| nelenata |
|
| PotbellyHairyfoot |
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
|
| nelenata |
 RE: Arnor's Rebirth (read OOC, join by pm permission only)
on: June 06, 2006 11:29
|
|
((The following was co-written by CoNFuSeD_Elessar and me.  ))
“I mean, what’s the point?” asked Talkan earnestly as he did up his bootlace, his light brown hair flopping into his eyes. “I’m not denying that we should, of course not, it’s just a general question.”
Eranric shook his head in bemusement. Talkan had suddenly started a conversation on why one ought to follow orders from social superiors, and he felt a little lost. The young smith had never even considered the reasons, let alone started wondering about it out of the blue. “Because they’re in charge?” he offered.
“Well yes, but why should they be?” Talkan stood up. “I mean – and no disrespect to rulers everywhere – but who are they to say that we can do this and that, but not the other? Why?”
Halhigil looked over his shoulder from tightening the girth on his horse’s saddle. “If nobody respected the hierarchy,” he said, “then we’d have chaos. Those who lead us – for whatever reason – cannot do so effectively unless they can rely on the obedience of at least the majority of their subjects.” He regarded Talkan with interest. ‘Not your average mason’s lad,’ he thought to himself.
Talkan nodded. “I suppose so… society would collapse.” He paused. “Is that a bad thing?”
‘Definitely not your average mason’s lad.’ Halhigil looked up to see someone approach the little group purposefully. “You may have to contain your musings a moment, Talkan. I think we are wanted.”
“Allow me to introduce myself,” said the tall, clean-shaven Gondorian when he reached them. “My name is Arkaniel -- I will have to ask you some questions for several purposes.” He smiled. “Namely that I would like to get to know you all a little better, but also because I have some records here that need filling in.”
Eranric nodded, somewhat surprised by the appearance of the records, and remembered what Halhigil had said the night before. "Of course, my lord. What do you wish to know?"
Arkaniel smiled again. “Well, for one, I would like to know your names! And please do call me Arkaniel. I am not really used to lord.”
Talkan smiled; he hated stuffiness and Arkaniel had just gone up a notch in his estimation. "My name is Talkan -- and this is... Eranric and Halhigil," he remembered, gesturing towards the two others.
Arkaniel noted the names on his sheet of paper. “Well then, how is the journey going up till now?”
Talkan nodded. "Actually, I am rather enjoying it. I've never left Gondor before in my life, so it's all rather an adventure for me." He grinned.
Eranric shrugged one shoulder and gave a lopsided smile. "Well, I come from Rohan, so I've done hardly any travelling at all."
“So how were your lives before this?”
"Comfortably dull in my case," said Talkan. "Son of a mason, small town, moved for the rebuilding of Osgiliath... I won't bore you with it." He glanced at Halhigil, who had been quite happy to stay silent, but recognised his cue.
"Somewhat... fraught. I was a soldier in Eryn Lasgalen until very recently," he said quietly, but did not offer further details.
Arkaniel shook his head. “Such stories don't bore me at all, Talkan -- and we need many more like you for the rebuilding of Annuminas.”
Talkan laughed. "You're very kind, but I really believe I've told all there is to tell. "
Arkaniel turned back to Halhigil. “But Halhigil, can you remind me where Eryn Lasgalen is? I heard of it, but I am more used to the common language names.”
Halhigil smiled. "Forgive me -- Mirkwood is how it was once named, until recent days. I believe it translates as forest of greenleaves."
“Oh, of course.” He looked slightly ashamed of himself. “How could I forget? And for how many years have you been a soldier there?”
A glint of humour twinkled in the grey eyes of the elf. "For better or worse, around eight hundred years."
“Well, I am glad to have such an experienced warrior with us,” replied Arkaniel with a smile, “but do you have any other skills, too? As for that matter, Talkan or Eranric, do you?”
"Before I joined the army I was an architecht," said Halhigil. "I do not know whether that is of any use to you." Privately he hoped it was; he wouldn't be at all sorry to go back to it. "I like playing around with figures."
"I am a blacksmith," said Eranric. "Nothing fancy, though, I have to admit."
Talkan shrugged. "Stonemason, predictably enough." He grinned. "Does asking awkward questions count as a skill?"
“Well, we could always use an architect, I haven't met one so far in the group.” He directed an understanding glance at Eranric. “Nothing to worry about, Eranric. Maybe you haven't had time yet to discover what other things you are good at. Same for you Talkan. Although I do like that asking awkward questions part.” He grinned. “Can you all read and or write?”
Talkan nodded. "Read, write, calculate." Eranric shot him a curious look, and he shrugged. "My grandfather was a scholar."
Eranric nodded, and felt the mystery was solved concerning the odd questions. "I can read and write well enough for my own purposes," said Eranric. "Not what you might call scholarly." He glanced at Halhigil, who said nothing and seemed to be absent-mindedly plaiting his horse's mane.
