Topic: A long Journey To Rest

Earendur Pallanen

Date: 2005-10-02 19:30 EST
Cold morning rain had given way to thick fogs the cling to the very branches of the dark forest, and rightly named. Though in the fields the sun was breaking through, here it did not breech the leaf canopy. Water dripped from swaying hemlock and willow trees from a nonexistant breeze and the sound of what could only be described as soft song could be heard whispering as if spoken in your ear and yet a mile away.

Disorintating and disturbing, it was a feeling that kept most far distant from the boarder of the forest, despite the seren beauty it gave off in morning highlights. Only a brave handful dared tread this forest floor, fewer still had the steady nerve needed to live there. Luck and a little chance would see you safely from one side to the other, but they were in short supply here, and most would not chance that the odds would fall out of their favor.

But one thing would get you through without any hassel, a friendship beyond any other, one that would protect you from the harm that could be inflicted here, one that would not break until the end of your life. Elves very rarly handed their friendship so openly to human kind, weary and suspisious of anyone except other elves, had for many years grown rumor and stereotype to the anchinet race, that had exisited sense the beginning of time, or so the histories told. Three great races had come from their movments, covering there great lands, but amongst their kind there was another, a fourth, and though less frquent and harder to find, their friendship was the greatest of all, for they were strong, brave of heart and unwavering.

Earendur Pallanen had learned close to a hundred years ago not to flinch at the name Avari, it ment he was diffrent, he knew that, and often left him alone, but it also lent him special privilage. Like now, as he stood at the window of his room, offered to let him rest and recover from the last battle. He had healed, it had taken time and effort, but he had managed not to tear his wounds back open.

Now he watched the west seas glimmer below and others of his kind preping a boat. He had thought long and hard about leaving, but he was Avari, he would stay and look out for this land, and his people. Picking up his cloak and tugging on his boots he headed for the door, out onto the expansive balcony and down the main stairs.

His steps were light, from months of laying and sitting still, now he felt the urge to go, already he had stayed too long. As his feet hit the marble stone walk he was already letting out a sharpe peircing whistle. He crossed the court yard and bowed at the master elf as he came down from the main terrance.

"You are going then?"

"I must, I have a long journey yet to go, my father's land lays across the plains of Gondur, beyond the gates of Rohan and through the White Mountains," Earendur answered, "A journey which must begin with a single step, or it will never begin at all."

"I understand, your saddle is in the main stable, packed with freash breads and cheeses, your water bags are full and I have seen to cleaning your weapons and filling your quiver," he stated softly.

"You knew I would go, my many thanks, to you and your people. Safe journey from this land sir, my graditude for all you have given me."

"Your very welcome Earendure, safe journey," he answered as the white mare appeared finily from the mists that held the tree line tightly. He moved from his host to the aging mare, brushing his fingers over her soft muzzle.

"You go on from here Jade," he moved to lead the mare back to the mablre stable, pillers like trees lineing the great entrance and gathering his saddle dropped it lightly over her back, sliding her armour over her flanks and shoudlers, lineing the topline of her neck, before clinching the saddle in place and laying the saddle bags in place, lashing them to the saddle. Sliding her bridle over her head, adjusting the armour there to make it more comfortable before buckling it in place as well.

He lead her to the trail out of the area and paused to look back as the mare danced beside him, her feet hardly touching the ground. For a month she had run on bridled amongst the trees, but laying ahead of them was a perfect trail, as if the trees themselves had moved for them. The weight on her back and the days of lazy living left her heart with an urge to run and as Earendur put his foot in the stirup she settled, her muscles quivering as she waited.

Earendur settled in the saddle, the reigns tight in his fingers for a minute before he let her have her head and she immediatly reared, whinning loudly before he heeled her forward and she launched off her hind quarter into a full out gallop. They were on their way, it would prove to be a long trip, but before long he would be on the step of his father's home. Smiling Earendur lowered over her neck, dropping into the saddle, moving with her as she flew down the trail and towards the light that was already warming the rest of the world.

