(Archive) Rorgan and the Wolfen Fleece - Part III

September 30, 1999

*Note - log submitted by Rorgan*

Forensvale

A warm mist is falling gently from the darkened, overcast sky.

A wind blows in from the plains, chilling you.

*************** You are unable to see the moon above. ****************

From what little you can see, you are in the middle of a small village. You can espy but but few buildings, and there are lights coming from only two of them--and another, some distance away. The faint light cast by nature shows small roads going northwest, northeast and south from here, and several objects of some sort closer by.

Contents:

Grima

Kerowyn

Aelspeth

Colinor

Aearwen

Dolwyr

Maeghan

Caravan Campsite(#15235Qae)

Obvious exits:

South leads to Across the Plains.

NorthEast leads to Upon the Plains.

NorthWest leads to Plains.

Grassy path leads to Manor of House Hrugarth.

It is evening.. the sun just setting over the horizon, painting a cloud-streaked heaven with lilac and melon. Gathered here at the center of the village are many of the people of Forensvale, mingling with those of Gondor in a sort of.. out of doors night of cooking. Men ring the periphery of the village, but off toward the west.. near a copse of trees, there has come a blood-curdling shout, that of a woman. The healers here are all pelting toward the sound without thinking. Colinor, just arriving from fruitless patrol with some men, has sent his horse galloping in the direction. And Aearwen, mingling with the Rohirrim, has paused to stare in that direction with shock.

One of the Gondorian healers, knowing his mistress unhitches the Master Healer\'s copper warhorse. With a snort, Firefly begins to race after his mistress, easily catching up to her. A neat trick indeed, Maeghan swings up onto the horse as it slows it\'s stride but doesn\'t stop. Apparently she has been practicing. She follows after the Gondorians and Rohirrim who are racing towards the copse of trees where the scream came from. Akwardly the redhaired healess straps her bow to her back and leans low over the neck of her stallion, like Colinor, cutting down on wind resistance.

The scene is a horrid one indeed. Running away from the building,s a broken, bloodied child in its jowls, is a massive, dark-brown furred warg! It lops away from the woman who chases it, her steps futile, too slow to give any real chase, and she falls down amidst sobs and babbled words, cries for help as Colinor\'s mount charges past, Colinor\'s eyes going wide in shock, realization, and horror...

Seemingly out of nowhere, the Rohirric Gondorian, Rorgan appears charging toward the copse of trees upon his Chestnut stallion, guiding the warhorse with his legs through the camp with his shield and spear at the ready.

Kerowyn arrives at the scene far ahead of the others who run, speed brought by adreniline, or something far more mundane, though she is far behind the riders, and can do nothing but fall to her knees beside the distraught woman, offering the soothing words of her trade in soft, slow whispers.

Gruesome scene.. and many are not that far away from it. The villagers that have gathered are in dire threat of actually being trampled as those on mounts seek to thunder in, and those on foot seek to flee as quickly as they can.

Aelspeth is close, as are others, but the healer draws up not fifteen feet from where the beast angles itself, hatred.. a violent emotion from this lady, setting hard the line of her jaw. She isn\'t stupid though.. without realizing who has moved to tend the woman, she edges in that direction, heavy staff ready to deal a resounding blow to the first beast foolish enough to turn his paws that way.

Though she has laid eyes on the leader of the Wraiths, this scene brings about another type of horror, she trembles not in her shoes, but this tugs at Maeghan\'s heart. Emerald eyes narrow in a passionate hate as she sees the warg trot away with the child hanging from its slavering jowels. She reaches the woman and slides off of her horse, ground hitching it, her healers satchel in hand. She looks around for any other surviving wounded.

In the midst of the fray that encompasses the area, a sight shocking to most can be seen, gaining on the riders and the beast comes the form of a bear. Her powerful feet beat against the ground and she quickly gains on the group with powerful strides. As she runs, she lets out a load roar, sweat forming in her fur.

As soon as Dolwyr realizes what has happened, he jumps on the back of Tiracryl, his grey horse, and begins a fast gallop... he slows down near the the place where the child lies lifeless, or so it seems, but then gallops even faster, trying to follow, if not catch up, Lord Colinor

Not far behind the tailor comes charging a full half of the Silver Guard assigned to protect him, but his horse is of the plains and theirs of the lands to the south. Ardanne easily outstrips them, and carries Rorgan easily apace with the other Riders, and when he is side by side with Colinor, he makes a gesture with his spear -- the tight circle nearly invisible to those who are aback of the pair as they bear down upon what looks to soon be a hapless Warg.

Kerowyn does not spare a glance for either of her fellow Healer\'s as the appear, simply cocking her head towards the house, as if bidding them within, and claiming the solace of this woman for her own.

Moving into action, Aearwen puts the remaining healers into action, heating water, organizing supplies, awaiting the return of the riders after the warg. Moving back and forth in the Gondorian encampment, her frightened eyes cut often to the scene of the chase as she works, pale face drawn and tight. Eye\'s widening as she notes a big bear chasing after the horses.

