[Manardariel]

"And I´ll take two arm-lengths of that red silk, please."

Market day in Dol Amroth. It was the last day of their stay and Morwen, having finished all the preperations for the journey, had taken a small break at the market . She let her hands run over the silk she had just purchased. It was good quality, no doubt about that. Lady Astarielle had been right upon saying the Dol Amroth market was the best for fine things in all of Gondor.

It was time to return though. Morwen took her parcels and made for the Inn the family was staying in. As she turned around a corner, a couple came her way. They were walking arm in arm, the woman bearing a baby, the whole family so wonderfully in love.

Morwen felt pain stab her heart. She tried to blink back her tears, tried to hold back her thoughts- she couldn´t.

That could have been you. That could have been you, with Narya and Barodir. That could have been you, so happy, so in love.. But it can´t be. Because he is DEAD. He is gone and he will never come back.

Morwen burst into silent tears. She let them run down her face ant had to sit down on a little bench for a moment. After a few minutes, she stoud up again. It was no good to let herself be carried away. It was no good to dwell on things that couldn´t be. She had a job, and she had a baby. She had to be strong.

About half an hour later, she returned home, feeling better. She entered the inn, and went straight into her chamber. With skilled hands, she opened the package containing the silk and looked at it. It would make a wonderfull shawl for her, especially with the embroidery she was planning on. But first she had to prepare it. Morwen grabbed neadle and thread andstarted to sew the silk into what would be a beautiful shawl.

rom time to time she peeked in the little basket “parked” in a corner. Her six-months-old daugher Narya was sleeping peacefully in there. Peacefully-still. The more Narya slept, the better. Morwen knew this sounded heartless, but she was just thinking practical. Narya could be the sweetest of babies, but unfortunatly she hardly ever felt like it. Rather, she would state her opinion on certain things by bawling on the top of her lungs for no reason, or so it seemed. Sometimes she understood Sofiya, Elvira´s maidservant, when she said “I´m just glad when that kid learns how to say what it´s problem is.” But still, Morwen loved her daughter dearly. And nothing, nothing in the world could change her mind that Narya was just “a bit strong-willed”

Two hours later, she sat in the courtyard, nursing Narya. She was resting a bit, before she would be called again. The sun sent its last, orange-golden rays directly in her face. Morwen felt warm, comfetable and perfectly peacefull. How long still?