Thari\'s Revenge?

It\'s very late in the day, the sun threatening to sink below the horizon at any moment now. Although it\'s early spring, the weather has not felt spring-like this day: There\'s a last blast of winter in the air and a rain has kicked up, chilling to the bone. Here, inside the kitchen, though, it\'s warm and cozy. A huge pot of stew simmers over the fire, there\'s bread in the oven--the whole place suffused with tempting scents and a drowsy warmth to it.

At the moment, Cordelia is alone in the kitchen, Hazel and any other workers off attending to other matters in the Pony. The young woman sits on a stool, cloak off and on a peg on the wall. She is tending to the fire, watching the stew--and her eyes are half closed, drowsy with the promise of stew and with the heat in here after a long walk in the cold rain.

The door leading into the innyard opens with a whine and for a brief moment the miserable sound of the chill rain outside disturbs the quiet warmth of the kitchen. It admits a short figure, damp with the rain but without cloak, as if having only lingered in the rain long enough to cross the distance between stables and kitchen.

Frarin shuts the door behind him with a sigh. He looks tired, shadows beneath his eyes, and the rumpled look he has recently begin to shirk seems to be gradually returning. He holds a small burlap bag, containing apples from the smell, and starts for the kitchen\'s store cupboard as if to replace the unused fruit. But as he moves towards the cupboard, the dwarf\'s short form comes around one of the kitchen\'s many work surfaces and his eyes fix upon the drowsy woman tending the stew at the fire. He pauses, lips parting in unmasked shock, brows coming together with sudden suspicion, but his surprise prevents him from forming any immediate words.

Rhifaroth has told Cordelia to keep her calm among the dwarves. To be polite and courteous, but not afraid. But...the woman hasn\'t been back to the inn in more than a week now, and she is only here, in the kitchen, to explain to Hazel where she has been and when she will be back. And to pick up the wages owed her. The kitchen, she thought, was safe. But it\'s not.

And so when Frarin enters, Cordelia looks up and can\'t help herself. Her face pales. She forces a nod of acknowledgement, slides off the stool and moves to the stove to add another piece of wood in it.

The draining of colour from the woman\'s face does not go unnoticed by Frarin, but even as his shock dissipates, he says nothing immediately to Cordelia, especially when she fails to bolt. He watches her with a word as she adds wood to the fire. Eyes narrow and lips remaining parted, Frarin stares at Cordelia for a moment, his face a mixture of quickly awakened anger and disbelief at her unexpected return to town. His eyes flick to the white wall in front of him, as if unsure what exactly to say.

When he does move, it is not towards the woman. Rather, he gently reaches up to place his bag of apples on the slate grey surface beside him. \"Where have you been?\" he says abruptly, the query a firm demand rather than a conversational question. His voice is rough and suspicious, with a hint of possible anger, but he stands as if afraid of Cordelia\'s bolting from the kitchen.

At first, Cordelia doesn\'t answer--or for that matter, look up. She adds wood to the stove, moving the logs around with a long metal poker to make them burn better. Then she stands up and stirs the cooking stew with a wooden spoon that is in the pot, stopping to taste a bit of the stew and then add some herbs sitting in a bowl on a table nearby. It\'s not until all that is done that she answers Frarin. \"Seeker recommended that I not stay in town but I needed to get my wages from Hazel.\"

That wary, suspicious look remains upon Frarin\'s face as Cordelia pointedly fails to answer him. When she does finally speak up, his expression goes dark and grim, his fists slowly balling into fists as his jaw tightens. \"Did he?\" the dwarf says in a steady, measured tone of voice that nevertheless brims with simmering emotions. The two simple words convey quite clearly what Frarin thinks of Cordelia\'s answer.

\"Where did you go then?\" he asks in the same measured tone. His voice is tight though, his stance stiff. \"And why did Seeker feel you needed to hide, mm?\" The question is said with the sort of lilt that implies the dwarf knows her answer very well.

Pointedly, Cordelia backs away from the stove--and from the dwarf, edging toward the door to the hall. She\'s still grasping that poker, tightly in fact, in her right hand. Left still in a cast.

\"It\'s none of your business, actually, but I\'ve been sleeping in huts I found outside of the town here. As for Seeker, he made me confess to Thari. Felt, I suppose, that if I wanted to change my life, I had to do it the right way. So I did.\"

The simmering anger just beneath the surface of Frarin\'s expression is slowly beginning to rise, his face reddening and fists now tightly balled. His breath comes in irritated gasps. \"None of my business?\" he repeats in an incredulous tone. \"I think it is entirely my business when a young woman guilty of having a hand in the kidnap and torture of a dwarf and friend disappears without a word.\" A pause, then a dry growl. \"Don\'t you?\" His expression and voice dare Cordelia to challenge his judgment.

