Cyndere Bronwyn; a young woman of Dale, who grew up in Bree. Her story begins ten years ago, just after her ninth birthday...
Into the Mirkwood...
For reasons unknown to her, her parents abruptly decided to leave the city of Esgaroth. These days, she believes it was to escape an increasingly aggressive Rhun, as well as rumors of a shadow forming to the south in Mordor...
Her father, Aelfwine, was a great hunter and woodsman. Her mother, Eolynne, was a healer and a great cook. Together, they took the young Cyndere from the city of Esgaroth and journeyed West. Aelfwine had traveled the Mirkwood often, and so he led them in. The young Cyndere was terrified of the giant spiders, but her parents fought them off. After many days in the forest, they had to cross a small river. As Cyndere crossed, she slipped and fell into the water, succumbing to sleep immediately. Her mother was worried and frightened, and insisted on carrying her for the duration of the effect, humming music to Cyndere as they went.
Cyndere awoke to the thunderous sound of rushing water; the great river Anduin. Her parents were talking about crossing, and were cooking a rabbit. Together they ate, and talked quietly until well after the sun set. Eolynne held Cyndere close the whole night, and sung a song to put her to rest.
The Waters of the Anduin.
The next morning, they challenged the river Anduin. The first attempt, the waters proved too strong, so they quickly returned to the shore. The second time, Cyndere slipped from her mothers arms, and was pulled below the rushing water. She was rescued by her father, and they rested on the river bank for some time. While Eolynne and Cyndere rested, Aelfwine used a rope to create a tether for them to hold onto and cross.
As they crossed the rushing waters of the Anduin, a large piece of timber came down and collided with the tether, snapping it. Aelfwine's quick reflexes allowed him to react fast enough to grab both his daughter and his wife, and they tumbled further down river. He managed to pull them to the surface, but a second piece of timber struck Aelfwine's arm, causing him to loose his grip on Eolynne. She was swept away in the current, as more timber and flotsam came down the river. Aelfwine successfully crossed the river Anduin with his daughter Cyndere. Eolynne perished in the waters of the Anduin.
Her Father's Daughter
The two of them stayed on the riverbank in grief until the late afternoon, before Aelfwine made camp for the two of them. They continued onward, and made their way south into the eastern plains of Rohan, and hooked West, skimming the edge of Fangorn forest. Aelfwine started teaching her how to use a sword and bow. Every night throughout the journey Cyndere would hear the gentle melody of Eolynne's Song flutter through her thoughts, and would enter a deep and restful sleep. Some days she would wake with tears, and others with a smile. She made sure to memorize the song and hold it dear forever.
They passed the great black tower of Isengard, with it's lush green gardens hidden behind imposing walls. They entered the verdant hills of Eregion, camping in various elven ruins. They ate well here, as Aelfwine hunted small game, and picked fruits and berries. While field dressing a rabbit, he was attacked by a pack of wolves. He slayed all of them, but was bitten in his sword arm. He treated the wound as best he could, but was unable to fend off infection.
Wounded and exhausted after 7 months of travel, Aelfwine was unable to carry on the journey. Cyndere stayed with her father, hunting and gathering in his stead, albiet poorly. She did everything she could to ease his suffering, but she was unable to provide for the both of them. Eventually, he managed to get her to leave him behind and continue heading Northwest to Eriador. Her guilt would haunt her for many more years.
A Journey Completed...
Upon her arrival in Bree, she was famished and had many cuts that were not healing. She was dangerously thin and her eyes were dark with exhaustion. Her father's sword was rusted and had broken some time ago, and she had run out of arrows. She was taken in by an elderly couple who nourished her back to health. The old pair where well-learned, speaking and writing clearly and fluently. The woman was a harpist, and the man was a retired blacksmith. They both raised her as if she was their own daughter. She had taken to calling them her grandparents, and they live peacefully and happily for nine more years.
And Another Begins!
When Cyndere turned 18, she decided to leave and earn her place in this world. She was decent with a sword, and excellent with a harp. She had practiced the healing arts just as her mother had, and took a particular liking to riding horses. Confident, having faced death several times as a child, she set out to live a life of adventure, to love and to dream, to sing and dance. Her fear of deep water and spiders was a challenge to be overcome, something to conquer.
And so she went, playing her mother's song on her harp strings, her heart and mind ablaze with excitement and wonder...