Earendur Pallanen

Date: 2005-10-03 11:02 EST
Long had Earendur riden the lands of Gondur and the boarders of the elven homes, Mirkwood and on through Rohan. He had seen them all, both in times of war and times of peace. Always had he taken Jade, the white mare a decendent, or so it was believed, of the might Shadowfax, but he didn't care, he had found her as foal, in the dead of winter, curled against her dead mother's flank, who had been badly wounded by a Warg hunting pack. Somehow she had lived long enough to lead her doughter to safety, before collapsing and dieing herself.

Earendur had been in the Maeren herd the day, mearly passing through when he had found her and draped her over his mounts back and walked from there to the cover of Rohan. Now she strided with great confidence under him, always alert. She had stopped her head long gallop as they had breeched the dark wood and had entered the fields leading to the main road, crossing with out pause until she reached the firm ground that marked the travel of so many others before her.

Here Earendur reigned in, halting the white mare and dismounting. He dug into his bags and produced a water skin for himself and a small treat of honey apple for the horse, before he began leading her down the road. She was in good health and very willing to carry him, but it was a long road ahead yet, he would be luck to get more then six leags to Gundor before night fall, and he would have to make camp.

The mare trudged behind him in silents, ears flicking at any noise on the road, rarely traveled was this part, except by peddlers and tradesmen, for the Shire lay behind him, and hobbits were well known for staying where hobbits live. Walked a good three hours before stopping to eat, and even then it was a very light meal, and he remounted, letting Jade once more bare his weight as she droke ito a light trot, her feet kicking up a little dust on the trail.

Earendure on occasion cought himself, humming softly a tune he had known his whole life, one that had been tought to him as a riding song, to keep your beat with the horses, and he would smile softly to himself as he guilded the armoured mare down the road. It was fairly straight and a little snow covered, his horses prints the only ones on the road, winter was clinging, but today was a beautiful day, with the sun beating down on his dark cloak it made the ride warmer still, and he wondered about the men of Gondur.

It was growing dark before he left the road to find shelter in the trees, making camp and releasing Jade of her burden for the night, laying a small amount of rich warm mash before her to settle her after the long ride. Once she was looked after he moved to do the same for himself, starting a warm fire, and eating in silents before heading for his bedroll, letting a soft sleep settle on him as the night closed in on the pair and just the stars and the moon looked down on them.

Earendur Pallanen

Date: 2005-10-05 13:07 EST
Eaendur stirred awake to the cold morning air, a bitter wind had crept below the crevice that he had set his tent and bed against and Jade now stood, tail to the wind, head low ears pinned in anger as she glared at him. The look he knew, he was sure she was cursing him a thousand times over for making her leave to cover of elven wood for the cold of middlearth. It had snowed through the night too he realised, his mare was more white then normal, and in the time it took for him to realise it, she was stomping her hoof in impationts.

He wondered how long she had been standing there just staring at him and with a soft smile he moved to slide free of the bedroll and shivered at the cold, quickly pulling on more layers from his pack and his cloak, the fur lined fabric warming him quickly. He gathered his stuff, rolling the tent and bedroll and packing the bag, thinking on starting a fire and making a warm drink, but her angry eyes fallowed his every move and he thought better of pushing his luck with the maeran mare.

Instead he wiped snow from her main and back and threw his gear over her, getting a sharp whinny of protest at the cold armour and he hid his grin, she could curse him, but she had to carry his weight. Clinching the saddle and bridal he mounted her feeling her round under him, "Don't even think about Jade, you dump me in the snow and we'll camp outside Bree, and you can for get the warmth of the stable there," he pointed out and the mare huffed.

Content he had curbed her anger for the moment, he turned her for the road once more and nudged her on. It was a long road, over hill and valley and across a slope that seemed no end. In places trees hung so close to the road the created their own perpetual dusk, in others the heat of a summer day could put you off your horse, but in the winter the cold blasting wind only reminded you to stay low over them and share your heat.

Day turned to early noon, and noon to dusk, he didn't stop, didn't dare, most likely she would refuse him getting back on her once he was off to eat. Instead he suffered his hunger, not eating at all that day and pushing for the gates to Bree before night fall. It had been many years sense he was here last, in the presents of a couple other elusive vagabonds, Rangers they were called, and he had picked up the name himself by them. Though back then there had been suspiosion for their lot, now they were better respected, most likely having something to do with their own Strider being the king Aragon.