Arkaniel noted this down. “Excellent -- I think those count as very important skills. What are your hopes for the new Arnor -- or at least the new Annuminas?”
"Er," said Eranric and Talkan simultaneously -- they looked at each other and laughed. "Not quite sure as yet," Eranric admitted. "Is a steady job and settling somewhere new horribly ambitious?"
Talkan shrugged and grinned. "I'll see how things unfold. I have no expectations. That's the best bit." He looked at Halhigil, who seemed to be doing his best to look invisible. "What about you?"
Halhigil looked round. He was deeply relieved that the literacy question had passed, and prayed to the Valar that Arkaniel wouldn't return to it. "To be frank, a little peace of mind doing something I like with hours that are not ridiculous," he admitted. "I've never really had the opportunity to play around with numbers and drawings since I joined the army."
Arkaniel nodded before looking up at Halhigil once more. “This all sounds really good. But excuse me Halhigil, I think I missed your answer on whether or not you could read and write.”
Halhigil flushed a little. Oh, Valar, he hated it when people asked him questions like this. He could read and write... after a fashion. The fact remained that it took him about an hour to read a single sheet of paper and generally left him with a splitting headache afterwards. If he said yes, he would be stuck with yet another job involving piles of documents and consequently 21-hour working days, and probably hours at a stretch lying down in a dark, quiet room. If he said no, then lo and behold, he could be the village idiot for a whole new community. He rubbed the back of his neck. "My handwriting is appalling. I'm the last person you want keeping records."
“But you can read and write?”
An image from not so very long ago flashed into his mind, of himself pale-faced and fast asleep at the desk, quill still in hand, surrounded by piles of unfinished paperwork. He flushed deeper and studied his horse’s mane. “Given enough time.” “To the tune of several hours per document,’ he thought silently. ‘Please don’t ask me any more.’
Frowning but not pursuing the issue, Arkaniel wrote down everything and came to his final question: “Was there a specific reason for giving up your old lives?”
Talkan shook his head. “Not particularly, apart from the fact that there wasn’t much demand for masons after Osgiliath was rebuilt. I came seeking work and some new scenery.”
Eranric shrugged one shoulder. “I have to earn a living somewhere. My parents are gone and my village was destroyed. There are smiths aplenty in Rohan – it’s hard to find work unless you can work for your father.”
“I am sorry,” said Arkaniel with a mixture of pity and understanding.
Eranric shook his head and stared at a point somewhere left of Arkaniel’s ear rather than meet his eyes. “Don’t be,” he said briefly. “It happens.”
“And as for me,” said Halhigil reluctantly, but sensing that a change of subject was needed, “There is no longer a desperate need for soldiers in my homeland, so I felt free to leave. My relationship with my commander…” His cheek twitched almost imperceptibly and he stared at his horse again. “It leaves something to be desired.”
Tactfully, Arkaniel did not inquire further. “Well, many thanks to you all – you have told me all I need to know,” he said, but not without a flicker of a curious glance at Halhigil, who didn’t meet his eyes. “I hope the rest of the journey will be pleasant for you.” He inclined his head and made his way to the next people.
Halhigil promptly turned and ostensibly busied himself with the horse’s girth until his cheeks stopped burning. He hated himself sometimes. ‘Not only stupid and well-nigh illiterate, but a stupid illiterate coward who blushes easily. Marvelous.’ Talkan looked at the back of his head for a long moment, burning with curiosity, then sensed what Eranric already had: that the elf really wanted to be left alone for a while, and he slipped off accordingly.
----
((If you're curious too, you can delve into his bio in the Db if you're really keen. Lol.))
[Edited on 7/6/2006 by nelenata]
[Edited on 28/12/2006 by nelenata]
|
|
| Nifredil |
|
| justice |
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
RE: Arnor's Rebirth (read OOC, join by pm permission only)
on: June 08, 2006 06:52
|
|
[OOC: Joint post by Nifredil and me. This is quite a long post to be honest.]
It was nearing dinner time, when Arkaniel stopped getting to know people better. He rode to the head of the column and he talked a bit with the soldiers there. He discussed with them what he had ordered Cirion to do once they reached the Gap of Rohan. It was important that the group stayed safe from any harm and although the roads were supposed to be safe now, it was always possible some rogues or other dangers couldn’t resist the enormous collection of supplies and possessions everyone was carrying. His single company of knights was capable of resisting about anything they could meet, but it was spread out over a far too long column to be quickly effective. Luckily, there were many who had sufficient weapon skills to be not entirely defenceless, especially experienced warriors like Halhigil.
