10 – Red and silver
(this fragment of my story is dated approximately 1 year prior to current Bar-en-Acharn's doings and adventures)
Falathlorn is not forlorn, thought Kor, when entering the gorge above the Lune river. The similarity of the letters was confusing, but the elvish meaning was of course different.
The guards at the gates watched him, reserved. But they let him in, after he greeted them in Sindarin. Only few, but crucial words.
The rocky walls opened into a small plateau with a stream, waterfall and ponds. Blossoming trees were surrounding lovely houses which had a sort of fragile feeling about them. At least their thin towers and courageous arcs were giving such impression. On the opposite, the natural shapes of curved decorations seemed like branches and leaves turned to stone, after they stuck on the surface, to remain as adornment on the plaster and beams.
It took a while, until Kor was sure which house is Seregrían’s.
He needed her counsel. None of the Rangers could give him a detailed survey of what he can expect around Forochel bay. Only to pack warm leggings and furry coat, which was obvious.
Finally he found it. In a corner below high craggy wall, across the bridge, there stood the house with a fountain in front of it.
He turned his head left and right, watching the surroundings – out of habit, though there were no dangers at all.
Kor was not sure, if he would catch the wise woman at home. She could be travelling or anywhere.
But he was lucky.
A dark-haired elf lady was just walking about near a fragrant, flowering bush. She wore a bloody-red dress and the shapes of her body was defying her thousands years age.
„Suilad,“ greeted Kor after approaching like dozen paces, bowing his head a bit.
She heard him coming, so she slowly turned to his direction. She measured him with examining look.
„I am looking for Lady Seregrían,“ continued Kor in common tongue.
The woman’s face showed no emotion, only reserved interest.
„Suilad. Then you have found her. And who might you be?“
Her eyes were deep, grey and wise. No, not grey.
They were silver. They glittered and shone in an undescribable way. Kor hadn’t noticed this at other elves he had met.
„Name’s Kortheod. I am a friend of Tarnon.”
Corners of her mouth raised to slight smile.
„Ah, young Tarnon… It has been some time since I saw him. And how may I help you, Kortheod?”
„I need to depart on a mission. I hoped you would know something about the lands.“
She slowly nodded. „If I will not know, then my library will. Shall we go inside?“
Kor agreed.
They entered wide, decorated hall. When closing the front door, Seregrían uttered:
„Welcome to The Lair.”
Kor smiled. Usually, a lair meant for him a dark place full of vermin and smell of musk. This was exactly the opposite.
„Shall we drink a bit of wine?“ asked she, and not awaiting his answer, she walked a few steps to the wall, where was a wine serving table.
“Oh, thank you,” replied Kor with delay.
The beauty of the glass carafes impressed him. Seregrían reached hand to a bottle, but then she paused.
„Do you prefer white or red?“
„I don’t drink wine. Usually.” he said frankly. Then he shrugged. „I’ll follow your taste.“
Seregrían took a carafe with crimson content and poured two decorated glass goblets.
„So, how fares Tarnon?“ asked she after taking a sip.
„Trying to get out of trouble he usually gets himself into,“ noted Kor. He took a small gulp and now was enjoying the explosion of flavours. It was uncomparable to anything he drank before.
Seregrían chuckled. „Yes, that is typical for him.”
„He is safe and sound,“ tried Kor to amend his previous brash statement, „maybe with a few more scars.“
Her eyes looked in the distance for a while. Kor couldn’t know what she was thinking about, but he would swear, according to her expression, that she saw Tarnon’s soul scar.
Then she turned her interest back to him.
„I assume you come from Rohan, according to your name…“
He nodded. „Yes, m’lady.“
She remained silent, apparently awaiting longer answer. Kor was forced to speak longer sentences.
„Things became kinda dire there. I needed to leave. I’m tracking enemies now... or mapping, better to say.“
„Mapping? You have come a very long road from Rohan, then.“
„Rangers were accompanying me. Or – the other way around. There are orcs and half-orcs on the rise, and the Rangers are trying to get the intel of their source.“
Her eyes had darkened, her lips retracted to a short, hard line. She remained silent for a few breaths.
„Enemies in Rohan, and you are following them up here?“ It sounded like an attack, but Kor had understand and recognized her shock and hatred to the enemy.
„At first it seemed I am moving away from the centre, but according to last reports, there are multiple sources. And most dangerous seems the North.“
„I knew there was trouble also in Ered Luin… we got rid of the goblins already years ago…“ muttered Seregrían rather to herself.
„So where does your mission leads you now? About what land can I tell you?“ Her face turned to normal.
„Forochel.“
Seregrían nodded but raised eyebrows. „You surprised even old me. I really must consult my library. Please, follow me.“
Seregrían has led Kor deeper into the magnificient house. Her library was filling up more space than the one in Halbarad’s room in Esteldín.
„It is a harsh place, unforgiving. I know enough it is best not to be there.”
She overlooked the shelves.
„This may take a while,“ said she and started to go through the names on spines of the books.
Eventually she took one tome and passed it to Kor. „Have a look on this. I will search further.”
Kor plunged into the book, written in Common. Notes about the desired region were scarce. After a long while, Seregrían finished her searching and returned with two books more.
„This one is in elvish, can you read it?”
Kor shook head.
„Nevermind. I can help you. I have nothing important right now.”
She had read the elvish tome and Kor picked up the third book after a while. Despite the reading session had prolonged to several hours, the result was poor.
„Anything is better than nothing,” said Kor in the end.
Seregrían looked a bit disappointed.
„I’m sorry that this is the only information. “
„It is a great help. Truly.”
Though the notes about frozen lands were sparse, many of them were very important. The beasts, the danger of icy clefts, the means to keep heat to survive… Kor grew up in a warm country, and though he knew how to survive in the mountains, this was really a new knowledge and experience.
„I’ll be off then. Thank you very much, noble Seregrían.“
She smiled at his try of politeness because she knew it was sincere.
„It was a pleasure to meet you.”
She accompanied him to the front gate.
„Fare well, lady Seregrían. May stars shine on your path.” He knew he would spoil the Sindarin words as he remembered it poorly, so he relied on Common.
„Stay safe, Kortheod. And feel free to come here when your mission is complete. I am very curious.”
„Aye, I will.”
He bowed and departed. Though his mind was full of worrying thoughts about frosty wilderness, his feet were treading lightly.
