"That doesn't mean I can't give people bad berries, does it?" asked Chrissy, making a face of thought. "They are not as harmful...just makes them run around trying to find a bush."
"What is the matter?" asked Tahandil, raising a brow at Eliad.
Tahandil burst out in laughter at Chrissy's words. Eliad watched as Aduninzil glared at a woman in a white dress then stared past the girl to Eliad.
"Or the funny dust that make people sneeze," said Chrissy.
Eliad gulped rather softly, his hand moving to clench his left arm.
"Someone is here," said Eliad, glancing at Tahandil. "Someone who I have a past with."
Tahandil patted Chrissy on the head before looking at Eliad.
"Who?" asked Tahandil. "And what kind of past?"
"...Home," replied Eliad, casting his gaze over towards Aduninzil again.
"Who is she?" asked Tahandil, following Eliad's gaze.
Eliad pursed his lips, looking at Tahandil. He did not want to involve him and Chrissy as much as Aeru and the others were involved because of Aduninzil.
"I'll tell you later," answered Eliada. He glanced at Chrissy, hoping that he could carry on a normal conversation. "Now, Chrissy. If you really want to intimidate or startle others, perhaps a better place like festival grounds."
"Just as long as no one gets hurt, I do not desire to tend to any more burnt arses," said Raven.
"Yes," said Eliad, snorting. "Just aim it away from people."
"Fine...," said Tahandil, sighing. "I will find out now." He shook his head before walking towards Aduninzil. "Hello. How are you, madam?"
Eliad blinked and glanced at Tahandil.
"W-Wait!" exclaimed Eliad.
"What do you want...," said Adunnizil, furrowing her brows and scrunches up her nose.
Eliad glanced back at Raven, his form tense.
"Do excuse me real quick...," said Eliad. He quickly followed tugging on his arm gently. "Not quite a good idea..."
Tahandil raised hsi brow at Elaid then turned back to Aduninzil.
"Hmm...," said Tahandil. "My son seems quite scared of you... Intriguing. Who are you if I may ask?"
"Son?" grinned Aduninzil wickedly, casting her eyes over to Eliad. "How pathetic are you... You choose this thing to be your father? You must be stuck living a dream..."
"You're one to talk with a father that we had," frowned Eliad.
Tahandil looked between the two before letting out a chuckle.
"Adorable," said Tahandil.
"Had?" smirked Aduninzil. "Poor little brother. You know that he is not dead... He always will be your father, your true father."
Eliad gritted his teeth though kept his grey eyes on her. In his mind, he knew that she had a point of his birth father still being alive. Aduninzil canted her head, showing an overly sweet smile.
"Even a disappointment like you is better than to be around this...filth...," said Aduninzil.
"Shut up, Aduninzil," ordered Eliad. "I'll prove you wrong when I defeat the other back home!"
"Madam, his true father is standing before you," chuckled Tahandil even more. "Yes, this filth is his true father. You may be his blood but you do not have his love. We are his true family so..." He stopped as he heard Eliad. "Calm down, Eliad. No need for violent threats and such. Keep calm."
"Sure, you will," said Aduninzil, rolling her eyes. "Claiming to be oh, so much better than Father and I... Yet you wish to kill him. Do you not see how foolish you sound..." She turned her attention back to Tahandil. "I do not care for his love... Do with it all you want, though I'm sure my brother has love for me... Else I would not be alive, would I... Eliad?"
Eliad glanced at Aduninzil, his eyes widening at her question. No matter how many wrongs she had done to him or to those around him, his thoughts go back to the words spoken to him by his mother. His mind then had gone back to what Aeru had told him.
"I would ask the same for you about keeping me alive as well," replied Eliad.
"Do not flatter yourself...," said Aduninzil, snorting a sick giggle. "I still have use for you. Works better when you're alive."
"I will not be used by you or him," said Eliad. "Not anymore."
"Good," smiled Tahandil. "As long as we have that settled." He sighed at Eliad. "Go back over there, Eliad. I came here to speak to her calmly, and you are getting flustered."
