22. Where sea meets shore
Prompt: Dol Guldur: Start a story with the phrase: Everyone avoided the tower. It was believed to have
Everyone avoided the tower. It was believed to have saved more sailors than swimming. Calmindon welcomed them home: radiant, but forbidden – home to its keepers, who mustn't be troubled.
Uruzir had joined the Guild, world-restless, but seeing Azruphel, the keeper's daughter, he was scuttled.
"Will you wait for me?" he asked.
"As every other," she answered, placidly. But she looked him closely. Then: "Tell me a story – one to keep me through your ventures, for sailors never stay."
So he did – two years and ten stories later, she gave him one word worth all of his: yes.
Author's notes: Calmindon is the lighthouse set on Tol Uinen, and which guided the mariners of the Venturer's Guild home to Númenor.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
