We reached Esteldin late last night.
It is a strange place. Large and broken, a city perhaps, now fallen to ruin. The weathered architecture still shows the care and love that was put into the building of this place and one can almosy imagine how beautful, how imposing this mountain fortress must once have been. Even now, in its dilapitated state, this place inspires awe. To my surprise, there are those who live here; Rangers, akin to Avaldir, who make what home they can between these crumbled stones. I am told they are somewhat stand-offish until you agree to run an errand for them and that once the errand is complete they become disinterested once more. Still, they do not complain that we take shelter here for all that our red-haired leader looks upon them with a great measure of disdain.
Arrogant, she calls them. Lazy, ignorant and selfish. Being the type of woman she is, it comes as no surprise that she has said this directly to them on more than one occasion. Never speak words behind someones back, she told me, that you would not be prepared to say to them directly.
I am settling in nicely with my companions now. They are a friendly bunch as willing to share laughter and jokes are they are to impart wisdom or offer a helping hand. Toodles and Fingers, of course, have been training me as instructed. They tell me that I am a quick study, but I still do not feel comfortable weilding my blades in such a manner. Both are kind with my mistakes, but it would be incorrect to say that they are easy on me. Whenever we are not on the move and I am not already practising with one or the other, I am expected to run through what I have been taught on my own. It feels silly to be enacting such moves toward an invisible opponent, but I take solace in the fact that I am not causing any harm to a living being by doing so.
Still, I am exhausted. I spoke of this to our leader, not as a complaint but as an observation of the regime they have me on. Her reply was simply that I could be as well versed in my moves as I wished, but without the strength and endurance to back up my teachings such knowledge would be useless. That was the general gist of her words anyway. She is not what one would call a well-spoken woman.
We will remain in this place for a few days before moving on. Our next destination is still some days travel away and it is best that we rest ourselves and our mounts whilst we can. The nearer I get to the place of our purpose, the more nervous I become.
