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Nerindel · 02-02-2010, 08:34 PM

Matrim, Æðelhild and Athanar

Matrim could feel Æðelhild's hand tense on his arm as they entered the hall, stealing a quick glance he was glad to see that the same tension did not show on her face. Lord Athanar did not at present sit in the main hall and Martrim was suddenly aware that he did not know who it was in this hall that relied to him messages of guests in his halls. As his gaze searched the hall for someone to take a message of their arrival to Lord Athanar, someone came forwards from behind the corner and faced them straight from just a few yards away.

It was lord Athanar himself.

He looked baffled for a moment but suddenly his face turned into a smile and he raised his hands to stress his own fault not recognizing them immediately.

"So you must be lady Aedelhild and master Matrim!" He looked at them both inquisitively but retained his smile. "I had totally forgotten about you with all this..." he looked apologetic and he clearly meant it.”... With all this mess... Anyway, please sit down, let's talk." He waved towards the main table.

Æðelhild's tension lifted slightly as they followed Athanar to the table, she had expected a more cooled reception and that it was not so set her somewhat more at ease. A small smile of surprise touched her lips as Matrim held out her chair, it had been so long that she had almost forgotten such small protocols. Though she had only been in Rohan some short months, she had been gone from Gondor over a year and from court longer still, her uncle had seen to that. As quickly as her smile had appeared it was now gone, her face again a blank canvas with only her rich brown eyes betraying the pain she felt at her uncle’s memory. Sitting she looked across the table to see Athanar studying her curiously.

"May we assume lord Athanar that you have been made aware of our situation?" Matrim asked breaking the man’s attention from Lady Æðelhild.

Lord Athanar turned his attention to Matrim and nodded. "Yes you may... although there are a lot of things I'd wish to know more of." He leaned back a little in his chair looking thoughtful.

"I was told about your presence here my lady, and that lord Matrim and a Gondorian officer would be here to protect you. Also I heard that even if the danger on your life isn't necessarily an acute one, there is a chance someone might be after you even this far away from Gondor." Lord Athanar had been looking at Aedelhild while speaking but now he turned to Matrim.

"King Eomer told me to honour any pact you'd have with lord Eodwine and that's how it shall be. But first I should know what kind of arrangements there are. Had lord Eodwine appointed some men of his guard as an extra-security or something? And how about your status? Is it generally known inside the Mead Hall or are you having a cover-story of some kind?"

Æðelhild kept Athanar's gaze as best she could, but hearing again that her life may be in danger and knowing what her uncle was capable of made her shiver. She was glad that he then chose that moment to turn his attention to Matrim.

Matrim paused briefly, thinking how best to proceed. "As you will have noticed on your arrival the guards of Scarburg are far and few between, So it wasn't difficult for myself and captain Balvir to blend as swords for hire recruited by Lord Eodwine to protect this hall." he paused a moment to glean Athanar's reaction, then continued.

"As completion of the hall was Lord Eodwine's priority and many of his men were needed to help with its construction. I and Balvir with Eodwine's knowledge had and still have been using the morning hunt as an excuse to gain the lay of the land and to watch the road/s in and out of the Scar. Edowine saw that Æðel as the lady is thus known here was included in tasks that would keep her in company at all times (He decided to keep to himself the numerous times she had escaped such company to tend the garden or prepare her tinctures alone.) and Master Thornden has always had his men keep an acceptable night watch. Though I have never been sure if he knew of our circumstance or not. As Steward to Lord Edowine I would assume that he did, but if he did he played his information very close to his chest." As he answered Matrim thought again about if their cover was still necessary.

By now all of Gondor would know of the king’s decree and that they where somewhere in Rohan. How much more time really would it buy them to keep up the pretence? He glanced at Æðelhild; he knew that despite her earlier assurances that she was ready, she really wasn't. He also knew that even if she was not she would at least have to appear to be, she had to show Cild that she was not afraid. His mind made up he turned back to Athanar. "Lord Athanar the time for hiding and laying low has now passed by now all of Gondor knows the Lady Æðelhild is in Rohan, She is not guilty of the crimes accounted her and therefore must no longer be shamed into hiding. Her accuser must see that she is not afraid of his Lies!"

Lord Athanar was nodding as he listened to Matrim and he had been just about to open his mouth when Matrim addressed him with the issue of them not laying in hiding any more. He was a bit surprised of the energetic way this young nobleman made his case after being such a composed converser just before. He looked at Matrim to the eye, like he was measuring the young man.

"Well, lord Matrim. I admire your straightness. And if that truly is your wish..." here he glanced at lady Aedelhild, "then you truly shall sit on my table with the other nobles already on the dinner today. And we shall declare your positions then so that everyone understands." He looked at Matrim and picked the spoon from the table reaching his hand so that the incoming sunlight reflected brightly from the backside of the spoon to the wall behind them.

