[TheLadyAerowen]

Just before the first rays of dawn appeared over the horizon, Alearindu awoke. Quietly stretching and rolling up her blankets from the night, she packed up her gear and placed it into Mornen’s saddlebags.

Snorting and shaking his straw-like black mane, Mornen shoved his velvet-like muzzle into Alearindu’s hand. She rubbed his muzzle and waited for the other men to rise. What she didn’t know was that Thorgil, the company’s leader, was already awake and had left the camp.

Thorgil and the other Rangers didn’t exactly approve of Alearindu. They tended to ignore her and not care about her opinions or inputs; but they did manage to tolerate her and allow her (after much persuasion) to join them. She put up with everything so she could stay on the journey and have a chance at revenge for her father. She had gotten weary of wandering pretty much aimlessly, and besides, where else could she go? Their treatment caused her to become quiet and forlorn, but even she could sense a bit less tension between the lot of them and her during the past moons, and yet not much.

After some stirring and activity in the camp, She spied him leaving and followed, so quietly that he didn't even notice (she hoped) She took a spot sitting on a hill over-looking the group he had gone to visit. There were quite a lot of them. Thorgil did go talk to a man, whom she guessed was the leader, and after a bit of talking, Thorgil returned to the Ranger-Camp and addressed them; she returned behind him and found a place in the back of the crowd.

“Men," After a pause he added, "...and Alearindu. There is a group of Gondorians camped out on the shore of Lake Evendim. I spoke to the leader, Borgand, and he informed me that they are settlers. They are staying here.” He paused to let the men absorb this, and waited patiently as they muttered amongst themselves. They quieted after a few moments, and he continued. "Borgand has requested that I send a man to stay in the settlement, to guard and defend them. You would have to live in the camp until they become self-sufficient, and they may want you to help them build. I will accept a volunteer." He paused and glanced over the men. Alearindu looked too. They were looking at each other, and even she could see most of them would never volunteer; they had been Rangers all their lives, most of them, and would sooner give their arm than stay for an indeterminate amount of time in a settlement.

In her private survey of the crowd, she noticed Awyrgan. He was also fairly new to the camp, like her, and young, like her. She had only spoken to him a few times, but she wished she knew him better. She thought they must have much in common. After a few moments, she looked back at Thorgil to see what he was doing about the fact that no one had volunteered. He looked about to speak when a voice in the back of the crowd said, "I'll go, I'll do it." She looked. It was Awyrgan. He looked Thorgil directly in the eye, his own bright green and flashing. "I'll watch them, but from the outside only unless circumstances require otherwise," Suprised at the usually quiet man's forwardness, Thorgil nodded. He then glanced around the crowd, saw Alearindu watching Awyrgan and said, after a pause, "Alearindu shall accompany you."

Alearindu was silently surprised that Awyrgan had volunteered, and that Thorgil would have let one of the young, new ones go to the settlement. But, Alearindu and Awygran were both young and new. She had thought for a moment she, for once, wasn’t going to be the one doing the work the others didn’t want to. For now, at least she wasn’t the only one.

Alearindu scowled to herself, turned, and walked to Mornen. She tightened his girth, untied the reins from the tree, pulled them over his head, and mounted. She was ready to set-out; to set-out to protect the settlement.

[ September 02, 2003: Message edited by: TheLadyAerowen ]