Rumor and Dreams - a drabble

A conversation between two men of Bree after the Wraiths hit Sarn Ford.  Suddenly the world isn’t quite as they had always thought it to be.

~~~

"Nine. Hit Sarn Ford all at once. Them rangers had no chance."

"Any survive?"

"Some fled into the hills."

"I knew a couple. Good men, for rangers. Shame any died."

"Suppose that’s why they’ve been skulking about all these years. Protecting us."

"Guess I might have thought of ‘em a bit higher."

"They say...."

"What?"

"They say one of them’s an exiled king."

"You’re having me on!"

"No! Someone overheard old Tom Bombadil call ‘em ‘Sons of forgotten kings’."

"Well, none of ‘em’s any king now. That line died."

Silence. Then, "I wish..."

"Aye. ‘Tis a good dream, any road."