The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

piosenniel · 02-07-2004, 08:42 PM

Berilac

Ruby’s face was pale and she was out of breath from running to Mausi’s house. Berilac could barely make out her words as she stood gasping on the porch. He took the lamp from the hallway table and stepped out onto the porch. ‘Calm down,’ he said, taking the folded note from her trembling hand. He sat her down on the step and crouched down beside her, setting the lamp between them.

‘Is this true?’ he asked the young woman. ‘That the man named Guthwine is at the Inn?’ Ruby shook her head yes. Berilac’s next words came low and even. ‘Has he hurt anyone, Ruby?’ Ruby’s wide eyes looked up at the Ranger who now stood, tucking the folded note into the waistband of his breeches. ‘No, sir. As far as I know he’s done nothing. It’s just . . . it’s just that he’s frightened us so.’ She looked down at the toes of her shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world. ‘He does have his sword,’ she whispered afraid some bandit might hear her and jump out.’

Mausi, by this time, had roused from her bed and stood at the open door. ‘Ruby, come in and stay while Berilac sees to this person. I’ve put on the kettle. We’ll have some tea.’ Mausi came out and pulled Ruby up and into the house. As they passed down the hall to the kitchen, they passed Berilac hurrying toward the door. His sword was strapped on and his bow was in his hand, its quiver of arrows secured to his back. ‘Lock yourselves in, ladies,’ he directed them as he shut the door behind him.

He made several stops on his way toward the Inn, gathering some of the Hobbit bowmen he had recruited for the defense of the North Gate. On the way he outlined his plan for them.

When they reached the Inn he sent four of the men in through the kitchen. There were two doors on either side of the bar that abutted up against the kitchen’s wall, and they would enter there on his signal. Three others were also to enter the kitchen and take the back stairway to the servants’ quarters, then make their way to the main stairway, hiding behind the upper railings. The last two were to wait just outside the main door as he entered.

He waited until he knew the others were in place, then he entered the Inn.

~*~

Berilac was already familiar with the layout of the common room, and had gotten the information from Ruby of how Miss Andreth had laid it out for the taking care of the sick women and the children. And the best piece of news - that Andreth had not relocked the door after Guthwine had entered. The only piece of information he didn’t have was Guthwine's exact position. What he counted on was that being a father, the man would stay near his son to see no harm was done him. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door, calling out for Andreth.

The man was quick. He slipped from his seat on the bar’s top with a fluid movement , raising his sword at the sight of the armed Hobbit. Andreth looked at first pleased, then downcast as she saw that Berilac had come alone. ‘Who is this?’ Berilac asked Andreth motioning her back to her place by the children to whom she had been telling a story. She herded them away from the two, giving them into the care of one of the other women, then turned to answer. ‘This is Guthwine,’ she said, not taking her eyes off the bandit. ‘His son’s been sorely hurt, and he’s brought him here to be taken care of.’ Andreth had moved toward the boy, who lay listless on his pallet.

‘Stand back, Andreth,’ commanded Berilac, and take the others with you to the side of the room. He’d slung his bow over his shoulder prior to entering, and now he drew his sword, requesting that Guthwine lay down his weapons. The big man laughed, asking the Ranger how he thought that he and his little play sword were going to back up such a demand.

‘Just so,’ said Berilac, giving a sharp whistle. The four Hobbits in the kitchen rushed through the doors, their bows drawn tight, arrows nocked and at the ready to take down the man. Guthwine thought to do battle with him, then stopped noting the other two that had entered behind Berilac, their bows also drawn and aimed at him.

It was the last three bowman, though, that drove the point home to him that the Ranger’s request was not to be denied. The three hobbits stood ready to shoot his son, should he not comply. A strangled cry escaped the man, and his sword dropped from his hand. He started toward his son, but the Ranger called out to him to ‘stand fast’ if he valued his son’s life. One of the bowmen shoved a chair behind the man, while two of the sturdier lads sat him down roughly and bound him to it, hand and foot.

Once done, Berilac sheathed his sword and sent a man to fetch Captain Telien. They would need some of his men, he thought, to move Guthwine to the wine cellar in the basement of the Inn where he could be safely locked away. They would also need to find out where Guthwine had gotten in and secure the area.

Of greater concern to the Ranger was whether or not other of the bandit men had come in with Guthwine . . .

