[Ransom]

“Daddy, where are we going?”

Revanas shifted unconforatably in his saddle. Chashing orks to Mordor was easy compared to taking his nine-year old daughter to a party. This is not to say that she was a naughty child. By all accounts, she was very well behaved.

“We’re going to the picnic, remember?”

A beautiful wicker basket hung from Revanas’s double-bladed glaive, where his daughter insisted that it looked nice. Revanas could invent his own fighting style and take on any ork in hand-to-hand combat, yet he still did not understand how a picnic basket looked pretty on a weapon. Shrugging, he grabbed both the glaive and the basking, keeping the former and allowing Sara to carry the latter.

They made a rather comical pair. One was about an inch over six feet and armored like a turtle. Another stood barely above three and a half feet. One carried a seven foot weapon over his shoulder. The other lugged a two-foot long picnic basket.

The clearing appeared like a thunderhead in a clear sky. It seemed to open out of nowhere, and both Revanas and Sara took some time to survey the growing crowd. A red dragon seemed slightly miserable in one courner, and a barbarian that looked vaguely familiar wandered through the heavily laden tables.

Apparently Menelduliniel and Estelarion were here, and Menelduliniel was gracing another group of innocents with her social skills. Hmph.

“Greetings, friend Revanas.”

Revanas turned to see Elendur emerge out of the swirling crowd. It was good to see a familiar face here. They conversed for a short time before a clear elvish voice interuppted them.

"I am sorry I did not say 'Suilannon' in more words, my friend, but look at all these guests!"

Menelduliniel never seemed to run out of energy, and she was clearly showing it.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel!" Menelduliniel shouted in surprise. From across the glade, the wraith gave a shout of pain. Menelduliniel flinched, "I am sorry!" she shouted in apology. Meneli grabbed Elendur's arm, "Look at the dragon, Elendur! Look at the dragon! By the way, how is Allegra?"

Sara did not give Elendur time to respond before dropping the picnic basket and enveloping Menelduliniel’s legs in a hug. “Auntie Menelduliniel! I missed you!”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++

Across the field, Ransom caught sight of the newcomer. How could he forget this man?

They had met over three ago. Ransom was returning from a raid on a Easterling caravan when he ran across a lone fighter houlding off a dozen orcs. A dozen arrows later, the two men met for the first time by knocking each other flat. Their friendship had lasted until the present.

Ransom turned around and rambled back towards the enterence, careful to keep in the shadows. He drew his sword slowly. Sara caught sight of him, and knew what was coming next. She simply clung to Menelduliniel’s leg and winked. Twenty feet…fifteen feet…ten feet.

Ransom dash the last ten feet toward Revanas and swung the flat of the blade at Revanas’s right side. For the fifth time in two years.

Revanas took the blow and staggared, grabbing the glaive and spinning around. Landing two quick blows to the barbarian’s helmet. “Ransom, you fool! Of all places to meet you!”

Both men dropped their weapon, and Ransom gently put down his basket. Both men embraced with several loud clangs. Revanas quickly noted the confuzed gaze of his friends. He quickly explained, “Old friend.”

[ September 20, 2002: Message edited by: Ransom ]