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Post by Lerris on Dec 3, 2006 19:08:05 GMT -5
Lerris sighed in relief on the inside, knowing full well it had been days since Rowen had eaten a single morsel of food. He let her talk about Byron, allowing her to finally be content to fill the silence. “I never have really hunted too much for my own food, I usually try to keep at least an emergency pack on my person. Of course there are times when such a thing cannot be helped, it is not to say that I can’t hunt, I just do not enjoy it.”
He remembered back in Mirkwood when he had hunted with his friend Abbot, or at least he likes to think it was Abbot. The memory is so blurred that it could of quite possibly been someone else, or maybe it never happened at all. But he remembered, they caught a wolf, above the eye with an arrow and Lerris had watched in utmost disgust as they had skinned the beast. The blood was real, the memory was real enough.
Blood, it wasn’t something one wished to see, especially not their own. But in the past times he had spent with Rowen he had seen far too much blood, his enemies, his own, Rowens. He shook himself from his mental slump, and turned his gaze ahead, towards their destination. “He’s out there, don’t worry we are going to find him. I do not enjoy hunting, but tracking is something I am quite good at.”
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Post by Rowenna on Dec 3, 2006 21:22:27 GMT -5
“I don’t doubt you,” Rowen smiled softly, looking up with eyes that were equally soft. There was something about her, as though she had been sent into a dream, a daze, a muffled nightmare; the kind where one dreamt the terrible, yet responded with quiet smiles and low emotions, unable to break free into the fast, the furious, the actual. Her hand traced over his hand, and the sun, as before, was nearing center sky, but not quite yet--perhaps one or two more hours until noon, but not more. In Rowen’s case, time meant as much as the grass beneath her feet. Green and infinite, and when it became longer or browner, she would not see it and only accepted it after her senses caught up with her. Likewise, it could have been a thousand years, and Rowen would not have completely realized it; perhaps an idle acceptance one or two centuries later, but nothing more. “After all, you’ve tracked me all these years. You must have been my stalker; and now you’ve tricked me into standing by your side. Oh well. It can’t hurt to have an obsessive admirer.”
Although she meant it humorously, she seemed unable to respond to her own words in like. Blue sky, green grass, bright sun, gray heart, black shadow. The name of Byron consumed her thoughts. Once, Byron beat me blindfolded. Do you remember, now, when you threatened to gouge his eyes if he passed your bathing? Did you see the look on his face as he first handled his own sword? Once... did you know... Byron, Byron, Byron, Byron.
Did you remember the time, once, he ran away?
The wind sighed softly against the verdant grass.
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Post by Lerris on Dec 23, 2006 1:36:00 GMT -5
Lerris chuckled, “Stalker?” He rubbed his brow with his thumb and index finger. “Sorry Rowen, but all those times we met, we met by chance. I never planned to find you, to fight you. I don’t think I ever really wanted to…” His mind drifted back to a night when he was not himself, a night where he gave up hope and wanted nothing more to kill. He would of done it also, ran Rowen through with his sword without a second thought. Sometimes in the back of his mind the elf still walked alone in the darkness of the woods. His mind still lingered upon Abbot, his death, and following fight with Rowen. Back then, if someone had told Lerris that Rowen and him would find companionship in each other he would of laughed. That human? The one who had tried to kill him on more then one occasion? What a crazy idea.
Oddly enough, the idea was not as crazy as he may of once thought. For now, the thought of fighting Rowen, of trying to hurt her, was the crazy idea. The elf’s drive to fight had changed, just like everyone else, he drove to seek a man whom he did not even think deserved to live. A rogue companion of Rowen’s, just a youngling by the Elf’s standards. He would of chuckled, had he not caught the sight of Rowen’s face.
“No, it can’t hurt at all, especially when your admirer is me.” The comment seemed almost lost to her, as if she were deep in thought, her imagination taking her elsewhere as they trotted down the path towards where Lerris hoped the apprentice had gone. He hadn’t thought what they would do if he wasn’t found, he wasn’t sure how Rowen would take it. He wasn’t sure how he would take it.
