The Pretender Chronicles - Questions and Favors
A tale freshly told of the Gondorian
Ceredir and Eruphel both have questions and favors to ask.
Gondorian Chambers(#19974Xen)
A series of comfortable though not extravagant chambers, accessible from two different sets of doors leading to the main hallways of the second floor of the tower. There are beds and hearths and tables and chairs and other necessary amenities, and food is provided by the Farside servants. Tower Guardsmen are on duty at the main doors at all times, and a patrol checks on the interior at the passing of every hour.
[+TIME] Middle-earth time is:
Daytime on Trewsday, Day 1 of August.
Execute the +TIMEFRAME command for year information.
Real time is: 17:54:22 MDT on Thu Apr 02 2009.
Ceredir:
Once again the day has come, these chambers empty of all but the guards and the Master Scout of Gondor, who stands gazing out one of the windows, hands behind his back. Where the others of his country are cannot be said.
But Ceredir is restless, not standing long by the window, but breaking his gaze and walking back and forth, back and forth, pacing the small area. More than once he glances to the door--then resumes his pacing.
[Yussef(#19036)]
As if summoned by thought, the door swings ajar, creaking softly upon its hinges, and through it comes...
...Yussef.
He nods to the door wardens, and they respond in kind. It isn\'t them he addresses however, coming further within. \"Restless, eh?\"
Ceredir:
\"Aye.\"
Ceredir grimaces. \"You\'ll forgive me but...it is time to go home. This place is not home, and though I am not a prisoner, it is like a prison here for me. But...I have news.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The response is politely tempered.
\"News,\" says Yussef, in that impassive westron of his -- much, much improved -- \"You say? If you know of something that I don\'t, please do tell.\" He approaches the table, and occupies a seat by it with a sigh.
Ceredir:
\"Wine. First. Unless that is forbidden?\" Ceredir heads to the table where bottles have been set out, and grabs a bottle and two earthen mugs. These he sets down on the table where Yussef sits, and takes a seat himself.
\"First. My name, from Lord Alphros. Nitir.\" He pours two mugs of wine.
[Yussef(#19036)]
The young sergeants amusement is belied by the faint curl of his lip, and the gleam in his black eyes, who are narrow now -- at least, by comparison.
But his brow creases as he accepts the wine, grracfully, with a bow of his head and raising the earthenware as if to make a toast. But that, he does not. \"Nitir?\" He asks as he leans back then.
\"Explain.\"
Ceredir:
\"The things you find funny amuse me,\" Ceredir answers, some humor glinting in his own eyes as he downs a rather generous sip of his wine.
\"Gurtir--you know Gurtir of my country?\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The arching brow is the only comment Yussef offers the retort.
\"Gurtir, your... Marsh Warden, was it?\"
Ceredir:
\"Ranger.\"
\"He took a name when he swore to Lord Alphros.\" Ceredir watches Yussef to see if he understands.
[Yussef(#19036)]
Sip taken, the index finger of the hand that holds the wine extends, wagging.
\"No no... Gurtir is Baiz, eh? Captain, you said. Not ranger.\"
Yussef\'s glance has lost its brightness. \"But yea, I remember... Ana-something, eh?\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The sergeants eyes widen somewhat then -- as if stricken with sudden thought! -- \"Are you saying what I think you are saying?\"
Ceredir:
\"Ana something, yes. Yes, he is a Captain now. Yes, his travel name is Baiz. Tis confusing. But...Lord Alphros granted him a new name when...\"
Ceredir stops and laughs as the realization hits the Sergeant. \"Yes--finally you understand. Yes. And my wife. Saibeth.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"Hm.\"
This once the wine is brought to Yussef\'s lip and held there for a time hidding a smile, or perhaps just slow in its movements while whatever forces are at work in his young head churn. \"I see,\" he says at length. \"Saibeth. This is a good name.\"
\"And Nitir, yes?\"
Ceredir:
\"Nitir..it means kindler. Fitting, do you not think so? I will kindle the hearts of men in Gondor toward our king. Though..\" Ceredir drops his voice, \"of course I cannot jeopardize my lord\'s place here by speaking too freely of him as my king. But we will work for him nonetheless. Nella...Saibeth...you must help me.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Glance flicking to the guardsmen over the rim of his cup as the word \'king\' is spoken the first time, it seems the wine is well recieved whether allowed or no. It lingers there even as Yussef lowers his drink, and sets it on the tabletop. \"That is good and well,\" He says, as his gaze swings back to the northman, suddenly cold in their regard amusement swept from his face, and the cares from his brow. \"Your worries about this Enemy of yours seems to have been eased, eh?\"
\"What is this help your wife requires?\"
Ceredir:
Catching Yussef\'s expression, Ceredir drops his voice. \"Forgive me...enthusiasm made me forget, but I must not do so anymore. Especially in my own land. It would be...worse.\"
\"My worries...have been eased, yes. I am assured of certain things, and I believe that the word I carry back to the Black Hand will be acceptable to them.\"
\"Nel...Saibeth. Her sacrifice is to..stay here.\" He does not look happy about it, but continues. \"She will be held hostage here, or made to seem so, but she volunteers it, wants it, even. But we must make it seem against her will--because Lord Alphros does not trust the rest of our group and he will \'hold\' her here to ensure their behavior.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"Must is a word too commonly used,\" Yussef says, brow arching, ere he looks away toward the windows and out through them.
