Back south II – Home, bittersweet home
Sun was blazing down on the cartrev. Day began pleasantly and it seemed the nice weather would last until the evening. Suntanned woman just finished milking the cow and stood up from the stool. She went over to a man, who was scrubbing stretched hides.
He suddenly stood up and looked around. “Have you heard it?”
The woman stood still and then nodded.
Horses.
She quickly stepped inside the house and put the full bucket on the ground.
The man reached for a bow and arrows, conveniently placed near the entrance. Then he stood silent, continued listening. The thumping went from northwest, but soon it slowed and stopped. The sound was telling that there were at least two riders, but not more than five. But the low knolls around didn’t allow him to see them. Yet. The man placed the arrow on the bowstring. He waited the kept the bow low - calmly, but ready.
*
Kor gestured to Tarnon: Slow and stop. They arrived at a shallow rocky valley. Tarnon looked around.
“Here? It looks completely the same as any other valley we passed through yesterday.”
Kor shrugged and just pointed in the direction of rocky knolls covered with bushes.
They tied Cookie, Brownie and Horsea to the sturdiest branch. After a short thinking, Kor left his great sword at the saddle and took only his pack of woodworking tools. Plusheila took a few things they prepared yesterday. Then she stroked the cat, the bearling and also the hedgehog.
Kor turned to his dog: „Bytor, stay. Guard them all.”
When they stepped up the hummock, the goal of their way showed. The small cartrev, placed on the lenient slope under low, bouldery rock.
Sheila put her hand on Kor’s shoulder and he smiled on her. But immediately he petrified with alert.
Even for quite a distance, he noticed that the settlement is inhabited.
“Come, lets walk slowly and steadily. Keep your hands off the weapons, Tarn. They will watch us even when we cannot see ‘em.“
Kor noticed the bowman from roughly hundred paces. He paused, then he raised hand to wave and whispered others to do the same. Then they slowly continued.
The dunlending man wasn’t older than twenty winters. He didn’t aim on them, only raised the weapon higher. When the trio approached roughly thirty paces, Kor greeted him with raised palms and tried the best dunnish accent he could remember.
“Good hunting, man. Pardon the intrusion of a few duvodiads. We mean no harm.”
The bowman stood silent, he only slightly nodded for an answer. Kor continued.
“I left this cartrev a few years ago deserted. I came to see my birthplace and I’m nicely surprised it is not empty.”
The dunleding was measuring them with his eyes, unsure of what to do next. He finally decided to put the arrow off the bowstring, when he turned head to the entrance as he heard something from within.
A dunnish woman came out carefully and raised hand to forehead to protect eyes from sun. She whispered something to the man aside. Then she stepped forward, observing the intruders. The blonde woman drew her curiosity for a short while, but then she focused her look on the bearded speaker.
“What is your name?”
“I’m Kor, son of Cranna. This is Sheila and this is Tarnon.“
The woman turned to the youth and whispered, but all of the three overheard it: “He speaks truth. It must be him!“
“And I could bring you some fresh hunted animal as a price, for the case you would not believe me.” Kor gestured skewering a game.
She layed hand on the bow and the man understood and put it away.
“Come. You are welcome here. Let us speak inside.”
Kor entered, the other two carefully followed him.
“I recognized you, Korh, even when I haven’t seen you already years,” turned the woman to him.
So, instead of sneaking in the village and getting information from eavesdropping and only hints, we might get the survey of all from friendly speech…
“I am Dovian and this is my brother Gosur.”
Gosur nodded and said:
“We have settled here not a year ago. By the right of seizing unoccupied land-“
Kor interrupted him, raising his palm.
“Relax, lad. We are not here to claim anything. Easy.”
The dunleding eyed him suspiciously yet for a bit.
“As I said before, I grew up here. I only wanted to see it again. Never I was thinking about returning and settling here. We are travelling a lot,” he pointed to Sheila and Tarnon.
“Aye. Just passing,” added Tarnon and his raspy voice again caused confused looks.
“You know me, but I don’t remember you,” stated Kor. “Nor your names. You from the village?”
“Yeh. I was only a girl, but I remember your dealing with Tronnag.”
Kor raised eyebrows.
“Nice work. It helped us realize he was a moron and leave.”
“Ah…”
Gosur started to speak: “There was an unrest. Lots of people followed the main Draig-luth group, but some were angry and left. Like us.”
“We didn’t want to be other Saruman’s boot lickers,“ added Dovian.
“I completely understand that.”
Tarnon turned to Kor.
“You told me you wanted to talk to someone in the village?”
“Indeed. But I am glad that we can talk to friends first, I don’t know how we would be accepted up there.”
The faces of the dunledings were obviously telling a reserved ´No, they wouldn’t´. But Dovian immediately reacted.
“We will tell you all what we know. Honest half blood better than spoiled pure blood. You said.”
Kor already nearly forgot this line from the past. What a hit on the spot can be sudden words…
Then Gosur spoke and explained current situation. Dovian was moving around the interior preparing food, but still absorbing every spoken word.
Those who called themselves Draig-luth had always many settlements spread across a decent portion of the country. There were differences among them, but now they were totally split from recent events.
Many went to war and died on battlefield. Those, who stayed, mostly women and children, either moved to other territories or fought among themselves. As result, there were many smaller settlements saying allegiance to the legacy of Dragon clan, but their culture and their motives were even more different. There were small groups of war veterans and deserters raiding the countryside both in Rohan and Dunland.
“And also now hooded northerners and rohirrim women raid poor dunnish cartrevs,” said a deep voice from outside. A tall dunlander, holding a bow and a pair of rabbits came in.
“You ‘re back, Ferhan! Please, welcome our guests. Its Korh, kin from the village past. Korh, this is my husband.”
“I know you. You are the carpenter.”
Kor nodded. “And a soldier now, in addition.”
They both exchanged looks telling each other: Hey, I respect you.
“Ferhan, you came right for the mealtime,” the dunleding woman ended their silent dialogue and started serving food to all.
*
After the dinner, Kor started to speak.
“You also deserve to know also our second reason of coming here.”
He took a breath.
“I have unfinished accounts with some strangers. Foreigners. Invaders, best to speak. I would like to know current situation of here. Because according to our last trace, they should be all the time here in Dunland. And as far as I know, he- or them – is our common enemy.”
“Who are them?” asked Ferhan.
“The half-orcs. I got rid of a bunch of ‘em a few years ago but didn’t have luck to find the leader.”
“Hmm. Yes, there were some raiding parties of them. Nasty types, but we fended them off, like all of the others. You know our people, Korh. Even small children fight with whatever they have. Stones, pointed poles. Attack on our settlement is like poke in a hornet hive.”
“I know right, Ferhan.”
Alas.
“And although it is a long time, I would like to find them. I bet they did not disappear completely.”
“Leaders… I honestly don’t know.” shrugged Ferhan.
“One important name should be Sharkey,” added Tarnon.
“Never heard…”
“You should ask some travelling traders. They know these rumors,” said Gosur.
“Well, according to my clairvoyant skill, the future will be full of difficult tracking,” stated Tarnon.
Kor clenched fists. “Aye…”
But better than parleys with elders of all clans. I’m no diplomat.
