(With thanks to Addiela and Finchley))
The council of war continued in a side room of the Pony, now that Nethrida has joined her friends.
Captain Kraddock of Elendil’s Vanguard banged the table for emphasis. “Our main goal right now has to be getting that girl loose.”
“And can we -really- expect this deception, that they have mistaken her for her twin sister Gerda, to last?" Neth inquired.
Kraddock shrugged, “I suppose that is up to Elsa.”
Neth shook her head and sighed, "I do not doubt Elsa's abilities, but I do not trust her to maintain her facade... Not when Mans and this "Garon" are involved...Where is their camp?”
Addiela tapped on the map to redirect Neth's attention toward something else for the moment. "We know WHERE he's keeping her… We just need a plan now. He had eleven men with him that we knew of and we disposed of four but, from what his minion said, he was going to rally others.”
Kraddock leaned against the edge of the table. “We need to assume a dozen men at least. Most of those poor bastards will be fodder, but Garon likes to have at least a couple hardened fighters around him as insurance. Ones that are personally loyal to him.”
On the page across from the map, Addie had duplicated the map and made many scribbles of possible ways to approach the area, several of which she had already scratched out. She was approaching the problem with her normal logical precision, but she was clearly taking this VERY personally.
Nethrida took a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly a few times. She pinched the bridge of her nose, and with clear reluctance in her tone she looked to Kraddock. "You and I are soldiers of Gondor. No slaving rabble will be a match for us, that isn’t my worry...my worry is numbers." She slouched her posture a little. "I -knew- it wasn’t wise to split up like this. With Finch and Lif here we'd have enough to..."
Addiela turned her gaze away, knowing that she wasn't a fighter. "I... am sorry."
Kraddock growled and moved protectively closer to Addiela. “Orcswaddle! We can handle this all by ourselves if we are smart. There are four of us… Maybe we can see what Lyra has to say about throwing in some support, but I am avoiding her for the moment. When things get down to blades, the Pale Kestrels can start to nag. Beyond that, I will not hear any of that nonsense from you, Addiela. You accounted for yourself just fine Addiela. Sliced down by a sword or having his skull dented in by a staff, dead is still dead. Sometimes, noble purpose is worth all the training in the world.”
Nethrida nodded slowly "He’s right Addie. I know what you're capable of... And there's no way I'd ask you to stay back for this one. You deserve revenge against these slaving bastards as much as I do.”
Addiela nodded, trying not to beam with pride over being praised for cracking skulls…but she failed just a little. “I shall be bringing Rollo as well. Ryn has made some armor for him.”
Kraddock raised an eyebrow. “Rollo?”
Addiela looked self-conscious. “My bear. My bird, Morn, can also be our eyes.”
Kraddock nodded and whistled. "Doesn’t hurt to bring a bear to a sword fight, I suppose.”
Nethrida nodded as well. “And having eyes on that camp will be critical.
Kraddock nodded and clapped his gauntleted hands together which rang out like a tolling bell. "Alright then, we are committed! We will free your clumsy friend and hopefully kill Garon Coinspinner in the process... Addiela my girl, let’s see that map of yours again.”
Addiela stood next to Kraddock, dressed in an oversized hauberk with a sword that was clearly too heavy for her to properly handle and wearing Septimal Caine's cloak. She would have felt like a fool playing dress up…except for the rage and guilt burning in her heart as well as the feeling that Kraddock was not only viewing her as a knight, but was COUNTING on her. She nodded and handed over the map she had sketched to the Captain. As she did so, her cloak brushed her sleeve and for a moment, she was back in Linhir the night when Septimal Caine had draped it over her shoulders against the chill of the night…but had not lived long enough for her to return it. Sometimes a simple act of kindness matters more than all the heroic deeds in the great, wide world...and its' effects reach further.
Kraddock unrolled the map across the table with a flourish.
Ryn remained near Neth, clearly not comfortable with the idea of having to fight but knowing there was no choice.
Kraddock cleared his throat. “So, we figure Garon's main camp is... HERE.” He stabbed a dagger into a point on the map, deep into the table.
Addie winced, imagining her bill from Barliman increasing by the minute. "If we are reading the symbols correctly, it should be. That location is the Hillshire ruins. We are... well acquainted with it. They took Neth there once before."
Nethrida clenched her fists and stared at the map with an angry look in her eyes. “Just a gaggle of bounty hunters... At least, it seemed so at the time.”
“It was one of the first attempts to kidnap her. She wasn't supposed to go outside the gate.” Addiela glanced over to Neth, clearly just teasing about it at this point.
Nethrida chuckled a bit "I only went as far as the stream."
Kraddock rubbed his chin. “Hmm... And you said Garon was linked up with that bunch that snatched the both of you?”
Addiela nodded to confirm. "Aye, I would recognize that crude sense of humor and that voice anywhere. It's... not something that you forget.”