\"Interesting. Do you know what your dear wife told me on your sea-voyage hither, on the second day ere your capture?\"
Ceredir:
\"It is not my word,\" Ceredir frowns. \"This is what Lord Alphros commanded. Do you oppose that strategy?\" He peers at Yussef, then shakes his head.
\"I do not.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The sergeant\'s brow perches higher still as he beholds the day without, again his mug brought to his lips.
And then he sighs not the content exhale following a draught of such beverages, though that too, surely. No, it is the heavier sort, one of loss. His shoulders are lightly shrugged, his head shaken.
\"She said to me her reasons for coming were to remain, here, in Umbar. So this... strategy comes to me as no surprise no doubt it has been her design for a long time. And yet why should I help her, this snake in the guise of a woman, when she lies to those whom she trusts, and poorly so, and spews her thoughts openly to strangers -- even her enemies!\"
\"What say you to that, Kindler?\"
Ceredir:
\"Snake?!\" Ceredir jumps to his feet, but a quick look to the guards makes him think otherwise, and he quickly sits back down.
\"She is no snake nor a liar,\" he hisses vehemently in reply. \"She did not tell me, this is true--but she did not lie to me, either. She was afraid to tell me her wishes. And then...given the treatment she has received here, she was afraid to stay, as well. But she will go through with it. There is no lies in it.\"
He sighs--this one tired, more conciliatory, anger easing. \"What makes you think she has lied?\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The Sergeant\'s glance flicks to Ceredir as he scrambles to his feet, but he himself makes no movement or gesture as to return the sudden hostility. The guardsmen stir, however, their eyes now poison on the man of Gondor, hands clenched about the pommels of their swords.
\"Calm down.\"
This delivered even with a twitch about the corners of his mouth. Yussef\'s black eyes remain black in their temper however, \"Did she not say to you that she bore no such desires in these very chambers? Think, now. I remember it well. She lied to you then.\"
\"Why should I help her, and with what?\"
Ceredir:
\"Yussef...please.\" Ceredir answers quietly, temper gone. \"She is 19, but she is but a girl, a child in many ways. She has not seen war, she has not seen wounds, she has been sheltered from the world.\"
\"When she said those things to you. Gurtir--the Captain--he told her about Lord Alphros and..\" Ceredir\'s voice is very low--too low for the guards to overhear. \"And about how the return of the King of Gondor would restore her title, her nobility. She is a girl, she loves me fiercely, she gave up her life and her family to be my wife. And Gurtir and Alphros offered her a cause, something that she took to and believes in, passionately. She...\"
He shakes his head. \"She did not see you as an enemy, coming here. She is naive, but she...she is what we all hope for. She came her already loyal to Alphros and she approached you that way and spoke what was in her heart. She lied to me...but that is as a wife to a husband, afraid to tell her husband that her wishes would drive us apart--that our duties would rip us apart, yet it was what she had to do in her heart of hearts.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"And that makes it all right, eh?\" Yussef responds with an arched eyebrow.
Ceredir:
\"Yes.\"
\"As her husband, I forgive her lies to me--that is my business and mine only.\"
\"To you, she sees you not as the enemy. Nor this place.\"
Ceredir folds his arms across his chest, insistent, watching.
[<#19036>]
Shaking his head in turn, Yussef mutters into his mug dryly, shy of a breath in volume: \"
A sip, and the wine is relinquished to the table once more.
