The love story continues high upon the passes of the Misty Mountains...
Much of their time upon the journey the company had spent upon the Misty Mountains, some spent loitering, adapting to the cold weather. Redwick had never prepared for the snow, he was cold and only found warmth around a fire. His tunic was not enough to warm him, eventually it came to pass that Redwick had went hunting with another member of the company and thus found warmth from the fur of a bear that he and his companion slew. Now he was ready to venture forth and some time he spent with Therwen as the company yet loitered. Though he did not neglect the rest of the company, he began to grow bonds and trust for many of the others.
Eventually they had begun to move again and upon the venture Redwick always tended to stay nigh to Therwen, and they would keep one another company upon their long cold walks upon the slopes of the Misty Mountains. At length through much peril they made their way and set up camp deeper within the mountains, the company had been through much that day. For Redwick's best and most trusted friend had fallen from a cliff into snow, thankfully he yet lived. Within their camp Redwick had noticed that Therwen had gone missing, he swift to act to his. Then it had become obvious to himself that he deeply cared for her, and he ran long in search of her, through weariness he refused to rest his legs and kept running. He found what he sought, and thither she sat within the snow upon a cliff, her face hidden within her hands. Redwick knew not what had happened but what he knew that he wished to comfort her. He went to her and kneeled by her, taking her into his arms he asked what had brought her to tears and she said that her steed was lost in the blizzard. Redwick shared her sadness and gave her his sympathy, yet he knew that it was cold whither they were and he took her beneath an archway. He sought sticks and faggots for fire which he made beside themselves and for a while they sat and spoke. Redwick deeply wished that he could have saved her steed so that she can be happy, but he knew that he could not- this bothered him more.
Beneath the archway Redwick had reached to her and kissed her passionately as the fire held them warm, for a while they remained so and none know how much longer they would have if they were not found by Redwick's best and most trusted friend along with another member of their company. They interrupted the moment between Redwick and Therwen, yet Redwick bore no grudge. He laughed and then they returned to their camp.
...That night was cold and quiet.
But in the morn the company continued their venture...
They thought that they were nigh their goal within the mountains, yet the day brought naught but a hopeless search and weary feet. Naught they found save for a stranger who they took with themselves. A close watch some of the company kept upon this man, for there was little trust between him and the rest of the company.
That day the company had found a suitable place for rest, it was a Dwarvern hold, built within the side of a rocky mountain. Thither was warmth and even aught they delighted more for, beds. That night they slept peacefully but in the day Redwick had noticed that Therwen's mood seemed ill, he had playfully shoved her off the bed on which they slept and he thought that this was the cause of her ill mood. Perhaps it was, but it was not merely that. She had begun to doubt their quest, that all would be for naught and in vain, Redwick had struggled to think of how to change her mood and soon he began to speak to her of Bree. Aught to return to and he began to conjure an unwritten list:
"Drink away our wits..."
"Take a nice bath..."
"Perhaps brawl for our own amusement..."
"And... Speak to your sister."
Then Redwick began to speak of things that only worsened her mood and she desired to add something of her own to his list and she said to him:
"Add this: You and I enter the tavern, you choose a woman and I will choose a man. We shall spend the night with each of them and in the morning we shall see who found better."
For a moment Redwick pondered on this challenge and soon a smile came to his face and he accepted. Then Therwen became even angrier, she stood up and walked outside of Dwarvern hold and into the cold. Yet Redwick smiled as he watched her walk for his thoughts were cunning, he then drank a sip of ale ere he went to follow her and he found her and said to her:
"Know you why I had accepted this challenge? For when we enter the tavern and the challenge had begun, the one woman I choose will be you."
Then she seemed shocked, and Redwick smiled. She placed her face within her hands and sat silent for a moment then she exclaimed:
"I am in love with another idiot!"
For a while these words confused Redwick and he thought that another in the company had found their way to her heart ere he could, and for a while he remained confused and he asked who the 'idiot' was. She then exclaimed to him:
"You!"
Then Redwick was in even more shock and for a while he seemed to confuse ere his smile returned and he moved closer to her, and whispered into her ear:
"And I love you."
Then it was time for the company to go further upon their venture....
...To be continued.
