Zairaphel

He said his name was Balkumagan. “It is easy to see we are from a similar place, lady. I am Balkumagan, First Mate of the Shakalgimil, though alas, rather further from her and the Sea than I like.” He bowed elegantly, as one who knew well his manners.

“Sire, your armour is excellent, but may I suggest something?” said Naraal as he stood before the decrepit old house with the wolf’s head device carved upon its ancient oaken door.

The ride had taken two more weeks. Fortunately a considerable amount of time had been through uninhabited lands, so she had not had to use any energy in maintaining an illusion. She had followed the south road, through Enedwaith, and across the Gwathlo at Tharbad and on to Herne. She knew from that time forward the roads would be busier, she would need the best illusions she could muster. 

Naraal could not help but wonder what he had gotten himself into. Angmar had never featured highly on his ‘places to visit’ list, yet here he was, sitting in the shade of a rock, in bleak inhospitable lands, keeping an eye on a bunch of Angmarrim who were about to sacrifice someone they had captured on a wayside altar.

The two days Khahaynd spent in Linhir were unusually pleasant ones for her. She was not used to having anyone she would remotely consider a friend to talk with. ‘Friends and Family, who needs them?’ she had long thought. It was a view garnered from personal experience. But she found she got along very well with Yaelithe from the start.

“Captain,” said Naraal, his eyes widening a little as he bowed low before the tall Númenórean. Azrazôr’s hair was almost completely shaved off except for two thick locks on the top of his head, braided with carved bone beads and curled back like the horns of a ram. Gone was the hated mismatched armour scavenged for him after his arrival at Bree; he now wore a panoply exquisitely forged from dark steel.

“Greetings. I take it you are part of the household? If you were not, I suspect you would be dead.”

The dwarf leered up at Naraal. “I serve here,” he said.