Bor\'s Folly: A Gift for Khan-buri-khan

Snow, again there is snow. Not a heavy fall but enough to cast the night white. The fire is lit and it burns bright against the start whiteness. The camp is fairly quiet however there is life. One is Cwen, she stands a few feet from the fire - in her hands a horse sculpture inlaid with gems, gold and silver. From time to time she brushes golden hair from her face blue eyes staring off into the forest.

Just a few steps away, Menelglir stands by the fire to stay warm, but he looks not into it, but out and into the dark of the forest. What he can see, blinded, likely, by the fire light, he does not show on his face.

There is a stirring amongst the trees. Snow falls from the leafy canopy onto the forest\'s floor. Emerging from the foliage into the camp is Khan-buri-Khan, wearing little in the way of clothing. Despite this, he does not shiver.

He approaches Menelglir patiently.

Cwen is silent, just silent. She watches intently as Khan-buri-Khan moves towards the Knight, hands still clutching the sculpture.

\"Sir,\" Menelglir says, blinking a few times as the tribesman seemingly emerges from the darkness. \"Pleased we are to see you. And we bring you a gift.\"

A noise, from the ladies tent, as Calenloth emerges. She turns towards the fire, only to see... Is that? Quietly she steps across the snow to join the group.

Khan-buri-Khan comes up a few paces short of Menelglir. A smile crosses his face and he says, \"Tall Man, you have gift for Khan-buri-Khan? Time has come.\"

\"We do,\" Menelglir nods, voice and posture formal. \"I give you my oath that should you or your people ever need help against the enemy, we will gather men and come to your aid if you send word to us. And to seal that promise...\" He turns to Cwen. \"Lady?\"

Cwen steps forward a few paces - as she nears the fire it casts a shine on her golden hair. Blue eyes watch the man with intent, curious intent, and a smile is offered as well. As she steps up beside the Knight delicate hands goes to lift the sculptured horse. It is crafted by hand with the most delicate care to detail, the saddle is a fine design of a mixture of gold and silver and eyes are made of gems. An exquisite piece.

Calenloth\'s approach brings her behind Cwen and Menelglir, but she comes to a stop, watching the presentation of the gift. She freezes, hesistant to interrupt, but watches Cwen offer the gift, strangely calm and smiling.

Khan-buri-Khan takes the sculpture in his hands. He turns it around and over, and then inspects it closely. \"Goldenhair, you make this? Make stones?\" he asks.

As Khan-buri-Khan takes the piece and examines it, her smiles remains friendly. Despite what nerves she may have in this first meeting she is having with them Cwen pushes them down and says:

\"I had not, no. That\" a hand points to it, \"Is important to us. It is a symbol of strength, courage, and freedom, that which my people, and the people of Gondor hold. The stones, they could of came from my land, yes.\"

Menelglir is silent, barely daring to breathe as he awaits the reaction of the clansman.

\"Hmmph,\" mumbles the Druedain.

\"Strength, courage, freedom. All good things. All needed. Khan-buri-Khan accept gift. Will put to good use. Strong and heavy. Will make birds fall from trees,\" he says, laughing jovially.

All along, Khan-buri-Khan seemed to be clutching something in his hand. Now, he opens at hand. There is a small spider in it, and he offers it to Cwen.

\"Mountain Men will understand,\" he says.

\"Thank you, Khan-buri-Khan,\" Menelglir says, leaning forward to look at what the Wild Man offers, and then glancing to Cwen, both brows raised. \"We will need something to carry it in, I suppose...\" He looks to Calenloth for help, it seems.

\"We are happy that you accept it, and will find enjoyment out of it.\" a slight chuckle as Khan-buri-Khan laughs and it is then that her blue eyes look to the object in his hand - the spider. She does not hesitate at all, nor does she flinch. There seems to be no fear of it and as the gift is offered to them the golden haired woman holds out her hand to accept it happily. \"Thank you.\" are her words - for they are kind and soft as she speaks.

Calenloth catches Menelglir\'s eyes upon her and she takes a few steps closer towards the fire. She gazes upon the item in Khan-buri-khan\'s hands, considering for a moment. She reaches into her cloak to produce a small leather bag, opening it to inspect the contents, which she removes. A gesture to Cwen as the bag is prooffered. \"For safe-keeping?\" she speaks, softly.

\"Keep its life safe. Tall Men do not care for nature like Wild Men,\" says Khan-buri-Khan, \"Test for Tall Men. Test of care and thinkfulness.\"

\"Yes..though...\" Menelglir glances to the women, then to the tribesman. \"How...no, never mind. We shall manage. And this, you say--the Mountain Men will understand?\"

\"They understand life.\"

\"Death, different,\" warns Khan-buri-Khan.

With a slight risen brow Cwen listens to the man talk of life and death, though she remains silent now. The spider remains in her hand and from time to time she looks down to it and then back up.

\"It does make sense,\" Calenloth offers, quietly.

\"Yes,\" Menelglir says, but he nods slowly to the tribesman, as if not clearly taking his meaning. \"I suppose we will find out exactly how differently they understand life and death.\"

\"Tall Men will learn things, yes,\" says Khan-buri-Khan, turning to walk away. \"Leave now. Forest does not smile at Stonehousers like it does Wild Men.\"

And then he is gone.

Watching the man leave, Calenloth turns to the others. Still clutching the bag in her hand, she insists, \"We should go. How quickly can we pack?\"

\"Keep that spider safe,\" Menelglir says, looking to Calenloth and Cwen. \"I trust you both to help see to it, for it seems to me that you will be more careful of it than one of our men.\" He looks about, not directly answering Calenloth, but barkign an order to the men in the camp: \"Break camp! We leave with the morning!\"

At orders, Calenloth nods. She hands the bag to Cwen and heads for the tent.

Cwen watches the man go for a minute, eyes following the dark. Taking the bag, the spider in her hand is gently placed in and the golden haired woman turns to follow Calenloth to help break camp so they can all depart the forest.