Redemption RP

[Griffin]

Jaden watched as the small group made camp.

He stayed at a safe distance, there were Elfs there afterall. He could not hear the conversation and wished to edge closer, though he knew they would be suspicious if he got too close.

He would have to wait to make contact with them, perhaps move ahead and set up a chance encounter. Someone merely walking out of the wood might make them paranoid enough to shoot him.

He leaned back against the tree and then circled around so he would be in front of them when they continued on their path.

[Lady Midnight]

It was by no means an easy night. At least not for LÃ*adán. Strange dreams haunted her sleep: the twisted form of her father, so cruelly slain by Uthed''s men, called out to her, the cries of her mother and infant brother, a young girl, hidden, scared, watching helplessly as her family were murdered before her. Voices cried out in the darkness: "Woe to TrÃ* Sliabh now her lord is dead!" they said. "Brónach! Brónach!" they called to her with her other name. It was apt to use that name. For it meant sorrow.

LÃ*adán woke with a start and grabbed her blade. She was sure Uthed's men had caught up with her. But it was only the wind and her troubled sleep. She relaxed a little when she saw all was well. But she could not face the prospect of more disturbing dreams. She got up. It was still dark. Slowly, taking care not to wake the others, she left the camp and went a littleways up the road. There she walked for a while, considering the task that lay ahead of her.

(OOC feel free to wake up and come speak to me anyone who wants to )

[Aragorn]

That night Drelin's dreams were haunted by visions of the happenings that ended up in his banning from Mirkwood. The nightmares were so vivid he could have sworn it was real. He slept uneasy and if anyone was awake they could see him tossing and turning in his sleep.

James slept normally, his only fears were that of Liadan. He slept normally, occasionally mumbling in his sleep. Nothing made since though.

Duriel could not sleep. He lay on the rough ground, his eyes looking at the diminishing flames of the small fire. He noticed the Lady grab her blade while she woke up. He struggled not to speak. He watched as she got up to leave the camp. Slowly, after he was sure Liadan was gone. He got up and followed in the direction she had gone. He soon found her walking up the road. He was about to speak when he realized he did not even know her name. He struggled to find the correct words and wasn't too happy with what finally came out.

"Um, milady?"

[Lady Midnight]

At the sound of Duriel's voice, LÃ*adán turned round, startled. She almost reached for her sword.......until she saw who it was and then her expression turned to one of obvious relief.

"Yes? Do you want something?"

She would not let him know this for all the gold in Gondor but she was glad he was there. She still resented his questioning of her earlier concerning her business with the thief and did her best to maintain some degree of aloofness: after all she was a proud young woman, from a what was once long established noble family........and just who was he exactly? Nevertheless rather him than the thief!

[Scarfair]

Lasser-Lante tossed and turned beneath his horse blanket, the picture that nagged at his mind just wouldn't come. "Drelin", he did not know the name, but he was sure of the face, somehow, somewhere...

He scratched at the fog of his memories, sure there was something important there else he wouldn't be turning in his bed, for the night was passing quickly. That face, the name...something, some crime, maybe? Lasser's eyes popped wide open.

Suddenly he was back in the dank cells underneath the hidden riverport that Thingol ruled as a part of his realm. The dungeon was where the Elven King kept his most hated prisoners. And Narbeleth was one of them.

He remembered a night, so long ago. He stood with his face pressed to the mealslot that was cut into the heavy oaken door, trying to see a commotion outside his cell. A knot of angry, elven guards were marching another prisoner from down the hall, beating his back and head as they pushed the shackled figure along. Lasser remembered a snatch of verbal abuse coming from the guards that explained the hard way they treated thier captive, 'Two more suns, and you hang...whot do you say to that, Elfslayer?!'

Narbeleth remembered the prisoner not answering, but looking up quickly into his own eyes as the group passed. The one the guard had named Elfslayer showed defiance in his look, and a willingness to fight in his face. And now Lasser knew what his mind was trying to tell him all night long. The face that had looked into his eyes through that prison mealslot so long ago was Drelin's...!

[Aragorn]

Drelin tossed and turned in his dreams. Visions came from when he was thrown into the dungeons for two days before they were to let him hang, but at the last minute Elrond decided not to hang him but to let him free. Instead he banished him from Rivendell and Mirkwood. The vision of when he was being dragged to his cell came to him.

"Two more suns, and you hang....what do you say to that, Elfslayer?!'

But Drelin wasn't paying attention to the guard. As he passed by he locked eyes with a man he had seen recently. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Suddenly Lasser's face flashed in his mind. He talked in his sleep.

"The thief....dungeons....he was there..."

