Questioning Rhifaroth--Day 2

(Cordelia)

Dawn has come to the lands, and with it a cool spring day with off and on drizzle. In this damp warehouse, though, there is no shift in the light from the inky blackness. Still, during the night that blackness would have been pierced several times by the figure of the cloaked woman reappearing every few 2 to 3 hours, carrying a candle--face shrouded by a hood--and making sure that a drop of the horse medicine reaches the Dunadan\'s lips.

And now again, the hooded form of Cordelia comes down the stairs carrying that candle, which she sets far away from Rhifaroth, at the base of the stairs to provide only feeble light. Vial of medicine drawn, she cautiously approaches the man. It has been 3 hours since she last gave him the drops--she had slept overly long.

(Rhifaroth)

It may have been three or more hours since she came last to check on him, but the man hasn\'t stirred noticeably all night. He still lays on his side as he was left, his hands bound tightly behind his back, his now bared ankles likewise tied with rope. A bit of dried blood scabs above his left ear and fades off into the man\'s dark hair. His lips are faintly parted and he breaths softly, mostly through his mouth.

The light is very dim, but Rhifaroth\'s hands have swollen and begun to turn bluish from being rebound too tightly. The barest whisper of sound that Cordelia makes upon her entry, the flickering light, elicits no obvious reaction in the man. But, his eyes are half slitted open, if unfocused.

(Cordelia)

The girl goes to the man\'s boots first, which she had just thrown to one side last night when she pulled them off after he had kicked at Keldean. Now she picks up one of the boots, running her hands briefly over the worn leather outer surface as she lets her eyes adjust to the light. It\'s several minutes before she moves to the man, bending over him to check for the sound of his breathing. She frowns, seeing his hands, and sets to work loosening the ropes some. \"(Sindarin) Are you awake, Man of the West?\"

(Rhifaroth)

It is difficult to loosen the rope with his flesh swollen. His hands feel colder than the rest of his skin, but obviously blood was seeping into them, if not as quickly back out again in order to make them swell up. They look painful, but there is no twitch or movement to indicate any as she works to adjust the binding.

There is a shift in Rhifaroth\'s breathing, then a faint barely audible sound after she asks her question. Otherwise the man lays still, thick and muddled yet from the last dose earlier, in the night.

(Cordelia)

The boots are set aside not far from Rhifaroth\'s feet, Cordelia not finding the knife hidden in one of them. Slender hands work steadily at the ropes--Cordelia can feel the coldness of his hands, and in the dark her face sets with worry. The bonds are loosened considerably, to let the blood flow better.

She stands up, then, intending to go to a corner of the room where more rope lies, but there\'s a sound and she pauses. She -heard- that shift in his breathing he must be awake at least somewhat. \"(Sindarin) Why did you leave Gondor?\"

(Rhifaroth)

Someone has asked him a question? It seems ... to be dark. But there maybe is a little flickering, dim light. Not sure. Something moved behind him? Did it touch him?

The drugged man is slow to make a response. He may not be awake enough to have understood the question, or might be trying to think about it. Unknowingly, what Cordelia asks is actually a difficult question with many reasons for answers.

Laying there, Rhifaroth tries to focus, tries to think. Why did he leave? His mind is sluggish. He says something, a sound, but it isn\'t clear enough to understand. Did he say he was tired?

(Cordelia)

A loud sigh now, the girl frustrated. She continues across the room to the corner, picking up a length of rope. Returning to kneel next to the man, she threads the rope around the bonds by his hands, intending to use the rope to connect the wrist bonds to his legs.

She\'s a bit hesitant...likely the man will end up dead, but here she is, worrying that his hands are tied too tightly. She works quietly, frowning, trying to focus on what she needs to get from him. \"(Sindarin) Why are you in Bree?\" She tries that.

