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Old 03-23-2004, 05:58 AM   #227
Hilde Bracegirdle
Relic of Wandering Days
 
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Join Date: Dec 2002
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Hilde Bracegirdle has just left Hobbiton.
Gilly

"We should make for the stairs,” Kaldir said quietly. “Where are my horse and my sword?” Gilly shook her head. To be quite honest, she had forgotten about the few meager advantages the man had, and reprimanded herself that she should be so careless as to lose track of them the moment he most required her help.

But rather than trying to restore them to his possession, Kaldir reached down behind him and took up the weapon of a fallen orc that lay there. Giving a short nod to Rauthain he turned again to the hobbit, who with furrowed brow, stared past him to the grey ranger, as if she would ask one more favor of him. His attention now diverted, Rauthain did not see Gilly’s worried look.

A little unsteadily, Kaldir turned the hobbit around, gently guiding her and toward the place where she had left Benia and Dúlrain’s company. “That is a fine brand you carry,” he said to distract her from her concern. “Be sure to wipe it clean.”

“It is Mr. Dúlrain’s,” she said softly, turning her wrist to examine the bloody blade in her hand as she reached the stair.

“Yes, I know.”

“I’ve made quite a mess of it, haven’t I?” she said picking up the edge of her torn petticoat and wiping the blade clean.

“I do not think that he will mind,” Kaldir said. “When we reach Imladris I will show you how give it a new edge and oil it well before you return it to him.”

“Thank you sir, I would be grateful if you would. And I will take good care of it meanwhile.” Gilly lapsed into silence for a long time after that, thinking of Dúlrain and hoping that his wound would heal, so that the companion sword might again be of use to him. She had never seen Miss Benia so distraught, or the ranger look so bad. It was good that her friend had gone ahead with the injured ranger.

Steep the stone steps were, and broad enough so that an elf leading his horse might gain entrance to Imladris. And being wide, many there were who hurried past them as they climbed into the cover of the pines, without their having to make way for those who still defended the passage.

The hobbit’s unease returned to her. She had hoped that Rauthain might follow close behind, incase Kaldir should loose his footing. To tumble down this long flight would surely land one in poor condition, and she with only bruises, found it difficult to climb them. She feared that Kaldir with his hurt might grow faint again, or that he might be touched by that other malady that seemed to plague him. But the set look had begun to return to his scared face, and the dark fire had rekindled in his pale eyes. Something seemed to be troubling him apart from the stairs.

Once reaching the apex of the ridge the stairs began the lengthy descent that meandered along the side of the deep valley. With the battlefield behind them, the traffic on their path lessened and Gilly wondered if they might find Miss Benia, or at the least catch sight of her. Soon all would be put right. The elves would find this Naiore - and hopefully she and Kaldir would not - and send the wicked one very well bound to King Elessar, Mr. Dúlrain would have the care he needed, and she wagered that Miss Benia, Miss Vanwe and she would at last be free to go on their own way. But she did wonder what Kaldir might do. Return to collecting bounties? Oh, he would not go back to such a thing! Would he? She tried to put the image from her mind as she vividly recalled the formidable presence he had cut at The Forsaken Inn. Unfortunately, he was certainly good at that trade! Had he changed so much then? Or had she been the one who had been transformed? Wasn’t he after all still pursuing people, and here she was cleaning blood off a borrowed sword on her torn petticoat, and traveling in the company of a bounty hunter. And yet she still felt to be in many ways the same person, only now in the strangest of circumstances.

Looking back at Kaldir as they traveled now among oak and beech trees, she saw that he was looking rather grim. Perhaps sad to loose his horse, she thought to herself. Actually, she too had no idea where her pack pony had gotten to and hoped it followed Miss Benia’s mare as it had for so many miles. Suddenly a smile rose to her lips, as she stifled a laugh.

“What is so amusing, Mrs. Banks?” Kaldir spoke behind her. “I could use some levity.”

“Oh Mr. Kaldir, I just had the funniest notion! Mr. Longholes had asked Mr. Rauthain if he could help in removing you from were you lie on the field. I just imagined what would happen if he sent him after that great horse of yours!”

“That would be something to see,” the man grinned. “But how would you know that of my horse? Have you tried to lead him away?”

“No sir! I swear!” Gilly declared turning crimson. “It never entered my head, sir. But I must admit I had a rather rough introduction to him at the Foresaken Inn, just after Miss Benia…well, just after Miss Benia disappeared.”

“So you might know how his water bucket was destroyed and the door to the stall damaged.”

“I confess, I don’t think he was very pleased to make my acquaintance,” Gilly said laughing as they proceeded and the sound of water could be heard.

Last edited by Hilde Bracegirdle; 03-23-2004 at 06:57 AM.
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