Of Wraiths and Kings, and Friends and Rings (Calling All Nazgul)

[Lotesse]

Before she headed for Lilly's boudoir, Viniglaen stopped at her own room. First, she went to her secret hiding place and retrieved one of the diamonds she'd gotten that morning, a huge, almost flawless 40 karat canary diamond. Then she went to her window and opened it, and leaning out, she called for Lomi.

"Phwit! Phwit! Lomi, you out there?" she called, and a great annoyed flutter could be heard from the top of the cedar tree.

"Pwi-"

"YES, yes, I'm coming, whoot-whit, I'm coming," answered Lomi the Large Eyes, and in she flew, all clumsy agitated ruffling with a funny little grumpy look on her face. "I was GOING to go out for supper just now, but anyway," grumbled Lomi.

"Oh, Lomi," laughed Viniglaen, "I shan't keep you from your supper long! We're going out together right now, but before we do there's some important people I want to introduce you to."

Lomi climbed onto Viv's back, and the two of them went to Lilly's room.

Penny was lying on top of the covers on the bed, smoothing Lil's forehead and hair, and speaking real low to her, sweet words no doubt.

Viv closed the door behind her, and came up to Lilaenwen, holding the flowers before her, the diamond behind her back.

"Look, Lil, look what Raendil has brought for you," she said as she handed the beautiful bouquet to Lilly.

"What - an owl? You brought me - an owl, well, that's so sweet of you Viv but what am I going to do with an owl?"

"NO -" Viv checked herself, lowering her voice, "No, not the owl, THESE," she said, slightly shaking the flowers.

Lil gasped. "OH, Morgul vale blooms!" she exclaimed, and her whole face lit up with happiness. "OH, look Five, look what she brought me! OH!" Lil buried her face in the bouquet.

"I said RAENDIL, Ray brought them for you, but I brought you -" Viv dramatically, slowly presented the diamond, "THIS!"

"Wow," said Five-Pengolod, but Lil was rendered momentarily mute. Her eyes grew as large as the diamond itself. She handed Pen the flowers, and slowly took the stone, turning it in her hand.

"I don't know what to say," said Lil.

"Then don't say anything," responded Viv, "Just get better quick, O.K.? You had me SO SCARED seeing you like that. SO scared. I never want to lose you, Lilaenwen."

Lomi hopped off Viv's shoulder and perched herself on the top of Lil's end bedpost, and Viv went over to the other side of the bed to sit next to Lil for a moment. She half-layed next to her, and kissed her on the forehead.

"Now that Penny's here to take care of you, and I know you're O.K., I'm going out for a little while with Ray, and- oh, I forgot to introduce you to Lomi."

"Of course, nobody mind me," Lomi piped up, much to Penny and Lil's amusement.

"This is Lomi, my new totem and companion," announced Viv. "Lomi, meet Lilaenwen and Pengolod, my family."

Lomi bowed her head regally. "How do you do," she said, in her funny owl accent, her eyes half closed in a look of dignified long-sufferance.

"Why very well, thank you," answered the delighted Lilly.

"Now, we've got to get going, " said Viv, getting up from the bed and putting her arm out, indicating to Lomi to climb on. "But when I get back later on, Pen, I need you to fill me in on what went down today. For now, just take care of my sister, as you always do, and I'll be back in a few hours."

"Ohhh, yes, you KNOW I'll take care of her just right," he answered, giving Lilly a little tickle underneath her beautiful bosom, making her giggle.

"Oh - one more thing, before I forget - you guys, I know I don't really have to say this, but just to be sure, please don't let anyone know you got this diamond from me. Keep it a secret, for now. Especially from Khamul. He will not understand, will he?"

At the mention of Khamul, Lilly tensed and her face became clouded over again with the memory of her anguish. Penny's face became dark with suppressed rage. They both nodded assent, though, and with that, Viniglaen left them alone to have their time together. 'Poor Penny,' thought Viv. 'I bet it just kills him to be unable to confront Khamul about his cruelty toward his love.'

"Ready to go?" asked Ray.

"Yep," said Viv, grabbing her cloak on the way out the door. "Let's go."

[Lotesse]

****

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Khamûl reentered the house, coming back from a stroll around Tharbad. The Reception was in under one hour, leaving him just enough time to change and arrive.

