A Long Awaited Death
Along the Hoarwell
The broad river Hoarwell flows north to south along its deep course, still clear and cold from its source in the mountains, though it has come a long way. Across the river, the plains of Cardolan stretch away into the distance. There seem to be some low hills on the horizon, but it is hard to say at this distance. On this shore, heavy brush and bramble covers the land only a short distance from the banks. It is only along the river that the rocks and steep drop make for some space to walk, and see along its course a little way.
Contents:
Giliath
Rhifaroth
Cordelia
Obvious exits:
South and North
[Cordelia(#1394)] All this past summer day, and several days before, the company has been carefully working their way north along the Hoarwell, progress made slow by the narrow path here. The group has moved quite a ways--keeping up a steady, but not brutal pace. Now, though, they have come to a little clearing and have stopped to rest both horses and men.
Cordelia and Liuni have been walking rather than riding, and as the group starts to make camp, Cordelia gratefully finds a bit of shade where she can rest on the ground--nearly flinging herself down.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
By all accounts, traveling these past few days has been a very moderate pace. Rhifaroth simply isn't up to serious, hard traveling yet, even while riding. He, Asht, and Liuni are likely the only ones riding. There are only the handful of animals anyway.
Now they have stopped even though the day is not yet closing into dusk. The afternoon is very hot and shade is sought out.
Having ridden Elfaron, Rhifaroth stubbornly takes time to tend to the horse himself, though his strength is yet limited. Once that is done, he gratefully finds a place to set himself down and rest, while others tend to such concerns as water, food, and a cooking fire.
[Cordelia(#1394)] After a moment, Cordelia sits up, brushing twigs out of her hair. Brown eyes look around the camp, taking in the rangers as they tend to the horses and the meal preparations, Keldean and her sister, Rhifaroth. She sighs and stands up, bending over to start collecting some firewood.
[Giliath(#9838)] Giliath has, of course, walked. And rather like a cockleburr, he has stayed beside Rhifaroth, matching his stride to the horse's with little trouble. And as the man tends his horse, then finds a place to rest, the elf waits - then sits - nearby. Unobtrusive, but very much there, he watches the man. (Though not to the exclusion of looking anywhere else... His gaze moves about the camp, lighting on this person and that, but always returning to Rhifaroth.)
It's strange but the look on the thin Mordain man's face is almost cheery as his horse comes to a halt, tethered behind Rhifaroth's. Asht almost has a smile on his face, his sallow features all but twisted into something akin to a grin. One of the other rangers unties his legs from beneath the horse and in almost no time at all he finds himself on the ground, arms and legs tied, ankle teethered to a nearby tree.
A few moments pass and he watches the activity in the camp, the smile gone and replaced with a measuring look. He's obviously looking for any oppurtunity.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Through the past few days Rhifaroth has paid nominal attention to things around them as they traveled. But not as much as would be his norm. The man continues to be withdrawn, saying nothing. Internalizing what has happened, most likely.
But slowly, in small ways, he is beginning to interact. Honing of his recovered sword, checking over his bow and quiver, noting the absense of his thin summer weight cloak, glancing over his leather jerkin which he has kept tied to the saddle of Elfaron. Rhifaroth is aware of Giliath's nearness, but otherwise continues to be silent.
Once in a while... the man watches... Asht.
[Cordelia(#1394)] Arms full of dead wood, Cordelia makes her way over to where one of the rangers is working on the cooking fire, dropping the wood nearby. She silently watches the progress on the fire for a while, but says nothing. Then finally she turns to look around the camp again. There's some feeling of restlessness about the young woman this day, and maybe that's what prompts her to head over toward Rhifaroth and Giliath now--though she has yet to say anything to Rhifaroth since he was brought back to the camp, and she hasn't really been able to meet his eyes. So as she approaches now, she looks to Giliath. "That leaf...will it last?"
Asht, naturally, remains where he is, but he continues to glance around, taking note of where the others are and what they are doing. Dark eyes finally meet those of Rhifaroth.
For a long moment, Asht almost seems not to reconise the ranger, then he starts and his thin lips form into smile. It's not a nice smile, indeed the gloating expression on his face is unmissable, even if it is incredibly out of place given his current circumstances. He continues to stare at the ranger, smile broadening.
