Legacy of Traitors RPG

[Everdawn]

Hittai kept a steady pace along the small winding road, they had been riding for a long time, and yet Maén had not seemed to notice that she was beginning to tire atop her steed. Still her resilience to make sufficient ground before another day had passed she would not allow her to yield to her body. Sighing she took a swig form her flask and attacked it back to Hittai’s saddle. The wind was picking up, and its chill was not welcomed by her, it seemed to call something which even she could not yet understand.

Turning her thoughts from the eerie becomings of the landscape she stopped Hittai in her tracks and waited for the others to catch up. It was Carathir, however who was right behind her and she had not noticed. He had a strange, almost psychotic glint in his eye, the one she had seen when Del had been killed. It caused her breath to be caught in her throat. ‘Twas strange to be suddenly shaken by the young man who had always seemed so coy and afraid of her, but none the less Maén was unsettled. She was about to speak to him when the wind picked up again this time causing Hittai to rear-up. Maén controlled the animal and looked back to Carathir for help, but he was nowhere to be seen, suddenly there was the familiar sound of horses hooves and the others passed the bend in the track, Carathir with them.

I am surely going mad she muttered under her breath.

“What is it my lady, you look blanched” asked Aleimur, a slight grin on his face.

“You would not believe me even if I told you.” She said wide-eyed.

‘Try me” he said riding his horse beside hers.

Maén looked back at Carathir who seemed to be glancing to the woods and thought for a minute. “Carathir, I saw him here a minute ago, he had the look of… like he wanted to kill me.”

Aleimur laughed before looking at the serious expression on Maén’s face which was serious. “My lady, even if you did, it could not have been, he was with us all the time.” Maén nodded and continued to wait for the remainder of the company.

[Hama Of The Riddermark]

Roryn glanced at Carathir quizzically, Carathir met his eyes and shot a murderous glance back at him. Roryn, taken aback, didn't register the look properly, although he knew it wasn't friendly...Hm...maybe our Easterling has a different agenda...

Roryn looked at Atharen and raised a brow, What do you think?". Atharen looked back in the same manner and gave an imperceptible shake of his head, Wait for a chance.... Roryn nodded uneasily as he turned his horse around to look into the forest behind the party...

[Melisil]

"I'm sorry, my lady Maén, if you think it rude of me, but it couldn't be that Carathir was by you." Aelimur stated. He smiled, this part of the woods seemed much brighter then before. On the other hand, it could have just been the dark, before. Aelimur silently decided to voice his thoughts, to make conversation.

"The woods seem much brighter now, don't you agree?" he asked.

"Yes, they do seem much more pleasent, strange as it is." she laughed, another thought seemed to have formed in her mind, "Aelimur, I know I seem to be asking a few strange questions, but doesn't this day's ride also include a much fresher feeling aswell? Or is this just me?"

Aelimur returned her laugh, "Yes, my lady. I must agree that I find this day to be very refreshing: full of life!" he paused, stopping himself slightly, "Even after a death. It seems, maybe, that some one up there," (at this he nodded his head to the sky) "is trying to apolagize for Del. Just maybe." he laughed again slightly, this time in an almost humbled way. "I apolagize again my lady, now I am speaking slight foolishness." He turned his gaze to Aaron's mane, though he wasn't really watching it. Another thought hit him slowly.

"My lady, I know this really isn't my place, but why are you hunting down Guriel? Are you truly doing all this just so you can kill him? It seems so very unlike your character, well, from what I know of you, at least." he waited anctiously for Maén's reply.

[Kransha]

There was an odd sensation coursing anew through Idruil’s veins. He felt refreshment, youthful light returning to his withered pallor as he took a moment to smile and laugh while conversing with Roryn and Atharen. For one of the first times since he fell in with such company, he felt as if he was starting to relate to others, the threadbare pieces of friendship building. It was a warm feeling that began to seep into his cold heart as he goaded the steed, Ecthelion, forward, chuckling briskly under his breath. His eyes traced the footprints indented on the ground in front of him, left by the number of steeds who led the motley procession.

He turned upward; barely catching a more consternated look on Roryn’s face before the man wheeled his own mount about expertly and spun, surveying the forest behind. Giving an acknowledging nod to Atharen, Idruil turned his own horse sluggishly in his tracks and it stamped, complaining aloud, backward as Atharen’s horse and its two riders proceeded ahead. Braying and whinnying in an irritatingly shrill tone, Ecthelion stalked beside Roryn’s steed after a sharp jab from Idruil. The man of Minas Tirith leaned forward in the saddle, looking and assessing Roryn, and spoke pensively to the other.