Khamûl walked up to Lily's door and entered without knocking.
"How is she," he said to Penny.
"How is she? How is she? What do you care. Do you know what you've done to her. She could have died then," replied Penny.
"No she couldn't and if you don't know that then your knowledge of such things is less than I thought. We can only die with the destruction of the One."
Unable to stand his presence any longer Penny drew a short sword and jumped at Khamûl who quickly jumped aside, knocking the blade from Penny's hand.
"Fool. You shall not do that again. You knew she must be punished. After what happened she could have blown our cover and we would have been hunted across the whole of Middle Earth. If Valandil had any inkling of what that scream really was, it would take just one message to Elrond at Rivendell and our cover would have been blown sky high. Our Lord told me to punish her, and I did what I was ordered to do, just as you would have done," said Khamûl, picking up Penny sword and placing it on bed next to Lily. "You knew it must be done." And with that Khamûl left the room and returned to his study.

Khamûl sat in his study listening to the sounds of voices at the door.
Unable to stand the four walls of the room any longer he changed into a black tunic with black leggings. He also took up his sword and had it hang by his side. He left the house without anyone noticing an slowly headed for the Reception.

[Lotesse]

It was around seven o'clock in the evening, as Viniglaen, Raendil and Lomi set out into Tharbad, looking for something to do. Lomi was hungry, and Viv was lost in thought. Ray kept looking at her, as they walked along. 'She's such an enigma,' he thought, 'and a great sadness emanates from her, even though she's one of the most fun people to be around that I can remember of late, aside from my best friend Marty.' But he didn't want to pry into her private life, he could sense she wouldn't appreciate that, just as he himself hated inquisitivity into his OWN private life. Just being with her, saying nothing, felt right.

Viv was thinking and feeling the same things, and peeking into his thoughts for a moment, she smiled inside. 'Such a gentleman,' she thought, 'and so like to my own heart. Sometimes I wish I could be a normal woman, instead of cursed to this infinite unlife.'

'I wish I had a frog to eat right now,' thought Lomi morosely, as she bobbed along on Viv's shoulder. 'Oh, why can't I find me a frog?'

[Rían]

RÃ*an opened the note and read,

"Fair and lovely as thou art,
Thou hast stol'n my very heart,
I can die - but cannot part,
My lovely lady."

Her breathing quickened, and a warm flush spread over her body.

[Lotesse]

"Why are we walking," said Ray suddenly, "when my horse is right here?"

"Who-why indeed, when I can be finding my frog, while you ride," added Lômi irritably.

"Here, hop on in front of me," said Ray, as he cradled Viv's tiny foot to mount Volcirom.

The horse whinneyed happily, and Lômi clumsily fluttered off Viv's shoulder as Viv settled herself upon Volci's back. "I'll follow you from the air while I find me a frog," Lômi said as she took flight above them. Ray got behind Viv, and off they went, heading south past the moonlit park grounds of the Royal Arnor Museum of Contemporary Art, and toward the piers.

[Earniel]

In Nîn-In-Eilph, Eärniel was finally underway back to Tharbad. Nardol rowed and Eärniel watched the reeds, her mind dwelling on all sort of things but mostly they had to do with Tharbad. Behind her she could hear Nardol singing softly, the Lay of Leithan, she thought.

She had already dressed for the reception: a dark blue dress of a very simple and modest cut. The only decoration it had was white stiching at the hem, resembling foam on waves. Her hair was loose, with a few braids to keep it out of her face. She wore a silver jewel in her hair, in which two white feathers were fastened.

Before her she could hear the faint tones of a reed-flute.

"Sounds like Halindel is already waiting," said Nardol who had heard it too.

Eärniel nodded. Halindel caught sight of them and waved before jumping out of the gnarled tree where she had been playing.

"I've prepared Palensulë for you, Eärniel." Halindel said, "She could do with some good running."

"Thank you Halindel," Eärniel replied while she looked at the horse. The horses of the Reed-Elves tended to be somewhat smaller than the horses of Rivendell, due to their long life in the marches. Their hooves were also broader to be able to walk in the muddy ground but that didn't hamper their speed.

Elves rode bare-back and Eärniel was no exception. So Palensulë only bore a decorative head-gear with yellow and blue ribbons. The grey mare gave the Elf an intelligent look back. Eärniel smiled. "I'm sure she'll do wonderful," she said and lightly jumped on the horse's back.

