Summary: March 30 Challenge:

"You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it's all right."

--Maya Angelou

Write a story or poem, or create a piece of art on the theme of leaving or returning home.

To which my Muse says...(and sorry if this doesn't make sense, may expand on it eventually)

Home?.

He walked here under trees

Verdant and fair, blossoming with Life

Trees such as he's never known

For these have known no strife

No blade has hewn them

And no blood soiled here

The paths are seldom trod

And sapphire skies are clear

He walked alone, son of Doriath

Of Gondolin, and of Man

The Peredhel walked here alone

Where the clear streams ran

The tale of the Peredhil was closed

For those of Elven birth no more

Would mate with Mortal kind

And seek rest in fair Valinor....

"Do you think you might try something slightly less..." The Crown Prince looked hard at the apprentice bard, one of his Northern cousins.

"Insulting?" the heir to the Stewardship helpfully suggested.

"Degrading?" his sister piped up. The girl, clutching her harp, blushed rosily in embarrassment.

"Children," Faramir interjected. Merilosse, Elboron and Eldarion subsided. The Steward folded his arms.

"They could have made their point more diplomatically,Lindaereth. But do you think, maybe," he suggested kindly to the girl, "you might consider reworking it before presenting it to the King and Queen?"

"Yes, my Lord," Lindaereth whispered.

"I will help," Merilosse said, "that is...if you would like. I am sorry I insulted your song."

"Yes, my Lady." Lindaereth could barely keep herself heard now. She was sixteen...the same age as the Crown Prince...but she felt so small in the presence of her Southern kindred. Attempting to sing of legends was one thing. But this was the Queen's father. She sighed and left the audience chamber with Merilosse, hoping no one would tell her uncle...her Master...just how stupid she'd been.

The End

A/N: Merilosse is my OC, the daughter of Faramir in "White Rose of Ithilien" (which I think I wrote last year for B2MEM, or maybe as a birthday mathom). Lindaereth is also my OC. I called her Eldarion's cousin: the family tree goes like this.

Arador was the father of:

- Arathorn II (father of Aragorn II Elessar)

- Three daughters (Arneth, Brennil, Glasdes)

- Targon (younger son, just a few years older than Aragorn himself)

Arneth - Halbarad's mother

Glasdes - mother of Idhrenor (bard in his youth, and tutor in his later days)

Brennil - Thalanir - father of Lindaereth (and a son, Thanguron) .Idhrenor is her first cousin once removed, not her uncle, but the Muse says he's her guardian, her Master, and she calls him her uncle. Maybe one day the Muse will expand on that...