For her part, she does not yet notice the bears or horses.. or anything else. Aelspeth has sidled her slender frame nearer to Kerowyn, and she looks down to make certain all is well with both the healer and her claimed charge before stalking off a few paces in front of them. Eyes afire, she can do little but watch as the vicious beast is approached by the erstwhile cavalry.. and ready herself for what will come after. A healing or burial is yet to be seen. Wary she is and subtly tensed, gaze narrowed upon the nearby shadows, for perhaps these wargs travel not alone.

Colinor nods at the signal given to Rorgan, apparently recognizing it for what it is meant to convey. He levels his spear at the warg as the two of them close in on the beast. He notices not the bear charging up from behind....

Heading towards the house, Maeghan goes to look for any other survivors that might need help. Her jaw is tight as she moves, eyes cold. She stands next to the wall by the door and edges towards the doorframe. She reaches behind and withdraws an arrow from her quiver. She tosses in gently into the doorway, as if to test if there is any other Warg lying in wait inside.

The massive bear seems to take direction from the mounted Tailor as well and moves into formation with the riders. It\'s claws grip at the dirt as it runs and its breath pants but it does not lose speed. Its eyes flicker between the leader of this human force and the beast that they chase.

Rorgan, too, feels the approach of the bear, but pays it little heed. If there is danger to his rear, the Silver Guard will catch up soon enough. If not, there is the matter of the child that can still be seen to squirm between the jowls of death. With his knees, Rorgan steers Ardanne a little bit to the right and lowers his spear, a wierd sort of grin beginning to form upon his features.

The woman seems to have broken to mere gibbering, leavign Kerowyn to hold and rockher gently, her own gaze seeking those on horseback, searching between one rider and the next.

Dolwyr, still chasing the wolf, prepares his staff and watches the maneuvres of both Rorgan and colinor. but suddenly, tiracryl stops and fearfully fleas the scene... As Dolwyr tries to control the random moves of his horses, he spots, at the corner of his eye, the reason of this sudden crazyness: a big, black, black bear is running to the scene...

He has but a spear...his shield is worn on thr back of his saddle, and he has not had a chance to grab it, the need for haste having descended so suddenly upon this scene. He paces himself with Rorgan, and catches the shape of something...brown from the corner of his vision. But he can\'t spare an instant to look yet. Before he knows it, he is upon the beast, spear held as he braces himdelf for the inevitable impact which might very well send him flying from his saddle.

For his part...if it is indeed a \'he\', the warg has spun around and dropped the child, red eyes seeming to almost glow in the dimming light of late afternoon, teeth bared in fierce, frothing snarl...

With a powerful dash, The great Brown Bear moves betwwen the riders, fangs and claws flaring, the bear reaches a powerful paw for the warg. The force of her attack is vicious and quick but distracting enough to allow the human riders to regroup in attack. As she attacks, however, her eyes are not on the warg, but instead on the dropped child.

Nothing leaping out at the arrow, Maeghan slowly peers around the doorframe, not seeing any other warg indoors she walks through the door to see if there is any other survivor that needs aid. Many horrors she has seen in her life, but the blood spattered about the room makes the healer stop for a moment and tears of rage come to her eyes as she ventures farther into the house, calling out softly, \"Hello...I am Maeghan, a healess....Hello??\"

And Rorgan does his part, as well. It almost would seem choreographed, this hunter\'s dance performed by the two riders, yet they have not accounted for their third partner, and in the moment when the tailor takes his eyes from his target to look more closely at what has moved upon them from behind so quickly, his spear catches in the flank, burying itself deeply. As the momentum of Ardanne carries them across the path of the blow, the haft of the spear shatters, and Rorgan is at once wheeling the chestnut stallion and drawing his sword for another pass.

For a moment, the huge bear makes eyecontact with Rorgan. She nods her large head at him and as the mounted humans battle the beast, the Bear moves quickly to scoop up the now discarded child.

Kerowyn cannot see much from her place on the ground, but what little she can see catches the breathin her throat, her reassuring murmurs ceased by now the threat of two beasts, where one ran before.

That\'s enough for Aelspeth.. the tall lady steps forward without a second thought, attempting to get herself in the path of the bear, a much more known quantity than the warg. She\'s only her staff, but she bears it in both hands, angled before her.. eyes touched with fear, though solid becomes her stance in the trampelled village grasses.

With the child held carefully, the great bear begins to move out of the frey, back towards the waiting healers. She moves carefully, as if to not jostle the child any more then necessary, but she takes large strides and moves quickly. Her muscles are clearly strained from her dash to the warg, but there is determination in her eyes. Her feet leave tracks in the dirt as the massive paws hit. She glances over her shoulder to see if there is danger of attack as she hopes the attacks of the men on the warg are enough to distract it.

The sound of thundering hooves come from a ways off. Coming from the direction the warg is heading is Galdorim on horseback with a couple other Gondorian guardsmen mounted coming back from patrol. Galdorim has his axe in hand as his dark curly hair bounces behind him. He raises his axe on high and calls out. \"For Gondor!\" as he heads to cut off the wolves from retreat.