"Still think I'll go to my doom in Tharbad, Nardol?" Eärniel asked with a smile.

Nardol shot a sideward glance at Halindel who stood at his side. "No, lady. Halindel has informed me many times that you'll be able to handle yourself very well. And as she no doubt will continue to remind me, your choices are not mine to make, or as she put it: None of my bloody business."

Halindel's mouth fell open in indignation. "I never said that! Why you little..."

Eärniel chuckled. "Very well, before you settle that between the two of you, don't forget to collect Palensulë at the university. She'll be much happier in Nîn-In-Eilph than she'll be in the city. But for now I have need of her speed. Goodbye!"

Going slower at first to leave the swamps, Eärniel let the mare race to her heart's content as soon as they reached the road to the city. She hadn't expected to see anyone on the road to Nîn-In-Eilph so she was surprised to see a woman and a horse before her. Her surprise grew even more when she recognized her friend RÃ*an. She brought Palensulë to a halt.

"Well met, RÃ*an! What brings you here? And you didn't tell me you owned such a magnificent horse! What is her name?"

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Still running through Penny's assault on him through his mind Khamûl left Orrodel and began the walk to the Reception. He was losing the support and trust of the lower Nazgûl. If he wasn't careful he'd lose their trust completley. First Viv, the Lily and Penny. The only one left was Gordis, he'd have to try and get her onside tonight. Udu was no real problem alone, but if he had the trust and support of all the others, and more important the use of their Rings, then the consequences could be disastorus. Something would need to be done soon to prevent this from happening. He needed to regain the trust of Lily, Penny and Viv and make sure Udu knew about. You never know, even Udu could be tempted!

As he that thought left his mind he arrived at the University. Upon walking through he saw Udu on the far side of the hall. There was his target for tonight, he'd have to be on top form.

[Butterbeer]

Beautiful boomerang had left the Council of owls to a cresendo of twooo-wheee! followed by a round and joyus chorus of

tooowhit-tooowhit-tooowhoooo!
tooowhit-tooowhit-tooowhoooo!
tooowhit-tooowhit-tooowhoooo!

The owls were indeed happy they had Large eyes acquire such a potentially important companion.

Ahhh! Lomi .... thought Beautiful, remembering wise-whit's eldest when she was but a young joyful ball of eyes and feathers .. always inquisitive and always getting her baby claws tangled up in wise-whit's books, especially that one about the funny donkey he recalled ... he also remembered her mother too: she had always been so polite to him as befitted his rank, but beyond that she had prepared the most succulent nectar delicacies he had ever had .... ahhh! fond memories.

Boomerang had flown down from the far north when he had heard of her death, the news coming from no less than the eagle: lord of the guild of predators ... now there was a thought , mused Beautiful Boomerang ...

he had honoured her in the Owlish fashion by bringing the small bones of a rare Northern field mouse to lay at her favorite haunt, in the old southern gate tower. He had laid a feather there too as was the custom and praised the moon for her life. Wise-whit had been in-consolable as he recalled ...


So, the council had ended early, Lomi's coup had strengthened her position as the fore-runner for leader of the owls. Beautiful was pleased ... t'was time to recharge his batteries for a while... at least until the arch-Chancellor's reception.

Beautiful flew off in the early morning air ......


---------------------------------------------------------------------

[The last sane person]

Ray leaped up behind Viv, and started the horse into a calm walk. Ray was glad Viv didn't think him to bold for sharing the horse...It was just that he was still very sore from the game. okay, time to show her the city! hmm....she smells....like...roses! And she has got tiny feet! his mind was filled with arbitrary thoughts as they started to ride down to the pier. Moving to grab the reigns from the horn, he noticed the makshift bandage was damp again.

Viv's powerful sense of smell picked up the blood as he reached his hand around to the reigns. "Hey, what happened to you?" He drew his hand back hastily "Nothing, accident, I was being stupid and got distracted while putting an edge on my blade...Its nothing really." Viv was highly skeptical, and descreetly took a peak inside his head...only to find the thought viciously guarded! She backed down, now thoroughly interested in what went on.

