Long Lost Leaves - part II

[feawen]

Nami turned her head to look over her shoulder at Aelfwine. "You are right drunken antics can wait till later! I figure to would be good to hunt as much as we can when we leave you dont know how long or what we can hunt as we go further east. We will need hunting materials, what meat we do find we should try and preverse so salt would be a good idea, dryed food, fruit, nuts honey if you can. Things we can store lightly and easierly".
Nami stopped at a vender with a collection of small weaponary on show, many glittered and shinned from the added finery on the hilts. Instand Nami choose a plain, simple dagger, paying for it she pushed it into her belt at her side.

"Quickleaf, have you ever travelled in the direction we are heading?" A slightly puzzled look crossed her face as she realised she had no certain idea of where they were heading. Someone had explained it, hadn't they?

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Keeping his mind firmly on his stomach, Borin decided to go to the local bar. "A pint of your finest ale please!" He said, lifting himself onto a stool.

[Willow Oran]

Haldis first concern in this settlment was finding a decent stable for her mules. There was little choice, it was a little town and the stable she settled on was barely adequate by Beorning standards. Men east of the forest simply didn't appreciate their animals as much it seemed, but any worry of mistreatment or theft had been allayed by a well timed intimidating look or two. Reputations traveled farther than people and Haldis exploited that to the fullest and did her best to look the part of a forest witch, as she'd heard the stable keeper mutter.

Into the market then with her mind full of the supplies they needed. Coin was no worry, that would stretch. A cure for the grain-seller's daughter's warts, baking techniques exchanged for waybread, all through the market information and favors bought the things they needed till all had been seen to.

Left at loose ends Haldis decided a meal and a pint would be no bad thing and headed in the direction of the tavern.

[orithil]

"Nothing more then a peasent town, even so better then being in the middle of no where" He spotted the tavern and decided to go for a drink. He pushed open the doors to see Borin all ready ordering himself a drink, he pulled up a seat next to him. "Finest wine barkeep" Hedrim ordered raising a hand. "Borin should we go join their game" he gestured over towards a group of men playing poker.

[Midge]

"Well, Elf-Maiden, a horse you need, so assuredly, a horse you shall have. This one here is well-kept, and it will not fail you. I ask forty silver pennies for the horse here. And one more thing - "

"You, sir, will keep your tongue in your mouth if what you suggest is less than noble. I will give you the forty pennies - here they are - and if the one more thing is something I can grant while retaining all my forms of honor, I will do it. What is your price?" Aerin stood quiet, waiting for the man to reveal his true colors.

"Come into town with me. You have companions. Let me meet some of them." The man mounted one of his horses and led the other. Aerin mounted her own newly boughten horse - christened Glaeren - and followed him into town. He dismounted in front of the pub. "Shall we?"

[Coffeehouse]

"I haven't.. No, and my Mind is very curious as to what it will look like, though I don't deny that certain Tales and Hearsays have made me believe it a barren land, but also a land of rivers and strange creatures. One thing is for sure, the sun is burning fiercer here than on the treetops of Lorien or by the slopes of the Misty Mountains. I fear the heat will be one of our greatest problems... and thirst"
Realizing he was sounding awefully pessimistic, Quickleaf quickly added "But you know, travelling with you makes this not a problem, but a challenge! And speaking of thirsts, how about getting something to cool our minds with. If only we knew where the Dwarf and the King went off to intoxicate themselves."

[feawen]

"Oh Quickleaf you paint such an insipiring picture of our soon to be bleak travels in the east!" Although Nami laughed Quickleafs pessimism off, she know it would be no easy goingfor any of them.
"I believe our fellows are in the inn at the centre of town, it being the only inn in this small place!" Nami looked over at Aelfwine and Ellysa. "It can't hurt too much to go in there, after all its only midday, how much drinking can them two get up too?" Nami stopped as she remembered she was talking about a dwarf. "Oh! Ya maybe we should go to make sure they don't get into any fights! And if my memory serves me right, i seem to remember this inn makes very good meat pies." Nami lead the small band onward in search of pie.