His teeth are still clenched tight, his chest rising and falling with deep, angry snorts, and then he starts inching towards Cordelia, the same wariness of her potential fleeing reflected in his approach. \"Wanted to change you life? Wanted to change your life? By the Maker,\" he says sarcastically. \"And here I was under the impression that you had drugged and misled Thari for some honourable reason, such as the captivity of your own sisters. Well then, thank you very much for clarifying, Cordelia. Now at least I know you\'re no better than that bloody Tom or Rolph, no matter what your /good/ intentions might be now.\" The dwarf does not shout, his voice is not even raised. It is the level speech of someone whose fury is likely so great that shouting will do it no justice. Indeed.

Clutching tighter at the fire poker, Cordelia watches the dwarf\'s anger rise--and she slowly brings that metal stick up and crosswise in front of her body in a defensive posture.

\"I did what I was told,\" she says evenly, voice quiet, \"because my sisters\' lives are at stake. And when I realized what was really going on, I tried what I could to stop it. And I helped Rhifaroth kill Tamara. I probably saved his life, in fact, because she showed up with three thugs of her own to try to take him. And for that, my sister\'s are probably dead. Throats slit. Or given to enemies to be raped until they are dead. I hope...I pray that their throats are slit.\"

The back door to the kitchen is suddenly opened with a dull thud. Someone is coming in from the inn-yard outside and a cold gust of wet wind proceeds them. Someone tall, cloaked and burdened with a late winter stag! Just getting in through the doorway with the animal over the man\'s shoulders takes a little awkward shifting about as the antlers snag on the door frame. But as the man turns, it can be seen that the cowled head is Seeker\'s. He is dripping wet and glances over the surprisingly bare kitchen and the strange, very unexpected folk who are in here.

Grey eyes slip from Frarin to Cordelia, then the man pushes the door closed behind himself with a booted foot, \"Is the kitchen closed? Where is Hazel? Is she ill?\" Only... the last dies on his lips as he sees the odd expressions and postures of the two facing off. Voice lower he asks more warily, \"What is going on here, Frarin?\"

[Frarin(#31050)] Frarin\'s approach is stalled as the fire poker is swung up defensively, but his measured expression transforms, the lips pressing so tight as to disappear entirely into the dwarf\'s long beard. \"Dwarves do not bargain with criminals,\" he growls low, pointing a fist at her despite the threatening tool. \"I don\'t care if you really did help to bring in this woman Tamara, it does not erase the fact that you sacrificed Thari\'s life with your actions.\"

\"And you\'ve been lying since the start! How am I to know if what you say about your sis--\" The dwarf breaks off abruptly at the entrance of a tall, dripping man from the innyard. His face registers recognition, but he does not move away from Cordelia, as if still afraid she might bolt. Frarin does not, however, look relieved. \"I might ask you the same,\" he says, eye narrowed at Seeker. \"Cordelia has admitted to knowingly drugging Thari and now you are shielding her. Why?\"

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

Seeker looks from young woman to dwarf, and back again. \"Cordelia, put down the poker. Frarin is -not- going to eat you, child.\" An exastberated look crosses his face and a nod given to Frarin, \"I have been looking for you for some while, my friend. To explain just that ere I go.\"

Moving into the chamber, the Dunadan leans his long bow against a wall and then struggles to unburden himself of the rather good sized stag. The slayn beast is deposited upon the floor, as much as possible off to the corner so not to make folk stumble over the carcas as they come into the kitchen in some rush.

Shaking out some of the rain water from his cloak and skimming the very wet hood from his head, the archer looks back to each of the others, \"This is hardly the place to speak. Shall we go up to Thari\'s room if he is not asleep? As this concerns him, he should be included.\"

There\'s no answer from Cordelia, other than a shifting of her feet to carefully settle her stance into something more stable. She eyes Frarin cautiously, taking in his expression, rising anger, balled fists, his posture--trying to judge whether she can make it out the door behind her and get to safety in time through the crowds in the Pony. Likely as not she figures that her chances are better if she doesn\'t run, for she doesn\'t move toward the door.

And then Seeker enters, and her eyes go once to him, and once only--they are back on Frarin in an instant. \"Put the poker down?\" she asks Seeker, not looking at him.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

A glance to the young woman, \"Yes, put it down. If you brain Frarin, I shall not forgive you. And you wouldn\'t live long.\" Is that a threat from the man to Cordelia, or a simple statement of fact - since the Dwarves themselves would be unstoppable, in that case.

