Ella |
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wolfbladequeen |
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findemaxam48 |
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wolfbladequeen |
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Ella |
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Hanasian |
on: December 04, 2013 08:53
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(The timeline of this post takes place concurrent with your previous posts and goes to shortly after Ella/Lady Scarlett’s last post)
Good tea was always invigorating. It helped take the edge off the fogginess of sleep. He considered the Lady Scarlett he had met and hopefully helped at the tavern that afternoon. He hoped she was able to get away and not be caught. It was right then he thought he saw her as he took a second look at a woman talking to a serving maid. Her clothes were that of a ship’s hand, but her hair was similar, and the eyes were muted green. Looked very much like Lady Scarlett. She walked out the door and he didn't linger on the thought too much, instead turning his attention to a game that was starting on a nearby table. Add ship hands overnighting and some dice, and things could always get exciting. Khaloch only watched the game though. He wasn't really in the mood to play. But seeing one of the vendors from the market step up, Khaloch pulled some coin from his pocket. He would play a round.
It worked better than he expected. Not only did he not lose any coin, but he gained a favour from the tanner. He would have to see him early the next day to get fitted for new boots. With one thing taken care of, he walked out the door as the sun dropped over the horizon.
Stepping outside the Inn, Khaloch looked at the sky. The rains had long passed, but the thunder could still be heard far off to the north. The air, though cooler, was thick with heaviness when the gusts of wind died down. The bugs were thick there by the river, so the fading wind helped keep them away. Khaloch thought about walking back to the bridge. Instead he looked up at it and could see three soldiers walking over from the west side. One of them stopped and leaned on the stone wall on the side of the bridge. The Anduin flowed lazily through the city, with swirls in its current. It seemed a bit faster than it was earlier, being swollen some by the storm that was now was pressed against the great Misty Mountains to the north.
Khaloch pondered his first day in Gondor, the Great Kingdom of the West which he had spent his young adult life fighting for in the far reaches of Harad and Rhun. He thought about the girl at the well and the girl at the bakers, and how it seemed they had so little in such a great land, where the people who had much more, like the baker and the tavern proprietor who were mean and hard on those with little. Khaloch was not much older than they, if at all when he was impressed into the military service. Having been on the streets, he swore he would never look down on those with little.
The soldier on the bridge had flicked a small stone off the edge, and in the quiet, Khaloch heard it hit water. The rings were quickly swept away under the bridge, and the soldier looked north upriver. Khaloch watched him from the front of the Inn as he again thought of Lady Scarlett. She was a woman of means. Well-to-do with her fine dress and cloak. She was eager to know about places other than Gondor too. He had hoped to be able to show his maps to her and see if she knew of any of the places that were shown. He looked back up at the bridge, and he could make out in the darkness the helm of the soldier was the same as the one the commander wore at the tavern earlier that day. If they’re still around, then they had not found who they were looking for yet. Lady Scarlett may yet still be free.
"Hey-you."
… a voice said as two soldiers approached, their boots splashing in the remaining puddles in the muddy street. Khaloch right away made them to be the other two elite soldiers from the tavern. He failed to notice they did not stop on the bridge with the commander. Khaloch stepped off the inn porch into the street to face them as they approached.
"Yeah, you."
They were now face-to-face. Khaloch held the eyes of the taller one, ignoring the other. The taller soldier said,
"You look familiar."
"I should, being we met earlier at a tavern. You interrupted my buying a beer."
Khaloch said in reply. The other soldier said,
[i]"It's that mercenary rat…"
The tall soldier signalled him to be quiet with his hand and said,
"He served in the Ninth. Likely seen more battle than you and me combined.... or most of us. He is a citizen so we'll show him respect."
Khaloch looked briefly at the other soldier before returning his gaze on the tall soldier. He didn't like these guys. He should, but he didn't. The tall soldier then said,
"I have a question and maybe you could help."
Khaloch didn't speak but nodded he was willing to listen and maybe answer. The soldier went on,
"We're looking for someone, a young lady. Maybe you've seen her?"
'I've seen several young ladies today. I have even talked to a few in passing."
Khaloch replied, not breaking his gaze from the soldier.
[i]"Well, you'd know if you have seen this young lady. She has the fairest green eyes and long auburn hair which she usually keeps braided. I thought I saw her at that tavern when I tried to walk through the crowd, but I wasn't sure. Did you see her?"
Khaloch looked down, thinking. The tall soldier had nice boots. He wanted a pair like those. He would have to get some made tomorrow. He looked back up in the soldier's eyes and said,
"No, don’t remember seeing anyone like that there. Why do you seek this woman?"
After a long pause, the soldier nodded and said,
"Someone in Minas Tirith that she is very dear to seeks her."
"Her husband?"
Khaloch asked, the soldier shook his head and said,
[i]"No, and it is business you don’t really need to know. But I'll tell you some, as you have been a fellow soldier.”
The mouthy one sighed at that while Khaloch said,
”It would be good to know why I would be looking out for her for you.”
