08 – Different fires of the north
Three men were standing in a hideout at a few large boulders.
Kor clenched fists. “So, you nearly got him?”
Saeradan nodded. “Yes. That snake managed to flee.”
Kortheod looked at the ground for a few moments. Then he raised his eyes to see a shard of pity in the Ranger’s face and he shrugged.
„I knew it is personal, Kor. But see, together we disabled and slayed most of his net of brigands. And we have serious information about the situation now. Sharkey is still a pawn in this plan,“ said Aragorn.
This man was a bit different from all the Rangers. He deserved same portion of respect and admirability, even more.
Kor raised eyebrows. „The north… ?“
„Exactly. The threads and clues lead there… also those you gave us. The Dourhands, the brigands, the orcs and half-orcs tribes - all answer to Angmarim sorcerors.“
It didn’t need long thinking. „Good. I should leave. Whom should I find in North Downs?“
Aragorn smiled to himself. Rangers needed such people. And they had them, though just a handful.
“First, you need to stop to Hengstacer’s farm. The road is long and it is not possible to simply hire a horse there.”
Kor’s hand slipped to check his purse hanging at his belt.
Aragorn shook head and smiled.
“Eogar will know, you will need no money. Please, accept it as down payment.”
*
Same work, different place. Kor and Plusheila had set on a journey through Trestlebridge to Esteldín.
They were sitting on the back of a patchy chestnut horse. He wasn’t the quickest of the stables, but most robust and calm. Kortheod has named him Brownie and Plusheila absolutely accepted the name, stroking the horse on neck. She fell in love with the beast at first sight.
Kor has lived ten years in the horsemen army. After a few years pause, all he knew about men’s most beautiful animal friend was of course not forgotten, not a bit. Still, in comparison to knowledge of rohirrim lass, it was weak.
Passing through the plains, Kor felt a bit like in Dunland. Of course, the landscape missed the lonely rocks and sun was feeble here. But the raw beauty impressed him. But it was spoiled.
The Rangers had warned them about dangers on the road. Orcs had camps spread just behind the foaming river. Kor and Plusheila just nodded at each other: The following night will be fun.
Brownie turned out to be clever and quite fearless. He did understand to wait at distant hideout, until the pair did the saboteur jobs. The grey-skinned scum was so careless in all the camps, that it was not a problem. Kor had sneaked in and cut all the ballistae string, just a bit, so they would crack during next loading. Plusheila, doped with thrill, had carefully placed handfuls of hazelnuts in the bonfires. They had exploded just after she and Kor escaped into the night.
Although the road should have been quite straight, their detours to make some surprise for the orcs took a bit of time. They needed to camp twice instead of only one night in the middle of nowhere.
The second night was different. They sat at small campfire, hidden behind some ancient crumbling wall. The raid was successful, Kor even found some barrels of ignition powder. They replaced the nuts with these, and it made some pretty fireworks at the orc camps.
Though they were tired like hobbit after 3 miles walk, they yet couldn’t fall asleep. Kor had found a perfect thin hollow wood. He realized what he heard recently – that within Esteldín are concentrated many craft masters. The straight, hollow stick seemed perfect to make a flute. He had done this before a few times. The result was not very nice, as far as he could remember. But now he at least prepared the material so he can begin crafting properly in workshops of Esteldín. And there was enough wood for 2 instruments. If I fail in some detail, I can start over.
Plusheila started to be curious when she saw him focused on such a finely worked wand. When he started to mark the holes, she finally saw, what was Kor’s intention. She sat closer, gesturing her interest.
You play?
„Nae… just a bit. I only tried a few times…“
Then he understood.
“Wait, you can play it?”
No. But I always wanted to learn.
„Wonderful… tomorrow I will finish it for you. This light is bad, and in the crafting hall there’ll be better tools. “
She smiled warmly. So warmly he didn’t remember.
And she was so close.
They couldn’t stop looking in each other’s eyes now. Kor felt her tender thigh touching his.
He reached his hand. She was so beautiful, charming and full of fire…
They kissed.
Everything around ceased to exist and their bodies merged.
*
When Plusheila woke up, everything was different. But she was behaving like any other day.
At first, Kor didn’t know how to react. But within hour, he accepted it. He had to, anyway.
It kind of seemed she needs to play the restrained role. No useless tenderness during the day, anytime it would cross their mind.
Her pose was only a cheap price for the invisible wall to break. Her eyes were telling him. Kor knew he would give his life for her, and felt she’d do the same for him.
Finally they saw the crevace in the mountain side, opening into hidden town of Esteldín. It was late morning.
When Brownie entered the ancient ruined town, Kor and Plusheila noticed watchmen with bows, visible only at last moment. The entrance alley could become a deadly trap.