[Giliath(#9838)] "Last?" Giliath asks, looking up at the girl. "It will dry eventually, and crumble..." The connection between Rhifaroth and Asht brings his attention back to the two men his eyes moving from one to the other, then resting, gravely, on Rhifaroth's face. For a time, it seems he still will say nothing then, at last, quietly, he says, "You are not yourself, my friend."
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Having kept his long blade close, if not his bow and quiver, the recovering man sits at the base of some shade providing trees. Next to Giliath, but not at the moment paying any attention to either the elf or the young woman who has walked up. No, Rhifaroth's attention has been snagged elsewhere.
With the horses tethered and seen to, with a cooking fire prepared but not yet lit, things quiet down in the camp until the heat of the afternoon passes. Several folk have moved into the trees to wait until the cooler evening, and out of obvious sight.
Giliath's soft voice registers dimly. Rhifaroth doesn't move, scabbarded long sword in his lap where he sits. But he continues to watch Asht. There is nothing at all readable in his own face or eyes.
[Cordelia(#1394)] The elf's answer to her question gets a nod from Cordelia, but a rather distracted one--she is not so blind as to miss Rhifaroth's attention on Asht, and now her own eyes turn toward the Mordain man. "I....should like to find some more." She means the leaf, likely, but she is looking at Asht.
Not a word is spoken and Asht begins to idly fiddle with the ropes binding his wrists, not caring if his captors notice. He keeps his eyes fixed on Rhifaroth, the smile on his face is equally fixed. Indeed, it broadens, displaying his teeth in the gathering twilight.
Finally he moves a little, but only to spit on the ground. His eyes remain fixed on the ranger and his expression becomes neutral, the smile gone, but there's a cold light playing in his eyes. He starts to laugh softly, somewhere between a chuckle and a cough.
[Giliath(#9838)] And Giliath's reply is likely as abstracted as Cordelia's question, for he too is watching. Not Asht, but Rhifaroth. "I have more," he says. "Did you have need?" Now he turns, looking at her. "You are not injured..?"
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Abruptbly, but more smoothly now that he has had some time to recover, Rhifaroth gets to his feet. The long sword's hilt is shifted into his maimed right hand but remains scabbarded.
A brief glance to Giliath but no reply. Then the somewhat gaunt man turns as though he would go and tend to his own needs, or perhaps for some loosing up exercises with the blade again.
[Cordelia(#1394)] "Injured?" The question makes Cordelia turn her attention back to Giliath briefly. "No...I..." She breaks off a moment as Rhifaroth stands, then turns her eyes again back to Giliath after a moment. "No, I thought it might be a useful plant to have in one's pack if its healing properties lasted..."
The chuckling stops and Asht's attention moves over towards Cordelia and Giliath for a moment. He frowns a little, apparently disinterested in the exchange then turns back to Rhifaroth. As the ranger stands up, Asht's attention is drawn to the injured hand. He stares at it a long moment then finally breaks his silence. "I am sorry we misplaced your finger," he calls out softly to Rhifaroth. Dark humour is written across his face, but there's also a measure of boredom there.
[Giliath(#9838)] The gaze that encompasses Rhifaroth is - dispassionate, but also, perhaps, concerned. Giliath says nothing to the man, perhaps he realizes now, he will get no response. "It is useful," he tells Cordelia. A flick of his gaze towards her. "For those who wish to heal," he adds, gently.
[Cordelia(#1394)] Gaze dropping to the ground, Cordelia nods quietly to Giliath. "I don't think this leaf is useful anymore. I had to crush it a few times last night when my finger started bleeding again, but could you tell me?" She starts to hand the leaf toward the elf, the motion interrupted by the sound of Asht's voice. She pauses--frowning--to turn to the Mordain.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Asht's soft taunt hooks Rhifaroth. The man was not exactly moving in Asht's direction, but Seeker shifts his direction after the barest of hesitation to glance at the bound man. He comes to stop close to the prisoner and just looks down at Asht's prone body. At the Mordain's face.
A long moment passes in silence, then Rhifaroth draws his long sword from it's scabbard with the soft hiss of steel. Unexpectedly, he moves the tip as though to cut Asht's ankles free of the rope.