Kraddock nodded. "Maybe you better tell me about that earlier kidnapping then, Nethrida.”
Nethrida pursed her lips and sighed. "Before Addie and I were both taken?"
Kraddock nodded, waiting.
Nethrida shrugged a little "I honestly do not know if it leads in much. I had kept where I was from a secret except amongst those who I truly trusted. There was... an incident in the Pony where this secret was let slip." She tapped her chin for a moment. “In hindsight it -is- possible Garon and his gaggle are involved. How else would they have known to take me to Gondor?”
Carneryn sighed quietly and just listened for the moment as Addiela looked down, her cheeks reddened in shame.
Kraddock shook his head “A lot of Gondorians hiding in Bree. Runaway nobles, deserters, draft dodgers, rogues, dilatants, general trash… Even the occasional wild eyed scullery maid with a heart of gold. Why were you special?”
Nethrida's posture slouched for a moment, however she regained her composure quickly. "It was far from the White City... I had originally thought to stay with the Rohirrim but fleeing from your duties is a serious crime." she replied, and her voice faltered a little bit.
Carneryn turned her gaze to Neth and frowned. "You had been betrayed. And they likely thought you dead."
Kraddock snorted. “Fleeing your duties, you say? You think that is special for you, girl? By the pier, half the Gondor accents I hear in this poor excuse for a tavern I could chain up and drag home to face charges and the Steward would pin a medal on my backside. Most are cowards, far from where they belong with no shame about it, because of their own selfishness or stupidity. And they ALL have a story.”
Addiela cringed as Kraddock used the word 'coward' and she glanced up from underneath her lashes to see how Neth took that.
Nethrida shook her head. "I did not consider myself special at all. And you're right. I was a coward... All of those who fell knew the risks and none tried to run away from the battle." She lowered her head a little, clenching her fists again.
Kraddock laughed. “You really believe that? You think only Cowards run away from battle?”
Nethrida's face hardened and she looked up to Kraddock again. "You can insult me all you wish but I won’t allow you to berate my former friends and fellow soldiers like that."
Carneryn looked annoyed, both at Kraddock and Neth.
Kraddock took Neth by the hair and shook her head. “There ain’t a soldier who don’t think about it and most try it one time or another. A good number even succeed and maybe they are RIGHT to. The fact that someone runs don’t make ‘em a coward... It's what they do once they STOP running that decides that issue.”
Nethrida gritted her teeth "I did my best to help the people here... Battled highwaymen and robbers. The hills are teeming with criminals," She snapped back. "I fought against them whilst preparing for the final march to Fornost.”
Kraddock nodded. “Exactly. Most of that lot in Bree attach themselves to a bottle or a teat and hide themselves away, pretend that the war in the east is someone else’s problem. You did what you could... And then you came home to make things right. And now we are to battle together to bring Miss Elsa home as well. One way or another, you were MEANT to be here right now.”
Nethrida nodded sharply. "I've made many mistakes in the past. How ironic that it was Xandilif, the Champion of the Azure Faithful that allowed me to return home..."
“Why ironic?” Kraddock raised an eyebrow.
Nethrida shrugged. “She seems to..well…have a mixed reputation at home.”
Kraddock snorted. “Well that is putting it mildly. But you ask me, the Maiden of Madness is a better Gondorian then half of Minas Tirith. What happened at Caerfella was mostly the fault of that damned sword… And anyway, if that had gone differently Gondor would be in a lot more trouble than she is now.”
Carneryn raised a brow at that. "That... sounds like a story."
Addiela raised a brow in question. "What do you know of the sword that she carries? SilverWand but I’ve heard it called other things too."
The Knight shrugged. "I doubt anyone knows much… It's old. Very old. Even the elves say it is old, so that is FECKIN’ old. Nobody but Xandilif walked out of Caerfella Redoubt because of that sword, but she won’t say what happened. All that was left was a dead orcish army, and the bones of the rest of her company, The Argent Lions, looking like they had been dead since the dawn of time. They were a good outfit, and it is why some call her The Last Lion to this day…not always kindly.”
Addiela nodded. It was enough to satisfy her curiosity for now.
Carneryn sighed quietly. "Perhaps questions for when she returns, hm? We should focus on the rescue for now.”
Nethrida nodded slowly. "Indeed. That traitor Garon needs to answer for his deeds."
Kraddock paused. “You say it was a bunch of random bandits from that camp kidnapped you before... No reason to assume it was different bandits. I don’t believe in coincidences like that. So why did Garon of all people want you?”
Nethrida scrunched her face in thought. "We didn’t learn this until later, but I believe they had plans to send me back as a thrall of some sort to cause discord.”
Addiela seemed to ponder the question for a moment before chiming in. "He is a wanted man himself. Perhaps it was some way of clearing the charges against him?"
