If he knew what awaited for him in the Middle Earth, he would have returned sooner.
Halbrand is a man with a dark past, but where will his choices lead him?
He starts to crave for light in his life when he finds the peace in the eyes of a mysterious...
"Well, who was that?" her friend asked when they were far enough from him to have a private conversation. "A soldier from Numenor". Livi gasped "And you already force our guests to duel with you?". Lou snorted "I didn't force anything. I wanted to test what kind of fighters our guests are". "And?" Livi encouraged her. "I picked a very skilled one". Livi dropped her jaw "You've lost to him?". "Someone had to give up. Or the duel would have lasted forever. I'm only human" Lou raised her aching hands to the sky, then moved to wash them into fresh water. "Wait for your brothers to hear this. They will come running to challenge this new friends of yours" Livi laced an apron around her waist. Lou stiffened, the touch of the Numenorean on her hip still sensible, like he had marked her. But it was just his hand. It was just duelling. "They have more urgent business to attend to now" she dismissed the discussion. They joined the kitchen stuff to make extra dinner for the guests. When evening fell, Lou was so tired that she felt relieved to sit in the gardens and see the children play. They asked her to sing for them and she obliged. Their liveliness restored her energies and soon she was up again, dancing with them, nor caring if beyond the usual crowd of citizens gathered there, there were also some of the guests from Numenor.
Sing to me, sing to me lands far away Oh rise up and guide me this wandering day Please promise to find me this wandering day
Also adults took her hands and danced with her, until the song faded to an end.
No matter the sorrow, no matter the cost Not all who wonder or wander are lost
Lou smiled as the crowd cheered her. Her legs felt dizzy and she thought of retiring herself, when a hand grabbed hers and she lost her balance, falling against a chest. "I'm sorry" she said quickly, but when she looked up she could only gape. Halbrand smiled down at her and removed her hands from his chest. His thumbs brushed her palms. "These hands are too callused for a young lady" he commented observing her hands. She retreated her hands and took a step away from him, feeling like drunk, but sober enough not to want to do something silly. "If you look for delicate hands, you can find plenty" she waved at the crowd and at the women wearing their best dresses "Or do you miss the girls from your home? I heard that Numenorean women are very beautiful". He smirked "I'm not from Numenor". She looked at him with surprise "Where are you from then?". He shrugged "I have no home. I've been wandering a lot. That's why I loved your song". A traveller. She felt more sympathy for him, more than envy. He must have travelled more than she did in her twenty summers of life. "Have you ever heard of it?". He shook his head "Not yet. Why? Who taught you that?". "Travellers. But so far nobody could tell me where it's from" she crossed her arms. "Does it matter?". "To me, yes. I'd like to travel a lot someday, to learn each culture's songs" she bit her lip, wondering if she had to regret speaking too earnestly to someone she barely knew. "I hope your dream will come true" he said softly "Lou, isn't it?". "Yes, Halbrand" she replied a little too sternly "I let you enjoy this night. I'm afraid I can't entertain you as most men expects in the nights before a battle". He grabbed her arm before she could turn and leave him "I don't look for that kind of entertainment, Lou. All I would ask from you is to sing for me". Her breath hitched. She felt too clearly how his hand gripped her arm. It felt like an intimate gesture. She wasn't used to let any man touch her like that, unless family or friends. Did he deserve to be called friend when she knew him just for one day? Yet, she didn't want to shove his hand away. She didn't know what she wanted, but she didn't dislike his company, although something about him made her constantly embarassed.
"Luthien!" suddenly she heard calling and she woke from her trance. "I have to go" she said quickly, hating to leave Halbrand like that, again. She ran and bumped into her brother Griff before he could see who she was talking to.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A/N
Sunday 25th September 2022
Lil update 🤗
It's been three days now that I'm listening to This Wandering Day in a loop, help! I just love this song, as I love Galadriel's theme 🎶
