Eliad had been occupied by getting Jonn embarrassed with the poem that he had made. Though, he was close enough to where he had heard the exchange between Ardynn and Mabegil, the woman who had helped Eliad with speaking.
“You have to be strong, alright?” asked Mabegil. “Losing a friend shouldn’t affect you this much…You have to move on.”
“I actually did, erm…,” began Eliad. “Though I don’t…”
Eliad heard the words to his left, frowning. Jonn began stuffing his face with chips, and motioned Eliad to continue. Eliad watched as Ardynn began to tremble. He frowned even more before going to her left side, kneeling as he placed his arm around her shoulders as comfort. Mabegil sighed and leaned over to give the woman a long hug, hoping it’ll calm her down some.
“Don’t let pain eat you away like this,” said Mabegil. “You have to fight through it, okay?”
“It’s n-not that…,” said Ardynn, shaking her head.
“Whatever it is…,” said Mabegil.
Jonn did not know what had happened but decided not to interfere till he got more information. He shrugged at the woman to his left, before munching as quietly as he could on his chips. Nessya, the Watcher who had intervened the three men from fighting in the Pony, shrugged the same idle shoulder in return, not carrying too much of the departure of the other man, as it was important, instead draining the rest of her tankard and setting it besides her on the counter. Eliad glanced at Ardynn with much concern.
“I have to tell you something,” said Ardynn, looking at Eliad.
“What is it?” asked Eliad, tilting his head to the side.
“We will be right back,” said Ardynn, looking at Mabegil.
“Alright…,” replied Mabegil, nodding a bit.
Ardynn stood up, gesturing for Eliad to follow her. Eliad stood up on his feet to follow her towards the back but stopped as he looked at the others.
“Erm…,” said Eliad. “I’ll be back to do poems later.”
He followed her to the back but stopped to where he joined her by the fireplace, sitting down across from her.
“What is it, Ardynn?” asked Eliad.
Ardynn looked down, taking a deep breath. She looked up, tears threatening to escape her eyes.
“Alei is gone,” answered Ardynn, rubbing the red line on her neck.
At first, Eliad had feared that she had meant that Alei had passed away. However, he had thought of that as impossible, seeing how large and equipped Alei was.
“….What…did you say..?” asked Eliad, setting his jaw.
“He’s gone,” repeated Ardynn, drawing her knees to her chest while looking into the fire. “He left yesterday… I-I think…”
“How did he..?” began Eliad.
“I don’t know!” answered Ardynn, dropping her head into her knees. “He just said he was going and… And…”
“Never came back yet..?” finished Eliad, glancing away.
Ardynn shook her head, not looking up.
“Alei’s strong,” said Eliad. “He was built for a warrior. We just need to give him time to come back.”
“He was acting…really strange before he left,” said Ardynn, looking up.
Eliad stood up before stepping towards her so he could kneel down in front of her, not grasping her meaning of the words.
“Ardynn…,” said Eliad. “I believe that he is alright…”
“No…,” said Ardynn, shaking her head. “Something is…wrong. We were in the field, talking, then all of a sudden, his eyes go red. He then picks me up over his shoulder, and takes me to this place in Archet. He was asking me ‘who are you and why am I here’ and was addressing me as ‘female.’ I answered his questions, but one I hung back on, and he cut my throat…”
Eliad moved his thumb to the line, moving it across it gently. Mabegil had passed them and stopped in the hall and watched the two quietly for a bit.
“He then asked me how I wanted to die,” continued Ardynn, her voice slightly trembling. “One of the options was to let me go…and he would hunt me… The other was for him to kill me slowly, and the other…” She swallowed hard before finishing, “Was eating me.”
Eliad closed his eyes for a little while. He then opened them before standing up.
“I will take care of him,” said Eliad. “I will convince him back.”
Mabegil frowned heavily but did not want to butt in. She went over to the woman and leaned over the chair, giving her a kiss on the head.
“I’m going to bed, Ardy…,” said Mabegil. “Take care of yerself, alright?”
She looked at Eliad afterward, patting him on the shoulder before passing.
“Eliad, no…,” said Ardynn, shaking her head as she grabbed his hand. She glanced up at Mabegil. “Night…”
“Ardynn…,” said Eliad, glancing back down as he was grabbed. “If I don’t do this, then who else would be able to try to stop him?”
Mabegil stopped when she heard this, deciding to butt in now.
“Who needs stopping?” asked Mabegil.
“He’s too unbalanced, Eliad,” said Ardynn, shaking her head. “He could barely control himself.”
“Ardy,” said Mabegil.
“I will deal with this,” said Eliad, glancing at Mabegil.
“Yes?” asked Ardynn, glancing up at Mabegil.
She did her best to sound confident, but it ended up sounding anxious.
“What’s this man’s name..?” asked Mabegil.
“Mabegil, I said I will deal with this,” said Eliad. “He’s my friend.”
“From what I heard, he doesn’t sound like a friend,” argued Mabegil.
That’s because you don’t know anything, Eliad thought to himself.
“What I said is what I decided,” said Eliad, pulling back his hand as he glared at Mabegil. “I’m going alone. If he hasn’t met you, then it will only make things worse.”
“I’m coming, too,” said Ardynn, standing up.
