The company slowly began moving across the fertile fields towards the farmhouse. Looking around it was clear to everyone that Nethrida’s family were not princes, but they had certainly been successful and were well established in Linhir. In fact, those who had visited the year before would note that they had even added to their acreage in that time.
Nethrida breathed in the air of home, and glanced at her sister. "Has Revion already arrived? I sent word to him via letter as we crossed into Anorien?" She tilted her head. "Surely mother will feel safer with all three of her chldren here?"
Ane looked annoyed. "I wrote to him as well, but no word from Rev. Likely he will say he was too busy but is really just chasing some new girl'
As they approached the stables, Eduwiges gathered everyone's reins. "I'll take care of the horses, we may need them again sooner then we expected...you all go ahead, and I will join up with you soon. Save me some dinner, Finchley."
Finchley stuck out her tongue but Addiela nodded to Edu then raised her brow at Ane's comment, but kept quiet as Nethrida whistled low. "New girl...?" She inquired with a curious tone.
Anendyl nodded. "Yes, according to Mom, he finally discovered girls at this late date. She only knows about it by spying, as he is never home and never writes.'
Finchley looked to Neth as they walked, an amused smile on her face. "Your brother discovered girls, huh?" She lifted her nose in the air a bit and looked like her mouth was watering. "Is that... chicken I smell?"
Nethrida couldn’t help but look rather amused herself. "Interesting... I will have to ask Revion about that should he make his way here..." she said with a somewhat coy voice. “And yes Finch, I imagine it is.”
Ane smirked at Neth and stepped over a low fence. "You will have to get in line behind Mom..she has been writing down questions to ask, and it is getting pretty long. Everything from what color is her hair to what does she like in baby names. It seems Devon came home for leave from Swan Knight training, you remember him from the vinyards to the South, and HE says he was all over this girl in Dol Amroth...a craftswoman of some kind...'
Nethrida snorted amusedly. " A CRAFTSWOMAN yet? Well I intend to be right behind mother with my questions." She chuckled.
Carneryn froze in fear and looked at the house. Nethrida had been in good spirits despite the circumstances, being home at last but when Ryn suddenly froze concern creep back up to her features. "Hm... What's wrong? Mother wont turn you away Ryn..." She frowned a bit.
Addiela frowned for a moment as well and then shook her head, as if trying to drown out something she didn’t want to hear, then calmed as it seemed to pass.
Carneryn also continued moving after a couple a deep breaths "D-Dark magic...I can feel it. Ane was right to send for us I think..."
Nethrida 's eyes widened. "Dark magic...? Where?"
Just at that moment Ynnabeth came to the kitchen door, setting pies out to cool. She was a pleasant woman, hair greying somewhat but looking a great deal like both of her daughters, yet with a more carefree sparkle in her eye then either of them had. Dark stains still lingered on the stoop at her feet despite countless washings. As she heard her younger daughter, she put her hands on her hips. "Oh THERE you are..I was getting very worried Ane, you....” Ynnabeth looked up nearly dropped the pie she was holding...."Oh my stars...NETHRIDA...." The woman set the pie down hurriedly and began to cry, moving to her eldest daughter with open arms.
Nethrida had been looking at Ryn but turning and seeing her mother again eased some of her concern. She hugged the woman tightly. "Hello mother."
Ynnabeth wept into her shoulder. “OH my Captain has come home...and with all her little friends again too. Ohhh my stars and we have nothing ready for guests. Addiela...you look well child....thin but well.”
Carneryn recovered herself enough to smile at the reunion as Finchley gazed longly at the four pies cooling on the door sill. “Nothing ready for guests…?” She whispered to herself.
Xandilif smirked behind her. “Yeah, those might all be for Neth’s sister…you’ll have ta fight for scraps, Babygirl.”
Ynnabeth smiled hearing the voices. "OH..and Miss Finchley again too...you all look starved!!! Come in, come in....it isn’t safe out here...”
Addiela offered a polite nod to the woman and smiled brightly at her, but once her gaze had turned away, Addie looked down at herself thinking she had put on some weight since her whole gaunt phase, which she had been deep in the last time she had been here.
Finchley however nods enthusiastically at the statement she looked starved! "I am a little hungry." She explained, while breathing in deeply, tracking the chicken like a bloodhound. On her shoulder, Galvra squawked “Starved…FECKIN STARVED…” as Finch tried to silence him again.
