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Old 08-06-2004, 03:43 PM   #267
Child of the 7th Age
Spirit of the Lonely Star
 
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Aiwendil....

Children and a wife? Aiwendil shook his head, making an effort to conceal an impish smile, “No, such fine things are not my portion. Yet I am not without family. In the land I call my home, I am a humble member of a very large household, which is shaped by bonds of affection and the common purpose we share. I am nothing more than a gardener and keeper of beasts, one of the lesser servants but with much good work to do. It has always kept me quite occupied.” His voice was clear and without regret.

The istar halted for a moment, wiped his bushy brow with the back of his hand, and then noted, “In fact, I do miss home, and the kind heart of my good Lady. But it is her kind heart that saw a need for me to leave those shores to attend to other duties.” Although sadly, Aiwendil reflected, I still have not figured out what that task might be, since my own path has run so differently than all my brothers. He wondered if the rest of the guests would be surprised if he told them that Curuno had come from the very same household. Because of the Ring War, Saruman's name was known even in Umbar.

“Where is home then?” Rôg prodded, interrupting Aiwendil's thoughts.

“West, far west from here, on the other side of the furthest Sea. It would do no good to try and explain. And I think I can safely say that none of you or your kin, however far you may have traveled, have visited my home.”

Until this point, Mithadan had been sitting silently near the back of the gathering, listening intently but saying little. Seeing the wry look that now passed over his guest's face, Aiwendil cleared his throat and mumbled, “Or perhaps it might be more true to say that no one in this tent has actually visited my home.”

“But come. That is enough of me. Are we not here to discuss the plight of the Eagles and what we might do to help them?” Aiwendil stared pointedly at Rôg, but then raised his eyes, sweeping them across to his other dinner guests who had settled down to eat.

Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 08-07-2004 at 07:13 PM.
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