Horror fills the young Master Healer\'s eyes as she walks into the side room of the small house. Inside a bloody mess meets Maeghan\'s emerald gaze. A man ripped into three pieces lays on the wooden floor. Swallowing back the bile that threatens to choke her, the healess turns her attention to finding a sheet with which to cover, and collect the poor husband\'s remains.

The two men have charged and hit the beast...hard. Colinor manages, somehow, to stay in the saddle, having to reach behind him to produce a second spear from the side of his mount as his breaks, as does that of Rorgan. Sheer luck has the tall, blonde rider on the other side of the creature, pulling away, when the warg goes up to the left and grabs Rorgan by the belt of all things--amazing what teeth will snag hold of, and savagely yanks the man down from his saddle, as Colinor wheels his mount around, eyes going wide. He calls out to Rorgan, leaping from his saddle to move in and fight the beast more closely, riders and silver guardsmen thundering nearer, suddenly not nearly as concerned about the bear, for Rorgan is down.

It takes a little while to Dolwyr to calm his buckling mare back, doing his best to scrutinize the scene as well as trying not to be thrown off his saddle... As soon as he regained control over Tiracryl, he realizes what Aelspeth is tryingto do, and rushes at her side...

With great stealth, the bear works her way entirely out of the frey, her eyes still flickering back to make sure she is not followed. She sees the men engage the beast and takes a breath as she continues back towards the healers.

Galdorim spurs his horse and brings his horse to a gallop. He tries to manuver his horse faster and faster as he sees his friend, Rorgan, get pulled from his horse by the evil beast. He calls out. \"RORGAN!\" HIs large hand grips his axe as his knuckles turn white with anger and fear for his friend.

His first curses are loud and clear, ringing into the air, but as the full weight of the beast comes down upon him and his sword flies free, it is better that his words are muffled by the stinking, matted fur. Of course, the Silver Guardsmen now break off from where they had begun to bear down on the bear and break at full gallop for their charge -- high will be the price they pay with Commander Azragath Khozadan if the tailor is hurt by their innatention. Even as the men race to the rescue that may only come from one, the tall, greying-blonde tailor is swallowed from view under the giant Warg.

All else is momentarily forgotten, the bloodied form of the unconscious.. or worse.. child is the focus of her attention, Aelspeth bracing herself and then moving forward. Visibly swallowed down a different sort of fear, she manages a very grateful glance sidelong in Dolwyr\'s direction before turning her gaze back to the bear she\'s taken to cautiously approaching. There is more than one white-knuckled grip here, for her own fingers clutch the slick wood of her staff as if to keep her anchored to reality.

Kerowyn\'s breath must catch a second time in her throat, every ounce of her focused upon her Master and the advancing bear.

Finding a sheet, Maeghan gently lifts the bloodied and shredded pieces and puts them upon it. She desperately strives to not think about what she is doing. As she finishes she knots the sheet closed until they can get him ready for buriel. Still within the depths fo the house, she is unaware of the danger to her betrothed. Dimly she hears a name being yelled, but she is too intent on gently lifting the burden and taking it out of doors.

The brown bear draws closer and closer to the healers. Her nose sniffs the air and she catches the smell of blood mixed with fear. She supresses the urge to shake her head for fear of breaking the delicate package in her jaws. She can not thelp but take notice of the fact that some that she approach are armed. She slows slightly, looking for a firmiliar face.

Struggling, Maeghan exits the small house and eases the bloody bundle onto the ground and looks around, her eyes a strange mixture of heartsick and fury. She looks around her to see the status of things...

As soon as he approches the bear, Dolwyr slows its pace, and tries to remain calm, not to frighten the beast. He holds his staff firmly, watching the bear carefully, most of his attention placed on his own horse...

It crosses the periphery of Colinor\'s thoughts, as he swings the gleaming point of his spear about to face the Warg, that Eartnan himself died fighing valiantly with these same brave, fearless Gondorians. Perhaps fate shall not be kind to the blood of Hrugarth, and he is destined to pass on to the great battles beyond in like manner.

But only for an instant. The fear is only the barest of flickers, before, teeth bared and a cry issuing forth from his throat, he strikes at the beast.

Not a strike, actually...the warg lunges at him, Rorgan\'s clothing--his cloak, perhaps--ripping as the beast loses hold on the man but tramples him under, and Colinor with him. But Colinor, though he is far from the greatest warrior in the world, is a quick thinker, and has good reflexes. It is those reflexes which saves his life, perhaps, as he thinks..or doesn\'t think, but manages...to set the butt of his spear into the ground, the weight of the ferocious, impossibly large beast running into the point...

\"Maeghan!\" Aelspeth\'s thoughts have leapt ahead, eyes following the projected path of the loping bear. \"Ware you.\" Worry paints her expression, melting its delicacy into harder lines of anger and intent as she sets off across the grasses, staff still tightly held.

