Firith, mîn Imladris
The amount of snow on the Misty Mountains is increasing with each passing day. It is interesting that the chill of early winter does not seem to touch the vale of Imladris. I hardly have a notion of time, yet the coming of winter made me realize that I have been here for at least nine moons by now. A pleasurable stay to say the least, I regret I have not visited the vale more often when I had the chance. Although I am treated as a guest, I offered my services during my stay here. Sitting idle was never a trait I excelled in. They needed extra hands at the stables, tending the horses, maintaining the stables, it is a simple but honorable task.
During free hours, I have lost myself in the library, the diversity of books here is amazing and I wish I could extent my stay another year. Curiosity about my father's time made me read the annals of the second age, the rise and fall of Eregion, the battle of Dagorlad and the taint of Sauron. These stories leave me with a mingled feelings of hope and doubt. My father had given his life protecting middle-earth like so many of his kin. But now, one age later, it seems the glory of past victories expire. All rumors and tidings from abroad describe that the shadow has regained its strength, in what form remains unclear, but none can deny this darkness is spreading over the world once more. There are too few of us now, scattered and divided, too few to repel another storm of Sauron or the nameless.
The thought saddens me that I must depart again within a few moons. The urge to find serenity is what brought me here in the hope to find the wisdom for the choice that lies ahead of me. My mother will leave these shores within 3 moons, will I take the same ship to the west? This choice is bound to the fate of my missing sister. Long have I hunted her shadows, without a sign of her whereabouts, I fear that all hope to find her has faded. Maybe mother is right, our time here has ended. What use is there in waiting, till the shadow consumes us one at the time. Yes, it is time to leave middle-earth.
*signed
Armanduil
