Estarfin

The sound of the hammer striking the hot metal rang from the walls of the forge. I wiped my sleeve across my brow, smearing soot across my features no doubt, but keeping the sweat from my eyes. As I looked down at the anvil, I felt the familiar uncertainty at the quality of the work. I smiled indulgently to myself, for there were no others within the forge at such a late hour to witness it. I had worked metals since Caranthir himself walked this Middle Earth, but still I doubted myself. Picking up the blade with the forceps, I quenched it for a final time.

Estarfin pushed the heavy oak door open and stepped into the dark room. He slammed it shut behind him, blocking out the light flowing from the candelabras in the hallway. He took a deep swig from the bottle that he carried in his gauntleted hand, hardly even tasting the fine wine that it contained. As he moved through the dark room his heavy boots sent trays and bottles skidding across the floor, the sound of breaking glass not slowing his advance. Estarfin reached the thick velvet curtain and pulled it open, allowing the bright starlight to illuminate the room.

This very unimportant opinion is presented to my lord in the hopes that he will forgive any wrongness or imbecility of idea: his servant is no scholar on tactics or war, but if my lord would read this letter, something of interest might be discovered by him, for not only is he most thoughtful, generous and kin

Continued from http://laurelinarchives.org/node/12148

Continued from http://laurelinarchives.org/node/12147

Continued from Manhandled,  Folly and Fury, Sword and Stone,  Black Ice, Deep Thoughts, The Speech, Expectations, An Unprofitable Servant

Continued from Manhandled

Continued from: The Speech

Veryacano raised an eyebrow. Perhaps he was amused with Parnard's speech but he kept an indifferent expression and did not refrain from replying with a speech of his own. He adjusted his sitting posture and began with a serious voice: