New Journal, Entry Seven - Pretenders

I joined Agacyra on a trek to the north some time ago to help tend to matters at Esteldín and alert our people of what news I had learnt. The trip was almost pleasant. She makes for good company, friendly and approachable despite the experiences she has suffered through the past months might have been enough to change many other women. Yet her social graces also puts me at odds with her, I cannot keep up. She is my kinswoman, but a stranger to the trail and its solitude. Perhaps there are things I could stand to learn from her.

But our visit would not be a peaceful one. I had heard the nervous murmur around the camp when I had first arrived but considered it beyond my own business. A young ranger by the name of Sîdhên has gone missing, three days late he had failed to report and it was time to begin a search. I rode alongside Agacýra and set out on the track for much of the day, she slowed me down but I wouldn't pass up another set of eyes to watch - or in her case, the one. Come the late afternoon we came upon a campfire on a distant hill, she knew it to be a regular spot for men to camp; another reason to bring her, she knew the land. 

We weren't the first ones to come upon it, another man were approaching already. Another young ranger, fresh on the trail. Fainanor was his name. So we approached together, we found our boy. Draped in his bloodstained cloak Agacýra hastened to aid him, but he recoiled and warned us of a trap. Fainanor and I turned to keep watch as she tended to him, but what fools were we: the trap was behind us! This "ranger" had struck down Agacýra and were moving to catch us unawares. 

His ruse broken and outnumbered, he turned to flee, with Agacýra's cloak pin in hand. He was a swift runner and had a head start, I pursued but knew I would soon fall behind. I was shocked to see an arrow whistle above my head and fell the pretender, Fainanor proved himself an archer worthy of song in that moment! Of course I could never be quite so generous in praise to a man so young. 

I could not contain my shock when I found behind the mask of this would-be ranger proved to be something less than a Man, a half-orc, a horrifying union I had only known in vague rumours. We were lucky enough to revive him and tend to his wound. 

How fortunate I have just the place to keep a prisoner.