Hîriest and the Three Trees spent most of the day swapping tales and songs. Hîriest had collected plenty during his year away, and he sang til he was hoarse. Each of the three (Oak, Beech, Willow) insisted on learning a different song, and they were merciless with Hîriest til they knew all the verses cold. By nightfall Hîriest was reduced to sign language and was asking for honey in all of his drinks.
Morien laughed at him. "Come home to your Grove, only to die there? Some friends."
Hîriest shook his head, and hoarsely whispered, "If I die of singing too much, it will not be here. I will be on the road again come dawn."
"What!" "You cannot mean it!" "You just arrived!"
Hîriest raised his last glass. "Nonetheless, I must depart. I will return as soon as I may. There is a large celebration in a far country in the West. I will meet a friend along the way."
"What friend?" asked Beech.
"His name is LinGalad. He is a Mirkwood elf. We sang much together when I visited there. He will meet me at Bree."
"And you leave in the morning?"
"I must, " said Hîriest, giving Willow a shove. "Or I will have no voice left." He finished his drink, and they walked out into the night.
Last edited by mark12_30; 05-01-2004 at 06:20 AM.
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