[Adanedhel]

Tunar in amusement from behind the two groups watched the exchange and wondered what the history was between them, as it certainly seemed they knew each other and had met before. From the conversation Tunar had attained that the tall Gondorian that had entered with the lady was named Azariah but the young girl remained nameless. Their was an awkard silence between them as Azariah succumbed to the lady’s insistence that they travel with Halasan and Haleg to Deriath’s trading post. He smiled mirthfully then broke the silence

“If you don’t mind me saying so it wouldn’t make that much of a difference if you had a larger company. I assume you are allowing me to come of course, but if everyone rides and rides well it shouldn’t slow us down”

Halasan looked back at the blacksmith with a look of agreeance

“We need to get there quickly so we will need someone who knows how to get there quickly, we will need you to show us the way”

Tunar nodded and then turned to Azariah and the young lady he was with

“Now what service can I provide you with this day?”

Azariah motioned with his hand to a rack of swords and said to the blacksmith

“I need a broadsword for the yong lady here”

He motioned to the lady by his side

“Light, preferrably smaller than your average broadsword”

Tunar nodded and walked over to the sword rack, motioning for the young lady to follow him. She did so and stood, uncertain of herself, next to the large blacksmith

“Now first things first lets see....”

His trained eye swept over the mounted swords his finger tips of his right hand dancing over the bare blades. He stopped on a smaller broad sword, the thick wide blade reflecting the light slightly and the fuller running down the length of the blade. It’s golden pommel and guard polished brightly and the black leather hilt unused. He took it from the rack and carefully placed it in the hands of the young woman, correcting her grip. He asked her, his trained eye watching her balance the sword

“How does it feel?”

The young woman held the sword balancing it in her grip. She nodded not saying a word. Tunar smiled and reached into a cupboard under the sword rack, bringing out a plain leather sheath and belt already fitted.

“You’ll find that sword fits this sheath perfectly”

He held the sheath out and the lady sheathed the sword, the slow noise as the steel rubbed against the leather testament to the newness of the sword.

“Now what is your name may I ask?”

The young lady smiled and said

“My name is Elenna good blacksmith and yours?”

Tunar smiled and bowed

“Mine is Tunar Estomer, and I hope you have no need of that sword on this trip”

They both laughed and Azariah walked over looking at the blade that Tunar had given Elenna, Elenna passed the blade to him and Azariah partially unsheathed it, inspecting the part of the blade he could see. He nodded in acceptance and murmed

“Nice blade, how much?”

Tunar chuckled and shook his head

“Nothing”

Elenna and Azariah looked up surprise on their faces, Azariah questioning Tunar

“Are you sure? This is a fine blade”

Tunar nodded saying in low tones

“I hate swords, death and destruction are all they bring. I only make them or repair them because the soldiers of the Riddermark need them and they offer a lot of business”

Azariah and Elenna nodded, Halasan and Haleg standing were they were before were talking in low tones. Tunar looked over to them and said

“When are we leaving Halasan?”

Halasan looked over and smiled

“How soon can you be ready?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~

Five horses were saddled up ready to depart outside the smith of Tunar Estomer, five people in cloaks stood by the horses as the sun begun to lower, the cool night air filling the city of the horse lords. One cloaked figure was embracing a lady then squatting down to give words to three boys who stood next to her. The figure hugged each of the three then he hugged the last one, the eldest had dissapeared then returned to large objects in his hand, one an axe the other a sword in a black leather sheath.
The figure nodded and took the two putting the sword onto his belt and pushing the axe in his belt. The smallest of the three boys begun to cry and the figure reached into his cloak and took out a small wooden object, a horse, the crying stopped but small sobs could be heard. The other forms stood by the horses, tightening straps or adjusting packs tied to horses. The cloaked figure kissed the lady again then turned to the horses finding two people already mounted, one with an axe looking out in the direction they were travelling, the other impatiently waiting on the back of his horse while the other two mounted.

The figure mounted up and rode to the head of the group trotting off, the others quickly followed and soon Halasan, Haleg, Azariah, Elenna and Tunar were on their way, riding slowly down the street towards the main gates of the city and the way towards the merchant’s post and maybe, just maybe what Halasan was looking for.........