“You’ve come to settle in Bree, Eliad…,” said Thorontirn. “What is it that you do there?”
Eliad had followed closely behind him as was told to during their travel. Iriul took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. He lowered his scarf to his chin and began whistling his melody.
“Well…,” said Eliad. “Before this, I started to work as a stone hauler. And of course, training. Need both for when I have to go back.”
“A stone hauler?” repeated Thorontirn. “It is hard work. Back, Eliad? Back where?”
“Go back?” repeated Ulfey.
“I have said earlier that I wanted to go back so I could overthrow my family,” answered Eliad. “I doubt that my father would come here.”
“Is it that simple, Eliad?” asked Thorontirn “You will return to your home and challenge him?”
“Either I go to him or my sister takes me to him,” replied Eliad. “It would only result to the same thing.”
Iriul pointed at the peaking ruins ahead as they walked up the hill.
“Arthobel…,” said Iriul. “Might even be the highest view in Evendim.
“Then it is a place I would see,” said Thorontirn, lighting up at the thought.
“That much I promised you,” replied Iriul.
“Indeed,” said Thorontirn.
Eliad cast his gaze down at the ground, falling silent. Ulfey kept a lingering gaze on him, the usual smile gone as she watched him thoughtfully.
“You could have the life you desire in Bree-land,” said Thorontirn. “You should not forsake that. If you tell me all that you know, me and mine could protect you.”
“If I were to tell everything, I could hear her voice taunted me about it again,” said Eliad.
“A voice?” asked Ulfey. “What voice?”
“My sister told me that I should have learned my lesson of involving people into my affairs after…,” explained Eliad, glancing up at the sky. “Well, someone important to me.”
Iriul breathed heavily, not whispering anymore as he watched the slopes and ruins more carefully than before.
“You cannot allow her to continue haunting you,” said Thorontirn. “She is also part of a life you left behind.”
“As long as she stays alive or even around, she’ll still haunt me,” said Eliad.
They had finally reached the top of the slope of Arthobel. Iriul took a deep breath and looked out over the view.
“It is…beautiful,” said Thorontirn. “I have never found a place with such an open horizon.”
“Tinnudir Keep,” said Iriul, pointing at the spire in the distance.
“It is stunning…,” smiled Ulfey faintly, looking around.
“Home…,” said Iriul. “Finally.”
Eliad cast his gaze away, not saying anything. Iriul pulled his scarf down, a grin he did not have on him before. He made his way toward another part of the slope.
“Tell me, Eliad…,” said Ulfey. “If you had a chance to begin anew, would you accept?”
Eliad glanced over towards Ulfey as she spoke.
“Of course, I would,” answered Eliad, nodding. “That’s why I’m determined to end things with my family for good.”
Thorontirn distractedly set his eyes on the distant horizon, scanning the vast expanse open to him. Ulfey nodded a few times as he stared out into the distance.
“Would you expect any captive to give a different answer?” asked Iriul, peering over his shoulder, his smile fading. He then shouted, “Thillweed, come. See.”
“Eliad is not-,” began Thorontirn.
He stopped himself, walking over. Ulfey turned her head to keep an eye on Eliad while the two are off. Eliad glanced down at the ground, not saying anything.
“Do you wish to forget, I wonder?” asked Ulfey.
“The only thing…I’d want to remember from there is my mother,” said Eliad, glancing over towards Ulfey.
“Tell me of her,” said Ulfey.
“She was very nice,” said Eliad, giving a small smile. “Pretty. She talked to me more because I wasn’t like my sister. She had me promise to keep true to myself and be who I want to be.”
“Does anyone know that you are in Bree?” asked Ulfey. “Or were, rather.”
“As far as my family know?” asked Eliad.
Ulfey nodded.
“My sister,” answered Eliad. “Though she unfortunately was here longer than I was. Or there, rather.”
“The way through the city isn’t clear,” said Iriul, beckoning the two along with some urgency. “We go to the keep.”
“…Why is she in Bree?” asked Ulfey.
Eliad glanced towards Iriul.
“Very well,” replied Eliad, nodding. He glanced towards Ulfey, “It was initially to kill Aeru.”
“And she still lives..?” asked Ulfey.
“Unfortunately…,” answered Eliad.
They moved to join Iriul in order to head out once again. Thorontirn must have gone ahead already....