Kraddock shook his head. “It doesn't seem wise that he would show himself there again. I can only think of 2 or 3 hundred knights who would kill him on sight. I just don’t like that blackhearted bastard making trouble for one of my knights, so I want to get him by the scruff and ask him WHY.”
Ryn raised a brow. "We want him alive?"
Addiela had seen how Kraddock 'asked' questions of people and, therefore, waited to hear his answer to Ryn's question.
Kraddock grinned. “If possible... If not, dead is fine. I’m not picky. Maybe the necromancers can get his corpse to tell his tale.”
Addiela shuddered at the talk of necromancers and her gaze once again shot to the floor.
Nethrida straightened her posture again and stood at attention. "Ready for deployment. What do we do about any associates or such?”
Kraddock rubbed his chin. “The only prisoner we want, if possible, is Garon. The rest are forfeit. Trouble is, we don’t know how many men he really had, how they are arranged, and where this Elsa is being held precisely. We don’t want this to end up being a hostage issue.”
An impatient, annoyed cawing was heard from the rafters. Morn settled on Addie's shoulder, glaring at Kraddock. Ryn smiled a little as Morn arrived.
Addiela gently reached up to stroke Morn on the head with her fingers as the bird seemed to be whispering in her ear. She nodded and then relayed the message to the group. "It is confirmed that there is a group of men in the place indicated on the map and that Elsa is there as well. She counted about a dozen that have been consistently there and several that have come and gone. Miss Elsa was being kept in a tent." As Addie spoke, Morn kept her gaze on Kraddock and her feathers ruffled with pride.
Kraddock nodded. “Doesn’t sound like they are expecting a rescue, so they must still think your friend is Gerda... Or, it’s a trap. Was the bird spotted?”
Addiela reached into her satchel and pulled out a small pouch of cooked oats to offer to Morn as a reward for her service. While the bird ate, Addie replied, "She is usually very careful not to be seen and her eyesight is keen enough to remain at a great distance."
Kraddock seemed satisfied. “So, if she is an honored guest, we should be able to get her out if we have a distraction. Unless she had found a way to hide the tattoo and she has actually been Gerda all along, then we are walking into a bloodbath.”
Addiela just gave Kraddock a look.
The big man shrugged a bit sheepishly. "Well…I wouldn’t put it past her.”
Nethrida frowned. “Wouldn’t it be better to assume the worst and prepare for it? I've no doubt of Elsa's ability but, as I said before, we shouldn’t count on the charade lasting forever and we lack the numbers to take the day without surprise. As soon as they spot us, they will know we are trying to rescue her, and the charade will be over.”
Ryn nodded a little at that. "Either way, we should hurry."
Kraddock paused again, thinking. “But if they do think she is Gerda, she is wanted dead or alive in Gondor as is Garon. Would they not think that we have been sent to capture them? We aren't dressed to blend in… And, if we had been sent to capture one or both, they would assume we would have the entire company here. When we get close, we can send the bird back, make sure nothing has changed.”
Nethrida checked her sword. “The two of us are more than a match for whatever rabble he employs if we can surprise them. And, with Addie and Ryn on our side, what we lack in quantity we more than make up in quality.”
Morn preened at hearing that she's part of the plan and then she looked to Addie expectantly. "Oh... Her name is Morn, she doesn't like being referred to in that way."
Kraddock looked confused. “In what way?”
Addiela put her hands over Morn's ears. "As just a bird..."
Kraddock sighed. "Fine then. MISTER Bird will scout things out when we get close. But I still want a distraction of some kind. It would be best if we can get in, remove Elsa, THEN attack.”
Morn squawked and Addie said, "Morn is a she…and we could always send in Rollo for a distraction.”
Kraddock sighed louder. “Fine… MADAME Bird. And Rollo is the bear you mentioned?”
Morn looked pleased for a moment as the title was used, but then seemed to realize that she was still called 'bird' and sulked. Addie nodded to confirm the question about Rollo. "Aye, he is."
Kraddock nodded. “Well, a bear could certainly be a distraction... Let’s get moving. We can work out the fine points when we get closer.”
Addiela reached for the map to roll it up and bring with them as Nethrida put a hand on Ryn's shoulder and smiled "Let's go kick these thugs to the dirt and get our friend back."
Kraddock checked his armor. “Against my better judgement I left a note for Lyra. We need to tell her what we are going to do… This is still TECHNICALLY her operation.”
As if on cue, the door opened and in stromed Squad Leader Lyra of the Doves, in the same travelling clothing she had been wearing before. She entered and shut the door firmly behind her, leaning against it. Her eyes were flashing with irritation then she groaned as Kraddock towered over her. "I was about to ask you whose idea it was to start a war, Addiela of Rohan. But now I KNOW.” She kicked Kraddock firmly in the shins. “Do you have ANY idea what you have done?”
Addiela's eyes widened for a moment and then she offered Lyra an innocent smile. “I do. We've solved the case of the Three Torches...you’re welcome."
