[Nurumaiel]

"And I am in full agreement with you," Liornung said. "It is pleasant, 'tis true, to sit up till the morning singing songs and I have done it often before but this journey has taken its toll on me." He spoke quite seriously yet while it was not his intention his words came out as rather humorous. It had never been imagined that that road-worn, wandering fiddler could ever be completely exhausted.

"'Twas a lovely song, Miss Bellyn, and you have a lovely voice," the fiddler said as he lowered himself cautiously to the ground and pulled his blankets about him. "Let us continue with the merriment of song tomorrow." And then he fell silent.

Yet he was not asleep. He lay upon his back, gazing up at the sky, deep in thought. The starlight cast itself everywhere, and Rohan seemed to be dancing through a mist of silver and velvet sky, leaping towards the fire to catch some warmth and then flicking off again to some quiet, cold spot. It was one of those rare nights where the land did not sleep as all others did, but played and danced under the sky and stars.

Time passed and soon the quiet breathing of his three companions reached him. They were asleep. And no wonder, for by the look of the sky the dawn would not be delayed much longer. The fiddler began to hum quite softly, and when he saw there was no stirring from any of his companions he raised his voice a bit before singing quietly under his breath.

Take your partner and your glass;
I'll dance with you, my lovely lass.
Step and heel and round our flight;
your dancing is so fairy-light.

He nodded with satisfaction and closed his eyes. He had promised such a song to them and that one would do.