The elf fell silent, for some reason feeling as if all he had said had fallen on def ears. She seemed deep in thought, Lerris hated when people bothered him while he thought, so he gave her time. “Almost there…” He mumbled to himself, if he was lucky things would come to a close in Edoras. The time for planning was almost up, the time for action lingered near.
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Post by Rowenna on Dec 26, 2006 1:48:52 GMT -5
Rowen’s feet moved foward sans the conscious command of the mind as to direction, or function, or purpose, or thought. Her mind had drifted from words, to scenarios, to faces, names, phrases, and then to blank. For a long time, she had become the personification of bitter snow, inanimate and cold. The blood in her fingers moved so slowly despite the warmth of a spring day, and her eyes were empty as that of the glass specs of a doll. Her mind was only awakened by the pain in her stomach, and her eyes drifted to the sky, and she realized it was noontime, and her body was reminding her this was the time she normally ate. Her body wanted it, but she herself wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted. She forgot where she was. What she was doing. Why her pulse beat, the wind drifted, or her lungs gave the steady exchange of air through her rose lips.
She turned her body, eyes of silver snow looking up to her partner-in-arms, the spring along side the winter. Their lips met, and she pulled him close with spindle fingers against his clothing. She stole his warmth, ate his soul, and shared, with him, her own. Heat came back to her fingers, life like a taste of an oasis in the tundra. When she was done, she looked at him with melted snow, and then leaned on him deeply. Perhaps the added heat would keep her alive for the rest of the journey. Perhaps she only needed stray embers to warm her spirit and wake her mind and push back the seasons before she could rest herself completely.
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Post by Lerris on Dec 29, 2006 3:35:35 GMT -5
It seemed empty out there, the rolling bereft hills with not so much as a tree for shade. Yet out here there was always the scattered farmland, owned and operated by only the family that lived there. The two of them came upon one house and barn such as those, and Lerris took in a deep breath as he took in the sight. “Looks like they have a stable…maybe we could get a horse…”
It wasn’t meant as a serious comment, but for some reason Lerris started towards the stable. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, the stable door that was padlocked seemed to back up that assumption. “Well, looks like a ride is out of the question…” The elf mumbled to himself as he let out an exhausted breath.
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Post by Rowenna on Dec 29, 2006 22:16:15 GMT -5
The day had grown old since that winter kiss, the sky growing gray, the air more cold, almost in anticipation of rain. The farmhouse stood there, along with the wide expanse of land, and all of it was enclosed by an old, beaten fence of wood and wire. As Lerris gave his word of surrender, Rowen stood with no apparent inkling to move away with him.
“Oh, don’t be so sure,” Rowen smiled softly to her companion, coming forward upon the fence. “Do you think you could be a gentleman and make some use of yourself?” she held out her hand. She took his into her own, and went over the waist-high fence. She walked. The barn loomed overhead, the red paint faded and peeling. The chain was wrapped around the front, and Rowen let out a sly smile to her friend. “This is how it’s done.”
She took a heavy stone in her hand, up from the earth and clean with the dead grass beneath it. She drew it back, and the small boulder slammed against the lock, the object breaking under her fist.
“Someone will have heard that,” she stood up straight and let the rock fall from her fingers. She backed, and gestured grandly and chivalrously toward the entrance. There was a canny smile on her face.
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Post by Lerris on Jan 6, 2007 18:25:03 GMT -5
Lerris would have laughed had he not felt so worried about being caught stealing a horse. He pulled the rest of the chain out of the lock and let it thump to the ground. The elf shook his head as he pulled one of the doors open just enough so the two of them could slip inside. “I never thought I would be stealing a horse, I don’t even like riding horses.” The elf said more to himself then the other who was traveling with him.
