View Single Post
Old 04-09-2004, 03:48 PM   #155
Hilde Bracegirdle
Relic of Wandering Days
 
Hilde Bracegirdle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: You'll See Perpetual Change.
Posts: 1,488
Hilde Bracegirdle has just left Hobbiton.
Thorn

It was night by the time Thorn reached the slumbering camp of the eagle clan. In his weariness he noted the familiar gray barred pennants affixed to many a tent, blowing in the light breeze that drifted through the encampment. Stopping only to whisper hasty greetings to the guards that approached him in the gloom, he quickly made his way to the center of camp where Ayar's tent might be found.

Heartened to see the pale thread of lamplight bordering the tent flap as he approached, Thorn advanced briskly. But when his arm reach out to grasp the canvas edge of it, a low growl was heard beside the opening, and a brown mottled dog stepped out of the shadows baring white teeth.

"Surinen!" Thorn declared, recognizing the dog's markings at once in the dim light. The animal immediately bowed its head and with wagging tail met him. "Shouldn't you be off guarding Dinsûl's stores against mischief?" Thorn queried, placing his hand on the dog's brow. But the dog only whined hearing the familiar voice, and sliding away from Thorn's indulgence, took up his position again, sitting tall by the entrance as he watched his friend slip noiselessly inside.

By the feeble light of the oil lamps, Thorn could see the silhouette of a young woman who sat softly singing an ode Thorn knew had been written by Ayar's father. The sight of Narika brought with it a measure of peace to him, but it was too brief, for at her side lay the leader of the eagle clan, feverish upon her thin mattress, the dark hair that framed the beloved face now clinging to her damp skin as she struggled against some illness. At the flames' flicker, Narika turned to see who had entered, and as the light held her face Thorn could see grave concern in her expression. Silently she gestured for him to wait, and after finishing the last verse she quietly got up. With a warm smile tempered with care she hurried over to Thorn and took up his hands in hers. "It is good to see you Thorn! Many times I have wished for your presence and now not the least of them. Even this afternoon I have sent out a messenger asking for your return and Rama's also. Perhaps you met him along your way?"

"No, I did not see him or your sister, but found that Ráma had wisely had left Umbar even before I myself managed to. Hopefully the boy will have the sense to return quickly back, for that city grows restive and is no place for him. But tell me fully what has happened here, Narika, and why have you sent for us?" he asked with foreboding. "For I have seen the signs of warning, and now find Ayar is unwell."

"I wish I could say with confidence that it was nothing," Narika said in low tones. "But my mother is seriously ill, as you see, and we will not be moving camp until she is able to travel. I do not think she could now bear the stain of it and do not wish to test her so." Rising unbidden to her eyes, tears gathered eyes as she spoke so that she lowered her glance to the floor, no longer able to continue.

"There is more to this, I see it in your demeanor," Thorn said gently lifting Narika's chin. "What manner of illness could it be to have you so troubled? Fever?"

"One that has followed a course that I confess is strange to me, and my skill has not relieved her of it.” Narika confided, her voice betraying her emotion. “I have consulted your sister Yalisha, and she suspects it may be some poison. She has heard of such things in Umbar, things delivered through the skin by dart. And though she has given many herbs to use, still my mother suffers great discomfort. Oh that this illness could be overcome and we both could give you welcome!"

"Being with you truly is welcome enough.” Thorn said trying to take in what he had heard. “Come, you are weary. Let us keep watch together…when did this sickness begin?" Thorn asked dreading her answer.

"The evening before last."

Closing his eyes, Thorn felt helpless, for he too had heard of these barbarous poisons and their reliable outcome.

"Yes please Thorn, and speak with me of what we should do, for Surinen had reported a strange maenwaith that he and Narayad had met earlier at the next well on our path. He spoke that he thought this same one might have visited our camp without our detecting him. And I find I do not know what tomorrow might bring, or the day after. But if this is some act against us, I can not let it pass."

Thorn raised his dark eyes at this, "A maenwaith, you say?"

"Surinen and Narayad seemed quite sure of it," Narika replied, leading the traveler to sit at her mother's side. "They said they saw him fly away toward the sea."

"Did they say if they saw him in a mannish aspect also?" Thorn pursued, troubled by this news. It had not occurred to him that the figure he had seen in Umbar could be anything but of Haradrim descent, but it now appeared he must be, for how else could his clan be found so rapidly.

"Why do you ask? Have you seen him as well?"

"I may have, though I hope not, for the one I saw had an evil intent and surely one of our kind would not be so low as to accept payment to …." He trailed off looking at Ayar and lowered his head to his hands. After a short time he spoke, his voice and words chosen carefully. "Narika, this one I saw, Wyrma had engaged for some malevolent course against us, against your mother. This is why I have come; this is the news a carry, a warning of a threat. And now I find that it may have already come to pass! Ordered and carried out by a maenwaith's hand? I cannot believe it! I do not believe it!"

Just then Narayad's wife, Latah, entered carrying a steaming wooden bowl. She hesitated seeing that she had come at an awkward time. "I've prepared the infusion," she said waiting by the door.

"Come, come Latah," Narika said.

Her mother groaned, wincing as together she and Latah gently rolled Ayar on to her side so that they could bath her neck, Ayar eyes flickering at the touch of the warm water. Feeling the gravity of the situation, and reeling with the rapidly shifting in the position of the eagle clan, Thorn watched absently as the women finished their duty and he pondered what he had learned.

“Latah!” he called as the Narayad’s wife drew open the canvas to leave. “ Please ask Surinen to come here as you go. I need to speak with him, and fetch Narayad as well.” The woman nodded and closed the flap behind her. Then turning to Narika he said, “I wish to hear all he knows about this strange maenwaith”
Hilde Bracegirdle is offline