\"Maeghan! Watch..\" keorwyns voice mingles with that of Aelspeth, her eyes tracking the great beast of a bear with fear in their slate depths, though she is weaponless, and powerless to do much more than support the collapsed woman in her arms.

Crying out, \"Hurt not the bear!\", Maeghan stands stock still and watches the bear quietly. She, unlike most people, does not appear fearful of the bounding furry creature who gently holds the child. She quietly knells and opens her healers satchel.

Dolwyr reacts instantly and gallops to the aid of Maegan, faster, bending on his mare\'s neck, holding his staff, lifting it in the air, clenching his teeth...

With pounding force, the bear reaches Maeghan, and to the suprise of all those watching, she stops and lies down, rests her massive head on the ground and places the child gently infront of the woman. She pants heavily, sweat lathers in her fur. Her nose and eyes are alert as the humans draw closer to her, but she makes no move towards any of them, her attention now back on the child and the healer.

Nodding Maeghan reaches out almost timidly and lays a hand on the bear\'s side and says, \"Rest....\", and then she kneels down to begin tending the wounded and frightened child. Gently crooning words of comfort, the maid with the red hair begins to wipe away the saliva and blood so as to get a better look at each of the wounds and their severity.

Dolwyr lowers is staff as soon as he hears Maegan\'s words, but still rides to her side. He slows his horse, and watches the bear place the child in front of Maegan, with awe and amazement... \"What kind of spell is this\" whispers the rider \"I have never seen something like this\"

And the cloak of the tailor, Rorgan, is all that can be seen of the man that has been dragged so violently under the giant beast. No sounds come forth or signs of struggle come from under the giant beast.

The men of the Silver Guard draw nigh, breaking from their full gallop toward their employer with much confusion and uncertainty. Still the tailor lies hidden, and in the minds of many, dead. Still, one of the men, recognizable among the Gondorians as another of the men who survived the day Eartnan died steps forward to the great beast and starts pushing at it, trying to roll it over. His desparate eyes look up toward Colinor, \"For the love of Ulmo, lad, help me out here!\" he roars. Soon many hands are upon the beast and over it turns, but more than a few step back muttering oaths at the sight they see when the Warg is rolled.

The hilt of the tailor\'s dagger protrudes from the bloodied throat of the Warg.

And the tailor lies on the ground, face and shoulders covered with at least a part of the lifeblood leaked from the terrible creature this day.

Brown_Bear breathes heavily but lifts her heavy head off the ground, assured now that the child will get proper care. She looks to the man who has ridden up and nods her head slightly to him. She sniffs at Maeghan and the child and licks the healers hands, catching her eyes. There is something firmiliar and human like in the eyes of the great bear.

Pausing a moment, Maeghan studies the bear carefully and looks as if she is about to say something, but then she does not and continues to tend the child, speaking tender comforting words. Glancing at Dolwyr she says, \"If you could find some water, it would be greatly appreciated...I know you are not an errand boy, but my other healers are back at camp, and I need the water...\"

It all registers quickly now, and though the bizarre circumstances of the scene that unfolds with Maeghan would be considered an aberration of the norm at best, Aelspeth still spins herself away from it. The child is safe. The healer is safe. Her mind moves toward the form of the downed Gondorian, and she sets off in his direction, dropping her staff and clutching at her healer\'s bag with both hands as she pushes her way through those that have gathered. It doesn\'t matter to the lady that most of them are mail-clad men quite a bit larger than is she, she hardly gives them a second glance. The only person that can divert her rapt attention from Rorgan is Colinor.. her gaze devouring his state of health before concern shifts to one who may be dying. Pulling up.. she awaits as the men, no lads here, take to moving the dead beast from off their comrade.

Two mortal wounds has tghe vicious beast recieved in tandem, for Colinor\'s spear which had been set by more reflex than anything else..it is snapped in two, the blade and a good portion of the spear itself plunged into the heart of this mighty beast.

For hsi part, Colinor is stunned, and bloody. One can not be quite sure just how much of the blood is the Warg\'s and how much is his own, but he helps to push the beast more fully off of Rorgan and off of himself. He says nothing, trying to collect his wits. It\'s not every day, mind you, that one has a beast of this size bowl you over.

Dolwyr stays breathless behind Maegan, before his attention is caught by the fight... realizing his bear-chase made him waste a few precious minutes, he prepares to ride again, but stops at Maegan\'s words \"I will do as you ask, milady.\" and, without further words, he gallops to the village

Kerowyn\'s expression changes from fear to confusion as she watches the bear set down the child and collapse itself. Her attention is not settled there for long however, for like Aelspeth, her concern is with the men, and th ebattle they rage, eyes searching once more through the riders to finally settle upon the fallen tailor\'s cloak, arms tightening unwittingly around the woman she holds.

Brown_Bear looks at Maeghan as she works on the child and watches the man ride away. She lets out some barks and growls, \"\" Her eyes are warm and hold a bit of a smile in them, so firmilar, yet so unplaceable.