[Frarin(#31050)] Frarin does not look pleased with Seeker\'s explanation, nor satisfied, but his stitched brows relax ever so very slightly, the shadowed furrows on his forehead lightening. \"It had better be a damn good explanation, my friend,\" Frarin growls, despite the comradely address given the man. \"I do not know the customs of your home, but my people do not barter away a person\'s guilt with other good deeds.\" But despite the dwarf\'s still very evident anger, he seems at least to have wits enough to be willing to listen.

\"Thari\'s room will be fine, but do not expect any warmer a reception.\" The last is directed at Cordelia, who Frarin looks back to with a scowl. \"Put that down,\" he growls, waving at the poker and looking almost as if tempted to wrench it away from the woman.

Slowly--very slowly--Cordelia\'s gaze comes off of Frarin. For all she was staring at the dwarf, it might have been frozen there. She looks to Rhifaroth and frowns slightly--seeming to struggle with the decision for a moment. And then she steps to the side and carefully places the poker down, all the while keeping her movements slow and controlled so that noone misinterprets her intentions.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

A nod is given to Frarin, \"I shall explain, and you shall have to be content with it, my friend.\" There is not, however, any forced inflection in the man\'s voice. It merely remains calm and softly pitched.

To Cordelia though, Seeker steps over to the young woman and gently, but firmly, takes the girl\'s arm. Voice pitched even lower, Seeker says to her, \"And you - show a little backbone. Trust me in this. Do as you are told, keep your head, and be polite. Don\'t bolt. We\'ll all think better of you if you can manage that much, all right?\" His tone is considerably more stern to the woman.

But then, as they begin to leave the kitchen, Seeker guiding Cordelia out, he adds very softly, \"You did just fine that night in Staddle. You\'ll do just fine now, too. Have a little faith.\" And a bit of an encouraging smile to try and ease her fears, \"These are my friends. Just remember that.\"

Giving Rhifaroth a sideways look, as if she doesn\'t trust him completely, Cordelia takes a moment to weigh what the man tells her. Likely she doesn\'t trust him fully on this, but he has her arm and it won\'t do any good to run. So she nods, though her forehead is creased as she does so, displeasure and uncertainty her expression.

[Thari(#31038)]

The room is in a much better state than before, though there is still a dark blot on the wall near the door. Thari is not in bed for once, but is standing near a table, before a washbasin.

The right hand-- the good hand, for those who know-- is bracing against the edge of the table. The left hand weakly uses a bit of cloth in face-washing. Bruises are gone, cuts left as pink stripes, and the beard covers the chin in what might be considered to a dwarf semi-decency. A lantern illuminates the room from beside the basin.

[Frarin(#31050)] A smattering of footsteps sound on the landing at the steps, then progress down the corridor, coming finally to a halt outside room 22. It sounds like multiple people, at least one with heavy boots. Two smart raps upon the door, then Frarin\'s rumbling voice. \"Thari? Thari? Can I come in? There are others.\" The last seems a warning to the dwarf within. Frarin\'s voice sounds agitated and impatient.

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari\'s head lifts at the knocking, and then the dwarf looks away toward the bed. There is a pause while Thari looks longingly at the orange scarf left at the foot of the bed, a great distance away to one hobbling without even a crutch. A sigh. \"Yes, of course, come in,\" Thari says in a resigned voice, hanging the washcloth and picking up a small towel to rub over the freshly-bathed face.

[Frarin(#31050)] The doorknob turns and Frarin enters. He looks briefly surprised to see Thari standing, rather than at the bed, and his eyes dart to the orange scarf across the room. But overriding the silver merchant\'s surprise is his previous expression, one of barely masked anger, clearly evident in his eyes and the lines of his face, but still kept under control. For the time.

Frarin steps into the room and makes immediately as if to retrieve the orange scarf, thus unblocking the rest of the doorway, and those who occupy it.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

Immediately behind Frarin, and looming over him, is a familiar tall man. Seeker gently holds Cordelia\'s upper good arm as though he wished to be certain that she would come with them and not run off. As soon as Frarin has cleared the door, the archer motions for Cordelia to proceed him into the room.

A polite inclination of his head to Thari as he does this, \"Good evening, Thari. I hope that we are not disturbing you at this hour?\"

Not exactly eager to enter the room, Cordelia pauses, balking and taking a step back. She\'s got this look suddenly of a condemned woman going to the gallows. And she\'s not looking at either of the dwarves, refusing to make eye contact.