Nethrida looked a little awkward. "You... know I'm no longer a Captain, mother..."
Ane looked at her sister with such an intensity that Neth felt her eyes boring into her and turned. “They ALL still call you Captain. Every last one of them…” she whispered, and turned away as if unable to bear the insult any more.
Ynna meanwhile had already moved on to fuss over Finch and Addie, offering a bit of bread to the Raven despite her squawking. She turned back to Neth and began putting out platters. “Look at you Neth, you are skin and bone....what does that Princess feed you? I am tempted to have a word with that girl….'
Taking an apple out of a basket, Xandilif snorted. “Oh yeah, that would go just fine…”
Carneryn chuckled softly at Lif and reached a hand out to Neth "F-Food would be nice."
Nethrida hugged her mother for a moment filled with the terrifying vision of her mother trooping off to Dol Amroth to lecture the Princess Lothiriel. "I've... Been up north, mother... Many weeks on the road" She nodded calmly. "I'm... Not THAT thin..." She pouted a bit.
Ynnabeth paused. “Stop pouting my girl it makes your eyes look small and piggy, how do you expect to meet a man looking piggy as well as thin? You are wasting away....you never remember to eat...come eat...Sage stuffing Miss Finchley?'
Finchley rubbed her hands together and nodded enthusiastically, whispering "Sage stuffing," like a prayer.
Ynna pulled several roast chicken out of the great stone oven and set them on platters, each one stuffed with sage and cornbread. As she cut up the first of the birds she looked at Ryn as if seeing her for the first time. "And who is this one?”
Nethrida put an arm around Ryn. "This is Carneryn. We met her in the town of Bree. She is a very dear friend of mine and has been great help and support"
Carneryn bowed her head slightly remaining quiet as her stomach grumbled.
Ynna paused for a moment…then hugged Ryn as well..."Well...then she is more than welcome...why are all your friends so skinny...and why do you never have men friends...like a girl's club...”
Xandilif grinned, snaring a drumstick and passing it to Finchley. “Yeah, as I always say, the place is like Xanderian’s Bro….”
Finchley cut her off, voice going over the Champion’s to complete her sentence. “BROOM CLOSET…Xanderian’s Broom Closet..filled with skinny girls…RIGHT Lif?” The Banshee just nodded, laughing.
Ynna nodded at Finchley, noticing Lif. "And one of your elf friends too...the louder one. How...umm...nice.'
Nethrida sighed a bit "Mother... You know our people have long had good relations with the Elves... Remember Elendil himself..."
“Oh of course dear, and I know how fond you are of all those histories.” said Ynna. “...it is just...well...some people in town are a bit..nervous right now...' Ynna bustled around putting out plates, keeping a careful eye on the window...'
Finchley didn’t even hesitate and plopped right down at the table. "If you need any help with dishes, ma'am, offer from last time still stands."
Ynna pinched Finch's cheek. "I won’t hear of it. You are a guest and you just arrived after a long journey. You just eat...potatoes?'
Finchley grinned like a child at Yuletide. "Please!"
Ynna happily served but paused as a thought came to her, tilting her head a bit confused. “Nethrida dear...why ARE you here?”
An awkward silence descended before Ane stood up. “If you must know...I sent her a note Mother, asking her to come…after Dottie…”
“Oh of course…” Ynna nodded. “Well I am certainly glad my girls are getting along better, and to see all of you, even in such difficult times.” She paused to pat Finch, the girl’s mouth already filled with chicken. “Why can’t my Neth and Ane be more like you Finchley....you are such a joy.”
Carneryn tilted her head listening in and bristling slightly. "N-Neth is a joy as well! Can't speak on Ane yet.""
Ynna clucked dismissively at Ryn. "They are both skin and bones...and always out getting into scrapes and wars and things..and do you SEE any grandchildren about the house? No you do not. Neither do I....Neth is always too busy..and Ane...Ane is too proud to so much as listen to perfectly good suitors...'
Ane sighed...."Mother...not this again...he is...an ass...and by the way, what is all this for? Stuffed hens…three kinds of pie?'
