Lusseriel was on the cliff side near Eaworth, Mrs Hops hopping around in the high herbs nearby. The elf looked at the rabbit for a while before warning her:
"If you get eaten, or fall off of the cliff..."
She stayed watching the rabbit enjoy her freedom for a little while before she picked up her notebook. And played with pen a while, not knowing how to start her entry this time.
"I have no idea if I don't know how to write this entry. It's important, if only because there are things I want to do that I need to keep track of, but... Today was... Complicated.
No, in fact I lie, it's the last hour or so that was complicated, not the day. The day started fine enough, we rode to the orc pyre place... Andrahir found us there, I think we arrived at about the same moment. He was looking for us.
The orc corpses were still smocking, the scent was absolutely atrocious, poor Rolegard didn't quite appreciate it; I think it may have been his first time finding a pyre like that, or if it wasn’t at least he wasn’t yet used to it. Hopefully he won't have to get used to it.
We found traces, but nothing really concrete, the place was a battle and to find tracks to follow... Well, that's not easy.
Corudan asked us to go to within the forest borders to follow some of the tracks we found...
And problems sort of started there when Brunnadan told us he couldn't go within, that if he went, he'd attract trouble for us, basically.
Ilthirian tried to insist that he needed to come with us, and I must say, I didn't quite agree with his reasons not to come, but it was his right to decide to go with us or not. Insisting is rarely good policy in cases where people's lives could be endangered. But that didn't really matter in the end. Brunnadan stayed out close to the pyre and we went in the forest's border.
The place is oppressive, but remarkably beautiful.
If we survive our journey, I might try to go back in there to visit.
We got separated on accident from Andrahir and Rolegard, so there was only Ardirien, Ilthirien and I around when Ardirien asked if we had any idea why Brunnadan refused to come with us here.
Well, I had a few, to be sure. And at least one that was more probably true than the others, but nothing definite.
The funny thing is that Ilthirian seemed to have her own opinion on the matter too.
We discussed the most probable theory I had together, but I tried to make sure she understood it was just that. A theory. And the conversation deviated to the fact that Brunnadan was caught in a… an arrangement with a powerful being who couldn’t care less about humans.
And despite her clear wish to know more and understand the situation with Brunnadan, Ardirien let both Ilthirian and I get away with telling her that we'd tell her of our suspicions after we'd talk to Brunnadan. I felt sorry for her, I'd hate to be in her place, but I'm not going to give her all my theories or we'd be at it for days and she'd end up even more confused than she is now.
We found Andrahir and Rolegard again, and orcs. The orcs didn't live long after meeting us. But apparently the sound of battle was enough to awaken a creature I didn't think we'd meet here and now. An Onodrim.
Of course, there was no telling what living in such a poisonous area did to them so I'd have suggested caution but Andrahir seemed to be too curious to use caution. He put his weapons down on the floor and approached the forest guardian.
As I said then: if the Onodrim killed him we'd know it was the wrong move to make.
It wasn't necessarily a comment that everyone appreciated for some reason...
But all went well.
He told us we weren't welcome in the forest, but told us that we weren't the first one to pass through there and that the company was safe so... I'm not quite sure I trust his notion of time, but everyone else seemed to, so I'll let it go.
So we left the forest... And Andrahir almost forgot to pick up his weapons again...
So as Brunnadan said after we caught him up on our news: "all is well, and we can continue to help the Rohirrim now".
Sure. Let's help the people who don't care, probably because of a sad case of king’s ego. Why not?
Andrahir looked rather torn about what to do. Go back to the Grey Company or stay longer here. Ilthirian didn't quite appreciate the news that Andrahir may leave us soon (and I think we should all go back to the Grey company, they're our allies more surely than the men of Rohan are, but that’s me) and Brunnadan noted that he thought that Andrahir's fate lies with us, not with the Grey Company.
I hope it doesn't mean that we'll all die here too soon to go back to our real allies, or I'll be very mad at Brunnadan about the lack of warning.
Anyway, we decided to go back to Eaworth. If only to be able to actually breath.
And that's when Ilthirian, Ardirien, Brunnadan and I found ourselves alone as Andrahir and Rolegard went to rest or do whatever they planned to actually do.
I actually found it perfect that Ardirien was there. I'd hate to have had that conversation in secret when she so obviously wanted answer as much as Ilthirian and I did.
Now in retrospect, I'm not quite sure it was such a good idea. But what's done is done.
Ilthirian spoke to Brunnadan in Sindarin, asking more information regarding what Brunnadan knew of Andrahir's fate.
I really need to see if Ardirien wants to learn Sindarin. That habit of Ilthirian is becoming more than a little rude, and when I’m the one saying that…. Next time I'll just very obnoxiously offer to translate for her outright.
But speaking of rudeness, I might have been a teeny tiny bit rude myself.
I asked Brunnadan if there were other places he knew he couldn't go, I got no real answer on that, just that'd he'd be fine away from the forest. Which great but wasn't quite the point, but fine, I guess we'll see.