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari studies Frarin rather intently as the other dwarf walks in but does not speak. The brows go up as the two humans appear. The towel still covers half of the face and there is a hesitance in lowering it.

\"Was not quite expecting company,\" comes the gruff answer behind the towel, gaze hard on Cordelia. Thari does not seem very steady, balancing on one leg.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

Cordelia\'s refusal to enter into the room holds Seeker up so that he may not enter. So, he gently, but firmly, puts his right hand on Cordelia\'s near shoulder and pushes her slowly into the room with a squeeze of his fingers - meant to be reassuring to her. In his left hand he carries the long bow he had with him downstairs.

Voice very low he urges her, \"Relax. Just have a little chat.\"

Though Cordelia is moved forward and into the room with Rhifaroth\'s insistence, she doesn\'t look relaxed. And still she doesn\'t look at the two dwarves. Her eyes burn with anger at Seeker\'s words, but her gaze is firmly planted on the floor.�

[Frarin(#31050)] Going to the bed, Frarin takes up the ridiculously long orange scarf and crosses to Thari, offering it to the healer dwarf without a word. He also puts out an arm, as if to steer Thari towards the bed. But he looks hard at Seeker and Cordelia, frowning deeply with unhappiness. \"A little chat,\" he mutters darkly. The tone is incredulous, unhappy, sarcastic, but he chooses to say nothing further until Thari is safely relieved of the precarious balancing act.

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari drops the towel to the table, revealing the sad little beard-- no tawny-gold mass anymore, just the short covering of dark reddish-brown. The scarf is wound half-heartedly around the dwarf\'s throat.

\"Little chat,\" Thari mutters, almost saying it at the same time as Frarin. The shorter dwarf leans against the taller, holding strongly to his shoulder and arm while hobbling toward the bed.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

For his own part, Rhifaroth has come to stand very close at Cordelia\'s back, his hand lingering lightly upon her shoulder. His own poise is relaxed as though in the company of trusted friends, his own weight shifted onto his good right leg. He settles the tip of his long bow to rest on his left boot tip and then bends his head down to whisper something softly against the young woman\'s ear. Likely his breath tickles her skin, \"Remember... I suggested you stay in Archet. If you had done as I had asked, you wouldn\'t have to be here now - now would you?\" There is a hint of humor in his voice.

Straightening back up to watch the two dwarves, Rhifaroth waits a moment for Thari to make himself as comfortable as may be. Then he raises his own voice just enouigh so that all in the room may hear his baritone clearly.

\"Frarin, you said it is not your custom, among your folk, to allow one who is guilty of misdeed to make things right through the doing then of good deeds in repentance.\" A pause, \"Tell me then, friend, what you would do with this young woman? This young woman who is yet a child of less than 20 years? Would you then be like those who actually did the ill deeds to Thari and simply kill her then? Does it matter so little to you that she was put to her part in this ill deed by force, against her own will?\"

Though there is humor is Rhifaroth\'s voice as he whispers to the girl, the humor isn\'t repeated on Cordelia\'s face. His subsequent words to the dwarves, though, do cause her to lift her eyes and risk a glance at the two dwarves. She looks scared--but also confused.

[Frarin(#31050)] Frarin\'s scowl remains as Thari is manuvered towards the bed and as Seeker starts off the little chat. Once the healer is safely settled, however, Frarin\'s silent sulking is brought to an end. \"You would compare me to the thugs who showed Thari no mercy? I showed them no mercy, but only in retribution for their own damn greed, as they were well deserving.\"

Rough hands go to hips now, the silver merchant\'s anger renewed now that he is speaking again. \"And how do you know she was forced to do this deed against her will? /I/ have been told nothing, only to find now that Cordelia has indeed been lying as I suspected. She said just moments ago that she meant to \'change her life\'. That hardly sounds as if forced into treachery to me!\"

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

Gaze leveled to meet Frarin\'s eyes, Seeker repeats his qusetion softly, \"What would you then wish to do to her, Frarin? If I was not here to intervene, what would you? Kill her?\"

The man looks to Thari, \"You, Thari?\"

[Thari(#31038)]

Very gingerly Thari is settled upon the bed, face hard as the leg is maneuvered. Then the stern gaze is lifted again. \"Rhifaroth, you traitor,\" the injured dwarf growls. \"Do the children of men deem that ill deeds are to go unpunished? What of my own family\'s sorrows if they were to learn I was tortured to death?\"