"Here, let me at least tie you a new bandage. That one is bled right through." She grabbed his hand in her small, but strong one before he could pull it back under his cloak. Her strength surprised him, but not as much as one would think, my god, there are new things to be learned about this woman around every bend! He relented and gave her his hand, "there are strips of spare cloth in the saddle bag to your right. I never know when I might need some sort of bandage." She applied the dressing in silence, absently making note of how deep it was, what caused it and at which angle it was administered.

Raendil felt mischevious, and Volricom felt it. Cocking one ear back to his master. Ray grinned. He tensed, so did Volricom. Viv just barely caught on. They were suddenly off at a gallop. Viv had little time to gain her balance, but she did, if only barely. Ray gave a whoop and Volricom joined in. Viv just gave a laugh and whooped as well, and they were careening towards a little frequented pier.

"HEY! Lomi! This is where we get the frogs, some big juicey ones!" Raendil shouted up to their winged companion. Lomi hooted with glee, and Viniglaen seemed to really be enjoying herself. When close by, Ray vaulted off speeding Volricom and skidded maybe two feet from the edge of the pier. Viv brought Volricom to a dancing halt, laughing. She adressed Volricom, "I don't think I have ridden such a horse in a long while! You have a marvelous gait, smooth as a river!" Volricom indeed liked the praise, and bounced around. Viv elegantly slide off his back, but he would have none of it. He nudged her as soon as she landed, sending her forwards. Lomi had already caught her dinner frog, and caught another plump on and pawed it over to Ray.

"My lady...Your frog! Who shall receive this....slimey surprise?"

[Lotesse]

"Why thank you very much, Lomi!" laughed Viv, still breathing a little heavily, her eyes flashing with mischief. " He's not so slimy," she said, "he's just right! "

"Just right for WHAT - what are you gonna do with that blasted FROG?!" Ray laughed, with a heavy accent of curiousity and amusement mingled in his voice.

"Well for now," she said, lifting the flap of Volcirom's saddlebag, "the frog stays in here, until we find someone appropriate down whose back the frog will be wanting to crawl!"

Ray just laughed, and shook his head, and Viv went down to where he was sitting and gaain took his bandaged and bleeding hand in hers. She unwrapped it and re-dressed the wound with the fresh bandages, and as they sat there, with the lazy sound of the frogs croaking in the rushes by the riverbank, and Lomi softly who-whitting to herself from time to time between frog-bites, they both suddenly heard a sound that was out-of-place. Someone was spying on them!

[Rían]

RÃ*an looked up with surprise and pleasure written on her bright face. "Eärniel! Well met, my friend!"

She ran a hand softly down her mare's neck. "This is Hwesta - isn't she lovely? Hwesta, meet ..." she looked up at Eärniel.

"...Palensulë," answered Eärniel, as the two horses touched noses and made the soft whuffing noises that horses do.

"Well, I didn't own this horse until just a few minutes ago, but Eärniel, I'm not ready to talk about it now - I have much to think on," and she thought of the note tucked into her bosom.

"You think too much, my friend!" teased Eärniel. "I think I know just what you need!", and she told her friend about the Chancellor's reception. "I'm sure they would allow me a guest. And frankly, I would appreciate you being there," she ended up in a more serious tone. "You know how irritating humans can be sometimes ... oh! I'm sorry!" she ended up awkwardly as she remembered her friend's heritage.

"That's OK, I get irritated with the human side of myself plenty of times!" laughed RÃ*an. "I agree - humans can be VERY irritating! All right, I'll go and save you from those nasty creatures!" she said with a wink and a smile. "But I need to return to Orrodel to change, first."

"Well, change quickly, because I'm already running late. We'll just have to see if your Hwesta lives up to her name and gets us there like the wind!"

The two girls [OOC - there is NO good English word for this, like "guys" for males! Do I use "maidens", "young ladies", or what?! ] led their sleek horses back up the hill to Orrodel.

