In a side room of the Rusty Barge, after Addiela and Edu had ridden off some hours ago Nethrida had dozed off next to her semi-conscious sister. Her illness may have been gone but she had sprung into action without proper rest, and it had finally caught up to her.
Nethrida grunted, then groaned and finally flinched awake. She blinked a few times and looked around, lost and confused for a split second before regaining her awareness, simply murmuring a quiet "Oops..."
Carneryn was clearly still in a lot of pain, curled in Neth’s arms but she smiled a tad "Hey you…" she said stroking Neth's hair gently. Off to one side, Neth’s sister Annedyl was still unconscious, having fallen into a deep sleep as soon as they had laid her down.
Addiela suddenly walked into the side room from the tavern, striding with angry purpose. However she immediately turned back around once she saw the two locked in an embrace. "Oh.. pardon me." She murmured. Her resolve dissipated somewhat by embarrassment, she felt suddenly relieved she could delay the bad news a bit and stepped back out the door.
Nethrida hugged Ryn gently "You... Should be in bed, silly..." She murmured and yawned.
Carneryn chuckled softly but noticed Addie enter and leave again "J-Just... Following your example Nethy..." she paused looking to the door "W-We should see what she wanted."
The Captain frowned a bit. "Don’t follow the bad examples... Just the ones that are good…if there are any." She huffed and looked towards the door. "I'll handle Addie. You lie back down and rest..."
In a surge of determination Ryn shook her head "I'm not missing anything here okay? There won't be any fighting."
Nethrida frowned more deeply. "Fine…Then I'll bring her back here..." She calmly helped Ryn down on the bed, having pushed herself up and sighed "We'll be right back. Stay put" she huffed and meandered off in search of Addie, after making sure Ane seemed alright, or as alright as could be expected.
By the time Neth walked out into the main room, Addie had already pulled the corpse of the bartender out from behind the bar, placed him near the door so that someone could easily get him, and had covered him with several of the rags that were used to clean the bar to keep people from seeing his final expression and how he was killed. After doing all of that, she started searching all the barrels for the one that was hopefully holding the apple cider- she had had no luck yet though.
Nethrida cleared her throat a bit "Looking for something?" she asked Addie upon seeing her searching about the kegs. "If you're looking for something without alcohol you may be out of luck... I can’t ever remember this place serving water...” She shrugged and peered around.
Addiela sighed and turned around to place her on the counter. "Judging by appearance, it seems this place mostly has mediocre ale; must be a favorite here..." Addie took in a deep breath and leaned down on the counter, but made sure to avoid the puddle of blood. "And how are you feeling?"
Nethrida nodded slowly at Addie. "Yes... You'd have to go to the markets for something good without alcohol...and to Dol Amroth for something good WITH alcohol." She sighed and tilted her head to the left, then to the right. "I feel much better. What was it that you came into the room for? You so quickly departed...?"
Addiela opened her mouth, but couldn’t find the words yet to tell Neth what had happened to her mother. "I wanted to check on you and Ryn, but it seemed that the two of you were…umm…having a moment. I didn't wish to disturb. She is well?"
Nethrida nodded slowly. "If you've something to say you can... " She then turned around to snap her gaze at the door, which had slowly opened, and frowned. "Ryyn... You had best be laying down on the bed and resting or so help Elendil..."
Addiela breathed out a silent sigh of relief as Neth turned her attention to Ryn and she waited there silently, not sure if she was more upset by the bad news she was bringing, or by interrupting the two.
Meekly, Carneryn leaned on the doorframe for a moment before steeling herself and moving over to the other two, not steady but not in any real danger of falling "T-Talking I can't miss Neth... Else I'll have no clue what's going on again."
Addiela raised a brow in question over Ryn's words but remained silent.
Nethrida crossed her arms "Didnt I say I was going to get Addie and come back...?"
Carneryn shrugged a bit, seeming younger then she had of late. "Maybe... But what if something is said before that? No one seems to want to explain the situation to me properly so I have to listen."
Addiela looked to Neth now, "You haven't explained things to her?"
Rolling her eyes, Neth scowled. "Then sit down. Stop straining yourself" before looking back to Addie. "Just…what was it you wanted to say?"
Addiela looked stern, “I asked why you haven't explained things to Miss Ryn, Nethrida.”
Carneryn sat down, talking almost to herself. "I know that Mans is bad... And that possession has been a big problem..." she paused looking guilty "And I know I can't sense him unless he lets me."
Nethrida frowned and focused on Addie. "No, what did you want to say when you walked in?" She raised her eyebrows. "How about you try telling me the truth Addie... So we avoid another altercation like in the Archives... I am loathe to say this but I believe we both remember what happened the last time you avoided my questions...?"
Addiela's eyes narrowed at Neth and for a moment it looked as though her inner grievances and rage toward Neth might emerge again, but she suppressed it and shook her head. "This is how you treat me now? Avoidance, dismissal and threats? I am doing my best to speak to you gently and spare you even more grief, but why? Why should I, Neth? Have I not been there for you before any of the others were? And yet... there is no repairing what I have done in your eyes, is there?"
