Lusseriel was just at the door of a talan, sitting cross-legged, and enjoying the feeling of being in Caras Galadhon. At least while they were there, they weren’t enjoying the hospitality of a marsh…
She was humming along a song she could hear being sung somewhere around, as she started writing in her notebook.
“As we agreed before we separated, once our scouting was done, we went back to the place where we found corpse of the beast. Nona was there again, and little by little we all arrived. None of us had apparently met the wraith.
However when Salhael and Rolegard arrived, they weren’t alone. Another man came with them.
Only good thing I could see was that Rolegard got himself a pony, so at least he wouldn’t be stuck walking.
Salhael introduced the man as Rhudorn, they met him in Stangard when they found him asking about the fell beast.
And here I thought she had better instinct than that, but no, apparently inviting anyone who remotely looks like they share an interest in your mission seems to be a thing.
She could be careful with Brunnadan, if on the other hand she welcomed anyone just because they met in a rohirrim city…
Ilthirian came back alone, apparently Andrahir had some business to attend to, thankfully it wasn’t long before he came back.
Apparently no one found our missing rider. I wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse, and Brunnadan pointed out that Salhael and Rhudorn didn’t know what we were looking for exactly and that it wasn’t fair to let them stay with us and pull them in danger like that.
On one hand, he wasn’t wrong. On another hand… as Ilthirian said: “it’s not to us to decide for them”.
Besides last I checked, decisions that could affect our company weren't his to take.
Also, I may have overheard Ilthirian talking in “private” with Andrahir.
Yes their notion of private still hasn’t improved…
And during their conversation, I overheard this absolute jewel: “Lusseriel is going to kill someone any minute now”
Well that’s unfair, I haven’t killed an ally or potential ally in… Well ever actually. I always wait until they prove they’re enemies before killing anyone. Or until they attack me first, self-defense is a thing. Just because I’m not a welcoming presence doesn’t mean I kill everyone I don’t like.
I hesitated to say something, but actually, there’s always a chance that someone else actually heard that, or more to the point, listened to that, and that they may keep their distance so perhaps it’s in fact a blessing…
After that… Charming conversation, Ilthirian and Andrahir rejoined the general conversation, and Ilthirian told me : “I would tell them, it can do no harm, but not if you don’t wish it”
Hm… I’m not opposed to telling people of the danger they’re in. It shouldn’t be a secret that a Nazgul is traveling the land, and people would be far safer if they knew how to oppose those creatures. What I protest is telling the ins and outs of our tasks to complete strangers.
There’s a world of difference between telling a fellow traveler that there’s a dangerous creature not entirely mortal roaming around and that you can get rid of it by using fire or hiding behind a Glorfindel if you have him at hand, and telling them : “why, yes, the leader of the dunedain is accompanying creatures called hobbit to throw the ring of power of the enemy into the fire of Mount Doom in Mordor, do you want their travel map to go with that?”
And I barely exaggerate.
Yes, I’m thinking of Andrahir there… That man I swear… I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t suspect HIM of being an agent of the enemy, he certainly is careless enough with knowledge he should keep secret.
But, Rolegard, bless him, thankfully stopped that track of conversation when he summarized nicely the situation we were in: “all that matters it that none of us know where this rider is.”
So we ended up shelving the subject of the reason for the Nazgul's presence in Rohan, in order to speak with Nona about the Nazgul to see if she has any idea.
And as we set on the road to go back to Stangard with Nona, we were found by dunlendings. We fought them off but got separated for a bit. Nona’s scream got me to run back toward her and I found her facing the wraith we had been looking for.
I ran to her, I’m not sure who found the torch to get rid of the wraith but he disappeared.
The wound on Nona however was deep, and to be honest, it was possibly a wound inflicted by a morgul blade. Where she an elf I’d know what to do, but she’s a human. She needed help.
We managed to get her back to Stangard, but the men there showed their true faces. Greedy and uncaring. They asked Nona to give up the sword in order to gain the right to have the help of healers here.
We were not even sure the healers would even be able to help her, and yet that was a condition. Men. A curse on them.
Horn took offense of the whole situation and decided we needed to get Nona to Caras Galadhon. Well, he wasn’t wrong, it was her best chance of survival considering.
She somehow survived the journey, and even if the men among us didn’t seem to quite enjoy being here, Nona recovered and it was probably not a wound inflicted by a morgul blade, which is quite a relief in a way.
We went back down on floor level, and stopped a while to rest by the fountain.
Salhael and Rhudorn seemed to be worried about Stangard, and ready to go back as soon as possible. Well… As far as I’m concerned, they know the way back, and if they could drag Brunnadan with them that’d get us rid of all the suspicious people…
But in the meantime Brunnadan decided to share with the group his worries that one single Nazgul will soon be the least of Rohan’s problems.
Considering Saruman’s actions…
Anyway, he told us his fears of what Isengard will unleash on Rohan, which obviously Salhael didn’t quite appreciate.
In the end, Brunnadan told Andrahir and Ilthirian that it’s “funny that an elf and a man should be here together”.
Apparently it’s the third time such a couple was here in front of the fountain.
He told us of the other couples: Aragorn and Arwen. And another long ago, the elf maid was going West and her lover met her here one last time.
Which is all well and good but considering that in past history couples between humans and elves were in the thick of trouble (namely Luthien and Beren and Idril and Tuor)… who says that it’s not Aragorn and Arwen and Andrahir and Ilthirian’s fault if we’re in that much trouble right now?
Their couples are on the rise, so trouble follows!!!”
Lusseriel snorted softly at that.
“Alright so that was ridiculous, even for me. That those couples of the past were formed during the first age and the most troubled Era that our races lived through admittedly accounted for most of their troubles.
But the idea was fun. I do wonder how Ilthirian and Andrahir would react if I shared that little idea…
Most likely they wouldn’t quite share my sense of humor.
Anyway, we’re now in a guest talan, and we’ll stay here until Nona is ready to go back on the road. Or until one of us lose patience and pushes for a departure. Whichever comes first.
I wonder where Ardirien is now. I hope she’s safe and didn’t cross path with the Nazgul.”
Lusseriel let her eyes trail on the trees and people moving below the talans, breathing in the still atmosphere of Caras Galadhon.
She mindlessly sketched what she could see below, before she decided to close her notebook and go take her rest while it was still possible, safe to do and away from any marshes…
