Lusseriel was sitting on the branch of a tall tree, her bag tied to another branch near her. Her notebook was on her laps, and she felt lucky it was a clear night that day.
“Today was… It was.
Andrahir, Ilthirian, Ardirien, Rolegard and I were in Barnavon when Arcangar joined us again.
When questions came his way about where he had been and what he was doing, he only answered that he had “urgent matters that could not be put off” to see to as Rhi Helvarch requested his presence.
Well, a simple warning that he was leaving would have been enough. The area isn’t safe… But oh well…
And as much as I was somewhat relieved to see Arcangar back with us… What I saw of him left me less than impressed. I don’t know if he was tired, sick or injured, but there was something wrong with him. First of all, several times he started smoking only to choke on his pipe.
I dislike his bad habit, more so since he shares it with our hobbit friend, so that’s twice the smoke and twice the stench of it, and perhaps it’ll encourage him to stop that horrid habit of his, but still, that’s not normal for him.
And alas, it seems that Arcangar found Athlardal during his travels. Apparently Athlardal had gotten lost somehow. Well, he could have left him where he found him instead of bringing him back to us.
Anyway, I was relieved when we left the village. The more distance with those whose allegiance I couldn’t clearly read, the better I felt.
We rode to a small camp kept by a ranger, Amlan I think.
Of course, as the ride couldn’t be entirely uneventful we got slightly sidetracked, going the wrong way briefly, and then had to pass in front of an orc camp.
In the end we were lucky enough to go unnoticed.
We reached Amlan’s camp safely enough.
He told us news of a group of Rohirrim encamped at the edge of the Gravenwood.
Rolegard asked if the rohirrim were our enemies as the people of Dunland didn’t like them.
Well that wasn’t necessarily as straightforward a question as I’d like…
-First the people of Dunland had their own allies and enemies, and their enemies weren’t necessarily ours, more so since the men of Dunland weren't clearly our allies to start with.
-Second, the rohirrim would have surely no problem with the humans among us, but they’d have more difficulties accepting us elves. I know I’ll keep my hood up for the foreseeable future, discretion being in this case the better part of valor.
The men of Rohan had, as far as I understood it, some interesting prejudices against our kind.
Hopefully we won’t stay among them too long.
Tindollion found us at the camp. I was glad to see her; she apparently was delayed by helping the Grey Company. I can believe it, the situation those men can fall into...
And meanwhile, Rolegard and Athlardal were looking for vegetables and mushrooms. Because that was of course a priority, far above staying together and safe in a land we knew was patrolled by orcs and had many kind of unfriendly creatures…
Arcangar came to sit by the fire and he looked tired as he did so. I suppose he hadn’t been able to rest much during his disappearance.
Then Ilthirian came to sit at Arcangar’s side and proceeded to have with him a private conversation like I wasn’t sitting RIGHT THERE.
Did they per chance think I was deaf? Or perhaps I was transparent for a moment…
She opened the conversation saying that she couldn’t help but hear his conversation with Ardirien… Yes, I doubt anyone in the camp missed that conversation. Well, perhaps Athlardal and Rolegard apart as they were busy.
I’m not quite sure how she did that but Ilthirian managed to actually get some answers. Answers that’ll ensure I will keep my nose out of whole disappearing issues from now on at that. Not sure anyone else heard though as Arcangar was actually discreet when he talked but… he said he was, and here I quote: “bound to the Vala Oromë by a deal that cannot be undone, as far as he knows. It is, complicated”
So, a Vala being concerned by the whole thing, I’ll wish him good luck and mind my own business at least on that particular matter. Valar and kinslayers, historically speaking, don’t mix very well.
I couldn’t help but notice that when he stood up, he was less than stable on his legs, and again when he tried to smoke, it seemed the act of smoking didn’t agree with him today.
So I gave up and went to him to let him know there’s salves and whatnot in my bag he can borrow and use at need. He said he had whatever he needed in his own bag, though right now according to him he’s just “tired”. Hopefully however if he needs it, he’ll take that seriously.
This whole company is a mess. Ilthirian and Andrahir were awkward for a few days, now Arcangar’s disappearance act has brought up some definitively unwanted information, and Ardirien still worries and Ilthirian will want to try to help him anyway. And that's all outside of our current mission...
I’m starting to wonder if the Grey Company has need of an elven scout somewhere else. A messenger even. Something. Anything.
After the whole conversation that I wish I could forget I ever heard, Tindollion came to tell me I seemed on edge. Can’t imagine why… As I told her, I don't like these lands, and having our companions disappear on us suddenly does nothing to help, and neither does it help when some of us seem to think we're on a picnic.
Tindollion is definitively nicer than I am, as she reminded me that sometimes it’s best to not dwell on the grimness of this journey… Distractions can be quite helpful for some.
Very true. I’ll distract the orcs by throwing Athlardal at them if he ever accidentally attracts them to us, that’ll be quite helpful.
When we left Amlan’s camp, to get to the Rohirrim’s camp, Athlardal… Was singing on his horse. How suicidal can you get exactly before something actually happens?
As we arrived at the camp, I saw Ilthirian pull her hood up, and I did the same.
The prince Theodred of Rohan was leading those men. While Andrahir was discussing with prince Theodred, I couldn’t help but over hear the conversations around, among which Ardirien and Arcangar’s conversation.
I heard Ardirien say several times that she was there because of him but… Those words are dangerous. I wonder if I should caution her against using that too often.
What does she think he’d feel if she died and one of the last things she’d told him was: “I was only here because of you”? Or how does she think she’d feel if he was the one who died, and she only had words of accusations for him before hand. Not to be blunt but I saw strong people destroyed for lesser words. That’s not something I wish on anyone. Words have power, even when we don’t think it does.
In the camp of the rohirrims, Rolegard found butter for his mushrooms, and Andrahir told prince Theodred we’d rest tonight in the camp and we’d soon go scouting around to help.
And we noticed soon after that, that Athlardal was missing.
I was hoping he had the decency to get eaten by a bear and spare us further of his… ideas, but no, he had been honey hunting and bothered a beehive.
I’m not telling him I have salve to help with the sting of the bees in my bag, he made his choice, he can now live with it. Or ask someone else for help.
When he tried to tell us everything was fine because he had the honey, I may have answered him that if he ever attracted orcs and whatnot to us with his misadventures, I'd just throw him at them for the safety of the rest of us. At least now he's warned.
Because of him an orc practically manage to sneak up on us too.
Arcangar and Ardirien went back to Amlan’s camp. I decided that I’ve had more than enough company for the next couple centuries, and left Andrahir and Ilthirian to deal with Athlardal and the Rohirrim. May all of them be still alive tomorrow morning when I’ll join them again.
Between the Rohirrim’s wariness of elves, and Athlardal who was… Athlardal… I felt much better for a night on my own.
More so since I found a handy tree not too far from the camp that’d let me see clearly if something happened, and that would protect me from unwanted attention.
I can bet I’m going to spend a better night in that tree than I did in Barnavon.”
Lusseriel shook her head, murmuring: “not that it’d be too hard”.
She closed her notebook, exchanged it for a wrapped up lembas from her bag, and sat back, her sword at her side, ready to spend the night right where she was.
