S.A 1350
Orneth gazed in awe at the majestic white building that towered over the north treetops. The sun's radiant rays illuminated the spire on top, making it gleam like silver, while the smaller beams created a star-like pattern. She knew it was a vast guesthouse, but it reminded her of the grandiose enclave in Mithlond that Feawing often visited. The ivy covering the walls gave it a glorious shimmer and a breathtaking beauty. Orneth couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling that this building was abandoned, despite its pristine condition. The flowers and ivy grew wildly, as if no one was taking care of it.
Orneth heard Mannamo slowing down his horse with commands, "Torna undu Rocco," before dismounting from his black horse. The rest of the group followed suit and made their way into the building. Orneth spoke softly to her brown horse and led it towards a small pond next to the garden. "Tae, I will be back soon," she whispered. Upon entering the building, Orneth saw no other buildings or houses nearby, only the distant city barely visible through the trees. The hall they entered was filled with piled-up plates and cups at the bar stand. The walls, ceiling, and floors were made of white marble, which would have been a stunning sight if not for the mess. It appeared as though the decorations were either removed or stored away. Lady Lanyarë spoke softly, "It feels abandoned."
They quickly surveyed their surroundings and it was evident to them that someone had left the guesthouse in a hurry, leaving Orneth feeling uneasy. She met Marilo's eyes, and they shared a tense gaze. As they climbed the stairs, they arrived at a narrow hallway with ten rooms numbered from one to ten. Some doors were open, and they quickly peeked inside, sensing a strange atmosphere emanating from the rooms. It confirmed the group's suspicion that someone had left in a hurry, leaving the guesthouse and its rooms in a disordered state
Upon entering the first room, numbered as 1, Lady Lanyarë quickly apologized for intruding on someone's privacy. The group took in the dusty atmosphere of the room, noticing the unmade bed and a few towels in the closet, suggesting a hasty departure with items removed. The desk was empty, with drawers devoid of any contents. Marilo scanned the room and spoke briefly with Simawen, "This is very odd," he remarked, "the rooms are empty and unlocked. It's like someone left in a hurry. I wonder why?"
Moving on to the next room, numbered as 2, the group found it to be similar to the first, except for a few books left behind. Orneth picked up one of the books, hoping to find some clue or handwritten note, but there was nothing of interest.
Next, they stumbled upon room number 3, which had a crooked plate on the door that barely revealed the number. Upon entering, they discovered belongings still scattered around, including a few robes on the floor and some letters on a small table. The tense and nervous atmosphere made Orneth feel restless and uncomfortable, but the group needed to search for any traces of Manyamë as best they could. Lady Lanyarë hesitantly opened one of the letters and read it silently. She shook her head and said, "It's just some private messages; it is not Manyamë's handwriting." She left the letter among the others. On the nightstand was a book with a lock. It looked like a diary, but the group concluded that there was nothing of interest that could be tied to Manyamë. They decided not to intrude on someone else's privacy unnecessarily and since the room had such odd atmosphere they did not want to be there for to long. As they left the room, Orneth noticed that Simawen was still reading the letters.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth rooms were very similar to the previous ones. They were neater and cleaner, though, and while they were still empty, one could feel that someone had recently lived there.
As they stepped into the seventh room, numbered as 7, they noticed various items left behind, including clothes, books, caskets, and even an eldar sword. Mannamo furrowed his eyes and remarked, "How peculiar to leave such precious belongings behind. Even if you were in a hurry, certain items would always be a priority to take care of." After scanning the room, they stumbled upon a book that looked like a journal of some kind. It had a thick, brown leather binding and appeared to be fairly new. They opened it with great care, and Lady Lanyarë carefully turned each page. Most of the pages were filled with scribbles that were no longer legible due to age, time, and the humid air that sometimes smudges ink. Although some words were still decipherable, the lack of context made them difficult to understand. This discovery added yet another layer of mystery to their already unresolved list. However, Lady Lanyarë was able to make out a few words and read them aloud, "This place is no longer safe, but I think I know where she is. They took her away." They continued to look through the rest of the journal, which was mostly filled with sketches and drawings of weapons, surroundings, and quick portraits. Marilo quickly remarked, "Whoever owns this journal is a true artist." Suddenly, on the last page of the journal, they came across a portrait that left Orneth feeling flustered. They all let out a unison gasp upon seeing the signature on the portrait: Falchon
Simawen burst into the room with excitement, exclaiming, "The same name we found in the city books! Falchon." Mannamo then suggested, "The son of Manyamë?" Lady Lanyarë quickly interjected, "Oh my! The portrait. It surely must be Manyamë?" Orneth nodded in agreement, gazing at the portrait with great interest. The artist had clearly crafted it with love, paying close attention to details. As they all looked at the portrait, Marilo's gaze suddenly fell upon some crumpled paper on the floor. He picked it up and unfolded it, murmuring, "This looks like a map, and it seems to be very close to the gates of Khazad Dum. Why is there a red cross here?" Mannamo peered over his shoulder and speculated, "It must be the entrance of Khazad Dum, or perhaps another point of interest?" Marilo added, "In the journal, the author hinted at a location. Could this be it?" Mannamo glanced around the room, considering their options. "Maybe. Well, let us camp here for the night," he suggested. "I will go outside for a while and study the map." "I'll join you," Marilo offered.
Meanwhile, Orneth had been silently observing, taking in the strange and eerie atmosphere of the rooms. With three rooms left to explore, she decided to investigate them while the others were occupied with the map and the journal. As they left the room, Orneth noticed Simawen gazing at the journal and the portrait of Manyamë. She couldn't help but wonder how quickly Simawen had become a part of their group. Marilo's fascination with her had led him to trust her, which in turn had caused the rest of the family to trust her as well. Orneth couldn't help but wonder why Simawen was so interested in helping them. After all, she was still a stranger.
All pictures are AI-generated from Microsoft Bing DALL·E
