Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Epilogue
Ereg stopped at the door, when he heard Riliel's voice.
"Ereg, don't you say me even goodbye?"
He turned and looked at his wife. There were little wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, and she had gained a little weight, but still she was the most beautiful woman to Ereg's eyes. He himself wasn't in blooming youth anymore. The mirror showed him a middle-aged man with a few gray hairs and somewhat wrinkled face. Only the eyes reminded him of the young man he had once been. Though older, Riliel had kept her youth better. But Ereg wasn't displeased, his face only showed the traces of life, full of work and pleasure. He drew Riliel closer, kissing her.
"I thought you were still sleeping, dear. But, good morning and goodbye for the day!"
He thought for a moment, and added:
"By the way, it will be late when I come home. I agreed to go to tavern with two friends."
Seeing Riliel's brow furrowing, he hastily said:
"The other one is Nárion, the other Manceleb. It is twenty years now since we marched to war. You remember, we gather to remember it every year."
Riliel wasn't irritated anymore, but said:
"Mind you that you don't drink too much then. Last year you were swaying when you came back."
"Oh, don't start! We only had a few toasts for both the kings, the dead and the recent," was the good-natured answer. Riliel smiled.
"And after that a few for yourselves?"
"Naturally. Sorry, but I must hurry now. Have a pleasant day!"
Ereg kissed Riliel once more and went out of the door. When he walked towards the garrison, he thought about the gone years. After the marriage, they had had two sons in four years. Since Ereg didn't want them to become soldiers, his father had agreed to teach his profession to them. They were sharp lads and Corchion praised them constantly. He was blind, however, to their faults. Similar cheekiness and pranks would have earned Ereg a severe punishment when he was a boy. Grandfathers. His mother also pampered them and Dilthwen.
Ereg smiled, when he thought about the children. Dilthwen had been at first quite confused and angry, when she had got a stepfather. In a year or two, however, she had learned to love Ereg. The next problem had come when the older son, Doronir, had been born. Dilthwen was quite jealous at first, but eventually that problem had also been solved. Now his stepdaughter had been married to a young saddlemaker for two years and was happy. Doronir also courted a young girl, but they had to wait for a few years. The younger son, Thaundil, was only sixteen, but growing fast. He was like a picture of his grandfather and thus Corchion's favourite. Ereg could be very pleased indeed, for his relations with Riliel had been very good, too. There had been only a few big quarrels, along many lesser ones, but always they had managed to solve them.
Suddenly he realized that he had walked past the garrison gate. He sighed and turned. He had been promoted in quick succession after the war, but had been a captain for ten years now. He hadn't any desire to rise higher, there was enough to do with one company. He saluted the guard soldier and walked in. The garrison was just like twenty years ago, the same dusty parade field, the same grey barracks. Some things never changed.
--
In the afternoon, Ereg went to the "River-maiden and Trout" which was his usual place to have an ale or two. He had frequented the place since he was a man-at-arms, and now it seemed to him that young soldiers still favoured the place. Men in grey uniforms were all over the place. The soldiers jumped up, when Ereg entered, but he only smiled and waved them to sit. He went to the corner table, where Nárion already waited, a lieutenant's insignia on his shoulders. He had been assigned to the equipment storage permanently because of his injury and had risen to a successor to old Aiwendil. He was very content in his place. They greeted each other, ordered some ale and sat, waiting Manceleb.
The fat man entered soon after. His belt had only lengthened during the years, but he was still as cheerful as ever. He was not in uniform, for he had left the army and become a merchant. He sat opposite the two soldiers. He winked:
"So, boys, it is twenty years since our glorious deeds! What about a toast?"
The others agreed and raised their tankards.
"To King Ondoher! To King Eärnil!"
They drank and began to speak of their experiences in the war and present life. After the fifth tankard they became louder and Nárion said that it actually had been glorious to be in the battle on Dagorlad. Manceleb immediately protested:
"Were you in the same battle as me? It was horrible! But now it is over, thank Eru. Let us sing!"
Ereg smiled. This was the yearly argument and equally regular song. The young soldiers watched in surprise, as two officers and a civilian became to sing in loud voices:
Like fathers once in battle falling
have repelling struck the East,
so we, the taken oaths recalling...