Legacy of Traitors RPG

[Eorl of Rohan]

Golden and orange color mingled into a suffuse glow in high heaven of Arda, announcing the arrival of dawn. Swirling clouds seemed as if kindled with fire and snow-crowned Eryn Luin could be descried amid flowing mist.


When Ferethor limped dejectedly back to camp after a while, he found a strange trouble awaiting him at his arrival. Crystal was awake and glaring at Ferethor, obviously incensed at his treatment of her silver pendant. "You know Ferethor this was my mothers. You know you shouldn't treat the person that just saved your life like common scum," She spoke.


As if one aroused from a deep reverie Ferethor turned to her, his thoughtful glance questioning. "Crystal, I would not have thought this necklace was of great value to you if you lent it to me of all people. Only yesterday you seemed fain to slay me where I stand, if my remembrance does not fail me utterly. And if it comes to the question of defilement, better mud then accursed myself." Ferethor said mildly.


Nodding curtly at Crystal, he circled the glade in search for a place to be alone in his grief and guilt without any untimely interruptions of these nature. Finding no such secluded place, he watched the dawn break with an expression no one could fathom. Ferethor wondered if he was crazed for a moment before discarding that forboding thought.

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal watched as Ferethor tried to find a place of seclusion. She sat and thought. Yes, it was true she had tried to kill him only a day prior but current events had caused her to see the error of her ways.

A member of their company was dead. A kind and wonderful man that she had wanted to get to know. Who knows what he could have been if he had only been given the chance.

She applied that to Ferethor. Who knows who he really is deep inside, protected by his rough and tough casing that he wore so proudly? Who really knew the man behind the sword? Who really knew Ferethor?

She got up and walked over to him softly. She stopped behind him, but didn't make a move to touch him in anyway. She licked her lips and swallowed.

"Ferethor, I apologize for my rash actions the other day. You seem so much like the men that my father leads that I was afraid. Afraid that you were an assassain that was coming along for the ride and waiting 'til the opportune time to catch me and take me back as some sort of prize. It was my fear that clouded my judgement. The only thing that I had to be suspicious towards you with was the fact that you knew my father," Crystal said. She paused as she took in a ragged breath.

"If you know my father, if you want to take me back as a prize to collect the reward, if you want to see me dead I don't care anymore. The reason I lent you my pendant was a sign of a peace offering. It was my way of saying even if we do not see everything eye to eye, I am placing my trust in you. Ferethor, I could have killed you with my healing. You were weak and vunerable and I could have killed you. But I could not. You are human and each human deserves a chance to be trusted. Even though you know my father, I decided at that moment to trust you no matter where that may lead," Crystal said as her head bowed.

She had no idea what Ferethor would think of her words. She had no idea if her trust would bring her to her end. She had no idea what would happen from here. She could only hope that her trust wouldn't be in vain.

"I wasn't allowed to grow up normally, Ferethor. That is my flaw. That I still must grow up. A flaw I've been over looking. I hope you forgive me and I hope that you and I could become friends at one point some day," Crystal sighed as she turned away. The camp loomed over her senses. Somewhere deep inside her she knew that this was the extent of their company now. They had lost two fine men, Del and Atharen. Her heat sadened, but she lifted her head and started to make her way over to the camp.

[Eorl of Rohan]

Crystal's brutal frankness took Ferethor at unawares, he who had only come to expect from the maiden what he would of himself - proud, stern, unrelenting for good or for evil. Ferethor wondered at the sudden change that had befallen Crystal, and then with dismay cast his hood over his raven-black hair to hide his expression of both amaze and... admiration.


"Your fears were not wholly unfounded, Crystal." Ferethor spoke bitterly yet softly, his thoughts straying back to the time when wrath came near the edge of swords. "I've done worse things than sending a young lass to certain death, in the name of duty and the good of the state. I've betrayed those who trusted me onto a bitter end, assassinated foes by poison and blade and treachery, and set ablaze a whole village leaving all its inhabitants to perish inthe devouring tongues of leaping flame. In the sacred name of Gondor, anything is excused."


And a stunned silence fell, broken only by chirping birds that greeted the dawn with joyful chatter. "Crystal, this world is hard, harsh and callous. You are young and yet full of dreams and ideals, and I would not fain have you marred and scarred thus in this accursed ARda. Is life so hard to enjoy that you offer me your trust and life so easily? Would you not try to free yourself from the uttermost depths of the abyss of despair that enmeshes your very will with strangling darkness?"


Ferethor paused and then said slowly, "If you will burden me still further by your trust, then I will not fail you in this. Yet would you for ever flee from General Dorian and your very linage, Crystal? He has the control of hundreds of soldiers at his disposal and you are bound to be caught one day or another. I say this to you, as a fellow person who have fortasted the bitterness of life, that you have to face up to him someday."


In the dread silence that followed, Ferethor took a deep breath and added, "If that time ever comes, there would be myself and the strength and power of soldiers of Minas Tirith behind you against his wrath. In this I promise not rashly or lightly." Ferethor added silently to himself, "If I live."

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal turned around and looked at Ferethor in surprise. He was promising his own strength, his troops, and his alliance. What he had just said could be considered an act of war against Rohan.

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Ferethor. I am placing my trust in you because I see now that you are only human. You have your fears as anyone else. I hope we can become allies or friends," Crystal said softly.

There was no hiding the surprise and amazement in her voice. Here was her first initial enemy at the start and now they were becoming an alliance. They were becoming friends.

