corsairs

The white ships flew lightly across the waves, an increasing roar of air and water filling my ears as we turned in close pursuit of our prey. Oh he was clever, that corsair captain (it is in my thoughts that he had more than a little Numenorean blood in his veins)…having eluded us for three days longer than his ‘companions’ had managed, venturing out to sea and hiding in the mists, turning to hug the rocky coastline of northern Minhiriath in a way that was beyond reckless for one of his draught.

“How is nest, Elf bird? How is territory?” the white and grey gull tapped the ground with her bill, and asked me politely.

I had been sitting in a favoured place of mine, next the stream that flowed through Thamas Lorn into the Lhun. Deep in thought was I as the bird alighted on the sward close by.

She coughed, and bobbed her head at me. “You speak not with Kroahaah these days?”

I shook myself swiftly. So absorbed in my own thoughts had I been that I had not truly noticed the arrival of my old friend. 

Durthand lightly laid a hand upon my arm, in a gesture of support. “Do not be overly concerned, little sister. We must ever expect the unexpected in times like these!”

(Not that Durthand and I were sisters by blood of course. We were kin sisters, who had fallen increasingly into the roles of elder and much younger sibling.)

But I sensed her own surprise, as she turned to fix her gaze on Curugirion. “How long do you expect to be at sea, Hirgonui?” she enquired.