Author's note: I have started writing down the happenings of the journey of the Kinn-Lai to offer a different view from Timandhris' work. I have had to, of course, give the gist of the happenings only, as even this is a lot to write down, let alone write out every single detail, much though I would like to!
I do, however, plan to combine these stories in the chronicles later. For this I need the assistance of those in the stories / who are participating in the event. If you see anything that implies YOUR character (Only your character!) in my stories that you want altered, please let me know and I will make the adjustments. Thanks!!
~Chapter One~
A journey long and perilous, it was nothing but another fact of life from the moment Erinwyn had heard of it and had given her accord to the Man from Esgaroth, as per his request for her to 'watch his back'. But after a few weeks only, she has found herself tied up in the tent belonging to the Kinn-Lai elf know as Timandhris. It was, by any and all accounts quite the proverbial pickle and a slight grin passed her lips, despite herself, as she had nothing better to do, than to re-account for the events of the past days. It seemed ages now, but in actual fact, that was merely the tedium of being imprisoned without much contact with the world outside the canvas shelter.
An attempt, the fourth by her count, was made to straighten her legs out from under her upper body in order to get the blood flowing through the vessels in her legs, which admittedly had started to go numb, and finally, with a sigh of relief, she succeeded. Victory reigned for but a brief moment on her face before guard entered the tent, likely alarmed by the sound of metal coming from her armour, which she still wore, as she shifted her body. He scowled at her, clearly disapproving of the fact she could even more at all.
"Oh, stop it, will you? I am a prisoner of so-called insanity, as your mistress would call it. It's not as if I'm a threat without my weapons, and with my hands tied, uncomfortably I may add, behind my back. Is it?" She shot back in reply to the male-Elf's scowl. This brought a cruel but satisfied smirk to his lips. Not as though that came as a surprise to her, that was what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place. These Kinn-Lai showing their true colours, and she was having none of it.
~
"She did WHAT?!?" Erinwyn exclaimed with rising fury as Edstan told her of what Areene had gone and done. If it wasn't bad enough that the naïve young lass had followed Edstan yet again after having been told not to, now she had gone and done the worst she could have done in the eyes of the shield-maiden.
"Made a pact, they claimed they could make her immortal, and she accepted. They lavish gifts upon her, the best food, jewellery, you name it. She is to come with them, to their new city, but, once it is built, she will be their slave forever." The reply came, his voice betraying to her the guilt he felt. And if one were to be truly technical, if it wasn't for the infatuation the girl felt for him, coupled with an exuberant naivety and stubbornness, she would not have been there, putting not only herself, but the entire party not related to the Kinn-Lai, in danger.
Erinwyn removed her right hand glove and pinched the bridge of her nose between the thumb and index finger of the aforementioned hand. "Foolish, foolish girl... I'll try and talk her out of it... if she even realises what it is she has done. I suppose that that would be the first step, make her realise she has just sold her soul for a bit of comfort." She said, immediately going back on her words as she came to the understanding that the poor girl had likely not even known what she had done.
A singular nod was her response. Edstan didn't like it, she could tell just by looking at him, but what other option was there? Certainly, there was the chance that her attempt at undoing this 'pact' was foiled by the Kinn-Lai discovering her intentions, but Erinwyn could not abide this manner of abuse, it went against the nature of her very being.
Arguably, any ranger could have stated that a hunter always seeks a weaker prey, and Areene was certainly that to the Kinn-Lai, but that did not mean it was to be condoned on those ground alone. Areene, naïve though she was, was kin, barely still a child – and certainly an infant in the eyes of the savage Elves. No. In Erinwyn's books, these Elves had made the wrong call of prey, and she would see it undone, by any means necessary.
