Happy greetings between the Lady Ahmo and Addie, Nethrida and Ahmo filled the Soothery. The only exception was Xandilif, who just stared resentfully at the new arrival and then ignored her.
Addiela looked to Lif, slightly surprised by her silence while Ahmo cheerfully inquired after the health of the wounded, then looked Xandilif over curiously.
Xandilif seemed to feel Ahmo's gaze..and obviously bristled. She stepped further from the group and raised her voice. "So anyway I got news, if ya want it...I am assuming the Paramour will at least, unless he intends to strut around in here for our amusement forever"
Addiela now looked to Lif sternly, no longer able to hold her tongue. "Xandilif, we do have another problem.."
The champion sighed. "Oh good...ANOTHER problem. And that problem is, Horsegirl? 'Let me guess, rabid undead halflings eating their way through the Chetwood?"
Addie cleared her throat, having everyone's attention now. "Masin is not here for amusement or entertainment.. he is to be respected as a valued member and friend and spoken to as such.. Now.. you may continue with your news.." She didn't shift from her stern expression for the moment, challenging the armored elf.
Xandilif stared at her, flexing one gauntleted hand as the tension spread through the room....and then she laughed uncontrollably. "By Galadriel's unmentionables, you are a fecking CAUTION Horsegirl'
The Lady Ahmo gasped, appalled. "I beg your pardon!?'
The Banshee shrugged. 'Easy there Auntie...just an expression. Anyway...Paramour, when you were moving these two here from the Pony. bandits hit you on the road through Chetwood, yeah?'
Before Masin could answer, there was a knock on the door and the room went quiet. Xandilif slipped SilverWand off her back as the room seemed to fill with static electricity.
The Elleth set her feet, resting the great sword on one shoulder, and yelled through the door. "YEAH? WHAT YOU SELLIN???"
After a few moments, a small voice piped from the other side of the door. "Apple and Cheese pies, of course!''
As she stood at the door, sword drawn, there was a clear war between the champion's paranoia and her hunger. Hunger won as she stepped back. "OK...COME!"
Through the Soothery door came a hobbit lass in a Lincoln green hat and hauberk, carrying a large backpack. The Lady Ahmo immediately smiled and greeted her. "Welcome, Sharleyan!"
Sharleyan tiltied her head back to look up at Xandilif. "Hi Elven lady!" she said happily while she waved to everyone.
Xandilif however had no time for pleasantries. 'How much, little one?'
The halfling looked up at her. 'For non-injured people, 20 gold. For Addie and Neth and the fighter boy, free.'
The Elleth reached for her pouch. 'Fine....I'll take 5'
Sharleyan blinked, surprised, and looked at the others. "I, er...was kidding?"
Lif however was serious. 'I am so fecking hungry I could eat a Bargheist's balls'
Sharleyan shook her head..."Ew?" and fished an Apple and Cheese pie out of her pack, carefully unwrapping it and offering it to the Lady Ahmo to pass out.
Xandilif reached over the halfling to what Lady Ahmo held. 'Give em over, Auntie' Taking a slice she began to eat, the halfling below her brushing crumbs off her hat in annoyance.
Ahmo looked down at Sharleyan then began serving the two injured women, 'You'll want to be very careful when you leave here. I suspect there may be another attempt at mayhem. Certainly we all must be wary.'
Addiela swallowed hard, no longer hungry, "Another attempt? Oh dear!'
Nethrida was confused, 'Attempt?'
Xandilif nodded, moving to Neth."You were passed out in the wagon, Sadsack. According to what I seen, the Paramour and the dwarves stayed on the path, worked on delaying as a rear guard a few bandits so you two could get here in one piece. Two dead on the road from sword wounds, but that was the clear bit.
Sharleyan shrugged, 'Well, I'm not in the habit of going places without scouting a bit first. I saw nothing in the vicinity, if that eases your mind.'
Still chewing, Xandilif continued, 'From their tracks, our boys did not go into the wood, which was the smart way to do it but I checked inside the treeline...found something interesting'
Sharleyan chripped up happily, getting out another pie, 'Me too. Five dead bandits. Someone cut their throats.'
Xandilif nodded as the Lady Ahmo sighed. "Good. Eventually..they /will/ give up. I can go on killing them for years'
Addiela looked confused ignoring her pie, "They're... turning on each other?"
Sharleyan giggles. "No. Someone did it to them. Tracks were hard to find, but they're there.Single person. Small for a human."
Xandilif reached for a slice from the new pie. "I know...I found em and tracked em. Back towards Bree cross crountry through Chetwood' These were not our boys, but someone totally else."
Addiela shook her head, 'Wait.. wait.. wait.. How do you know there will be another attempt?'
'All the more so now...its all about pride with these bandits.' Xanfilif shrugged. That seemed obvious to her.
A small, troubled voice interrupted them as Nethrida said, 'I ... Shouldn't be here if they're targeting this place..." but Xandilif laughed again.
'Sorry Sadsack..these goons ain't bounty hunters, they don;t want you.,.they want the Horsegirl'
Addiela froze mid bite of pie, 'Wait.. what?'
'The forest raid was this Strongboar's boys, near as I can tell, so they were after Horsegirl. But yeah, Cheesenapple is right they got their own enemy. This is either a do-gooder...or we got a bandit war brewing."
Sharleyan piped up again, 'No, it's Applebottom. Sharleyan Applebottom...and I've seen the tracks before. It's a Bree local or I'm a troll."
