains when my shield rests upon it for many hours.

Day 30 at Duin Dae

Even as I lay here in my bunk, my muscles burn with a fire that has not extinguished in many days.  As my fingers grip quill to pen this, blisters burn, worn into my skin from long hours training with the blade.  My shield arm is marked with burns and bruises, byproducts of the straps that hold my aegis to me.