#as someone not good at poetry who wanted to write a good poem with actuwl rhythm

[armenelols]

For @tolkiengenweek

Rating: Gen Warnings: None Relationships: Manwendil & Tindómiel Characters: Manwendil, Tindómiel Words: 1104, complete (1326 words on AO3 because I put the full version of the poem at the end there. I couldn’t include it here because Tumblr likes messing with formating) Summary: On a hot spring day, Manwendil goes into the streets of Rómenna

Read also on AO3

"We have time yet!" he called. People cheered. "Come on, sing with me! Ere the sunset comes, we can rejoice."

The child laughed. Manwendil steadied the small boy on his shoulders, grasping the feet hanging over his chest. He smiled. Sun rays were on his face. The sea was roaring.

He squirmed in his seat before sending another smile to the children sitting on the ground around him. Then he opened his mouth and sang.

"Vása shines down on Númenor, the waves are rising high. So take your ship, raise sails and go." He paused. "Come on, you know the words." And as he sang again, more people started to join him. "Sun Maiden hear my cry, Sun Maiden hear my cry!"

As he said the last words, the boy on his shoulders started bouncing. Manwendil carefully put him on the ground. When the child protested, liking his seat on the prince's shoulders, Manwendil gave him a sweet kiss on his brow. The boy giggled.

Manwendil stood up and started clapping to the rhythm of the song, encouraging others to do the same.

"Arien! Glorious on a bright day of spring, I call to thee rejoiced! Will you show me the far west and east, as I take my ship and go." He ruffled the hair of two children near him. They laughed and joined in song, their voices high and joyful. "As I take my ship and go!"

The next came the chorus and by that time, everyone was singing. He felt the light wind messing with his golden hair. The sand was between his bare toes. He spun around a dark-haired girl who couldn't be older than ten, then he took the hands of two children and nodded at others to do the same and form a circle. With their hands full, they couldn't clap anymore and settled for stomping to the beat instead. They have started dancing - moving closer to each other, raising joined hands, walking around to both left and right.

"Can you hear the wistful melody, the beauty of these shores," he sang again. A few feet away from him, a child fell on the ground and was quickly picked up by an older stranger who stood next to them. "Can you see me dance and trill, Daystar of Númenor? Daystar of Númenor!"

Suddenly, there was a new person. Before he could realize what was happening, instead of a child's hand, he was holding Tindómiel's. His sister had her golden hair let loose, her dress of red and blue and gold was glistening in the sun, shimmering as the waves of the sea.

"Sneaking in, are you?" he asked her with a grin while others continued to sing.

"I am not missing out on all the fun," she smirked at him. Then they both have raised their voices in song.

"I find myself being rejoiced at the sight of the sun. At the sight of the sun!"

A large wave rose, splashing the legs of the ones standing nearest to the sea. Manwendil laughed out loud, and with him many others. Then in the heat of joy, he let go of the hands he was holding, and run towards the water. Soon he could feel it hugging his feet, then calves, then his knees.

"Don't stop singing! We have yet the last verse!" he called to others. He felt as some child crushed into him and, laughing, picked them up, and held them close to his chest.

"I stand on the board, I wait for a sign to pull the anchor out of the sea. I sing joyful songs, I listen to the sound of blue water bubbling!"

He pinched the child's nose, ruffled the messy hair, and got out of the water. The boy grinned at him.

"Sunset isn't here yet," he said.

Manwendil laughed in answer.

"Nay, it is not, though it is getting near," he agreed. "Do you want another song?"

"Yes!"

And so they have raised their voices again.

By the time they were done, the sun had almost set. The sea was coloured in red, orange, and yellow hues. Manwendil was drenched to the bone - even though he never went deeper than his thighs, the children greatly enjoyed splashing him with water. One mother kept apologizing to him until he waved it off with a laugh and told her it was no issue.

Once everyone left, only Tindómiel remained behind. Somehow, miraculously, she managed to stay mostly dry, despite being almost just as much engaged with the children as he was.

"It is a talent," she told him.

"Sure it is," he snorted. "There is still time to get you soaked."

"You would not dare."

He grinned. "Watch me." And before Tindómiel could realize what was happening, Manwendil run to her and gave her a tight wet hug. She moaned in displeasure.

"My dress, Manwendil. It is new. From Mithlond. You will pay for this."

"Your dress can not survive a little water?"

"You and I have a different definition of what a little water means."

And indeed, when he pulled back, she was almost just as soaked as he was. He grinned at her again.

"Back to the city?"

She gave him a displeased look before turning her gaze towards the sea.

"No, to the port. Atanalcar will be there soon."

"Atanalcar?" He blinked. "He is here?"

"Not yet, but we had seen his ship. I actually came to get you to greet him, but I got distracted."

"Why did you not say so sooner?!" Manwendil asked quickly, already walking towards the port.

Tindómiel rolled her eyes and quickly followed him.

"Because I know you. You would go straight to the port and then you would feel bad about leaving the children behind without spending ages of having fun with them before. There was still enough time to wait for Atanalcar; I did not see the need to hurry. I am sure we still have at least half an hour."

She had a point, but-

"Tindómiel, it has been three years! Of course I would go straight to the port - his return is the only reason why I am here in the first place instead of hiking in Forostar. The mountains! The children could have waited until tomorrow."

Tindómiel gave him an unimpressed look.

"If it helps you sleep at night."

She was right, of course. Manwendil would feel bad about leaving the children without entertainment after promising them fun.

"You are a nightmare," he told her.

"Thank you, I try. Now stop complaining about me not telling you about our dear brother finally deciding to see his family instead of endless bodies of water. Vardamir should be waiting for us at the port - I told him we had seen the ship on my way to you. He said he would be there at sunset."