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Old 08-26-2015, 06:22 PM   #95
Mithalwen
Pilgrim Soul
 
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle...
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Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.
Dawn, two days later (third day after arrival of convoy)

Elfthain woke early and yawned lengthily, stretched and sat up. It was close after dawn and weak light lit his room and the impressive amount of chaos he had managed to create in so short a time with so few posessions. He had been astonished to be given a room of his own rather than just enough space to unroll his blankets as he had expected. His muddle of discarded armour and saddlebags made it seem less obvious that this was someone's room rather than just a spare room and there was, most likely a very simple reason why it was vacant. He supposed he should tidy it out of deference to his host but away from military or even maternal supervision he had granted himself furlough from the discipline of having his kit ready for inspection at any time. Wilheard had ignored him on the rare occasions their paths had crossed. Elfthain had discarded his armour in favour of a simple shirt and tunic at the earliest opportunity and he wasn't even sure the young knight recognised him out of uniform. Elfthain had told no lies yet he had not told the whole truth either, not even to the curious ladies in the kitchens who had an uncanny ability to winkle out information. He had confided little more than the basic facts and he had elided some of those...he had admitted to being Elwin's squire but omitted that he was also his nephew, that his aunt was from Gondor but not that she had attended the queen, and so forth. He told himself he wasn't lying. He just wasn't showing off.

After two full days at Scarburg he was beginning to get the hang of the place. The first day had been occupied largely in moving the supplies to their proper locations from where they had been stowed temporarily after their hasty unloading, yesterday it had rained solidly and he had cleaned Safran's tack. The rest of the time he had spent exploring, with Javan as his guide and companion when he was free. There was enough affinity in age and temperament between the two for a friendship to have been easily forged. And his labours had caused him to renew his acquaintanceship with the ladies in the kitchen and Ruairi the Eorl's enchanting little daughter who had made him think that it would be fun if Poppy were still at Upbourn when he returned and that it would be nice to have a little sister again even after so long a time.

Of the Eorl himself he had seen virtually nothing. He had been ill even before the Winter demanded its dreadful ransome and much of the running of the household had devolved upon the Lady Saeryn and his Steward who Elfthain had been amazed to learn was Javan's elder brother. It was the disparity in age and height that had misled him; Javan was a little older and an inch or so shorter than Elfthain but his brother, Thornden, was about a handspan taller and wider and far closer to Elfthain's mother in age than he was to the boys. When you knew and looked properly a family likeness could be discerned but it hadn't been obvious, to Elfthain at least, without this prior knowledge. He wondered idly to himself, if Javan would grow anymore and if the siblings between ranged down in height as well as age.

Elfthain yawned again and forced himself out of bed. There was a chance they might be leaving soon - dissention had broken out between the waggon drivers and their soldier escorts. The soldiers' horses were less tired but the drivers were more worried about the road conditions. The rain and meltwater combined threatened to make the roads treacherous and a ridden horse could pick its way through much more easily than one drawing even an unladen cart. Arguments about whether it was better to push tired horses on or wait and risk a deterioration in the weather had broken out and some of the soldiers had even speculated if the empty carts needed their protection at all knowing that they could do the journey in half the time alone. Elfthain had kept out of it. He could read the weather in the Harrowdale well enough but here on the open wold it was different. And to his surprise he realised he wasn't in quite such a hurry to get back as he expected.

He doubted that it would happen today. He hoped not.. if the weather held they hoped that Javan would have time and use of a horse so they could ride out and he could see more of the area but either way he would have to groom Saffy. The previous evening, much to the little mare's disgust her master who apart from checks on her welfare had left her to her mud larking til then, had found space for her to be tied up undercover. She would rather be outside and free.. Saffy was too good-natured to misbehave but when her master arrived (having dressed hastily in his least clean clothes and not bothered to wash knowing he would only have to repeat the exercise once Saffy was clean) she sulked a little and was only really pleased to see a full haynet. "Sorry old girl but I had to make sure you would be dry for this morning... and you really are filthy. There seemed hardly an inch of the creature that was not covered in mud and it was hard to tell what colour she was let alone that she had a white sock.

The rain was holding off so he took his horse outside where the breeze would carry off at least some of the dust rolled his sleeves up and set to work. He would be there some time.

Last edited by Mithalwen; 09-01-2015 at 08:13 AM.
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