The tailor opens his eyes and begins to gingerly push himself into a sitting position. He takes a deep breath and doesn\'t wince overly much at the pain caused by doing so, but his words come fast and clear, \"What a stink!\" He shakes his head slowly, and flexes each of his arms, eyes staring at the empty sheath in his boot. Apparently not even Rorgan knows how the knife made its way from there to its new sheath in the Warg\'s neck.

A cheer goes up from the men of the Silver Guard as their tailor comes to a sitting position and begins to run his hands down his legs. \"Fetch me my sword,\" Rorgan orders one of the men as he rises to a knee and withdraws his long dagger from the throat of the beast, wiping its blood upon its fur.

It takes what seems like a bit longer than it should for the man to be back on his feet, but once he is, he suggests, \"Make a rug of it and give it to the survivors.\" He jerks his head back toward the house of the ravaged family.

Shaking her head, Maeghan says softly to the bear, \"I do not understand...Koribeorne is a friend and well...I apparently have the blessing of The Bear, so I fear you not...you saved this child...\", as she begins to see the extent of the wounds and purses her lips, sorting through the salves and bandages in her satchel. She mutters to herself, \"I will need to take him to the Healing tent...I have more equipment there to stitch him up...\", she sighs and gently begins to rub salve into the cleaner of the wounds. The bite marks she seems to be avoiding until she is able to get water for better cleansing.

Brown_Bear seems to let out something that sounds like a cross between a bark, a growl, and oddly enough, a human laugh...\"\" She nudges the lady with her head and then turns her eyes back to the battle, although she is unwilling to leave until her charge is safe and cared for. \"\" The barks and growls of the bear are friendly and quiet.

Dolwyr soon returns with a full bucket of water \"I hope this will do, milady. I am a horse healer myself, so if you need any kind of help, I am here to help you. I know horses are not men, or children, but there wounds are treated much in the same way...\"

Nodding, Maeghan says softly, \"I thank you...I will need to get this child back to my camp where I might sew his wounds up easier...\", she gently begins to wash out the bite marks, being careful to remove all of the warg salive. As the child winces she says coos softly, \"I know...be patient little one, soon I will give you something to ease the pain...\", as the bite marks become clean she begins to rub salve into them and then bandage all the wounds until she can get him to the camp. Only as the child\'s wounds are bound does Maeghan look up to see how the fight has progressed. Her eyes widen in horror and she chokes, \"Ro...Rorgan!\", she does not leave her patient though she does appear torn...

\"It seems to me, m\'lord, that you are better served right now by a goodly bucket of warm water than your sword,\" Aelspeth\'s usually honeyed voice can be quite tart. It marks the depths of her concern as she shakes her head at the tailor, one hand paused in unconscious effect upon a hip as eyes run over him. \"Well-sung shall be your courage, all of you,\" her gaze shifts to encompass all about, \"But for now, you need be settled down that we might be sure you\'ve taken no wounds. I imagine they would be foul things and quite prone to infection.\" The stench is ignored, she\'s smelt worse before, and when she\'s finished with that little tirade, she turns to Colinor. \"That would be advice quite good for you as well.\" Her tones are more quiet now, the glimmer in her eyes something more than merely professional concern. \"Though.. let no other touch you, for I should tend your wounds.\"

Brown_Bear hears Maeghan call oout to Rprgan and moves to her feet. She shakes her body, allowing her muscles a bit of a stretch and with a load growl she begins to head back towards the battle, judging the action and the need for her as she does so.

Kerowyn is able to rise now, the woman having drifted into what seems a fitful sleep and lain upon Kerowyn\'s own cloak,a nd she follows swiftly behind Aelspeth, speaking to her in soft tones, \"Then I shall tend my betrothed brother, mi\'Lady, if he will submit to sitting still.\"

Dolwyr watches carefully as the healer puts her art at work on the child\'s wound. He tries to remember every move, so that himself could someday use them. He stands up when Maegan is finished, and notices her concern when her look falls on the battlescene and says with a smile \"I will take it on from her, milady... I\'ll take care of the child, and bring him back to the camp, if you let me. You should go at Rorgan\'s side, now...\"

A man of the Gondorian encampment cries, \"The scouting party returns!\" Barely has the last word left his mouth when the galloping of hooves pounds the turf nearby. Up rides three Silver Guardsmen of Gondor, Azragath Khozadan at the lead. The men immediately rein in their mounts as they approach, suprise and concern on their faces at the scene. Khozadan spots the Tailor and fairly vaults off of his horse, sprinting the short distance to drop on one knee next to the man.