After a bit of talking and laughing, he turned around as the group stopped and set up camp. He rode towards the cart on which Reycha and Marim were riding. He saw Marim with the reigns in his hands, leading the horses all by himself. By the look on his face, he was having the time of his life. Reycha however, looked a bit worried and depressed. He hoped it had nothing to do with him searching a maid to help her. By the time Arkaniel reached them, the cart had already stopped, and Reycha was ordering the men around to help her build a tent for the three of them. She smiled at her husband as she noticed him coming, and continued unwrapping the salted pork and vegetables she had planned to cook for the dinner. Arkaniel dismounted and took her in his strong arms, kissing her warmly, not minding everyone watching them. He felt the love surging through his body, as strong as always. "Arkaniel!" she deprived him blushing. She could never get used to this. However, she couldn't hide a wide and content smile. And she knew her husband saw it. Reycha tried to wash the cabbages, but then gave up. She put them down and turned to Arkaniel and returned his kiss. "What took you this long? I nearly forgot how you look." she teased him. He grinned, happy to see her smiling, and replied dryly: “meeting tons and tons of new women”. He winked and kissed her again. The men setting up the tent, disappeared silently, leaving the couple ‘alone’ or alone as was possible in such a large group. Reycha nor Arkaniel was aware of the fact that they were ‘alone’ now, they only had eye for each other. Suddenly they heard laughter, from quite near. Apparently, Marim had been watching them through the wheels of the cart, while staying out of sight himself. "Marim!" Reycha turned around and knelt down to see him through the wheels. "Get out of there and bring me some logs, will you?" she ordered the boy playfully. Marim gave another laugh, then disappeared
Arkaniel loved Marim as if he were his own flesh and blood. He liked the boy’s straightforward, but polite manners and his care for everything and everyone. He would be a fine heir one day. He just hoped that if he and Reycha would have children of their own, it wouldn’t cause any troubles about heritage, since Arkaniel saw Marim as his prime heir. He whispered, teasingly, in Reycha’s ear: “That boy resembles his mother more by the day.” After which he kissed her again. Reycha, however, hadn't really thought about it. And, at the moment, her nostrils caught the scent that entered their tent from a dinner that was being cooked on a fire nearby. "Let me get our dinner ready before your stomach starts rumbling too loud. The people around might assume I keep you starving."
“If you really must, then I can’t stop you from going to get our dinner”, Arkaniel joked. He watched her leaving the tent, almost immediately returning with their dinner. Marim entered a few moments later and they ate the lovely meal, sitting cosily together. After having finished, Reycha wanted to clean up immediately, directing her son and her husband to stay seated. While she was outside, washing the cooking pot and the dishes, Arkaniel was talking to Marim. “I saw you enjoyed reining the horses. Soon I will teach you to ride a horse by yourself. As for that matter, you might be a bit short for riding my horse, so if you like, we can buy a smaller one tomorrow, from one of the rohirrim horse herders. But only if you really want to.” Reycha, having finished cleaning up, entered the tent again, while Marim was thinking. He wanted to talk to her about what depressed her, but he needed to wait for Marim to go and play outside the tent, or for him to sleep. "Marim? I believe there are a couple of your new friends out there waiting," Reycha looked into the tent. The boy exclaimed joufully. "Oh mom, can I go play?!" "You can," Reycha smiled. "But be careful, will you?' her expression hardened at the memory of what had happened the previous night. Marim dashed outside where a boy and a girl his age were waiting impatiently, both clearly twins. Reycha was about finishing washing the dishes, keeping an eye on the kids at the same time.
Suddenly she felt two strong warm arms wrapping around her waist. The young woman had never noticed Arkaniel sneaking up. "Mmmmm....." she smiled feeling him kiss her neck. He slowly turned her around, now kissing her full on her lips now. “Can you come inside for a moment, we have to talk”, he whispered. "But..." she said thinking about the dishes that were not finished. However, she thought better of it and decided to leave them. They were not going anywhere. Once inside, he seated in front of her, face to face. "Is there anything on your mind, my love?", he asked her gently. "At moments when you are alone, you seem both depressed and worried. If there is anything I can do to help you, I will." He almost drowned in her deep brown eyes, while saying this. By the Valar, how much he loved her, it was unimaginable. Reycha lowered her eyes, unable to meet his keen sight. She felt tears rising caused by the deep and tender love she saw in her husband's eyes. "I... I hoped you wouldn’t notice…" she whispered. "I wouldn't be a good husband if I didn't, I reckon. Please tell me what is on your heart." Reycha opened her mouth and closed it again. There seemed to be a barrier inside her that kept her from revealing her heart to Arkaniel. She even wished something would happen to call him away and interrupt this conversation. "Arkaniel..." she tried again, looking up. His tender eyes almost took her courage away again. "It is just that... Sometimes I don't feel WORTH you. I feel... I am holding you back. You are a born leader, but me..." she ducked her head. Arkaniel started to say something, but Reycha interrupted him. She knew that she would not say everything otherwise. "I have been watching you these past days. The people relate to you as to their Lord, and you ARE a lord! In everything you are, in everything you do. I just had never really noticed that, while sitting at home with Marim. And then, I had to look at myself. And I really can't find a reason why you chose to marry me! Except for the fact that you fell in love with me, of course," a sparkle shone in her dark eyes, and the corners of the mouth arched. "Reycha, dearest! What are you saying!" Arkaniel sighed, taking her in his arms and holding her tight. His heart trembled at the very thought that the woman he held above all others could see herself as unworthy.
