[ElentariGreenleaf]

Imthôlion sat with Erkaliel and Firiel as they talked, but he himself said very little. He picked at a piece of bread that was going stale, smiling slightly as he imagined some of the young elvish children mimicking him by saying, “Don’t play with your food, it’s rude.” Oh, how much he was leaving behind! It seemed to the elf that the closer he got to the Havens, the more he was starting to think about what he left behind. Perhaps he was making a mistake…

“…don’t you agree Imthôlion?” said Erkaliel.

“Hmmm,” said Imthôlion sleepily. “What was that?”

“Wake up Imthôlion,” said Firiel. “The moon’s barely up!”

“I said ‘It will be much better travelling when we get the horses, don’t you agree?’” said Erkaliel, taking a sip of her wine.

“Oh, yes,” replied Imthôlion. “From all my travels I’ve come to realise horses are both a good way to travel and good companions. My old stallion, rest his soul, saved me from trouble on more than one occasion, and he keep me warm on cold winter nights,” he added with a laugh.

“Too true,” chuckled Rostion, as he sat at their table. “Good wine here.”

The others began to talk again, and Imthôlion sank back into silence, picking at the victimised bread. He began to recall all of the good times he had had in Middle Earth, yet his travels around the lands had been cut short by the stirring of evil in the land to the south where the shadows lie. There was still so much to see, yet his heart yearned to see the realm beyond the Havens, to see the great city of Aman. As the moon rose higher, Imthôlion’s eyes began to gradually close, until he took leave of his companions and went to bed. They would be setting out again in the morning and, though they would have horses, he needed to rest now so he would be refreshed in the morning. Ah, to sleep in a bed again, if only for one night! He slumped down upon the bed and was asleep in a matter of minutes.