The Commander Remembers

    The ring had been given and vows had been said. The two young fellows were now man and wife. He had known the two for so little time it had seemed, he could not recall when their affections had become apparent. He had seen them survive the dangers of a troll attack while on guard duty and their recent delving into a goblin colony. Amaken and Anastasiar were now together bonded now more than any member of the Company. The sight was much too much for Altheric to bear.
    He turned away as he desperately tried to fight away the memory of Branwen, but he could only manage to stave off a few tears. Long ago a man of Dale was wed to the fairest maiden of Wildemore, and ,though it was a marriage of obligation and convenience, they did not resent the arrangement. It was the best decision Altheric had not made. And he could not forget how he felt when he first saw her walking down the mead hall in Byre Tor. He jumped as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He quickly regained his composure and turned around to assure the others that he was well. What would the Company think of a commander brought to tears?
The groom, Amaken, later spoke to him after the ceremony in the Hall of Fire. They shared a few words and the commander left him with something to think on. “You have something great, Amaken. Greater than you can ever know.”
After saying those words, Altheric left the House of Elrond and walked to the stables. He needed to ride and to think and to be by himself, more than usual.