[Butterbeer]

Sir Bumbledore doddered somewhat unstably through his dishelved quarters ... accidentily knocking over a half drunk bottle of wine

"mmmph" he weazed

Looking in the full length mirror he scratched his shock of unkempt silvery white hair

where's me britches? he thought

the mirror reflected back one lively percing blue eye (his right) and an odd glass yellow and green streaked marble "eye" snuggled up to his scarred left eyebrow ... he had absently mindedly forgotten where his prosthetic eye had been put that time he had that little accident when juggling daggers one drunken night...

the mirror also showed a wrinkled visage, big blubbery lips and a cheerful complexion enthroned by the mountainous centre-peice of a very large hairy nose!

standing slouchily and somewhat hunched up in his tattered hole-ridden woolen undergarments Sir Bumbledore tried to fasten his badly ironed formal shirt ... never mind the cufflinks he thought ... i think they are in the midden .. he rolled up the sleeves and decided he did not have time to search for his britches, so creakily picking up his dressing gown (well he was used to wearing this at the university ... and it did rather look like a cloak ... he decided "he'd do" ...

forgetting completely to take off his slippers the Proffesor of Commerce and longest standing Professor at the University took his first doddery steps towards the new term recpeption ...it wasn't far but he would probably be a little late (and thirsty) by the time he arrived ...

he was looking forward immensely to a drink with the arch-chancellor - a wonderfully kind man, if he was any judge of character: the arch-chancellor always had a smile on his face when he spoke to him .... of course his reply was usually

"eh? what's that me lord?" as he was a touch the hard of hearing... but still...

[The last sane person]

Ray was having a ball! Enough so that he was able to ignore the throb in his hand, having laughed at Viv’s antics, with the frog, and Volricom, Ray sat down near the bank, under a young weeping willow. Viniglaen came and sat next to him, taking his damaged hand and tending to it. Raendil stifled any noise that might have come from him, for it brought back memories both painful and happy. He spoke up once he had his mind under his control, “this is a truly beautiful part of the river, since we are near to the expensive side of town, it is unpolluted and clean, but since we are far enough away from everything its really quite private. Also, in the summer and spring, it’s a great swimming hole…� he grinned his trademark sheepish lion grin, “I found that out on accident…was…um compromised in my balance and fell in…�

‘Compromised’ indeed! He had gotten into a fistfight with a few toughs who had intended to cut his purse-if not his throat- and they ended up in a heap and he in the water. He suppressed a guffaw from this memory, though Viniglaen caught it, she had a slight smile on her face. “Though, in the late summer, like right now, the sunsets are truly beautiful. It’s a pity we missed it. When the sun is just about to set, and is over yonder, just brushing the tops of those trees,� He pointed them out to Viv, “It makes the water shimmer in such a way…I guess I’d describe it as, like someone put a layer of gold leaf over the water, and that it was still molten. It dances, red, gold, orange…and its laid out in front of you, so it looks like a road, like in Valinor I’d imagine roads like that…And when the sun is about to sink, it's at an angle that makes the river look as if ablaze! The colors are all reflected around you, it paints buildings, trees, even yourself! It looks as though Mahal had taken his brush and painted you all the colors of his burning forge! But when the moon comes out, which I don’t think it will tonight…it looks like a pool of mithril, and it too flickers about in the shadow, playing between light and dark, like nymphs, i'd imagine....� He suddenly became aware of himself and blushed crimson, but it was dark, so he didn’t think Viniglaen would notice.

Now, if that wasn't dorky, nothing is...I really hope she doesn't mind

He was picking himself up when both he and Viv suddenly sat bolt upright at sounds that didn’t belong there! Someone was spying. Ray caught a glimpse of a face, though it could hardly count as one. It reminded Ray of the half orcs he had fought and seen along side his father and cousins, along in his family’s thanedom. Viv’s glance darted along with that of Ray’s and they both attacked, without thinking, but coordinating their movements.

Viv got to the man first, tugging him out of his hiding spot roughly, aiming a blow to his temple. Luck was with him though, and the momentum of Viv’s throw and him tripping pushed him out of range, so he blow glanced off a tree. The man was lightening fast, but Ray and Viv were faster. The half man brought out a dagger cursing in some strange language, while he had rolled and aimed it at Viv’s unprotected side. Ray’s sword was there first, neatly slicing through the cheap iron of the would-be killer-spy. Seeing that he was thus outclass; the villain chose to up and run, but Viniglaen would have none of it. For a moment Ray was awestruck, for Viniglaen had started to reveal a bit of her true Nazgul temper and power, darting up to the man, and lifting him up, all the while drawing her own dagger. Quickly recovering himself, Ray leapt. Indeed, one could argue that he had flown, to Viv’s side and grabbed her arm before the fatal blow could be given.

Sweet Eru!