Thari gestures roughly at Cordelia. \"If she is so forced, so innocent, why did she not alert the dwarves to my whereabouts once she had been attacked?\"

At Frarin\'s words, Cordelia\'s brows had knit together, her lips parting as if she would say something. But the next question--from Rhifaroth--and then Thari\'s growled reply, both draw a small gasp from her.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

The word \'traitor\' hits a nerve and Rhifaroth stiffens with a flash of his own, sudden, intense anger. His jaw tightens, and involentarily his grip on Cordelia\'s shoulder - painfully perhaps, before he makes himself let go and remove his hand. With an effort, the man says nothing. Not just yet. If Thari were a stranger, or something less than a friend, there would very possibly be blood spilled over such an accusation.

There is a silence. Then, keeping his voice low with effort, the Dunadan says coldly, \"You have not answered my question, Thari. Do you wish to break her leg and her arm? Flay the flesh from her face? Will that make you feel better for what -others- did to you?\"

[Frarin(#31050)] \"How am I to know what I would do,\" Frarin growls, \"if you or Cordelia will say nothing? First you say that you might know the woman behind Thari\'s kidnapping, but you will not say who. Then Cordelia says that you suspect her of knowing this woman, but will not say why.\" He glares at Cordelia. \"When she knew very well. Then I am left with a note saying simply that you have gone to find this woman Tamara, and then she is dead in the Breeguard House. And as if that is not enough, then Cordelia and you disappear only hours after Thari is told if her involvement!\"

Fists balling, he waves a finger at Seeker, teeth clenched. \"I understand when certain things need kept secret, but not when they involve the dwarves!\" His lips press thin at Thari\'s words and he glances behind him to the other dwarf, but Frarin notes also Seeker\'s own sudden anger. Frarin points an accusatory finger at Cordelia.

\"And you would let her walk free because she\'s /sorry/? The dwarves have waged wars for the wrongs done against us or our friends. And \'others\'? Cordelia as good as let these others take her, she is just as guilty. Answer us the whole story and then we might know what the best course of action is.\"

Though she winces under Seeker\'s suddenly tightened grip on her shoulder, Cordelia also appears to try to shrink back from Frarin as the dwarf turns his anger on her.

[Thari(#31038)]

\"I do not even know the common punishment for such crimes!\" Thari protests, one hand flinging upward as if exasperated.

\"Dwarves do not commit such crimes as underhanded drugging and selling another\'s life away! What do humans do? A fair punishment to me would be a beating and a great sum of coin given to me, though of course SHE can\'t do this.\" Thari, too, points at Cordelia and talks about her as if she doesn\'t have a voice to participate. \"A better punishment would be for the two of us to face each other in battle.\"

\"And how,\" Thari gives a firm nod to Frarin, \"How are we to know what punishment would be appropriate if we know nothing? Why do you keep secret even when it harms us?\"

It\'s strange--after all of her panic and fright up until now, you would think that Cordelia would blanch or look frightened or panic at the mention of a beating. But instead, her eyes seem to glaze over with a distant look.

[Ranol(#26812)] Ranol knocks gently at the dwarf. It\'s a very polite knock.. curteous even. The kind of knock a well-mannered fellow would employ, despite the muffled shouts heard from without.

\"It\'s Ranol.. \" He adds for good measure.�

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

Rhifaroth is very quiet and lets the others speak. But what Thari said has made him very, very coldly angry for some reason. The man tries to stay focused on what is being said and trying to make his own anger subside. His own knuckles clenching his bow are white, his other hand a fist. There is for a moment, no answer to the other two. None at all. But slowly the man makes his jaw unclench, his own breathing easing enough that he might say something civil - with effort. When he does speak, his voice is very low. Carefully announciated.

\"I could not speak until I knew more myself. Now I am -trying- to do so.\" a careful breath, eyes moving between the two dwarves, \"I must use my own best judgement in such matters. They concern more than you and your folk, Thari... Frarin.\"

Another careful pause, choosing his words and trying not to let his anger cloud his thought. Rhifaroth adds, \"I do not for a moment suggest that Cordelia is innocent in these matters. But I judge her ill used, and despite her lies, I -hope- that she is honest now in her attempt to reform. And in giving her my protection, in turn, she helped me to get to Tamara.\" A thinning of his lips as he looks from Thari to Frarin, \"You wished for my assistance, Frarin. So I have done my best in this matter, shed blood, and taken risks of my own. If you discard my judgement so lightly, so be it. That is your choice.\"

As she has since she entered the room, Cordelia remains silent. Still, the look of confusion on her face seems to increase as the Dunadan speaks--her eyes slowly dropping to the floor. She takes a few deep breaths.

