She found two wide marble stairways leading to the first floor. There were ancient Arnorian armours in alcoves, visors turned down. The armour steel shimmered faintly as did the tips of their spears. Hellrien sneaked down the stairs - nerves wired. The house seemed dead but she had seen some lights glowing from some of the first floor windows when she had entered the courtyard.
She came down to a wide hall covered with rugs. The walls were paneled with lebethron wood. A couple of shining brass chandeliers cast dim light onto ornate furniture that looked like they were built during Isildur's reign. A wide corridor departed from both sides of the hall. She chose the one to the right: it lead to the wing where she had seen the light coming from.
The floor of this corridor was also covered with a long, soft rug. Just when she started walking along the long corridor she heard a door open. Fast as lightning she slipped behind a thick velvet curtain. The curtain had been hung to cover a window. A moment later she heard silent shuffling footsteps from the rug. The walker passed her and kept going along the corridor.
Hellrien peaked from behind the curtain. She saw the back of a tall man dressed in black. Hellrien could see he was carrying a silver tray. The man knocked on a wide lebethron door at the end of the corridor, waited a moment and entered.
Hellrien stood still, waiting. She hoped potential guards wouldn't spot her silhouette from the window. She looked down and cursed silently. An observant person would see the tips of her boots sticking out below the curtain. Would that old man see them? Hellrien didn't think it likely. Nevertheless, she felt cold shivers go down her spine when she heard him coming back. The silver tray was empty now. Hellrien pulled her head behind the curtain and listened to his footsteps. She would act the moment their rhythm changed even a little. She had her swords at the ready.
The footsteps approached - and passed by. When she peaked into the corridor she had just enough time to see the man disappearing from the door to the hall. Probably on his way to the kitchen or the cellar, Hellrien figured.
With pleasure she noticed that there was another curtain she could hide behind as required. Next to the door the old man had visited earlier there was a window on the right side. Hellrien walked over to the door. She estimated the distance between the door and the window and pressed her ear against the door.
”... fill the glasses, Andy.”
There was a few seconds of silence. Hellrien listened intently. She thought she could hear a glass chinking against something silvery.
”Are the guards outside?”
The voice was so clear it stirred Hellrien. The speaked had to be standing by the door.
”Two men.”
”Alright. I don't like this.”
”Tripper doesn't like it either. He said the woman fought like a Ranger, or somebody trained by one for certain. And Tripper is the expert in these matters.”
The men were talking about Tripper as if he was not present. That could mean he was somewhere else in the estate or still looking for Hellrien. Hellrien glanced into the corridor before pressing her ear against the door again.
”What do you think about this, Andy?” It was the same clear voice Hellrien had heard earlier.
”I'm not sure what to think - yet. But Master Ernil should be informed about this.”
Dammit, Hellrien thought. She had hoped to find Ernil in Tham Varan.
”He can't be informed, not before... wait a minute... in about two weeks. When is the next shipment due to Rantost?”
Hellrien listened - tense with excitement.
”In ten days.”
So Ernil was in Rantost! Hellrien pressed her ear tightly against the door. She managed just barely to hear the next words.
”Is Tripper coming back soon, Andy?”
”He'll be here at any moment.”
Hellrien turned around. The movement saved her life. The greatsword swung only three inches away from Hellrien's head. Tripper was still wearing the same lavish outfit as before. Only this time he was wielding a frightening greatsword too. Hellrien couldn't understand how he had managed to get so close without her noticing it, but his missed swing, aimed to remove Hellrien's head from her shoulders, provided her an opening. Her own swing spun Tripper halfway around. Hellrien heard astonished voices behind the door.
”What in the...?”
”Open the door, Sam!”
Tripper sank on his knees, swinging the greatsword in front of him with terrifying skill. Just as Hellrien was about to engage him again the door swung open. Hellrien leaped aside and dodged behind the door. Three men rushed outside and stopped on their heels at the sight of Tripper on his knees on the floor, inches away of running into his swinging blade themselves.
”Flaming Mordor - it's Tripper!”
”What's happened, Bill?” a dark-haired giant in white cotton outfit and well-polished shoes shouted. Before Tripper had managed to answer Hellrien had already dashed behind the door into the room where the men had come from, slamming it shut behind her. She locked it in a hurry, glancing around. It was an enormously spacious room. filled with ancient and illustrious but mismatch furniture that looked like it had been looted from all over the ruins of ancient Arnor.
Hellrien heard screams and shouts as the men outside the door started kicking and throwing themselves against it. Movement in the mirror above the fireplace startled her. She turned around as the glass of the window to the courtyard shattered. She saw two silhouettes: the guards! A crossbow released a bolt towards her. It splintered against the fireplace. Hellrien threw herself against the wall. She could hear the other guard moving by the window. A loaded crossbow pushed through the window, looking for a target. Hellrien wasted no time: one swing of her sword cut through both arms. They dropped on the floor, still grasping onto the crossbow. Some reflex made a finger release a bolt that shattered harmlessly against the floor. Hellrien heard screaming as the - literally - unarmed man stumbled backwards and fell on the bushes.
Hellrien tried to figure a way out, panicked. She pondered whether she could slip out of the broken window, but there was no doubt it was exactly what the other guard was expecting her to do. A door in a corner to the right caught her attention. Heavy blows to the door behind her made her hurry. Only a few seconds and the door would break. She kicked open the door in the corner, swords at the ready. It led into a relatively long and narrow room that was used as a dining room. She kicked open the next door. It opened into a paved stone corridor. She ran along the corridor as it curved, finally leading her onto a spiral staircase. She was just about to run up it when something stopped her. In the deep shadows behind the staircase there was another door. She made a quick decision. The door behind her was open. If the men followed her they would think she had run upstairs. She opened the low door behind the staircase and felt a breath of cold air against her face. Hellrien smiled cynically, closed the door behind her and stood still quietly. She could hear faint noises from the inside. The men were still banging down the door. But she heard footsteps close by and guessed somebody had entered through the broken window.
Nobody was in sight now. Hellrien dashed into a sprint. The earth seemed to fly beneath her feet. Every second she expected to hear a roar, or feel a stinging pain - but nothing happened. She dived into the cover of a crumbling wall. There was an opening nearby, a way to freedom. But she had to hurry.
A few seconds later she was out of Tham Varan, and running down the slope towards the road as fast as her legs could carry her. She had almost reached the road when she heard a shout and something whistling by her ear - but no pain. She stopped and turned to see how dim her prospects were looking.
There was only one single guard out there, a guard who had just released a bolt from his crossbow. The man stood there for two stupefied seconds, trying to figure out the correct course of action. He chose foolishly. Dropping his crossbow to the ground he drew a sword and started screaming and running towards Hellrien who just stood there, waiting.
The fight was over in a second. Hellrien turned and continued her run towards the shrubbery where she had hid her horse. Nobody else followed her.
A few moments later she was already on the horseback. She kicked her heels into it's sides, bursting into a wild, fierce, bone-chilling laughter.
The horse disappeared into the night like a ghost.
