Darker Days RPG

[Mithalwen]

Elfride gave the only answer she could: "Of course, I will come, my son is safe with his uncle and the farm will survive without me a while longer". Her steward Bredon was old and lacked any imagination but as far as the day to day management of stock and land went noone was more trustworthy. "I have not been in the village for some days but I am surprised that news as ill as this has not reached me sooner - try not to worry too much... you seem to have acquired many helpers - between us, I am sure we can get your sister back safe and well".

Elfride looked around - it was an interesting group.

[Cordelia Harrison]

Cordelia smiled at Elfride. She had been such an intricate part of her past. She had heard that she had been out of the city helping a family, it was the way she was. She was just that kind of kindhearted soul.

"Welcome to the quest Elfride. I tried to talk Mayonette out of it, but she wouldn't hear it. You know how stubborn the woman can get when her mind is so dead set on risking life and limb for vegenance. You remember the time that she was set on repaying a certain little lad for stealing her precious doll?" She asked Elfride, watching Thomas with particular interest in his reaction. He had been that boy and he hadn't stollen her doll. He had found it after they had been playing by the river. Mayonette had hit him, leaving a very nasty looking bruise upon his arm.

Cordelia laughed inwardly at the memory. Even then Mayonette's stubborness was not to be triffled with. She had tried to talk Mayonette out of hurting the lad, but she had been unsuccessful. They had only been five at the time, but the memory burned brightly in her mind.

[Witch_Queen]

Thomas looked at Cordelia and then at Mayonette. Thomas rubbed his arm remembering the bruise Mayonette had given him when they were little. Mayonette might have only been 5 when she hit Thomas but Thomas remembered quite well the feeling she had given him. It seemed like from that day on Mayonette had Thomas' heart. Thomas hoped he would get a chance to talk to Mayonette alone but knew the chance was slim to none.

Thomas released a little chuckle and looked back at Cordelia. "I remember that day quite well. Mayonette was furious, she thought I had stolen her dear precious Molly. When I went home my brother didn't believe me when I said that Mayonette had left the bruise. My arm was sore for days." Thomas could remember how stubborn Mayonette was. It seemed like time never changed that much of her.

[Crystal Heart]

Mayonette shook her head at the memory. She hadn't meant to hit him so hard. She just loved her doll so much! She smiled at Thomas and shook her head.

"I remember your brother asking me if I had actually hit you. He gave you such a time when I confirmed the story. I never meant to hurt you," she said to Thomas. She sighed inwardly as she studied the man beside her. Just his presence eased all of her pain.

She turned to the rest of the group, swallowing hard. Now was the time to start talking about the quest.

"Bring all the weapons you own. You will need them. There is enough horses at my homestead for all of us. It shall make the journey shorter. Hopefully. We can decide which direction to head into tomorrow morn. I think now we should become aquainted with one another. It may be a long journey. We don't want fights to break out due to clashes of personalities. Please talk amongst yourself, I need to speak with Thomas alone for a moment," she said as she took Thomas' hand and lead him away from the group.

She lead him away from the group's sight, knowing that Cordelia would try to read their lips to figure out what they were saying. "I've missed you Thomas. Where have you been the last five years?" She asked him softly as she tried to calm her racing heart.

[Witch_Queen]

"I've missed you Thomas. Where have you been the last five years?" Thomas looked at Mayonette. How was he going to answer her question? "Mayonette I've been in Gondor, hoping to train with the men of Gondor. I had hoped to come back to Rohan sooner and perhaps serve General Hama but I was delayed in my leaving. I have missed you. I didn't want to stay gone for five years. I was worried that I would come back and you would be gone. But I see that I have come home at the right time. As for the offering of your horses I would rather take Chianna. She has been there for me when no one else was." Thomas couldn't help but smile.

His heart racing and Thomas looked in Mayonette's eyes. "So you tell me Miss Mayonette, what have you been up to the five years I have been away." He feared what she might say. He was scared that Mayonette would tell him of a new love in her life. He had spent all of his life trying to make something of himself when the one thing he really needed was back at home. He was truly happy now that he was at home. For once in his life nothing else seemed to matter, not the wars of men or the greed of dwarves. This was one feeling he wished would never end.

[Crystal Heart]

Gondor! He had been in Gondor! No wonder her father wouldn't tell her where he was. She knew that her father knew. If she had known she would have followed him. Perhaps that is the reason her father didn't allow her to know.

She smiled as he spoke of Chianna. Yes, that horse did love him something fierce. They always did have this unspoken bond with one another. She nodded and told him that she understood.

"Gondor? I wish I would have known. You would make a fine General of any army. You always were very bright and inventive," she told him softly as her heart slightly died. Did he want to become a soldier so bad that it would take him away from her once more? She swallowed back the emotions, thoughts, and questions that had bubbled up inside as he asked what she had been doing the last five years. What she had been doing was nothing compared to what he had done.