[Giliath(#9838)] The elf looks at Cordelia, dropping his gaze from her face to her hand after a long moment. He reaches out to take the battered leaf in his long fingers, and frowns at it, letting his eyes close.
The sallow face of the Mordain looks up at Rhifaroth as he approaches, sword drawn. Asht looks a triffle confused, his dark eyes focused on the exposed blade, looking it up and down. "What are you doing?" he asks sharply and there's some genuine fear in his voice. It's quickly masked though and he adds shortly "I really wouldn't want you to get into trouble." He's adopted his usual sarcastic tone, but it doesn't completely hide his real feelings and his voice breaks a little as he speaks.
Keldean returns from some task that the rangers put on him, collecting water from the river for them to cook dinner with later. He sets down the pot near where the campfire will be prepared, then looks over curiously as he sees Seeker standing over Asht, his sword drawn. The teen moves closer, trying to figure out what's going on.
[Cordelia(#1394)] The girl is torn between attention to the elf and to Mordain and ranger. "Is...something wrong?" Cordelia asks Giliath at first as the elf's eyes close. But her attention can't hold on him--Asht's fear-filled voice carries, and she looks that way. "What's he doing....?" she frowns, looking toward Rhifaroth, voice quiet.
Long distance to Rhifaroth: Asht grins "Yeah, it's a learning experience I reckon -) I figure next pose Asht will be really really mean and say something nasty about Rhif's haircut
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
His movement unpaused, the ankle ropes are cut and then Rhifaroth shifts his position to squat down behind Asht to cut the man's bonds that keep the Mordain's hands secured.
As soon as Asht is free, the scarred Dunadan straightens up and looks at the other man without saying a word. But the unmaimed hand makes a gesture for Asht to get up.
[Giliath(#9838)] "It will still be ..." Giliath's eyes open at Cordelia's interruption, and he glances towards Rhifaroth and Asht. There is a pause, then the elf walks over to stand near where the two men are, stopping not far from Keldean - a bit closer to Rhifaroth perhaps.
[Cordelia(#1394)] Cordelia moves, too--as soon as she sees that Rhifaroth has unbound Asht, she hurries to follow Giliath, stopping just next to and slightly behind him. Her eyes track Asht.
Still with a slightly confused look on his face Asht gets slowly to his feet, joints stiff from prolonged imobility. On his feet now he rubs his wrists then folds his arms across his chest, a smug expression forming on his face.
With a sideways glance at the drawn sword he says "Are you threatening me?" His voice is calm and strangely self-assured. "I know you ranger scum. So noble. So very very noble. Too self-righteous to kill an unarmed man, yes?" There's a pause and Asht shakes his head slowly. "Yes, you don't frighten me, I'm so very sorry."
For a moment Asht regards Rhifaroth with a withering look then laughs shortly, his expression a little distant. "But you do amuse me, fool. Do you remember when we took your finger? You squealed like a girl, yes..." Asht continues to laugh, inadvertently spitting while he chuckles softly.
Keldean sucks in a breath, and there's no mistaking the fear in -his- voice. His face pales, "You're cutting him loose?? Why are you doing that?!" The youth backs up slowly, nearly running into Giliath. He never takes his eyes off of Asht, truly, deeply afraid of the man.. even now.
[Giliath(#9838)] Giliath reaches out to steady Keldean, laying his hand on the lad's shoulder if he will allow it, and leaving it there.
[Cordelia(#1394)] Stays quietly behind Keldean and Giliath now, watching, growing look of horror on her face.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
There is no verbal answer for Asht. Rhifaroth watches the man with seemingly empty, uncaring eyes. His blade is drawn but not really held in a threatening manner.
Asht's words though conjour memories for the man. He did not much cry out during the cutting ... they had been strangling him near senseless with that cursed rope.
There is a silence that drags on. Then, without any preamble what so ever, Rhifaroth reaches out with his left hand for Asht's right shoulder. The man's mained right hand lifts the tip of his bared blade and thrusts the length of steel for the Mordain's belly. The movement is quick, smooth, and emotionless.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Most of the Rangers are not even in the camp at this very moment, having drawn together to speak unseen in low voices. But someone has noticed the stirring about, is watching... and then suddenly a grey clad form is moving through the trees, closing in rapidly.
