One mid-winter day off the coast of Alqualonde, the crew spotted a bottle with a note in it. The item was worn, and had seen many a storm. Stooping down while holding the rail, one of the sailors scooped it up with a fishing net.

It was brought to the captain, who opened it curiously. The bottle was not as finely made as anything in Valinor. Within, the paper had been written in a scrawling hand, as if the writer was injured. It was the back of a piece of sheet music, and simply had these words:

I am sorry