Right after that, a rush of anger entered his heart. That horrible man that had been calling himself her husband for four years was lucky to be dead already! No other had put this fear and this self-underestimation in his wonderful Reycha, but he alone. And that Arkaniel could never forgive. Right after that rush, he realised it was wrong to blame anyone now, all that mattered now was Reycha. He pulled Reycha in his lap, wrapping her in his arms and rocking slightly, trying to give her all the comfort and the feeling of safety she needed. Reycha sighed and wrapped her arms around Arkaniel's waist, while letting her chin rest on his wide shoulder. How different he was from Pran! How very much greater a person and more wonderful as a man. And how much she loved him! This realization broke out of her along with a flood of tears. "I am sorry!" Arkaniel comforted her the best he could. "You shouldn't worry, you have done nothing wrong. But please don't underestimate yourself so much." "I married you because I love you, not because I wanted you to become a lady or something else". "But I must... And you should know that" Reycha said sadly. "Or else I won't be able to stand by your side, I would have to remain hidden from the world". "The only reason I think I can handle this being a Lord, is because I know you are there, by my side", Arkaniel whispered, "I am proud of you, of being your husband. You are the most wonderful person I know, and the only women I will ever love. You won't become a lady if you start to dress up beyond all recognition and start ordering people around... you are a lady already and one that is loved by 'her people'." Reycha looked at him surprised, the flood of tears suddenly ceasing. "What 'my people'?" she asked. "You call me Lord already, many of the settlers already refer to me as their King, and you think you are not worthy enough for me, but you forget, they see you as their Lady or even as their Queen, They will follow your lead as much as they will follow mine and they honour you as much as they honour me, some, especially the bachelors, honour you even more." That last part he said with a smile, especially since her face shone with disbelief. He pulled her head closer and kissed her intently and very long on her wonderful, sweet tasting lips. The surprise was so thorough; reycha did not react at first. A Lady? A Queen?! How in Middle-earth.... but then Arkaniel's burning kisses washed these thoughts away from her mind.
|
|
| nelenata |
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
|
| Jadawen_Lady_Of_Rohan |
|
| ~Mirilien~Undómiel~ |
|
| Cirion2 |
|
| Nifredil |
|
| PotbellyHairyfoot |
|
| Echileru_elfmaiden |
|
| Cirion2 |
|
| nelenata |
|
| Echileru_elfmaiden |
|
| Cirion2 |
|
| nelenata |
RE: Arnor's Rebirth (read OOC, join by pm permission only)
on: June 26, 2006 11:58
|
|
((This is the first part of a joint post by Mirilien and I. Second part should come on Wednesday, hopefully. ))
"Good evening, Maena! Arkaniel mentioned to me you would come. It is a good thing you did so! I am Reycha, and somewhere around here is my son Marim. I believe you will meet him soon enough." The woman greeted her friendly and she smiled shyly, both happy by the thought of taking care of a young boy as scared of whether he’d listen to her. Reycha started explaining a bit more and something like a conversation followed, mainly dominated by the woman. After just a few more minutes of chattering they agreed to meet again the following morning and with a last greeting the two of them parted. Once a few yards away, the girl let out a relieved sigh, glad Reycha had seemed to be a caring and kind woman.
*
Halhigil looked up apprehensively at Talkan and Eranric from where they had forcibly pushed him down to sit on the floor just inside the big tent. He had been about to slip off when they had frog-marched him back inside, insisting that he needed a drink. "I am not going to get out of this, am I?"
Talkan grinned and shook his head. “Absolutely not.” The tent was noisy and crowded with people milling around. The serious drinking and dancing hadn’t begun yet, but there were a fair number of people clustered in merry groups.
Eranric gave an eerily similar smile. “It’s about time we learnt about drunken Elves.”
“That’ll cost you a fortune in beer,” Talkan laughed. He sat down next to Halhigil. “Oh, you’ll like it when you’ve had a few. Or a few dozen. How does it work for you?”
Halhigil shrugged one shoulder, looking intensely uncomfortable. He longed to run off on his own, away from the crowds and the people looking. “That depends upon what I am drinking, does it not?”
Eranric glanced over at the smaller tent where the drinks were. he looked at Halhigil curiously. “Elves drink wine, do you not? Have you ever actually had beer?”
“No.”
“You haven’t lived,” Talkan informed him. An amusing, mischievous idea was slowly forming in his mind, and he grinned. “I think it’s high time we educated you.”