“None of you are going,” said Mabegil, grabbing Eliad by his shirt while looking at Ardynn. “I, a Watcher, am not letting you do this, risk getting hurt.”
Hiding his annoyance, Eliad glanced at Mabegil, using his hand to push her hand away before stepping back.
“I’ve…already been hurt, people trying to break me,” said Eliad.
“He is our friend,” said Ardynn, looking at Mabegil. “I don’t care if what I am doing is illegal or legal, I’m going to find him, whether I die trying or not.”
With that, she looked at them both and walked down the hall to the door.
“Ardy!” exclaimed Mabegil. “Fuckin’ hell…”
She went to follow her.
“I’ll return the clothes to you soon,” muttered Eliad, watching Mabegil walk away.
He then went to the opposite direction in order to leave from the hobbit door, squeezing his way out. He ran towards the path before catching up with Ardynn. They both started to run towards the West Gate.
“This is…absolutely crazy!” exclaimed Eliad.
“What is?” asked Ardynn.
“Going against someone of the law’s orders in order to find a friend…,” answered Eliad. He sighed and turned around after grabbing her hand gently, leading her quickly. “Let’s go… We’ll have to go around Bree so she wouldn’t find us anywhere. Then we start at Archet.”
Ardynn nodded, her lips tight. It was only then when they were outside of the gates of Bree to circle around the town, she stopped.
“We are being followed,” said Ardynn.
She spun around. Eliad sighed before turning as well to see Mabegil and Nessya on their horses and going towards them.
“Yer not goin’ anywhere,” said Mabegil.
“What’s goin’ on?” asked Nessya, raising her voice so she could be heard as Eliad came walking back.
“Going to get a friend back,” answered Eliad simply.
“If a man was threatenin’ you, then it’s the Watch’s business,” said Mabegil.
“Y’wanna explain what’s actually goin’ on here?” asked Nessya, sighing as she looked down to Eliad.
“Try and stop me,” said Ardynn, staring up at Mabegil. “It won’t work!”
She tried to do her best to get away from Mabegil, but Mabegil used her horse to stop her.
“Someone…that I know and whom I cherish is affected somehow,” answered Eliad, shooting a glare at Mabegil while addressing Nessya. “He was always the sweet one.” He chuckled, “He likes giving hugs and making friends…” He glanced at Nessya, “That is who I want to save.”
“You’re gonna try runnin’ from the Watch?” asked Mabegil, shaking her head and jumping off her horse.
Nessya nodded to that oh-so vague explanation and brought herself towards Mabegil and Ardynn, as that seemed to be most of the issues.
“Aye,” said Nessya. “Understood.”
Ardynn started to tremble as Mabegil came close to her.
“Look, lassie,” said Nessya. “We ain’t goin’ to stop you. But we’re goin’ to help you. We’re not goin’ to let you do this alone…”
“It could be dangerous…,” agreed Mabegil, looking at Nessya.
“I don’t need your help!” exclaimed Ardynn, spinning around.
“Especially runnin’ into it headlong with no idea what to expect,” said Nessya. “It’s suicide that way.”
Mabegil sighed and rubbed her forehead.
“Our friend doesn’t know you or Mabegil,” said Eliad. “That would bring more harm than good.”
“But I can bet y’we have extra sword experience,” said Nessya, keeping her tone calm but only nodding to address the lady. “Y’want your friend back? What good are y’dead? Strength in numbers. Even if he doesn’t know us, he’ll know you.”
“I don’t care!” argued Ardynn. “I don’t care if I die!”
“And why’s that, eh?” asked Nessya.
“I don’t need help,” said Ardynn, shaking her head. “I’m not the useless girl I used to be.”
She glared at the two women before running off. Mabegil jumped on her horse and chased after all. Eliad rolled up his left sleeve slowly to reveal his black snake tattoo.
“He and I…are the same,” said Eliad. “We were trained as warriors. I’m already a renegade. I’m sorry but I’m not going to let you guys get involved. Besides… I don’t want anyone harmed in the situations that I get into one way or another.”
“Oh, boo-hoo,” chuckled Nessya, looking down at his arm. “You have a sob story. So do I, and a hell of a lot of other people. That doesn’t mean y’can do whatever y’think y’can. We’re tryin’ to help and keep people from gettin’ hurt. You’re one against how many? Do y’even know?”
“One on one,” answered Eliad. “Same as when I had to deal with that pervert earlier.”
“Y’absolutely sure about that?” asked Nessya. “Positive? Then why drag the girl along? She’s not in the righ’ mind to be walkin’ into somethin’ like that.”
Sorry, Ardynn, but I’ve no choice but to say this, Eliad thought.
“Because she is stubborn…,” said Eliad, sighing. “Quite frankly, she could just be at the tavern and resting.”
“Well, since y’too damn stubborn to get any help, if y’really bein’ an idiot and doin’ this alone, best go now while the lass is havin’ a tantrum,” said Nessya.
“Please do me a favor though, Nessya…,” said Eliad. “Lock her up if you need to for the time being.”
“Aye, lad…,” replied Nessya. “If it comes to it.”
“Thank you,” smiled Eliad sadly. He started to walk away, waving his hand, “Wish me luck.”
Quite frankly, he did feel like he was out of his mind, going out of the way to save his friend. Though, he was not going to lose anyone else one way or another.
