For a long while now, I have avoided Bree. I have had my reasons, of course, mainly to do with a preference for solitude and my glaring inadequacies in the field of deceit. For my love's sake, I must maintain the illusion of his demise and that I cannot do if someone asks after him; I have not enough skill in lying to make myself believeable.
Nevertheless, on occasion I am driven back to that wretched little town and more often than not, I am presented with further reasons to avoid it. In this case, supplies were necessary. Being out of the woodlands and back into the homesteads for the forseeable future, I find that I cannot live off the land as I am wont to do. Rather, I must rely on the exchange of goods and coin to acquire that which is needed. This is tolerable, if not ideal. Unfortunately, within Bree lurk some of the most intolerable people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I had no sooner entered that place than I was approached by a runner-boy who passed to me a missive. Reading it set my teeth on edge. Regardless of his prior promises to attempt no further contact, the wastrel Thayalengir requested my presence for some manner of meeting. I tire of that man and of his lies. Everytime it is the same thing; he demands answers, makes threats, casts aspersions, makes more threats, fabricates ever more grandios and ridiculous fantasies and promises never to contact me again. Given a few months, however, the cycle starts again. I want no part of it or of him.
No sooner had I made this much clear in my reply than he responded with threats. Any credibility or good-will he may have garnered in his initial "polite" demand was instantly lost when he resorted to such idiocy. How could anyone possibly think that one would willingly meet with an untrustworthy psychopath when he threatens to gain your presence through force? Such words are hardly conduicive to maintaining an illusion, however flimsy, of fair intent. Further refusal, of course, resulted in worsening threats.
The man is an unmitigated moron! That he thinks I would believe a single word he chooses to communicate proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that what was once witless has deteriorated to become addled beyond redemption. Even had I suffered a momentary lapse of reason and believed that his claims might not be false, the facts of the past speak for themselves. His lack of honour, integrity, rationality and his oblique approach to the truth are all reasons enough to convince me that to bother with the man is pure folly. On the day he learns to keep his word, perhaps I shall consider reconsidering my low opinion of him. Until then, he will gain nothing from me but contempt.
Brenorn has offered to help me in this matter, for which I am thankful. Whilst I remain averse to such things, there is too much at stake for me to risk proving Thayalengir's threats true. If Brenorn can keep the raving lunatic at bay for me, then that is one less stress lifted from my bony shoulders. I dare not tell Cyfier lest he acquire yet another new enemy, thus prolonging the day of his retirement.