Carneryn scrunched her face up and slammed a fist into the table. "Enough! Both of you."
Addiela turned her gaze to Ryn. "No. I shall speak what has been on my mind for a while now. I was accused several times and dismissed when I try to speak my suspicions and cautions to Neth before.. I will not be dismissed so easily again."
Nethrida sighed, speaking slowly now. "There's plenty of repair already done. Yet I would seek to avoid a repeat. And in case you've not noticed, the world is hardly free of grief. If you know something that would concern me I would have you share it... Regardless of it's nature" She frowned, and then looked at Ryn. "And you shouldn’t even be here but in bed where I told you to wait for me."
A gigglesnort sounded from the door and all three turned to stare at Finchley, accompanied by Leon, with her hand over her mouth. “Umm..sorry..I…we…well…that was quite a line to walk in on….” The girl explained, blushing.
Carneryn dragged herself to her feet and started heading for the main door Finchley had just entered by "Fine... I'll get someone else to explain it."
Addiela shook her head as Ryn turned to walk off and she looked back to Neth. "Go see to her, she's likely to get herself hurt with being just as stubborn as the rest of us."
Finchley sucked in a breath of air and let it out slowly, cheeks puffing a little. She turns to Leon and smiled wryly. "Sorry. Seems you've come to Linhir at a bad time. Honest, it weren't like this a few days ago... Well, not this bad at least. Thank you though. For helpin' to bring Mister Caine back here."
Leon simply nodded, watching the drama play out curiously.
Nethrida reached out and grabbed Ryn by the scruff of her neck "No you're not." She drags her back away from the door. "We'll have time to explain things after all of this is behind us." She snapped. "Now sit -down-"
Carneryn snapped back in return "When will that be Neth? It's certainly not going to be any time soon... Mans is still out there... And guess what? I was /right/! They weren't just the ramblings of a mad elf back in Rivendell... Your family had been accounted for."
Nethrida rolled her eyes and scoffed. "It -will- be soon, you idiot. Now is the time to rest and recover. Whereever Mans left to is not here" She scowled, and then snapped her gaze back to Addie. "Now then. What was it, you were meaning to say? I do not require, nor wish for any coddling. Speak."
Addiela's temper had been ignited, but she was trying her hardest to smile and remain pleasant. However, at the final 'command' for her to speak, she loses what last bit of composure she had been holding onto. "Fine, since you wish to be so harsh and direct with others... Your mother is gone, Neth... She is Mans now. She broke free, killed Caine, attacked Nik, and now she's wandering somewhere around Gondor."
The two women froze and stared at Addie. Finchley looked down, wincing, and mumbled. “Oh…boy.”
Carneryn collapsed to her knees clutching her chest again "Caine said he could handle it! We only left him there because he said he could handle it…"
Addiela shook jher head, already regretting her previous tone. 'No one can handle Mans alone, that is what I tried to say before...'
All three froze, realizing the scent of smoke and grilling mean had begun to fill the room…they looked around, confused.
Standing by the door, Leon gestured towards the corpse of the bartender in the corner, covered with now smoldering rags. “I think your friend here is burning…”
Addiela muttered under her breath and looked around for the bucket of cleaning water while she tried to calm herself down. She knew her anger, her upset, had caused the man’s remains to light. Once she found the bucket, she came out from behind the counter and threw the entire bucket of water on the corpse's head.
The bartender fizzled for a moment and went out. Leon just shrugged slightly. “That happens sometimes….”
Carneryn however eyed the corpse in concern. "Addie... Why was it smoking?"
Addiela took in a deep breath and she looks to Ryn. "You wish to be told? I'm a monster, Ryn. Magic wielder, reformed necromancer... whatever you wish to call me.... And, just like everything else around us, my magic is turning against me and going mad."
Nethrida crossed her arms and frowned. "She is no Necromancer... what she refers to was the time she was duped into believing she could revive her father by Mans..." Nethrida froze as she mentioned of Mans. "A...Addie... What was it you just said about my mother and Mans again...?" She asked with a slightly hollow voice. "You said... She's... him...?"
Addiela bit her lip. 'Aye... I don't know if she's dead or not, but he is using her now.. and may have always been.'
Carneryn reached over for Neth's hand silently.
Nethrida lost whatever bravado and authority she might've had before, visibly deflating on the spot. "Y...You mean it wasnt Annedyl...? Or that he simply...?" she attempted to make sense of it.
Addiela had calmed down now and at seeing Neth's expression she gave her a look of pure sympathy, her voice softening. "I am not sure, maybe Xandilif understands it better…but I am sure that Ynnabeth is the one he is in right now."
Nethrida's posture deflated further still. She squeezed Ryn's hand and closed her eyes for a moment. "And.... you said that Caine is….?"
Addiela face went stony with her own grief and she unconsciously drew the beige cloak tighter around herself, 'He's dead, Neth.'
Nethrida glanced at Ryn. Grief and sorrow etched onto her face. "And... We left him with mother... Are there... Any clues...?"
