Nerwen the Green and the Search for the Entwives #wattys2019

Chapter LIX: King and Queen

Chapter LIX: King and Queen

A few days later, Nerwen and Aryon arrived at Gaerlonn, where they took a room in the best inn in town; then they went to the Harbour Master, who turned out being still Misselot. When they entered her office, the captain rose to meet them:

"Lord Aryon, welcome back," the brown-haired Elf said, "I didn't think I'd ever see you again: I've been informed you were no longer the First Sword of the Queen..."

"I didn't return to that office," the prince explained, "I'm just passing through, captain: we need a ship willing to take us across the Sea of Rhûn."

"To Gobelamon?"

"No, precisely across," Nerwen intervened, "as far west as possible."

Misselot gazed at her, intrigued; she remembered well this woman accompanying Aryon, the first time she had been here, and afterwards she had learned that Nerwen and the prince got married. The world had become truly strange, if an Elf of Aryon's rank took a Human female as wife, she thought, even if she was a member of the half-mythical Order of the Istari, as she had learnt; but she didn't dare showing anything less than the respect due to the High Sovereign's sister-in-law.

"It's a very unusual request," Misselot observed, "I'm afraid you'll have to rent a vessel specifically for this purpose."

"Then we'll do it," Nerwen concluded with a shrug, "How can we proceed?"

"There are several ships in port now; you can go along the docks and ask their captains," Misselot suggested.

"Thank you", Aryon answered.

"Well, good luck then, and have a nice journey", the Harbour Mistress told them; she was of course unaware she would see them never again, and they didn't bother to inform her, as they weren't close in any way. Therefore, they simply thanked her again, then took their leave and exited.

Altogether eleven sailboats were moored on the wharfs. The first six captains they asked weren't interested, as they had been already hired; but the seventh was free and accepted to take them to the westernmost shore of the Sea of Rhûn, with the proper reward. This was no problem for the couple, as once more, Queen Eliénna had given them unlimited credit.

OOO

Three days later, they embarked. Túdhin wasn't at all enthusiastic about getting again aboard a floating object, even if so big; Allakos, too, didn't look enthusiastic, and Kerra even jibbed, refusing to get on board. Nerwen talked to her, assuring her there was no peril, but she needed the great and good to convince the mule, who finally relented only because all her three friends were already aboard. Then, she got on the gangplank; she kept a bad mood for the entire journey, but at least she stayed calm.

The crossing took a sennight; the weather kept fine, except one very windy day that stirred the waves and got Túdhin seasick, but Nerwen healed him with her thaumaturgy; anyway, the wolf strongly emphasised again his aversion to anything floating.

They reached eventually the southwestern coast of the inland sea; the landing operations, in the absence of a wharf, were laborious because of the horses, who had to be transferred from ship to dinghy using the capstan and many belts. Thilgiloth faced the situation with her usual determination and Allakos didn't want to be outdone, even if he was quite frightened; as for Kerra, even if she was shaking uncontrollably, she faced her ordeal making no sound; in the end, Nerwen praised her greatly for her courage.

Courage? the mule wondered, I thought I was going to die of fright!

You faced it and got over it, the Maia explained, What else do you think courage is?