In truth, he was a fine horse rider, Abbot had made him learn back when he was much younger. He had said it was a skill that everyone at some point needed to learn, Lerris had argued that he was no dwarf and was perfectly fine running cross country. They had both laughed at that, but that was a long time past, and the last thing on the elf’s mind at the moment.
“I hope now these people don’t get angry enough to place a bounty on my head…” It was a joke, knowing farm-land people they wanted just as little to do with bounty hunters then he did. Lerris let out a sigh and started walking amongst the horses. “I don’t have an eye for a good horse Rowen, perhaps you should choose one for us to ride on.”
The elf walked among every one of the horses, feeling as if he should apologize for what he was about to do.
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Post by Rowenna on Jan 7, 2007 2:03:41 GMT -5
Rowen’s eyes searched the horses. They were not many, perhaps three, looking down upon her, tossing their heads and snorting before restoring their previous positions, curious but not alarmed. She had a horse, once. Stole it from a town stable, riding away in triumph, wind against her hair and heart alive in her breast. The horse was dead now, likely in the earth at Rohan, under years of dirt and trampling feet. The horse was earth. d*mned dwarves.
Her pale hand reached out and touched the face of one, tall and evidently young. She looked on at Lerris and met his gaze.
“This one will do,” she informed him, and she went on in preparing the horse for the long ride. She was hasty, as she ought to have been--as she should have been all along, the owners of the farm likely already on their way to see about the strange noise, the echo of stone breaking metal, the hand of a thief in their midst. Rowen gestured with her hand for Lerris to come, a quick jolt of her hand, and she forced herself to feel... she wanted to feel excited, so she made herself feel it. She melded her senses according to what she knew, repeatedly telling herself that someone was coming, and that she needed to get away or they would be caught--blocked off, even. Her heart beat only because it told her to. She only wanted to feel alive.
The horse raced off into the direction of Edoras, Rowen and Lerris mounted on top of it. The farmers probably waved wildly from the rear, but she cared not to see.
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Post by Lerris on Jan 7, 2007 2:57:42 GMT -5
The horse raced onward, the elf would not admit to himself that it was a good idea to take the horse. But deep inside his mind he knew that it was going to help them cover much more ground, much faster. Perhaps now they had more then just a fool’s hope of catching up with Byron in Edoras.
The world was but a blur to the riders as they made towards their destination with as much haste as Lerris could push the horse. He did not want to tire the poor animal too much, not so much that it would die of exhaustion. It would break both our spirits if our quicker transport to Edoras failed us, and had us both walking again…
The elf shook his head, and placed his hand on Rowen’s who had hers tightly clasped around his stomach. I will have you there by tomorrow’s night to search for your apprentice…I promise.
As sun began trading spots with the moon Lerris felt the animal start to slow itself down. He pushed a bit more on the horse, trying to cover as much ground as he could before they were forced to stop and rest. The moon shined high above them before Lerris finally slowed the animal to a trot, “We have to stop here for the night Rowen, I fear I may have pushed this animal far past it’s limits for the day.” He called back to his companion.
The elf slid off the horse and walked alongside it until he found a proper place for the night. Lerris offered one hand to Rowen and the other a gentle pat to the horses neck.
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Post by Rowenna on Jan 7, 2007 3:30:30 GMT -5
Rowen accepted the hand and came to the ground, looking about herself shortly. The sky was black like raven’s down, the feathers rustling in the sky and the firmament rumbling and shifting under wind, an apparent precursor to storm. The given locale would not protect them from rain, but there was not a decent density of wood nearby to do anything about it. Just the single tree that stood by them, bent of at an angle, crooked but green. Without a word, she set out to build the fire.
It was perhaps fifteen minutes later that the fire danced in the pit, a warm glow casting its light on her face, she wrapping her cloak about her to keep her warm. She looked to the sky and wondered what season it was--she really didn’t know. She had lost track of time; maybe it was the booze, maybe it was running, maybe it was seeking. She didn’t know.