"Last five years? I've just been working at the homestead. Sandrina got married and had a little child. A boy. He is such a wonderful little nephew. I've been taking care of him. Father too really. I just. . .was around. Doing my chores and wondering about you," she started. She stopped as she remembered what she had needed to talk to Thomas about. A very large, pressing matter that would consume both their lives forever. She knew what was in her father's will. She knew that she had to tell him, but she was afraid of his reaction. She cleared her throat and took his hand for support as her world began to spin around her.

"Thomas. . . Father has given you a portion of the estate. Nothing much. Just a couple of acres. He has given you all his weapons. The estate. . . however. . . it. . ." she trailed off, her breathing quickened. How could she tell him what the condition was?! She decided not to tell him.

[Mithalwen]

Elfride answered "I think you were beginning to get a little old for dolls by the time I came to the village". She remembered how attached her daughter had been to her dolls but Tilly had never got a chance to outgrow them.... she tried to stop herself thinking about her lost daughter but something someone had said was bothering her and she knew not what. She forced herself, as she had done so often in the past few years to concentrate on the practical to prevent herself being overwhelmed by sad painful memories.

Elfride intoduced Leoflic as best she could after such a short aquaintanceship and then she started to plan.She was going on a quest it seemed but was ill prepared
even for what little she knew of it. She had a sword and a horse but the other possessions she had taken to stay in her brother's comfortable apartments were not ideal for the venture. If they were not starting til tomorrow she should have time to get home and equip herself properly. In fact a change of location would not be such a bad idea for them all - the group was now becoming much to conspicuous and mention of murder and money might attract undesirable attention. The war had not removed all evil from the world else their quest would nt be necessary - and an Inn in Edoras was hardly private.

She wondered if she should offer her home as a place for them to plan - the farm was more secluded than the Starnson homestead, further from the village and their activity less likely to be observed. Bredon and his wife were utterly loyal to her and not inclined to gossip. The other farmworkers lived in cottages further from the main house and like enough would not notice. But did she want strangers in her house? Those of the group she knew would provide some security from those she didn't. She continued to ponder as Mayonette spoke to Thomas - that at least brought back happy memories of herself and Theomund when they were younger even than these twain.

[Witch_Queen]

Thomas rode back towards Mayonette. He hated leaving her behind the way he did. He feared the others might have thought he ran in fright instead of love. Don't let anything happen to Mayonette. I couldn't bear to live without her. Chianna was running as fast as her horse legs would allow her. Thomas knew his horse wasn't going to let him down. He would return and the others would still be there alive and safe. But how safe could they be when they were fighting a fire with cloaks.

Thomas topped a hill and could see the fire was still trying to spread. "Quickly everyone we can't let this fire get out of control." Thomas was surprised that so many men had answered his plea. "Spread out, we don't need to waste any time." Thomas looked around. Where was Mayonette? Thomas looked deeper into the flames to only make out three figures. As much as he was worried about Mayonette he needed to concentrate on killing the fire before the fire killed one of his companions.

He didn't know where the energy was coming from but all he knews was that the fire was going to be exstinguished even if no one else was there. Mayonette was going to live and his new made friends would survive also. His brain didn't know what his heart knew. The one thing fueling him was his love for Mayonette. He looked around again but couldn't see the figures. Had the flames engulfed them. Had the fire taken away from Thomas the one true meaning for living. He dropped to his knees. "MAYONETTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He feared the worse had occured. He feared he had lost his heart, his soul, his Mayonette.

[Dimturiel]

After some moments-yet to him it seemed much more-Edhener could master his fear enough to look arround him. He saw that Elfride at least had not lost her head and that she was hiting the flames with her cloak. He took of his cloak and tried to do the same, but he had trouble keeping his horse calm, and he was not making much progress. His horse seemed to be overwhelmed by terror and madness, and his desperate movements nearly flung Edhener to the ground. Edhener got hold of the reins to steady himself and the cloak that he had used as a weapon against the fire was dropped and engulfed by the devouring flames.

Edhener bit his lips. There seemed little that he could do without some help from outside. He had not enough water to put out the fire arround him. He searched for his companions, but he could see nothing but dim shadows in the thick smoke that was blinding him. He percieved that something must be happening, he could hear voices, but he could not discern no words over the roaring flames. He thought he could see a shadow ride away towards where he knew was a small village. But was it really so, or was it only his mind that clung even to the faintest illusion of hope?

Time was passing, or was it really? To him it seemed that time had stood still in that dreadful moment when the red tongues were drawing ever near him, and the thick smoke was blinding and choking him, and the only thing that he could hear was the roaring of flames and the terrified whining of his horse.

Suddenly he thought he could hear voices arround him. He looked up and percieved shadows amid the flames, and he also realised that the fire was dying down. Seeing a path amid the red tongues that had filled him with horror, his horse ran towards it, without waiting for any command from his master. And Edhener let his horse bear him wherever he wanted to, his hope returned but his senses being too weary to care much what would happen to him.