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Old 03-27-2006, 01:06 PM   #248
Undómë
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
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Meghan


Meghan drew Ash to a halt a few paces away from where the young woman sat. She did not wish to crowd her or seem menacing in the least. Ash turned a little sideways, as if to give the woman’s gelding a better view of her fine form, a move which Meghan found rather funny.

She laughed at the horse’s antics, and then excused herself saying, ‘Silly girl! She’s showing off for no reason!’ Meghan eyed the woman, wondering how it was she was out riding alone and weaponless, it seemed. Did she not know what had happened to the village so few miles away?

‘My name is Meghan,’ she said. ‘And this is Ash.’ She pointed her thumb over her shoulder to where she'd left the other three. ‘Those are some others from my village – Bregoware. Nearly two days ride north of here and a days ride on the other side of the river.’ She watched the woman to see what she might make of their village being across the river, outside the bounds proper of Rohan. ‘We’re loyal to the King in Edoras – his people, that’s how we think of ourselves,’ she hastily put in.

Meghan looked beyond the woman, far in the direction in which she’d seen her riding. ‘Two of our group had gone ahead to scout the land for us. Two men. They have not come back . . .’ She shivered, remembering the dead she seen in the funeral pyre. ‘We saw the village just back there and feared they might be dead at the hands of Orcs as were those poor people.’

A frown creased her brow. ‘But the Orcs must be gone, yes? For you to ride so boldly, alone and unarmed. That is a good sign.’ Meghan smiled and relaxed hoping to hear good news as she asked her question. ‘Have you by any chance seen them? The two men?’

---------------

Rædwald


Alarmed at first by her galloping away, Rædwald turned his horse from Sythric and Eostre and went after her. The woman in the distance did not seem threatening and she had turned back toward Meghan when she’d been hailed. He slowed his mount, seeing that no Orcs or armed men rose from the grasses to bring Meghan down as she passed through.

He’d put his lance back in its holder at the side of his saddle and rode with both hands on the reins, easing his own horse several paces back from where Meghan’s had stopped. He’d heard the last of her telling where they’d come from and the whole of her question to the young woman.

‘Rædwald here, mistress,’ he said in pleasant tone. ‘Meghan’s uncle-of-sorts.’ He ignored Meghan’s snort at this phrasing of their relationship. ‘We would be most grateful if you have seen our other friends and can tell us where they’ve gone.’

He sat at ease, hands on his thighs, as he regarded her. And what was one so young as this doing out here by herself and weaponless? he wondered. Was she battle-dazed, from that village perhaps . . . and not in her right mind?

‘Can we escort you back to your people, mistress?’ he asked in a kindly voice. ‘Somewhere more safe for you?’

Last edited by Undómë; 03-27-2006 at 01:09 PM.
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