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Himring’s towers . . . the courtyard . . . bright banners of yesterage . . .
Orëmir tied tight the straps to his pack and shrugged it on. In the large compartment on the face of the pack, the one secured with the leather straps and sturdy buckles, he’d put his wooden chest of herbs and medicines. He’d checked it carefully this morning, making sure those remedies he’d compounded for minds overwrought and minds frenzied were easily at hand. Malris continued to worry him. The man’s mind seemed fragile. And Orëmir wondered if his former captain’s words were shifting subtly from just metaphor to some crazed and feverish reality.
Adjusting the shoulder straps of his pack, Orëmir took a step aside, allowing the others to precede him up the cliffside. Tasa nodded as she passed by him, her eyes flicking away quickly to the rocky way, seeking to follow the hand and foot holds that Malris abandoned in his ascent. Endamir came next, with a ‘See you at the top, brother!’ Orëmir could see his brother’s back was still a bit stiff, his pace more careful and measured as he began the climb. Lómwë followed after, his bow secured to his back, well out of the way of his climbing legs and hands.
Lindir stopped near where Orëmir stood, raising his eyes in question at his companion. ‘After you?’ Lindir offered, nodding his head toward the cliff. ‘Nay, let me bring up the rear,’ Oremir answered, a hint of smile curving one corner of his lips. ‘I’ll try to catch any of you should you lose your footing,’ he chuckled, glancing up toward the spidery Elven forms as they made their way upwards. ‘Or barring that, I’ll mark where you’ve fallen, so we don’t forget to carry your broken body back to the ship.’ He laughed softly, seeing the look on Lindir’s face. ‘A small joke, my friend. To lighten the atmosphere of this morning.’ He gestured toward the dusty track. ‘Go on, now. And hold firm to the rocks.’
His turn at last. Orëmir glanced up, watching as Lindir’s pack shifted from side to side. When the cascade of dust and pebbles had diminished to a trickle, he started up the rocky way.
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