He hears Rorgan\'s order that the remains be made into a rug for the survivors, and that sounds fine by him, he only detatchedly hearing those words, and then those of Aelspeth. The riders of Rohan gather about him now, blocking the view to his wife, all of them inquiring about his wellness, a few jokes from one or two to ease the tension, a few congratulations for a mortal blow. Colinor thanks them all, and a smile, purely fictional, slides ontop his fair face as he accepts those congratulations. He blinks, then, looking through them, ducking his head and parting their ranks, \"Help the Silver Guard to clean the beast. Lord Rorgan speaks wisely in commanding that the fur should be made into a rug for the survivors.\" He\'s getting the wind of command, but right now, it is the farthest thing from his mind. Idly, he realizes he\'s turned an ankle, and that he\'s hobbled somewhat...though he\'ll live. \"Aelspeth..?\" he asks, catching sight of both her and Kerowyn.

The dulcet tones of that voice are known, and they catch with immediacy at Aelspeth\'s attention. She turns, lips finding the wisp of a smile that doesn\'t widen its hold to encompass her features.. that is due to the situation, certainly not to whom she now addresses. \"To few others would I trust this man, sister. You I would trust with my children, my beloved.. and myself. Thank you, for I have but two hands.\" Her fingers unpry themselves from the folds of her bag, and she reaches out to rest them on Kerowyn\'s shoulder in brief before diverting her full attention to Colinor, toward whom she steps.

\"The hornet\'s nest again, Tailor?\" Azragath\'s words come in a rasp from ruined vocal chords, and a mix of anger and concern burns in his eyes. \"You,\" he calls to a nearby Guardsmen, \"What in the name of...\" but he trails off at the sight of the nearby bear, eyes widening in wonder. \"I\'ll be a ... \" For once the Commander is at a loss for words.

Looking up at Dolwyr with extreme gratitude, Maeghan smiles at the child and whispers, \"This kind man will take you to my tent where I will fix you something good to drink, and can give you something that will ease your pain...\", she gently runs a hand against the child\'s cheek and then rises. She gently embraces Dolwyr and then runs towards the scene of the battle, pausing as she sees him already being tended too. She hovers on the outskirts, emerald eyes filled with worry and dread.

As the bear approaches where the men now stand talking, she hangs back from the crowd. She stays at a distance where her flight could be possible if necessary. She seems more curious then anything else as she watches the people and their reactions to these events. She still pants somewhat, but there is clearly energy left in her muscular body.

Kerowyn\'s answering smile is tight and soft as well, as she steps towards Rorgan\'s side with a chiding, \"And donot attempt to rise. I am certain you\'re Lady,\" and with that her eyes skim back towards the house, seeing Maeghan through the press of Silver Guards, and her voice raises, dulcet no more, but holding the booming command necesary in such a place, \"Shoudl like through, if you please!\"

The chestnut stallion, Ardanne, walks a few steps closer to the corpse laying on the field and nuzzles his master. Rorgan reaches up a long, slender hand and rubs the horse\'s nose. And now his eyes fall upon the commander of his bodyguard, but his body turns slowly as it follows the eyes, \"You could call it that.\" No joy in his tone as he looks toward Colinor, who appears to be injured, his mouth opens to ask the obvious question, but then closes again at the words of the healess, Kerowyn.

Dolwyr takes the child in the cradle of his arms \"There you go, little one. You\'re safe now\", and smiles. He then walks through the plain and dissapears behind the guards at the entrence of the gondorian camp...

Azragath shakes his head angrily at Rorgan, \"By the Sunken Isle,\" he curses, \"I should never leave your side, even in the bloody dead of night.\" Standing, he straightens his cloak with a deep scowl. \"We came here for a funeral, Tailor, but it isn\'t supposed to be yours.\" Gazing down at the warg corpse, he spits on the fallen beast. \"A pox on these cursed vermin. I\'d give a month\'s wages to slit the throat of the swollen mother who births them.\"

The bulkier men offer her no challenge. Aelspeth is a healer, and is accustomed to commanding the worst the Mark has to offer, a far more rough crowd than this group of tailored Gondorians. Many garner a smile from her, or the upcurve of an amber-gilt brow, but it takes not long for her to weave her way between their forms and steps close to that of her beloved. \"You shouldn\'t walk so far as the camp is from here, Col.\" Lower, tones imbued with an intimacy that bespeaks the fact these are not merely patient and tender.. the placement of her hand, palm-down upon his breast, only enhances that impression.

Finally having had enough of hovering on the edges, she pushes aside the Silver Guardsmen that block her way, most she has known for many months know and many have actually guarded her own person at one time or another. Maeghan finally gets though and cries out softly, \"Rorgan!\", she rushes towards the conscious tailor.

As a greater crowd gathers around the battle scene, the bear turns and slips off, moving out of the sight of anyone who may have attention somewhere other then those who faught. Moments later, from a similar direction, the large frame of Koribeorne can be seen. She seems tired and moves slowly, but there is a slight smile on her lips.

Without even realizing he had sat back down, Rorgan now looks up at Azragath and his cursing, then comes the quiet reply as the tailor rubs his head, \"I\'ll try and see that it doesn\'t come to that.\" Whether the reply is for the first, second, or both statements might be hard to tell.

Kerowyn\'s smile broadens to include Maeghan in her approach, and she nods to the other woman, taking a step back to scan the crowd for other casualties.

