View Single Post
Old 01-27-2006, 11:46 PM   #33
Alcarillo
Shadow of the Past
 
Alcarillo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Minas Mor-go
Posts: 1,032
Alcarillo has just left Hobbiton.
“I lived a few days’ journey west of here; my father is a farmer. Farming is not what I wanted to do with my life; I preferred to work with the horses, though we had only a few. So with my father’s blessing I left the farm and came here, hoping to find some kind of work.”

A happy tale from what Gárwine heard, with not a single stain of death nor cruel uncles. And Léof still had a loving father and a comfortable home waiting for him should things take a turn for the worse. Gárwine's only home was with Uncle Wilfrid and his gambling and drinking, in that grim village at the feet of the mountains, so far from the wet fields by the Entwash where Gárwine grew up among his friends and family. And should Gárwine cause a grievous hurt to his Eorl, then he would be out on the streets as a beggar. No king, not even one who rode with Gárwine's father, would let Gárwine serve another Eorl if something terrible occurred and Eodwine cast him from his house.

Gárwine cast these troublesome thoughts from his mind. Why was there need to worry? He was surrounded by new friends and a limitless future here at the inn. And what could Gárwine do that would be so horrible as to cause him to be cast out by Eodwine? Nothing. But now Gárwine's mind worried. What about Wilfrid? He was surely combing the countryside at this very moment for his only farmhand and one of his horses. He could be asking everybody in Firienmarch, from the old hag in the forest to the rich merchant's infant son, about the wherebouts of Gárwine and Herefola. Surely someone had seen him ride out those few days ago at dusk along the Great West Road. What if Wilfrid tracked Gárwine down and appeared at the door tomorrow morning? His anger would be horrible, and he would spew dirty insults from his mouth like a Dunlending. What if Eodwine let Wilfrid take Gárwine back to Firienmarch? Would Léof or Gudryn or Saeryn come to his aid? Gárwine hoped so, but his mind was unsure. They were new friends, and their friendship had yet to be tested by time. He had met them all this very same morning.

“Much simpler than your story, perhaps, but I really must be tending to my horse – I will come back later, or you could come out with me now, if you prefer. I would not mind the company.”

Léof had spoken, and Gárwine looked up from his half-eaten dessert, which was a soft and fluffy slice of cake covered in sweet and oozing honey.

"Yes, I will come with you," Gárwine said, standing from his seat. He nodded to Gudryn and smiled. "Thank you for this meal, and to Saeryn. It was the perfect breakfast to end those long days of riding."

Léof said the same, and he and Gárwine walked away from the table and outside, where Edoras was now fully awake and the people walked and rode through the street about their errands. It was mid-morning, and the sun had risen into the pale blue sky. Across the street was Léof's horse, Æthel, a chestnut mare, and Gárwine could've mistaken her for Herefola had she been a somewhat darker chestnut color. She was tethered to the same post that Herefola had occupied before Saeryn had led her to the stables. Léof now untied her.

"This is Æthel," Léof said, rubbing his horse's neck. He reached into a pocket and removed a leaf of green vegetables, which he let her nibble upon. He began leading her toward the stables. "You rode here on a horse, too, no?"

"Yes. I call her Herefola. I'll show her to you when we get there."
Alcarillo is offline