\'Very well,\' He concedes, almost amiably, ere his voice recedes into its measured polite tone, \'But you still haven\'t answered my question.\'
[Uzay(#22125)]
One of the Farside guards present outside the chambers where the Gondorian visitors are staying approaches Yussef and whispers the following missive in his ear: \"A man is here, Sergeant, asking to speak with an officer of Lord Alphros - he is a tribesman from the desert.\"
Ceredir:
\"Very well,\" Ceredir echoes Yussef\'s words. \"Though I wish I understood your language. As to why and how...because I think we are friends..in a way? And she will need a friend here. She is foolish and naive but headstrong and brave. She will need your help.\"
\"How? I do not know...help me make it look forced when the time comes to part us. But otherwise...keep her safe for me if you can, while I am not here? Keep her from foolishness if you can at all.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Inclining his head the guardsman\'s way, Yussef\'s glance does not leave Ceredir as both men speak to him.
When all is said, he reaches for his wine and drains the last of it. \"Very well-...\" There it is again, \"-...Kindler, I will keep an eye on your snake.\"
\"Bring him in,\" He tells the guardsman then, in the southron tongue.
[Uzay(#22125)]
Ushered in by the guard is a tall man arrayed in the light manner of the desert peoples of Khand. Standing nearby where Yussef sits, the man bows low and introduces himself, \"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Once again, the door knocks, and outside its stout features the shuffle of many feet can be heard, and muffled voices.
[Yussef(#19036)]
Head bowing in turn, and a frown in turn for the stare, the sergeant gestures toward a seat. \"
Fron deepening, he glances briefly at the doorway telling one of the guards in raising his voice lightly, \"
\"What is the nature of your errand?\"
Ceredir:
The man sitting next to Yussef at the table, mug of wine between both hands, is quite pale. Certainly not from the desert, and likely not of Umbar, from the looks of him. Ceredir remains quite silent, though his eyes sweep over Uzay.
[Uzay(#22125)]
The desert man\'s features soften upon Yussef\'s gesture of hospitality, of which he avails himself in short order, with a courteous nod to Ceredir before drinking from his cup. \"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The Sergeant\'s eyes widen considerably, and that is saying alot, as they were wide enough to begin with.
His surprise is such that he stifles a cough -- or a laugh, or some such.
\"
[Uzay(#22125)]
A nod suffices as Uzay\'s rejoinder.
Ceredir:
Ceredir turns the clay mug in his hands, looking into the red wine in it, then at the two men talking. \"Something amiss?\" though a smile flickers at the edges of his eyes.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
The door finally opens, after a great deal of muffled speaking on the other side, and a few men step in to the spartan \'guest chambers\', preceding Eruphel, lady-claimant of Farside. Serving the purpose of personal bodyguards, the men, wearing blue sashes, look about the room for potential threats. But Eruphel ignores them, and any potential threats, and just comes in with purpose. \"I need to see Ceredir...\" she announces, then sees that Yussef is on guard. \"Ah...Yussef. I needed to speak to you as well.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Clearing his throat, Yussef settles back his seat and reaches for the bottle of wine, refilling his own earhenware. \"
At once amiable as he turns to face Uzay again, he raises his mug ere wedding it to his lips for a time -- \"No, nothing at all,\" He tells the northman on the exhale, turning now to the use of Westron. \"All is well.\"
\"The Lord anAzulada will find the time to see you soon, I am sure. He will be most interested in hearing you. Presently, Sal\'al over there-...\" The mug is the tool used to indicate said guardsman, during which Yussef\'s glance falls to Eruphel and his visage brightens at the sight, \"-...can show you to suitable guest quarters.\"
He rises then, bowing to the Lady-Claimant.
[Uzay(#22125)]
Uzay is clearly pleased with this response, and stands. Bowing first to Yussef, and a second less formally to the Gondorian, the tribesman speaks further to the Sergeant, \"Thank you, Yussef. Wish your Lord well for me, and let him know that I look forward to our meeting.\" With that, he follows Sal\'al in the suggestion fashion.
Ceredir:
\"Once again, I wish I knew your tongue,\" Ceredir grins, draining the rest of his wine easily. The mug is set down with a dull thud as Eruphel enters, and Ceredir stands.
\"My Lady...is it Captain?\" he queries. \"But of course. I am at your service.\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Eruphel notes the tribesman in their midst...clearly so to her, and she genuflects in greeting to him in the typical tribal fashion, though it has a sort of...\"accent\" of her own. Then she turns to face the Northman, smiling faintly and blinking. \"At the stadium, you said you wished to speak more of your mission here, but not within earshot of...well so many ears.\" Her smile is as strained as it is brief. \"And since you cannot come to me, I must come to you. So I would hear it.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"Uzay, you may remain of course, at your leisure,\" Yussef tells the tribesman, even as he withraws his own chair and, turning a glance at Eruphel, offers her its seat with an open-handed gesture like so.