Reaching the gate just before the last ray of sun disappeared he crossed into the city limit with little problem. Here hobbit and man lived in perfect harmony, and both made good buisness the last couple years. The stout Prancing Pony had gone from splender to a dive and back to splendor and as he reigned Jade in he found immediatly a young whelp of a hobbit cathing his reigns before he had the chance to dismount.

"Tend your horse sir?" He asked, seeming to try and puzzle out who was under the cape, too small for a man, too big for a hobbit, or on the extrem end of either. Few elves stopped in Bree, and few still for the night at a place like the Prancing Pony. No they traveled in groups when they did and kept to themselves, so to this boy Earendure was nothing more then a puzzle to be figgered out.

Dismounting Eaendur shook his head, "I think not son, this mare is a bit too wiley for the likes of one so young," he answered, keeping size out of it and raising a brow in surprise when the youth tugged the reigns harshly to his chest.

"I can handle her," the boy answered a bit indignently, "I'm a hobbit, much stronger then I's a appear," he turned to start walking but found his feet dug into the earth and his body not moving as Jade closed her teeth on her bit, extended her head with his movment and planted her feet, making a noise of discontent before throwing her head and ending the youth in a pile at her feet before she snorted at him ears pinned.

"Don't say you were not warned," the elf laughed and got another nasty look from the boy. Insistant the stranger would not show him up he scrambled to his feet and grabbed her reigns just below her nose and hooked his fingers in the under strap of the noseband of her armour. Earendur rasied a brow at his conviction as the boy tried to move the mare again, who this time mearly raised her head, leaving the young hobbit's feet swinging in the air, holding on with all his might to the horses tack.

"Are you quiet done?" Earendur asked, hands planted on his hips as the hobbit squealed, not much fond of hights.

"Yes...yes sir," he sputtered out and the elf pushed his cloak from his head.

"Alright Jade, let the boy down," the mare still in a foul mood snorted threw her head, sending the boy into the air and straight into a pile of straw as she threw her tail and whinnied sharply pawing the ground. Earendur shook his head, catching her reigns and leading her back to the inn stables.

Once she was settled he headed for the inn itself, his mind on precuring a room.

Earendur Pallanen

Date: 2005-10-06 08:51 EST
The Prancing Pony was large house, three stories and dug into the side of a hill that put the second story on even ground in the back of the building. As he entered he was greated by the bustling owner as he rushed passed him, a tray of mault ale in his hand. "Be right with you," he gasped not really looking at the elven man who had already replaced his cloak hood, covering his face and pointed ears once more. He looked around the dim room, a few candles and a laturen lite above their head was the only light by the counter.

Earendure didn't need to wait long before the man bustled back, "Long night it is, always full and run of my feet I might say, run ragged and the help is sick and the...,"he trailed off as he looked hard at the man, his friendly look disappearing to one of civility, "And what can I help you with my little sir?"

"A room for the night and a good meal would do nicely," Earendur answered in the same tone. He didn't like rangers, and Earendur was weary of humans, so the two eyed each other suspicsiously for a minute then he nodded and looked at his redgister.

"I have one room left, its not much, but it has a bed."

"It will do," Earendur answered laying a gold and silver coin on the table, and the mans eyes went wide, "I'll take the meal in my room," he added to knock him from his shock. The keeper nodded and quickly fetched the key shouting an order at his cook before escourting the cloaked figger to his room. Earendur waited until he was alone to shead off most of his gear, waiting for the meal to latch the door and finily remove his cloak, laying it on the foot of the bed.

It wasen't much was right, a bed just big enough for the elf and a fireplace against the back wall. A table with two chairs in the corner and a small window looking out at the back road. He shuttered the window and moved to the food looking it over. Rabbit stew heaped with vegies and a roll of freash bread with a mault liquor. The keeper was probubly hopeing he would return to the main lobby for more.

The main lobby was the busies spot in Bree, with guests and locals comuning with one another, dragging out stories and asking questions. No he wouldn't go, the fire in his room was warm enough and the one drink would be more then enough for the night as he settled at the table picking up his spoon.

The food was good, and didn't last long, he cleaned the bowl and bread, drowning the drink and then sat by the fire for sometime before he moved to head for the bed, pulling back the sheets to examine the matress and finily deciding it would be better then sleeping on the floor he moved to prepare for bed and settled in for the night.