Using his momentum, he spun her away and behind him and grabbed the man anew. Dealing him a stunning blow with the pommel of his sword that easily broke his nose and teeth, rendering him out cold. Ray looked around back at Viv, who was still breathing hard, but had sheathed her dagger…trying to regain her calm. He looked her in her eyes, and smiled. “You are one lion of a woman, but I cannot let you kill this man. King Valandil had ordered that all spies and those of that ilk to be held and questioned. There is a guardhouse not far, we will drop him off there and continue, if that is well with you. Or we could go back to your home, if you so wish.� He still wore his fierce battle smile that made one think he was a warrior out of some ancient tale, not a young college boy.

Oddly enough, though wrung and abused, his hand did not bleed. It hurt still, true, but it did not bleed.

[Rían]

RÃ*an and Earniel left their horses to graze on the fresh green grass surrounding Orrodel, and walked up to RÃ*an's room. She had chosen for herself a light, airy room overlooking the most wooded area of the grounds, with a large vista beyond, fading into hazy, only-to-be-guessed-at heights which she was fond of gazing at and letting her mind wander in the waking dreams that Elves can dream. But now was not a time for dreaming - it was time for more serious matters - getting dressed for a PAR-TAY!

RÃ*an had not felt like adorning herself for some time, but since that afternoon in the tree with the butterfly a few days ago (was that only a few days ago?), she had felt an awakening and stirring in her blood, which was only heightened by the mysterious note she had just received, and she now wanted to put on her jewels from the past which she had kept hidden for so long.

Walking over to the armoir, she selected a lovely dress of first-star-in-the-sky evening blue and slipped it on. As she moved about the room, the dress shimmered softly, showing hints of the background color of wet-leaves-after-a-rain green. The blue and green of the dress blended in and out together harmoniously and perfectly matched her deep hazel eyes. Letting her hair down, she brushed it out carefully, taking her time and enjoying its silkiness against her hands.

Setting the brush down, she carefully pulled out her pouch of jewels and poured them out on the bed. Both girls suddenly forgot about the party as they were overcome by old memories, tender and mirthful, joyful and sorrowful, and they exclaimed over the various pieces with many a "Oh! Do you remember ....? Do you remember ... ?"

"Eärniel, would you put this on for me?" she said, holding up a delicate mesh hairpiece, with intricately crafted swans among jeweled waters of green and blue. "Do you remember how to do my hair?"

"How could I forget?" answered Eärniel, and deftly wove the dark strands of RÃ*an's long hair into the intricate and unique patterns that the women of Gondolin delighted in.

"Will you redo my hair for me, RÃ*an?" said Eärniel. "I think tonight is a night for remembering the city that we loved," and she took out from a hidden pouch a hairpiece resembling RÃ*an's, but decorated with images of the water flashing and playing in the fountains of her people. RÃ*an smiled, and taking the hairpiece, quickly and expertly wove it in Eärniel's hair.

RÃ*an finished with Eärniel's hair and stepped back, putting her head on one side to admire her handiwork. "Beautiful!" she said. "You too!" replied Eärniel. "Well, let's go and join the party - and those annoying humans!" she added.

The two ladies slipped quietly out the doors and ran to their waiting horses.

[Valandil]

(earlier that same day)

At the post-game celebration in The Red Herring, Valandil had felt a bit detached from the festive atmostphere around him. He took note of this - maybe just because he hadn't actually played in the game, he thought, but he knew there had been a lot more than that on his mind lately. There was a growing feeling of strangeness... perhaps even menace... here in Tharbad. It was something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but things just didn't feel right, that was for sure. He felt he needed to watch himself.

Suddenly, the waitress... uh, Annawen?... plopped a full metal mug down on the table in front of him.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Oh - just something we locals are taking to, of late. Try it." said Annawen with a smile.

"Well... I must keep my wits about me for this evening." replied the King.

She laughed lightly, "Not to worry then - it's not a strong drink. A bit of flavored tea only."

Valandil lifted it to his lips. It wasn't hot tea, as they had in the north of the kingdom on cool afternoons, or cold winter nights. It was cold. And there was some sweet flavoring in it.

"Mmmmm - tastes good. What is it?" asked Valandil.

"Probably a love potion of some kind!" said Ray, with a wink and a wry grin from across the table, where he was surrounded by milling rochdol fans (not half of them male).

