Soronume smiled at the maiden's comments of the 'newcomer', and they both seemed to be occupied by other going's on.
Soronume took a sip of his drink, and began to answer Eleniel's earlier questions, "adventurous I am indeed, although that was not my adventure. I was asked along on that journey, with many others. I can't say the Cirith Ungol was a place that I would visit without good reason, however, my company did have reason enough, and I was happy to offer my help to their cause". Soronume hesitated slightly and took up his drink in the hope it would not be apparent to Eleniel.
His dark hair fell about his face as Soronume put down the now empty cup, and he continued. "It was a dark place, very dark. The journey there was quite enjoyable, we made the best of the situation once we crossed into land which had not seen light in so long. It was all so quiet, almost peaceful but you cannot let that though reside long in your mind for you know what goes on behind high walls and closed doors in that land, so to speak". He let in a quick smile here, his dark travels hadn't darkened Soronume's spirit. He was the same as he had been before. However, the darkness had taken part of him, and it became more apparent as Soronume continued into his story, but Eleniel seemed engrossed entirely in his tales. Even Arrow seemed to be listening rather than begging for more food.
"It was a very dark place indeed, and it cost us all dearly. Though we achieved what we had set out to do, we were not the same, we couldn't be. Some of us more than others felt the pain of the losses that were made, unintentionally but unavoidable I now realise. It couldn't be helped..."
Soronume trailed off at this point. His voice was much softer and his mood grew into a state of melancholy that he had not wanted the maiden to see. One such as Eleniel shouldn't be told of such tales of sadness and sorrow, and these tales should certainly not be the usual ones which echo through the Shire from the Green Dragon Inn. It wasn't known for that, many more tales would be told with far happier endings than his own, and Soronume knew it wouldn't be long before a story came about to lift his own mood back to where it was before...
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