[Frarin(#31050)] \"Rhifaroth, I do not discard your judgment\" Frarin says low, still scowling, but at least dropping his angry growl. The man\'s alias is ignored, now used more than once by others. \"I have trusted it before and you have been right--\" a glance at Thari \"--and I do not say that your efforts are unacknowledged.\" Very slightly and very slowly his face begins to relax. Perhaps the archer\'s forcibly measured tone has indeed had some calming effect upon Frarin, for he seems now to be moving beyond threats and shouting in favour of his usual reason.

\"Rhifaroth is not a traitor, Thari,\" Frarin says, abruptly turning away from man and woman to look at his fellow dwarf for a moment. And then his eyes return to Seeker. \"I am inclined to pity first, to hope for the best of a person, and I deem that you do too, my friend.\" He gestures towards Cordelia with a glare. \"But if Cordelia were a man, would it be different? Ill used, say you? If she were so ill used, so keen to change her ways, why then did she speak the truth only when those from whom she profited turned on her? She has had a hand in bringing this Tamara to justice, but would she have done the same if she had not herself been threatened? That hardly seems genuine honesty to me.\"

A brief bark is aimed at the door. \"Come in!\"

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari the Difficult seems to be rather easily rebuked by Frarin. That one sentence of his has the wounded dwarf quiet, brow furrowed, rocking back slightly as if shocked.

There is a bit of a pause here and then Thari grumbles, \"I\'ve never liked how humans mollycoddle their women.\"

Ranol opens the door and steps in, a look of surprise behind his beard as he looks around the room. His thick brows lift, pale blue eyes shifting to each person in turn. The clan-karl looks to Thari last, his gaze settling up the dwarf with a questioning expression.

Cordelia looks up to Rhifaroth, and at last speaks, voice tight with fear. \"They can beat me. If that is their way and will satisfy them as a punshiment. I can\'t..meet one of them in battle. But if they see a beating as just...\" Her voice trails off, for a moment before she adds, \"then I will submit to that judgement.\"

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

There is a glance for he who enters, but at least even if Ranol is not well known, the dwarf is known to be among their closer associates to Frarin and Thari. If they would speak plainly before Ranol, likely Seeker may - in this - as well. Up to a point.

The man has shifted his long bow to rest in the crook of his left arm and places both of his hands upon Cordelia\'s thin shoulders. Rhifaroth listens to Frarin\'s quieter tone and the silversmith\'s words do some measure to smooth some of the anger and stiffness from the Dunadan\'s posture. But there is no easy forgiveness for Thari\'s thoughtless accusation. Too many ill memories eternally linked to the word \'traitor\' in his mind. Rhifaroth\'s gaze avoids the other and lingers instead upon Frarin.

\"If she were a man, aye, it would be different. But even at 18 or 19, a man ... a boy, might be given more leeway in the hope of salvage. A girl even more, Frarin. For the sake of hope.\" As he speaks, idly his thumbs trace something he can feel through Cordelia\'s shirt. Distracted, Rhifaroth glances at the girl, but says nothing to her.

To Frarin\'s last question, the archer gives this answer \"It\'s a place to start.\" he might say something more but Thari\'s comment can\'t be entirely ignored. Anger snaps within the man as he finally looks at the other, \"I am a married man, Thari. Despite ... certain rumors I have heard recently, it isn\'t what you think.\" Yes, there is definitely very cold anger now reserved for Thari.

Another pause, then in a lowered voice Rhifaroth hushes Cordelia, \"There will be no beating.\"

As Rhifaroth touches her back, Cordelia tenses and turns a shade paler. She\'s fallen silent again, though.

[Frarin(#31050)] Frarin glares at Cordelia, but Seeker\'s admission of his marriage brings a brief pause to the silver merchant. He glances back at Thari, catching the man\'s cold tone as he addresses the healer. He looks then to Seeker, then to Cordelia, then back to Thari. His eyes flick back and forth, his lips pressing together and parting again. Many thoughts seem to be circulating behind his gaze, but Seeker\'s continuing forced calmness seems to further bring Frarin\'s temper down.

