Found:
If I'd been in need of distraction, I certainly found it!
Rahvic's health has improved sufficiently that I no longer felt a need to watch over him, and so I went into town for the day. I may have little love for Bree, but going there is better than sitting within the hated walls of my house all day, and this time, at least, it kept me busy.
I was joined first by Balnirar who, it seemed, was in quite a foul mood. Something about this new bunch of brigands hurting Kithri? Vengeance has been sworn anyway, which does not bode well for this Strongboar man - again with the ridiculous names! He was telling me about the matter when we were overheard by Vandallen, brother of Lulos who sought to offer his help. Alas, he is of the "wrong" faction of elfkind, resulting in instant dislike by my dwarven companion. Plus he was a little overzealous in his wish to help, having difficulty being told no. This only served to make Balnirar ever more angry, and once the Guardswoman, Jessicya became involved, there really was naught that could be done to calm him down.
Dernwynn joined us, Rahvic too, and a new friend of his, Cyriah who would appear to be a good influence upon my wayward little brother. I hope, for his sake, that she is as she seems, and that he might further build upon the tenuous relationship he has created with this scholar over the course of the day.
Orduin also stopped by. It seems he and Dernwynn are old friends. He invited us both to a breakfast, hoping to invoke a sense of "home." I told him I'd think about it, but I've no intention of going. He seems a good man, kind, but I've more than enough reminders of that wretched land without stepping foot in his house, nor having a Rohan themed meal. Forgetting all that happened there may not be an option, but I can, at least, avoid forcing the memories to the surface!
All seemed to be calming down until Balnirar went to get himself a drink. I'm not entirely certain what occured at the counter, but it wasn't long before a fight broke out between my dear dwarven friend and a rather large, rather unattractive and somewhat dim man with an attitude. The scuffle quickly brought the attention of the guardswoman who, of course, tried to break it up, failed, and ended up in the middle of it all with both combatants eventually teaming up against her!
She managed to poke the man with an arrow laced with some form of sleeping potion, though he still didn't go down entirely. Meanwhile, Balnirar was taken out by an onlooker who cracked him across the back of the head with a metal tankard.
Fight over, perhaps, but the night certainly was not!
The man, Thadirin, had been accompanied by a hobbit, Wistheryia who sought to see him freed from the confines of the jail. Formal, written complaints were threatened. Instead, I accompanied her to the jail myself and, between us, we paid the fines of both dwarf and man. Thad and Wistheryia departed, but I did not. Balnirar had apparently fallen asleep whilst being tended to by the healers, so I engaged in quite an interesting, though brief, chat with the Guardsman, Curnden. Future drinks and a swapping of tales has been agreed upon. That should be interesting.
There's also been a sudden influx of Haradrim. I counted no less than six over the course of the evening, my brother included. He seems quite heartened by this. I'm not yet sure what to think, apart from noting that at least one pair - one of whom might actually be Umbarran from his choice of language - are in dire need of a very hard hit from the humility hammer. Stuck-up sand-sucking, pompous, twits, both of them.
I'd like to be able to say that all the excitement of the eve had done well to make me forget about Rowan and his current predicament. Alas, that would be a lie. It amused me, it preoccupied me, but my fears for him remained somewhere at the back of my mind, ready to make themselves very much known again when I returned to my cold and empty bed.
Speaking of which, I've not seen Woad in a few days. Whilst this is, of course, not out of the ordinary, I must wonder if I've a need to be concerned for her too. I told her where he was and why, having assumed that she already knew; he tells her everything, after all! She had offered to seek him for me, which I reluctantly declined and warned her against. I'd like nothing more than to know if he is well, if he is still alive. However, her comments on Fornost only convinced me that she is ill-suited to such a search, no matter how skilled she may be in tracking and shooting, and I know he'd never forgive either of us were my worries to place his closest friend in the path of that bitch.
Back to waiting, and hoping for the best.