“Since we are on the subject, or, rather, not on the subject, perhaps now is the time for me to pose yet another question. Ever since I found myself falling in with you all, I have been intrigued, to say the least. Though there is a monetary award for all of our services to Lady Il Galoth, it seems to me that that is not the primary motive for joining this company. What, Roryn, was your motive? I know mine, of course, was no more than a bout of energetic foolishness, though I do not regret that spasm, since it seems that I will profit from it, but what was…or is, your reason for giving aid to Maen and her cause?”

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal thought about the true reasons she had entered the company. She had joined at first because the money and she needed it desperately. She also needed the protection that the company could provide from her father and his men. She also needed to get somewhere away from the area that her father's men were searching.

That is what it had all started with, but her reasons began to expand. Of course, the first reason was because of Atharen and his kindness. She wasn't entirely sure that she would have joined the company if it hadn't been for Atharen. He was a large deciding factor in her thoughts.

Then she had become friends with Maen and eventually Ferethor. Del had been very kind, even though she hadn't known him as well as she would have liked. Roryn was an interesting man as was Iduril.

Her reasons of survival and then friendship had mixed together. She had no idea what she would do after this was all over. She wasn't sure she wanted this quest to be over. She had somewhat of a family unit or something of that sort going on here.

She was also afraid that at the end that she would loose Atharen. He was a ranger and he certainly wouldn't want a thing to do with a daughter of Rohan that was begining hunted by her own father. Who ever wanted that in a woman?? She was afraid that he would just say good bye and fade away into the distance, leaving her with a broken heart and a lonely soul. She wasn't sure she could live once again without a purpose.

This quest, these people had become her purpose. At first she wouldn't have admitted it, but now she did. This was the purpose of her life. This was the purpose why everything had happened to her as a child. This is the reason why she was meant to leave her father's house and everything she had ever known behind. This was her destiny.

[Hama Of The Riddermark]

Roryn looked grim, although Idruil didn't see it. "My motive, Idruil, is to get myself killed." Idruil's face registed shock, But Roryn turned his horse around before he could hide it. "Surprised? Yes...death seems to have evaded me magnificently over the years, I thought that little was better to put his evasive skills to the test than to join this foolhardy venture." Maen shot him a look.

Atharen looked round. "You want to die?", he asked shocked. "Lord no, Atharen, I simply want to find out just how slippery it can be." he smiled. "Ah, I shouldn't worry Atharen...unless we get attacked again most of us should make it..."

[Crystal Heart]

Crystal looked over at Roryn in surprise. She had never heard anyone in her life say that they wanted to die to know how slippery it was. She had heard people say that they wanted to die for what they did or because their loved one had died. Or becacuse they were in a debt and were going to be hurt soon if they didn't find money to pay them off, but never for the experience of death. Death, unfortunately, meant forever and no one or no thing could come back from it.

Yes, there had been a time when she had wondered and wished and hoped for the day that she could and would die. There had been days she had thought of taking her own life. There hadn't been much meaning in living when it meant her father was around to hurt her so.

She had clung to Arty for support, but after his and her mother's death she couldn't hold on to life any more. She had tried suicide, but each time it failed and only resulted in beatings so severe she thought she would finally succumb to the death she had wanted.

But she had survived through it all and was sitting here on this horse, behind Atharen the ranger, her heart and mind totally submersed in love for the man in front of her.

"Death may seem like an easy way out, but it only creates more problems. All your wishing and wanting for death will not come, not until your destiny has been fulfilled then will you die," Crystal said softly.

[Eorl of Rohan]

Ferethor chuckled at Roryn saying that he just wanted to die for the sake of it. Apparently he had never been in that fey state when death was near him - the strained will that snaps off in the turmoil of mind, that impossible terror that besets one that is fundemental in that it bases itself on the most basic of human instincts - that of survival.

"Fool..." Ferethor's soft voice was heard by none but himself. "But thank the Eru, Roryn, that you have never had faced death in its naked terrifying form. If you ever do, then you'd curse the day that you did forever. Death itself in battle is honorable, and not even something to be mourned over but praised - but suicide? You wouldn't know."

His countenance was darkened as he continued treading the path silently and listening to the others conversing among each other.