I doubt I shall ever forget the night I succumbed to weakness.
For too long I had been alone, out in the wilds, when I came upon the small company of Orcs. I managed to kill them all but I sustained a wound, fortunately their blades were not poisoned as is often the case. However I was bleeding, cold, wet and exhausted. I made my way to Bree hoping to get a bed at the Pony but it was busy and they were full up. I ate the food placed in front of me to fill my stomach but I felt no real hunger just a dull ache and I tasted nothing. Rivendell was where I should go but after the disagreement with Elrond I did not relish the prospect. He would not turn me away but our last argument about Arwen had been long and bitter and I could not see how we could ever recover our previous relationship. In short I felt bereft, cut of from the only family I had ever known.
The girl who brought the ale was one I had seen many times before, not pretty but attractive enough for her customers. She could not, I knew, survive on what Barliman could pay her and it didn't take much to work out how she earned her living the rest of the time. The innkeeper seemed fond of her and who was I to judge – there were few enough ways for anyone here to scrape a living if they did not have a family - let alone a woman on her own.
She noticed I was bleeding and offered to bind my wound. The offer was out of genuine kindness – something I had seen little enough of these last months and I went with her after a short while – too tired to consider over much if my decision was wise.
Her cottage was poorly furnished and in need of some repair but it was neat and tidy. She made tea and treated my wound although I fancy she was none too pleased at my fairly specific instructions on what she was to do.
I yawned and she told me to sleep. Her bed may not have been much but to a man who had spend months sleeping in the open or under hedges it felt like the softest bed of any King who ever lived and I was asleep in an instant.
My dreams were disturbing and I was fighting Orcs and could almost feel their foul breath. I must have cried out but when she spoke I remembered where I was.
She was sitting in the candlelight speaking softly and I felt the loneliness pierce my heart like the sharpest orc blade.
Letting her hair loose she offered herself to me. I protested but she pressed me gently to accept comfort for one night and I let her come to me. She was sweet and soft and I found after she was asleep that I almost wept - so long had it been since I had any contact with another human.
In the morning I insisted on paying her although she did not ask me to do so. I had not expected to find such kindness.
When the battles were won I sent compensation to the people of Bree who had helped me over the years – including the tavern wench who had comforted me one dark lonely night.