The tailor\'s eyes flit toward Maeghan, and then toward Kerowyn, \"But I *was* standing, my lady. I\'m just fine.\" He begins to make that slow rise to his feet again, one hand held to his head. \"Wasn\'t I?\" he asks to no one in particular.

Azragath mutters another curse foul enough to raise eyebrows among even the more veteran soldiers, but the fire seems to dropped to a smoulder. Looking up sharply, he looks this way and that for... \"The bear,\" he rasps, \"where is it?\" His hand goes immediately to his hilt, as do many other hands in the crowd. The buzzing sound of wonder and fear ripples through the group.

As Koribeorne enters the scene, she does not seem alarmed by what she is seeing, infact, if anything she seems to firmilar with it. She makes her way towards Maeghan and where Rorgan has fallen. She approaches slowly, not wishing to bother anyone by her presence. She stops as she gets just behind the healer.

Maeghan crossing her arms, Maeghan\'s worry shows through as she says sternly, \"Absolutely not, you sit there until you have been fully examined and treated for any wounds...\", she glances at Azragath and smiles faintly, \"The bear rescued the child...there is nothing to fear from it...perhaps it is one that has followed Koribeorne from her homeland...\", she turns back to Rorgan and frowns, \"What were you thinking?!\", she sighs, and shakes her head, \"I know what you were thinking, and were I you, I probably would have done the same...\", she goes to kneel before the tailor and starts a cursory examination to make sure he is not going to die on her or anything.

He might -look- to be injured, but it is far from life-threatening. Just a sprain, and some scratches that will remind him of today for awhile...though certainly not enough to keep him out of the saddle for any length of time at all, for now he knows that the beasts are out there.

\"We shall speak, my friend,\" he calls out then to Rorgan across the way, his melodic voice certainly something that was built for more glorious things than speech. \"If there is a leader out there, I shan\'t rest until I see you with it\'s head, as you so desire. Anything to wipe the vermin from our fair land!\" Aaaah, he is Rohir, to be certain. When the adrenaline runs through his veins, he can but think with it. It is then that Aelspeth reaches him, and he falls silent, looking down to her and placing a hand upon her shoulder, \"They are out there, my love.\"

Koribeorne places a gentle hand on the shoulder of Maeghan who has spoken out in favor of the Bear. \"Ah, I am sure it meant well....\" She trails off as if she wishes to say more but does not for the moment, \"You are blessed by the Bear, Lady, and one will come to your aid.\" She chuckles softly to herself and then mutters something.

Azragath looks to one of the Guardsmen he rode in with, but the other man, still mounted, apparantly didn\'t see the bear\'s departure either. Khozadan scowls, straining for some sign of the beast for a moment longer, then relaxes. He throws up his hands in disgust. \"Would somebody please,\" he asks, \"mind telling me what sort of folk tale this place has become?\" Sighing, he shakes his head. \"Bears saving children, tailors killing wargs. It\'s not a caravan, it\'s a travelling bloody circus.\"

\"Yes, Colin, and they will be out there with the dawn. Trust you me that the wards set to guard this village shall be doubled this even. But that is a task best seen to by another,\" Aelspeth\'s gaze is steady, it\'s violet depths aimed now toward the bearded face of another Rider. \"M\'lord will see to this task for you.\" And the man loses his jocularity before the gaze of the healer, nodding his head with a touch of deference that was probably gotten some time during a past recovery. \"We do thank you.. all here will.\" And that is that, she angles her body, slipping her arm about her husband\'s waist and tugging him off toward the encampment, or perhaps the manor beyond.

Maeghan looking over at Koribeorne, she smiles and nods, saying mildly \"Of course it meant well....\" The healess says softly, \"I do not fear bears anymore actually...it is strange...\", she smiles, \"Perhaps it is because I am in favor of the Bear...I know not...but I will not againhurt one...\", she then turns back to Rorgan and says, \"Alright beloved, lets get you to your bed...you will need to rest your head, I want to make sure you do not have a concussion...\", she gently places an arm about the tailor\'s waist and says to Azgarath, \"Are you just going to stand there and yap, or are you going to assist me, Az?\", the healess grins faintly at the Commander of the Silver Guard.

With nothing more to say, Koribeorne slips off, disappearing from the crowd.

Kerowyn moves off to one side, silent, a sudden ghost in the crowd, part neither of the riders nor the SIlver Guard.

