Deep hoofprints disturbed the crystal white blanket of the north, high above green, purple and pink shone brilliantly, welcoming the grey spec that trod on. Deep brown was the horses hair that carried a grey glistening figure, small specs of white disturbed the great beasts mane and hair along with his riders shrouded cloak. Stainless steel and iron shone from the mans chest and being, it would be blinding in the harsh cold, under the northern lights. The mans hands tightened on his horses leads as into his sight appeared a small village, smoke rising like a bellow form the few chemnies and then steam lodge built there. Cold breathe released form the mans lips as he sighed at the familliar sight, the large ice and stone hall that was sourrounded by less impressive huts and hovels. He edged his horse forward after gathering his resolve, removing his hood as he squinted past the flakes falling to the small village which now seemed to be moving as it awoken. The watchers had awoken some of the tribesmen as it was a rare sight to see a stranger riding towards their dwelling, especially in such garb. The head huntsman's eyes widened as he was greeted by the grey-clad figure, in his own tounge. The strange man was a diplomat from one of their sister tribes and had come bearing news of trouble, and plead for help. They welcomed him in with open arms to hear such gave tidings. A small smirk ligned the grey-clad mans lips as he slid form his horse, rubbing his hairy chin before he came through two grey curtains, into the main hall. The elder welcomed him with warmth as the man bowed and entered as the old customs dictated, speaking in their own tounge as a flatery. For hours did the elder and the man in grey disscuss if help was to be sent to the sister tribe that was apparently in so much need.
The man who had rode into their small village hours before lay in a strong and comforting bed, inside of the main halls. His eyes starred endlessly to the ceiling as he waited for the silence of midnight, and once it came he would no longer be found in his gifted bed. Oh no, but his shadowed figure would be found walking casually through the small ice corridors, one of his gloved hands ran across the snow, a smile spread on his face in joy of being home. Even if it did not seem like it. The grey curtains were once again pulled aparet for the figure, by his own hands. His shadow loomed in the torches of each home untill he stand feet away of a small stone hovel, the one furthest form the main halls. Infront of it stood a guard as usual for each home, protection for the women and children. The gre figure drew his axe casually form his belt, using the cold steel to paint the snow a bright shade of blood, thought the ''masterpeice'' would have to go unnoticed, for now atleast. The man did not care about leaving the body crouched at the door, nor the blood on the snow, his task was much more important than being caught in completing it. His shadow dissapred into the hovel, out of the torchlight.
He snorted to himself at the old, old view he had seen years and years ago. The small dirt hall with the wood table at the end, with the usual clay bowl on it, within berries and the old heart of a deer. As offering to the spirits for fertillity, love, prosperrity. He looks to the two openings from either side of the wall, straining in agony to remember which was the one he seeked. In one of the rooms slept a old woman in her later years. Her soft breathe disturbed the pristene air with a white mist as she slep peacefully. A hand reached down a touched her cheek with care as the grey-clad man kneeled at her side, observing her for what seemed like hours before his lips leaned and placed a tender kiss on her cheek, to which she woke with a startle. Her eyes met those of the strange visitor she had seen earlier in the day and her soft lips parted to scream but not fast enough as her mouth was covered with a palm, and in a urgent ad half-broken voice the grey-clad man adressed her.
''mother...be calm...your son has come for one last visit before you wither away to bones...at which point the elder will most likely place them around his neck...'' The women sighed at her sons humour but lay their motionless for minnutes, starring into his eyes with tears. Her son, whom of which she pressumed dead. Escweyyne looked into her son's eyes and wrapped her arms around him, crying into his chest. ''Your father...he...he really does miss you...even though...he is the one who outca.'' is what she managed to speak before her son placed a gentle finger across her lips, hushing her. He did not care to hear of his father, and honestly did not care if he had been missed by the man or not. His mother is the one whom he cared for and shed a tear or three for. A deep and tender kiss was placed on the old womans head, her eyes closed with a soft smile before they spoke once again, softly, urgently. ''tell me son...tell me everything...'' and thus he did.
