The Order of the Hammer

This parchment was wedged beneath two stones of the cairn of Themodir at Imladris. It would be found only after an Age or more of Man might crumble the very stones. The message on it was written in a firm hand, that mostly betrayed little of its writer's profound emotion.

My darling,

Dolthafaer wrinkled his nose in distaste at the sharp scent of the balm as he rubbed it into his shoulder, the large bruise there as bright a purple as the tunics he tended to wear to gatherings in the Hall of Fire.  The balm and the bruise both were gifts from Sargiel, a fellow recruit of the Hammer with whom he had taken up training.  The lady fought very well; she was young, but had apparently been born with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.  It had been a long time since he had had such an excellent sparring partner.