Xandilif took yet more pie as Addie looked up out of her thoughts. "A bandit war.. that would make sense."
The Lady Ahmo agreed. "Bree is a veritable hive of spies and schemers.' Sharleyan shook her head, looking doubtful.
Xandilif but a hand on the halfling's head. "Auntie is right about Bree, and yeah there is a bandit war cooking, but I agree with Cheesenapple. That ain't what is goin on here. This is something different. I suspect whoever took out those goons ain;t part of no war...'"
The halfling looked up as her hat was mushed down over her hair. "No, it's Applebottom...and Nope, but when someone kidnaped these two, it became a war."
Nethrida sighed, 'I... Know at least partially why... I was taken..They... Overheard from somewhere... That I might be of some value... South of here...This was.... Not the first time they've tried... Addie... Already foiled their plans once...''
Xandilif went quiet, looking at Neth. 'I know...I seen the bounty, Sadsack.'
Lady Ahmo went pale, 'Who put it up?'
The Banshee kept her eyes on Nethrida. "Filed by the Knight Commander, Office of the Steward, Minas Tirith Garrison. Rian got the bounty list off the fecking bounty hunter you gutted, Auntie. It had Sadsack here listed as presumed dead, unconfirmed sighting in Eraidor'
The Lady Ahmo nodded gravely as Nethrida lowered her gaze into her lap and sighed. "I... Knew it was... Just a matter of time..."
Sharleyan frowned. "More of those Gondorian bounties?" Xandilif shrugged. "Gondor likes bounties, Cheesenapple."
The Halfling shrugged back, mimicking the champions stance. 'Well, Bandana-girl, they're not legal here or the Shire.'
Xandilif just smiled. "If it's backed by enough swords to drag ya back to Gondor, a Gondorian writ is legal anywhere.
Shaking her head sadly, the Lady Ahmo said 'I know Neth's sister reported her location. But who would want to abduct Addie?' which caused Xandlif to laugh again.
The Banshee pointed across at Addie. "Who WOULDN'T? Seems like all of Breeland wants a piece of her. Horsegirl, due to her sparkling personality and big fecking mouth, seems to make enemies out of nasty people. Hell I nearly popped her one a few times myself.'
Addie sighed, "it's true"
"About that bounty sheet...'BREE was written on an official list in pencil..likely by the dead man" Xandilif smiled. "That means you ain't out of the woods, but you got some breathing space. Listen to me for a second...I know bounty hunters...I did it for awhile myself. The Knight Commander's office says you might possibly be somewhere in Eriador, if ya ain't actually dead. Eriador is a fecking big place for a hunter to work on a questionable maybe. But THIS hunter, somehow, got tipped you were in Bree...but that is where the tip stopped. No hunter shares his intel with other hunters...that is just stupid. Its gonna take any hunters a while to pick up your scent again...'
Nethrida modded, but was unsure, 'My... Younger sister has already seen me... She will... Be able... To confirm the sightings...I... Would hope to assume... That she will keep quiet... Her... Intent was to ensure nobody would even remember... That I exist...'
Xandilif thought for a moment, glancing around. The halfling was repacking her bag and the Lady Ahmo was comforting Addie. She lowered her voice and looked at Nethrida."You might have a way out of this...but it will be a risk'
Nethrida raised her eyebrows a little "What do... You mean a way out? The law is... Rather strict against desertion... People will want justice... For all those lost in battle...'
The Elleth nodded. "Yeah, and they got plenty to stick in crow cages...Plenty of soliders, and officers too cut and run when the orcs come over the wall. But you got an advantage most of them don't'
Nethrida blinked a few times. "I... Do not understand... Which advantage you speak of...?
The champion looked her in the eyes. "My sister Xanderian the Idiot thinks you are worth saving from yourself, and I think maybe she's right...So I can arrest you and take you before the Throne of Dol Amroth as is my right under the writs of High Justice. If I vouch for ya there is a good chance Lothiriel will pardon ya...but it's a risk. I'm game if you are."
Nethrida remained slouched over and staring around her knees. "The old reports will... be dug up... And from there they can read my mistake...Of the forty that we were... Only four returned from that ambush... An ambush... That happened because of... Not sending my own scouts to secure the area..."
Xandilif nodded, growing business like. 'Whose report were you banking on?'
The Gondorian woman sighed. 'The company... That we were sent to replace. The intel was... Only three days old... When I read the reports... We... Knew there was an Orcish band... Somewhere in the region... But the scouts had... Only seen sporadic appearances... Groups of three. We were told to deploy as soon as possible..'
Xandilif nodded. 'Did anyone actually say they were holding you responsible?'
Nethrida paused in thought, 'No... But it... would've been obvious... As... I was the Captain in charge...'
'Sadsack, in war NOTHING is obvious" Xandilif sat on the edge of the bed. "I have spent my entire fecking life at war. I started as a lowly painsponge in the Imladris forces, and been going up the chain ever since. Ain't no battlefield in all of Middle Earth I ain't led soldiers across and I would have done just what you did...any officer would have. Bottom line you play the best percentage and if they had foxed the previous company that well odds are they would have foxed your own scouts too."
She put her hand on Nethrida's shoulder. "Only fecking thing you did wrong was have bad luck on the wrong day. As for running..you had your reasons for that too. You don't deserve to die for them."
Nethrida looked away, all the self doubt and regret crashing down on her again. Was she ready to go through it all again, the whole story on a chance of a Princess' mercy that she may not even deserve?...She had a lot to think about.