For a brief instant Asht continues to smile, then his eyes widen suddenly at the ranger's unexpected move. He brings his hands down, trying to stop the blade, cutting them deeply, but all to no avail.
Rhifaroth's sword pierces his abdomen, the point protruding from his back. Asht's hands grip the blade tighter, blood now pouring freely on the ground. He opens his mouth to speak, but words don't come out and a thin trickle of blood runs down his chin.
With a lurch, Asht falls over sideways, dragging Rhifaroth's sword with him, twisting the blade in the wound. He lies there for some moments, blood pooling around him. Looking up at the ranger with darkening eyes, his lips move, apparently he's trying to say something.
Keldean is shaking when Giliath places that hand on his shoulder, and the teen gives one startled look back to see who's behind him, then snaps his attention back to Rhifaroth and Asht. He sees the blade bury into the sickly man and his stiffens in shock, gaping.
[Giliath(#9838)] Giliath's fingers tighten, and he moves as if to take a step forward but it is too late for whatever he might have been going to do. His face seems now to be made of carven marble, and he takes a breath, shutting his eyes for a minute, then opening them - concern, curiosity, emotion all are gone: they are opaque.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Rhifaroth's breathing is very faintly quicker, but overall, the man is very quiet in his movements, face impassive. Asht's falling body twists the long, heavy blade in his maimed hand and almost the steel is twisted from his hand. But before even that happens, one of the other Rangers arrive.
That new arrival runs right into Rhifaroth and knocks the injured man down hard. Nothing is even said, nor needs to be. Strider's orders were clear - and Asht was to be taken to the Shepherding Village.
A shout goes out and then others arrive. Hands move to disarm Rhifaroth and drag him back from Asht. Orders are given. But it doesn't take long to descern that the single blow is a mortal wound to the already frail Asht.
All this is as nothing to Asht. The sallow-faced Mordain lies twisted forward on the ground, body supported by Rhifaroth's sword, his face deathly pale. He opens his mouth again, a steady stream of blood coming out of it now. His lips move again, but there is no sound. Then he laughs, the sound of it is hollow and croaking. A smile forms on his bloodstained lips and he stares directly at Rhifaroth. He continues to stare at the ranger, his eyes fixed. He's clearly dead. Around him, blood continues to pour from the wound in his belly, sinking into the damp turf.
Keldean steadies some under Giliath's grip, but as the blood pulses out of Asht's stomach, dark and wet, the teen is beginning to look as if he might be ill. He recoils back into the elf, then jerks to try and pull away from him, wanting to retreat into the trees.
[Rhifaroth(#27282)]
Orders have been given to bind Rhifaroth. The injured man may well not be in his right mind. So mindful of the damage already done to his wrists, one of the Rangers produces a strip of cloth bandage and lashes the tattooed man's hands together with deft, quick practiced movements.
Another Ranger turns Asht over and removes the long sword from the deed man's belly.
For his own part, Rhifaroth seems disassociated from what is going on. He does not struggle or speak, though when the man dimly realizes that his hands have been tied once more, a brief flicker of fear might be seen to cross his gaunt face, breathing faster. The man is left to lie upon the ground while folk find out what happened.
After a moment, Rhifaroth closes his eyes. Tired, so very tired.
[Giliath(#9838)] Giliath hardly seems to notice when Keldean jerks away his eyes have shut again, and he looks as though he is ill - or in pain. But the moment passes, and his eyes open again though for just a second, if anyone was watching, he seems disoriented. Like the scene he is looking at isn't the one he expected to see. Then his gaze clears, and drops to Rhifaroth - flicks to the dead man - returns. The elf comes to sit beside the bound man, and, still saying nothing, he pulls out his silver flute and begins to play. A soft, almost inaudible melody of comfort and of peace - though who it is for might be hard to say.
Keldean flees from the immediate scene, hurrying off into the trees and brush. He doesn't make it far before he's dropping to his knees to be sick on the forest floor. Unless someone comes to see the youth, he'll remain off by himself.
