Darker Days RPG

[Crystal Heart]

Mayonette nodded in agreement to what Thomas had said. Her heart felt lighter than it had in days. She was thankful that he was there with her. The journey would be easier with him around.

She lead him back to the group. She smiled softly at the members of the quest. They had gotten to know one another as she had asked. Now, the planning was to begin. Yet, there was an uneasy feeling here. She knew that they could not stay here and plan out the details of this quest.

"We should leave. Immediately. There is planning that we need to do before morn breaks. Let us get out of here and start traveling. Anywhere. It does not matter. The only thing that matters is that we do not discuss where we are leaving to here. There are too many ears and eyes that we shouldn't trust," she advised them. The group nodded in agreement and headed for the door.

Mayonette touched Cordelia's arm gently and gave her a smile. Cordelia gave her a confounded look as she cocked her head to the side. Mayonette leaned in and whispered her big news to her. Cordelia smiled and clasped her friend's arm.

"Congratulations you two," she said before heading off to find the others.


They group went outside where the fading light of day had turned into the crisp darkness of night. They clamored onto the their horses and headed away from the Inn slowly. Mayonette rode at Thomas' side, looking around to see if anyone was following. As soon as they were far away enough for her satisfaction she cleared her throat.

"I think we shouldn't head to the homestead. I just don't trust that place. We need to go somewhere safe. Elfride can we stay at your home?" She asked, wanting a place that she was familiar with.

[The Sixth Wizard]

Bound on personal business, Garnae leaves the questors for a short while . . .

Garnae was troubled as he rode. What could be so important that the Riders themselves would send a messenger? He didn't have a very high standing in the Rohirrim either. There would have to be a very good reason for his going.

"Crean, noble horse, are you the only one I can understand?" he whispered.
Perhaps not. The man Thomas seemed trustworthy, and Mayonette and Cordelia. A quest seemed a just idea. He still wondered if it was the right decision to accompany them.

"Why do we return to my homestead?" he asked as they drew to the last hill. The entire journey the messenger had said nothing to him, and Garnae, being not very skilled with words, had refrained from starting a conversation. But now he was worried.

The messenger answered slowly, "Look, Garnae is it? I - I don't know how to tell you this..."
But he had already seen it himself. As they passed over the final hill, a thin wisp of smoke drifted into the air, and slow as a stalking wolf, his home was revealed. Or, what had been his home. Where the grand table had been, now there was just a pile of ash. Where the proud pillar that held up the roof had stood, now was a deformed lump upon the scorched and shivered rock of the foundation.

His home, the house and all its valuable treasures, family heirlooms, claims for land, all was burned to the ground.

"Fellow Rider," said the messenger. "I truly am sorry."
Garnae knelt next to the ruins of the stone fireplace and cried bitterly. After a minute of this, he seemed to strengthen. He stood up.
"I swear, you demon who have commited this atrocity, that I Garnae of the Riders of Rohan, shall hunt you and thus avenge the evils loosed upon the world by your hand. So is fate revealed."

"Very moving," said the messenger.

[Mithalwen]

"Of course! Cordelia and I discussed it whilst you were otherwise engaged" she continued managing to keep her face innocent as she watched for in the rapidly fading light a sign that her words had an added significance. I will ride ahead to warn my steward and be ready to receive you. You know the way well enough, don't you?".

Elfride took Mayonettte's hand and squeezed it. Then she shortened her reins and touched her heels to her horse's sides. Leif needed little encouragement and sprang forward soon taking her out of sight of the other riders.

[Cordelia Harrison]

Cordelia's eyes scanned the horizon, looking for Garnae. He had just disappeared and she was starting to worry about him. Could they just leave without him? She didn't want to think about it.

There was something in his eyes that had captured her attention. She only hoped that everything was okay. He had left so quickly with the Rohan messanger. What had been the message that had taken him so swiftly from the rest of the group.

She looked down at her hands and sighed. Even being in this group she felt so very alone. Her best friend was now engaged. She knew that every moment that wasn't devoted to finding her sister would be spent with Thomas. It was how it was suppose to be. She was really very happy for Mayonette. The girl had been pinning for Thomas since he had disappeared from Rohan. She just didn't want their friendship to change. Yet, she knew it had to. They were no longer innocent girls. They were women that had responsibilities and loved ones.

Well, Mayonette had a loved one. It seemed to her that everyone that she had ever encountered didn't really want to come to call for very long. Courters always told her father that she was far too much to handle for their tastes. Her father had countered that she was a woman of Rohan and that as such she was strong enough for the trials that resided here.

She looked over her shoulder and saw a very defeated Garnae riding back towards the Inn. She spun her small mare around and raced over to him. Something shouted to her that he needed someone desperately. She only hoped he would be okay with her presence.

"Garnae, it is I. Cordelia Harrison. The group is over yonder. I do believe that they will be heading for Elfride's house, a place I know very well. Thus, you have no need to hurry your horse. What has happened? Why does it seem like all life has been struck from you?"

[The Sixth Wizard]

"What has happened? Why does it seem like all life has been struck from you?" asked the blue-eyed woman called Cordelia. She spoke kindly, and filled Garnae with hope. But his tragedy had almost broken him, and he didn't answer. Still, he was moved.

When Garnae didn't answer, she continued to inform him on all of the goings on while he was away that night. He listened silently as she described the new members of their group, suddenly exclaiming as she mentioned General Hama.

"Hama? The Hama?!" Amazing that a leader of his stature should assist in a venture such as this. Perhaps that betrayed something of his personality, simple yet great. As much as Garnae was annoyed that he might have to act bravely or disciplined while Hama was present, he admitted that it would help the group to have an older adult on hand. They were all so young, too full of passions and life and rash decisions, and an experienced warrior would be needed.

