RP 🎲 RP 36: Redemption

[Turgon]

'How is she?' Turig asked gruffly. 'I fear my help was too little, too late...' Caimare looked up the brigand with a look of contempt in his eyes; yet it mattered little to him, he was passed caring what the company thought of him.

'As you will, Lordling. For you sister's hurts I am sorry - yet I have seen men of less strength take such wounds and live. Take heart!' He gave the elf half a smile, then walked away, sitting some distance from the company, lost in his own thoughts.

 

[Snaga]

Eäritila smiled gratefully at Maedhros. 'Just let me sit here awhiles, lord! I will recover shortly. How is Nildadari? Does she yet recover?'

The grey sky turned to rain, which began in spots but soon fell steadily, without any wind to blow it away. Eäritila pulled her hood over her face and tried to shut it out, still feeling dazed.

Eve looked at Nildadari. She still seemed deathly pale and weak, although perhaps at least Eäritila had pulled her back in time. She stood, and went to talk to Barahir and the leader of the Dunedain. 'My lords, I percieve some dispute lies between you, concerning Alfirin. I know nothing of this, but he has been valient if that helps spare a harsh judgement. But now, my sister's wounds are grave, and we cannot let her walk upon this rain-soaked road. I would beg of you a horse if you have one you might spare for a time, and advice too. I thought to ride to Bree - I will bear her before me. There at some friendly house we will seek rest, and we will stable the steed for you to collect in time.'

 

[Snaga]

A ranger stepped forward with a horse that was spare. ‘You may take this one. Alas for his rider, but he will need him no more.’ he said sadly to Eve.

But Maedhros stepped forward, and his mood was dark. He spoke to Barahir. ‘You twain told us you could grant us passage on behalf of the Kings of Men. Yet here it seems you are banned from even walking upon this land, ye who hath spoken ever against this brigand here...' he pointed at Turig. 'Yet how are ye more faithful than he? But now is no time to get answers to such questions. Our road now lies southward to the village and we no longer need a guide. I thank thee for what thou hath done for us, but now we are in haste for Nildadaris wounds have laid her low, and we may not tarry. Perforce I must leave thee to the judgement of thy kinsfolk. But my thanks is always with thee for thy valour on this day. We will rest awhile at the inn: if it is thy fate, meet us there.

Eve took the bridle and saddle from the horse. ‘I need them not,’ she said and sprang lightly onto its back. Then Hergurth and Caimare lifted Nildadari up to her. Crying aloud to the horse in the elven tongue, she set off at speed.

‘Namarie!’ said Earitila softly to Alfirin kissing his brow gently where he lay. ‘Your strength will return soon.’

The others said farewell, but with heavy hearts, for it was an ill parting. Turig brooded and said nothing, but was glad to leave in the company of the elves. Quickly they strode off southwards, and he laboured to keep pace with their tireless feet. They had a wearisome path ahead: thirty leagues along a long and empty road. Turig warned them it would take three days at least.

Eve and Nildadari trotted all the long miles together. Eve cradled her in her arms, and tended her as best she could. She was terribly worried, but there was only so far the horse could travel in a day. Yet onwards she pushed it, coaxing it with kind words that promised hay and apples aplenty when the journeys end was reached. At times, she lightened the load, by getting down to allow the horse carry only Nildadari.

So it was she came to northgate of Bree in the small hours of the second day of travel, when Maedhros and the other elves were still but halfway down the road. The gate was locked, and Bill Thistle the Gatekeeper was asleep. Eve climbed quickly over the gate and banged on the door of his small gatehouse until he awoke. Grumbling and moaning he opened the gate, through his sleep to in awe at seeing two elves to question them closely. Eve did not stop to exchange pleasantries but merely asked directions to the inn.

'Silver Dragon! By the hill. You cant miss it! Good night!'

Eagerly now she ran leading the horse the final steps. The inn loomed tall and dark, but the windows were dark. Only a few wisps of smoke came from the chimney where the fire had burnt low. All the guests were asleep. Undeterred, Eve pounded on the door, and cried in her clear voice. 'Let me in! My sister is dying! Let me in by Elbereth the fair!'

