Keldean Finally Decides

February is drawing to a close and it won\'t be long before winter moves on and spring arrives. The lone tent upon the edge of the valley seems a permanent fixture, and as the Bree teen grows healthier each day, he\'s beginning to get restless with his confinement. Keldean is no longer sleeping his days away and relishes any visits by the folk of Rivendell. When left to his own devices, he\'s been practicing the tricky elven tongue, repeating the words he knows and trying to better mimic the proper pronunciation. And that\'s exactly what he\'s doing now as the sun begins to climb the sky behind the screen of rain outside. \" The sun .. rises.. in the sky..\"

But, coming faintly from within the pittering of rain, another voice answers. \" But the clouds cover it,\" is Elathrad\'s brief greeting, heralding the dampened head of the luthier as he looks in. \'Keldean.\'

\'You\'re doing well,\' the Sinda resumes in the Common Tongue. \'There is food, if you are hungry.\' Indeed, a basket is in one hand.

Keldean grins at the sound of Elathrad\'s voice. Since he\'s been feeling better he\'s been having a much easier time picking up the language. \" But the cr.. clouds.. cover it.\" He repeats, then asks, \'Is that right?\' The teen is sitting on a pile of blankets close to the little brazier. \'Food?\' His appetite has gotten much stronger, and while he doesn\'t pack away the portions he has in the past, he\'s still hungry quite frequently.

\'Nearly,\' murmurs the luthier, seating himself on a discarded blanket, his black cloak puddling about him. \" The rain will fade soon,\" Elathrad says, unconsciously in his own tongue.

Reverting to his taciturn mask, the Elf sets a covered basket in front of the brazier, lifting a corner of the cloth. Loaves of bread, and the treasure of the woven reeds -- a small fruit tart -- are set on another blanket, near the teenager.

\"Thank you.\" Keldean says, grinning again as he reaches for some bread. \'I\'ve been thinking.. I don\'t really know where else I can go, so I guess I should go back to Bree.\' It\'s a question Elathrad asked him ages ago, before he fell ill. \'I wish I could stay here.\' He adds in a wistful tone.\"

\"Bree,\" repeats Elathrad, slicing the tart deftly into pieces with a long dagger. \"The snows are melting, so it will be a good time to travel soon.\"

Wiping crumbs from the knife, the luthier glances to Keldean. \"Do you wish an escort? I will not begrudge you one.\"

\"I.. there are the trolls. Meleithel said he might go, but didn\'t want to go alone with me, because it\'s dangerous.\" Keldean takes a bite of the bread, chewing and swallowing before continuing. \"Would you want to go? I\'ve been nothing but trouble for everyone by coming here.. I didn\'t even accomplish what I meant to.\"

\"My heart does not let me stay. If a spear will suffice to protect you from the Trollshaws, then I will come with you.\"

Turning his face momentarily away, Elathrad says, \"The lung ... does it trouble you any longer, Keldean?\"

\"I.. don\'t know, about the trolls. I\'m not sure I would be able to go by myself the whole way back.\" Keldean admits, his tone nervous at the thought of facing the shaws alone. \"The cough you mean? A bit.. yes. It doesn\'t hurt as much when I cough, though. Only a little.\"

\"Then I will accompany you, and Meleithel as well,\" Elathrad agrees with a bow of his head. His lips part, and for a moment he seems he might say something more, eyes fixed dispassionately on the youth. \"Keldean, I ....\"

Then he ducks out of the tent, a hand waved to the rest of the basket. \"Send word when you are ready. I will be waiting.\"

Keldean actually looks relieved when Elathrad agrees to go along to Bree. The teen is more afraid than he\'s showing about the trip back through the dangerous territory. \"Thanks.\" He says, letting out sigh of relief. \"I will.. Thank you for the food.\" Is the teen actually learning some manners? The elves are rubbing off on him.

[Elathrad(#14756)] Soft steps offer no reply, lost in the continual caress of rain.