Patrolling in the snow didn’t calm him down. When Thendryt returned to the camp the Elves had already made a large fire. He made his way closer but stopped once he realized that they were cooking and drinking tea. This is what you summoned me for? He wasn’t here for this. He turned around and moved towards the back of the camp. It quickly grew colder, but he paid it no mind. Better cold than in the middle of that.
He found a large rock with an overview of the frozen lake. He sat down on his cloak, drew a blade and took out a whetstone. The ringing sound of the blade being tended calmed him, slightly.
“Would you care for some tea?” Thendryt looked up, hearing the first words in Westron since he had returned. A female Elf stood with a cup in her hand in front of him. She had brown hair, and looked kind. She didn’t give him the look that most of the other Elves did. Thendryt hesitated, but accepted the cup. The Elf smiled as he removed his hood and mask to drink it. He wasn’t comfortable with a bare face in the company of these Elves, but he needed to get warm somehow.
Curundar emerged behind the female Elf.
“Eliriael, I was wondering if you could fill this up with tea? I made Caethel jump and she lost most of her tea.”
Thendryt caught a glimpse of another Elf walking their way. When he realized it was Daegond he let his blade fall from his knee, letting the tip of the blade bury itself in the snow. He held three bowls of soup, and proceeded to hand them out. He started by giving the Elves theirs, no surprise to Thendryt. Daegond handed Thendryt a poor bowl and left. Thendryt examined it. Mostly water, he half-expected the few pieces of meat to be bugs.
Curundar also turned to leave.
“Curundar.” Thendryt said, making sure the Elf stopped in his tracks.
“Yes?” The Elf said as he turned around to face him.
“When's the last time you sparred with someone?” Thendryt chewed on a piece of meat as he looked at Curundar. The Elf seemed surprised to receive the question.
“Not since I left Lorien... Why?” The Elf seemed nervous, as he usually did around Thendryt. Maybe his scarred face intimidated him.
“Before you came to Imldaris?” Thendryt stopped eating.
Curundar nodded. The Elf was battle-shy and he hadn’t been in a proper spar for months?
“Eat up, then come back here.” Thendryt said, finishing the soup. He might as well try to keep the Elf alive, he had nothing better to do. Sharpening his sword was just a way to pass time.
“W-What?” Curundar’s eyes opened slightly, as if he just realized what Thendryt wanted him to do.
“You do realize we're here to battle goblins?” Thendryt asked, grabbing the whetstone again and continuing.
“Yes.” Curundar stated. “I am not hungry.” The Elf hesitated for a moment. “Did the Tûr say we could spar in the middle of nowhere?”
“The Tûr hasn't said anything.” Thendryt replied, halting the whetstone. “Take it up with the Tûr, if you don’t like the idea.”
“Curundar, Thendryt.” Faorie had slipped up behind Curundar from the campfire.
“Faorie.” Thendryt said, eying his short-haired Elven colleague.
“Take heed that others may be listening, as I was.” Faorie said, as Khalis also came walking up towards them.
“Problem, Maethor?” Khalis said, before Thendryt had a chance to reply to Faorie’s comment. “I can hear your words over there.” He gestured towards the campfire.
“I was simply suggesting that Curundar could use some training while we're camped.” Thendryt said as he tucked away his whetstone.
“This is not the time, Thendryt.” Faorie said.
“Not the time, Faorie?” Thendryt glared at her.
“Not the time, Thendryt.” Thendryt’s grip on his sword hardened, as his anger built up.
“You busy drinking tea?” Thendryt said, his voice low and challenging.
“You're sitting in the cold.” Faorie said. “Not keeping watch.”
“Since when did you order me to sit watch?” Thendryt forced the tip of the blade into the frozen soil next to the rock.
Faorie shook her head and returned to the fire.
“Fighting here will cause enough noise to bring the wargs and the Urch in numbers.” Khalis said. “As much as we are well trained and hardened, the Greenwood elves are not. You are all handpicked Maethor.”
Khalis was silent for a moment.
“You should make the most of the time to make new friends among House Vanimar.” The Elf started. “Come to the fire. Like it or not you feel the cold more than we do, Thendryt.”
Thendryt rose, slowly. His gaze locked upon Khalis.
“I understand Thendryt, you are used to only the Elves of our company.”
Thendryt sheathed his sword and walked, very slowly, towards Khalis. Locking the Elf’s eyes in his own.
“We are, for the most part, easier to get along with.” Khalis continued.
“I am here because I was summoned.” Thendryt said, with a low growl. He stopped just in front of Khalis, his face uncomfortably close to the Elf’s. “I am here because you want me to be.” Thendryt place his finger on Khalis’s breastplate. “I'm here, and not where my post is. But I dearly hope I'm not here to make new friends and drink some tea next to a campfire.” The camp went quiet.
“You are here because of your loyalty to Elisbeth.” Khalis said. “Enough said.”
“Aye.” Thendryt removed his finger but didn’t retreat. “I'm not here because Vanimar sent for me.”
“No one is.” Khalis stated. “But they are our friends. Our, as in the Warband.”
“Then let me sit on my rock and mind my own business.” Thendryt hissed.
“I understand being a man around so many Noldor can be difficult…” Khalis said. “But you are Elf-friend, you have earned the title many times over.”
“That title was not earned through friendship and you know it.” Thendryt spat out. “I'll fight with them. I'll bleed with them, if called upon.”
“I know.” Khalis put in.
“But whether or not I drink tea with them, is my choice.”
“We can spar when we return to the Vale, Thendryt...” Curundar put in, almost like a whisper. Thendryt put a hand up to silence the Elf, never taking his eyes of the Captain.
“Now, I simply suggested that our recruit here get some practice before we stumble upon goblins.” Thendryt said. “But if the tea is more appealing to all you Elves, maybe I better sit on a rock further away.”
“In the numbers we are here, the Urch will flee rather than stand.” Khalis said. “Stay within range of the Tûr, for it is her you serve.”
“In the numbers you have here, Captain, the Urch would rather flee than attack her. As you said.” Thendryt responded, as the sarcasm was noted on Khalis’ face.
“I will say no more on the matter.” Khalis said, his voice higher. “If I do mention it again, we will have a problem… Thendryt Morson.”
Thendryt glared intensely into Khalis’ eyes for a long time.
“I didnt hear you reply?” Khalis said.
Thendryt turned to leave, but maintained his glare as long as possible. He noticed that many of the Elves were watching them, most likely the ones who understood Westron.
He walked out of the camp without looking back.
I better find something to kill this time…