Yet this change had started with in her. At first it had happened slowly, but when she was trying to heal Ferethor the end of her transformation. In her mind and in her heart she knew that she had no reason to jump to conclusions. She could own her fire, her spirit, her spunk without hurting another human being.

And that was what she had been doing. She had been inflicting her anger and mistrust against Ferethor. She felt sorry for that fact and regretted her actions.

"You are a different man, Ferethor. I would like to get to know you. I apologize for taking my anger, fear, and mistrust out on you. And I will make sure that you will live even if it takes my very life. You have that as my promise, Ferethor," Crystal promised.

[Eorl of Rohan]

Fair hemlock-leaves swayed to and fro gently in the breeze, and the dim darkness was driven out by mists of silver quivering and shimmering dawn-light. Stony and tarnished mountains tall could be descried afar off towering in barren majesty, crowned with whisps of cloud pale snow-woven.


"And I will make sure that you will live even if it takes my very life. You have that as my promise, Ferethor," Crystal whispered. "Let us hope that such things do not come to pass." Captain Ferethor answered, and then rose to his feet, fror he was afraid to speak more of his secret thoughts. Lord Dorian was overstepping his bounds if he actually tries to kill Crystal, though Ferethor was postivie that he would not do such a rash thing. Cruel and callous on some points, yes, but not crazy. If Dorian ever tries, though, he would be justified in...


Therefore he passed swiftly into the eves of the everygreen trees. Making his way through entangled vines of vivd green and passing by tall evergreens casting lenthening shadows, Ferethor came across a glade strewn with early fallen beechen leaves and adorned with wet yellow wild strawberry leaves. The golden-stained leaves of rowans danced to the rhythm of singing breese, and squirrels chattered as they fared about in a bustle of leaves. Sunlight gleamed through flitting leaves in patches of gentle light, and flowers blossoming seemed like beryls, rubies, and opals pale.


There Ferethor cast back his hood to allow for wider vision of this fair place, heedless of any peril that might assail him here. In there still the beauty that was wrought in ancient days seemed to linger and be preserved, unstained by passage of time nor lamentations uncounted. Then Ferethor stayed his steps in wonder, for Atharen the Ranger whom he deemed lost was thrusting his way through the lush woods.

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal watched as Ferethor walked away. They had a friendship. Shaking and probably would not be without arguments as their views were so diverse in many ways, but a friendship nonetheless. She watched as he wandered and pulled his hood down from his head as if wanting to inspect the beauty of the land around them and their camp. She wondered what he was thinking about.

Crystal knew whom she was thinking about. It was starting to become dawn and there had been no sign of Atharen the Ranger, the center of her attentions. She had dispaired within the first hours that he had been killed, but her hope had slowly restored. She had held that hope until she saw the inevitable dawn.

Atharen was a ranger and would search for anyone that he believed was still alive, but he was also apart of the company and knew his importance to them. If he was alive he would have returned back to them much sooner. Crystal had finally given him up to the dead.

That is where, at least it seemed to her heart, where everyone she ever loved ended up. She waited here in the land of the living while the people that she doth love dwelled in the land of the dead.

She looked up once again and watched Ferethor and saw that he was concentrating his eyes on something. She saw the brush and trees and leaves move greatly and out of the woods stood Atharen.

Crystal gasped and her heart stopped. Atharen lived. He lived. Her love... She was sure she was seeing things. She watched as Ferethor and Atharen talked.

Her mind became unfrozen and helped her rise from her position. She stood and suddenly her legs started to go forward. She didn't run, she had no strength. Her knees quivered. She walked slowly over to them and stopped in front of Atharen. She pulled her hood off and swallowed hard.

"I believed that you had fallen to the hands of our enemies. Is it really you, Atharen or just a hopeful dream?" Crystal asked.

She reached out her hand slowly and touched his chest. Her hand recoiled. He was solid, proving he was not a dream. She stepped backward and fell to the ground as her legs tangled. She sat, looking up at Atharen in disbelief.

[Eorl of Rohan]

Arien's sun-vessel was climbing laborously into its zenith, its golden radiance illumining the aqua depths of high heaven. Pale birds that swells by the shores of blue Anduin circled overhead, flying far inland in seeking for food. Crimson and silver drops of flowers with their delicate stems and slender leaves flexed and wavered in the breeze laden with dews that reflected sunlight like silver and crystal flames.


"Thus we meet again, Atharen of the Rangers." Ferethor stirred and raised his grey gaze. "In this glade of encircling lush greenery in the midst of peace, as we did in the scene of flowing blood in the midst of strife! You return in good time, for others were already growing restless and new morn kindled high hope within us."

Ferethor was uncomfortably aware of his bloodstained robe and bandaged shoulder already drenched with blood, hastening to add with a wane smile, "As for myself, most of the blood is not mine anyway, and my shoulder is just a scratch." he would not wish to admit, least of all to Atahren of the Rangers, that he was ever grievious injured or showed weakness. 'Of course, he'd probably know without my telling, in all probability.'


Then Crystal, who had traced Ferethor's steps spoke with a slightly quivering voice that might have derived from amazement or joy. "I believed that you had fallen to the hands of our enemies. Is it really you, Atharen or just a hopeful dream?" Crystal asked. Ferethor's brow creased for a moment, then Ferethor clapped Atharen on the shoulder, saying, "Better deliver the news to the others, then." and leaving with a curt and brusque nod truely soldier-style.


Ferethor made sure that he didn't limp but walked with a desive, firm and steady step until Atharen and Crystal was out of sight. As soon as he did so, Ferethor winced and sat down by a silvery-barked tree to rest and wonder about Atharen's sudden appearance.