[orithil]

"Take your time Borin and I'll go join them" Hedrim stood up and swaggered towards the group and took a seat at the table with them. "Deal me a hand" and his flashed a smug smile.

[Midge]

Blossomshade stood on the edge of town, looking around anxiously. She had been excited when they'd finally left that dreadful Dol Guldur place where all she could do was stand around and blend in with the other actual trees. During the trek to the East Bight, she'd been one of the main helpers, keeping a watchful eye out for the marks that Radagast had left behind for them to follow and finding more than half of them.

However, now that the company had reached the small village, all her companions had scattered to do their various businesses. Blossomshade suspected that a good number of them would stagger back to the meeting place, barely on time or even late with a good deal of ale in them... a great deal MORE than was good for them.

Blossomshade had grown close with Aerin, the elf-maiden who'd been lost in Dol Guldur for months. She knew that Aerin had to go buy a horse; she had not missed the indignation with which Aerin had walked or ridden behind someone these last few days.

"I hope she finds a good one," Blossomshade thought, strolling around the outskirts of town. She supposed it was better for her not to go into the actual town; the inhabitants probably wouldn't like a huge tree walking around. She did however, see no harm in surveying the town peripherally. She saw Nami and the blinded elf, Quickleaf stroll through the market, arms now much fuller than they had been on entering the town. They went into the inn for a drink and a meal. That reminded her --

"Is there a river around here? I am famished!" Blossomshade thought out loud. She looked around and saw a general break in the trees that might signify something relevant. She headed that way and saw she was right: a small stream flowed merrily through the wood. She reached down with her huge hands, took up a large handful of wet, clayish soil and molded it into a bowl. Then she held it above her head for a while, for being that close to the Sun, the bowl would soon harden and give her something solid to scoop the water out of the stream. When the bowl had dried, she bent down and drank, drank deeply of the sweet cool water.

[Coffeehouse]

The muffled sound of voices and scent of roast told Quickleaf that they had indeed come to the right place. Facing Nami and Quickleaf stood the Inn, a two-storey building once seemingly white-painted, yet now the dust and hardship of the sun had turned it into a greyish brown. The front door was one massive chunk of Greenwood oak, a dead reminder of the lushness of the East Bight before it was the East Bight. Nami took Quickleaf's hand and swung open the door, revealing a brightly lit tavern with many round-tables and chairs, a bar and a bar-keeper, and a not-so-thick breeze of tobacco smoke. It was a busy scene and the entrance of the two elves went rather unnoticed save a few curious looks from locals.

Being blind, Quickleaf of course saw none of this, but once he made way over the doorstep his ears sharpened up, trying to distinguish the sounds from the wave of buzz. There were many voices and equally many dialects. He thought he heard the distinct voice of Hedrim somewhere in the Chaos of Noise, but just as soon Nami had spotted the King and the Dwarf, merrily engaging in a game of cards, and so they made their way over to them.

[Mari]

As soon as Ellysa entered the town, her fear of crowds and people in general came back. She tried to stay close to Aelfwine, but the more towards the center of the little town they went, the worse it got.
"Aelfwine? I... I have to leave. I forgot I had to try and look for some herbs I might recognize. You just go on with the rest if you want."
Without waiting for an answer she turned around and fled towards less crowded places until she finally left town.
She walked on till she found a tree and leaned against it to take a deep breath. If she wasn't careful she would start hyperventilating.
Slowly she regained her calm and she sat down to look up at the leaves of the tree above her. The sun shone through and the changing patterns helped her relax.
She would wait here. Here it was peaceful and safe. Abasi and Tabril were sure to be around somewhere, watching over all of them.
Ellysa fell asleep.

[feawen]

Nami looked around the Inn, guiding Quickleaf and herself towards the bar, ordering meals and drinks. She shock her head at the loud noice and the shine of drink induced rosy faces. "I dont think it was a very good idea to let them two in here. I wish Radagast was here, he'd make sure no one get them selfs killed!" Casing her eyes around the bar Nami made a quick head count for her fellows. She guessed it was up to them to keep them in check, that was not an encouraging thought! Lending over to Quickleaf so she could be heard over the growing din she asked, "I figured Abasi and Tabril would not come into town but do you know where Ellysa is? I'm sure she is ok." Nami took a sip of her drink and bite her nail nervously, worried about the girl she had come to think of as a sister.