(Rhifaroth)

That is an easier question but ... still, something about it is confusing. It\'s as if someone had stuck his head into a bucket of mud. A voice speaks to him, he can understand the words, but they seem as if they were coming from far away. \"Hrm...\" then, a little more clearly in the dimness as Cordelia\'s hands thread the rope from his hands to his bound feet, \"(Sindarin) Bree? ... Archet... just want ... \" It seems difficult for him to get his mind around what he is trying to say, slurred, \"(Sindarin) quiet. Place ... to live.\"

Rhifaroth stirs a little, tries to shift his legs. Vaguely he is beginning to be aware that his hands hurt - badly. Blood is beginning to flow better and it feels like someone is shoving needles into his fingers. But even that seems distant, not really here.

(Cordelia)

Silently, Cordelia keeps working, threading the rope to the bonds on the man\'s feet and then tying the whole thing into a tightly worked knot--something else she at least appears to have had some training with. When she is through, she tests her work, pulling hard on the rope.

Satisfied, her attention is now given back to the man, a frown to his reply. Dammit. His words are blurry enough--probably no need to drug him again yet. \"(Sindarin) Why not Gondor?\" she presses him.

And then she has an idea--turnabout is fair play, after all, and she reaches a hand to pull back his shirt some so that she can see if he really does have scars on his back, as he had claimed.

(Rhifaroth)

Someone moves his legs back... drawing his feet up a little bit behind him. Instinctually, Rhifaroth tries to move his legs back, to stretch them out, but the rope prevents it. He is too muddled yet to understand that he is bound. Something tugs hard behind him, rocking him slightly from his side to lean back more. But, with both his hands and now his legs drawn back behind him a bit, he can\'t lay on his back now anyway.

A cough, a nasty, gummy, foul after taste in his too dry mouth. Tongue, thick and in the way.. but the semi-conscious man tries to answer, slipping back into Westron without knowing it, \"Too far... mountains.\" The Dunadan tries to think, \"Children.\" So much easier to just close his eyes again and rest. Sleep. His last was very faint.

When she digs out his shirt that was tucked into his pants, lifting it up in the back, there isn\'t much light to see by. But, even so, her hand can feel his skin... rough, ridged flesh criss crossed with many old scars. Whip or cane scars. It is too dark to see if they are old or recent.

(Cordelia)

The girl\'s hand lingers on Rhifaroth\'s back a moment, her expression hidden from him, though it is one of deep sorrow. She sighs, withdrawing her hand, that emotion likely evident in the exhale of her breath, though the man may be too drugged to know it. \"(Sindarin) Who is Lord Steward?\" That question from last night.

The pitcher from the prior night is also here, and Cordelia now reaches for it, and then stands to fetch the mug she had thrown at the ranger\'s face, dumping out the little drugged water that remained in it. She pours a small amount of the fresh water and then moves to put the cup to the man\'s lips. \"(Sindarin) Here. Try this.\"

(Rhifaroth)

Something cool touches his back. His head is clearing a enough that he is dimly aware of that when he wasn\'t able to focus that much before. Then someone moving around him, soft noises in the dark. Wait, his eyes are closed.

Something touches his mouth and reflexively Rhifaroth turns his head away from it. But he can\'t turn over on his back, can\'t turn his head far.\"(Sindarin) Denethor?\" Almost it is a question, as though he were confused. Everyone knows who the Lord Steward is, of course. But his tongue is thick and his mouth dry. Someone leans over him but it is darker than before... was there a before? Is he sick? Hurt?

Faintly, in Westron again, the man on the floor says, \"water ... please.\"

(Cordelia)

\"(Sindarin) This is water. Just water, not medicine,\" comes the answer, the cup pressed again to the man\'s lips. \"(Sindarin) Denethor.\" She\'ll have to check on that. \"(Sindarin) And why did you leave?\" She tries that question again.

(Rhifaroth)

He can\'t remember... there was some reason not to drink. But he is so thirsty. Mouth so dry. This time the man doesn\'t draw away from the touch at his mouth. He sips the water, focusing on it, feeling it dribble down his jaw and throat. But it helps. His eyes have closed again.