 

[¤-Elessar-¤]

The company rode off, and Barahir stared after them. Minutes passed in near silence, as the Dunedian gathered their wounded and dead, and all other scraps and weapons that proved still useable. Alfirin rose to a sitting position, and grabbed for his bent and torn sword. He used it as a cane, helping him get to his feet. Blood gushed openly from his half-sewn wounds, but he did not notice it. He took one step, and the bent blade shattered. He fell to his knees, where he first noticed that his leg was turned at a very perticular angle. He looked around, and saw a horse standing without a rider. He jumped, all of his strength shooting into his one good leg, and landed in the saddle. He turned the horse, shot a fleeting 'thank you' glance at Barahir, and rode southward before anyone noticed him.

His mind was racing. How could Maedhros say such things? Was he not traitor? Had he not been unfaithful? He had slain the King of Doraith of old? he was surely Maedhros, tall and fell of the sons of Feanor... Maedhros the one handed... Had he yet not learned that little could be said of a man by what others think? If that had held true, would Fingon had ever rescued him from that lonely cliff? For was it not Maedhros himself who had agreed to leave the entire host of Fingolfin to cross the grinding ice in the north?

But now the mind of Alfirin was completely usurped in the pain that was caused by riding the damned horse. He planned to go to Bree, though he knew not which way the elves would go. He had friends, if not kinsmen, and many of them were in bree. He would need aid for his wounds, a keen blade, and gossip.

 

[Elbereth]

Inside the Silver Dragon Inn, a stirring could be heard as Eve waited impatiently outside of the door. Nildadari then let out a weak groan of pain, as Eve held her up in her arms. Eve began pounding the door again in dire urgency.

"Let us in! For Eru sakes let us in!!!"

The stirring became louder and then she heard a lady's voice behind the closed door.

"Deary me! I'm coming, I'm coming. Give an old gal a chance to get to the door."

The thick wooden door of the Inn pushed open and Eve gave a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness! Please you must help me! My sister is dying."

The Innkeeper, a plump lady with bright red hair and a kind round face wasted no time with introductions, guiding Eve and Nildadari into an empty room. Laying Nildadari on a cot, the Innkeeper instructed Eve to go to the kitchen to boil some water and return with some herbs that lie in a tin by the hearth. While Eve ran to the kitchen, she tended to Nidadari's wounds.

Eve did as she was instructed, returning momments later with a small linen bag herbs and a kettle of boiled water.

"Good dear girl, now let me do my work." said the InnKeeper to Eve.

The Innkeeper then took the small bag of herbs and poured a handful of its contents into a nearby pewter bowl and crushed the herbs into a fine powder with a smooth round stone. She then poured the boiling water into the herb powder and mixed it until it became a thin paste, which she used to smooth over Nildadari's wounds.

Nildadari moaned softed as the mixture was applied...but before long the strain on her face lessened and she soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

"Will she be all right?" Eve asked softly as the Inn keeper finished wrapping her wounds.

The Inn keeper let out a sigh and wiped her round face with her apron. Without looking up from Nildadari, the Inn keeper said confidently, "She be fine...although it was rough going at first. Thank Eru above that you got here in time. For she had little time left indeed. But my herbs are famous for fixing what ails you." She looked up at Eve, "It's none of my business where you come from, or how she was hurt. But I suggest you stay here for awhile, before you head out again. Your sister needs rest and lots of it."

"Thank you and we will." Eve replied greatfully.

The Inn Keeper smiled and nodded and then headed out of the room.

"Oh, and my name is Mrs. Fairweather. I'm the Inn Keeper here at the Silver Dragon. And if you need any assistance, please let me know. I will do what I can to help you." said Mrs. Fairweather with a kindly smile.

"Thank you." Eve said as Mrs. Fairweather left the room, closing the door silently behind her.

 

[chrysophalax]

Nildadari awoke in a haze of pain, her arms on fire.She looked blearily around to see where she was. At once Eve was at her side. "Nil? Nil, are you with us once again? Sister, I feared we had lost you back there." She stroked Nildadari's hair and wished she could make her pain diasappear. She also wished the others would arrive soon.She had never been around Men very mcuh at all and she was very ill at ease.

"I'll be back." she said and called for Mrs. Fairweather, to see if the woman had anything to ease her sister's pain. Nildadari meanwhile, cursed herself for letting herself become injured, thereby slowing Maedhros' quest.