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf heard the nervousness in Nami's voice, "I'm sure she'll be fine! It's Elyssa, she knows her way around in this place of Men, don't you think?" and he took a bit of the pie they had been served. It was odd-tasting, a mix of things Quickleaf thought he knew he had tasted before and a few other things he couldn't possibly have touched in his 2,000 year existence.
"This lass, is some strange food!" and he reached out with his fork, clamping down a good chunk of wax from the nearest candle, quite ready to finish off this Pie of Men.

[feawen]

"I'm sure you are right. But she was born to a desert people right? Oh never mind." Starting to eat her own pie she looked up at Quickleafs strange comment. "Strange how?" A little giggle excaped Nami's lips as she followed the track of Quickleafs fork. "As natural as wax is im sure its not too tastie, try the pie!" She reached out and moved the fork away from the candle and over to the pie.

[orithil]

Hedrim laughed "another hand to me gentlemen!" and he pulled a pile of coins towards him.

One of the men slammed his mug on the table and pointed at him, "I thinks you be's cheating you are" he stood up.

Hedrim smiled "oh come now don't be silly, look lets have another hand maybe your luck will change" the man sat down.
"Right! one more..."

[Earniel]

Earthshaker was observing the village from the edge of the forest. He didn't like entering it, it was a village of wood-cutters and even though these were not his own woods, he still did prefer to avoid it. And he was sure the feeling was mutual among the villagers.

He could easily catch up with the others on the other side of the town in the evening, when they would leave. He thought the two wood-elves were no doubt thinking the same way, for he had not seen them enter the village with the rest.

Earthshaker knew Blossomshade also had decided to stay in the forest. He could hear her, not far away, near the water. Maybe he could join her for a drink, he might show her how to make ent-draught, he doubted she had had a chance to learn it since she had been seperated from the other Ents and Entwives for so long.

