Arradril of the Order of the Arrow hooked a finger into the collar of her immaculate tabard, as though it were too tight. It had in fact been made to measure, to drape perfectly over the reinforced gambeson that Arrows wore in order to creep about the forest in silence. But Captain Sáranassë was, of late, insisting on visibility -- at least part of the time. So Arradril wore the indigo, inspired by Gondolin's House of the Swallow, and bore herself gravely when within the Vale. Most of the time.
I have paid this courier a great deal of money to find you, and I hope he does. Lord Tindir is away, and the matter before us is urgent to a degree I felt you must know.
Lothilind of the Pillar, who had become an apprentice at the Houses of Healing, has been murdered in the Vale. We discovered her poor hröa under a bush, downhill from the Markets of Imladris.
Besides the obvious security implications, these things should be known:
I wanted to tell you of my dream -- I dreamed of Themodir once more.
But first, I will report that I have tried the corn beverage on hir Silwë and hir Tolmen, who are both long-lived Noldor of good constitution. (Tuilerie and Ailinwen were also nearby, but Tuilerie never takes strong drink, and Ailinwen was perhaps too intelligent to try it.)
I am in receipt of 137 waggons of corn, sent by you. I am a bit confused, since I am quite certain I sent you a requisition for sand, in which to preserve the ancient tomes in the chest delivered to me after the expedition to the Ered Luin.
Stormy weathers were rare in Rivendell but not unseen. That was quite a stormy night and while the atrocious winds have waned they left quite a lot of broken branches and dislocated roof tiles in its wake in the valley. A calm dawn was breaking.
Do you remember that day, where you are now? It is five years since that terrible day. So little time, merely an eyeblink.
I remember it exactly. I do not know why, but I was wearing a white dress with matching roses in my hair. I think I must have been looking forward to your arrival home from the mountain assignment. A simple supply run, you said.
I would like you to know that we wish to take a journey to Eregion for a few reasons for what has transpired in the past few days. One is Lady Himwen wishing to train her recruits there. The other is quite personal to me.