Ynna would ignore the question as Finchley gigglesnorted a bit. "Eh, grandchildren are great I'm told. But you've got children that ought to do you proud, ma'am."
Ynna served Finch broccoli…then more chicken. " OH don’t get me wrong Finchley dear, I AM proud...they are fine women..credits to Gondor. And Revion is a Swan Knight, very well regarded....but....I would be happier if they took ALL their duties as seriously as they do fighting...you are all too young to understand, but..."
Carneryn looked down. "Are grandchildren really necessary?" she asked a bit hesitantly.
Ynna would look like Ryn had just said that orcs make lovely pets. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Addie who had been keeping watch out the window. “Someone is coming. Two men.”
Ynna put out more plates, trying to look surprised. "OH…that must be your father..and another guest for supper….”
“I KNEW it.” Ane jumped to her feet. “This is all another night at the livestock show??? Seriously Mother, I am not staying here for this…let him marry Nethrida.” She moved for the door, but found it already blocked by her father, an older, portly man…and a younger man behind him.
"Mother...I'm home…” the older man said. “…with a guest for Anendyl.' Lindhard looked around in shock at his crowded kitchen..."NETHRIDA... I certainly never expected to see you…and you’ve brought your squad with you!”
Xandilif grinned at Addie and whispered. “Guess we’re gonna have to start salutin’ Capn Nethrida from now on, eh squaddie?
Addiela smirked but seemed to ignore Lif, offering Lindhard a polite bow of her head, but her focus was on the other person he had brought with him, trying to get some read.
Lindhard hugged his daughter and the younger man entered behind him."Oh..Neth…you remember Councilman Roric, yes?'
The man bowed slightly to Neth..."Captain, it is good to see you well...an...unexpected visit?'
Nethrida hugged her father tightly before backing up a step and a half and looking at the councilman. She bowed her head a little, but could feel Ane staring fire at the man. "Well met Councilman. But please... I am... Captain no longer" She raised her hands up a bit, sounding somewhat apologetical.
Roric nodded. "Oh…Yes..of course...but...once a Captain always a Captain. Rank is so very important, is it not?'
At the table, Ane snorted derisively. “It is certainly important to SOME.
Roric looked around the kitchen..."Such a blessing...so many guests...and...of such a diverse nature....' He stared directly at Xandilif and frowned slightly..."Your sister had mentioned that your duties often involved those who are...not from our shores.'
Nethrida moved her hands behind her back and nodded slowly. "Yes... quite intimately sometimes." She kept her tone as dignified as she could.
Finchley stopped eating and looked up at Roric, frowning back at him until Xandilif patted her on the head..."Keep shoveling babygirl, he didn’t mean you..."
Nethrida cleared her throat. "Such is the nature of the Azure City. The influence of the Elves is quite clearly noticeable. And I am sure I need not remind the councilman of the history our realm shares with the Elves, yes?" She raised an eyebrow.
Roric looked past Neth and smiled at Ane..."Anendyl...I was hoping to discuss your answer regarding...." but Ane cut him off, dropping into a chair next to Finchley and filling her plate in a determined way.
If she was going to be trapped here, Ane was going to keep busy. “I am sorry Councilman but as I tried to explain to you FIVE times before, it is out of the question. I will be setting sail on active duty again soon...."'
Ynna returned with fresh bread, overhearing her daughter..."Oh nonsense Ane, you won’t be going back to your ship til summer at the earliest....what is the harm in a Yule dance? OF COURSE she will be free to go with you, Roric...she is just nervous about all this talk of murder and such, and dithering over happier matters.'
Ane was about to open her mouth....when there was a cry from the yard. A man on horseback, wearing a cream and silver cloak leaned into the kitchen window. He was armored and lean, clearly not a local, wearing the colors of Elendil's Vanguard. Two long curved knives road low on his hips, his hair slicked back into a long ponytail...."Councilmen! You are needed back in town...one of the girls has been found...' Noting the unexpected crowd he stopped himself.
Looking through the kitchen window the man raised an eyebrow...then smirked. "Well, the Maiden of Madness has arrived in bedeviled Linhir…either our work here is now done or it has only just started....'
Xandilif rolled her shoulders and rose, her manner immediately growing colder yet more explosive. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Septimal Caine, the bad penny of the Vanguard...what is this about another girl being found…?”