 

[Elbereth]

"Oh come on Fairweather, darling...just one more pint? I sweear I'll be going home when I'm done." slurred a peppered hair old man at the bar.

"Aye! You should be going home Mr. Pennywhistle! Your dear wife will be worried! " Mrs. Fairweather declared.

"Oye! And why would I be wanting to head home when you know the Silver Dragon is like a second home to me already! Whench! Get me a Pint!"

"Whench indeed!" says Mrs. Fairweather, she then snickers to herself, "You want a pint! I'll give you a pint you old fuddy duddy!" She goes to the back and fills a large Pint with her special concoction of clear hot chili sauce. Placing the Pint in front of the grumbling Mr. Pennywhistle...Mrs. Fairweather, stifles a laugh with her hand. "Here is you Pint Mr. Pennywhistle...on the house!"

"That is better! Nice to see a woman who knows her place in the world!", with that he picks up the Pint with a wide and proud smile spread across his face, and throws the hot liquid down his throat. Suddenly, Mr. Pennywhistle's face turns a bright shade of red...and he spits the liquid all over the bar in front of him, choking and gasping for water.

Mrs. Fairweather is now beside herself with laughter...but manages to deliver him a pitcher of water without spilling too much. A man from across the room yells out, "HA! You got him good Fairweather lass!" The room then fills with laughter.

"Ack! You're a devil of a woman!" Mr. Pennywhistle yells out between gulps of water.

Between hearty laughter and tears Mrs. Fairweather replies, "That'll teach you, you old fool...now cool off and go home to your wife already!!! And let's not have any hard feelings now...you know it was for your own good!"

Grumbling, Mr. Pennywhistle walks out of the bar, bumping into Eve as she bolts into the room. Mrs. Fairweather is still wiping the tears from her eyes and giggling to herself as Eve appears. Eve's face is full of fear and worry.

 

[Turgon]

Turig sat in a dark corner of the tap-room, taking the measure of the Dragon's patrons - there was no danger here, just a few weather-worn travellers resting up for the night and a merry assortment of simple village folk. Yet he felt uncomfortable in presence of so many people, stifled almost, by the close atmosphere and mindless laughter.

A brightly-dressed hobbit approached the brigand and bowing low, gave him a broad-beaming smile. 'Hello there Good Sir and welcome to Bree! I see that you travel in the company of the Fair Folk? Perchance you're an elf-friend and learned in lore? How about a tale?'

'Yes! A tale! A tale!' roared the crowd. Turig's head was pounding now as all eyes were turned towards him.

'A tale?' he growled. 'I could tell you a tale whose lightest words would freeze your blood and send you running back to your hole in terror - would you like to hear it?'

But the dark gleam in the brigand's eyes was enough, the young halfling turned tail indeed, fleeing through the door and into the night without so much as a farewell...

 

[roguelion]

enter Thorvold

The door to the inn swings open and a burly Dwarf enters. He stops and slowly glances around, checking every corner and face for signs of hostility. Thorvold (the dwarf) then walks over to the Bar maid. "Ill have a tankard of whatever ye have that is good, and somthing to sooth the hunger pains in my stomach". He then throws a few coins on the counter and turns to find a table in a dark corner and sit & await his meal.

 

[YayGollum]

*the door swings open again, this time revealing three more unruly customers, one, a wide-eyed Dwarf with a mace, another, a short human-looking thing with very rusty armor, and lastly, a hulking giant of a human, loosely holding a huge battle axe, they squeeze through the full tables to get up to the bar, the Dwarf uses his mace to help him up onto a stool, then looks around for someone to serve him* "Uh, excuse me? Can a Dwarf get a drink around here? What's the specialty of the house?"
*the human-looking thing (a Beorning) grabs a seat and pulls his helmet off to bang on the counter* "Hey! A little service for me and my friends! I hope you have v&f here!" *leans over to Tolir* "You're gonna love this stuff. It's a great Beorning specialty!"
*the human (Tolir) gently lowers himself onto a chair, wincing when it creaks, then decides to stand up and lean on a wall* "I hope so!" *starts panicking* "Oh, great! Where's my axe?"
"Calm down! I got it right here." *hands him an axe now sticky and smelling of ale from the floor which the human grips tightly now*

 

[chrysophalax]

Nildadari began to feel better after the ministrations of Mrs. Fairweather. She sat up and pulled on some clean clothes from her pack with the help of Eve. She held her arms up and looked at her healing wounds. "These will make a nice story,one day, should I live to tell it!" she grinned to herself. "Eve, where are the others? Is it just the two of us here?" A burst of laughter came from the common room just then and she got up and started for the door, but Eve deterred her. "You're not well yet. Should you not rest?"