The young mason looked around the room absent-mindedly, and raised a hand to a friend in brief acknowledgement. "Come on, Eranric. He'll have a miserable time until he has something to drink."
*
For a while she wandered through the tent, looking for her parents. She did not feel like standing by herself at all, but when she had finally noticed her parents, she decided to give up the idea of joining them. Slowly her parents were dancing and as they moved through the space, they seemed to be living in their own little world no one besides the two of them could enter.
Her father was lovingly holding her mothers hand while Sorne had laid her head on Maenor’s shoulders, mascular of the work on the farm. They had both closed their eyes. Maena smiled warmly and found her way to the other side where drunks were available.
She looked around a bit uncomfortable, for on first sight all there seemed to be was beer. There must be something more, there are hundreds of children in here! She stepped a bit closer to the tables, trying to find something suitable.
Eranric followed Talkan over to get something to drink. "Are you going to give him some beer?" he asked.
Talkan grinned. “I’ll give him some more than that.” Having drawn a mug of beer about seven-eighths full, he proceeded to top it off with a generous slosh of spirits from a bottle standing around.
“Oh, that’s hardly fair!” Eranric protested, but he couldn’t quite hide his smile.
“’Tis,” Talkan retorted with a grin, drawing his own beer. “They’ve got higher tolerances, haven’t they? Don’t see why he should be the only sober one.”
“You’re a menace,” said Ernaric absent-mindedly. His eye had been caught by the rather pretty blonde girl who was standing around looking a little lost. She looked Rohirric to him – certainly she had the hair.
Talkan looked around and saw her too. “Oh, I’m sorry! Am I in the way?” He stepped back, a pint of beer in each hand. “They’re not both for me,” he added, with a grin and a nod towards the mugs in his hands.
She heard a male voice beside her. Maena looked aside and saw a tanned boy, with behind him yet another guy ‘round her age Rohirrim perhaps? and on a chair in between there was an Elf. She was a bit overwhelmed, for she had never seen one before. She smiled shyly at the boy’s joke and looked away, not knowing what to do.
Eranric chuckled. “Ah, but do you know which is which?”
“Er,” said Talkan, looking at the two identical mugs.
The young smith snorted with laughter. “Oh, stars above, you really are an idiot, Talkan. Serves you right!”
Talkan made a face at Eranric, and turned to the girl, who had looked away. “Looking for anything in particular?” He made an extravagant gesture towards the table, the beer coming dangerously close to slopping out of the mug. “There’s beer, wine, something in that bottle there that smells deadly, water – but that’s no fun – ”
“Talkan, behave,” came Halhigil’s quiet but amused voice as he approached them. “You’ll scare her into thinking you’re an utter lunatic if you rave at people like that.”
“I am not raving,” Talkan retorted, but he gave a far-too-innocent-smile as he handed Halhigil one of the two mugs. “Enjoy.”
Halhigil noted Eranric’s effort to choke back a laugh, but did not comment as he accepted the mug. He suspected he’s find out soon enough. His eyes rested on the girl Talkan had been addressing so effusively, and he gave a gentle smile as he recognised someone like himself – someone clearly ill at ease in company. “Good evening,” he said with a smile.
“If you were wanting something harmless to drink, then I believe there’s some cordial under the table, for civilised people. Oh, and please do not mind Talkan. He is like this sober too.”
Talkan almost choked on his beer in indignation. “I *am * sober!”
“Not for long you won’t be,” Eranric observed. He turned back to the girl. “But where are my manners? Do come with us -- that is, if you wish,” he added hastily. he glanced at the elf, who still looked rather wary of the whole situation. “I think Halhigil could do with some moral support.”
“By all means,” said Halhigil, with a wry smile. “The Valar know those two should not be left alone in each other’s company.”
“Well actually, I’m looking for...” But the boy didn’t seem to hear her and just continued summoning the different kinds of drinks he had seen on the table. She noticed the old jug and was just about to pour herself some water, when the Elf came closer and started to speak, while the boy handed him one of the mugs. She listened to the boys’ hints and wondered what on earth they had given him.
But at least the first nip didn’t seem to effect the Elf in any way and so she bended forward to get the drink he had been referring to, turning a little bit red. But how could they have expected her to find it under the table? She hadn’t exactly planned on falling on her knees to search for it there. Maena grabbed a glass and poured the liquid, careful not to spill.
The Elf seemed to understand her shyness and so she answered his smile and in contrary to her own expectations, she quietly said ‘yes’ when one of them asked her to come along with them.
Eranric smiled. "Come," he said, and beckoned as Talkan led the way back to their spot. "Are you from Rohan too?"
"Indeed," she started, not really feeling at ease. "I'm Maena."
Eranric noted her unease, and made a mental note to get Halhigil to talk to her. Shy people generally seemed to be able to talk to each other, in his experience. "You're a welcome sight, I can assure you," he told her with a smile as they walked across the tent.
