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Old 09-09-2003, 11:38 AM   #24
Ealasaide
Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad
 
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Sting

Kaldir

After a pint and a brief conversation in the common room of the inn, Kaldir departed with Cobhan Tupper to take a look at the horse trader's stables. To hear Tupper tell it, he had the finest selection of horses in all of Middle Earth, exceding even the stables of King Eomer of Rohan. The reality, Kaldir well knew, was considerably different. Usually Tupper had a few scrubby cart horses and pack ponies with the occasional good horse thrown into the mix by chance, a lucky win at dice, or theft. Kaldir knew better than to ask Cobhan Tupper where a horse came from. The odds were strong that he really didn't want to know. Besides Tupper would lie, anyway. There were ways, of course, to get the truth out of him, but what was the point?

Kaldir cast a sideways glance at the horse trader, who stumped along on his left, swinging a lantern at his side.

"I've got a lovely little mare," Tupper was saying. "A golden bay. Beautiful coat. Only three years old!" Kaldir made a mental note to check the mare's teeth. "She'd be perfect for your ladyfriend."

Kaldir gave him a sharp look.

"Uh, prisoner!" Tupper corrected himself. "She'd be the perfect little horse for your prisoner. Gentle as a lamb."

Kaldir nodded, letting the horse trader carry on with his sales pitch, but only half listening. His thoughts had returned to the Forsaken Inn and the likely presence of Naiore Dannan. He had a feeling that if he wished to carry out any of his plans, either to capture Vanwe for the bounty or to seek revenge against Naiore, if she was indeed present, he would have to move quickly. A number of Rangers, his own former brethren, seemed to be gathering at the inn. He had a feeling that it was not purely by chance that they had chosen to gather there, especially not with the presence of Amandur. Rangers of his standing with the court in Gondor rarely hung about in the wilds. Amandur would be there for a reason. As for Hanasian, Kaldir's old comrade from the battle of Raven Falls, he represented a little more of a question mark. During their conversation of a day or so earlier, Hanasian had implied that he, too, was a hunter. A hunter of what and for whom? Kaldir had a strong suspicion of the answer. And Hanasian would not be working alone. King Elessar always sent his men out in teams... which would explain the arrival of the other two rangers, Maethor and Rauthain. He wondered if the team was complete now and if they had any idea how close their quarry was. Either way, Kaldir intended to get there first. He knew Naiore better than any of them. And he knew what she was capable of.

Kaldir stopped and looked back over his shoulder toward the inn. So many familiar names among the Rangers gathered there. He had a feeling he had known most of them...before. Reaching back into his damaged memory, he tried to place them. Hanasian, he knew. Amandur, he had no personal memory of, but had heard of him much in the time since the War. Nonetheless, he had a feeling that they had met. He just couldn't remember how or where. As for the other two... he would need to see their faces. The names on their own meant nothing to him.

Turning his attention back to the matters at hand, he found that Tupper had stopped a few paces ahead of him on the road and, lantern raised, was watching him closely. Seeing Kaldir's eyes on him, Tupper's shrewdness evaporated quickly to be replaced by a syncophantic smile. Kaldir let a slight smile curl on the good side of his face in return, but the smile failed to travel as far as his pale blue eyes. He knew that Tupper, the old bandit, given half a chance would cut Kaldir's throat in a second if he thought it would be to his advantage. Then he would go back to the inn and steal his horse. This time, Kaldir did smile, but only to himself. Tupper was a rank opportunist of the worst kind. And completely predictable. They finished the walk to Tupper's place in silence.

Arriving at the stables, Kaldir followed Tupper from stall to stall as they looked at the animals Tupper had available to sell. As it turned out, the mare Tupper had spoken of on the walk over was pretty much as Tupper described her. She was a little older than a three year old, closer to five, but quite sound, Kaldir discovered as he examined the animal from nose to tail. She would do quite nicely for Benia. There was also a pack pony that interested him, a shaggy little creature of non-descript color who was a little on the thin side, but would no doubt fill out with a little fresh air and feeding. He would also need tack for the two animals. It was time for the negotiations to begin.

Last edited by piosenniel; 05-11-2006 at 10:37 AM.
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