The dwarf dropped Hellrien's winnings on the stall. ”Congratulations”, he said, revealing two tenuous rows of teeth. ”Ottó seems to be in great shape today!”
Hellrien only nodded, counted her money and dropped it in her pocket. She walked outside, bow in her right hand, and paused to stand in the sunlight for a moment, thinking what to do next. A little farther down the street she could see a bunch of dwarves sitting under a canvas canopy throwing dice.
The ruckus and swearing of the dwarves provoked strange shivers in Hellrien.
What if she could win enough money to travel to Gondor?
The thought of it frightened her. If she lost the few coins she owned, she would be finished. The trip to Gondor would cost money - a lot of money. And what business would she have there anyway? Where would she go? For a moment she thought about Pelargir and the big burly man sitting in his big lofty study in that luxurious mansion by the sea. That man was Geoffray, her father. All she had to do was send a letter... and Geoffray would arrange for someone to come and fetch her, to place her under somebody else's staff of servants, far away from Pelargir where her presence wouldn't jeopardize Geoffray's good name.
Never! She would never be a servant again! She would rather live free and make her own fortune in life, or die trying! She wouldn't trade her freedom for the comforts of soft bed and safety of domestic life.
She turned her back on the dice players and started walking aimlessly along the street, towards Frerin's Court. Far in the horizon the Blue Mountains loomed high over the stony roofs and walls, and somewhere in the southwest ran the water-stream that wound itself past Noglond, Gondamon and Limael's Vineyard before flowing into river Lhûn.
In Frerin's Court she spotted a cloaked and hooded figure standing by the big statue. Hellrien walked past. The figure was too tall and slender to be a dwarf, but it wasn't uncommon to bump into men or elves in Thorin's Gate these days.
”Hey! Hey, you there, may I trouble you for a moment?”
Hellrien felt cold shivers go down her spine. She stopped and waited, remaining calm. It was a woman's voice, but her features were covered in the shadows of her hood.
”I am sorry to bother you”, the figure said, ”but what is someone such as you doing in Thorin's Gate?”
”How so?” Hellrien said reservedly.
”Well, you look like a Gondorian. If so, you are far away from home”, the figure said calmly.
”I'm just visiting here. I'm not in any trouble, am I?”
”I am so sorry for bothering you this way”, the figure pressed on. ”I represent a group of people committed to fighting the evil that is threatening to engulf the lives of all free peoples of the Middle-earth. We are always on a lookout for brave men and women to join our ranks to fight the darkness. Would something like that interest you?”
Hellrien's eyes grew darker when she heard the woman's words. Wasn't something like this exactly what she had been dreaming about during the long evenings in her camp by Nen Hilith? But cautiousness forced her not to reveal her enthusiasm.
”Possibly”, she said, stretching the word. ”But what makes you think I'm a brave woman to begin with? And when you say 'fighting', you mean women in your creed fight too? Not just cook and clean and stuff like that?”
”I don't know anything about you”, the hooded woman said, ”but I am a good judge of character. And yes, women of our creed are trained as fighters as well, if they so choose. I ask you directly - are you interested in coming to our stronghold to meet our leader? Or do you have more important business in Thorin's Hall?”
Hellrien shook her head. She felt slightly irritated, but on the other hand she was pleased with the tact of the hooded woman. Anyone could see she was more or less nothing but a tramp, a vagabond.
”I am interested”, she said truthfully. ”But I'm still not willing to do whatever.”
”It is only natural”, the woman said. ”If you would follow me, I will bring you to meet our leader. By the way, what name do you go by? In case you happen to accept our offer?”
Hellrien hesitated. ”I reside by the lake Nen Hilith”, she said leisurely. ”It's as good a name as any.”
”Very well, miss Nen Hilith”, said the woman. ”I am Theawynn, daughter of Theodvan Goldenshield. A shieldmaiden of Rohan. Follow me, please.”
(Author's note: The story is based on actual RP. I have taken some artistic liberties in how I have portrayed the characters and their exchange of words, mostly because I cannot remember how it happened word for word. If the player of Theawynn feels I have made her say or do things Theawynn would not say or do, please let me know and I will edit the story accordingly. Same goes with future chapters of the story.)
