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Old 10-25-2003, 03:48 PM   #122
Hilde Bracegirdle
Relic of Wandering Days
 
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: You'll See Perpetual Change.
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Hilde Bracegirdle has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

Gilly

The hobbit had been relieved to be on the move again; relieved that no argument had broken out, and relieved also that Kaldir had not yet passed them on to anyone else in Bree having a worse disposition. It bought them precious time.

No mistake, Gilly thought Dúlrain had seemed pleasant and decent enough. And if she could, she would have willed him to see through the veneer of the bounty hunter’s words. It was a strange thing to witness the exchange between them. Still she was trying to make sense of it, as they entered the thoroughfare again. Dúlrain had spoken of the sword’s owner as a fellow ranger, loyal, brave and just. At first the hobbit thought that Kaldir might have slain him, but she saw no vengefulness in Dúlrain’s kindly grey eyes. Instead he had tried to show the sword to Kaldir, with whispers too soft for the hobbit to hear.

Kaldir, making no move toward the offered blade had held Dúlrain’s eyes for a lengthy time before declaring softly, “Your friend is dead, do not give such a thing to a ghost. Keep it in his memory.” If Gilly hadn’t the “pleasure” of the bounty hunter’s acquaintance, she would have thought he was referring to himself. But Kaldir was certainly of flesh and bone, and his daggers real, as she had discovered over the course of the past few days. Dúlrain had also given a pledge to help Kaldir in the form of a necklace, a marvelous whistle to call help to one’s side, before parting their company. Perhaps the sword had belonged to Kaldir’s brother and thus Dúlrain felt kindly disposed to him. That would fit, Gilly reasoned. Most families have a black sheep or two, though Kaldir was more near wolf than sheep to her mind.

“Stay very close to me,” Kaldir commanded them as he rode around taking position in front. “Not everyone in Bree is so polite as Mr. Dúlrain. The individual we seek would be quite happy to use your hides for new saddlebags.” Gilly frowned at this. Why should he warn them, as though he cared what became of them? Was he to collect bounty from the person he was seeking? Gilly sincerely hoped not. If she was to become a servant, she hoped that it would be to someone who would not feel better served by a new saddlebag than a capable hobbit. No it must be some other prize he sought, else why warn them except to protect his future profit.

Leading them to a storefront long abandoned, Kaldir gestured them down in order to follow him inside. Deftly unlocking the door, he pushed it open. The room was in a state, to say the least. “ Oh my!” Gilly uttered upon entering. “This place could sure use a good cleaning.” By about a half dozen of the most industrious of hobbits, she thought to herself. Lifting up the edges of her skirts she waded through the garbage and bones strewn about the floor, searching for a place to stand. Behind her Benia entered, lifting off her veil. It was the first time since they had broken camp that Gilly had seen her friend’s face, and that face spoke volumes to her accustomed eye. Gilly watched timidly as Benia, her jewelry flashing along her cheek approached Kaldir. “For whom do we search?” she asked simply. Gilly was taken back at the bold question. She saw Kaldir turn to search those kohl rimmed eyes.
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