Oh yes he told her everything without fear, about his drunken stuptours in Dale, to the woman he met in Southern Rohan, the same woman that he bed and left the next day. A child that is his now resides in Rohan, but that part he did not reveal as he himself did not know. Nor did he wan't to. Escweyyne's son continued in a hushed and soft voice, for hours to reveal to the women that he had met a woman, one of beauty, slyness. One almost like him even, in some way's atleast. Crystal tears fell from Escweyyne's eyes as he listened to her thirty-year old son overwealm her with his life. And to her dissapointment she heard the woman was, irronically, from Rohan. '' why not get a nice Northern woman...like your father! And what woman would be foolish enough to bed with you, then come back to you the next day?'' Gruff was the chuckle that cam from her son's lips before he awnsered her. '' yes, yes....have your fun...and perhaps she is crazy aye...though if that is what she is...it is what I wan't her to be....as she's stolen my heart exactly how she is now.'' Her son graoned at the words he saw as pathetic that came from his mouth. But stopped as he felt a hand upon his cheek, and caught his mothers loving gaze, the one he had missed with every fabric of himself. '' You know what you have to do...I told you..I told you don't you remember. Right here on this bed I said you would find a woman that kept you in once place but no...you laughed.'' she grinned to him and he returned her's with a equally cheeky grin. '' Do not worry mother...this one is not loosing me...and hopefully I am not loosing her.'' He smiled warmly to her and reached a gloved hand to his belt, his fingers traced to his belt and they fingered a small metallic object, that of which his fingers toyed with for moments before starting to pull it out.
A gasp and a groan suddenly came from Escweyyne's son's mouth as a spear was thrust into his back. He was not wearing his metal, and his skin welcomed the spear-head like an old friend. The tem he held fell back to his pouch and his axe fall from it's holster. He spun and stroke the man in the neck, severing his throat and watching as a body fall to the dirt, cold and pale. Well that was what would have happened if Etheirgrum had not seen the man to be his father. Instead his axe bit at his fathers skin upon his chest. The only reason the father lived was becuase the mother was present. Escweyyne screamed in horror as she saw a spear protruding from her sons left shoulder, she pulled it out with her might and frowned as he son cursed her name. A kiss was placed upon her cheek and a stare was returned to her eyes before Etheirgrum ran form the house, through the snow and into the main halls. He equipt his metal protection and ran forth as a grey boulder from the home, his horse came into his sieght but not before an arrow stroke the steel upon his chest. Three men ran at him from the stable, the first fell as a stone and the second followed. But the straps of Etheirgrums chestplate was struck by the third and the guards sword dreched it's thirst from the large grey mans chest followed by a roar before the guards head rolled through the snow, leaving a trail of blood and dirt. Etherigrum grabbed the protection of his chestpice and bolted to his horse, a knife sliced down his right leg deeply, leaving a red trail brhind it. Two more men fell as stones before the rider jumped upon his horse and roared at the top of his lungs '' May the spirits bite the flesh from your bone.'' The elder watched from his hut and watched the man's gaze before his beastly horse rode off, it's rrider shakilly staying ontop.
Etherigrum rode thorugh the knawing cold for a day, the sting of his flesh causing him to wretch and shake before in sight came the large town at which he left his love. Tightening his breastplate back and washing his gear he gazed to the town. And he slowly walked into it after leaving his horse with the stable master. His limp gained more and more pain as he walked, grey slated eyes met a figure at the edge of the water. Her long hair was about her as a waterfall, and the brillance of the radiance of her shining cheek gave him strenghth. Slowly he trod forward through the snow, footprints following behnid him. His hand darted to his pouch, fingering the metalic item he had a day before inftont of his mother, dropping it back to his pouch he continued on untill the woman was just before him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck in greeting and relief. And he thought of his mother's words, he was going to keep onto this lass, and he was not letting go.
