S.A 1350
As the group made their way to rooms three and ten, memories flooded their minds of a diary with a lock. Orneth had the key, and Simawen couldn't help but wonder if the two were connected. However, as Orneth recalled how Simawen had lingered by room three earlier, she couldn't shake the suspicion that Simawen might have already taken it. Yet, if Simawen had taken it, why would she be the first to suggest it was linked to the lock? Orneth considered another possibility: could it be that a stranger had followed them, perhaps someone who knew they were searching for Manyamë and her son? But why would they want to hide it? It seemed unlikely, as no one had seen or heard anything out of the ordinary while they were upstairs.
As night fell, the group decided to spend the night at Golden Hope. Most of them opted to sleep outside, but Orneth found a bench to rest on inside. The rooms felt suffused with a strange, uneasy energy, as if the hurried departure of the previous occupants still lingered in the air. Orneth looked around the entrance and noted the absence of pictures or decorations, likely stolen or lost over time. As she gazed out one of the lead-glass windows, Orneth noticed movements outside, shadowy figures moving from left to right and right to left. Her heart quickened as she heard loud voices, wondering if burglars or thieves were about. Perhaps even worse, could they be the malevolent servants of the past? Stepping outside, Orneth saw Mannamo, Marilo, Simawen, and Mistamë speaking to two strangers on horseback. Lady Lanyarë sat on a stone, a few paces away. The situation felt tense and fraught with possibility, leaving Orneth with a sense of unease that lingered long into the night.
Mannamo's voice resonated in the dim light, "We are in search of someone." The stranger in a verdant robe approached them, his voice soft and measured as he asked, "May we be of any assistance?" Mannamo nodded and showed him the map, "We stumbled upon this in one of the rooms. We believe it may hold some clues regarding someone we know." The stranger, who looked weathered with scars lining his face, regarded Mannamo skeptically before speaking, "Hmm... I may have an inkling of where this map leads. However, I must be candid with you, I wouldn't advise venturing there. The lands are fraught with robbers and thieves, and the Prince and his cohorts have been preoccupied with their work in the mountains, forging powerful alliances. Eregion has fallen into disarray, and its chaos is being exploited by the lawless."
Mannamo paused, "Well, that only gives us more reason to proceed. The maker of this map may be the son of my daughter, who has been missing. He, too, is searching for her." The ellon in green looked pensive, "The guesthouse has remained unoccupied for several days now. Initially, we had thought your group to be a party of robbers, which is why we are here." Orneth stepped a little closer to Simawen to hear the conversation better and then she met her eyes. As lovely as she was, Orneth couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something.
Marlio turned to the stranger and asked, "Are you employed as city guards?" The soldiers looked at him and replied, "No, we are an independent group of soldiers hailing from the western lands. We were once soldiers in Beleriand." Marilo's eyes widened in surprise, "So why are you guarding this area?" They glanced at each other before answering, "Well, our lands no longer exist, but we've received reports of similar creatures to ones we once saw in Ossiriand. Someone is definitely causing disturbance, but their name is unknown to us. It's not safe to be here anymore. Our mission is simple - to protect civilians." Mannamo nodded, "Do you work for the Prince?" They responded, "Yes, we do what we can to keep the lands safe around the city and the routes between the west and Eregion."
Lady Lanyarë approached the group and implored, "Would you escort us to the settlement where the markings are? I cannot rest until I know where my daughter is. You were once soldiers, can you protect us if necessary?" The soldier in the brown robe hesitated, "My lady... Well, we do not want to fight. They usually keep things quite peaceful and civil. We do not want to provoke them." Simawen asked, "Who are they?" The soldiers looked at her, "Thieves mostly, outcasts of the eldar. Mostly elves from the west who have a deep-seated dislike for the Noldor because they blame them for destroying their homes." Mannamo nodded in understanding, "They dislike the Prince because he is an heir of the known names that destroyed Doriath and the Havens of Sirion." The soldier agreed, "Indeed, and I cannot say I blame them. Many have an idea of what is good and what is bad, but it truly depends on what side you are on."
"We could escort you to the camp, but I would suggest you think twice. Maybe the Sindar Lady over there would join? It's more likely she would be accepted since she is a Sindar elleth," they pointed at Orneth, who knew she had a different look because of her height, eye color, and hair.
Marilo took Orneth's hand and declared, "She alone with those ruffians? No." Mannamo also chimed in, "It's too dangerous. We don't know enough about these outlaws. No offense, but we don't know much about you either." The soldier looked at Mannamo and said, "It's really up to you. We only offered to escort some of you, but we cannot take a whole group, as you may understand. Grudges from the past and the terrible events that happened in Beleriand run deep. We don't want to be involved in a dangerous dispute. That's not our mission. We only want to keep peace around here. This is your mission. You decide what you want to do."
All pictures are AI-generated from Microsoft Bing DALL·E