And then I asked him what was his arrangement with his master.
I was a bit annoyed at his general evasiveness, so I might have been ruder than strictly necessary. His answer was a tad defensive too: "I didn't mention any master Lusseriel".
But... Technically yes, he did. Oh he never used that word specifically no, but he said himself that he was taught by the Hunstman. Those spirits never do anything out of the kindness of their heart. He owes them something in their world, so he can take offense all he wanted about my words, but I called it as I see it.
Ilthirian, ever so nice and patient, told him that he should let us help him.
Just a look from Brunnadan and Ilthirian looked away. If she lets Brunnadan intimidate her, I wish her good luck for the future.
Brunnadan tried to tell us that it wasn't our problem as it was a personal situation. Yes... It may be personal, but we don't know his limits, or the limits of his freedom. If, and that's already a big if in my book, that doesn't make him an enemy that doesn't make him a reliable ally either.
Which I pointed out to him very pointedly. Or potentially a bit rudely. Or a lot.
Yes, I went into this conversation the worst way I could apparently. Oh well...
Possibly feeling the tension grow, and taken by survival instinct, a surprisingly good survival instinct at that, Mrs Hops escaped her bag.
She hasn't been willing to go back inside it yet. I hope she will before we have to leave again, I'm not riding through Rohan and potential battles with a rabbit in my arms. Not happening.
But speaking of rudeness, with a capital R here, Brunnadan unleashed a bit of his power, just enough that he seemed taller, the nearby lanterns flickered and darkened, and the nearby stable creaked a bit as if more weight had been added to it while the horses seemed to react in fear.
If that upstart little idiot thought he could frighten me to compliance he had another thing coming.
He told us firmly that it wasn’t our concern.
Of course, because we're not traveling with him and we’re not the ones at risk of being abandoned or put in greater danger because "he can't go there" or some other crap excuses.
But at least Brunnadan's little trick seemed to impressed no one else than Mrs Hops and the horses, so there’s that.
And perhaps the local men. Perhaps. But that’s a detail.
In reaction of Ilthirian's firm insistence to get some answers at least, Brunnadan's power came on more strongly, the horses got louder and more lights were snuffed out.
I think I recall telling him something like along the lines of: "Oh stuff it, I've met more terrifying powers than yours, and if you're not able to keep your temper you're definitively a liability rather than a help to everyone in our company! It's a conversation that you may not like but guess what, everyone has those once in a while, so grow up and stop your tantrum or so help me..."
Brunnadan of course took offense to that, and... Yeah, he might have had a point there, but frankly, he was acting like a child on a tantrum, and I had more than my fill of so called power pretending to be benevolent and in fact being dicks, so he could stuff it, I didn't care.
Brunnadan told us that he didn’t answer to us and wasn’t here to see us injured, and that he wasn’t just another man wielding power he didn’t understand.
Yeah, sure, because he entered a contract with an frightening power all for the cheer pleasure of it, knowing exactly everything he had to know, including boundaries and all the ways it could become a trap for him and for whoever surrounded him at any given time? And of course, now he knows exactly everything there’s to know about his powers and the influence of his master on him, of course. No surprise can ever happen. Because that’s a given, Master Brunnadan always understand everything of his powers and can never lose control, not even to his masters.
If anyone here believed that, I may have a piece of sea to sell to them.
But I find it interesting that the last powerful being I met who kept his secrets close to his chest was but a tool of the enemy.
Ilthirian felt the need, for some reason, to step in between Brunnadan and me. Possibly fearing one of us would lose our temper if we kept going. Which... Granted was a good possibility.
And which is something that may still happen in the future should that utterly irritating being try his little trick again. If he wants to take the right to try to control us through intimidation rather than argumentation, he’s welcome to try, but I’ll answer to him as I do to any threat.
Brunnadan gave us an interesting piece of information there: "I have lived for hundreds of years, I know what I'm doing".
Information that I found very interesting.
It wasn’t very pertinent to our immediate questions admittedly but it was definitively interesting. After all, the Ringwraiths would argue the exact same and so would Saruman.
Ardirien intervened to tell me that she didn't think he's here to hurt us and as usual, Brunnadan seemed to relax around her.
Ilthirian picked up on the very obvious fact that he cares for Ardirien and owed her the truth while I reminded Ardirien that the wise of this world thought they could trust Saruman up until he was ready for open war.
She'll draw the conclusion she wants and most likely already forgot what I said, but it had to be said...
Brunnadan insisted on the fact that he didn't lie, and has been honest since he joined us.
Ilthirian pointed out to him that a lie of omission was still a lie and Ardirien reminded her that he wasn't the only one who withheld information today.
Which... fair enough. But she really didn't want to know all the theories I had. Besides most of them were dead wrong apparently, and surely it was the same for Ilthirian too, so…
Ilthirian focused on Brunnadan's little revelation about his age, and asked him how it was possible. I wouldn't bother with the how personally, it's obviously in his contract with his "teachers".