“How about that bag-of-tricks of yours, Lerris?” she said, head cradled betwixt her risen knees, face quite serious and stoic. “Not that I’m hungry. I could go without consuming food for days; weeks. In fact, I’ve recently decided it would be quite productive to go without eating at all. I imagine I would be a much happier person without having to worry over trivial things like the next meal or what to spend my pocket money on. What do you think?”
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Post by Lerris on Jan 7, 2007 3:49:04 GMT -5
Lerris stretched his hands towards the fire and shook his head as Rowen spoke. In truth, his so called “Bag of tricks” was not exactly full at the moment. If they did not reach Edoras by the next night as he had promised himself they would be without any food until they found themselves walking the streets of the town.
The elf pulled his bag towards him, and started producing what was left of the dried food that he had bought what seemed like weeks ago. “A good traveler,” The elf began popping a piece of what he thought was dried apple into his mouth, “Always plans ahead and tries to know where his next meal will come from.” He looked up into her eyes with an apologetic smile, “I seemed to have failed to remember my own teachings, I won’t lie to you, we are very short on food.”
He passed the bag towards her, “But, if you do not eat, we cannot continue our search, and I don’t plan to let that happen.” He placed the smaller bag in her hand, and pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. “To either of us…” He sat down close to her, partially to make sure she ate her fill, and partially because the cold was starting to get to him.
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Post by Rowenna on Jan 7, 2007 4:10:13 GMT -5
Rowen took the small bag of fruit in her hand, perhaps a size smaller than the clench of her fist. It wasn’t much, but for one who planned on never eating again for as long as her life continued on the sole premise of saving time and saving money, the amount was plentiful.
Her eyes shifted from the bag in her hand to Lerris, and she noted his motions as he brought himself closer to herself. With a momentary spark of playfulness, she took hold of the hood of his cloak and pulled it down over his face so that he could not see. A smile played over her lips, the smile of forgetfulness, and she took some of the food into her mouth, between the teeth exposed in the childlike simper. The smile, by nature, was different--one could not jump emotions like fire could be doused in an instant. Emotions, her emotions, were starting a fire on damp wood. It was a smile like that--the smile that was the slow rise of feeling, a feeling which may, in time, be nurtured to grow, or that may which die in failure to make the fires roar.
But it was in the instant of the slight of embers that she leaned against him, part affection, part an attempt to keep herself warm. She didn’t know anything, right then. And, as beautiful as the moment was, when she recalled herself, eventually, she would know it was wrong.
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Post by Lerris on Jan 7, 2007 4:24:22 GMT -5
Lerris did not struggle as Rowen pulled his hood over his face, he only laughed on the inside. It felt so odd, such playful things coming from Rowen were quite possibly one of the oddest thing the elf had ever seen. Or not seen, in this matter. Once he finally was released from his hooded prison he could only shake his head to himself.
He lifted his arm and held Rowen tight against him, and for the first time in a long time it wasn’t odd anymore. Maybe it was peculiar to others, human and elf together in such a way. But for now, those things did not matter to the elf, nothing else mattered at that time except for the two of them together sitting amongst the flames in the dark.
When the sun finally showed itself over the mountains to the south, Lerris found himself finally opening his eyes. The fire was out, and the sky was filled with just enough clouds to perhaps let them reach their destination without much rain. He took a deep breath and sat up slowly, letting his tiered muscles stretch. He stood shortly, and took a long look towards the mountains. “There will be rain before the day is done…” He mumbled to himself as he turned to find the stolen horse still standing by at the ready.
It surprised him the animal had not run off in the night, since they had nothing to tie him to or up with for that matter. He patted the horse on the neck gently, “Forgive me, but we must use you once more this day, I promise you freedom by the end of this journey my friend.” He gave the horse one last stroke, and made to wake Rowen.