Nildadari glared at Eve and pushed past her. She stopped dead as she entered the room and almost turned to go back to her room. Turig had come with them! She could feel her face flush as she got a grip on herself and went into the room and sat near the fire, Eve coming reluctantly to join her.

 

[Elbereth]

Mrs. Fairweather is serving up her special brew of V&F for the weather worn Beorning when she notices Nildadari enter the common room looking weak but stubbornly determined, as she takes a seat by the fireplace.

"Aye girl! I see you have resurfaced from the dead and reentered the world of the living. It is good to see you are up and about."

*Then to Eve*..."Although don't you think that you should not have let her out...she still looks a little peaked."

*To Nildadari* "Dear girl, you should be resting some more me thinks."

"I appreciate your concern Mrs. Fairweather, and I will forever be greatful for your assistance. But I can't stand to be locked in my room any longer. I can't let you or Eve keep me as a caged bird!" Nildadari declared stubbornly

Mrs. Fairweather bright green eyes lit up as she chuckled to herself. "Well Eru bless...I could tell you got spirit girl. By all means, I love to have you join us." She then called over a barmaid...."Veanne...get this girl a blackberry brandy." The barmaid nods and fetches the drink.

"My blackberry brandy is famous in these parts for it's healing qualities. Not to mention it is quite tasty." Mrs. Fairweather says chuckling warmly. Then the barmaid returns with the drink and Mrs. Fairweather winks at the girls before she turns to the bar to thirsty Beorning who is now banging for a second round of V&F.

 

[¤-Elessar-¤]

Alfirin arrived to the walls of the city. He grumbled to himself, it had begun raining, and his makeshift bandages were coming off quickly, allowing the salty taste of blood to run into his mouth again. He had left his horse a ways back, not wanting to be seen. he was in a secluded part of the wall now, blocked from view by trees and other growth. He dropped down to his knees with a grunt of pain, and crawled through the hole that he had made in his youth, moving an old rotting cart out of the way, and replacing it when he finished. He was growing queasy. His stomach was turning over and over, and his head was spinning. He came to the door, and knocked once, before passing out and falling through it, into the back door of the kitchen to the Silver Dragon. His friend Emmund worked here, and Alfirin had oft been known to wash dishes and clean the front room in exchange for food and keep.

 

[YayGollum]

*Truor hands Tolir his other v&f* "Now, tell me what you think of that!"
*Tolir grabs the strange-smelling drink and downs it quickly, noticing that he actually had to chew a part of it and makes a disgusted face which Truor notices*
"What? You don't like the raw fish? That's the best part!"
*Tolir slams the glass down on the counter and frantically looks for a decent place to spew it's unconventional contents*
"Huh. Guess he doesn't have the stomach for it. oh well. More for me!"

*Boffin still waits for the specialty of the house and is appalled by Tolir and Truor's actions*

 

[Elbereth]

Mrs. Fairweather hands Tolir a brass spitton, which he thankfully grabs from her and then spews the chewed up contents of V&F into it. It was a gross sight indeed. Tolir wipes his mouth with his sleeve and then grabs mug of ale to rinse out his mouth.

Mrs. Fairweather then fills a pint of 1420 malt (a specialty of the Silver Dragon, as it has now become quite rare to find elsewhere), which she hands to the Boffin who is still disgusted by the earlier scene. He thanks her properly and hands her a gold coin, but is still muttering under his breath about his friends ludeness.

Then from the kitchen Emmund came out and went to the Mrs. Fairweather and whispered urgently of his ailing friend in the kitchen. She then instructed him to set him up in the servants quarters towards the back of the Inn. He did as she instructed. Mrs. Fairweather then returned to the bar and poured a special elixer into a decanter and then called over the young barmaid Veanne to bring the elixer to Emmund in hope that it will help his ailing friend.

