Sands of Harad: RPG

[Acalewia]

A hand grabbed 'Abel's wrist.
"This is not how I expected Cumaar's cousin to act" She turned and saw it was one of the Rangers.
"I did not expect you to be so quick," The Tark smiled.
"You don't reach my age being slow" 'Abel tried to wiggle her arm out of his grip. His grip was like gentel steel. She looked in his eyes and saw it was the Ranger with the older eyes. She glared at him.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa smiled gratefully up at Elnar before regaining her feet. "I see you've been taking my advice."

"Have I?"

"Yes. You kept a sharp eye out for trouble." She winked at him.

[Acalewia]

"I guess somebody has to" Elnar said with a smile before turning back to 'Abel.
"Now what we all want to know is way did you attack us?" 'Abel jerked her wrist again.
"I was testing you to see how strong you Tarks really are. It seems you are stronger than I thought"
"You were testing us to see if we were worthy to be your cousin's escort" 'Abel's eyes widened.
"No.. I.."
"Elnar!" Curamir called. "We need you down here" Elnar nodded to Nessa to join the others before letting go of 'Abel's wrist. The sandwoman rubbed it while glaring at his back.
"Do you think its smart to turn you back to her?" Nessa wispered.
"We'll see"

[Lady Willow Rose]

"We certainly shall," Nessa muttered, keeping her feet on high alert. "Elnar..." she began but stopped when she noticed something. "Elnar, you're wounded!"

[Acalewia]

Elnar glanced down at his arm, the sleeve of his tunic from bicep to elbow was covered in blood.
"I'll see to it when I've seen to the wounded. Its not too deep" Curamir tried to hide a smile as Elnar crouched down next to a wounded Ranger. He could imagine the look Nessa was giving him.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa was still glaring at Elnar after two hours. She'd watched the blood drip down his arm while he went about and tended the other wounded.

"Bleeding fool," she muttered harshly, then chuckled. "Literally."

[Acalewia]

Elnar bent down to the last of the wounded. Placing his hand on the man's wound, he felt his gift flow into the man. After healing him, Elnar wearyly sat down and noticed Nessa glaring at him. Which explained why there had been no comments from her. He took the bracer from his forearm and ripped open his sleeve. He winced as he cleaned the wound. Nessa put a hand on his.
"You are some kind of hardheaded aren't you?" Curamir chuckled.
"You're just now noticing that" the look Elnar gave him wiped the smile from his face. "I'll go check on the wounded"

[rohirrim TR]

"well? whats our next move" Hluor asked as he finished cleaning off his sword and sheathed it.

"well since it is the time for speech, I have an apology to make" began Curamir.

"you need not speak of it Gondorian, whats past is past" Nessa interrupted.

"ahh-yes perhaps that is best considering how rough today turned, but I must thank you, your distraction was most welcome" Curamir replied thoughtfully as he thoght over the days events.

" I said don't speak of it" she answered a little sharply and then softening her voice, "someone once said, someday I would have to take a stand and fight, perhaps today has proven him right."

[Lady Willow Rose]

"Though it wouldn't be the first time I've had to threaten 'Abel with death," Nessa muttered softly. Curamir sighed.

"Do you ever intend to explain that little connection to us?"

"It's nothing glamorous. Her tribe was upset because they thought I was more beautiful than she. They decided to cut off my head. I, naturally, resisted this idea." Nessa shrugged. "I held a knife to 'Abel's throat and they decided to see things my way. End of story."

"With you, Nessa, there is always something more to the story," Hluor commented. She smiled.

"Thank you for noticing."

[Acalewia]

Elnar chuckled.
"I never know what surprise you'll come up with next" he said.

'Abel could not believe what she had seen during the past two hours. There was something more than old eyes about this Elnar. What it was she could not put her finger on. But she had watched him move from wounded to wounded and heal them; not only Tarks but her men as well. 'abel would be wary of Elnar for a while until she knew his weaknesses.

[rohirrim TR]

Hluor awoke from habit, knowing it was his turn to stand watch, glancing at the stars he was surprised to see that it was hours later than it should have been.

"Atarion, why did you not wake me?" he whispered sitting down next to the young man.

"Sleep would not have come to me, so I watched the night pass" he answered, quietly his young and joyful face did not have its usual boyishness.

