Calenoreien strode quickly back to the stable through the warm night air to retrieve her horse. She was in such haste that her feet seemed to miss the earth as she went along. She had to get to the Rangers camp, this night, some thing was happening in Tharbad and they had to be informed about it. She was running the story over in her mind, about how Mat Rushlight described the ghostly happenings at this castle he was held prisoner in. In Mats own words he told how his wife and daughter “ un-became them selves, died and yet…lived,” as were his words. His voice had trembled and his body seemed to quake with fear as he told his tale. His eyes had the distance of a man scarred beyond healing. She knew that look all too well and his face haunted her thoughts for a moment. As Calen approached the stable she saw a Ranger she recognized, arguing with a strong willed ebony horse.
“Aw come on Midnight, Mornen would be inside this stable instead of you, if only you could have come just five minutes later! Rules are rules, and you won! Be a good winner now.”
Calenoreien laughed quietly as she saw the stubborn horse back away from Alearindu and the stable and into the darkness to graze on the sweet fresh summer grass. She saw the ranger go to another horse and began to brush him down outside the stable Calenoreien approached the onyx looking stallion. He put his head up proudly as she came with in touching distance. Calenoreien looked towards Alearindu with uncertainty.
“Suiliad, What brings a Ranger here tonight?”
Alearindu turned around to see the Elf standing near the war steed.
“ Urgent business, who asks?” Alearindu stood looking at the elf quizzically.
“Wait,” she said, “Don’t I know you?”
“ I believe you know me. I am Calenoreien of Mirkwood. You are acquainted with Aldarion, and if I remember you are Alearindu.”
Alearindu smiled and laughed faintly as she stroked her horse. “Yes that’s right, it has been a long time!”
As she smiled at Alearindu she stretched her arm out and held her hand palm up under Midnights muzzle for him to get her scent. As he lowered his head to her palm she spoke softly to him.
“U-osto, tolo si. Aphodo nin. Bedithnon minui.”
She walked forward into the stable and he slowly followed her. As he entered the light of the stable Calenoreien saw the golden saddle he wore. On it the inscription of an L had all but worn off and faded over many years. It looked ancient even to Calenoreien. As she studied the inscriptions of the design she noticed a message had been attached to the saddle.
“Alearindu, this letter here, is this the urgency?”
Alearindu’s voice grew more serious and a look of distress spread across her face.
“Yes Calenoreien, this is the urgency,”
Alearindu went into detail about how they had broken an age-old curse set by Maladil over the Castle Laurëondo and all his servants and children. She explained Gandalf’s mission to turn the castle into a house of healing and now there were orcs surrounding the place because it had once been an uncontested territory. But since all of the happenings took place they returned in greater numbers.
“So,” Calenoreien said, “this saddle is Maladil’s eh?”
Alearindu shook her head, “ Yes and poor Midnight hates to wear a saddle.”
“ I wouldn’t want to wear it either, but I know what to do.”
She told Alearindu her plan and she would meet her at the camp and when she had arrived at the cabin she would set out with the rest of the Rangers. Alearindu went to the inn and had something to eat while Calenoreien took the saddle off of the grateful Midnight. She checked on Celebrama and took the saddle back to the inn, when she came in to the well light inn she ignored Alearindu as was planned and asked if anyone was interested in purchasing an ancient saddle from the Castle Laurëondo. Some of the men jeered about not being able to set foot there, and it wasn’t real. Some of the men looked with fear upon it and wished it taken out side lest a curse fall on those at the inn. Calen was just about to walk outside when a well-dressed man approached her.
“You say that this is a saddle from Laurëondo, I would say it is worth a great deal eh?”
As the man spoke he raised an eyebrow as if he were trying to persuade her into something.
“It is said that treasures abound in that castle. I, how ever have only heard rumors I will give you twice what it is worth.”
He handed her a large sack of gold after she handed him the saddle and smiled at her menacingly. She knew what would come next but he would be paying extra for nothing.
Taking her time she met a couple of hobbits and spoke to them a little while.
She saw Alearindu get up and leave the inn after the deals were done. Calenoreien went back out to the stable to retrieve Celebrama, she watched Alearindu out of the corner of her eye ride hard to the south. After she had gone out of human sight she saw the new owner of Maladil’s saddle come out side. He looked hastily up and down the dirt road.
He looked angry until he saw Calen mount her horse and began to ride north on the road.
Celebrama went slowly at first and when she saw the buyer behind her she put Celebrama into a gallop.
“Yro Celebrama Yro.”
She saw him begin to disappear behind her and she headed southwest in to the woods.
“Celebrama, Daro, Delio”
The sterling horse halted and went behind a thicket of tall birch trees. There they watched the foolish man gallop past them and off toward Bree. She waited to see if he would stop but he didn’t.
“Yro lim Celebrama Yro lim!”
With the would-be stalker on his way to Bree she was now free to ride with out worry to the cabin. As she rode to the cabin she started to laugh about what had just taken place.
“That was fun was it not Celebrama?”
The spirited horse shook his head, neighed. She laughed at the witty response of her horse as he tried to out ride the stars to the Rangers cabin.
She smiled and closed her eyes for a moment listening to the horses hoof beats on the moist foliage of the grown over path to the cabin. The sky was turning orange through the tall oaks on the small hill and the dawn was starting to break first light when she saw the shape of a man on horseback silhouetted against the rising sun.
“Daro Celebrama.”
The rider and horse came cantering down the small incline and he saw her.
She yelled to him,
“Ias bedich, Hir nîn.”
He replied none too kindly, “You know very well!”
She dismounted and stood beside Celebrama and waited till he got to her. He was tall and broad. His long dark hair blew in the wind as he rode forth. He stopped right beside her and peered in to her face, as he dismounted his horse his steely blue-gray eyes glinted with laughter. They laughed out loud she fling her arms around his shoulders and he hugged her around the waist and picked her up and shook her.
“Oh, Aldarion it is so wonderful to see you!” she said laughing.
He set her back on the ground and smiled.
“Calen, it has been far too long.”
They mounted their horses and rode to the cabin as Calen filled him in on everything that was happening in Tharbad since he was out patrolling when Alearindu had arrived and held council with the other Rangers. She also told him about the saddle and the stalker previous to her coming, and her plans on how to spend the fortune.
“Gandalf needs our help Aldarion, orcs are surrounding Laurëondo. I am glad he has turned it into a house of healing. I will definitely join the fight to help that kind of cause. Maybe I will stay there if he allows instead of going west just yet. I used the money from the saddle to pay for linens and herbs. I have also purchased some chickens a few small pigs and some lambs so the castle will have its own establishments in order. They will come when they are sent for.”
“Aldarion smiled gently at her, you have a good heart Calenoreien.”
As they reached the Rangers Cabin everyone was busying themselves with chores and assigned duties. Alearindu strode up to Calenoreien and Aldarion.
“Ten, we are ten strong. Strider is off on an important assignment, he will be missed but we can make due with out him.”
“Count me in,” said Calenoreien
[ April 23, 2003: Message edited by: Yavanna Kementari ]
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"Nonetheless they will have need of wood."
Aulë speaking to Yavanna of Dwarves :P to you Aulë
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