"With that revelation you're calling any possible servants of that lord Cild straight here as that kind of things rarely stay hidden once revealed. There are people who come and go and one ear getting the story will turn into a mouth for another ear to listen..."

Suddenly he rolled the spoon around so that the hollow part of the spoon faced the sunlight greatly diminishing the reflected beam that was now in between them on the table.

"Maybe that's what we'd wish to do then?" He glanced at the two quizzically. "If we catch assassins will it help your plight?"

The fear Æðelhild had been suppressing rose as she watched the spoon and listened to Athanar's words. She looked at Matrim hoping he would change his decision, but instead he was nodding his gaze fixed firmly on the now up turned spoon. Æðelhild was shaking, did he really mean to use her as bait. Sense told her that catching an assassin would indeed help her plight but at that moment fear was winning out and she struggled to fight back the tears that now glistened in the corner of her eyes.

The slightest hint of a grin touched Matrim's lips, he liked how Athanar thought, and catching an assassin would surely prove that Cild had something to hide especially if they could get that assassin to talk. He looked up but was surprised to see concern etching Athanar's brow, realising at once that his concern was directed at Æðelhild. Matrim turned and almost at once he began to doubt his decision, her eyes glistened and she was shaking, had he gone too far? Was he asking too much too soon? It has to be done he told himself, he would have to be her strength at least till she could find it in herself.

Placing his hands gently on her shoulders and ignoring the involuntary flinch that always came (Another scar of her uncle’s ill treatment) he bent giving her no choice but to look at him. "I am sorry Æðelhild, but you know better than I what your uncle is capable of." His voice was calm but sympathetic, "if he means to find you he will, weather we remain hidden or not, at least this way we can tempt him into tying his own noose." Æðelhild looked away and for a moment Matrim feared she would choose to remain hidden, but then she spoke “What if he doesn't?" she asked in a cracked whisper. "Then we hope and we pray that my father has time enough to find that which he searches for." seeing that his words did not comfort her he raised her chin so their eyes met, "I swear I am not going to let anything happen to you! You are not alone in this."

Matrim's words comforted her and fighting back the tears she nodded. "Ok" she whispered, then again to be heard with out straining, "ok I will do it, that is if Lord Athanar agrees, it is to his home Matrim that we bring these troubles?" letting go of her shoulders he nodded his agreement, then taking his seat they both turned to await Lord Athanar's reply.

