The Pentagrid Net

[Mathron]

Harnauro glanced up as he heard Erenfor leaving the inn, and looked the elf over. He had profited from the passing of centuries, and seemed filled with leadership and strength. Harnauro hoped he would not seek to still be an enemy - and if he was, Harnauro would do all he could to avoid fighting.

As Erenfor approached, Harnauro stood up straight, stretching his muscles, his gaze still locked on the elf.

"Greetings, elf captain." His tone was calm, but not harsh. His voice was rough, as it always was, but soft. "I recognize you, as you do me. Tell me, then, whether you will still be foe or not, for I have no room in my heart for any fighting save against the dark ones of Sauron's ilk."


----


As Slythre headed off into the camp, Malagar faded into the night. He remained awake, for some hours, for sleep was not quite as important to him... and his dreams had been disturbed of late. It had been them that had driven him back here, convinced him he had a part to play, yet, within the realm of man.
He spent the night upon a tree limb, staring distantly away into the sky, and chasing thoughts in circles through his mind...

[Irid al'Menie]

Should I do this? Should I do what Erenfor has asked?

You know what we feel you should do. Go into the forest, find out for what reason Fangorn has asked you to come here. Something is waiting in that forest, and you must find out what that is...

Argument after argument were given. Why she should join Erenfor, why she shouldn't. After a while she had made up her mind. She would go into the forest, after that, when she came out (if she came out) she would join Erenfor. She stood up and walked over to Tessar, who was sitting on a chair.

"Well, i made up my mind, i'm going in the forest. What about you?"

[Laurenis]

Kaytrien knew that she should go first to the forest but did not want to go alone. When she saw Irid get up and walk to Tessar she went out of the inn to find Erenfor.

He was outside talking to Harnauro, the strong and bold man who had greatly aided in the battle. As she approached Erenfor turned to Kaytrien.

"I have come to ask for your advice, sir. After this battle I now feel that I should carry on with you to your destination and you are now a companion of mine. However my sole reason for coming to the village was to visit the forest. I feel torn between whether to continue my discovery of the Pentagrid with Irid, or to go with you and fight against the Dark Lord."

Erenfor looked back at her. "It is your decision Kayte." He said understandingly. "I cannot make you go either way. You must decide what is more important at the moment for you to do."

"You are right my friend, it is my decision. However I do not yet feel that I can choose what to do. I must hear of many things first. What Tessar shall do, what of the wounded elf with his son, and you;" she said, turning to Harnauro "what part shall you play in this quest?"

[Arat-Falathion]

"ahghh"
Still half asleep Arat-BÃ*renath took himself to the head, trying to push back the pressure of pain that was trying to explode his head. Slowly he managed to open his eyes as he suddenly felt something wet and cold, but then again refreshing, to his head. It was the bartender, Bropican, who had covered his forehead with a wet handkerchief and was now holding forward a hot, steemy substance in a cup. He helped BÃ*renath up in a sitting position and gave him the cup. "Drink this, it will clear up your mind slightly." BÃ*renath attemted at a thankfully smile, but it became something rather terrifying caused by his headache. "Thank you" he said. He was feeling alot better now then he had before, he could actually sit on the bench now, but the headache were really getting him down way pass his normal being, and because of this he still felt awful.
He blew a little bit on the steemy substance to cool it down before he slurped a mouthfull. "Yuk!" BÃ*renath spitted down on the floor. "What is this?" The bartender looked rather offended by this. "It is a potion against headackes, and stuff like that are supposed to taste bad; but if you want to heal, you better drink it and not spill it all over the floor." Bropican took a handkerchief from his belt and began to wipe the spilled potion off the floor. Arat-BÃ*renath forced down a mouthfull, making terrrible faces. He looked down in the cup at the steeming substance as he asked: "Where is the other people that helped me? and where is my son?" He looked up from the cup and met Bropicans silent face...
----

- Arat-Falathion

[Mathron]

Harnauro glanced from the girl to Erenfor, though he still awaited the response of the first. He said, softly, "Whatever quest is at hand is one unknown to me. Tell me, elf captain, if you are not my foe - what quest do you venture upon?"

[Irid al'Menie]

Someone tapped Irid on the shoulder.

"Weren't you the one who was interested in the health of that wounded elf? I had to tell you that he wakened."

Irid nods at the man.

"Thank you. Tessar, think about you will do. I am going to see the elf."

Irid stood up and walked to the chamber where the wounded elf was talking to the barman. After a little knock she went in.

"Hi." She said with a musical voice. "How are you doing now?"

[Arat-Falathion]

Bropican didn't have time to answer BÃ*renath before a knocking on the door appeared; and then a beautiful elven woman stepped into the room. The musical voice of hers filled BÃ*renath with a warmness he hadn't felt since... since... a very long time. He smiled at her as she approached. He felt alot better now; both because of the potion and because of her comming. He placed the nearly empty cup beside him on the bench.
"I'm getting better, thank you. Bropican has taken great care of me." He managed to stand up and raised his hand forward meeting hers. "My name is Arat-BÃ*renath, it's an honor to meet you!"

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid shook the hand of BÃ*renath.

"I am called Irid al'Menie, or Irid of the Wolves. The honor is mine. But you should lay back down. Even if you feel better, you still need a lot of rest."

She smiled at him. Next to Irid were standing the two grey wolves. She heard Watcher smile knowingly in her head...

