Hraefengar\'s Vision

Minas Tirith: Maiden Street - Place of Ancient Kings

The Kings of Gondor stand before the East. From first to last with hands upraised they stare into the darkness that looms beyond the River. About them, this place is built with granite stones set upon a shelf of rock carved from the Mountain. The manors of those loyal to these once proud men stand silent, most empty, haunted by the memory of glories never to be known again.

When clear, the stars wheel overhead like crowns for the kings standing here. All about is a pale glow and shadows seem to move on their own accord, bowing before the figures of these ancient lords. But darkness reigns and the faces of these monarchs lie invisible beneath its cloak. Terrible are their still and graven images standing grim before a long-feared menace. The silence here hangs like a shroud, as if a pall from Rath Dinen has crept over the walls and taken root.

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

Dusk has come and gone and now full night has come, tumbling down the fells like a shroud. And it is, perhaps, fitting here, that shadow should cover the Kings that were, and mingle with the darkness, so that the mountains to the East seem like a chill of nightmare, distant yet menacing, waiting for the uneasy dreamer to sleep into deeper sleep before pouncing. Bells do not chime the hour, but surely it is near midnight. Standing amidst the ancient kings is one of the Eorlingas, as still as the graven figures, his face near as pale. His eyes, too, stare out at the East, wide and distant they are, seeing something perhaps other than shadow. For Hraefengar has not returned to the camp after the baths, and here and now he is alone, with only his dog to guard him from the shadows.

Brooding among the stone kings, a cloaked figure blends into the darkness, leaning against the far side of one of the manors here, nearly out of view of the Eorling man. With the darkness of the night and no stars, he would be hard to make out, his clothes designed to meld into the landscape as it is, and the young scout trained in silence. The only thing to reveal him, perhaps, is the slight sound of liquid as a leather flask is tilted up to his lips--and a quiet sigh.

[Faelwine(#31903)]

Up the street a cloaked figure comes, pacing quickly, the freckled cheeks and rose-gold braids of Faelwine catching the warm glow of a lone torch as she passes up the cobbled way. Amid the empty, echoing streets, her gaze fixes upon the lone, still figure up ahead. The figure accompanied by a dog. She quickens her pace towards him. Focused as she is, she already under the gaze of the stone kings when she notices them, and she starts, stopping suddenly, glancing up and around the square, biting at her lower lip. More slowly, cautiously, then, does she continue to the scop\'s side. Reaching out one hand to his arm, she steps close to him. \"Hraefengar?\" she inquires in a soft murmur, using their own tongue. \"Love, it is late... you should come down. Let--\" It is then that the figure in the shadows, previously unnoticed, takes his drink, and again she jumps slightly, then clears her throat, and calls out in Westron, \"Who is there? Make yourself known, for allies and friends do not lurk in the shadows from each other.\"

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

\"It is late, the hour is late,\" murmurs Hraefengar, his voice strange, resonant and cadenced as if he is chanting. In Rohirric he says these words, then in Westron, then Adunaic, and then Sindarin. \"It is late, and the fires burn. Where now the horse and the rider? They come too late. Too late.\" Again in four tongues he speaks, then laughs softly, a sad, mournful sound, and he shakes his head.

Another small movement in the darkness by the building, leather flask tilted to lips, then tucked away hidden beneath a dark cloak. The woman\'s challenge elicits that response, at least, from the scout, though for a heartbeat or more, it might seem that he intends not to answer, but to hide in the dark and hope for anonymity. But Hraefengar\'s voice, and the four languages he speaks, assure otherwise.

Slowly, Ceredir pushes away from the building, almost wearily. In the darkness it can\'t be seen if his eyes are red or his step unsteady from drinking. \"Tis a friend, not foe,\" he calls through the dark, moving a few steps toward the pair. \"Those words...they speak to me.\"

[Faelwine(#31903)]

\"Oh, good even,\" Faelwine breathes an audible sigh of relief. \"Forgive me, Ceredir. I have been worried and this place,\" A brief glance is spared for the stone figures about them, and she shivers slightly, \"Does little to ease my nerves.\" She looks again to her husband, she gives his arm a reassuring squeeze. \"Hraefengar,\" she calls again to him gently. \"The only fires which burn here are those welcome and warming. I have kept the one in our tent going, that you shall not be chilled during the night. Come to bed, dear heart? The journey is long, and you aught rest.\"

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

Of a sudden Hraefengar whirls, and his face is very pale, his eyes strange, still staring. His gaze darts from woman to man, and then he takes a step back. \"No,\" he moans, horror in his voice. \"No. A friend, you were a friend. The Eye? You have betrayed us all. How could you? No, no.... n--...\" He blinks, then, confused, and slumps against the nearest statue, slides down against it, and sits down hard upon the ground.