\"Very well,\" he says abruptly, scowling at Cordelia, but his voice measured and level. \"She is young, but still old enough to account for her actions.\" He looks at Seeker. \"The dwarves know of her involvement now, my friend, and it cannot be ignored. If your own friend or family member had been treated in such a manner, how would you act? I...do not propose to beat Cordelia.\" He sounds genuine about that, at least. \"But it is not me who suffered from her decision. That right, I think, belongs to Thari.\"

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari returns Ranol\'s gaze. \"Have you met this woman Cordelia? She is the one who drugged me and Seeker here is the one who is protecting her.\"

And then to Rhifaroth the dwarf\'s attention goes, steel-colored eyes nearly as cool as his, but it is not to him that Thari speaks, but to Frarin. \"I was not suggesting that she be beaten only to satisfy my anger, but trying to think of typical punishments given to a human. She has not money to pay me and I don\'t think she would be of much use to my family in their employ-- if, indeed, I could get her home without her poisoning me. Surely no one is suggesting that she have no consequences at all for having me tortured?\"

Ranol listens quietly, his brow narrowing slightly as he listens to the exchanges and what\'s being said. He derives a lot rather quickly, and soon enough the clan karl is frowning as he glances at Cordelia. \"I see.\" He states in a cold tone at Thari\'s explanation, his expression growing hard.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)]

His own anger cooling somewhat as well, Rhifaroth keeps his hands steady upon Cordelia\'s shoulders - more likely than not, to keep her from trying to bolt in panic from the room. But she seems to be holding up better than he had expected under this preasure, this time.

A nod to Frarin, and reluctantly to Thari as well, \"I am not suggesting that there can be no punishment, so long as it is reasonably civil. As I asked first upon entry into this chamber tonight, what do you propose?\"

Cool, distant, eyes slip from one dwarf to the other, \"I think Cordelia ... has taken more punishment for this than you know, already. Perhaps it would be more fitting to levy your punishment upon me in her place?\" Rhifaroth\'s gaze slips to Thari and meets his eyes if Thari will meet his own, \"It is I who gave my word to her that no harm would befall her - in so far as I am able - if she trusted me, answered my questions truthfully, aided me against those she served. And swore an oath never to serve their interests again.\"

Still low voiced and perfectly serious, the archer adds, \"So I have taken responsibility. Perhaps you should think upon this a little. Discuss it among yourselves, then inform me of what you think is most fair in this matter?\" Rhifaroth gently urges Cordelia to turn for the door, feeling her trembling. He lowers his voice and asks of her, \"Will you go down to the kitchen and see that Hazel gets half of that stag? Then wait for me at the stables?\"

A small gasp from the young woman as Rhifaroth offers to take the punishment for her, and she turns, shaking her head. \"No,\" Cordelia speaks up firmly now--first to Rhifaroth and then to the dwarves. \"I won\'t have that--it\'s not right. Decide what will satisfy you, and I\'ll take what you measure out.\" A nod to Rhifaroth then. \"Half the stag.\" She slips out the door before more angry accusations--or candlesticks, perhaps--can be flung at her.

[Frarin] \"No, Thari,\" Frarin says levelly, looking back to the healer with a solemn look, but not scolding. \"Something should be done, and not--\" a pointed look at Seeker \"--by any except she who caused the trouble.\" At the woman\'s own rejection of Seeker\'s pledge on her behalf, Frarin actually gives a stiff nod, an acknowledgement of his own, however small. He does not even move to pursue her as she departs the room.

\"You take too much responsibility upon yourself, Rhifaroth,\" Frarin says low. He gestures at Thari and Ranol. \"The dwarves will take counsel among our own, but Cordelia has yet some payment to make for her amends to be complete. I do not say do not pity her, but she still must answer to us, not to you, for what she has done.\"

[Thari(#31038)]

\"You\'ve done nothing that deserves punishing, Rhifaroth,\" Thari says, reaching up toward the chest as if expecting to grip something, and then dropping the hand again. \"So I\'ll brook none of this talk of you taking a punishment. A good stiff talking-to, that I can give you. Clear out your ears, perhaps.\"

This is all Thari says, for abruptly the injured dwarf looks away as Cordelia leaves, to instead watch the window in a gloomy fashion.

Ranol listens quietly, watching Cordelia leave and crossing his arms over his chest as he moves to lean against the wall, out of the way. He speaks up in his soft manner, \"It is not unheard of amongst our kind for one to take on the troubles caused by another..\" The dwarf glances over to Thari, lifting a brow.

Ajnabi pages: He\'s a bit wan in terms of complexion, rather short for a haradrim, with dark eyes. Obviously, he doesn\'t intend to arrive with \'Price-Ali-Mighty-is-he et cetra as background music. I\'d imagine he\'d wear something either neutral or sort of Gondor-ish, carry a longsword, and introduce himself as a stranger from the south.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)] �

�� �Again he is silent, waiting quietly and allowing the dwarves to have their say without his interruption. But the Dunadan frowns faintly.