To her, he murmurs: \"Wine, Cap\'n?\"
Ceredir:
\"I did, yes, ma\'am, and yet, if Captain Azradi were here...she deserves this explanation as well. Of course.\" Still standing, Ceredir glances but once to the tribesman.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
The Lady-Claimant accepts the offered seat and nods, murmuring a short \"yes, thank you\" to the Sergeant. But at Ceredir\'s answer, her face turns to a mask, unsmiling. \"You...cannot say it twice?\" Eruphel asks as her eyes narrow.
[Yussef(#19036)]
The wine is produced thus, and offered with a light bow.
Then Yussef too sits, as the door swings shut on lightly creaking hinges behind the departing pair, and he observes the pair that remains before him intently. He restrieves his own beverage, but comments none.
Ceredir:
\"Of course I can, my lady,\" Ceredir says, pulling out his chair again and quickly returning to his seat. \"I just did not wish the Lady Azrabi to take it as insult that others have heard it first, when of course it is not meant as such.\"
\"Tell me..where should I begin?\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
\"Be assured, Northman...\" the word has extra emphasis, and seems spoken unkindly, \"I will speak nothing of it except to Lord Alphros...if I even speak to him.\" She sighs, and smooths her shirtsleeves to busy her hands as she speaks. \"From what I can tell, you, and some knight who I have yet to actually see took some women south with you into dangerous waters in hopes of surviving first contact with us, in order to gawk at the King-claimant to Gondor\'s throne. Some of you with intend to swear to him, but I would not know if such a thing has happened or not. However, you are also an emmissary of some organization called the Black Hand, who may or may not believe that Lord Alphros is the true King of Gondor, and so you wish to find and return with evidence of proof. Please, correct me if any of this went astray.\"
Ceredir:
\"In a manner, yes, it is accurate. Though our odds of surviving were, we thought, more than just idle hope. Captain Gurtir--who has sworn to Lord Alphros--led us here, though the others do not know his true identity. And only Gurtir and myself know of the Black Hand and that we are here to bring them back proof. The others...they are drawn like flies to Lord Alphros, I think, and they provide useful cover for us in getting back to Gondor.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Eruphel looks up to study Ceredir\'s face as he speaks, and nods once at the name of Gurtir. \"They are foolish.\" Eruphel comments harshly. But at Yussef\'s comment in their native tongue, she nods. \"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The sergeant answers simply, quiet tone retained: \"
Ceredir:
\"They are foolish, yes. My wife is foolish and naive, too, as I was telling the Sergeant just moments ago. Sawsan naively thinks she can seek cures for poisons here that are not to be found in Gondor. Averand...I know not what she seeks, for she keeps to herself. Nelladel...seeks a family but she will not find it here.\" Pausing, Ceredir looks to Yussef at the last, his expression solemn.
\"As for proof. Lord Alphros says he will give it to all of us at once. And that I shall have a token to carry back in secret.\"
\"I trust him.\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
\"Yes well, that \'token\' might be one of his cats. Heaven knows he would be happy to be rid of as many as possible, but I bet you would feel foolish offering a common cat as proof, saying it follows Alphros around everywhere.\" She half laughs at the very thought. \"If you are truly interested in assisting Lord Alphros in reclaiming his ancestor\'s throne, might I ask you a favor?\"
Ceredir:
\"A...cat..\" Ceredir coughs, smirking, not particularly laughing at the little joke. \"It would keep the rats off the ship, certainly.\"
\"But please, go ahead, my lady. I am interested.\"
Yussef sips his wine.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
\"An old beggar-prophet predicted that Lord Alphros would only regain his throne once he produced a certain sword.\" Eruphel crosses her legs, and rests one arm on the back of her chair. \"I am not familiar with your history as I am our own, and would like to know what I may about this sword: its history, its description, its significance. Could you find and send me such information?\"
Ceredir:
\"A sword?\" Ceredir queries, scratching his chin. \"But a certain sword? And you put weight behind the words of a beggar man? But if that is so...what else did he say? I suppose I could research famous swords of the men of Gondor...there is a house of lore in Minas Tirith that would help me without asking too many questions. Btu that\'s a wide category to research--a sword. And Gondor\'s throne.\"
\"Then there is the matter...if I do find out information of use to you, how do I relay it back here? Another trip like this likely will raise suspicions.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Said crossed legs seem to catch the sergeant\'s attention. He looks, sidelong, over the rim of his mug for a while -- but his starting eyes flick to the floor soon enough, a faint red growing on his cheeks.