\"Lady, good evening,\" Ceredir answers. \"Forgive me--I meant not to cause you fright, but only came here to think after being to the baths. I didn\'t know your lord had come this way, too--and thought I was alone, here to ...well, to ponder some things about my parentage, if you will.\" He grimaces at that, then slowly sighs. \"I wasn\'t sure...\"

\"What..?\" Abruptly, as Hraefengar stares at him and speaks so, the scout\'s voice goes hoarse and his face ashen. He staggers back a step, staring in shock at the Rohir, so that even when the man slumps against the statue and crumbles to the ground, Ceredir stands rooted, dumbfounded and terrified looking.

[Faelwine(#31903)]

Faelwine hurries to kneel close at the scop\'s side, reaching out her hand to his. \"Shhh, dear heart, we are safe right now,\" she breathes softly, trying to soothe, then turns her gaze upon Ceredir. She, too, blinks in confusion, then hesitantly, begins, \"Please, forgive him... the darkness in the East, so close, it casts shadow upon his mind, confuses and... Are you... are you alright, Ceredir?\"

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

Hraefengar lifts his head, and for a moment there is a strange intensity in his eyes, as if he is seeing through Ceredir, and memorizing him. Then he groans and leans against Faelwine, closing his eyes and lifting a hand to his brow. \"Where... where... Faelwine? I.... Ceredir? I... It was March, too. I... home. Sorry.\" He shakes himself, then groans again.

Strange behavior for a soldier and a scout of Ithilien: Ceredir continues to stare at the other man, and then when Hraefengar turns that intense gaze on him, the scout staggers sideways, groping blindly in the dark for support against the statue.

It\'s only when Hraefengar addresses him normally that he recovers, though he is gasping for breath, his voice hoarse. \"Yes, Lady, thank you. I\'ll...I\'ll find help for him...\" he says, taking a few unsteady steps forward. He stops and withdraws a flask from under his cloak, unstoppering it and freelying taking two long pulls on it in front of the other two before he hides it away again. \"The healers...\" he offers, voice slowly coming to normal but not there yet. \"I\'ll find one for you...help you bring him back to his tent..and...visit tomorrow...\" He seems in a great hurry to be off, hardly waiting for a reply before starting down the street.

[Faelwine(#31903)]

Faelwine stares after the scout, looking as confused as ever. She calls a soft \"Erm, thank you,\" to him, and then he is gone. She blinks, then looks back to the scop, reaching out to put her arms about him, murmuring once more in the tongue of the Mark. \"In Mundburg, dear love, not home, not yet. Soon, though.\" A soft, sad sigh. \"Can you walk, if you lean against me? Or should we wait for the healer? It is a long road down again.\"

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

\"I....\" Hraefengar stares blankly a moment, then shudders. \"So cold. And... where is... did I dream Ceredir? I... where was... no, I was here. I...\" He shudders again. \"I do not know if I can walk, dearest. I am not even sure which way is up right now. Everything is shadows. I am sorry.\"

[Faelwine(#31903)]

\"He was here,\" Faelwine nods. \"He... went to fetch a healer.\" She shrugs a little, then manages a faint smile for the scop, trying to be reassuring, though her gaze is troubled. She sinks from kneeling to sit upon the stone against him, and unfurling her cloak, she casts it about the both of them. Huddling close, she tries to keep him warm. \"We shall wait then. You need not apologise, dear heart... I understand. Well, a little, perhaps.\" A soft sigh escapes her, and letting her eyes fall closed, she rests her cheek against his shoulder.

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

\"The shadows are so deep, here. It is like memory, or... well... It is like Osgiliath.\" Hraefengar shudders, closing his eyes and bowing his head, as if a heavy weight presses down upon him. \"So cold, falling, falling. Faelwine, are you there? Please tell me you are there. It is so dark... and there is no sun. No sun, no dawn. Oh Bema, Bema. But it is your horn. Help me...\"

[Faelwine(#31903)]

\"I am here,\" answers Faelwine promptly, her voice gentle, soothing. She snugs her arms about him, drawing herself closer against him. \"I will protect you, my love you are with me, and I shall keep you safe, as well as can be. It is alright only night, just night-shadows. And above,\" Her eyelids flutter, and she tilts her head back, and a small smile creases the corners of her lips. \"Stars, stars like dew or gems netted in the skies. Look up, away from the shadows. They are only a small thing, here on the ground. The stars heed them not, and shine all the same.\"

[Hraefengar(#15851)]

Stars. Hraefengar lifts his head, lifts his face to the stars, and a childlike wonder comes to his eyes. He smiles, and the tension eases from him, and he sighs deeply. \"There. Thank you, it is what I needed. I will close my eyes, for a bit, and perhaps you can lead me from this place, Faelwine, when I am able to walk?\" Hraefengar\'s voice is his own, but it is weary, weary and faint, as if he has scarce the strength to use his voice. Still, he smiles, and leans against his wife.

[Faelwine(#31903)]

\"Yes, I will lead you, dear heart.\" Faelwine replies softly, then lays her head again upon his shoulder, and though she does not close her eyes this time, a small yawn escapes her. \"Just rest, rest... and we will go down when you are ready. I will keep you safe, and will try to keep you warm while you rest.\"