***

Duriel stared into the face and realized he had no idea of what he wanted to say or even why he had followed her.

"Umm...uhh..."

He felt like an idiot.

"Umm...what's your name?"

[Lady Midnight]

LÃ*adán smiled at Duriel to make him feel more at ease. However rude and ill-mannered he may have seemed to her at first he was not like this now........and she needed him around no matter how much she might wish otherwise. Uthed's men could be anywhere and, skilled though she might be with her sword, she would need all the help she could get.

"LÃ*adán." she told him. "LÃ*adán daughter of Torin. And you? Might I know your name also?"

As LÃ*adán and Duriel talked and the others slept, Uthed's men were drawing ever closer. LÃ*adán's nightmares were not entirely unfounded as they sent scouts to every village, every inn, every last known location, searching through the night for the enemy of their lord, the lost daughter of TrÃ* Sliabh. And as they searched misery followed in their wake.

Uthed himself was not sleeping either. The searing pain ran through each twisted, withered limb like hot knives, his chest tightened with each rasping rise and fall as he struggled to breathe. He knew what they were saying about him: that it was justice for Lord Torin and his family that he should die this way. Well they would soon change their minds when LÃ*adan was dead! Alive she was a symbol of hope for the people of TrÃ* Sliabh, dead and their hope would die also. She couldn't be allowed to live.

[Lady Midnight]

(OOC- ok here it is now!)

It happened very suddenly. Whilst LÃ*adán and Duriel talked out of the shadows came lumbering an ugly big brute of a man wielding a heavy looking sword, his disreputable appearance made all the more fearsome by the welter of scars down his left cheek. He was not alone for behind him came five men of similar looks. The big man motioned to the others and two of them made to grab LÃ*adán but she was ready for them and drew her sword.

Duriel could see she was in trouble and went to her aid. The big man hadn't bargained for this and paused for a moment. He looked at Duriel and said with a sneer:

"Easy now we've just come for the girl. She's a wanted criminal, daughter of a traitor. We're just bringing her in. Let us do our job eh?"

This was echoed by the man's nearest companion, only less politely:

"This isn't your fight! Back off and no-one will get hurt!"

LÃ*adán faced the men and spat, her green eyes blazing, her noble birth evident in every word and gesture of her demeanor:

"My father was no traitor! That name belongs to the one you serve!"

The big man looked round. By now the others had been woken by the commotion. Still there were only four of them .........and the Hobbit. Orders were orders after all. Uthed would reward him handsomely if he brought back the girl. And with that in mind he attacked.

[Griffin]

Jaden had watched the brutes carefully as they approached the camp, and had drawn his bow in preparation. He planned his movements carefully and when they attacked he sprang into action.

He released the first arrow, the projectile flying throught the air and piercing the hand of one brute. And no sooner had he released the first arrow that he was running to a new position and taking aim with the second arrow. The second arrow flew straight and the biggest brute found himself with an arrow through his upper arm.

He let out a series of calls, each echoing differently so that there seemed to be a host of Elfs surrounding the camp. He assisted this appearance with his activity, no two arrows were fired within twenty paces of another...

[Aragorn]

Duriel had noticed the arrows. One brute looked around to find where the arrows and calls had come from. Duriel drew his sword and plunged it deep into the brute's chest so that it came out the other side. The brute stared down at the sword point coming out in front of him. He fell to the ground. Dead.

Drelin had awoken from his nightmares to hear the elves(he doesn't know it's only one) calls and arrows flying. He got up and found his bow and quiver. He ran towards the battle and drew his first arrow. He aimed and let the arrow fly. It went right into one of the brute's ribs. He ran over to another position, drew his arrow, took aim, and let it fly into another brute's leg. He wondered why he wasn't running into any other elves.

James was sleeping through the entire battle.

[Lady Midnight]

LÃ*adán glanced over to where the arrows had come from and wondered who was it that had come to their aid and why. It was unfortunate that as she looked one of the men saw his chance and went for her with his sword. This was to be the last thing he ever did as an arrow pierced him and he fell. It was only a scratch but she could see it might prove troublesome if left unattended. They would be wise to stop at the next village.

Despite the pain in her arm LÃ*adán fought on and felled the last of Uthed's hired thugs. Then she turned to Duriel and said:

"My thanks to you, Sir, you fought bravely as did your friend. I thank you both for your aid. Now we had best leave this place for Uthed is sure to send more men."

[Aragorn]

"Yes, Liaden. By the way. My name is Duriel. My two companions are Drelin, the elf, and James, the hobbit."

Duriel raced towards their camp and ran into Drelin along the way.