Licking his lips to wet them, a sigh ... so tired. There is no conscious awareness that he keeps slipping back into Westron, \"Retired. Released....\" the same answer as before, even if it might not make any sense.

\"Harad ... quiet. Narakshi ... gone. Useless.\" Who was useless, he does not say. His eyes are closed, limp and sleepy, but slowly waking up a little.

(Cordelia)

Cordelia isn\'t going to make that mistake of slipping back into Westron again. She stinks with Sindarin, working hard to make her voice sound different than usual.

She leans closer at the mention of this new place--she had -thought- the man was from Harad--it was what had tripped her up with him in the first place. \"(Sindarin) Why did you go to Harad?\" The bit of water gone from the mug, she reaches again for the pitcher, some more water poured and the mug again offered at Rhifaroth\'s lips.�

(Rhifaroth)

Ah, sweet water.. nothing foul tasting in it. He sips it again, eyes opening - but they look black in this dim light, not pale grey. The tattooed man tries to focus on the woman but there needs to be more light to see her face. Is she an elf? Rhifaroth tries to think...

\"(Sindarin) My ... father. Step-father.\" A frown then, \"Narakshi.\" ... \"(Sindarin) Half-blood... he had ... kin there.\" But who is this woman? Why does she want to know about Harad?

Or does she mean later? Why did he go back to Harad? Still muddled, he slips into speaking another language, \"(Haradaic) My service... duties...\" Rhifaroth\'s thoughts trail off...�

(Cordelia)

All right. The man is half Haradrim. Letting Rhifaroth sip slowly at the water, Cordelia falls silent. She watches his face closely, especially his eyes, her other hand again feeling for the vial. Will she even be able to drug him again? That draws a frown. Perhaps let the drug wear off and let Asht deal with him.

The water finish, Cordelia moves back away, next to Rhifaroth\'s side so that she is not hovering over him where she could be recognized. That last bit of speech from him...what was it?

\"(Sindarin) You had a master once? Who was it?\" The question might confuse him, but she tries again--something he had mentioned last night.

(Rhifaroth)

Someone has bound him. That is why his hands hurt so.. and his legs are tied. Dimly the Dunadan becomes aware of this. Is he back in Umbar? He can remember the tower... they whipped and caned him, chained to the wall. Asked him questions. But he had refused to answer, cursed them. His eyes focus a little more, trying to see where that woman went.

Drawing his lips back, the man spits something else in Haradaic, but it\'s not intelligible to anyone here. Something angry, maybe obscene. Rhifaroth\'s hands twist, trying his bindings. Muscles strain, but the ropes are strung through to his ankles and there is little give.

(Cordelia)

A small sound escapes the woman. The man is struggling again, and now words that sound like curses come from his lips. She takes out the vial, holding it up to the feeble light to try to see what is left. Just a drop perhaps...The vial\'s stopper is pulled off, and Cordelia just wets her finger with the medicine, stoppering it again. Leaning over to Rhifaroth, she tries to put the medicine on his lips with her finger.

(Rhifaroth)

It\'s dim in here, but something reaches for his face, touches his mouth. It\'s not a cup this time. His reflex is to reach out and knock the hand away but his arms are tied back. The Dunadan jerks his head, turning it sharply away as best he may but ... he can taste that foul, bitter flavor. He doesn\'t swallow it, but it doesn\'t matter. It absorbs through the skin, just acts more slowly.

