Months had passed with no word.
No post, no rider, no winged familiar.
Cutch had every confidence in his Wife, perhaps more than in himself. Her skills and resilience would protect Her, surely, from any misadventure, and if She had needed him, She’d have sent word.
“You must recall”, Teahesto said gently, watching Cutch pace before the hearth. “She is immortal, and time is … different for us than for a …”. The Elf Captain paused to consider his next words carefully.
“… Mortal Fool?”, Cutch offered, his gaze lifting from the fire. He looked sternly at Teahesto with misted eyes reflecting the fire light.
Teahesto offered a warm, sincere smile. “Not words I would choose for you, mellon. I really don’t have a word to describe a Mortal with an Elf’s heart.”
The man’s gaze softened and returned to the flames. “It is a term of endearment, when spoken from Her lips….”. He stopped and drained his wine glass. He looked around for the nearly empty bottle. Teahesto found it first and lifted it towards Cutch’s glass. “You won’t find her in this”, he said softly as he poured the last of the wine into the man’s glass.
Cutch smirked at that, appreciating his Elf friend’s sense of humor. “No, Captain, nor will I find the resolve to do what I must do.” He took a measured sip as he regarded Teahesto’s face.
“You are determined, then, to search for her”, the Captain concluded. “With no clue where to begin.” Teahesto sighed as he sat on the couch, setting the empty bottle on the small table next to him.
“East, Captain”, Cutch proclaimed as he sat crosslegged before the hearth. “That much I know from speaking to our neighbors. So, the Yondershire will be first. The Inns there would probably have news of the ‘Red Elf’, as they call her, passing through. They keep a very keen sense of travelers through their farms and villages.”
“You think they would share such news with another traveler?”
Cutch smiled. “Well, I will be traveling with my lute, and few things loosen tongues in a tavern as certainly as music.”
Teahesto chuckled and nodded. “And a round of free ale would also help. When will you leave?”
“Early on the morrow, I think. If I time this right, Ardanion should catch up with me in Bree. According to his letter, he should be arriving from Dol Amroth in a week. He plans to visit here, of course, with his Gondorian companions before pressing on to Bree. I will leave him a note to excuse my absence and to invite him to join me in Bree.”
“Have you mentioned to him that his mother has been absent for some time?”
“Yes, he is aware of that, but not of my intention to find Her. I am hoping you will stay here to receive any news that She or I might send?”
“Of course. Do you think Bainiel might be with her.”
Cutch shrugged and looked back into the fire. “I can only hope. Our daughter has her own rebellious ways, but maybe Seregrian has found her and taken her in tow.”
For the rest of the evening, the two friends sat quietly watching the fire.
