View Single Post
Old 01-03-2004, 10:03 PM   #187
Nerindel
Spirited Weaver of Fates
 
Nerindel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: In an endless sea of dreams!
Posts: 827
Nerindel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Nerindel Send a message via MSN to Nerindel Send a message via Yahoo to Nerindel
Sting

Toby Longholes

Toby had looked up as Naiore returned and strode across the camp to her daughter; he held a gasp as he saw Vanwe quickly hide his water bottle in the fold of her skirts. He listened uncomfortably to the exchange between the two women, lowering his head before Vanwes grave gaze could reach his. He was suddenly ashamed of his cowardliness and all that he had become.

A soft thud next to him made him look. A little to his left in a soft bed of pine needles sat his water bottle, but as he began to turn to look at Vanwe, Naiore's chilling voice hailing the young elf made him stop. His heart pounded, fearing that Naiore had seen the bottle drop, but as Naiore went on, he relaxed slightly, looking up as Vanwe turned once more to meet his gaze, her large blue-eyed pleading with him to get free. He watched as she turned and disappeared into the tree line,[/i] again he lowered his head in shame.

"I think it is we 'ad a deal!"

Toby looked up fearfully at Barrold's sharp words; Naiore crossed the distance between her and the villain with frightening speed but with no lack of grace. Toby found himself scrambling backwards as the elf pressed her dagger to Barrold's throat, he edged even further as without even so much as a glance she ordered Avanill to stay his hand. Toby's hand subconsciously went to his own throat and as he glanced Avanill's way, he swallowed hard seeing the usually cool young man looking so unsettled.

As Naiore dealt with Barrold he realised that he once again was going unnoticed, slowly he edged backwards, silently lifting his water bottle and tying it to his belt when his hand found it among the pine needles, but never taking his eyes off the encounter unfolding before him.

"You would do well to prepare yourselves to break camp by nightfall. my allies will have arrived and there is work to do this night." at Naiore's words Toby had silently pulled on his pack his mounting fear of what was being said the only thing stopping him from thinking about what he was actually doing.

"What work," Avanill asked airing one of the questions whirling in his terrified mind.

"Knife work! We strike at the Rangers that have been following us, as reported by good Master Toby here." Toby froze as she pointed in his direction, he closed his eyes waiting for the elf's wrath to consume him, when it did not come he slowly opened his eyes. Distrust had caused the others not to take their gaze from Naiore and as the revennor turned from the two men Toby took advantage and stole silently out of the camp.

As he backtracked to where he had last seen the Ranger Dúlrain and the bounty hunters company, Naiore's words echoed in his mind, We strike at the Rangers that have been following us, as reported by good Master Toby here! She had spelled his crime out to him, he may not have dealt the finally blow but their death's would haunt him as did the memories of those hobbits that had been lost during Sharky's occupation of the Shire. He gripped his dagger tight and close to, his chest as he hurried on, it would not be long before Naiore noticed him gone and he wanted to be as far away from them as possible.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Dulrain

The first few days journey from the lone lands had been more painful than he was willing to let on, but the company stopped fairly frequently to allow him to rest. He was glad of the pleasant distraction of the two women. He was almost certain that there was no goings on in the shire that Mrs Banks was not aware of and on the occasions that he had to fall back to hide his discomfort from Kaldir and the tender concerns of Benia, he quizzed the hobbit woman for as much information she was willing to share about her friend.

By the fifth day, he was feeling stronger and the pain was decidedly less. Although the company was pleasant, he remained alert. He could not shake the feeling that they were being watched, but he was disinclined to worry the women without cause. Therefore, he kept his guard until the opportunity arose for him to inform Kaldir of his concerns. That night as they made camp he quietly shared his concerns with his friend. Kaldir nodded concurrently silently relaying that he too had had the same feeling of being watched, "The hobbit, Toby?" he mused aloud.

"Perhaps" His friend answered causing him to regard his friend with concern, Kaldir's eyes were skyward and drifted to the darkening of the trees ahead, and Dúlrain saw a look that he remembered a look that told him without words that he should remain vigilant. He silently went about setting up camp with the others smiling warmly as Benia came to check how he was doing. But as she tenderly checked his bandage, his heart ached, over the passed five days he had noticed a great many things the least being a growing bond between his newly found brother and this wonderfully kind and beautiful woman. If he was truthful to himself, he had noticed something back when they had first met back in the alley in Bree. However, until now he was never sure if what he had witnessed was part of the deception Kaldir had conceived to avoid suspicion. but as they journeyed together he could not help but see the effect the woman had on his friend and he often caught Kaldir looking at the woman through the flames of their camp fires as he, Benia and Gilly exchanged stories from their past. Benia had even convinced Kaldir to join them, though reluctant to share anything he had been content to listen.

His thoughts were broken as Benia's soft words reached his ears, "is something wrong?" she asked her soft features broken by a crease of worry, it was then that he realised that he had been staring at her, "No, nothing that should worry you, my lady" he smiled. "I apologise for causing you concern, just a young ranger and his foolish musings.” he looked deep into her eyes a last longing look. However, as she smiled, he took her hands in his, he felt her tense and saw her eyes fall to her hands, he longed to ask her if she loved or could love him, but he loved his brother too much to take his lifeline away, so in stead he gently kissed her hands. "Thank you" he whispered, and he meant it he had so much to thank her for, giving Kaldir something to live for, blowing the whistle that he could prove his loyalty, her kindness and so much more that she would never know.

He gently released her hands as Kaldir and Gilly rejoined them, they sat in silence for some time. It was Gilly who finally broke the silence. She timidly inquired about being able to send a message from Imladris to her family, who would undoubtedly be worried about her. Her simple question had been a good and timely distraction. He gently assured the hobbit woman that she would be able to get a message to the Shire once they reached Rivendell.

"Yes, it would be good to send word for your own sake and theirs. Surely it would reach Bywater, though I do not know what lays in store for us in Imladris or how soon such a message could be sent, for I believe a storm might be brewing."

Although Gilly mistook Kaldir's words he had not and as he glanced Benia's way he saw too that she had understood, her concerned gaze falling on the sombre ranger. He turned away and a pang of pain tugging at his heart, he rose suddenly restless and walked to the edge of the camp. "Were you going?" Dúlrain stopped and turned to see Kaldir looking at him questioningly, "I grow restless and thought to see if I can find our shadow" he laughed grimly, trying to hide the pain that caused him to look for some solitude.

"It would be foolish to venture out alone; if we are this close to Imladris then she too is near!"

Seeing concern in Kaldir's warning he relented and sighing heavily he nodded and made to return to the camp, but Kaldir's hand on his shoulder stopped him, "What troubles you my friend?" Kaldir asked sensing his young friend’s unrest.

"Do you love her?" he asked before he could stop himself , his gaze again on the woman and her hobbit friend, but he quickly recovered by throwing his friend a knowing grin hoping his friend merely believed he was trying to change the subject. He regarded Kaldir as he looked at Benia as if considering his answer, but it never came, a snap of dry twigs somewhere behind them drew there full attention.

Last edited by Nerindel; 03-18-2004 at 05:19 AM.
Nerindel is offline