Into the Frozen Wastes: 4, The road goes North.
A Dwarvish bunker deep within the ice caves... A curious sight indeed, a large rusted door gave entrance to a dim and dusty yet rather open stone walled room. It was likely used to hunker away from the cold, and so it will be used for that purpose again.
It was abandoned like most things in this icy tundra. Crates, barrels and containers lay stacked by the walls. Half of them were empty and already looted, but we were opportunistic even then and took no remorse in reclaiming old goods and furs that we could use to trade later on when the going got even tougher.
An ashen cold fireplace was rekindled in the far side of the bunker, several old mothbitten and rather uncomfortable looking beds were used by some of the company, Arindiis and I however decided that some furs on the ground in the compartment in which we stored our equipment will suit us better.
It was a rare chance perhaps that we found a precious hour on our own in this room. I saw Arindiis standing in front of the glowing fire just looking blankly into its dancing and flickering flames, a habit I found myself doing all too often in brooding or contemplation. I approached her and seen the worry and unease in her icy eyes.
That girl... Does she always hide her emotions like so? Arindiis is strong but stubborn and will seldom show such feelings of sorrow or doubt, such is the way of her people as I have come to know. It does her no favours...
I consoled her doubts but it was not the worry of not returning that struck her... It was something that she had done before we embarked on our journey into the uttermost North.
Arindiis killed a man.
Not an Orc who deserves naught but death, and not a Brigand aligned with an evil master who would seek to destroy all that is good either. A simple but foolish man who sought to do her harm. At first I thought a mere poacher or a Southron up to no good, but it turned out this man had once worked for The Dawn.
From what I gathered during her brief tale, he was kicked out for gross misconduct, be it the fact he killed a farmer's sheep back in Trestlebridge or maybe the fact he did naught but drink and his hazy foolishness got one of our lads killed in a scuffle with Orcs. But either way, he was not happy with the outcome and sought to seek revenge. A fool's errand which ultimately lead to his death.
Arindiis ran from me on the day I was offered the place of Officer for the Dawn, everything seemed rather out of place and out of routine for her and she was confused and mistaken, I remember not too fondly spending all day looking for the girl, worrying myself sick of where she might have gone or what might have happened to her... So it is only just for me to worry even more when I found her with yet more injuries... Another crossbow bolt she did suffer that night.
Oh how I worry for her.
Snapping back to reality now, I saw genuine fear in her eyes... What else could I do than to embrace her and tell her everything was alright? Was it?
I personally believe she did the right thing, from what I gathered, this man sought to harm and even kill her, she acted in self defence... And what can a man do against a skinchanger when she's fighting for her life? Not an awful lot I'd figure.
We should not fear and worry for the past, this happened weeks ago and it is only now that she thought it best to digress and tell me what happened that night. For what it's worth I hope she does not feel remorse or regret for her actions, they were necessary. He attacked her with the intention to kill her, what else could she do? He was a threat. It was a just fate for that snake of a man.
The road goes North, and our vows to each other are simple and honest. 'Wherever the winding road may take us, I will be with you, always.'
And it is a vow I will never stray from, for our path is one of struggle but also of beauty and greatness.
...There is one matter however that I must talk to her about tomorrow. And she is not going to like it.
Ebold had a quiet word with me just as Arindiis went to sleep about her skinchanging. Professionally speaking he believes it isn't for the best, while her bear form can be of use to us during battle, apparently it's putting the others on edge... They do not trust her.
Bah! It is only because every time they see my face the scars remind them of Dalfura... I see the same horrifying scars every morning when I wash. The may have faded now, but the memory is as dark and as grim as the night it happened.
I want them to know that Arindiis is safe, she has done nothing to harm me and in fact has stuck by my side through thick and thin. I am lucky to have her.
But indeed, she is keen to skinchange, sometimes even without real warning, she did so in the bunker and as aloof as she is, thought little of it and waddled over to a corner to sleep... Ebold and Fialed gave me sharp looks but I suppose they have a point... Despite the bitter cold wind and the freezing snow, Arindiis must not skinchange unless absolutely necessary.
But they just don't understand. She needs to exercise both forms or it affects her I think. She seems so happy and content in her bear form, why should we stop her? She hasn't hurt anyone.
She has never hurt me.
So... We rest now, and tomorrow we rise early to continue our journey... My robes still stink of death and blood, what I would give for a nice warm bath right now... At least I have Arindiis to keep me warm for one night longer. It is as I feared, the cold will be harsher and the path more unforgiving the further we go... The quicker we get our task done, the better now.
I just want to be back home where the weather is warmer and I don't have to worry about being jumped by Guaredain every damn step I take. I want out!
But no... I must keep going, I know I can. I have Arindiis by my side.