"I was starting to feel a terrible country boy all alone with those two," he said, gesturing towards Halhigil and Talkan. "Don't mind Talkan," he added with a friendly grin. "He's just a little... overly enthusiastic about life in general, I think. I don't believe he means to be overwhelming."
She grinned and brought her hand through her hair, causing the long, blond locks to fall over her shoulder again, instead of in front of her eyes. But besides the grin she ignored his part about Talkan - not really sure how to react- and continued on the subject of their homeland. "What part of Rohan are your from?"
"The West Emnet," he replied. "But I've moved around for a few years now... it's not as though there's a shortage of smiths in the old place, is it?" He shrugged. "That's partly what I'm doing here. And yourself?" Eranric sat down, and motioned for Maena to take a seat. "Oh, forgive me! My name is Eranric."
She smiled. "No, not really. I'm from Edoras, my parents own a small farm where they train horses. But there isn't really a shortage of well-trained horses either." She laughed.
|
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
RE: Arnor's Rebirth (read OOC, join by pm permission only)
on: June 27, 2006 07:53
|
|
[joint post by nifredil and me]
Reycha stood by her husband's side, slowly sipping wine. The music was playing behind them, the people were dancing, laughing, having fun and enjoying themselves in general. But the thought to join them never even crossed her mind. It felt too good where she was right now, to change it for anything else.
Arkaniel enjoyed the presence of his wife at his side. He put his arm around her and pulled her a bit closer against him.
Standing here, together with her, some music in the background, the sky full of stars above them, was there a finer place in middle-earth at this moment, he wondered.
She sighed, laying her head against his shoulder. Would she back then, in Bree, just five years ago, have ever imagined this kind of relationship would be even possible? For Reycha, life had been a struggle against everything and everybody, merely to put something on the table, to have her boy fed and dressed, and to survive the brutality of her husband Pran... But now... Reycha smiled happily and leaned closer to Arkaniel. Now she felt safe and protected, and, above all - loved.
Arkaniel felt Reycha leaning on him, and saw her staring in the distance. Was it coincidence she was staring directly at the town of Bree? He didn't know, but he hoped she wasn't, since the life she had had there was best to be forgotten, what she had told him about her life there. He liked to focus more on the happier memories of that place, like how he fell in love with her around here, how happy she was when she got back her son, the boy he now saw as his own son, Marim.
"I love you," Reycha whispered, looking up at Arkaniel, and the dim fires were reflecting mysteriously in her deep dark eyes.
"I love you, too, you are the most precious to me in this world" Arkaniel whispered, while drowning in her eyes... By the Valar, how much he loved her... he bent closer to her, ready to kiss her full lips...
Reycha smiled teasingly and put her finger to his lips, stopping his kiss. "Later, my love..." her voice was barely audible, while her eyes shone with a promise.
He grinned when he saw the promise in her eyes, but at the same time, felt something roaring inside of him, reluctant to wait... She had changed slightly since the first time he met her. First being shy, sad and hurt, now having blossomed into a more open woman, even teasingly open, but still with the traits that made him fall in love... He dreamed a bit away, now seeing her in the Forsaken inn, at the moment he saw her for the first time...
"I talked to the girl you had told me about, Maena," Reycha changed the subject abruptly. "She seemed to me a nice young thing. A very shy and unsure about herself, but very nice. I liked her," the young woman caressed Arkaniel's hand with her very fingertips while speaking. "I believe we will get along very well. And, it was a really good idea of yours, to give me a maid."
"I am glad you like her. I don't know why I chose her, maybe because she resembles you a bit... Anyways, you are a Lady and therefor you need a maid, to help you governing the palace and maybe even help you when we would get another child...," he told her, while he gently caressed her cheek.
Her eyes widened a bit. "Another child? I never knew you were thinking about one...." She had been wondering about the change of the situation when and if another baby arrived, but as the years of their marriage passed by, she decided that maybe she could not have children anymore. And with that the subject was closed, for her. Reycha decided not to think too much about the fact, or she would get too nervous and worried. But now, she had to think about it again...
That made her remember Marim. Reycha looked around, stared in the crowd, but Marim was nowhere to be seen.
"What?" she asked Arkaniel, realizing he had been telling her something.
Arkaniel sighed, not knowing how to talk about it. He stuttered a bit saying: " Well I have thought often about it... It is great to be a father, but I feel I missed something with Marim... not that we aren't compensating that now," he grinned, "But at first, I was too much in doubt about it and since the last year, I am feeling a bit restraint about it... Before, me being a noble born wasn't a problem since my father disinherited me, but now, I sometimes wonder if it might not cause problems, with Marim as my heir and maybe a child of my own blood might... well not be too satisfied with the situation..."
Reycha was listening with half of attention, missing the greatest part of Arkaniel's words. "Do you see Marim? I can't see him anywhere," she said, not even trying to hide her worries.
