The Return to Bree

It\'s been two months since anyone has seen some of the trouble-makers that left Bree. The man known as Seeker has disappeared. No one has seen the black-haired girl. And Keldean made off with Nob\'s cart and pony never to be heard from again.

here\'s a strange group that approaches the south gate this early afternoon. The hot dry air bakes the land and the people that approach the gate have an empty cart with a pony, and -two- horses! Cordelia is riding on Elfaron with her young sister sitting before her, while Keldean guides the pony from the wagon. The third horse is tied of, being tugged along behind the unladen cart.

It\'s a pleasant afternoon indeed - just the sort for smoking a pipe, which is what the current gatekeeper is doing. Old Henry sits in front of the gatehouse with his legs stretched out in front of him. But what\'s this? Travellers? Grumbling, he gets to his feet and calls toward the approaching party, \"Afternoon, travellers. State your name and business.\" He doesn\'t seem overly concerned - he\'s still knocking out his pipe.

Coincidence is a strange thing. As chance, or fate, would have it, strolling down the road from the Pony is be Bree\'s Mayor, Torebras Bywater. The sun is hot, and he has taken off his hat to fan himself as he murmurs fussily, \"So many things to do! Visit Farmer Trotthorpe, speak to Mister Clothweaver ... Now, what else was there?\"

\"Cordelia...Wood. Liuni Wood,\" is Cordelia\'s answer, giving her mother\'s maiden name. It -should- be recognized in Bree--she still has relatives here--specifically, Hector. \"We\'re here to visit my uncle.\"

\"How about saying hello to an old friend?\" a voice says from behind Torebras. Aaron smiles, sweating, and pulling a cart. He passes by Torebras and grins. \"I have to get these clothes to Staddle, but I\'d love to stop and chat...\"

Aaron stops and turns around. His jaw drops as he sees two figures come into view. HE squints, then his eyes widen. \"It can\'t be...\" he whispers, \"they wouldn\'t dare come back here...would they?\"

Keldean slips down off the cart, keeping one hand on the lead for the pony. The teen definitely -looks- nervous. He has no idea how they\'ll be recieved and his brown eyes dart around quickly. He notices Aaron up ahead, along with the mayor. \"Cord.. Maybe.. we should just go around and go to Combe or something..\"

Cordelia remains on Elfaron, and some of her nerves carry to the stallion, who dances about and flares his nostrils. \"Combe....yes....\" She stares at Aaron, then starts to turn the horse around.

Torebras jumps a good six inches, and almost drops his hat (a rather fine dark green one). \"What - who - oh, it\'s you, Mister Clothweaver.\" He heaves a relieved sounding sigh. Just the person I wanted to see. I-\" The stream of words breaks off as he follows the direction of Aaron\'s glance. The sound of Cordelia\'s voice floats on the balmy air. \"Oh dear! Oh dear oh dear,\" is all that Bree\'s mayor can get out as he sees the figure sliding down from the cart. He twists his hat between hands between his hands nervously.

Old Henry has finished with his pipe now. He nods at Cordelia\'s words - until that is, he actually looks at her. \"You! You\'re that girl as disappeared from the Pony.\" He goggles. \"And -\" His eyes light on Keldean. \"Young master Pinewick, isn\'t it?\" His voice takes on an edge. \"You\'re Wanted, you are.\"

Aaron walks forward, stopping just inches from Cordelia and Keldean. Then, he narrows his eyes. \"Do you know the trouble you have caused here, both of you?\" he asks quietly, \"Everyone\'s angry.\"

Turning slowly to Torebras, Aaron raises an eyebrow. \"What do you say Mr. Mayor? I know I\'m just a simple merchant and all, but if you want my opinion, I say don\'t let \'em in the city! I spend time trying to help the lad here,\" he jerks a finger towards Keldean, \"And he goes running off, with Cordelia even!\"

Keldean is getting that look on his face, when he\'s overwhelmed, worried, and still has a chance to run for it. He edges back as the men (and hobbit) approach. \"Wanted? .. \" He repeats, his words light. He backs away quickly when Aaron draws near, keeping out of the man\'s reach.

Torebras is suddenly very busy adjusting his hat, as though trying to delay the unpleasant task ahead. Indeed, he seems quite happy for Aaron to do the talking. But then his opinion is asked ... \"It\'s not that simple, I\'m afraid,\" he tells the merchant. Then, taking a deep breath and looking as though he\'d rather be anywhere else but here, Torebras steps forward to confront the travellers. His brown eyes focus on Keldean, and it is to him the Mayor\'s words are directed. \"Master Keldean Pinewick, I hereby arrest you in the name of the Law!\" It comes out as a near-squeak. \"Under charge of theft ...\"

Quite how he intends to turn his words into deed is not clear.

Elfaron rears just slightly, nervous as Aaron appraoches so close. Cordelia pulls the horse back and to the side, so that the stallion--and Cordelia, who still rides the horse--is not so close to Aaron or the mayor. \"Theft?!\" she nearly shouts. \"How can it be theft when here is the horse and cart he promised to return?\"

Aaron turns to Cordelia. \"You shut your mouth, shrew! Do you know how sad poor Muirgheal up in Archet is \'cause of you? All she talks about is how terrible a person you are! She...she even said...\" he stops here, as if afraid to repeat what long talks with Muirgheal have revealed.