Breathing more ragged, Rhifaroth tries to work his hands free. They hurt so... he doesn\'t care if there is blood. Anger and a hint of fear war within the man. The fresh drug makes his thoughts slip strange directions, makes him feel heavy, sluggish. Sleepy. For the moment, he gives up and lays still, conserving his strength, resting. Faintly he asks in Westron again, plaintive with his eyes slipping closed, \"Why?\"

(Cordelia)

Stubbornly, Cordelia continues to answer in the elven tongue, though the man switches to Westron. Her voice doesn\'t sound like her own, though--she is working hard to disguise it. \"(Sindarin) We need answers,\" she replies to Rhifaroth\'s question, plainly. \"(Sindarin) Why are so many rangers here right now?\"She pulls her hand quickly away from the man\'s mouth as she wipes the drug on his lips--a memory of the ranger biting Keldean\'s hand last night flashes briefly through her mind. She\'s alone down here and can\'t subdue the man if he tries anything now.

(Keldean)

Keldean slips into the warehouse, his auburn curls wet and dripping, his loose shirt sticking to his skinny frame from the rain. He pauses a moment inside the door to listen, then begins to creep towards the room where he knows Seeker is being kept.

(Rhifaroth)

The man bound upon the floor quiets, his breathing that was a bit ragged and angry, easing. He swallows, trying to clear his mouth of that awful taste - the drug muddling his mind and making him forget that they are drugging him. So hard to keep a grasp on thoughts, sleepy, heavy...

But, it is perhaps not enough to knock him unconscious again. For Rhifaroth licks his lips and tries to open his eyes again, \"(Sindarin) One... I saw one, two?\" he can\'t remember, \"(Sindarin) Haven\'t seen them ... for months. Gone.\"

(Asht)

A shadow follows Keldean into the clearing, staying perilously close behind. As the young man enters the warehouse, Asht emerges from the darkness into a the less deep shade near the door. He stands there a moment, rain pouring off him and places a hand on the door. Very slowly he pushes the door open, making more noise than he intended, a low creak is clearly audible. A pace forward, and Asht is inside the warehouse.

The tall figure that stands at the door is thin, emaciated even and his skin has the palour of the very sick. Rainwater still runs down his long dirty brown hair, his face and the black travelling cloak that covers him completely. In the dim light little can be discerned of his features, but his dark eyes search the shadows of the warehouse and his expression becomes like that of a starved man who has long gone without sustenance.

(Cordelia)

\"(Sindarin)One or two? Here in Bree. Why?\" Cordelia presses the man again, using the elven tongue. It flows easily from the girl, though there is no mistaking her for an elf--unless, of course, there are horse tranquilizers in one\'s system.

The creek in the floorboards causes her to sharply turn her head that way. She\'s been here all night and that is /not/ a sound she has heard. She squints into the darkness, speaking the common language in a low whispered hiss. \"Step forward! Let me see who you are!\" Not daring to ask for names.

(Rhifaroth)

Why won\'t this woman let him sleep? His words are thick, slurring again but not from dry mouth so much as from the drug. Trying to focus, \"(Sindarin) Bree... passing through? Don\'t know... why... come and go.\"

The voice changes, the woman\'s voice becomes harsh, hisses something in the common tongue. Elves don\'t speak like that, do they? The strangely tattooed man tied up on the floor tries to focus on the form of the woman. Why is it so dark? Is it night? Is there someone else here?

(Keldean)

Keldean is skulking in the shadows and that squeak wasn\'t his. He frowns, undecided on what to do. He glances back towards the door, then back to Cordelia. He decides to stay hidden for the moment, pressing himself into a dark spot behind some stacked boxes.

(Asht)

A few paces behind Keldean, Asht freezes, his eyes studying the other man in the darkness, trying to size him up. Then, perfectly intentionally, he lets out a soft cough. The sound of it seems to echo around the enclosed space, raspy and deep. Inadvertently bringing a hand up to his mouth, Asht remains hidden in the shadows behind Keldean and is perfectly silent.

(Cordelia)Rhifaroth\'s answer doesn\'t go unnoted by the girl, but she is still staring into the darkness, the hiss of her question not answered. Then there is a cough--recognizable? She ventures to speak, using the Common Tongue. \"Come here and help me,\" is her whispered hiss. Does she speak to the teen or the Mordain man?

