Bard rising
an excerpt

From the Prologue:

Now as I sit here, I can look back and see how my life made that unexpected turn, yet it was written in the Music, as Eru wanted it to be. This knowledge is hard to find peace with, mayhap, one day I will see what the allfather truly intended for me. It was so enchanting, to follow the lure of his promised which delivered me into the hands of my parents who at their turn wished for a child. All I did was to follow that silver thread that was mine that slowly was mingled with gold and copper: I knew I was unique, so wished for the moment I was created. Often did I crave to relive that moment again, to be carried upon voices at first, and then to find my first home in my mother’s womb that at her turn was entangled to create an own vision of me. Both wanted to fulfil their wishes and desires. Their own intimate dance nearly crashed the remnants of the notes that thrummed through my veins. I held onto it, never to let go in my life. Soon I was sullied into a dream as she carried her with me.

From Chapter 2:
“Who is with us?” I said as I stepped forwards.

“Do we wish to hear the truth and nothing else?” Curvo joined me, and then turned around, espying for anyone who might challenge him.

“For Truth!”

These words were not spoken by any of us, but by another group that emerged from the throng were led by Findekano and Turukano. As I stood on my toes, I spotted Irisse, Finderato and his brothers and sister Artanis, and felt glad to see our generation forming one union. What better signal could we give than this?

“No more lies,” Said Finderato as he clasped the arm of Nelyo, “even in this hour we shall stand united. There will be no more lies between us.”

Despite the uncertainty of this moment, I could sense the wave of relaxation as it passed through both groups, and I felt reassured that if our grandfather was here, he would have been proud of what we learnt and has put into practise so shortly after our arrival.

From Chapter 3:
The deep pain we all feel, for the other fact that the messenger had told us, was true as well, strengthens this uneasiness: Our grandfather is dead. Ai, it is such a strange thing to finally see it on paper and perhaps that explains it why a week has passed before I actually dared to write it down, as if I would not entrust it to this journal it would not be true. Deep down I think that we all are reacting more strongly to those around us, just avoid the silent and sharp pain that I felt once I saw this city from afar.

Our secure valley was eerily illuminated in the dark night as fire leapt fort and grey columns of smoke seemed to dance with another before it merged with the clouds above it all. At first I thought that all air had left my lungs as I struggled for breath, the instinct to dismount and huddle on the ground was the first that came to me until Finderato gave me a piece of ragged cloth with the instruction to cover my mouth with it. It will make it easier to breathe he said, a simple idea that worked and it reminds me that I wanted to ask him how he knew about this.

Chapter 5:
The arrival of the messenger caused a lot of excitement and when I saw Curufinwë in the distance, I could see that he was relieved knowing that father would join us soon. The twins set out immediately, together with their cousins Arakáno, Angarato, and Aikanaro for the necessary hunting. Telperinquar pleaded to go with them, but none dared to shoulder that responsibility. Instead his mother called out to him and set him to help her, Tuilisse and other women to rinse the plates and prepare the welcoming. After I briefly informed Curufinwë about what I had done so far, I decided to join my brother Morifinwë at the gate. I have not spoken much to him since I returned from Tirion, neither did he sought me out perhaps he blamed me for bringing my cousins. I found him the city’s barbecian after climbing the stairs. When we first built the gatehouse, we never considered that Formenos would be ever under attack, yet father insisted on building this outcropping even though we never had a placed a watch in it. Why would we need to in these former times of peace? Maline told me that often she or one of the maidens brought Moryo his meal here as he watched over this narrow and easily defended passage. That is, if we ever would have used this as means of defense.