Someone to Claim Us, Someone to Follow by Agelast

"Beleg here has taught me everything I know," declared Túrin, addressing the motley crowd, robbers and cutthroats all. Their suspicions did not weight on Túrin. Instead, he drew Beleg away, his eyes brighter than they had been in Doriath. Could he really find such joy in the company of such low men? Beleg looked at his former protégé with wonder. Túrin, mistaking his thoughts, laughed. "I have long wished to see you again! What news from Doriath?" he brightened, and continued, "From Dor-lómin?" 

"The news from Doriath is the same. Your foster father forgives all, and wishes only that you return to him. As for news of your mother and sister, I cannot say," Beleg answered slowly. Túrin frowned, his light mood flagging. He shook his head and remarked, "No, I cannot not go back." 

And more he would not say. 

Later, when he had quite recovered from his injuries, Beleg sought to gather his things and make his way back to Doriath. Túrin's companions must have alerted him, for soon the Man was racing to catch up with the Elf. 

Beleg waited patiently as Túrin got his wind back. 

"Will you abandon me?" asked Túrin, between gulps of air, investing his words with a kind of wounded innocence. 
"If I stayed beside you, love would lead me, not wisdom," said Beleg. 
Túrin seemed to fold upon himself and started to shake. Beleg drew closer, filled with concern for his friend. But Túrin was laughing, a rare thing for the normally dour son of Húrin. 

Finally, he recovered enough to say, "Love has its own wisdom, has it not, Beleg Cúthalion?"

(He was very wrong, of course. But Túrin Turambar often was.)

Chapter End Notes

The title is, of course, borrowed from David Bowie's excellent song, "Big Brother". 

And the next couple lines are also very apt. 

Leave a Comment