Eliad glances at Tahandil, frowning in concern.
"Be careful," said Eliad, sighing softly before turning around to leave.
"Yes," said Tahandil, nodding. "I plan to be." He turned back to Aduninzil. "May I speak with you outside?" He took his dagger from his belt to hand over to Eliad before he left. "I won't carry weapons."
Aduninzil shook her head, producing a clicking sound with her tongue.
"See, Eliad...," said Aduninzil. "You will never change. Even still taking orders from a man who calls himself your father..."
Eliad curled his hands into fists and walked away even more, not taking the dagger. He made his way back to where he stood.
"I do carry weapons...," said Aduninzil, snorting a laugh. "I will not speak to you outside either. Just move along and stop bothering me."
"Well, that's nice that you do, but I am sorry, madam," chuckled Tahandil. "I will not stop bothering you. I am enjoying this chat."
Eliad kept his gaze onto Tahandil and Aduninzil warily. Aduninzil tilted her head, her lips curling up into a grin.
"I have no business with you...," said Aduninzil. "I came here to enjoy my evening. I did not bother you. Leave before I lose my patience..."
"Oh, but you do have business actually, and well...," said Tahandil, nodding. "I seem to be enjoying my evening standing here. 'Tis a great spot to stand... Very cozy. Now as I was saying, why are you so far from home? You seem to love this father of yours. Don't you miss him and desire to return?"
"I don't love...," answered Aduninzil, shrugging lazily.
"Right...," chuckled Tahandil, sarcastic now. "Let's say you don't, what brings you so far from home?"
"Leave me be," ordered Aduninzil.
"Just step away from her...," muttered Eliad.
"Oh...," smiled Tahandil. "Is that a sensitive subject? Do you not find love at home so you come to this place to bother my son, hoping he might one day say he actually cares for you? How touching. Or... You are a slave to this so-called father and are trying to do his bidding of getting the child back he actually loves? That's quite sad... Well, no luck here. His son is gone, so is your brother."
"Eliad is just a bonus...," smirked Aduninzil. "The real prize is his dear friend..."
She slowly turned her head, eyeing Eliad knowingly. Eliad kept his gaze on the two, mostly Aduninzil as his expression saddened.
Why must we have to be like this, Aduninzil..?
He felt a gaze on him temporarily before it went away. Chrissy moved over to Eliad, undoing the straps, holding her knives in place, and grabbing the swords from her back as she stood in front of him. Eliad glanced down at her, surprised by her actions.
"Chrissy...," muttered Eliad.
"Dear friend, huh?" asked Tahandil. "I see... As most little siblings always try to make friends with the older siblings friends makes you feel important? No... That can't be it... You were too dark of colors to actually know what a friend is. Well, maybe you want to take this friend of his to your father? Or kill this friend... Well, that won't happen. None of that will, nobody will allow it, and you seem too much of an idiot to pick up your own blade... You see, madam, I don't like bullies. You say you are here to enjoy your time but we all know it's a lie. You only come to intimidate others, which you don't. I have seen many like you who hide in the shadows like snakes. You are pitiful."
Chrissy stayed in front of him, guarding him with what tiny tools she had.
"Thank you...," smiled Eliad.
"Who is she and why does she seem to hate you?" asked Chrissy, looking up at Eliad.
Eliad kept his grey eyes on her before sighing.
"She's...my older sister," admitted Eliad.
"Doesn't mean I can't hurt her if she tries to hurt you, does it?" asked Chrissy quietly. "I'm not losing family...not again."
Mom... I'm not alone in life. I have a family who truly do love me as well as friends.
Eliad smiled warmly as he reached to place a hand on her shoulder lightly.
"You won't lose me," said Eliad, looking back over at Tahandil and Aduninzil. "I promise. I do feel sorry for her."
She doesn't have what I have.
Chrissy nodded and looked at their father and the lady talking.