„My name’s Kortheod. I was sent ‘ere by Aragorn and Saeradan. We are s’pposed to meet Halbarad.“
„He’s away. Some errand,“ said one of the hooded men on the courtyard. He came closer and pointed further into the rock city.
„You can give water to your horse there, and I think we can find something for your thirsty throats too,“ smirked the man.
„Name’s Daervunn, by the way.“
After refreshing, Kor asked, where can he and his henchwoman wait.
„You can bash some orc heads in the meantime,“ grinned Daervunn, watching the sledgehammer with brown spots of old blood.
Kor just nodded.
„Tell me their whereabouts.“
Daervunn’s jaw descended. It was a joke. But…
Let‘s see, man… you seem capable.
He explained the situation and gave the pair full recent scout report. Then he sent them to check on the mentioned landmarks. Only her silence and grim green eyes were giving him uneasy feeling.
After that, Kor and Plusheila left through the eastern pass.
*
Checking the southeast orc camps wasn’t easy. The whole area was crawling with roaming wargs and orcs. It seemed like a giant training grounds rather than a few camps near each other.
Of course they could count a few kills. A routine. A necessity. After all, we wouldn’t leave uselessly, thought Kor.
Still it was a long way, and without reinforcements it wasn’t possible to penetrate so deep inside to confirm presence of battle trolls. So when the sun was showing mid afternoon, they turned back north.
Kor and Sheila were striding a bit east from the mountain ridge, as the were interested in the strange villages they saw on the eastern plains.
Suddenly they saw a movement a like a hundred yards in front of them.
Orc!
„No. two of ‘em,“ disagreed Kor.
„Wait…“
There was a fight! Some man was facing them.
The pair started to run towards. Plusheila was a few feet aside to be able to flank.
As they were approaching, they saw it better now. A very agile guy in grey cloak was fighting a melee orc, while the second orc was sniping with a bow from a safe distance.
They were yet a hundred feet from them, when they saw the man hit by arrow and fall. Kor increased speed and roared, to pull attention on him.
Both orcs turned to the newcomers.
“Come on, you dirtbags!” Kor slowed a bit, now when he had their interest. He noticed the hurt man rolled aside a few feet.
The fatter orc weighed his club in hand, evaluating the new target. Then he started to walk towards Kor. The more slender orc had put a new arrow on bowstring. Of the two, he was nearer. Unfortunately, he was still like twenty feet from him.
“Are you hungry? I will feed you with your own teeth. Who goes first?” Kor started to sprint. He knew he would probably not make it. The archer had already aimed at him.
Four more steps… Kor suppressed closing eyes, as he was expecting the arrow.
Suddenly a nearly inaudible swish came from aside. The bow-orc staggered, as in his belly plunged a throwing dagger.
Kor swung the hammer. It broke the bow and several ribs. The strike knocked the orc on the ground.
Plusheila was flanking the archer first, but now she could employ the club-orc.
The long spear had advantage over the club. She hit him two times, until Kor came to help her. The hammer landed again. The fight was finished, also with the promise about feeding fulfilled.
The grey cloaked man rose on feet, balancing and limping. Hood of the cloak was mostly hiding his face. Anyway, it was obvious he is quite young.
„Only the leg?“ asked Kor.
The man nodded and said:
“Great timing of coming. Thanks, man. But there are yet two Earth-kin giants pursuing me.”
The man’s raspy voice tone was surprised the man, as well as the situation. He raised eyebrows.
“Boy, it seems you’ve talent to piss someone off…“ He was thinking quickly.
„Can you stand at least for a few minutes? To pretend you are at full strength?”
“Aye. I will hold,” answered the cloaked guy.
With such reinforcement, the little group was able to chase away the hostile hunters practically without a fight.
Now it was finally time to talk.
“Boy, you’re either fool or brave, to venture so far,” said Kor.
“Seems like you too, old man.” The hoarse voice just didn’t fit to the young man. He couldn’t be much over twenty years.
“Hey…” reacted Kor angrily. Then he stopped and laughed.
“You’re right,” added he after a brief moment.
Then he reached out his hand. “By the way, I’m Kortheod.”
“Tarnon.”
Kor also introduced voiceless Plusheila. Tarnon bowed his head shortly and thanked again her for the rescue.
„I bet you will need a healer. We can take you to Esteldín, “ proposed Kor.
„Yup, that’s where I was going. Good.“
They started limping to the west towards the hidden pass to Esteldín. Curiosity from both sides started a long dialogue. Tarnon seemed a eccentric person. There was something dark about him, but his hatred for the enemy was radiating from him strongly. When he put away his hood, it became clear what was he hiding: ugly scar across mouth and grey hair. Kor better didn’t imagine, what terror turned hair so pale to such a young boy.
Their talk didn’t finish until dusk, when they arrived behind the city walls.
