Legacy of Traitors RPG

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal had heard what the ranger had said to Carathir. She wasn't surprised that he would raise such a question. She made a note to watch Carathir, but to not voice her uneasy thoughts out loud anymore.

If he was truly the traitor as she was beginning to suspect then he would try something near the end of the quest when they were just about to find out the true answer that could possibly prove that it was Carathir that had committed murder. He would be wild then and they would be fulfilling the very end of his plan.

She wondered who he would kill first. She assumed it would be Maen because if she got free she could tell her family and authorities who had done it. She possed some threat to Carathir. But then again, so did she. She had skills that he did not know of and some that she assumed he had seen before. He was a man, much stronger then she and could over take her after a small fight. She knew she would be at least the second casuality.

Her eyes wandered over the group. The men could over take Carathir if they stayed together. There was a lot of pride in these men and they would have to push that aside when the time came.

Crystal blinked hard to get rid of her thoughts. She did not want to think about who Carathir would kill or when. She did not want to think about what would happen if he was successful. She didn't want to know what would happen if it wasn't Carathir.

She took the reigns to Atharen's horse and jumped up, moving backward so Atharen could get up. She looked over at the horse she had chosen as her own. It neighed softly.

"Be still little one. You have special cargo on your back. You shall be alright, that I promise to you," Crystal said softly to the horse. The horse quieted and she smiled. She hoped that she lived long enough to take care of the horse, there was just something about him that she liked.

"Let us ride and pray that we aren't the ones the vultures of these lands are searching for," Crystal whispered to herself. It had been something that her mother had said when she felt they were in grave danger. Whenever she had said it in Crystal's presence she would smile and lead them on. Crystal said it now to sooth her thoughts and fears and in dear rememberance of the mother that she loved so much that the pain of her death still cut Crystal deep.

[Amanaduial the archer]

"Idruil," Atharen's voice was sharp as he spoke before Carathir could, glancing at the man he spoke to. "Leave it."

Idruil looked as if he was about to object then shut his mouth, his jaw clenching, and turned away. Atharen suspected he saw the sense in it, even if he wanted to continue this. The ranger did not look at Carathir. You are the prince and I am related to the King of Gondor - neither of us will come to power, what use is there in bloodshed over it?

On land once more, Atharen mounted the horse deftly to all eyes but with a little less ease than usually - his thoughts and the slight unsteadiness from the ship put him off, but not noticeably to other eyes. The horse noticed though, of course, and whinnied quietly. Crystal hushed it gently and stroked her neck, whispering something as Atharen tied the reins. He glanced at her in askance, not having been able to hear well as the clattering of hooves from the other's horses covered the sound, but she shook her, looking away. Slightly puzzled, Atharen left it.

As all had gathered, they started off, Atharen and Crystal riding a little way behind Maen who was at the front, nearly equal with Carathir. Atharen was saved from further brooding by Crystal.

"What is the horse's name?" Her voice was soft and musical.

"The mare?" he replied, a little surprised at the question, then shrugged. "I haven't given her one."

"Really?" She was even more surprised than him and laughed a little. "Why ever not?"

"What place have I to name her?" Atharen replied, then grinned. "Besides, I couldn't think of a nice one at the time. Go on...you name her."

[Hama Of The Riddermark]

"What about Nauraucr?" Roryn said audibly, Atharen glowered at him, but Crystal looked mildly surprised. "Swift Fire...an appropriate name for a horse, don't you think, Atharen?" Roryn grinned, but Atharen still frowned. Even if Roryn had overheard them, he shouldn't have spoken as loudly as he did. Now everyone knew that he and Crystal had been whispering. Although that meant nothing on the surface, he was sure Roryn knew more than Atharen thought.

Carathir scowled and rode to the front of the group. Idruil smirked as he saw the discomfort on Atharen's face that Roryn's simple comment had caused, and Ferethor and Aelimur descended into muttering with themselves again. Roryn jjust smiled, and looked at Atharen with a raised eyebrow. Atharen merely scowled back and turned away...