"I almost love it how you speak so foolish...," giggled Aduninzil. You clearly have no idea what you speak of." Uncrossing her arms, she stepped past him to Eliad. She either ignored the hobbit or did not see her. "When will you start dealing with your problems yourself? Do you truly wish for others to be in our way? Do their lives truly not matter to you? You always had a thing of making everything about yourself... No matter the cost, no matter the lives. Your Captain friend already suffered a great loss... You should ask yourself, who did this to him. When you answered that question, ask yourself who the one to truly blame is. I can give you that answer. You."
Chrissy took her swords from their holds and poked the lady with them.
"Back. Off," warned Chrissy lowly, the tone not in her normal nature.
"Seems I struck a nerve," chuckled Tahandil, following. He stopped and tapped her on the shoulder. "Madam, may I have another word please?"
"Shut up," frowned Eliad, glancing up at Aduninzil. "You know nothing, Adun. I can take care of problems myself. Those that I have known and cared for, they're precious. I'll do anything for them just as you would do the same for Father, as sad as that is."
"He is not your father," said Tahandil, raising a brow at Eliad.
The woman in the white dress walked up, trying to stop the arguing.
"Do any of you want a drink?" asked the woman.
"Yes, madam," answered Tahandil, looking at the woman. "I would like one. Whiskey please."
Aduninzil furrowed her brows at being touched. Her hand reached up to fend off the tapping, keeping her eyes fixed on her brother's.
"Like I said...," said Aduninzil. "Father will always be Father, isn't it. This annoyance you call your other Father is just your personal distraction to the truth. Once again, using others for your problems..."
She shook her head and turned to make her way out.
"Okay," said the woman. "What about you?"
She looked at Eliad. Chrissy put away her swords and took a deep breath, calming down. Eliad gritted his teeth before losing composure, dropping down to a knee as he breathed heavily.
She's wrong... That foul man in Angmar will never be my father again... My true family is right here, with me...
"Are you okay?" asked the woman, frowning as she looked concerned.
Tahandil smiled lightly before lowering his head, walking outside. Chrissy pinched her nose and walked to the back.
"Need to find a wall or tree," muttered Chrissy.
"Do I...really put others in harm's way to have myself happy and such..?" said Eliad, looking down at his hands.
"I'm sure that's not true...," said the woman. "She's just trying to make you feel down in the dirt... She's a mean lady."
"Why me..?" asked Eliad. "Why do I have family like that..?"
"Just happens to some people," answered the woman.
"I wish I wasn't born at that damn place...," said Eliad.
"Not everyone is born into happiness but that doesn't mean they can't have happiness," said the woman, scratching on a scar.
"Sorry that you all had to see that," said Eliad. "That was unruly."
"It's fine," said the woman. "I was born into a bad family as well. But hey, there's always a way to find happiness. Don't give up, okay?"
"I'm going to make sure I make things right," said Eliad. "Starting with that woman."
"You don't have to hurt people to make things right," said the woman. "There's always a way to make ammends."
"I'm...not going to hurt her," said Eliad. "As much as she is evil, she's...still my sister. She can send many men toward me but I doubt I can ever hurt her. If I can, I would want to try and persuade her into doing right things." He smiled warmly, "I'm glad to have Dad and Chrissy though. It means a lot that they're there for me."
"There's always a way to change people's way, but it's not so easy with some," smiled the woman slightly. "I'm sure you'll eventually be able to change her."
"I certainly hope so," said Eliad. "I best be on my way. Take care of yourself, miss. And thank you."
The woman thought a moment before pulling out a small needle and holding it out.
"Don't get this wet," said the woman. "It's not to cause injury, but it has enough pain killers to knock out a horse. If she attacks you, stab her with it in the neck or wrist, or even ehr side. Anywhere you can find a vein. I've been carrying them around in case I get attacked again.
"I'll be fine," smiled Eliad, shaking his head. "I think...we'll be fine. I doubt any of us could hurt each other."
"Alright," smiled the woman, nodding. "Stay safe."
Eliad moved to leave the inn now, a smile on his face.
