[Ransom]

Shortly after his twenty-third birthday, Thagon had served as part of King Elessar’s escort when the entire royal family had gone to visit Laketown, Dale, and the Lonely Mountain. While the King was haggling over a trade treaty with his dwarfish and human counterpart, the Queen had borrowed a small number of knights to take her to visit the elves of Mirkwood. However, she had neglected to plan any activities for her escorts, leaving them up to their own devices. As usual, the knights had dispersed and gathered as much information about the elves as possible. Gondor had little dealings with Rivendell and Lorien, and their knowledge of the denizens of Mirkwood was similarly murky.

Thagon quickly glanced at the woman before turning his attention back to the sky. It was quite amazing how much you could learn from quick glances if you knew what to look for. The only thing he could discern at the moment was that she was one of the elvish women he had briefly seen earlier. Even if he knew more about elves, the lack of light completely precluded any attempts to discern her place of birth. He was fairly certain that she didn’t know much more about the situation than he did. His moment of pondering was interrupted a series of footfalls and a gruff voice.

“Ho, there, who wanders the streets of Calembel this night?”

Thagon slowly turned and appraised the new visitor, his right arm rising with its own volition to the hilt of his bastard sword. It wasn’t that he expected to be attacked. Only a green assassin would announce his presence to the world. Still, a soldier didn’t stay alive by being foolish.

“Put away your knife, neighbor Herebrand. The Valar know you’ll be using them more than you like. Its only a pair of fellow campaigners milking the last few moments of peace out of the night.”

The captain of Rohan narrowed his eyes, but sheathed his dagger. “And you would be?”

Thagon banged his gauntlet against the breastplate, causing a loud metal bang to reverberate through the town center. No one had ever complained that plate mail was too quite. “Sir Thagon Kestner, neighbor. Come join us.”

“Aye, ‘tis a beautiful night, and good campaigning weather too.” observed Herebrand. “But we haven’t nearly enough enemy about our foes.”

Lanaey turned to face the two soldiers. “Maybe Laurel doesn’t know any more than she’s told us. She surely wouldn’t withhold information.”

Herebrand frowned. “Aye, but something doesn’t smell right. A band of ruffians would attack the town en masse, not a few at a time.

“Perhaps they expected a village of soft peasants. But why keep on attacking them?”

The three adventurers lapsed back into silence, pondering the day’s events under the brilliant moon.

[ March 18, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]