"Don't be silly!" said Annawen, laughing once more and blushing. "It's cold tea, as we drink abouts here in the warmer seasons - only this has the juice of crushed raspberries mixed in. It's taken the town by storm this past summer or two!"

Valandil thought he could see why, as he took a second drink. It tasted very good. Nonetheless, he had hesitated first, on hearing Ray's jest, and eyed the drink suspiciously before tasting it. But now even he felt a little embarrassed at what Ray had said, and fought to keep a blush from rising on his own face.

Then all at once, Marty and Ray got up to leave, followed by adoring fans - leaving Valandil alone with Estelmo and Oreturion.

"Don't forget about the reception tonight!" Valandil called after them. He wasn't sure whether they had heard and he returned to his gloomy thoughts, his new drink and the talk with his companions of political ambition and proper preparation for meetings with powerful men who also happened to be related.

He had caught the intent look on Oreturion's face as he noticed his friends leaving. Had the man 'suggested' the departure to them? Those two were oh-so susceptible to suggestions of that nature from Oreturion. Especially if it was something they desired to do, or had taken note of themselves... or if they had enough drink to set their cautions at ease. Perhaps Oreturion wanted to spare him further embarrassment - but more likely it was just to return his focus to this evening.

[Willow Oran]

'Over a decade of teaching here and these receptions still haven't gotten any more bearable...'

Professor Mahtaliel took another sip of her wine and drew further back into the shadowy corner of the hall that she was most certainly not lurking in. The hall was only just beginning to fill with guests and no one had yet bothered to notice her, much to her relief. Mahtaliel liked to have time to study people from a safe distance before any socializing was called for.

If anyone had bothered to glance at her they would have seen a rather severely dressed lady, unmistakably of the noldor. They might also have seen the barely perceptible lines of aging indicative of someone who had seen too much and lost track of their age millenia ago.

Mahtaliel is currently thinking about the Chancellor. As head of the understaffed art and history departments she had been one of the professors responsible for greeting him; She hadn't been impressed. Oh he was intimidating enough, for a human, but Mahtaliel had spent the first age serving under the sons of Feanor, this human paled in comparison. Suffice to say she, and the Chancellor don't like eachother much, and over the past three years have perfected the art of staying out of eachother's way. The few times they have had, shall we say, encounters, have been memorable. The last time was a month ago, when Mahtaliel had demanded that he increase the budget for her departments, after much argueing He had ended up with a newly dented desk, and she had gotten her budget increase.

She glances down at her now empty wineglass, obtaining more will mean venturing out into the open...

'Might as well, I'll have to leave my corner eventually. Who knows, I might even run into someone interesting...'

[Gordis]

The King was late.
It was a quarter past seven, and the Chancellor started to pace along the empty Reception Hall, his eyes gleaming angrily. He always believed in coming on time. Needless to say, over the centuries, all the lesser nazgul became most punctual undead beings, even the empty-headed Lilly. Aiwendis looked at the Morgul Lord and bit her lip apprehensively. Someone was going to pay for it. She silently said a prayer to the Holy Darkness that it would not be her.

"Stop it!" Angry words flashed through her brain, startling her out of her sad musings. "There are too many here who can read thoughts. Keep your mind shielded!"
Aiwendis quickly whispered an additional mind-shielding spell. The Chancellor nodded curtly and, with a wave of his hand, directed Aiwendis to one of the lacquered Khandian cabinets, attached to the wall separating their room from the Entrance Hall. Aiwendis approached the cabinet, unlocked and opened its intricately inlaid door to reveal a small round spy-hole, concealed from the other side by gilded carvings of the university insignia. Putting her eye to the hole, Aiwendis observed the guests.

Sure enough, the Hall was full. Some time ago, Aiwendis sent several maids to serve drinks and fruit to the waiting guests. Now they stood in groups conversing in hushed voices. Aiwendis spotted Udu, standing alone by the far wall, an empty wine goblet in his hand. After a look around, he went to refill his glass, enerringly choosing the most comely of the maids to pour his wine. Aiwendis smiled. It felt good to have Udu here.