I still think the term master is far more appropriate here.
Brunnadan answered that it all started as dreams, or what he thought were dreams. He told us that he thought that happened every time. Memories of previous lives came back as dreams, so he'd remember mostly everything.
He said :
"I dreamt of ancient kingdoms, of deep forests and rising darkness, I saw the passage of time through many generations. I dreamt these first, then I dreamt of the kings who spoke to me, the woods I walked and the darkness I fought back. Then I dreamt of the kings I advised, the woods I tended and the darkness that slew me. I died. Many, many times. Each time I would wake up with these things as dreams, in the grove of the Hunstman. A man young, as I am now. The ravages of age that I knew before gone, beginning anew, to do as I bid. My eternal mission; to protect his wild lands that he may hunt freely. The elves, they called me Brunnadan, the man who wanders. The Huntsman is Oromë's servant in middle earth. So it is from Oromë that I carry this...whatever it is."
Ilthirian asked him what he got in return for that. He answered he had nothing. And oh I can believe that. Men can try to gain power through those sorts of contracts for many reasons, and most of the time all they get in answer is shattered dreams.
Or, of course, outright disappointment when they fail to get the power.
As Brunnadan obviously got the power, I guess a good dose of harsh reality was his reward, whatever he actually wished in return.
Ilthirian asked him if there was something that could be done to release him from his service, and he admitted that he lost the memory of how. She seemed to forget herself who set him up in that situation in the first place for she asked him if the Hunter could perhaps know how to help him.
Brunnadan's answer to that was so obvious honestly... "The Huntsman enjoys my toil in his servitude and Mithrandir and the other Istari are forbidden to release me from service by the Valar. The elves could not help, Galadriel said they shouldn’t, said fate will decide."
Yes, that sounded like Galadriel.
And I'll have words for her next time I cross path with that upright hands-off little coward of an elf. When it comes to counsel others to act, but doing nothing herself, she's the queen.
I interrupted the flow of the conversation there to ask him confirmation on my own doubt: he joined us back soon after his rebirth. Brunnadan confirmed for me that he rejoined us in the Brownlands after the last time, but he didn't wish to speak of it, and needed to clear his mind.
And so he took his horse and left running.
A bit dramatic an exit, but to the point.
Ardirien looked confused on what just happened...
I asked Ilthirian if she thought the same thing I did, and she confirmed it.
Ardirien asked us what we were thinking.
So we tried to tell her. For once I was trying to be tactful while Ilthirian told her outright.
But we both thought that Brunnadan has been brought back quickly after his last death. Unless the Huntsman has various "students" he holds in his power, Brunnadan is, or was, the man we met as Arcangar.
Ardirien didn't believe us. Or didn't want to believe us. So we tried to explain our reasoning:
-Arcangar had a contract with the Huntsman, one he couldn't get out of.
-The Huntsman won't let him rest and brought him straight back.
-Brunnadan has a lot of common points with Arcangar and told us outright he had dreamt of Arcangar's life and of Ardirien.
-Brunnadan all but confirmed he's been brought back shortly before he joined us again, that'd fit with the timeline : He died, came back to life, started to dream and came to find us again...
Probably to finish his mission would be my guess.
Ardirien refused to believe us, or to hear us, and told us she needed time or space.
I can understand that, but I hope she'll stay safe.
I warned Ilthirian that I will very probably have words with Galadriel next time we meet (once again) and she told me that, for the occasion, she may have some as well.
Oups.
I needed to think, and Ilthirian seemed to want space as well so we each went our own way.
And one thing that I realized we forgot to consider is... who will tell Andrahir and Rolegard?
They can't be the only ones left in the dark to start with, it's bad politics. Also Brunnadan stormed off on us, so if he's not back by the time we gather again they'll need to know the how and why.
... I'm half considering writing a copy of these pages of my journal to leave with Andrahir and going for a hike myself to dodge that particular arrow.
That idea deserves due consideration..."
Lusseriel snorted at that and looked vaguely amused as she imagined Ilthirian’s reaction if she was to do just that.
A glance to the side and she saw Mrs Hops start to munch on pieces of a branch that came from a nearby bush.
“All jokes apart… I have somewhat of an idea of what’s needed to free someone from a contract with a power. Generally it either requires the task given to be completed or the death of the power. Here the second isn’t a solution, obviously, but it’s possible that some old friends of mine could share some ideas with the right arguments…
Good that I know them enough to have those arguments. If we survive our current journey and if he’s still stuck by the end of it, and if he agrees to discuss it a bit more, like a responsible adult…
That’s a lot of ifs, admittedly, but… I could try to get more information on the subject. Sadly, it all depends of our survival and on his willingness to actually talk. And perhaps Ilthirian will have her own sources too.”
Lusseriel hesitated a moment, but closed her notebook without writing anything more. She had some thinking to do on how to approach the rather prickly situation.
And a rabbit to catch before the air-head thing actually fell from the cliff. And here she had been thinking that the creature had some form of survival instinct.