Not long there after, the call was made to break up camp. Obediently following orders, all items were packed and put away, in the wagons, on the horses, in backpacks. Tents were undone, cooking fires doused, orders shouted as things did not quite proceed as those in command of the Kinn-Lai wished. Erinwyn found herself observing it all once her own items had been tidied, her horse saddled and packed. She sat quite calmly atop the golden gelding, carefully watching each individual from under the shadows cast by her hood. Establishing the chain of command, establishing possible weak points. At least from that point of view, she had had a small victory, without knowing at the time, the night before. One of theirs, Cyraun, had approched Erinwyn to make apologies for the behaviour of their leader, Timandhris. This Cyraun, if sincere, had seemed a gentle person, and Erinwyn figured, whilst mulling the prior night over, that if all else failed, she could perhaps use the knowledge gained at her advantage in reversing the accord.
Being resourceful, that was perhaps Erinwyn's strongest feat. A necessity when serving amongst Men. Always finding solutions to any possible challenge life might throw. And if, being a Woman, one does not have brute force to rely on, one has to find different means to survive.
And this would be just such an occasion.
~
Erinwyn was happy for the company of the Dwarf, and even though they had thus far not had the chance to be officially introduced, there seemed no need. She had always had an affinity for Dwarves, they reminded her of home. In fact, though she had not disclosed that fact openly for more than a year, she had once thought of one Dwarf in particular of a surrogate father. Gothidox. How she missed him. He would laugh at her for undertaking the fool's errand she was currently on. With a deep, somewhat reluctant sigh, she dismissed the thought, there was no time for such memories now. Instead, she focused on the conversation, which was turning to what truly troubled her. Areene.
"...The girl thinks they can make her immortal, because they said so." She found herself explaining.
The Dwarf, Twion, burst out in a roar of laughter. "No, lass, you are jesting!" His voice boomed, still laughing merrily, believing Erinwyn was proverbially pulling his beard.
"I wish I was. She believes, it would seem, that she is now some sort of a special guest who will be made immortal like the Elves. She is given gifts and the like, and is accepting them. In actual fact, she will be made into their slave when they get to their new city." Erinwyn retorted gloomily.
Seeing that there was no joke in the matter, Twoin's laughter died out. "And she truly believes this? By Thorin's beard, is she really that gullible?"
"Aye." Was the only reply he received as they continued their journey thoughtfully at the back of the column.
The caravan had been on the road for a while, when Areene came in to ride with Erinwyn and Twion, after all, since Erinwyn had stood up for her when she was captured by the Kinn-Lai, she was directed to stay with the Woman. Much to Erinwyn's relief, she listened to that, at least.
"Areene... I need to talk to you."
Apparently enjoying the scenery, Areene looked lazily to Erinwyn upon hearing her name. "Hmm?"
"About that accord you made, with the Elf... Do you realise what you've done?" The gentle shield-maiden started worriedly.
"What do you mean? She gives me pretty gifts!" Was the reply.
"But... " Erinwyn started, and was, much to her relief, joined by the Dwarf before she found the words to finish her phrase.
"They can't make you immortal, lass." He scoffed.
"Then why did she say that?" Areene stated with disappointment.
"Because they wish to make you your slave, and you'll apparently believe what they say. They want your soul, and by all accounts, they have it, as you agreed." Erinwyn blurted out. She hated being so blunt, but time was running out, she could feel the stares of the Kinn-Lai Elves upon them. It was only a matter of time, before they would stop her from interfering. That much was beginning to dawn upon her.
Twoin nodded his agreement with Erinwyn, his beard and wild hair bobbing along in a wavy pattern.
"But... my soul is mine!" Areene exclaimed, a hint of panic audible at the edges of her voice.
"Not in their books, not anymore, but worry not, there mi-..." Erinwyn was cut short in her explanation by the approach of Timandhris, who haughtily approached the three.
"Why doth thee not ride up front with me..." The Elves' honeyed voice purred at Areene.
"She rides with me, as per the instructions." Erinwyn objected darkly. "And if she is to ride up front, then so do I." There would be no mistaking the fact that Erinwyn would not let Areene out of her sight.
Timandhris shrugged, and instead handed the naïve girl a golden necklace with the promise they would speak later, when at camp.