(Keldean)

Keldean tenses at the cough and slowly turns, a wary expression on his young face as his dark eyes search the shadows. He slowly bends his knees and lowers himself, reaching down for the knife that\'s tucked inside his boot. Is this friend or foe that\'s skulking around in the shadows of the warehouse? The teen certainly looks like nothing more than a local farmboy, ordinary and poor in appearance. Cordelia likely doesn\'t realize that there are two sneaking around, but Keldean knows he\'s not alone and isn\'t going to turn his back on a potential enemy.

(Asht)

Another long drawn out moment of complete stillness. After a time Asht takes a pace towards the dim figure in front of him. The crunch of straw underfoot can be just made out. Another slow pace, another crunch. As he approaches, his face is suddenly revealed by a dim shaft of light. Dark eyes look out from the shadows, focused on Keldean, but darting here and there. Thin lips curl into a half-smile. Sallow skin is drawn back against prominent cheekbones, the yellowness of his palour almost seems to glow faintly in the darkness.�

(Rhifaroth)

The man laying upon the floor shifts a little, trying to move his legs - but Cordelia not only bound them after last night\'s difficulties with him, but also drew them back and tied them to his bound hands. The Dunadan moves his head and mutters something into the stillness, \"Dogs .. all of you.\"

(Cordelia)

There is one candle here, burning, flickering and nearly ready to go out. But it doesn\'t offer enough light to pierce the darkness and show who is here. A quick look given to the bound and tied man, then Cordelia ever so slowy and carefully rises, drawing her knife blade. She quietly walks in the direction of the sounds she has heard, her eyes perhaps better adjusted to the dark than the new arrivals.

(Keldean)

Keldean is closing his hand around the handle of the small knife when Asht moves closer, the crackling of the straw loud in the silence. The teen straightens, pulling the knife free of it\'s sheath and holding it tightly. This stranger is taller than him, but looks sickly, even in the dim light. Keldean narrows his brow, staring at the menacing figure with determination. He doesn\'t move, because in truth he has no idea what to do now. He woud be sweating if he wasn\'t drenched from the rain.

(Rhifaroth)

Something else... muttered in Haradaic. The only noise in the room seems to be coming from the man who is tied up on the floor.

(Asht)

Dark eyes stare deeply into Keldean\'s own for a long moment, then the sound of laughter can be heard. A deep rasping chuckle comes from Asht\'s throat. He stops and directs a smile at the younger man before him before calling out into the darkness. \"The fear in this place will only amuse me for so long, my dear.\" His voice is deep, breaks often and he speaks with the accent of Dale. \"Who is this whelp and why is he here?\" The pre-emptory question is clipped, almost bitten off. Asht all but ignores Keldean now, his attention entirely focused on Cordelia.

(Cordelia) (+whispered)

The knife in the girl\'s hand is resheathed at the sound of the Dale-toned voice. \"He is with me. He is...useful.\" Cordelia answers in a harsh and quick whisper, only it\'s in a voice that doesn\'t sound like her normal tone. She\'s being careful or trying to be. \"I believe he can be trusted, but in the end I leave that choice to you. He drugged the spy for me and helped bring him here, only he has no stomach for the rest of it and now I fear he will betray us.\"

(Keldean)

Uncertainty flashes across Keldean\'s face when Asht begins laughing, and the teen tightens his hold on the knife as his nerves grow more on edge. Is this one of the hired thugs? A friend of her uncle? He knows he\'s never seen this man before. Cordelia moves in and begins whispering and that resentment that is becoming all too familiar begins to build in the boy again. \"Who are you?\" He demands of Asht, finally, whispering as well. It\'s unlikely to carry to Rhif with the sound of the rain around the building.

(Rhifaroth)

Keldean need not worry... the man lying on the floor has quieted, falling deeper into sleep with the drug dragging him down. No one is poking or prodding him with questions now, finally. Peaceful, enfolding blackness of sleep.