�� �When each of them, all three, have had their say for the moment, the man nods. Rhifaroth stands with both of his hands now resting upon the wood of the long bow, \"Perhaps not. But I am taking responsibility all the same, Frarin... Thari.\" A nod to Ranol as well, \"I have given my word to her and I shall stand by it. If she is willing, in my absense, to accept some punishment on her own, then make such arrangement between yourselves and her. Before I return.\"

�� �A pause, then he adds quietly, \"I depart in the morning to fetch my family. I should be back ... in a few weeks, or within the month.\" A firm look to Frarin and Thari, \"Otherwise, you may presant your decision to myself upon my return. Unless I encounter you and yours at the Last Bridge before then.\"

[Frarin] \"No, Rhifaroth,\" Frarin says firmly, shaking his head. He glances at Ranol, frowning at a thought. \"This is different. No one can, or should, take the place of someone who has committed such a crime.\" He looks pointedly at Seeker again, as if the argument is a moot point. \"I am sorry we must part on such terms, my friend. Fare well in retrieving your family.\"

But he pauses, opening his mouth as if to stop the man from departing right away. \"Rhifaroth, one more thing...do you believe what she says about her family? That has hardly been brought up, by either you or her, as we have talked here.\"

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari meets Ranol\'s glance, head already shaking. \"This is not the same sort of thing at all, cousin.\"

And then the dwarf\'s eyes go back toward the window. \"I rather hope Cordelia does not take your absence as an opportunity to run off,\" comes the comment for Rhifaroth.

If one were to pay close attention, it might be noticed that Thari is not really gazing outside, but watching Frarin\'s reflection in the dark glass.

Ranol grows silent once more, his eyes growing distant as his thoughts broaden to consider the situation more fully. \"Perhaps I need more of an explanation as to what happened.. if you wish my opinion at all.\" It\'s no more than a statement, without sarcasm or other suggestive tones.

[Rhifaroth(#27282)] �

�� �The man inclines his head to Frarin in acceptance of the other\'s wishes though he still does not like some of it. But Rhifaroth is in no hurry to depart. He has barely shifted his weight ere he might move a foot to depart before Frarin\'s last is added to ask of Cordelia\'s sisters.

�� �A moment\'s consideration, then a nod once more, \"Aye, I do believe her there. I am... familiar with such methods. It is a common practice in the eastern lands.\" and then he adds softly, \"I know she has lied in many things - out of genuine fear, I think. But in this, I think she is being honest.\"

�� �To Thari though, the Dunadan\'s pale grey eyes slip and he frowns, \"It is a possibility, Thari. One that has certainly crossed my mind. It would ... make things ... awkward, for all of us.\"

�� �A quick glance to Ranol whom he really doesn\'t know, but the man nonetheless adds, \"If she does, I shall have to kill her.\"

[Frarin] Frarin is silent as Seeker gives his opinion on Cordelia\'s sisters, but the dwarf nods solemnly. \"Very well then, Seeker,\" says the silver merchant quietly, looking back to Thari as she stares out the window, apparently. \"We shall speak among ourselves, but will not hand out any punishment except to Cordelia. And do not think badly of our striving for such justice it is our way and when one of our people is violated in such a manner, it is our way that matters.\"

[Thari(#31038)]

\"We will explain it to you,\" Thari answers Ranol. The healer does not speak again, giving no farewell to Rhifaroth, but a moment after Frarin\'s glance turns toward Thari, the short-bearded dwarf\'s face is turned back to the silversmith. Grey eyes linger on Frarin\'s features.

Ranol nods, accepting the answer. \"I will return in the morning, if that suits you, cousin?\"

[Rhifaroth(#27282)] �

�� �There is no anger in him now. Rhifaroth is just tired. Too few meals these past weeks, lost too much weight once more, too little sleep, and much physical labour trying to ready a run down house for habitation by a woman with very young babes. And this whole Cordelia mess on top of that. And other responsibilities that have been delayed and put off because of it.

�� �\"I do not think badly of you and yours, Frarin. You have a right to your anger, and to justice. I wish I could tell you more, friend. But things are too tangled.\"

�� �A weak smile and then he inclines his head in parting, \"Fare you well on your journey homeward. Whatever you decide concerning Cordelia, just please... \" ... there are no words, they fail him. Rhifaroth looks at Frarin and then turns away to open the door. Stepping into it, he glances back, \"Please choose carefully.\" It is all he can ask. Then, the door is closed softly behind himself.