Chapter 1a
I had wandered for many ages of the men on the shores of this world, far, far, from the lands I knew in the past. Many times I had travelled to far lands, and always I had been drawn back to this place.
I was surprised that I was still alive, that I had not faded into a lost wraith wandering aimlessly. Still, I looked much as I always had. A lonely life, that of a wanderer, perhaps like my brother I should have killed myself years ago, but I lacked the courage for that.
I looked up the beach, away to the horizon, my elvish eyes allowing me to see far off in the distance a woman walking aimlessly as I. I wondered if I should speak to her, I did not often talk to others, but today was different, today was the anniversary of the day I threw the Silmaril into the Sea.
I was depressed and lonely, and I decided I would walk down the beach and see if the woman would speak to me. I did not think she would, mortal women were afraid of me; few would ever speak to me.
The walk was quite long; the wind was sharp and strong today, blowing little particles of sand with it. I was close enough to see the woman was fairly young, her hair red-brown, and her dress blowing against her legs in the wind. Her feet were bare, like mine, and she carried a bag of some kind. She looked nice, a kind face, I thought, and I decided that I would speak to her.
She was close now, and she smiled at me, clearly pleased to see another on the beach on such a windy wild day.
I spoke to her, 'you are walking far today?' I asked, once I would have called her Lady, but times had changed and that was no longer appropriate.
'Yes I am', she answered, 'and yourself?' she questioned. She then cast a thoughtful gaze on me; 'I think I saw you here last year?'
I was surprised. It was many years since a mortal had surprised me, and for and instant I contemplated lying to her, but I changed my mind, she would see through me, I was sure.
'Yes, I was here last year. It is something I do every year,' I said.
'An anniversary' she queried me.
'Yes', was the answer she got.
'A sad one too, from the look in your eyes', she said.
A perceptive lady', I said, my face turned out to sea now.
'You yearn for something?' Another question.
'Something forbidden to me', I replied, wondering why I spoke so to a mortal who could know nothing of me.
She smiled in an understanding way, 'Something sad, that you don't want to talk about?'
'Once again, a perceptive lady', I said quietly.
'Then we won't talk of it. Perhaps you would join me in my walk? I'm looking for shells and driftwood for a friends fish tank.'
'I should like to walk with you', I said.
We did walk far that day, and many things we found on the beach, for there had been a king tide the night before. Strange fish, and seaweed from the deep sea, some of which neither of us could identify.
As we walked, we talked, and when the lady discovered I had nowhere to stay, no home to go to, and she invited me to home for a meal, and a bed for the night. Lonely for human company, I accepted.
I had wandered for many ages of the men on the shores of this world, far, far, from the lands I knew in the past. Many times I had travelled to far lands, and always I had been drawn back to this place.
I was surprised that I was still alive, that I had not faded into a lost wraith wandering aimlessly. Still, I looked much as I always had. A lonely life, that of a wanderer, perhaps like my brother I should have killed myself years ago, but I lacked the courage for that.
I looked up the beach, away to the horizon, my elvish eyes allowing me to see far off in the distance a woman walking aimlessly as I. I wondered if I should speak to her, I did not often talk to others, but today was different, today was the anniversary of the day I threw the Silmaril into the Sea.
I was depressed and lonely, and I decided I would walk down the beach and see if the woman would speak to me. I did not think she would, mortal women were afraid of me; few would ever speak to me.
The walk was quite long; the wind was sharp and strong today, blowing little particles of sand with it. I was close enough to see the woman was fairly young, her hair red-brown, and her dress blowing against her legs in the wind. Her feet were bare, like mine, and she carried a bag of some kind. She looked nice, a kind face, I thought, and I decided that I would speak to her.
She was close now, and she smiled at me, clearly pleased to see another on the beach on such a windy wild day.
I spoke to her, 'you are walking far today?' I asked, once I would have called her Lady, but times had changed and that was no longer appropriate.
'Yes I am', she answered, 'and yourself?' she questioned. She then cast a thoughtful gaze on me; 'I think I saw you here last year?'
I was surprised. It was many years since a mortal had surprised me, and for and instant I contemplated lying to her, but I changed my mind, she would see through me, I was sure.
'Yes, I was here last year. It is something I do every year,' I said.
'An anniversary' she queried me.
'Yes', was the answer she got.
'A sad one too, from the look in your eyes', she said.
A perceptive lady', I said, my face turned out to sea now.
'You yearn for something?' Another question.
'Something forbidden to me', I replied, wondering why I spoke so to a mortal who could know nothing of me.
She smiled in an understanding way, 'Something sad, that you don't want to talk about?'
'Once again, a perceptive lady', I said quietly.
'Then we won't talk of it. Perhaps you would join me in my walk? I'm looking for shells and driftwood for a friends fish tank.'
'I should like to walk with you', I said.
We did walk far that day, and many things we found on the beach, for there had been a king tide the night before. Strange fish, and seaweed from the deep sea, some of which neither of us could identify.
As we walked, we talked, and when the lady discovered I had nowhere to stay, no home to go to, and she invited me to home for a meal, and a bed for the night. Lonely for human company, I accepted.