As for the other members, none really attracted his attention as much as the General, but they all had fascinating histories. Elfride, the woman on the other table, had a tragic past, but her strength encouraged Garnae to stand up to fear once again. Léoflic, the boy other than Thomas, also made him feel this. Edhener struck no thoughts, other than hope at having such talent on board.

He almost laughed when she spoke of Mayonette and Thomas kissing on the first night they met, after not seeing each other for so long! How their hearts must have burned for all those years, until their world was filled with the lust, or it was crushed under the weight of circumstance and duty.

Then the strength came over him again. Time to stop living in stories, he thought. Change is at hand, a darker day, but a bright morning.

Without warning he spurred Crean ahead. He felt himself laughing with Cordelia, as they galloped, cantering back to the others.

A bright morning.

[Dimturiel]

Edhener rode together with the rest of the group. He had left a message at the inn, informing his parents that he had left to spend some time alone in the wilderness. Nothing of the quest was mentioned, not only because the company thought it best to remain a secret, but also for reasons of his own. He did not want his parents to worry needlessly. They had already lost one son, they had been through enough. And also, he knew who they would blame for his actions and, true as it was, he would not have it so.

Edhener felt restless. He had been glad to leave, glad to finally be on the road. He looked arround him. He knew these parts, for he and his brother had often rode through them,and, during their mad gallop, they would soon forget the troubles and sorrows that their land was then facing. But that was long ago. Things had changed since then. There was a large stump where an old tree once stood, or a house where once there had been only an empty field. But not everything was different, and Edhener fancied that he could hear the gleeful shouts of young voices, and see mounted shadows pass him by. Once or twice he nearly called out, yet he checked himself, for fear of breaking the spell that seemed to surround him.

Escaping from his memories, Edhener realised he had remained behind. He would soon lose the group, if he was not careful. Urging his horse to ride faster, he rejoined the group trying to ignore the tempting visions of his lost past.

[Mithalwen]

Elfride's homestead lay a couple of miles nearer to Edoras than the village but not directly on the main road. She trusted that the girls knew the way well enough not to miss the turning in the dark but for herself and her horse there could be no mistaking the lane that would take her to the back way on to her property, The Grange. There was a broader track that joined the main road further down, closer to the village but as well as being a longer route, most of her farm workers' cottages were along that road and their party would be large enough to attract their attention.

She turned Leif who made his way, sure footed despite his size, through a copse and then the woodland opened and she was back on her own demesne. Skirting the orchard she could see lights in the windows of the steward's house but not her own. She wished it was light enough to see the house more clearly. She loved her home and the bittersweet memories it contained .

The traditional rohan homestead had been extended and largely rebuilt with the money from her dowry using a style Theomund had seen in Gondor. The old thatched great hall remained but the new house adjoining it was stone built and had a tiled roof. It's building had been a great local curiosity - many thought it folly but it was comfortable and commodious.

The old farmhouse a long, low building, had not been demolished but was largely disused. Theomund, remembering the discord in the early days between his mother and his wife had decided that it should remain against the day when his son brought his own bride home and wished for a degree of independence. The new part of the house had been designed at a time when they hoped for more children and expected to entertain many guests and was far too large for a widow living in retirement from society.

Elfride rounded the walled gardens and entered the courtyard in front of her house through the side gate. As she did so Bredon her steward emerged from his house bearing a light.

"Ah lass, I'm glad to see you safe home - such terrible things have happened here since you left - but from your face perhaps you have heard? ". Elfride did not expect formality from her Steward. Her mother in law might have been "Milady" to him but Elfride had been addressed as Lass since the day she had arrived and it was a mark of affection not disrespect. He too had served under he father in his youth and he and his wife Maudie had been quiet support to the new bride, who had felt so alone on the farm when Theomund had been away with his Eored. He was now over sixty but still hale and Elfride knew she would have struggled to manage the past few years without him.

"If you mean about the Starnsons' I have. In fact Mayonette is on her way here now with her friend Cordelia and four or five soldiers ... they are making up a search party. We will leave at dawn tomorrow but they will stay here tonight - so if you could possibly take Leif and prepare for the arrival of another half dozen horses I would be grateful... and if Maudie could give me a hand in the house I would be even more grateful."

"Soldiers in the house - are you sure that is wise ..... and why do you have to go Lass... if they need another person one of my boys...". Bredon's sons were all approaching forty but as she herself was still 'lass' so they were still his boys.

"I need to go because Sandrina Hitherford is with child... but keep that to yourself - and keep this venture as quiet as possible please. I hope we can get away unnoticed. If anyone wants to know where I am I will be visiting Theo's sister near Helm's Deep. The soldiers are under the command of General Haukrsson so I expect no insubordination, but even so it will be well for the girls to have a chaperone.... but please we have so little time.."

Bredon took Leif and Elfride let herself into the house, where she was delighted to find that fires had been laid and lamps filled ready for her return. All she had to do was light them. She had scarce put down her bags before Maudie arrived with fresh bread and by the time more hoofbeats were heard in the yard fires were beginning to glow in the kitchen and great hall. At short notice she could offer her guests plain fare only but this was not a time for feasting and so the home produced ham and cheese would suffice. They decided all could be accomodated without opening the old wing and Elfride thanked Maudie as the older woman went to make up beds... and apologised for the extra work... "it will be good for the house to be full ..especially with Master Elfthain away... " had been the response

Elfthain! Elfride realised with a mixture of surprise and horror that she had managed to get through an hour without brooding over her boy but she had no time to think more of him now... the others would soon arrive.