He backs away, slowly, and pulls out his dagger. \"She says you\'re involved in Seeker\'s disappearance...both of you,\" he whispers, turning away.

Keldean shakes his head in denial, \"No.. no.. I brought it back! See?\" He tosses the reins on the ground in the direction of Aaron and the guard. Aaron flashes that knife and the teen hurries back further, drawing up alongside the other horse that\'s tied to the wagon. He reaches to rapidly try and untie the lead, constantly looking up nervously. Cordelia likely knows him well enough by now to know that the next step he plans to take is flight.

Cordelia\'s face falls as Aaron yells at her--of all things, she looks sad. \"Yes,\" she answers quietly. \"I imagine that I do have to answer to Muirgheal. However, I have answered to Rhifaroth for the things that passed. And he still lives. But...vengeance is not yours, Aaron. Put your knife away.\" She pulls Elfaron\'s head around and makes toward the gate again, only pausing for Keldean to mount the third horse.

\"I ... I ...\" Torebras looks flustered for a moment at Cordelia\'s question, but then summons up the strength to answer. \"Two months, it\'s been. Two ... whole ... months! Just think of the loss of income the Pony has suffered! Who knows if it\'s even the same animal?\" The hobbit is spluttering so much he\'s almost purple in the face. \"Mister Butterbur and Mister Nob will want an investigation. Now, Master Pinewick, you just come quietly up to the Breeguard.\" He holds a hand out to Keldean, oblivious to the lad\'s body language - and to anything else going on. Alas, Aaron\'s words seem to be falling on deaf ears. The Mayor is shaking where he stands.

The Breeguard, Henry, lounges idly by, waiting for orders like all good Breeguard should - until, that is, he catches the flash of Aaron\'s knife. \"Now now, Mister Clothweaver, there\'s no call for behaving like \'em Outsiders.\"

Aaron shakes his head. \"There is too Mr. Mayor! Don\'t you understand? They might\'ve kidnapped Seeker! I say add kidnapping to the list of crimes...possibly murder too! Murder! Don\'t you understand Mr. Mayor?\" he turns on his heels. \"They\'re nothing but trouble! Don\'t even let them into the city! Here, I say we just lock the gate and if they try to enter we just call the Breeguard and have \'em removed!\"

Keldean finally wrestles the reins free of the knot holding them to the cart and pulls them away. Then the boy moves back to grab ahold of the saddlehorn to scramble up onto the mount, his technique awkward at best. The teen has almost no experience with riding a horse. He leans foward to try and catch the reins that he\'s let fall loose, trying to balance while staying astride the animal.

Murder? Torebras\' eyes grow wide as saucers, and the hand he\'s extending is trembling like a leaf. \"We don\'t want trouble here,\" he says slowly. \"There\'s been too many Outsiders like that Seeker fellow causing disturbance lately.\" Oh dear. It doesn\'t sound like he\'s understood. \"Now-\"

He breaks off in alarm as Keldean mounts the horse. \"Wait! Stop! Thief!\" he squeaks. \"Henry, do something.\" There\'s no way /he/ is going near a Dangerous Animal.

Aaron\'s already taking care of it. \"Tell Mr. Nob I\'m sorry!\" he yells as he takes his dagger and swipes at Keldean\'s steed\'s leg in an attempt to hinder the escape.

With a shake of the head for all this kerfuffle, old Henry steps forward and tries to reach up for Keldean\'s horse\'s reins. Tries - but then something flashes past him. The Breeguard turns immediately. \"Mister Clothweaver! Now you stop that!\" His outstretched hand changes direction and lunges instead for the merchant\'s wrist.

The animal is already feeling skittish with the worry that\'s rolling off of Keldean, and when Aaron suddenly jumps at the horse with that knife flashing it startles back, whinnying loudly as it rears it\'s legs up. The knife cuts a sizable gash in the horse\'s leg, but it\'s Keldean that\'s having the most difficult. He\'s inexperienced and falls from the horse as it unexpectedly dumps him backwards.

\"Ahh!\" The teen yells as he falls, and instinctively curls into a protective ball on the dirty path as the agitated horse stamps and skitters away. As soon as it\'s clean, Keldean is pushing up to his feet and looking ready to bolt.

\"Stop this! Stop it!\" Cordelia yells, keepign a clearer head and struggling to retain control of her horse. Elfaron is, after all, a war horse, and he stomps and snuffs about, eager to join the fight, it seems. \"Nothing was stolen! the horse and cart are returned! And the elves will vouch for us--Seeker is alive and the folks responsible for his kidnapping have been given justice.\"

Torebras\' head is anything but clear. As Elfaron stomps and snuffs, Bree\'s twitching Mayor edges further away - and since Cordelia had been heading toward the gate, that puts him near to the fallen Keldean. Faced with a rapidly degenerating situation, Bree\'s Mayor does something perhaps rather foolish - he rushes forward and tries to grab at Keldean\'s legs. \"Stop!\" he squeaks.