Arkaniel recognised her fear and turned around to search for Marim. His length gave him an advantage over Reycha, but then again, Marim was shorter than most in the crowd... "Don't worry, he will be all right...," he comforted her
"I have to find him," Reycha said, her voice trembling, and slid out of Arkaniel's embrace, heading towards the crowd.
Arkaniel followed her quickly, but instead of tumbling into the crowd, he addressed one of the guards and asked if he had seen Marim...
Reycha searched through the crowd, asking people if they had seen a small boy.... Some of them had, most of them hadn't. The young woman's fear and nervousness increased with every second. Finally she ran out of the party place right into Arkaniel's arms. "He's not here!" she said weeping.
"I know, the guard saw him going that way," Arkaniel said, while pointing into a direction, "I believe some of the rohirrim horse farmers have their tents and horses there. Maybe he wanted to see them a bit better before choosing one or he just couldn't wait..."
Reycha dashed the indicated way before even Arkaniel had finished speaking, making him to run after her. In her mind, pictures of Marim getting under some horse's hooves became more and more horrid. Soon she was among the tents. Everything was quiet and dark, the people clearly still at the party.
Marim watched a large black horse towering above him with awe. The animal could be of a different colour, but in the dark he looked pure black. "Hey, what's your name?" the boy asked the big horse. That looked down at him and snorted quietly. The rohirrim horses were taught to be gentle with children, so the horse slowly lowered his head to sniff the boy, careful not to step on him. "Want this?" Marim offered the horse a bunch of grass, that was reluctantly accepted.
Suddenly a sound attracted his attention. There was a confusion and a movement among the horses in the furthest corner of the settlement. The boy thought he had heard men's voices. He quietly sneaked closer. Suddenly he saw a couple of men throwing something like dark blankets on the heads of horses and leading them away to tie them to a vagon further away. Some of the animals neighed and reared, but a couple of lassos on both sides of their necks strangled them quiet. Then the blanket did the rest. Marim fumed with anger. How could they do this to the beautiful horses!!!
"What are you doing?! Stop it!" the boy stepped out and screamed at the men. They froze, then started yelling: "Get the kid! Don't let it escape!" With a scream, Marim turned and ran. One of the men rushed after the boy on feet, the other on horseback.
Arkaniel, grabbed Reycha's shoulder, whispering: "listen..." they heard Marim and the men shouting and then the screaming. Arkaniel ran towards where the sound came from, in the meanwhile pulling his sword. When he saw Marim running his way, he shouted: "come here Marim..."
Before Marim could do as he was told, the man chasing him grabbed the boy's shirt. "Da-ad!" Marim screamed, fighting the man away furiously. Reycha came running after her husband. Her eyes were only on her son.
Arkaniel hurried even more and before the man could do anything, he knocked him in the face with the hilt of his sword, not wanting to spill blood unnecesarily. The man dropped like a rock, unconscious. Marim clamped himself to Arkaniel, trembling, but the other man had turned around and mounted one of the horses quickly to flee...
To be continued...
|
|
| nelenata |
|
| Echileru_elfmaiden |
|
| ~Mirilien~Undómiel~ |
|
| Cirion2 |
|
| nelenata |
|
| nelenata |
|
| Nifredil |
|
| nelenata |
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
RE: Arnor's Rebirth (read OOC, join by pm permission only)
on: August 19, 2006 09:46
|
|
[OOC: this is a joint post by nelenata and me]
“Stop!” Arkaniel shouted. Unable to decide whether to leave the man he was holding at the point of his sword as he was and run for the escaping one, he lost prescious seconds. And the thief was smart enought to use them. He jumped up from the ground to his feet and ran. But, to Reycha’s surprize, he didn’t try to escape in the direction where the horses were, but ran instead towards the party tent where people were still dancing and laughing.
“Help!” the man screamed, as if his own life depended on that. “Help! He’s trying to kill me!”
Reycha looked at Arkaniel for any help solving the unexpected turn of the matter. He cursed quietly to himself and turned towards Marim.
“Get me a rope! Quickly!”
Another couple of prescious seconds passed as the second thief was tied up. A dagger was handed to Reycha, and she took it with a dangerous look in her eyes. She still remembered that these two had threatened to her boy!
Only then did Arkaniel set out to pursue the runaway thief. “Hold him!” he shouted to the people, “he’s a thief!”
But the man had already confused the travellers and managed to reach the end of the crowd. Just a moment, and he will be gone!
As Arkaniel made his way through the crowd, careful not to harm any people by bumping into them, he noticed the thief reaching the end of the crowd. Then all of a sudden a man held the thief and in a matter of seconds he, whom Arkaniel recognised as Halhigil, and a woman he hadn’t seen before struggled with the thief ending up pinning him on the ground. Arkaniel approached them and said: “Thank you for helping, both of you, I was already chasing him for some time.”