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal sat thinking. The name came to her swiftly.

"How about Sandrina Critala Heart? It was my mother's name and this mare is just as gentle and kind as she was in life. She was a noble, strong woman," Crystal said softly, her mind drifting to a time when she use to live with her mother.

Sandrina Critala Heart was the one and only person that would have ever really believed Crystal. She would have gone to the end of the earth to prove that she was correct in any thought that she had. She would have done anything to protect her daughter from General Dorian Heart's furry. She had been her only friend and protector.

Crystal believed that she had been poisioned by her father. There was no other logical reason that could have explained her quick "illness" and demise.

"Sandrina was a wonderful woman. I believe that General Dorian, my father, poisioned her. There is no other explanation for her death. She wasn't sick normally and the doctors kept saying that they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, but they had this look of knowing something that they weren't allowed to say," Crystal whispered to Atharen.

A soft sigh escaped from Crystal's lips. She batted away the tears that threatened to flow. After her mother's death her father had killed Arty, leaving her utterly alone in a world that had grown unbearable. The worst beatings she had ever experienced had come after that. Her mother had been the only barrier that had kept the worst of the worst of his lashings.

"Sometimes I hear her in the wind. I miss her greatly."

[Amanaduial the archer]

Atharen paused, knowing the sense of what he was about to say but still afraid it would hurt her. He was still incredibly aware of her arms around his waist, and the suspicion that Roryn thought he knew more than he did.

"To call her by the name of your mother would arouse too much suspicion, Lady," he said softly, his face half turned towards her. "After all, Dorian is a powerful and well-known man.

I mean no harm," he added hastily as she stiffened. "But...you say you hear her in the wind; Windvoice. Sacriheart Windvoice?" he suggested, his voice still soft but not a whisper: Roryn would not tease him or try to suggest anything dishonourable. If anything like that was suggested in connection with his protection of the lady and riding with her, the ranger was not entirely sure he would be able to keep his temper...

[Crystal Heart]

"Sacriheart Windvoice. That's beautiful Atharen. Those words truly sum up my mother. She would have liked you if she had been allowed to live long enough to see you. Thank you for allowing me to name your mare," Crystal said softly. She gave him a small squeeze.

She had wished that her mother could have met Atharen. Sandrina would have liked him, respected him. She was always telling Crystal that she wanted her to meet a man that would respect and admirer her for all times. She had also told her to not make the same mistake she had in marriage. Crystal had understood what her mother had been saying to her.

"I haven't named the stallion that I have allowed Ferethor to ride. Do you want to name him for me as I've named yours?" Crystal asked him softly.

[Everdawn]

Maén kicked Hittai and both horse and rider set off at a fast pace galloping across the dry grassland yards ahead of the rest. To the north east just out of view was the hills of Emyn Arnen, by looks the company had by passed it on the other side of the Anduin, for they had gone very far south. On the other side of the Anduin, the company was still north of Pelargir. She was sure that they would make it to their destination by nightfall, which would mean that they would have to camp, for there was no inn until Jacobe’s Run, a place which Maén was sure that there was another more local name for, though she did not know it.

Reaching the end of the plateau she noticed that only Roryn and Idruil had bothered to match the gallop, as she pulled up. Perhaps too quickly as Hittai reared and snorted. Maén patted the side of the mare’s neck and smirked watching the two others pull up beside her.

“Gentlemen” she nodded “It’s nice to see you finally arrive.”

“Are you prone to bouts of galloping off into the wilderness Lady- I mean, Miss Lahnoro.” Roryn smiled.

“Yes.” Maén said simply. “Open grassland, couldn’t resist.”

“Miss Maén, Do you know where we are going exactly?” Idruil asked.

“Only slightly, im depending upon the rangers for that.”