With hatred blatant in her grey eyes, Erinwyn watched the Elf spur her horse on to a canter, to once more join the front of the column. Time was running out, this manipulation was only going to increase now that she knew that Erinwyn was on to her. The time for action would have to come soon.
~
Camp was made near the Midgewater Marches, to the North-West of the shoddy, Forsaken Inn. Avoidance with those not partaking in the journey was carefully plotted. Much like the dislike of the Kinn-Lai to pass through, or even near, the town of Bree, every other landmark was left far from the route. It was beginning to fill Erinwyn with a sense of dread. Initially, she had reckoned that she might be able to flee in the midst of night, chance the rage of the Kinn-Lai Elves, in order to bring Areene to safety. But the closer they came to the Bree-lands, the more she could feel that hope dwindling. Another kind of action would be required to free the young, innocent lass from the clutches of the Elves.
"… I'll challenge her if I must." Erinwyn barked at Edstan who was trying his damnedest to calm the fury in the Woman down with plans of his own he had forged.
"Look, we could al-..." Edstan's reply fell on deaf ears as the Woman had looked over her shoulder, only to find Timandhris having sidled up to Areene. The girl had been talking to the Dwarf, the only reason Erinwyn had dared stray from the lass's side to speak with Edstan of the situation.
Before any coherent thought passed her thought process, Erinwyn's feet were marching towards the Elf, fury at the forefront of her mind. How dare she?! She fumed inwardly as she observed Timandhris put a seductive arm around Areene's shoulders.
"Thou should not feel bad, Areene, she is merely jea-..." Timandhris' honeyed voice came into earshot, just quick enough for Erinwyn to hear what she needed to hear. She pushed her way past the Dwarf who made an attempt to stop the angered Woman, but, as is a well-known fact, there is no fury in the universe such as an angry Woman with protectiveness in the forefront of her mind.
"Get your hands off her now. We settle this, this instant. I am done with your games, Serpent of Savages." Erinwyn had named her now, and she would not go back on that. Her expression one of untamed hatred, or so it would seem. Despite that, despite what she allowed others to so, Erinwyn was calm as the eye of a storm within. She would give herself in exchange for the girl. She knew, trusted Edstan enough, to think of a plan to use the commotion to get Areene out of the area.
~
All eyes turned to the two as they locked gazes. The savage Elf, and the furious Woman, both not giving ground as one challenged the other. It was a battle lost before it started. Erinwyn was dimly aware of the warnings from other Eldar who had joined to accompany the troupe, and the Dwarf. They made their attempts to sway her from her thoughts. However, the choice had been made, and she inwardly thanked whatever force had been on her side, as the voice she was listening for did indeed speak.
"Areene, come with me a moment." It was Edstan. At that point, nothing mattered anymore for Erinwyn, her goal had been reached. All she had to do now, was play her part and it would fall into place. Somehow.
"My life for hers then, you coward! If you will not fight me, take me in her stead!" She heard herself call out, indeed, it was almost as though she was merely a spectator.
Timandhris said something in her native tongue, and she heard bows being strung all around her. Erinwyn did not need to look around to realise that all of the Kinn-Lai warriors were ready to strike at the first word from their leader. A smile touched her lips.
"Thou willst be captured... if thou uses force, be it at thou own peril." Timandhris states with condescension and ready victory. "Thou willst be held until the insanity which has befallen you hath lifted."
Sorry old girl... Erinwyn thought as she tossed Bertha haphazardly in the direction of Twion. "Take good care of her!" She called out. With only barely restrained anger, the Dwarf picked up the axe, almost lovingly, and held 'her' close as he continued to watch on.
With precocious care, she placed the ornate shield, strapped on her left arm, down on the ground before her, never once taking her eyes from the Elf, showing clearly her distrust. There was no resistance, as two Kinn-Lai warriors tied her wrists together behind her back. Resistance would only serve to losing her life. And that would be idiotic. As she watched the non-Kinn-Lai companions of the group she knew, the damage was done. The Kinn-Lai had openly revealed themselves not to be what they had at first seemed.
Yes, this was going to be an interesting journey indeed...