Khamul was alone near the window, his piercing eyes following Udu everywhere. Aiwendis frowned. The Second was decidedly up to no good again. At this moment, Khamul felt her gaze and turned his head, scrutinising the wall. The uncanny ability of the Easterling to feel danger almost equalled the Captain’s own. Aiwendis considered briefly sending Khamul a reassuring thought, but that was far too dangerous. Let the bastard worry.

A moment later Aiwendis became happy of her decision, as there, in the shadows of a far corner, was the Old Storm-Crow, Professor Mahtaliel the Elf. Aiwendis tensed.
The Crow stood there, dressed in severe dark gown with no adornments, which made her tall thin body seem even gaunter. For three years Aiwendis successfully managed to avoid Mahtiliel and never talked with her, only bowed politely from a distance. But now the Chancellor decided to send his daughter to study Embalming and Jewellery, so the Crow was bound to become her Professor.

Not only was Mahtiliel cold and stern, but Aiwendis knew, without being told, that the Crow despised and disliked her, perhaps suspected her of something. She could have keener perception than most Elves, being that old and having seen so much…
Several times Aiwendis implored the Captain to allow her to prepare one of her most trusted potions, which would speed the Crow on her way to Mandos, but her Lord had rejected the offer. He said he needed her to teach art and history, but Aiwendis supposed that he just underestimated the danger of this Elf. Aiwendis shivered and closed the cabinet door.

[Lotesse]

"No, no, I don't feel like dealing with the guards of Tharbad tonight, Ray. They'll keep us there forever, questioning us and whatnot."

Squatting next to the prone half-Orc, out cold and breathing heavily, the thoughts inside Viv's head were aswirl. She had recognised the spy at once - it was Grisznutz, an ardent admirer of her work who had always had an obsession with Viniglaen. He hailed from Gundabad; a sort of loner-orc who had fantasies of being Viv's student. Oh, how he longed for her to mentor him in the skills of burglary, but she, of course, always worked alone and deigned to teach no one. She couldn't help having a soft spot for the guy's persistant admiration for her, though, but on the other hand, there was no way she wanted any attention drawn to her over being associated with orcs in a city like Tharbad, which did not tolerate them in the least.

She disarmed the orc, throwing his dirty old dagger into the river, and as she bent low to his head, she projected a thought into his mind, like a note for him to read whenever he came to. She said: 'Grisznutz, you musn't follow me to places like this; when you awake, get back across this river and get yourself as far away from this city's limits as your stubby legs can take you, because if you do not, I shan't be so merciful next time I see you, and you can BET the guardsmen of the King will be even LESS merciful. Leave and don't look back.'

"Well, we can't just leave him here," objected Ray, oblivious to Viv's thought-projections upon the knocked-out, bleeding prowler.

"Yes, we can," she answered, getting up and brushing herself off. "Let's go to the guardsmen, and inform them that we saw something here. They will come to check it out, and find him here. He's not likely to come to in the meantime. I don't feel like spending the evening dealing with the Tharbad police and this guy."

Ray thought otherwise, but figured she knew what she was doing, so they mounted Volcirom together, the little frog in the saddlebag could be heard making a muffled little 'ribbit! ribbit...' and Lomi, overhead, with her keen ears, heard the poor frog and wondered to herself, 'I wonder if there's a chance I could eat that frog, too.'

And off they all trotted, to the nearby guards post, to report Grisznutz.

"After this," Viv said, "We really should be heading back." She was thinking to herself, 'I must tell Pen and Lilly I saw Grisznutz here, it's important that they know what's going on.'

[Udukhaturz]

"Really, this is turning out to be a rather pleasant evening," Udu thought as he smiled his thanks to the serving maid after she had filled his goblet. He considered asking her if she would be busy after the evening's festivities were over, but he thought that might be taken wrong, for this was his first day there. He grinned at her and winked mischievously.

He looked at the dour looking female, Professor Mahtaliel the Elf, and decided if there were any way to avoid speaking to her, he would attempt to do so. "Of course," he thought, "there is always politeness to be considered, and keeping up appearances.

He did not see Aiwendis anywhere, and he wondered what might be keeping her and the Chancellor. Khamûl was skulking by a window, and Maethor spoke a spell of mind-warding and wondered if it would be strong enough to hold Khamûl. He doubted it. To divert him from his thoughts, Udu began humming a tavern song about a drunken barkeeper who made a fool of himself by chasing after a serving girl in the tavern. He took a sip from his wine and looked about the room again.