But as he had stood there pondering (Ent-thinking may not be one of the more speedier processes in the world), one of his companions, the young girl from the south, had returned to the forest, and without recognising him, had fallen asleep on his toes. He didn't dare to move now, he might hurt her, and she looked in much need of a nap. So he stayed, watching the birds and the clouds as the day wore on.

~~~

Back in the inn, things started to heat up just a little more. The card-players weren't entirely convinced by Hedrim's words of changing luck. His pile of coins rose just a little too quickly. On a signal from one of the card-players, hidden from Hedrim's and Borin's view, a few of the villagers slowly left the bar area, and drifted closer to the card table.

Two of them casually took position behind Hedrim and Borin, seemingly interested in watching the game. But both also took great care to look closely to what Hedrim and Borin were doing.

Suddenly one of them grabbed Hedrim's wrist and pressed it against the table. The tavern suddenly went silent.

"Where did you put that ace?" He asked lowly. "You put it in your sleeve, didn't you? Think you could rob us blind, eh?"

(Oooh, 10 000th post, how fitting it should be here. )

[Coffeehouse]

(Congrats Eärniel!, my honour to reply to your ten-thousandth)

Quickleaf's taste underwent a remarkable transformance from tasting the matt, waxiness of the candle he had thoroughly pulverized and so far eaten, into an aroma of pleasing spices and herbs. The pie was in fact delicious. Mumbling he said "This is something quite different Nami!" and just as he was going to compliment the chef the unmistakeable noise of Trouble wacked the until-then-peaceful Inn. "Think you could rob us blind, eh?"
"Nami, I think that's our cue" Quickleaf exclaimed and jumped off the stool, spinning on his heel and walking slowly in the direction of Hedrim and Borin's card table.

His hand neatly veiled, grabbing the hilt of his sword, Quickleaf voiced out
"Now if anyone were to be robbed blind in here, it must be me. Yet though my sight is poor, my hearing isn't, and that Man's hand is not the hand of a thief, or a layman or a conjuror, but a King of the West, in the lands beyond Rohan. I would advise you to lay your hands off him"

[feawen]

Nami sighed as Quickleaf got up, why couldn't he just leave it. Slowly standing up Nami stood a few steps behind him, hands on her hips. Again she wished Ragarast was here.

"You do realise he most likely was cheating don't you?" Nami said softly in elvish as she stood just to the side of him. Taking her hands off her hips she stepped a little past Quickleaf and towards the card table with her hands slightly out infront of her, "I am sure my friend Hedrim was a honest explaination for what you saw good sir." Nami cast him a quick look as much as to say you better have a good story. "Hedrim, Borin, it is time we joined the others, they will be waiting for us."

[Midge]

Magor marched smartly into the inn for a drink. Aerin sighed. She sincerely didn't think that it was necessary to go to beer for comfort, and she saw little reason for her companions to do so. However, she was sure she had seen Borin and Hedrim waltz in here earlier, and it was possible others of her group had joined them. She felt almost obligated to be the one to introduce Magor to her companions, so hesitantly she followed him in.

The scene which met her eyes was one she had dreaded. The king and the dwarf were sitting at a table, surrounded by angry-looking men who all held cards in their hands. Nami stood with her hands on her hips, looking ridiculously like she was trying to scold the rough card-players as though they were three years old and Quickleaf, who was threatening to draw his sword from the way his hand rested on its hilt, had an angrily contorted face, which completely contrasted the serene look his face had carried since he'd lost his sight.

Upon seeing this hopeless-looking situation, Aerin sighed again, shoulders drooping. Magor turned around at the sight of Aerin. "Those your friends?" She nodded.

"It's funny; those other ones are MY friends. Well, not particularly close friends, but we've met. I'll see if I can help, okay?" He turned back to the pub, which had silenced since the arrival of the Elf and the Horse-man. Aerin followed him, not too closely, but it was possible she could convince Quickleaf to at least not draw his sword. It would do no good if one of the men here lost his head.

"Gentlemen. Game of cards?" Magor pulled a chair over and sat down by one of the roughest looking of the card-players, the one who had signalled for the others to come watch Hedrim. The man looked at him.

"Magor. Good to see you, mate. You know how we don't like cheaters? This one here-" he motioned to the richly dressed Hedrim, "we caught him with a good card up his sleeve."

"How do you know it was up his sleeve?"
"We SAW 'im put it up there!"
"You did?"
"Aye," one of the men who had been summoned by the card-player stepped up. "I weren't playing the game, but I was watchin' from behind him. One minute he had an ace, and next it wa'n't in his hand no more. And he didn't lay it down!"

"I see," Magor thought a minute and said, "Now King. You must know the consequences of cheating. I don't think you actually cheated, but you'll have quite the time convincing these men. You have two choices: PROVE you didn't take the card, or out-fight them in clean battle. Which can you do?"

He looked pointedly at Hedrim and scooted his chair back. Getting up and motioning for Aerin to follow him out the door, he walked out to where their horses were tethered.

Aerin was shaking with anger. "Why did you tell him to fight? That's all he does, given one-fifth of a chance! Now we'll be taking little pieces of a Northern king with us on our journey instead of a whole one!"

Magor looked at Aerin and shook his head. "Do you not have faith in the abilities of your companions? This trip so far cannot have been a happy one for you."

[feawen]

Nami sighed as this new man pretty much told them all to fight. She had noticed Aerins' arrival and departour with this man and wondered at her involvement in all this. Nami still could not quite bring her self to trust the girl, even if she was an elf, she had made no effort with Nami and so Nami made little with her. Nami had wondered many a time why she was still with them. The group was getting bigger and bigger and Nami wondered at many of their intentions, Hadrim being one of them, although she liked the man she always got the feeling he was plotting taking over middle earth! Nami rolled her eyes and turned away. "Oh whatever, if you want me i'll be eating my pie." She gave Quickleafs arm a little pull. "Come on, this is not our fight."