 

[chrysophalax]

Seeing Eve coming to join Nildadari at her table, Turig reluctantly left his seat and stalked over to join them. His scowls caused other denizens of the bar to avoid eye-contact with him. He sat down and greeted them with a stiff nod and called to the innkeeper for a round of drinks.

Nildadari wondered what had happened since the wolf-attack and they both took turns filling her in on events. "Has anyone seen the Ranger?" she asked and was startled by the surly look on Turig's face.

 

[Maedhros]

I wondered to myself the extent of this journey. Nildadari lay wounded by the last attack, Eäritila was exhausted by healing and helping Nil, thankfully the others are relatively unharmed. In a few days, all will be ready and we can continue. This last attack seemed strange to me. The ferocity of these creatures looked almost surreal. Can it be that Magnus has grown that strong since I last met him. I'm not sure it's his doing, but I feel like he was guiding them.

Still, I can't help but wonder about Alfirin. There is something strangely familiar about that ranger. The amulet that he has. No it's impossible.
I remember after the War of Wrath, the host of the Valar were victorious and Maglor and me prepared ourselves to fulfill our oath, even against impossible odds.

We slew the guards and fled from Eönwë, yet he was right and our right to the Silmarils had become void, and that the oath was vain. The pain that the Silmaril inflicted in my hand was unbereable and I cast myself to the fire, but I remember that I saw my Maglor, and he too was in pain with the Silmaril, but did he survived? Can it be that he survived. I have looked in the Halls of Mandos and didn't find him.
It's good that the Rangers are following us.

I went to the entrance of the Inn, there I found something peculiar. Pieces of torn bandages that led to the kitchen. There I saw Alfirin being attended by the cook. Then I said: "Cook, what is your name." He answered: "Emmund my lord, I'm tending my friend Alfirin." "Wait" I replied: "Help me get him upstairs to my room where he can be tended by Eäritila."
And so I went upstairs with Emmund to seek the healing ways of Eäritila.

 

[¤-Elessar-¤]

(I'll have another episode to this dream, so don't make me awake yet, at least not without me falling back into the abyss)
Loss of blood, mild hypothermia, and a high fever combined, and he was out cold. His dreams, though, flew with unsurpassed clearity and reality...

He was in his own world, immages flew by. There was a man, standing there, beating his mother. Beating her for her sins. And there he stood, his hands drenched in the blood of the man who had been his father all of his life... and yet he did not know how he did it. There must be some weapon, some thing that crushed the big man's skull. There were blunt things everywhere, but not in his hands... There was only blood on the table, and on him... Perhaps he had carried the man here? Where was his mother? She had been here a second ago... no, wait. It's dark outside, it was morning when his mother was being beaten... what happened. And then the men came. He asked them for help, but they looked at him, and at the body, and they scoffed. Apparently they had heard of his mother's sin. He must be away from these men, they were sure to do him harm..

Suddenly the pendant around his neck, the one his mother had given him last night, before the news spread even to his own ears, seemed to be pulsing with some foriegn energies. He looked up, and saw his opening. He liften teh table, body and all, and threw it at the men in front of him. He then ran. He jumped onto a stood with one foot, and sprung up to the top of the table. He jumped down, right atop the astonished men. Men he had grown up to admire and respect. He double-handed one over the head, nocking him out. He grabbed his sword, and ran.

 

[Snaga]

Eäritila stood near the door looking with bewilderment at the scene before her. What was this place? She had never been in an inn before. She saw many strangers of different kinds and races drinking merrily, and smiled at their mirth but was uneasy.

The place seemed dark and strange to her, with an unfamiliar bustle. She had thought there might be singing in such places, but there was just chatter amongst friends and drunken laughter.

She looked curiously at some small folk in the corner, swinging their legs from the chairs that were too big for them. Were these periannath? She looked away again not wishing to stare.

Who was the master or lady of this hall? How might one get a meal and a cup of wine? Suddenly she felt quite unaccustomed to life outside Alqualondë, unsure of herself. But to others in room, she seemed to shine with a delicate beauty, like a bright candle in the dark, as only one who has lived in Valinor will.

 

[chrysophalax]

Earitila saw the others seated at at table near the fire and hastened to join them. Turig threw his up his hand to get the innkeeper's attention and soon they were all engrossed in the first decent meals they'd had in weeks. Earitila wondered where Maedhros was, and grew concerned upon finding that none of the others had seen him recently.