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:59 AM February 09, 2004: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

02-07-2004, 08:42 PM	#257
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Berilac Ruby’s face was pale and she was out of breath from running to Mausi’s house. Berilac could barely make out her words as she stood gasping on the porch. He took the lamp from the hallway table and stepped out onto the porch. ‘Calm down,’ he said, taking the folded note from her trembling hand. He sat her down on the step and crouched down beside her, setting the lamp between them. ‘Is this true?’ he asked the young woman. ‘That the man named Guthwine is at the Inn?’ Ruby shook her head yes. Berilac’s next words came low and even. ‘Has he hurt anyone, Ruby?’ Ruby’s wide eyes looked up at the Ranger who now stood, tucking the folded note into the waistband of his breeches. ‘No, sir. As far as I know he’s done nothing. It’s just . . . it’s just that he’s frightened us so.’ She looked down at the toes of her shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world. ‘He does have his sword,’ she whispered afraid some bandit might hear her and jump out.’ Mausi, by this time, had roused from her bed and stood at the open door. ‘Ruby, come in and stay while Berilac sees to this person. I’ve put on the kettle. We’ll have some tea.’ Mausi came out and pulled Ruby up and into the house. As they passed down the hall to the kitchen, they passed Berilac hurrying toward the door. His sword was strapped on and his bow was in his hand, its quiver of arrows secured to his back. ‘Lock yourselves in, ladies,’ he directed them as he shut the door behind him. He made several stops on his way toward the Inn, gathering some of the Hobbit bowmen he had recruited for the defense of the North Gate. On the way he outlined his plan for them. When they reached the Inn he sent four of the men in through the kitchen. There were two doors on either side of the bar that abutted up against the kitchen’s wall, and they would enter there on his signal. Three others were also to enter the kitchen and take the back stairway to the servants’ quarters, then make their way to the main stairway, hiding behind the upper railings. The last two were to wait just outside the main door as he entered. He waited until he knew the others were in place, then he entered the Inn. ~*~ Berilac was already familiar with the layout of the common room, and had gotten the information from Ruby of how Miss Andreth had laid it out for the taking care of the sick women and the children. And the best piece of news - that Andreth had not relocked the door after Guthwine had entered. The only piece of information he didn’t have was Guthwine's exact position. What he counted on was that being a father, the man would stay near his son to see no harm was done him. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door, calling out for Andreth. The man was quick. He slipped from his seat on the bar’s top with a fluid movement , raising his sword at the sight of the armed Hobbit. Andreth looked at first pleased, then downcast as she saw that Berilac had come alone. ‘Who is this?’ Berilac asked Andreth motioning her back to her place by the children to whom she had been telling a story. She herded them away from the two, giving them into the care of one of the other women, then turned to answer. ‘This is Guthwine,’ she said, not taking her eyes off the bandit. ‘His son’s been sorely hurt, and he’s brought him here to be taken care of.’ Andreth had moved toward the boy, who lay listless on his pallet. ‘Stand back, Andreth,’ commanded Berilac, and take the others with you to the side of the room. He’d slung his bow over his shoulder prior to entering, and now he drew his sword, requesting that Guthwine lay down his weapons. The big man laughed, asking the Ranger how he thought that he and his little play sword were going to back up such a demand. ‘Just so,’ said Berilac, giving a sharp whistle. The four Hobbits in the kitchen rushed through the doors, their bows drawn tight, arrows nocked and at the ready to take down the man. Guthwine thought to do battle with him, then stopped noting the other two that had entered behind Berilac, their bows also drawn and aimed at him. It was the last three bowman, though, that drove the point home to him that the Ranger’s request was not to be denied. The three hobbits stood ready to shoot his son, should he not comply. A strangled cry escaped the man, and his sword dropped from his hand. He started toward his son, but the Ranger called out to him to ‘stand fast’ if he valued his son’s life. One of the bowmen shoved a chair behind the man, while two of the sturdier lads sat him down roughly and bound him to it, hand and foot. Once done, Berilac sheathed his sword and sent a man to fetch Captain Telien. They would need some of his men, he thought, to move Guthwine to the wine cellar in the basement of the Inn where he could be safely locked away. They would also need to find out where Guthwine had gotten in and secure the area. Of greater concern to the Ranger was whether or not other of the bandit men had come in with Guthwine . . . <font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:59 AM February 09, 2004: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.