He clears his throat: \"You serve Gondor in Ithilien, do you not?\"
Ceredir:
\"Yes.\"
A nod is given to Yussef. \"What do you have in mind? It would be difficult to meet anyone there, and it is far from Umbar, the road there overrun with orcs,\" Ceredir says.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Eruphel looks at Yussef and smiles, then answers the second question first. \"If ever you hear word of the Southrons amassing at your border...and there will be... I recommend you join the armies that go to fight them. It is the only proper response, no?\" She smirks slightly. \"And you will know my men for they will be wearing a blue sash. I imagine you can come up with the rest.\" Eruphel unwinds her legs and stands now. Her escort, whatever they were doing, come to attention and start looking sharp. \"I give weight to the prophets words, because so far, quite a few prophecies have come true...including my ascension.\"
Ceredir:
\"That may be so...but how are your men to know that I come as an emissary...and not to kill me on sight?\" asks Ceredir. \"And..may I ask...when should I look for this?\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Shrugging as he glances at Ceredir, the sergeant doesn\'t part with whatever thought he had. As when he speaks it is not to him.
Yussef now looks up at Eruphel with a somewhat sheepish expression to complement the blushing cheeks in turn for the smile, and he says quietly: \"You wished to speak with me, Cap\'n?\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
\"Even if I knew /when/, I would not tell you.\" Eruphel says with a coy smile. \"And hopefully you would not meet them on the field of battle to give over your information. Perhaps you could do some reverse looting.\" She winks. \"Or perhaps you could just sneak into our camp, and hold up your hands in surrender. Unlike the people of Gondor, we are a civilized culture, and if you surrender, we will almost certainly let you live. And once you explain your purpose, we would not even enslave you.\"
Now Eruphel turns to Yussef, switching to her native tongue. \"
[Yussef(#19036)]
The red is then drained from Yussef\'s cheeks. His mien, as a whole, grows a shade more pale. The mug is wedded to his lips once more and not removed to be set on the table-top with the hollow scrape of earthenware against wood ere it is empty.
\"
Ceredir:
\"Of course,\" Ceredir smiles. \"I will look for your forces...and I will find a way to get the information you require. And perhaps at that time...perhpas then, my wife will be returned to me.\" Ceredir now stands as well, as if to take his leave, but Yussef\'s expression--the blatant fear on the Sergeant\'s face--makes him pause.
\"What is wrong?\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
Intent on his purpose, Yussef now meets neither Tower-claimant nor Master Scout\'s gazes turning to the wine, and pouring himself another mug. \"Nothing,\" He murmurs, a subtle slur to his westron, as he lifts the mug to his lip. \"I have enjoyed our conversations.\"
He drinks, rising. And drains the beverage without pause.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
\"Do not worry, Yussef.\" Eruphel says, not bothering with Haradraic. \"We have agreed that men should serve where their hearts require them to. I think he would not be angry with you.\" She looks at Ceredir and smiles lightly, inclining her head in farewell, then turns to leave.
Ceredir:
\"Farewell, Captain.\"
Ceredir turns back to Yussef as the woman leaves, and he stares for a long minute at the Sergeant. \"Wine will not help your fear. It will cloud your mind and give you a headache.\"
And then he turns on his heels and walks down the hall to his quarters.
[Yussef(#19036)]
The smile that then graces Yussef\'s face is bleak, for though the words seem to brighten his mood somewhat, his anxiety is not entirely dispelled for it it is a smile all the same. He snorts half a laugh, equally bleak, at Ceredir\'s disapproval. But he doesn\'t answer with words all the same.
\"There is one last thing, lady Eruphel.\" The name as well as the title attached are spoken with some slim measure hesitance.
[Eruphel(#20109)]
At the door, one of her men pulls the latch and holds it open for the Lady to pass through. But she pauses, letting the man just stand there with the door wide open. \"Yes?\" she asks Yussef.
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"That tribesman you passed on your way in... He is here to pay homage and offer the service of some tribe or other,\" Yussef says, and seems not to care for the number of ears that may hear it. \"And claim the lordship of Desert Tower.\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Eruphel snorts mildly. \"Is that so. Wouldn\'t that be something? You will need to come tell me about him.\"
[Yussef(#19036)]
\"That is all I know for now.\"
\"I suppose I\'ll inquire him while I am here, eh?\" And Yussef winks wryly at the last.
But his sigh does not seem all that distraught all the same, and his countenance is settled, seemingly contrary to Ceredir\'s warnings. \"I\'ll find you later, Cap\'n?\"
[Eruphel(#20109)]
Eruphel\'s smile is sweet, and intended to lend confidence. \"Yes.\" Then she leaves.