More than thirteen years ago –
It was a quiet, autumn night when they came… The air was still, yet eminently cold, for winter was approaching. Kaiell was returning to his family’s main tent to settle in after a long day of hunting and trading. That was when the silence of the night was broken by the sound of shouts and cries, both by men and orc-kind. They originally came from the east, circling around the small village the best they could when they arrived. The whole attack was completely unexpected... it all happened so quickly – in the blink of an eye compared to the rest of Kaiell's life. He was not ready... he was too slow. They could’ve somehow escaped, the four of them... his mother, father, brother, and himself. It was mostly up to him, too. He was the one who saw them first.
But no, he wasn't able to protect them, or himself. The men were taken, including himself, and others were killed. And then started the days without freedom, forced to do the enemy’s will... lasting until he was miraculously rescued. Many others were not so lucky, though...
Kaiell shook the old thoughts away as he peered up from looking towards the ground. He noticed something not far down the road... a group of people, some of them mounted, with a couple of wagons of some sort – yet they were not moving down the road. And as he came closer, he saw that there were bodies littering the ground about them, both of men and orcs – though mostly the latter. So, they’d been attacked... but not too severely it seemed.
The people, or Dunedain as Kaiell now realized, soon took notice of him as he came even closer. And not long after, Kaiell learned all that had happened as he conversed with the rangers. They were indeed ambushed, not long before he’d arrived... but it was not a regular attack apparently. The orcs fled almost as quickly as they came – as they had apparently only come for the prisoner these Dunedain had with them.
Kaiell grimaced to himself. Prisoner? Dunedain traveling east? This isn’t good. He looked to the south-east, the direction the orcs had fled after swiftly taking the prisoner, according to the Dunedain. This was most likely the group of rangers who were taking Jon to Esteldin... but how did the orcs know about it? Or Jon specifically? It was a question he didn't have time for...
After a few more words with the rangers, Kaiell mounted his steed again, and started on his way once more. But now his path was a different one.
Many hours later –
Kaiell continued to search the ground, following the tracks the best he could as he led his horse behind him. He paused next to a tree, sighing into the bitter-cold air as he looked beyond the woods around him towards the distant mountains to the west. Just barely above them, the last rays of light were beginning to fade as the shadows consumed them. He was terribly tired, and it was getting dark. And even though he hadn't covered as much ground as he’d hoped – such was the way with his slow tracking skills – he needed to find some rest, if he could.
Not long later, Kaiell found a suitable place. And as he settled down, he began to gather his thoughts as he tried to ignore the cold surrounding him, which worked fairly well, as he was quite used to it. Though, it was much darker now, and the cold would only grow throughout the night.
Kaiell thought again of what might happen once he finally caught up with the orcs and Jon. There was a good chance he’d run into some orc encampment if he didn’t reach them soon. And even if he didn't, there would still be trouble to find at the end of the road. Chances were, he alone wouldn't be able to face what he’d find.
Kaiell sighed once again as he turned his gaze towards the mountains to the east, which were only somewhat visible in the darkness. Among those mountains was the settlement of Esteldin, the place he’d been welcomed to not long after he’d escaped the bonds of the enemy. It had been some time since he last visited the place, and the people there. Among those people, though, there was one in particular he wished to see, and who could give him aid... perhaps it was time he returned–
–No, even if he did need help, it was best he not. He would continue himself, at least for now.