02-02-2010, 08:34 PM	#708
Nerindel Spirited Weaver of Fates Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In an endless sea of dreams! Posts: 827	Matrim, Æðelhild and Athanar Matrim could feel Æðelhild's hand tense on his arm as they entered the hall, stealing a quick glance he was glad to see that the same tension did not show on her face. Lord Athanar did not at present sit in the main hall and Martrim was suddenly aware that he did not know who it was in this hall that relied to him messages of guests in his halls. As his gaze searched the hall for someone to take a message of their arrival to Lord Athanar, someone came forwards from behind the corner and faced them straight from just a few yards away. It was lord Athanar himself. He looked baffled for a moment but suddenly his face turned into a smile and he raised his hands to stress his own fault not recognizing them immediately. "So you must be lady Aedelhild and master Matrim!" He looked at them both inquisitively but retained his smile. "I had totally forgotten about you with all this..." he looked apologetic and he clearly meant it.”... With all this mess... Anyway, please sit down, let's talk." He waved towards the main table. Æðelhild's tension lifted slightly as they followed Athanar to the table, she had expected a more cooled reception and that it was not so set her somewhat more at ease. A small smile of surprise touched her lips as Matrim held out her chair, it had been so long that she had almost forgotten such small protocols. Though she had only been in Rohan some short months, she had been gone from Gondor over a year and from court longer still, her uncle had seen to that. As quickly as her smile had appeared it was now gone, her face again a blank canvas with only her rich brown eyes betraying the pain she felt at her uncle’s memory. Sitting she looked across the table to see Athanar studying her curiously. "May we assume lord Athanar that you have been made aware of our situation?" Matrim asked breaking the man’s attention from Lady Æðelhild. Lord Athanar turned his attention to Matrim and nodded. "Yes you may... although there are a lot of things I'd wish to know more of." He leaned back a little in his chair looking thoughtful. "I was told about your presence here my lady, and that lord Matrim and a Gondorian officer would be here to protect you. Also I heard that even if the danger on your life isn't necessarily an acute one, there is a chance someone might be after you even this far away from Gondor." Lord Athanar had been looking at Aedelhild while speaking but now he turned to Matrim. "King Eomer told me to honour any pact you'd have with lord Eodwine and that's how it shall be. But first I should know what kind of arrangements there are. Had lord Eodwine appointed some men of his guard as an extra-security or something? And how about your status? Is it generally known inside the Mead Hall or are you having a cover-story of some kind?" Æðelhild kept Athanar's gaze as best she could, but hearing again that her life may be in danger and knowing what her uncle was capable of made her shiver. She was glad that he then chose that moment to turn his attention to Matrim. Matrim paused briefly, thinking how best to proceed. "As you will have noticed on your arrival the guards of Scarburg are far and few between, So it wasn't difficult for myself and captain Balvir to blend as swords for hire recruited by Lord Eodwine to protect this hall." he paused a moment to glean Athanar's reaction, then continued. "As completion of the hall was Lord Eodwine's priority and many of his men were needed to help with its construction. I and Balvir with Eodwine's knowledge had and still have been using the morning hunt as an excuse to gain the lay of the land and to watch the road/s in and out of the Scar. Edowine saw that Æðel as the lady is thus known here was included in tasks that would keep her in company at all times (He decided to keep to himself the numerous times she had escaped such company to tend the garden or prepare her tinctures alone.) and Master Thornden has always had his men keep an acceptable night watch. Though I have never been sure if he knew of our circumstance or not. As Steward to Lord Edowine I would assume that he did, but if he did he played his information very close to his chest." As he answered Matrim thought again about if their cover was still necessary. By now all of Gondor would know of the king’s decree and that they where somewhere in Rohan. How much more time really would it buy them to keep up the pretence? He glanced at Æðelhild; he knew that despite her earlier assurances that she was ready, she really wasn't. He also knew that even if she was not she would at least have to appear to be, she had to show Cild that she was not afraid. His mind made up he turned back to Athanar. "Lord Athanar the time for hiding and laying low has now passed by now all of Gondor knows the Lady Æðelhild is in Rohan, She is not guilty of the crimes accounted her and therefore must no longer be shamed into hiding. Her accuser must see that she is not afraid of his Lies!" Lord Athanar was nodding as he listened to Matrim and he had been just about to open his mouth when Matrim addressed him with the issue of them not laying in hiding any more. He was a bit surprised of the energetic way this young nobleman made his case after being such a composed converser just before. He looked at Matrim to the eye, like he was measuring the young man. "Well, lord Matrim. I admire your straightness. And if that truly is your wish..." here he glanced at lady Aedelhild, "then you truly shall sit on my table with the other nobles already on the dinner today. And we shall declare your positions then so that everyone understands." He looked at Matrim and picked the spoon from the table reaching his hand so that the incoming sunlight reflected brightly from the backside of the spoon to the wall behind them. "With that revelation you're calling any possible servants of that lord Cild straight here as that kind of things rarely stay hidden once revealed. There are people who come and go and one ear getting the story will turn into a mouth for another ear to listen..." Suddenly he rolled the spoon around so that the hollow part of the spoon faced the sunlight greatly diminishing the reflected beam that was now in between them on the table. "Maybe that's what we'd wish to do then?" He glanced at the two quizzically. "If we catch assassins will it help your plight?" The fear Æðelhild had been suppressing rose as she watched the spoon and listened to Athanar's words. She looked at Matrim hoping he would change his decision, but instead he was nodding his gaze fixed firmly on the now up turned spoon. Æðelhild was shaking, did he really mean to use her as bait. Sense told her that catching an assassin would indeed help her plight but at that moment fear was winning out and she struggled to fight back the tears that now glistened in the corner of her eyes. The slightest hint of a grin touched Matrim's lips, he liked how Athanar thought, and catching an assassin would surely prove that Cild had something to hide especially if they could get that assassin to talk. He looked up but was surprised to see concern etching Athanar's brow, realising at once that his concern was directed at Æðelhild. Matrim turned and almost at once he began to doubt his decision, her eyes glistened and she was shaking, had he gone too far? Was he asking too much too soon? It has to be done he told himself, he would have to be her strength at least till she could find it in herself. Placing his hands gently on her shoulders and ignoring the involuntary flinch that always came (Another scar of her uncle’s ill treatment) he bent giving her no choice but to look at him. "I am sorry Æðelhild, but you know better than I what your uncle is capable of." His voice was calm but sympathetic, "if he means to find you he will, weather we remain hidden or not, at least this way we can tempt him into tying his own noose." Æðelhild looked away and for a moment Matrim feared she would choose to remain hidden, but then she spoke “What if he doesn't?" she asked in a cracked whisper. "Then we hope and we pray that my father has time enough to find that which he searches for." seeing that his words did not comfort her he raised her chin so their eyes met, "I swear I am not going to let anything happen to you! You are not alone in this." Matrim's words comforted her and fighting back the tears she nodded. "Ok" she whispered, then again to be heard with out straining, "ok I will do it, that is if Lord Athanar agrees, it is to his home Matrim that we bring these troubles?" letting go of her shoulders he nodded his agreement, then taking his seat they both turned to await Lord Athanar's reply.