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Old 03-19-2009, 09:32 AM   #278
Folwren
Messenger of Hope
 
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States.
Posts: 5,228
Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
The time had come to gather his people together and to prepare them for war. He sent messengers out to the people living away from the city, ordering them to come and join the army. All the men and boys above thirteen years of age obeyed the summons. The streets and houses of the city were packed.

When they day came to march out to war, Uldor summoned the people near the great hall. They gathered about, pressing close to the building’s woodwork. Their noise filled the courtyard and the hall, a low rumbling like that of the sea. Uldor waited just long enough to build curiosity and suspense, and then he stepped out upon a balcony above them. The crowd hushed and a murmur went through the main body of men, “It is Lord Uldor!”

He was dressed simply, in black. Over his shoulders her wore a dark red cape. His head was uncovered. Behind him, in the shadow of the doorway, stood Jord.

Uldor raised his hand and a silence fell. “Friends,” he said looking down at the sea of upturned faces. “Comrades! Today we go forth to face battle! But I have called you here to tell you that we will fight for our own freedom and not merely for the good of someone else!” He paused, and a silence met him. They waited. “Until now,” he said, his voice rising to a great orator’s pitch, “Until now, we have been pawns in the lord Caranthir’s hands, waiting to fight when he summoned us, so that we could help him advance his own kingdom. We have gained nothing from our friendship with the elves. They have only used us for their own good and we have been left here in the cold, rocky region, whereas they enjoy the pleasures of the forests and green fields. No longer shall we stand for this! It will be changed!” This time when he paused, a roar of approval met him. He allowed them to carry on a moment and then he lifted his hand.

“We will go and we will throw their oppressive hand off of us!” Shouting again. He lifted his hand. “We will catch the elves unaware! I have sent word to lord Caranthir that I will fight on his behalf. It will appear that we will keep this word, for we will go and fight in his ranks. There we will be, side by side with the elves. But!” His eye swept the people. They waited in breathless silence. He deemed the time right to reveal his hand. “But when the word comes, you must turn and fight the elves. Thus we will over come Caranthir and break the bond he holds over us. Only in this fashion will we be able to free ourselves from their tyranny! To war, then, Ulfings!”

The crowd went mad. They shouted until they were hoarse. Those with spears lifted and shook them. Swords were drawn. Somewhere in the middle of the crowd, men began to chant, and soon the words flowed out through the entire body of men. “To war! To war! To war!”

Uldor’s eyes gleamed as he looked down at them. They were behind him entirely. He turned and went back in. For a moment, his eyes met Jord’s, but he did not stop to speak with her. Down to the courtyard he went and there he mounted his horse. He rode out to meet his men. A roaring cheer greeted him. Slowly he rode through them and up toward the city gate.

He reined in as he stood under the gate post. He looked forward. The wind was blowing the dry grasses back and forth with a mournful moaning sound. It caught and tugged at his cloak and stirred the hair about his face. Then he looked back at the people behind him. Their captains had formed them into long lines and he saw rank upon rank winding back into the city. His eyes swept across them, and then lifted to look towards the hall where he had come from. On the balcony where he had given his speech, he saw one single figure. It was Jord.

Uldor turned his face outward and dug his heels into his horse’s side. The tramp of feet followed him. They were off to war, and treason.
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