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Old 05-18-2004, 02:18 PM   #252
Nerindel
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Toby Longholes

Toby sat cross-legged on the front step of the ranger’s quarters, a low structure nestled in the tranquil gardens of Rivendell, where seasoned rangers could find quiet rest bite and where novices could study and practice their skills. He had been relieved when the Rangers Rauthain and Amandur had go off with Avanill and left him behind, even Kaldir had forgotten him and carried on to the main house. They had not left him completely alone, he had the company of a young ranger. Efrin, he had introduced himself. The young man had told him that he was in Rivendell for study and reflection, ‘they wish to tame my wilder side,‘ the young man had winked roguishly as he guided him through the ranger’s complex to the room that had been set aside for him. After Toby had washed and changed into some clothes that had been left for him, they made their way to the kitchens to find something other than dried fruit and stale bread to sate his hunger, which had embarrassingly manifested itself into a loud grumbling in his stomach, something that the young ranger had found highly amusing.

‘So what brings you to Rivendell Master Periannath?’ the young ranger asked as they made their way to the front porch to enjoy the warmth of the fading afternoon. Toby slumped down on the step staring woefully into his bowl, what had brought him here? He thought wearily to himself, the rangers? No, he could not blame them it went back further than that, Bill and old man Sharky? No! Though they perhaps set him on a path, from which there was no return. His mother’s death, his father neglects? Yes that is were it began so angry and confused he had been, he had wanted, no needed answers. However, he never got them. His father fell in to despair and took little notice of anything, much less his son. So much did he crave his father’s attention that he did not care how he got it, he took to thieving small at first, apples from master chubbs orchard or carrots from farmer browns vegetable patch. Still his father paid little heed, ‘he’s justa lad, they get up to mischief don’t they’ he would reply absently to the angry hobbits, when they would call to complain. By the time his father finally died, Toby’s feet were firmly planted on the path he now travelled. A path of his own design he realised bitterly, setting aside his bowl, he was no longer hungry, instead nausea swept over him, He had done this to himself! He was here because of his own choices!

“Are you alright master Longholes, you do not look well can I…” the young ranger asked, now kneeling before him and looking him over with concern. “No, I am not and neither do I deserve to be,” Toby answered sullenly.

The ranger held his gaze for a moment “You know they have a saying here that a burden shared is a burden halved, and you’ll excuse me if I say so, but your burden looks mighty heavy for one to bear alone.” Toby’s eye instinctively narrowed with suspicion, but softened wearily as he saw nothing but compassion and sympathy in the young ranger’s dark eyes.

“I am not deserving of your compassion, Efrin, I would not make a good friend and no doubt many would try to dissuade you from my company if they knew the truth,” he sighed resignedly.

“I have done too many wrongs to ask for forgiveness and took to many wrong turns to ever find my way back!”

“There is always a way back, if you want it bad enough,” Efrin answered undeterred by Toby’s words.

“You don’t understand there is no way back, I am caught here between a rock and a hard place, trapped between rangers and the dark shadows of my past,” he snorted, then immediately apologised.

“Long ago I was taken in by the lies and promises of an old man, he did not ask much of me only to leave my home in Bree and spend sometime in the Shire and share with him the workings of the four farthings, and so for reason that are my own I agreed. Though now when I think back I do not think that even if I wanted to I could have refused the old mans request, it was like he was there but he wasn’t only his voice seemed real if that makes any sense,” he shrugged.

“It was not difficult for me to integrate into Shire life and become the old mans eyes and ears and through the lies and deceptions of the old man I grew to loath the peaceful folk of the Shire. The old mans words twisted at an old pain that already sat heavy in my heart, a resentment and sense of abandonment that I let him corrupt to his own wicked purpose. I never saw the old man after that first meeting, if I had truly seen him at all. Information was past by a southron man named Bill Ferney, who sometimes paid for my services.”

“Services? Bill Ferney? ” Efrin interrupted.

“Yes lad I am a thief and much worse I fear.” he said ruefully and without further word he continued. “So when the old man finally came himself to the Shire, he knew it was defenceless. Moreover, due to me he knew which hobbits to use to gain control. my services did not end there I was made a Sheriff and charged with weeding out any rebels, for I knew that there would be resistance from families like the Tooks and the Brandybucks and that others would secretly support them. The old man intended to break them entirely taking away all that they held dear, pipe weed, ale and so forth. I was embroiled so deeply in lies that I did not see what was happening until it was too late. I had wrapped myself in so much deceit and treachery that I had no choice but to leavein the end. So as well as being a treacherous worm I was also a coward, leaving my people to their fate.” Sighing heavily he buried his face into his hands.

“But far worse still I was fate to be forced into the self same situation, this time instead of a cunning old wizard it was a beautiful elven woman who held me prisoner to my own fears which I wore like a leash, that she yanked every time she thought I needed reminding.” he continued wearily through his hands.

“But you escaped her else you would not be here now?” Efrin pressed gently.

“Vanwe!” he whispered remembering why he had left Naiore's Company and lifting his head to face the young ranger. “We have to help her; she is why I left and how I found the rangers. Her mother did horrors to her that you could not imagine; I swore to myself that I would get her help.” He flustered rising to his feet, only to stop in horror as he saw Gilly standing in front of him. How long had she been there? Whom much had she heard?

“Help always comes when we least expect it,” Efrin whispered, “It is said that there is a new elf within the last house, perhaps this is your friend I will see what I can find out, but for now I think you must face your past if you are to carve a new and better future." The ranger nodded to both hobbits and strode confidently up the path that lead from the ranger’s complex to the last homely house.

Toby lowered his eyes unable to bring himself to look at the woman his shame burning in his cheeks, his terrible secret now exposed to one of the very people he had betrayed. Fear ripped through him, but he stayed his ground, even though the urge to flee was strong within him. He was tired of running Efrin was right he had to face his past, but he still saw no road to redemption. With a resigned sigh, he slumped down onto the step to await the woman’s expected admonishments.

Last edited by Nerindel; 05-23-2004 at 02:10 AM.
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