[Schmendrick]

Durmán looked at the Elven woman, unable to decide if he should believe her or not. He couldn’t understand his own behaviour; finally someone who knew something about Endel and he wasn’t more excited! But he found it so hard to understand.


Eight long years with no news about him and now this strange lady – seer if she was to be believed – claimed to have met him. And the thing that surprised Durmán the most was the description of Endel defending her against the bandits, even killing some of them?


Durmán could only remember Endel as a young boy; blond, curly hair, innocent, joyous character, in every possible way the opposite of himself. Could this be true? But it was indeed a long time from the day Endel had left and if he really was alive, he should be 17 or 18 now… Durmán turned to the woman again, observing her closely.


“ You say you are a seer, but how can I be sure that what you say is true? I only know that I haven’t seen Endel for eight long years now and I only remember him as a young boy. You can imagine how it surprises me to hear what you have just told me. How can you be sure that it was indeed him ? How can you claim to see in his heart?” Durmán paused. And why would he have lied about his name, he thought to himself. Was he in danger?


“And tell me, lady Everdawn, did he speak of his mother? For did you know that he is only my half brother? He and her mother left us eight years ago, after…” Durmán didn’t finish his sentence. He had already said too much. He turned to Laurie, who was standing nearby. “I am sorry if I am not paying you enough attention, but as you may have overheard, I am looking for my brother and this lady claims to have seen him. This is the very reason I have come to the Shire, to answer your question: to find my brother. This is one of the last places in Middle Earth where I still haven’t been to on my travels.”