[Arat-Falathion]

BÃ*renath made his way back to the bench and sat down. "I came to Middle Earth to help my brother, Arat-Lumënion, who should live in these parts. Sadly alot of orcs are lurcing in the shadows here; their attack came really as a surprise, throwing me off my horse." His face hardened and he looked down on the floor. "Sadly enough my son, Arat-Creänáth, fell off his horse as well; and like animals they jumped on him, hacking him up before he had time to reach for his sword." A tear fell from his right eye, but he didn't seem to care. "I fought and I fought; so did my other son, Arat-Celthorn, but they were to many... ...way to many. As Celthorn fell for an arrow through his stomac, I managed to carry him up and run. For some reason I made it all the way to this Inn..." He looked up at Irid. "I really can't tell you how greatful I am for saving me and my son." He smiled up at her, and she could see the hidden sorrow in his heart, but she seemed confused; didn't he know that Celthorn was dead already?

----
- Arat-BÃ*renath

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid sat down next to BÃ*renath.

"I'm afraid I have bad news for you... Your son, the one you were carrying... Well, he is now waiting with Mandos for the Dagorlad. He did not survive the arrow. I am sorry to have to tell you this."

BÃ*renath seemed confused. He was staring at her in disbelieve. She took his hand, in a gesture of comfort.

[Arat-Falathion]

BÃ*renaths world suddenly tipped upside down, he felt awful! He looked down at Irids hand trying to comfort him. "But..." suddenly he raised up turned around at Bropican. "You said he was alive!!" Confusion and sorrow suddenly led to anger and blame. BÃ*renath took the cup on the bench and rised it above his head, ready to hit. Terrified, Bropican staggered backwards till he met the wall behind him. Irid rised quickly...

----
- Arat-Falathion

[Lief Erikson]

Erenfor hesitated, still looking hard at the man in front of him. "Well, if what you say is the case than I have no reason at present to impede you at all, on your road. My own reason for being in this land appears to be much the same as yours, for myself and a band of followers are here to hunt orcs.

"But tell me something, for I am curious," Erenfor said, looking hard at the man in front of him. "How is it that a man can survive the steel grip of time, without being an elf? In other words, and to put it bluntly," Erenfor said with a smile, "why are you alive?"

[Irid al'Menie]

Quickly Irid grabbed the hand that held the bowl. Then she twisted it a little, causing BÃ*renath to let it fall. Then she loosened her grip.

"If you are to stay here in middle earth, that is something you will have to learn: control your emotions and sharpen your reactions. This man probably only said that because he didn't want you to be troubled with the death of your son while you had to rest. Don't blame him for wanting to take good care of you."

After those words Irid sat down again.

[Arat-Falathion]

BÃ*renath realised now how silly this whole thing was, and ashamed as he was, he said sorry to Bropican and thanked him for his help, before he again sat down on the bench. He positioned his hands under his chin and sat there silently ingraved in old memories...
Bropican walked over to the door, as he was about to leave, before he turned around; looking with sympathy at BÃ*renath. "Do not let your sorrows take overhand. That will bring nothing but darkness over your soul" then he left.
These words didn't bring BÃ*renath fully back to reality, though he threw away his memories for a second and glanced over at Irid sitting next to him. "Why are you here in this village anyway? you do not look like a villager..."

----
- Arat-Falathion

[Mathron]

Harnauro opened his mouth, though it looked as though it pained him to speak, and he said only shortly, "Would that I had lived out my life to its normal span. But a curse lay upon me, denying me the gift of death for all these years. Strange that we should meet again, this far through time...."

He trails off, and thinks to himself, strange indeed, but perhaps... this is a chance to redeem my actions so long ago....

Speaking again, a bit less coldly, he says, "Tell me, then, of the orcs in this region. Are they so numerous and bold that they often attack villages such as this?"

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid laughed faintly.

"Why am I here... I am here because of some vague request made by an ent. He sent wolves with me... followed by wolves, they are my guide. That is allways the case. So now i'm waiting for some others to decide what they are going to do, as Erenfor has asked them to join him. If they go with him, I will go into the forest alone, if need be..."

[Arat-Falathion]

BÃ*renath smiled, seemingly forgotten his sorrows for the moment being. "You are going into a forest? I loved walking in the forests in Valinor; birds singing their happy melodies, deers walking in all their pride. I remember the relaxing feeling of walking there, and the exiting feeling of hunting there. My brother, Lumënion loved the forest as well, if there are any forests around here, that's where he should be."

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid smiled.

"I have the feeling you could be very much surprised, if you'd go in this particular forest. There probably are deers and such, but they're too afraid of men to come out. Maybe if you are there on your own as an elf they'd come, but I wouldn't suggest you going inthere alone. At the very worst, go with 3. I don't know what it is, but something strange comes out that forest, and I want to know what.
The forest I'm talking of starts just outside this village. I believe it is the home of Ents, Fangorn suggested something like that."

[Arat-Falathion]

BÃ*renath raised an eyebrow. "The home of what?"

[Irid al'Menie]

"The home of Ents. You don't know ents?"

I guess living in Valinor doesn't make you omniscient she said to the wolves, who began to laugh, though unnoticed by the other elf.

"Ents are the sheperds of trees. They are tree like themselves. The oldes one is Fangorn, who lives in Fangorn forest. He resembles an oak. Mostly they resemble the trees that they watch. But they are slowly vanishing. There are no more Entings. Before you ask: entings are the children of ents. There are no more entings because the entwives went away. But that is a long story, i'd have to get a lot of time to explain that. Maybe, just maybe, will there be entwives in the pentagrid net, the forest i was talking of..."