(Asht)

Asht looks at Cordelia and than walks fully into the light, ignoring Keldean as he passes. In the light his figure is less threatening. His cloak falls back revealing a bone thin body clad in dirty brown. Asht studies the prone figure of the ranger, his mouth forming into a sneer as he observes.

Turning to Cordelia he says quietly \"Don\'t you think it only polite to introduce your fiancee to our young friend here.\" His tone drips with sarcasm and finally he looks back towards Keldean his expression again neutral. Seemingly bored with observing the boy, Asht returns to inspecting the Rhifaroth, he shakes his head slowly and mutters the words \"Ranger scum.\" There is no doubting the depth of his hatred of the man before him.

(Cordelia) (+whispered)

\"Not here!\" Cordelia hisses angrily at Asht. She\'s nervous, she\'s tired, she\'s had no sleep what with watching after Rhifaroth all night, and she\'s had no real help until now, unless you count the teenager, who get a boot in the head for his efforts. So she snaps, taking it out on Asht...unwisely, likely. \"Fool! Do you want to ruin everything I\'ve worked for in this town in one fell stroke? Do you want to cut off all possible lines of information from this place for the rest of time? Or have the friends of this man chase us across the very earth for revenge, even to the gates of our master! Keep your mouth shut and your identity hidden!\"

(Keldean)

Keldean sucks in a breath at the word \'fiance\', unable to mask his surprise completely. His brown eyes grow wider and he matches Asht\'s indifference with a glare. He already hates this stranger and he\'s only encountered him for a few moments. More whispering. Wonderful. Keldean leans down to tuck the knife away, then creeps over to gaze at the bound and sleeping ranger. The man gave him several lumps and bruises last night. He listens closely to the other two, trying to pick out what they\'re saying.

(Asht)

An audible intake of breath and Asht draws himself up to his full height. He glares at Cordelia, his eyes burning with anger. A long moment, then Asht drops his gaze, seemingly deep in thought. Looking up he says slowly and softly \"If you ever speak like that to me again I will kill you.\" The emphasis on the word \'will\' is chilling. Taking a pace towards the ranger he aims a kick at the prone figure. \"You may call me a fool, but not only is this ranger as good as dead but you have given him too much of the drug.\" Asht turns on his heel and regards Cordelia coldly.

(Rhifaroth)

Kicked in the ribs again! The Dunadan was out, sleeping or unconscious, but the painful kick this time rouses the man. His breath is forced from his lungs with a grunt!

Rhifaroth isn\'t so far under with the small dose Cordelia gave him to be too deep to awaken. Muscles strain against his bonds and the man coughs, spitting up some phlem. A muttering, \"Bastards.\" he says almost clearly.

Pale grey eyes with pubils swollen large and black, open and try to focus. It\'s still dark, but someone who is not the woman seems to be looming over him.

(Cordelia)

The exhaustion and fear--and terrible conflict that is slowly tearing the girl apart--has made Cordelia reckless with her own life, it seems. She stares right back at Asht, almost as if she is daring the man to kill her here, now...though she drops her gaze first, fear gripping her finally.

Anger, though, still burns within her eyes and now her voice. She reaches into a pocket, taking out the vial of the drug and thrusting it toward Asht. \'Here!\' she hisses at the man. \'You take it! -You- drug him, then. You try to tell how much to give him, and how often. -You- get the information you want out of him! He will revive!\' A glance to Rhifaroth as he mutters. \'He is coherent and will mark you and your manner and your face and your voice. And then hunt you down like a wild animal.\'

Furious, she tries to thrust the vial into Asht\'s middle and storm away, though as she does so, her eyes go to Keldean and she hesitates a step, her voice going softer, quite sad suddenly. She speaks to the boy in the elven tongue, slowly as if she is hoping he understands. \"(Sindarin) Run now. Run now or die.\" If she can--if Asht doesn\'t stop her, she heads to the door, adding in Westron, \'I\'m going to get some food and rest. I\'ve been at this too long.\' Still furious.

