The earthy clad man was watching the road during the earliest morning hours while Tuilin had sunk into a troubled sleep on the bare ground within the ruin. He shook his head as he remembered how altered her face had been, how he deemed their people’s fate must have claimed an innocent unexpectant heart once more. The food he had layed out beside her was untouched. The higher the sun rose the more commotion could be noted in the farther distance of a village, Halfling farmers setting out to do their wintry work, the road sounding with many busy steps heading this way and that. Yes, there were sounds heading this way, he realized, his keen eye wandering; a rather big company for this remote place, at least one or two riders amongst them. It would not be long until they came upon their dwelling.
Tuilin woke from an agonizing dream, a face laughing in the taunting dark, nothing more, to find Nethdir by the road, his presence imposing and ready for there were people approaching, amongst them a woman eyeing the ruins with dubious interest. She was on her feet in an instant as greetings were exchanged: words and banter neither of what she was capable or willing to endure at the present. So she listened in silence, watching from under her cloak. There was a rider, keeping in the background as herself whose demeanor spoke of fierce experiences, a child, a man who was leading their word and the woman who had taken to wander amongst the broken stone with inquisitive hands. They claimed to be adventurers seeking to travel to the lake – the lake where not too long ago everything still seemed possible, when hope still offered tangible peace. It was a lifetime ago.
No amount of reason would persuade them to let go of the foolish risks awaiting them not only on the road, but once they arrived at their destination. She knew of course that Nethdir had even more reason to disengage these adventurers from their intention. Too much had his homeland suffered and lost by robbers, he could not willingly let strangers pass into grounds marked already with danger and mistrust. So after long debate it was agreed that the two wanderers would accompany this adventuring group on their journey. Tuilin gathered her belongings (only her medallion could not be found) and set off after the group who had continued towards the area between Shire and Evendim, a place known as Bullroarer's Sward. There it was decided it would be safe to spend the next night. The grey cloaked woman breathed deeply gazed on the ruin thinking that for the next few days she would need to set her mind on the two tasks ahead – to protect the innocent and to protect the lands of her people.
Of course rarely do two purposes such as these peacefully arrange with one another.
To be continued ...