Finchley stepped further in and frowned as she observed the scene. She moved towards one of the tavern's rooms where she had left Nik, looking for any blankets or pillows as she went.
Addiela was focused on Nethrida. "Clues? As to where she went? Or that it was actually her that killed him?"
Nethrida pondered for a moment. "If... Mans took over... There can be no doubt of his demise... No... Clues as to where Mans took mother?"
Addiela nodded and did her best to answer. "Nik confirmed it was Mans in your mother's body that attacked. We know that she went to the water to wash.. well.. clean up and then turned to the road. From the ruts in the fresh mud there may have been a wagon... From there.. I'm sorry. We do not know."
Ryn sighed. 'I... Had assumed... That even if mans came back… in the body of an old woman... He wouldn't be able to do that much especially if the body was tied up. That's why we left him alone with her.'
Nethrida nodded a little. She was at a loss for words and couldn’t bring herself to respond, only nodded yet again.
Finchley walked back out of the back rooms, now wearing a makeshift Nik carrier made of tied blankets and a small pillow wrapped around her midsection, Nik facing forward against her chest. She looked quite proud of this idea!
Addiela offered Finch a bow of her head when she re-enters the room, not even commenting on what she was wearing, and then her glance turns to Leon. "Truth is, I doubt any of us know what he's truly capable of. He surprised us this time by inhabiting two people... And she was very quick in her movements when she tried to stab me. His very presence may offer supernatural abilities. Perhaps…you can help us to understand all this…being of Angmar."
Nik seemed just fine in the Kobold Carrier and suddenly spoke up."I was watching from the bushes when Knightboy waved goodbye to Crazygirl and sadgirl....then the old hag popped up and went wham and smushed his head with the pillerstone. He went thwock and didn’t move....so I ran for it but the hag chased me...and threw rock on my head.' Nik whimpered a bit at the memory. "Then nasty hag grab me by the ear and talk to me, but sounds like she an orc with a spear in his chest...and tell me to bring a message to Yelpy Knife-ear.'
Finchley adjusted Nik in the Kobold Carrier to make sure he was perfectly secure and comfy. "What message, Nik?"
Nik cleared his throat and then rasped in a dark, vicious hiss...."I defeats you again, and you all probably dead...but if you ain’t dead, then I tell you, I will see you again soon, hiding in the eyes of someone you love..." Nik smiled, happy with his impersonation. "THAT message'
Nethrida's posture remained deflated and slouched. But the look in her eyes reflecteds the steely determination that had begun to bubble back up to the surface. "I...I'll make him pay for this..."
Finchley frowned. "... Mans really doesn't quit." She looked to Neth and bowed her head a bit. "I'm sorry, Neth. I'm sorry we didn't catch him this time. And now he's got your mother... All that time I was eatin' her food and I didn't realize. Maybe if I looked a little bit harder or was a little more cautious... But I wasn't and I'm sorry."
Nethrida took a deep breath. She straightened her posture a little, but not to it's fullest extent yet. "I've learnt many things about tragedies... Wallowing in them changes nothing... What happened, has happened, and there's naught we can do to change it... Only thing we can change now is how this ends..." she nodded firmly though her voice faltered a little.
Suddenly the sound of horses would be heard from the courtyard. Finchley looked out the window. "Aw, now what?"
Nethrida raised an eyebrow and opened the door. "Messengers.. Perhaps? A passing patrol..? Surely that plume of smoke from the bonfire drew attention?" The group went outside to discover Kraddock and Xandilif speaking with several knights in the formal livery of the Vanguard.
The knight saluted and read from a scroll. "Captain Kraddock, Captain Bryant has gone onto his just reward and I bear you the will of the Steward, commending you as the first of Elendil's Vanguard. Hail, Captain, inheritor of the fire of Elendil…. we live and die in your service and at your command." The full squad of Knights saluted with a clatter of armor.
Kraddock saluted back as the knight handed him a scroll. "The Office of Deployment sends the following orders, Sir, to be acted on at your pleasure.'
Kraddock read the scroll, and sighed...then looked up at Neth. "Well, I think I know where your mother has gone...'
Nethrida blinked a few times. "Yes...? Where is she?" she inquired, her voice mixed with dread and eagerness.
Kraddock scowled. "A little old lady calling herself Ynnabeth killed nearly two dozen Guardsmen in Pelargir with some kind of plague and took ship on a suspect vessel for parts unknown. She also killed a family of four it seems and stole their wagon.
Nethrida's face quickly filled with shock and repulsion "I... It cant... Two dozen...?" She asked with a hollow, horrified tone...
Kraddock put a hand on her shoulder in sympathy. “So it seems for now…I have orders to investigate....'
“Orders to investigate what, Knight of the Vanguard?” asked a familiar voice calmly.
They all spun to see Xanderian and Calidis, still on horseback and dusty from the trail, having just ridden into the town square. Xan smiled wearily. “It seems, my dear ones, you have a great deal to tell us of recent events…and we bear news as well. I suspect things have not gone well in brave Linhir….”
Xandilif spat. “As always Monk, you take understatement to a feckin art…”