\"Speak we will, Colinor,\" the tailor calls out, \"as soon as the healing women give me a clean bill of health.\" He is still rubbing his head, as his eyes turn toward Azragath, \"Khozadan, what did you expect us to do once we arrived here? You know the bride-price demanded by that blasted One-handed Sirion the Elder as well as I.\"

\"Next,\" exclaims the gravel-toned Khozadan, \"A bloody giant eagle will descend and dance a jig for us. Methinks this Rohir ale is too strong, Tailor. Here,\" he adds gruffly, taking Rorgan by his free arm. \"Lets get you to a tent before you decide to start hunting Mumakil.\"

Laughing lightly, probably in relief that ROrgan will be alright, Maeghan says, \"I actually considered bringing back a little one as a pet, they were quite unique...\", she grins, \"No one would dare assualt me if I rode one of those...but then I decided that Lord Denethor would be quite furious with me...\"

Azragath shakes his head in disbelief at Maeghan\'s claim. \"I think I\'ll take some of that ale after all. By the silver sea that named me, is there no-one left with his wits in this place?\"

\"A wolf? Youconsidere done of these beasts as a pet?\" Kerowyn\'s voice is incredulous, and she stops her forward charge towards the encampment and her own lack of a tent to merely stare at her fellow healer in disbelieve.

The tailor even ventures a chuckle at that, \"No, no, Khozadan, our Mumakil hunting days are long gone.\" The assistance of the Commander is more than enough to get the tall man to his feet.

Azragath looks over to his shoulder at Kerowyn, shaking his head slightly, \"She means a Mumak, m\'lady, not a wolf. Not even she...\" He reconsiders the end of this sentence, shrugging as he decides not to continue that thought. \"She meant a Mumak, tis all.\"

GLancing at Kerowyn, Maeghan grins, \"No a Mumakil....I would kill the wargs if I could...\", she glances at Rorgan and stands tiptoe to gently place a kiss on his cheek, \"I must go tend the wounded child, he has wounds that must be sewn...I will come see you when I am finished...Az, I trust you to be gentle with him and do NOT let him leave his bed...he has sustained a rather good knock to the head and I want to make sure he has all his wits...\"

\"No, no, sister-to-be... A mumakil. Though I am certain she jests,\" Rorgan says. That right hand, though is still upon his forehead and his walking is none too stable. \"My legs feel like bags of water, Azragath,\" he mutters.

Kerowyn slips forward, then, to support Rorgan\'s other side, and smiles with a gentle nod at Maeghan, \"I will ensure his safety, and his ability to not rise, mi\'Lady. Go, tend the child.\" The smile is settled upon Azragath as well, as if the slightest, courtly challenge to her right to replace Rorgan\'s intended in such a way.

\"Gentle,\" exclaims Azragath, \"I\'ll gentle his head into a week\'s sleep if he even tries to rise from bed.\" But at the tailor\'s comments the Commander looks genuinely worried, and he says in a softer tone, \"That is because they carry a heart of steel and a head of stone, Tailor.\" Chuckling, he shakes his head. \"I don\'t know why you retain me to protect you. It\'s like trying to protect a wounded bear seeking honey.\"

Nodding, Maeghan\'s expression becomes deadly serious as she makes her way towards the tent and the small child. She is in the tent for several long hours tending his wounds.

Azragath glances at Kerowyn with only a raised eyebrow, but his acceptance of her aid at Rorgan\'s side is answer enough.

\"Truth, friend?\" Rorgan\'s words are soft, \"Truth is, you have trained us the best thirty fighting men in Gondor.\"

Another healer gets the mother and takes her to the healer\'s tent, and yet another healer gently picks up the father\'s remains to deal with those...

Azragath says, \"A jeweler only polishes the gem, tailor, he doesn\'t make it. If they are the best now, it is only because they had it in them to begin with.\" The Commander is oddly philosophical, lost in his thoughts for a moment. He adds, \"Though they have had their fair share of experience in our company, I\'ll warrant.\"

Nodding his agreement, \"Experiences I wouldn\'t have pulled through without you, Khozadan. You know that as well as I.\" Then his feet stop moving, and the effect is to have the persons holding his arms half a step ahead and somewhat facing each other, \"Lady Kerowyn, this is Commander Azragath Khozadan. Lady Kerowyn is to be my brother\'s wife, and Azragath here is in charge of my Silver Guard.\" He smiles.

Kerowyn is a silent companion once more, lending herself support if needed, and noting more as she listens to the quiet jesting, glance sidelong, noting true injury from weariness.

She inclines her head politely, smile warming, though it has yet to reach her eyes, \"Well met, Commander.\"

Azragath nods in polite return at the introduction, \"And to you as well, m\'lady.\" After a pregnant pause he adds, \"You are brave indeed to bind yourself by marriage into a family with this Tailor.\"

Kerowyn laughs softly, occupied now, for the trek is not that long, with ensuring that Rorgan is indeed settled and able to sleep, though she is able to chake her head,and several tendrils of gold from her braid, \"THere are those who would agree with you, certainly, sir. Have you yet to meet my Lord?\"

Azragath nods, \"I have not had the pleasure, m\'lady.\" Oddly well-mannered, if not for his typically scoundrel demeanour. Bu now he looks apologetic, \"I fear it will not be tonight, however. I must see to the next scouting party. We\'ll double the watch after this incident.\"

Kerowyn settles herself into a chair near the tailor\'s cot, and nods once, gently, \"Of course. I shall keep watch here.\" And indeed she seems quite intent on not moving from this very chair, come the dawn or anything else.

you yet to meet my Lord?\"

ï¿½