"That was your shooting and calling, was it not?" Duriel asked.

"Some of the shooting was mine, but the calling wasn't. There are other elves amongst us, my friend." Drelin replied.

Duriel nodded.

"James! James! Wake up! Call the horses!" Duriel shouted ahead.

James awoke from his deep slumber to hear Duriel's calls.

"Why, sir?! What did you do to get us in trouble this time?!" James asked worredly.

"Just slay some of Uthed's men!" Duriel called.

James jumped up and whistled loud. The horses came and they packed their supplies onto them. They hopped on and waited for Lasser-Lante(who is still asleep, ahem, Scarfair, you still with us?) and the Lady Liadan.

[Griffin]

When the last of the brutes fell, Jaden returned his bow to his back and drew his long knife.

He watched the group carefully as they searched the trees for the Elfs that had helped them.

He sat completely still and covered his face with his hood. He slowly crept toward the camp and stopped just where he thought the other Elfs would be able to see him.

He raised the long knife and caught the dim moonlight on its shiny blade. Those in the camp would be able to see the light if they were paying attention and he hoped that the Elfs would recognize the signal as that of another Elf.

[Littledude87]

Christon had been following the men for hours now trying to find if they were freind or foe. Suddenly they yelled, and the lead man fell transfixed with an arrow. He ran forward and slashed with his axe. Suddenly an arrow hit him in the shoulder. He cursed, and stumbled twords one of the brutes horses. As much as he hated to ride, he knew catching up to that group was his only chance of survival.
( hope its alright if i join im a dwarf)

[Lady Midnight]

LÃ*adán was preparing her horse when she saw the signal. She had little knowledge of Elves but she knew someone was trying to get their attention and it was just possible that it was the Elves who had come to their aid. She turned to Drelin:

"Look over there in the trees! Someone is signalling us. Is it a sign of your people? Do you recognise it?"

Her wound was proving to be quite painful and LÃ*adán knew she could not travel very far before she would have to stop and see to it. Yet she also knew that they had to get as far away as possible from this place before Uthed sent more of his minions after them. The question was: how far would be safe?

She turned her gaze from Drelin to Duriel and studied him carefully. He was very nearly handsome......if you liked that sort of thing. LÃ*adán chided herself silently. She shouldn't be thinking about such things, after all who was he? She was the daughter of Lord Torin, as such she would choose only a man of equal station in life as was her fathers, certainly not a vagabond like this! Besides such matters would have to wait, she had a mission to accomplish.

Still as she tried not to reflect on this she realised that the person best able to judge where they safest place to stop would be had to be Duriel himself. So she looked at him with a serious expression and asked:

"Do you know this area well? We shal need provisions soon and....."

Here she stopped and gestured to her wound. It looked bad. Then she continued:

"Where would be the safest place to get provisions?"

[Aragorn]

Drelin noticed the signal before Liadan had pointed it out. It seemed to be the moonlight shining off something. Something like a....a knife!

"Elves! Elf friends, come from your hiding!" Drelin shouted.

Duriel noticed Liadan's wound for the first time. It didn't look good.

"I know a place that is safe. There are provisions and James, which may not be the best fighter, is not bad at tending to wounds." Duriel replied.

Then Drelin shouted towards the elves.

[Griffin]

Jaden stepped slowly from the dark and into the light of the fire and moon.

He slowly drew his hood back and raised his knife over his head to show that he meant no harm.

He slowly walked toward the group and stopped when they could make out all of his features.

"I am Jaden, I mean no harm."

[Littledude87]

Christon saw the group had stopped and that someone was coming out of the trees. He rode to a halt, and dismounted. Suddenly one of them turned.

[Lady Midnight]

LÃ*adán noticed that the Elf, Jaden, kept his face covered and thought that deeply suspicious. She did not like the look of him at all. However he had done them a kindness in lending his aid to them against Uthed's henchmen. So, turning to the newcomer, she smiled warmly and said:

"We thank you for your assistance Jaden. You are welcome to travel with us if you wish."

All the same there was something a little disturbing about him. LÃ*adán hoped he would not betray them.

Duriel, on the other hand, was a different matter. LÃ*adán knew no more about him and his companions than she knew about Jaden.....or even the thief for that matter. Moreover he seemed to her a little rough. But she could not help liking him.

Just then she heared a noise and looked round, preparing for another attack by Uthed's men. But instead of a band of warriors come to kill her she saw a Dwarf.

[Griffin]

Jaden looked into the darkness as he heard the heavy breaths of what seemed to be a dwarf.

He drew his long knife just in case and lowered himself to a squat as he waited for the other stranger to appear.