"you'll regret it in a few hours, but whats done is done" they sat silent for a while.

"you know I never killed a man before, i've killed deer, and bear, and even some goblins who tried to raid a northern camp, but men versus men..." Atarions voice drifted off.

"yes, I felt that way too, when we Dunedain rode to Minas Tirith so long ago, the harad, and easterlings were there, and we all felt much grief in having to slay so many of our own race, brave they were also, I remember one group that would not surrender, they just kept charging and dying, until all that was left was a young Oliphaunt, that they had brought with them for good luck. We lost many men and slew the poor creature in anger. All reason dies when men begin killing each other" Hluor's voice also drifted off and they sat there until dawn began to break over the horizon.

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa wandered along the outskirts of the camp, too restless to sleep. Her feet were itching. It was only a matter of time until the burn came. And then what?

"I'll leave," she whispered. "That's always what happens next."

"Always?" Elnar inquired softly from behind her. Nessa wasn't surprised. She merely turned around and met his world-weary eyes with her own.

"Always."

[Acalewia]

"Why should it be always, Nessa?" Elnar asked. "I do not believe you will always have itchy feet. It will stop and you will not know what to do when it does." He sighed feeling his age as he looked into the young woman's eyes.

[Lady Willow Rose]

"No, I probably won't always have itchy feet." Nessa closed her eyes and a look of severe pain crossed her face. "One day they will lead me off into the ocean and not stop until I am drowned."

"Nessa -" Elnar began, thoroughly concerned.

"I found my mother that way. The Fates must have gotten a kick out of it. I hadn't seen her in over ten years. Then... On the beach, her hair splayed out about her, skin coated with salt. I saw her and I knew."

"Knew what?"

"My days will end in the same fashion. I feel it in my bones, in my blood." She chuckled harshly. "And especially in my feet."

[Acalewia]

Elnar touched her shoulder.
"You know of pain and grief as well as I do, it seems." Nessa gave him a puzzled look. "All the family I have left is a sister. You have none. I know how it feels to have your mother leave you." His eyes never left her's. "There has to be a way to defy your Fate."

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa covered his hand and struggled to find words. "There... might be. I don't really know. My grandmother is probably long dead. Still, she may have been kind enough to leave a loophole in the curse for me. Though I doubt it." She smiled bitterly. "My grandmother was not the kindest of women."

[Acalewia]

Elnar raised a brow.
"A loophole? Then there may be some hope." He placed his free hand over Nessa's. "My people tend to hold on to hope even when there seems to be none. Tell me, Nessa, about this curse and why your grandmother placed it upon you and your mother"

[Lady Willow Rose]

"My grandmother's name was Nápoldë. She was a sorceress of considerable power. My father was her only son and she loved him above everything in this world. But the love she had for him was twisted."

"How so?" Elnar asked.

"She wanted to keep him to herself. Grandmother kept him away from other people and made certain that he would only ever love her." Nessa smiled. "He was lucky, in some people's opinion, that my mother was the adventurous sort. She was wandering about the woods when he met her. Love at first sight."

"Nápoldë could not have been pleased."

"No, she was not. When my father ran away to marry my mother, she cursed them. This I swear to the brightest stars in the blackest sky. You will know no rest while you hold love for my son. Never will you be at peace. I sentence you to endless wandering until the day you breathe your last. My mother left me at a very early age, no longer able to stay. And as I grew, I also came to know just how awful it was no remain at home. My feet were practically on fire."

She curled her toes and continued, "I left when I could no longer stand it."

"I do not understand how you came to be cursed when it was your mother that the spell was cast for."

"I inherited it. Grandmother wanted to make sure that every generation of that union suffered."

"And the possible loophole?" Nessa groaned.

"I don't know! What do you think could be done?"

[Acalewia]

Elnar bit his lip in thought.
"I don't know if It'll work,but there is one thing I could try."
"What?"
"You said your Grandmother was a sorceress of considerable power. Perhaps elven magic can reverse it?"
"Well you let me know when you find an elf in Harad"
"I will have to do"

[Lady Willow Rose]

Nessa blinked and stared into his eyes intently. They were silent for several moments before her face broke into a smile. "I knew there was something about you that wasn't normal." She hugged him. "Looks like I'm not the only one with an interesting story to tell."