(Asht)

Asht makes no movement to catch the vial and it falls with a thud on the floor. He watches her retreating figure and makes no move to stop her. Suddenly he opens his mouth, as if to say something then stops himself. He stands thinking for a moment and then turns back towards the ranger, his expression grim.

(Keldean)

Keldean listens in silence, keeping his face away from either of the two so that they can\'t see his reactions. Asht\'s words and manner are so much like her uncle. He finally looks over when Cordelia loses her patience, watching with eyes wide again, but his face is blank. He shakes his head faintly at her elven words, not skilled enough to understand what she\'s telling him. He watches Cordelia leave, then looks back at Asht. Is the man going to kill Seeker, now? It certainly feels that way. \"It was not too much. He is very strong.\" The teen says softly, gesturing at the ranger.

(Rhifaroth)

The \'Ranger\' lays quietly on his side, watching the tall, thin man that stands near to him. Mostly, he can see boots and a dark silhouette but not much more. The Dunadan\'s strangely tattooed face is impassive, slack and relaxed from the drug. The man licks his lips, trying to listen to voices.. hearing Sindarin again from a woman. But it\'s too dim in here to make out faces.

Saying nothing, the bound man simply tries to find his way though the thickness that fogs his mind.

(Asht)

The dark eyes that are focused on the Rhifaroth dart away now, returning to Kildean. Asht throws him a measuring gaze and then says quietly \"What is your name boy? What has the woman told you? Answer me.\" The tone is arrogantly cold the words barked out. Asht draws his cloak around himself and coughs.

(Keldean)

Oh, maybe not. That\'s a relief. Keldean doesn\'t want to see Seeker get murdered. Asht presents his questions and the teen glances over at the ranger again with a faint frown. \"Not in front of him..\" And then Keldean backs away, intending to move farther away from Rhifaroth before he\'ll speak about anything with this new stranger.

There is no more noise from the ranger. The drug makes him so sleepy, hard to keep his eyes open if no one is nagging at him to stay awake. Voices, dim... seem distant. They aren\'t pestering -him- just now, thank the Valar. Eyes closed again, breathing easing though his ribs ache, the bound man begins to drift off again...

(Asht)

Eyes dart from Keldean to Rhifaroth and Asht\'s expression becomes calculating. He takes a few steps towards the younger man, his head bowed then looks up sharply. His voice is a harsh whisper. \"Ah, I begin to understand,\" he says. \"Did you not think what was perhaps dangerous, yes? You are scared I think.\" There is a long pause. \"You will remain here. I will find the woman and then we will continue,\" says softly, almost as if an afterthought.

(Keldean)

\"Keldean is glad for the dark shadows that help to conceal the feelings that show on his face. It\'s all far more dangerous than he expected, but Cordelia didn\'t paint him a terribly thorough picture when she explained things to the teen. He answers in a defensive tone. \"I\'m just being safe. I don\'t want him to recognize me, and he will.\" Keldean tries to sound casual, but Asht can probably detect some worry in the boy\'s tone of voice. \"Go then. I\'ll keep watch.\" At least if he stays here, he knows that Seeker won\'t get his throat slit by this sickly man.

(Asht)

Asht stares off into space for a moment then turns back to Keldean. \"Good, it is as I said. I will return shortly. I do not need to warn you of what may happen if he escapes.\" With that Asht turns on his heal and walks slowly out of the barn, his pace is slow, indeed he seems somewhat distracted as the shadows surround him.

(Keldean)

Keldean nods absently, watching the man leave. He\'s worried for Cordelia, but she knows who she\'s dealing with. The teen looks back at the ranger, then sighs and settles down on a box to sit and watch. His fear and worry is more plain on his face now, but he\'s too conflicted to make any solid decision on what to do.