Taraborn was brought out of his day dream when she winked at him. The young woman had caught his stare and offered a cheeky wink in response before turning to giggle with her friends, occasionally looking back at him. He smirks and digs his heels into his steed to pick the pace up a little. He had been riding through the town, up the main road through Bree towards the Prancing Pony when he spotted her. The golden light of the setting summer sun catching her coppery hair and freckled face that reminded him so much of Narys.
He shakes his head, ridding himself of thoughts of her, of where she might be and what she might be doing. It was better not to think of these things. Instead it was better to think of the job and where he might find coin next. Better even was to think of spending that coin.
The young sell sword arrives at the Prancing Pony, hopping down from his horse and handing the reins to a stable boy to look after, tossing the lad a coin for his troubles. With his takes the steps two at a time and enters the familiar inn and heads for the counter. “Barliman! I’ll take a cider!” He declares, slamming a coin down on the old wooden surface. The portly man nods, and a moment later, a mug is in Taraborn’s hand.
“There you go, and this…” Barliman says, handing a letter across.
With a frown, Taraborn looks at his name at the top of the paper and begins to read. He leaves without finishing his drink, marching out to the stables to saddle his horse. He didn’t know whether to be angry or sad, whether to rage and fight it or to drink away his sorrows. He just knew he had to go see her. He would ride North to Trestlebridge for her.
Pulling himself into the saddle, he begins to ride at a trot till he was almost at the North gate. He passes the gatekeeps at speed, cantering out and riding North across the fields.
If she loved him why would she want to part. If they were both ‘wanderers’ as she put it why couldn’t they wander together? She says she will always love him and want him, but what if she meets another man who would try and tie her down. He couldn’t let it happen. He needed her in his life.
The horse leaps over a fence into some farmers field and he rides through the tall crops without a care for the farmer’s shouted complaints. He needed to make it to Narys. The stars begin to show in the darkening sky as he rides, a large, yellow half moon rising over the horizon. He rides through a few more fields before he begins to slow down the large animal beneath him.
What was the point in riding North. Why bother going to see her? If she wanted time away from him then she would have it aplenty. He would continue working, doing what he did best and if she returned, then they could discuss matters then. He turns his horse around, and returns to Bree, arriving late in the night. He spent much of the night in the Pony, drinking away all his worries, trying to forget the letter.
He woke the next day in an unfamiliar bed, with a throbbing pain in his head. His mouth felt dry and the day light peeking through the shutters hurts his eyes. A slender arm was draped across his chest, and he looked over to see some girl he’d not met before asleep beside him. He lets out a soft sigh. Perhaps this was the life he was always meant to lead. Perhaps Narys was right when she said he shouldn’t be tied down, or that she shouldn’t be either. He gently moves the arm from across him, and searches the room for his clothes, pulling them on quietly before leaving the house.
He stands outside the door in the morning light blinking, deciding what to do.
“A letter.” He says to himself, before seeking a merchant to sell him the paper and a pencil.