"You are most welcome, my lord," said Halhigil with a rather grim smile. "That is a rather different story to the tale we heard, is it not?" He turned to the thief, one eyebrow raised. He had still not let go of the man's wrist, and a trace of humour glinted in his grey eyes, though his arm stung. "He seemed to think you were intending to murder him, my lord."
Arkaniel grinned as well, appreciating the elf’s dry humour. “I was merely going to knock him out, or overpower him, so I could tie him up or let him be tied up by some of the guards”, he responded to Halhigil.
Halhigil rubbed his chin with his free right hand. "Well now, that does not seem quite so horrific as you claimed, my friend," he addressed the man, who had edged as far away from him as he could. "Are you going to go quietly, or shall I break your wrist and keeping twisting?" Behind the lopsided smile, something about the Elf's face said clearly that he was not joking.
“Better wait for that, and mind your language a bit, there is a lady amongst us”, Arkaniel interfered, smiling, with a glance on Alliss,” besides, here is the rope I intended to use for our friend here.” He kneeled and together with Halhigil he managed to tie the arms and the legs of the thief together. “I really appreciate your help and I hope I can repay it to both of you”, Arkaniel started…
Alliss ducked her head, staring at the ground and hiding behind her hair as Arkaniel looked at her, feeling her cheeks burn. She had hoped they had forgotten her, and had been edging away as much as the thief had. She shook her head and mumbled something about there being nothing to thank her for. Without thinking twice, Halhigil raised his right hand and shook his head. "No need, my lord," he assured him with a smile. "You are most welcome. If anyone wants thanking, it is she, and not me." He gave the girl a gentle smile as she ducked her head and stammered something under her breath. "It is not even your job. Thank you."
“Halhigil is right, er…” Arkaniel stuttered, “I don’t remeber seeing you before, you must be new here at the camp. Thank you very much for helping and welcome to our little band of settlers.” Arkaniel gave her a smile, seeing her shyness, nearly the same sort of shyness Reycha had when he met her. Allthough he couldn’t help notice it would probably have to do with her looks. To say it nice, the girl wasn’t exactly as good-looking as most. Still, that didn’t make her different from anyone else…
While the guards finally arrived and took away the thief, Reycha and Marim caught up with him, both looking relieved.
“Well, I am Arkaniel, the future steward of Annuminas” Arkaniel addressed the girl, “and this is my lovely wife, Reycha, and my son, Marim.”
Alliss' blush deepened painfully as she tried to look up without showing her face. "I -- thank you, my lord," she managed haltingly. "My name is Alliss. I -- I am honoured to meet you, my lady."
Halhigil smiled and inclined his head towards the pretty young woman and her son, who looked to be around ten by his reckoning. "As am I." He flexed the fingers of his left hand experimentally.
Reycha greeted them both, but soon after she excused herself and Marim and both went away, tired of the thrills of the evening, after a good night kiss with Arkaniel.
Arkaniel watched them both, feeling pride with his son’s behaviour of this evening and love for the two figures disappearing in the crowd.
Turning to Alliss and Halhigil again, Arkaniel said: “please, leave that lord somewhere where I can’t see or hear it. Just Arkaniel will do fine.”
"As you wish, Arkaniel," said Halhigil simply.
For the first time, Alliss looked up, remembering the dagger. "Oh, my l-- Arkaniel?" she corrected herself quickly, blushing. "I have his dagger here."
Being caught off guard with the sudden change of topic, Arkaniel didn’t know what to say. “I guess, you can keep it, or give it to one of the guards.”
"I -- thank you." She turned it over in her hands, absent-mindedly. For the first time, she noticed the blood on the blade, and looked up at Halhigil. "Is this his blood?"
"No," he said shortly.
Immediately, as always happened when she was working, all Alliss' shyness vanished. "Let me see."
"It will do very well."
Alliss folded her arms. "Your hand is covered in blood."
"Then I should have been faster."
"But given that you were not, it needs looking at." She looked at him levelly. "And please, don't tell me that it will heal on its own. It will be quicker with stitches."
Halhigil couldn't help but shake his head and grin. "You are a healer, then, Alliss? You remind me very much of someone I know. Is there any point in arguing with you?" He sighed and gave a wry smile as Alliss shook her head in response. "No, I thought not. It goes with the profession."
Arkaniel watched the two people arguing about whether or not to stitch the wound, and after a while he said goodbye to both of them and departed, wandering through the crowd, exchanging words and greetings with many of the people. Seeing the happy looks on their faces made him feel well and proud. This were the people that trusted him and wanted to follow him in his dream...
[Edited on 13/9/2006 by CoNFuSeD_Elessar]
|
|
| ~Mirilien~Undómiel~ |
|
| nelenata |
|
| Nifredil |
|
| PotbellyHairyfoot |
|
| CoNFuSeD_Elessar |
|
Author
Knights Honour! 
))
))