Keldean is just digging his feet into the ground to get a solid push for speed when Torebras wraps his arms around his legs. The teen topples off-balance, face-planting into the dirt again with a grunt. Immediately he tries to scramble away, trying to extricate himself from the hobbit\'s grip. \"Let go!\"

Did Torebras expect his tackle to be that successful? The poor hobbit follows Keldean to the ground - still, at least he had a soft body to land on. As Keldean struggles, Torebras /tries/ to hold on, but then a kicking foot lands itself in his ample stomach and he lets out a yelp, releasing his grip instantly.

Cordelia kicks the stallion into action, the horse springing forward. If she can, she will maneuever Elfaron between Keldean and the others to allow the teen to get to his feet. Even if it means that the horse has to rush at the standing men and hobbits and run them down. Still, she\'s not about to have Elfaron stamp on anyone--nor would the horse do so.

Keldean barely frees himself of Torebras when Aaron\'s far heavier weight bears down upon him. The teen is skinny and gangly from his recent growth spurt, and struggles to twist free, but the grown man is bigger and stronger than the youth.

Torebras just lies where he is for a moment, trying to get his wind back. As he forces himself to his knees, the hobbit catches sight of Aaron taking over where he\'d left off. He starts to gasp out something: \"Th-\"

Then it happens. Misfortune indeed! The dry ground is littered with stones, and Elfaron\'s hooves send one of those stones flying - to catch the portly hobbit right on the forehead. Bree\'s Mayor keels over instantly, out cold.

\"The mayor!\" Cordelia screams, moving her horse back out of the fray. \"Aaron, he\'s hurt!\" She points to the unconscious form of Torebras. \"A rock hit him!\"

Aaron digs his knee into Keldean\'s groin, trying to further subdue him. As he does so he turns and looks at Torebras. \"Keep away from him, Cordelia! Keep away! Don\'t touch him!\" he screams. He\'s out of breath now, sweaty, and tears stream from his eyes. What has Bree come to?

Always with the cheap shots. Aaron fights dirty.. so very dirty. Keldean groans when the man\'s knee digs into rather sensitive nerves and loses all will to struggle for the moment, crumpling to the dirt as he gasps for breath.

\"Aaron!!\" Cordelia yells, trying to get the man\'s attention. \"Keldean is being honest! He had Nob\'s permission to borrow the pony and cart and now he brought it back! Don\'t hurt him!\" Probably too late.

\"CORDELIA! SHUT UP! MUIRGHEAL SAID YOU TWO KIDNAPPED RHIFAROTH! GIVE ME REASON TO BELIEVE YOU DIDN\'T AND I\'LL CUT THIS OUT!\" he screams so loud that the Breeguard jumps.

Henry, the guard, finally moves forward to do something. He reaches down to grab the gasping teen and hauls him back away. That much the guard had been clear on. The mayor said to arrest the boy. As for Aaron and Cordelia? Henry isn\'t certain what to do about that. \"Mister Clothweaver! The mayor is unconscious!\"

Keldean continues to struggle, but the guard has his arms pulled back behind him and teen is very distracted by the agonizing attack that Aaron leveled on him. The youth is covered in a thin layer of dirt now, the dust of the path sticking wherever his skin was sweaty.. which was anywhere that it was exposed to the hot sun overhead.

The gate is still open--noone has barred it--and now Cordelia turns nad kicks Elfaron forward. The stallion snorts loudly and springs through the gates at a gallop, leaving Keldean behind.

Keldean spits out some grit from his mouth as he finally catches his breath. He tries to twist free from the guard\'s hold, but Henry has his arms pinned back now. The youth levels a dark glare on Aaron, a furious expression on his face. \"You don\'t even know what you\'re talking about!\"

Aaron turns to Henry, then Cordelia, then to Torebras. He closes his eyes and sighs with a frown. \"I\'ll get the doctor to tend to Torebras. You...\" Aaron stops ans screams. \"DAMN IT!\" he yells. \"Damn it, damn it, damn it!\" he kicks the ground and growls as Cordelia speeds off. \"We can\'t catch her now.\"

Aaron turns to Keldean, offering another kick to make sure he\'s nice and limp, then faces Henry. \"Take the boy to the cells. I\'ll get the doctor for the Mayor, then go tell Nob the boy\'s back. I also think Muirgheal would be interested as well.\" With tears staining his face, the Merchant enters Bree through the gate and disappears.

Keldean has no way to dodge when Aaron kicks him again, but when he sees the man aim that foot his way again the teen\'s eyes widen in sudden panic and all the same he tries to scramble back. Aaron\'s foot hits his leg hard, Keldean cries out sharply in pain. He looses all footing and hangs limp in the guard\'s hold. His gut is still aching from the first attack and now his entire leg is throbbing. \"Stop!\" He pleads, choking on the word. The guard watches Aaron walk off, then hoists the teen up a bit and starts pulling him along to the jail, muttering under his breath.