• Welcome to The Tolkien Forum! Connect with fellow Tolkien enthusiasts and join a community that is over two decades old, and still going strong. We look forward to meeting you.  Register

DuneDain Inn

He leaned back and relaxed a bit in his chair. He thought a few moments as he rubbed his chin. "This elf sounds familiar but ofcourse as I have said, many wear cloaks and look alike. I believe It was when I left the Gray Hill." He looked to see her reaction with a concerned look. "This elf wasn't...well, he wasn't exactly in a good state." He stopped and took a long drink of ale.
 
Her hands tightened around the cup, a hopeful and yet worried look shining in her eyes. "Did you catch his name? Or did he seem to...act...different, then other elves you have seen?" He voice was steady but only from practice. She searched Daranovo's eyes, looking for anything that might help. This could have been anyone... He might be wrong... Her mind raced, her heart wanting her to ask things she could not, not yet.
 
He shook his head. "As I said he was in quite a bad state. Several men had him bound upon a horse and he looked as if he had been burned. That is all I can say. Was he indeed someone of import to you Olheri?" A concerned look remained upon his features.
 
"Burned?" Her voice was almost inaudible, the color fading from her face. The ring had been burned...Sullan had said it had looked to be burned... "I..." She swallowed, trying to clear her mind. "My brother... He is what I have been...am, looking for." Her eye fell to her drink, her hunger forgotten. "I am sorry, it would seem that some fresh air would be good. I...Do you mind if I ask that we talk outside?" There were enough people in the room now, she wanted somewhere a little quieter. Could this man truly have seen Duath? How could she be sure if he had or not? What could have happened?
 
He stood up immediately and his chair slid out loudly as he did. She rose from her seat as well and without a word the two made their way out of the Inn. She took him to the far side of the porch away from the pipe smokers and sat down upon a rocking bench that faced outward from the porch. He sat aside her and put his hands in his lap as he spoke, " I gather he is someone that you care about greatly. He was still alive last I saw Olheri so that is something. I don't know who those men were that had him in chains however, they did trade me a trinket for the last of my pipe weed, so I probably would remember what they looked like If I saw them." He gave her a reassuring look.
 
Thought the evening breeze held a slight chill, that was not why she shivered. It was a little while before she could really say anything, something he just said sinking in. "A trinket? What was it?" Her fingers played with and twisted the edge of her cape. The light color of her face making her eyes look larger; nearly blank, they shifted from the soft cloak to his face.
 
He shrugged and replied, "Just some little green stone half charred that I could tell. I traded Sullan the merchant for it." He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Have you met him?" he said. "A very strange man I think." He shook his head and looked again at the men smoking just yards away.
 
She moaned slightly. "I know of him... and it would seem that we have both been cheated out of something. What did you get for such a stone?" Her eyes locked on his. She knew that the elf he had seen must have been her brother, there was no other way the men would have had his ring. Why had she not gotten here earlier?! She wished there was some way she could be sure about trusting this man, he would be a great help if only she could.
 
A slight blush came to his face at her question and he looked down. "Well, he offered me companionship for the evening. I thought it an interesting proposal since I did not plan on staying here more then a few days. The company of a woman is always worth alot to me when it occurs, which is not very often." He looked at her now. "Does this upset you?" He scratched his head somewhat confused.
 
Her gaze went back to where her hands were now folded in her lap. "it is not a surprise... but," she stopped a moment, "what you traded was something that I have been trying to find." Saddened eyes looked back up at him. "That stone was something that belonged to my brother. I have tried to get it back, but... Sullan asked for more then I could pay." Her voice held a cold note to it, she would love to know a way to get hold of what was her's. An idea came to her, a spark showing in her dark eyes. "Is there some way I know I could trust you? I could use some help and you seem to know your way around this place."
 
He tilted his head at her. "Trust? I find that to be a difficult thing to give these days. I do not wish any trouble either. So you may have to tell me more if you wish my help with whatever it is you want. I am really only interested in a nice evening with you, but I can see that that is not going to happen now. I would be lying if I said that I am not dissapointed, I am."
 
Her face went blank for a moment, then softened with a blushed smile. "Oh, I am sorry. I had not thought..." She stopped, biting her lip. "Yes, I could tell you more, but it would seem that I had forgotten your invitation. It has been a little while, perhaps things have calmed down in there by now..." She looked to be slightly confused but had made up her mind. If she would hear anything that could help, Daranovo would be her best bet so far. And she had not forgotten what had been asked in trade for a chance at getting the stone back.
 
He was now very confused and just smiled to his ignorance. "Ok..and so?" He gestured to her for more information.
 
Olheri turned where she sat, placing on foot up under the knee of her other leg and resting her back in the corner of the bench. With the cloak draped lightly over her, she let herself relax a little and watched Daranavo's face as she spoke. "The stone was Duath's, my brother's. It was given to him as a gift from our parents and he always kept it with him. I have the twin, though mine is part of a charm that I have lost the chain to." Her hand strayed to where a necklace would have hung. "I have been looking for my brother for almost a year now...he left with no sign and without telling anyone what he was doing. I felt that he must be found but none would help. That is why no one travels with me; they knew not of my leaving, though I thought to write a letter for my mother. I do not want to face returning without news, if I must go back without him."
 
He gave her a sidelong glance. "So, if...the stone...is your...brothers, then...it rightfully belongs to him if he still lives I think. But...what does this have to do with needing my help? Sullan seemed an honest man, I bet he would part with it if your brother claims the stone and I told you all that I know of where I last saw him a few days ago. What do you want me to do now?"
 
"Do you not remember what the men looked like? You are the only one that has given me any clue that Duath may yet be alive. Could you not help me find him?" The blue eyes looked into his; a begging and hopeful look mixed with a flicker of light. "I can not promise much now, but it may be worth your time."
 
He did not look away when she spoke to him. He now wondered how he got himself into this. "Well perhaps I could remember what they looked like if I saw those men again but I have no aspirations to return to that Inn. I must move on soon. I realize you want to find your brother but it would really take me out of my way to go back there. I'm sorry." He wanted to look away from her face but, for some reason, he could not.
 
"But did you not say that your road is your own right now? Please, is there some way you could help?" One upturned hand reached out slightly. "If you have indeed seen these men, then I trust that you would know them if you were to cross paths again. But if you are sure that you can not help..." Her voice faded; she waited silently, not taking her eyes from his.
 
She knew exactly what she had done. Already she saw his barriers breaking down. The conflict within him almost made his mouth tremble. He shook his head no but he said, "Very well, I will go with you but I'm not going to get into a fight, I'm going so you can speak to him. I'll have your word that we will not do any killing to get him released." He gave her a piercing look.
 
"You have my word, sir. Though I can only hope that they will agree to the same." Her gaze was steady; a slight curve coming to the corner of her mouth. Her eyes almost glowed now; hope, triumph and sadness touched by the soft evening light. She held out her hand, trying to keep it from shaking; her mind calming when a twang of hunger reminded her that they had not yet eaten.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Similar threads

RP 🎲 Arnor ~ The Summer of 44
Replies
9
Views
1K
Halasían
The Eru-as-Audience Symphony Theory
Replies
9
Views
1K
AaronAzrael
📖👀 Chapter 3 (📔Book V): The Muster of Rohan
Replies
2
Views
1K
TrackerOrc
Fanfic The Sculpture and the Willow
Replies
0
Views
695
Server Room Gremlin
Fanfic Annals of the Kings of the North
Replies
3
Views
1K
Valandil
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…