[Child of the 7th Age]

Lilac and Andreth make their plea:

You've got some explaining to do!!

The words reverberated inside Andreth's head as she considered the great irony that she and Lilac had been accorded gentler treatment by the so-called bandits than they were now receiving at the hands of Bree's defenders.

Earlier today, she had reluctantly agreed to travel to the outlaws' camp and expose herself to folk whom she regarded as evil. Yet once she'd arrived, she quickly saw that these were real people, much different than the imaginery monstors she'd concocted in her head. No one in the encampment had threatened them. In fact, Lotar and Kandel had treated her with respect, and were willing to listen before they blurted out their suspicions. Not a single person had challenged her integrity or accused her of intending to murder defenceless children. They had trusted her, despite the fact that she was a stranger leading the women into hostile territory.

Suddenly, Andreth felt ashamed. For weeks on end, she had assumed the worst about these refugees, and had not bothered to try and speak with them to find out whether her fears were justified. If she had only urged the Mayor to do this, perhaps something could have been worked out to help the families and the raids on the farmhouses would never have taken place.

Andreth was also disappointed in her neighbors. They should have been willing to trust her. But, so far, all she'd gotten from them had been suspicion and an insistence that she justify her actions! Thoroughly frustrated, cold and tired from the long journey, Andreth felt her temper peak. Her sharp retort came flooding out, before Lilac could poke her in the ribs and suggest they try a more politic approach.

"Berilac Woodfarer! Shame on you! A group of defenceless women and children wait outside. Sick and wounded children who need herbal remedies and tender nursing, or they will surely die. Let us in this minute -- all of us -- unless you prefer to be responsible for the deaths of all these folk. If you are so frightened of unarmed children whose only weapons are their hands and teeth, then place a guard around them as they make their way through our town. But at least let Lilac guide them to the Inn where she can set up a place of healing and tend to their needs."

At this point Lilac interrupted in a calmer voice, speaking directly to the Mayor, "We must speak at once. There has been a terrible misunderstanding. These folk do not want war any more than we do. They are hungry and cold, and have no homes. By nature they are not murderers or thieves. Their villages were destroyed by the Orcs in the service of the Witch King, and they come looking for a new place to settle. If we give them a hand, they will survive and we will all avoid great bloodshed."

"Perhaps you do not believe the ramblings of an old woman. But bring Minastan inside privately and talk to him. And at least listen to the words of Kirima. She can speak for Lotar, the leader of their band, a man who was a respected villager before he lost everything he had."

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 4:58 PM February 03, 2004: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]