[littlemanpoet]

Uien's lips were soft on his hands. She was more than Light and lodestone this night. She had become in so short a time the one being in all Middle Earth that he cared for more than himself. She was life and goodness.

"I would have sworn an oath to avenge you on the entire race had it been so, Uien. I'll not bind myself, but I will learn sword skill so I can do my part should the need arise." He looked into her eyes, which revealed a heart at peace and given to him, undeserving though he was. "Falowik's face darkened, for he had more to tell, and the tale was to his shame. She was his life and his goodness, a treasure of such great value that she must know the worst.

"I'll not-" He looked away. He must tell Uien, who believed him honourable and a man of his word. He would have to tell her the truth, all of it, and then she would know the kind of man he really was. All he had done since the night he had found - no, not found but retrieved - the satchel of the man of Rohan, was to make amends for not doing more when he could have.

"I'll-" He was still looking along the line of the fence back toward the stable, a shadow under the stars. With a will he looked into Uien's eyes, shining with the starlight. "I'll hide no more, for that was my wrongdoing five or so nights ago in the wilderness." Uien watched his eyes, searching, he thought. In hers the Light burned brighter than ever.

"I saw him held captive and questioned by armed men, nearly a dozen of them. Grim and fell they were. One, biggest and most fell, did not like the lack of answers from the man of Rohan - from Eodwine-" Falowik needed to use the man's name as part of owning his wrongdoing; he owed him that much at least "-nor when answers came, did he like those given. The blood on the rock came from many blows to the head, for Eodwine was propped against it, his hands tied behind his back.

"He was a brave one! They did not break him, though they broke a leg and an arm. Finally, they heaved him face down over the side of an extra mount. It was as they road off that, on a chance, he looked up, and our eyes met. His eyes widened and grew fierce with their call to me to do what I could for his aid.

"But until then I had had no cause but my own survival, and it still came first in my mind. Always I strove to avoid the troubles that other people bring. I could have tracked them. It would have been a simple matter; and maybe I could have found their lair, and made sure Eodwine was alive, and perhaps - perhaps rescued him. But no. Though it was up to me, I did what I thought would be the least troublesome thing, and made my way to the nearest settlement to report my find and be done; or so I thought.

"Little did I reckon with the meddlesomeness of Hobbits! They wanted the story fresh with every new pair of ears. Question after question was asked, and counsel was taken, and I was sent on until I found myself before the Mayor of these folk. He seemed a slow witted fellow, but on his own turf sharp as a roofing tack! And clever with reading what lay unspoken between words used. So he sent me on, and I came here.

"That is my tale. I am not the man of honour that you deem, nor the man of his word, except in one thing: I will not be any man's debtor; I will not be so troubled. That is what you saw of me at first and called honour. I wish it were so.

"This is the tale that I will tell from now on, the one you just heard. It will bring me shame, but well deserved. You have shown me what it is to be a man of honour and one of his word, and I would be that man so that I can become what you hold dear."

Many, many words had fallen from his lips. Falowik had never said so much at once before in his life, but it had been needful. He watched her now, waiting for the enchantment to break, for her to take a deep breath, for her face to close to him, her eyes to go half closed, her back to straighten, her hands to pull away from his, for a smile that went not to the eyes and a 'fare thee well', and all at an end. He could live with that pain, for he had something new to live for, to make what she had believed to be so. Her face betrayed nothing except that she pondered his words.