[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Gilly

Gilly noticed Benia’s hand tighten around her knife as she eyed Kaldir. Remembering their conversation in the alley she became genuinely alarmed. What exactly did her friend have in mind? Were Benia to try anything now she knew they would have no chance, unless she were to manage to injure Kaldir gravely indeed. Somehow that seemed unwarranted to the hobbit. She reckoned the bounty hunter had been treating them rather well for being held captive. Other than the odd threats of death and stern demeanor, he had provided food and horses and now thankfully she had been given her knife back! In view of Kaldir’s immediately apparent goal she would sorely regret having her only defense taken away through her friend’s miscalculations.

Not to say she herself hadn’t been tempted to flee and find some hiding place when the two had left her to watch the horses, but once given a task she took care to do it to the best of her ability, dependability being a source of pride for her. Also she could not bring herself to leave knowing that even if she did reach help she would be unlikely to find her friend, Miss Nightshade again.

A rather absurd hope was forming in her mind that if Miss Benia and she were to somehow find a way to assist Kaldir in his pursuit of Naiore, perhaps they could win their own freedom. Were bounty hunters such bad people that you could not strike an honest bargain with them? She supposed one could tell a “good” bounty hunter from a “bad” one by what sort of people they chose to track down. Unfortunately Kaldir, having pursued Miss Benia, weighed in heavily on the less desirable side according to this theory.

The hobbit saw Kaldir catch Benia’s hand in his and after laying down his bow raise it so that the well honed knife was poised between their faces.”

“What were you thinking, my lady?” he asked menacingly. “Would you strike at me?”

“Ach!” Gilly muttered, “Now she’s gone and done it!” Rushing up to the towering ranger she gingerly attempted to smooth things over when Kaldir cut her off abruptly with out so much a word.

Standing silently beside them, she saw their eyes engaged. Miss Benia not looking defiant, but rather studying the ice blue eyes. After a moment she faltered glancing anxiously at the hobbit.

“Well?” Kaldir prompted. “I asked you a question.” Gilly looked awaiting Benia’s response, but the desert woman remained mute. The hobbit jerked her chin toward the man, trying to signal her friend to answer anything, just answer.

Kaldir pulled the knife toward him placing the tip against his throat, the tendons of his hand pulling taut his bronze skin as he enclosed Benia’s hand in his. Her eyes became fixed on the knife resting in the hollow there. Shaking her head she finally uttered “No”.

Gilly saw that a drop of blood shone at the base of the bounty hunter’s neck. “Miss Benia…” she whispered reaching for her own knife. She could not understand what was happening before her. Benia again looked upon the his face and tried to pull her hand away. After a moment’s hesitation Kaldir released it and walked away as though nothing unusual had happened, bidding them to hurry so that they might leave Bree. But the two stood planted in shocked silence. “Move!” Kaldir shouted tossing Benia’s sheath to her.

They quickly resumed their places and began the descent into Bree and onward to Chetwood. Once they were deep among the trees Gilly urged her pony on until she rode next to Kaldir as he walked. Taking some bread and dried fruit from the packs the pony carried, she handed them to the ranger who accepted them from her hand, with thanks.

“You know Mr. Kaldir,” the hobbit said quietly, “there is no harm in her looking at you now is there?” It wasn’t exactly the straightest truth, but near enough. Still she continued, hoping for the best. “I’ve never known Miss Nightshade to go around murdering people and such like, no matter how angry I’ve seen her. Don’t you go worrying yourself about that. If you’d like, I can have a talk with her, and tell her not to stare too much, if that is what troubled you so.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Banks” Kaldir said. “But look, here is something that might interest you. Look at these tracks and tell me what you see.”

“Oh Sir, I don’t know the first thing about rangering! They all look a jumble to me.”

“What about this one here?” The bounty hunter said pointing to a bare footprint in the dust.

“I suppose it might be a hobbit’s, but why this Naiore would travel with a hobbit I’m sure I don’t know! And why a hobbit would travel with her as well! But then again why would a bounty hunter for that matter, keep a hobbit in tow.”

“Perhaps the halfling may prove useful to her.”

“Ach no! I hope not if she is as bad as she is. She would be a terrible mistress, shouting night and day '...bring this, polish that, not that diabolical instrument the other one you half wit!' A poor hobbit would know no peace.” She had hoped to make him smile, but was on the wrong side to mark his expression.

“Perhaps she keeps him to drive her mad with incessant chatter.” Kaldir said distractedly.

“Yes, there’s that too…” Gilly said quietly before dropping back beside Benia. Reaching into the pack again she offered some food to her friend. “Please eat something Miss Benia, she said earnestly. She was sure Benia must think her quite foolish and maybe she was. Sighing she wished that they could speak freely. What had happened at the cave was of great concern to her.