”Indeed. This lady is Captain Seth of Minas Tirith's daughter. She was not in her chambers last night, and had not been seen since earlier that afternoon, so this morning we were ordered to search for her. Someone thought they saw a horse riding out hard toward Osgiliath late yesterday so we came here this morning, suspecting she was here. Since it’s getting dark and we have not found her, we'll have a search again in the morning. If you do see her, let us know. Any information would be well compensated We are camped outside the city gate."
They turned and started to walk away. Khaloch looked up at the bridge and saw the commander had watched the whole exchange. He then considered the reward for finding the captains daughter. Khaloch let them get several steps down the road when he said,
"I said I didn't see her at the tavern this afternoon..."
The two soldiers turned around in a step and were quickly back. The other soldier said,
"I figured a bag of money would help you remember her. I was sure you had seen her."
"Like I said, I didn't see her at the tavern."
Khaloch snapped back. The tall soldier then asked,
"So, you did see her, just not at that tavern?"
Khaloch smiled and said,
"Here you are in the lower east Osgiliath, looking for the Captain's daughter, a fair maiden wearing fine clothes and holding herself in a dignified demeanour? How much do they pay you guys?”
“Talk now, for though you’re a former soldier and a current citizen of Gondor, my patience has run thin.”
The tall soldier snapped. Khaloch raised his hand and eased him before starting to tell them all he knew.
”Yes, I have seen a woman such as you described, with green eyes and long auburn hair and, except she had two braids. She was looking a bit rough, dressed more like a man working the docks. She was heading out tonight on the river trader bound for Pelargir."
“You sure???"
the tall soldier asked surprised. Khaloch said,
Yes. I met her here at this inn after the storm. She was full of questions about the south once she found out I was there recently. I told her about Pelargir, and her eyes lit up, and another guy, a ship’s mate, said they were setting out for Pelargir this night. I think they are leaving port right now."
Khaloch pointed over toward the river where a boat was right then setting out on the high current of the rain swollen river. They were hoping to make good time downstream. The soldiers both looked and seemed confused as to what to do. The tall soldier looked up at the commander on the bridge and finally said to the other soldier,
"You get back to the commander with this news. Have our fastest rider go to Minas Tirith. He may get there in time and the boat can be stopped and searched. Otherwise, it will be a long ride to Pelargir!"
The commander waved his arm and from the darkness four more soldiers came running across the bridge to the east side. The mouthy one ran the other way to pass the message. The four soldiers approached and together with the tall soldier the headed north up the east side of the river toward the docklands and disappeared into the darkness. They were undoubtedly going to ask questions of the port-master. Khaloch hoped Lady Scarlett was somewhere safe, and maybe the search for her would for a time look elsewhere since he led the soldiers to believe she had caught the boat south. He couldn’t now go looking for her as surely he would be watched. So Khaloch went back into the inns tavern and sat back down. Finding a fresh pot of hot tea, he pours some in his cup and he sipped it. He stared into its steaming surface when the candle on his table flickered slightly. A voice, sounding fair and recently familiar said,
“Pardon me sir, but may I sit here?”
Khaloch looked up and immediately stood, setting his cup down abruptly.
”Lady Scarlett! A much unlooked for surprise! Yes, it would be my honour to have you sit and share my tea if you wish!
Khaloch stepped around behind her and pulled the chair out for her to sit. Once she was settled, he returned to his chair and had another cup brought to the table.
Khaloch looked at Lady Scarlett’s face, and she was seemingly smiling and was unconcerned. She must be good at slipping through shadows, for those elite soldiers were not blind. He admired her eyes and as he considered what to tell her, he said,
”It is a fair night for me to have you find me. We have much to talk about. I have considered my trail, and it will lead to Rohan then north to Tharbad, then on to Bree, and from there to the city of Annuminas. It will be a long road, and there is much to do before then.”
Why he told her this he wasn’t sure. Considering the soldiers from Minas Tirith were not far away in the docklands, he expected them to walk in the door of the inn at any time. Thoughts in his head were to sit there and allow them to find her and take her back to Minas Tirith. He may get a reward for keeping her there safe for them, and he could be off west and north without any trouble with the authorities. But he looked into her eyes that seemed to sparkle as she thought about what he said. So Khaloch said shortly after,
”Maybe you would be interested in leaving this city? I have some maps I would like to have you see if you are interested.”
She smiled as he watched the door to the tavern…
Eighth King of Arthedain - It was in battle that I come into this Kingship, and it will be in Battle when I leave it. There is no peace for the Realm of Arnor. Read the last stand of Arthedain in the Darkest of Days.
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wolfbladequeen |
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Ella |
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findemaxam48 |
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Eldarion |
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wolfbladequeen |
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findemaxam48 |
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wolfbladequeen |
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findemaxam48 |
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Hanasian |
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Ella |
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Eldarion |
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HuldahMaria |
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wolfbladequeen |
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findemaxam48 |
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Hanasian |
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Eldarion |
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HuldahMaria |
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wolfbladequeen |
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findemaxam48 |
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Hanasian |
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Ella |
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Eldarion |
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HuldahMaria |
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findemaxam48 |
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Ella |
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HuldahMaria |
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wolfbladequeen |
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Hanasian |
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Eldarion |
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