Daellas

Dawn was nearing. Akashpug, the chief of Târ Stazg, rubbed in his eyes and yawned. He looked around his tent. He sniffed in the air and soon a surprised smirk came on his face.  Slowly did he whisper to himself, still sleep disorientated: ''What smells so good? Man flesh?" The Uruk crawled out of his tent and rose up, looking at the sight before him.

She could still hear the laughter in her ears. It was a joke, right; a jest seeping truth, though.

Tidhelm is struggling for some sleep at her feet, all wrapped up in furs and rope, the gagging cloth still tugged in his mouth. He seems harmless for now, perhaps she can dare a short walk around the camp. She needs to be alone for a while.

Face the truth, Melowen. You can do it. You must do it.

Oh how can I describe the last days?
I don´t dare to try it.
I was confused, I was a fool and I nearly lost the one I truly love, because I thought I will take the lesser evil, before I marry a foreigner.
At least I am thankful that Daellas and his Lord Tidhelm will leave Bree soon.
His behaviour towards me was false, but why was I so blind to see how much Duarion suffers under this?
I am lucky, that he did not decline me.
I made my decision; I will stay with him and will never dare to lose him again.

True is that Daellas is always worried for something, but this time he really has reason to. The journey led to grim events. Two of their kin were lost, probably dead, and she and Arunel were alive by sheer luck.

Still, besides the actual bad events, and evident problems, there also was something underneath. The feeling of something that wasn't "right". Small yet odd details, shady behaviours. Daellas admitted to not have trusted Tidhelm. Clearly, the old man is a pain to bear, but not trust him? That's a bit too much.

"Is everyone alive?" The winded voice of the Rohirrim captain sounded like a desperate cry to his men. His arms and legs were still shaking. So was his voice. The other Rohirrim came down from their horses. their bodies exhausted and their thoughts confused. Angelnarth carried the insensible maiden down from her horse, and placed her body upon a thick linen bedroll by the fire. She was half awake already. "Wh..What happened?", her voice came out of her lips, weak and low.