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Post by Rowenna on Jan 7, 2007 4:48:01 GMT -5
Rowen squirmed slightly as Lerris attempted to wake her, she wrapped up in her cloak and averse to waking up. After a moment, she gave in to opening her eyes, silver still in the pale of light. She tilted her head in an odd kink, realizing well enough it was abominable morning, and she was expected to rise so that they could continue their journey. Where are we going? she thought once, then immediately hated herself for it. It didn’t show on her face--perhaps a flinch or a stupid simper, and she let her body rise, knowing they could not wait, could not let any moment go that didn’t involve racing for Edoras. The twigs stuck to her coat, and she took Lerris’ hand to heave herself up. As she stood, the smallest speck of water appeared to her hand, cold and almost a sting in how it fell, so small and fast. The sky was gray, she saw as she let her gaze rise to the ocean above their head. As long as they were racing for Byron, they may as well have been racing against the rain.
The horse beat the ground, that day. There was occasional necessary stop, and more nonstop riding. The earth was pounded, the white twigs and yellow grass, the sea of green, and the sea of earth. The animal did not dodge raindrops, thin and prickling against the earth and against skin, needles falling off from the sky to scar the pale earth. Rowen clung to Lerris’ back, trying to remember. She didn’t really forget, but all the same... she could not recollect. Byron. By... of course, Byron. He was gone. In Edoras? How did they know? No, he had to be. They were in the middle of nowhere, above all places, he needed to be... what if he wasn’t? Of course he was. He had to be. Hadn’t he?
The rain grew ever more insistent. The sky was black, a swirl of ink pools of umber and gray, and the water fell in pebbles. The faint outline of the city was ahead, and they, Rowen, Lerris, and the horse, were sopping wet. The structure was tall, all enclosed by towering walls, and a gate up at the front. The image grew larger over time, and while her hopes rose, in the same moment, the doubt seemed to sink. She hoped--she wanted, deeply, to find Byron there. But, all at once, she wasn’t sure she would. The horse came to a trot. The guards at the gate stood by, waiting patiently for their admittance.
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Post by Lerris on Jan 7, 2007 21:16:52 GMT -5
By the time the two of them reached the walls of Edoras Lerris felt as if his whole body was wet, he even swore his mind was soggy from the day’s ride. He almost didn’t realize that they had reached the town, had the horse not known to stop he would of thought they needed to keep riding. Soon, a light appeared near, dim in the rain, a voice called from what seemed above them. “The hour is late in which you come, riders clad in the darkness are not usually welcome here. What is it you wish? Speak quickly.”
The elf squinted through the rain, and spoke to the disembodied voice, “Two travelers, we are weary from the day’s ride and only wish shelter from the storm. Please, we are friends of Edoras and only wish a safe place to stay for the night.” He almost felt the need to shout over the wind, no answer came until one of the gate’s doors swung slightly open, bidding them enter.
Lerris pushed the horse through, the guards nodded at the two of them as they passed slowly. Lerris guided the horse along the small roads, if there was one thing he knew, the biggest building was always the inn. He pushed towards it, “We should stay here, get some rest.” The elf said over his shoulder, although he doubted Rowen heard him over the weather.
He grasped her hand and helped her from the horse as he slid off to his own two feet. He pushed the door to the inn open, and could see the others inside shield themselves from the wind as they entered. He hurried to shut the door behind Rowen, Lerris slid the hood of his cloak off his head as a young man with dark blonde hair approached them. “Welcome Master Elf, do you wish a room? We are not so full tonight, perhaps though you wish to have something to eat?” The man waited patiently for the Elf to respond.
Lerris gave an exhausted smile, “A room would be just fine my friend, I feel like I have not slept in a fortnight.” The young man smiled, and headed up the stairs. Lerris turned to Rowen and reached into his pocket, he handed her a few coin with a shrug. “Perhaps though, you are hungry, do not let me stop you from feasting if you wish.”
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