Calimir gazed on the White City with delight. He'd never been this far south and the expectation had been building inside him for weeks. As the Tower of Ecthelion came into view and Wren gave a triumphant cry, Calimir turned to Turthol riding close by and said, "It is beautiful, the Men of Gondor do not exaggerate when they praise it."
Turthol looked over at Calimir, slightly surprised, "Aye, it is beautiful. And still free!" he responded, with a wide grin.
Calimir barely noticed when Wren's friend came up to them. He nodded recognition when he was introduced, but continued staring wide eyed at the architecture of the city. Leading his horse through the stone streets his sharp eyes picked out the old stonework and the new, the neighborhoods of rich and poor, and the trees lining the wide street. In the spring, Calimir thought, this street would be sweet scented and shaded with blossoms, as the trees were a variety that produced masses of white flowers in the spring.
Enien looked as eagerly as Calimir at the city, though he thought she'd seen it before. "The work of Numenor is legend." she said to him quietly. "The sound of the silver fountains does not grow old."
As they approached the Chambria house, Calimir's eyes settled on Carmalita's red hair ribbon on the back of her head. Bregand walked beside her, holding the reins of his old horse. The elf smiled at the sight, as he remembered the first time he fell in love.
On reaching the house, Calimir's weariness caught up with him. The ride from Rohan had been made quickly, and Calimir had not slept much. The constant attacks had made the elf nervous, and he sat awake most nights, watching out for movements in the darkness. Now he realized he was exhausted. He gratefully relinquished the reins of his horse to one of the servants, and followed Wren and Mrs. Chambria inside.
The room he was directed to was beautifully furnished and clean. Calimir smoothed one hand over the blue comforter on the bed, it was stuffed with down, he realized. He longed to just collapse onto it and sleep undisturbed, but instead the elf quickly changed his mudspattered tunic for a clean and scrubbed his face and arms with the warm water in the washbasin. There would be time for a bath after dinner. His brief cleanup finished, Calimir headed back downstairs, finding the dining room might be a problem in this big house.
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The seasons fall like silver swords, the years rush ever onward; and soon I sail, to leave this world, these lands where I have wander'd. O Elbereth! O Queen who dwells beyond the Western Seas, spare me yet a little time 'ere white ships come for me!
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