A World of Danger: Part One

Commanding the wolf to stay with a gesture, Angar crept toward the old man with the surety and silence of an elf who had dwelt long in the wilderness. His sharp elven ears strained to pick up any words in the old man's mumbling. He did not know if this stranger walking in the woods had any relevance to the events of the previous night, but he decided to follow him in order to find out.

But I mustn't go too far, he thought, or my newfound allies may leave without me.

On closer view, Angar found that it was not an old man as he'd thought, but it was an elf. The elf's hair was matted, and it might have been fair once, but now it was brown from caked mud. His face was hollow and strained, and there appeared to be a constant pain about it, but not from any physical injuries.

Angar's elven ears were sharp, and he was able soon to understand what the elf was saying.

"Should have killed her when I had the chance . . . El'nela, why did it have to be her? Why did Shelina break? I have put my dagger through her neck the moment I met her, what do you think? Vardor you cruel bloodhound, you'll never give up . . . You'll chase us to the ends of the earth and tear our bodies apart, but still never be satisfied . . . You were brave and I was weak, El'nela. Should never have let you into it . . . Should have done it without you." He smiled to himself. "You would never have allowed that. You would not have agreed. You agree? Too late now, you're dead. Dead? Are you dead, my El'nela? Of course you're not dead, else you wouldn't be talking to me."

Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, straightened and began to finger the hilt of a dagger which was stuck through his belt. He looked around in the brush and suddenly whirled around, staring at the bushes behind which Angar was hidden.

"Who's there?" he asked hoarsely, raising his knife blade. "Is it you, El'nela? I will kill her in time, honest I will. Just give me some more time. Thought I killed her last night, came real close." He dropped the dagger and stared hard at the bushes, his eyes glistening with what could have been tears. "I am weak, I am a fool. The odds were always against us. Don't chide me any further, I couldn't handle it. But Vardor will hunt us, he always has, so we must run."

Angar stepped out of the brush, the wolf close behind him.

The elf's eyes widened. "Vardor? El'nela, Vardor has come for us! Fight while can," he said, his eyes moving swiftly over to Angar's wolf. "He's brought wargs." Then he gave a scream, leaping at Angar, dagger pointed at his throat. "DIE!"

Angar caught the elf's wrist and twisted, letting his momentum carry him past. The elf smashed into the underbrush with a crash and lay still.





"RESPOND AND OBEY, FORE DOG," the voice blazed through Shelina's dreams, bringing her back to reality with a start.

She glanced around, surprised to see the white sheet covering her. She was in a bed, but where?

And she felt weak, oh so weak. Memory began to return, and she remembered her wild eyed dagger wielding assailant. Fear coursed through her heart. Where was he? Was he here, in the inn, or elsewhere?

The door swung open and a busy looking woman entered, wearing a white apron. "Good for nothing servant," she was muttering. "Offered a nice meal and turns those cold snake eyes on the innkeeper, poor soul, as if he was dirt!"

"Excuse me . . ." Shelina began, and the woman turned around with a start.

"Oh yes, dear dear, I'd forgotten about you. Picked up off the street last night, yes?"

Shelina put her hand under the covers and gingerly touched the edges of one of the dagger wounds and felt the cool bandage. "Where are my clothes?"

"Oh, they're being washed. I've got some other things for you to wear, you don't want bloodstains on you, do you?"

"No," Shelina said, worriedly pulling the sheet closer. "No, I wouldn't want that. Who are you?"

"I'm the cook, but I do a number of smaller tasks here too while meal times aren't going. Looking after you should be one of those things. If you don't mind saying, how did you get so wounded?" the woman asked.

"A . . . person attacked me. I was just leaving my room," she hurriedly added. "I gave no provocation."

"Of course you didn't, deary," the woman said in a consoling tone. "We are one of the closest settlements to Angband that hasn't already fallen, so there'r bound to be folk like that here abouts, I suppose. Now, if you feel strong enough, I could bring you some breakfast."

"No thank-you, not now," Shelina said, leaning back against the pillow.

"I understand. Now put this on," she said, passing a light blue dress to Shelina. "It was mine when I was a young thing like you, and could actually fit in it." She bit back a laugh. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got several things to do back in the kitchen. Those around here who know healing say that if you feel well enough, you can come out to the common room for a time. Your wounds are minor, apparently your attacker didn't know his job. Many glancing wounds. You should be most of the way recovered by the end of the week."

"Thank-you for the prognosis."

"No problem," the cook said with a laugh before leaving the room.

Folstan stood hunched behind the tree, watching as the fight raged on. Finally deciding this was the time to make himself known, he moved into the moonlight.

"Hey! Sirs!" He shouted. "When one of you falls, I am willing to work, for a good sum of money, of course, for whoever comes out victorious!"

The two fighting figures stopped, staring at the strange old man for a moment. His action was totally unexpected, as was his presence.

"Get back to your fighting!" Folstan said, waving his hand. "I'll just wait here and see who wins."

*Are those meant to be Angar and the elf? The elf just attacked, was thrown into the brush and fell unconscious. I think it's the Black Lieutenant's decision what Angar does about this now.*

Dain rubbed his neck as the storekeeper tallied up his purchase, which primarily consisted of a large pile of rations and some items to replenish his traveling gear. He was eager to be on his way, but there were a number of things getting strange about the town, and many odd happenings seemed to be afoot. Hopefully he would figure out a bit more before they were on their way - after all, any information could be well worth it.
He gave a grunt as the shop owner listed the total, and then he dumped out a few silver pieces, tossed his purchase into his pack, and headed back into the street.

---

Tal walked up the stairs, thinking deeply. He was glad to have Angar's assistance on his quest, as the other elf looked to be an even better tracker than himself, and that would be needed to catch up to the villains who had El'nela.

(OOC: Whoa, just noticed who the crazy elf in the woods was mumbling about! eeenteresting.... )

Tal sighed, and stepped into the hallway, turning towards his room. He noticed, just then, one of the other doors opening - and glancing out into the corridor, the girl he had found injured the night before, looking hesitant but mostly healed. Tal walked over to the girl, who flinched back as he approached.

"Are you doing well?" he asked, continuing, "I was one of those who found you last night, and am glad to see you are looking better than you were then. My name is Tal. Out of curiosity, do you know who your assailant was?"

"I only got a glimpse," she said, shaking her head. "No, I would never know someone like that personally. He might have been an ordinary cutthroat, but the nerve to come into a crowded building like that . . ." she shook her head. "But I thank you for helping me then, I personally am surprised that I survived, and it is incredible that I am on my feet now. Your herbs were well chosen.

"Out of curiosity, is there an old man in these parts? His name is Orpholin, and he is a . . . wandering something or other. I'm not sure of his proffession, but he'll be new in these parts."

"Rather like yourself, then?"

"I may be new here," she said with a small step back, "But I come on very different business." Her eyes took on a distant, worried expression for a moment. "That attacker had nothing to do with it, as far as I know. But I must be allowed to meet Orpholin, do you know him? Or where he is?"

"I know no one by the name of Orpholin."

She sighed. "Well I'm sure there is someone here who does. I had positive information that he would be in this town. If you run across him you will tell me, won't you?"

Tal nods.

"Certainly, I shall keep watch for anyone of that name. I have seen a few old men wandering the inn yesterday, so one of them may be the one you seek - but more than that, I couldn't say without knowing more. What does bring you to this town, and where do you come from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Finding and speaking with Orpholin, mainly. I've been looking for some time. It's personal business which he can help me with. What about you?"

Angar leapt to the deranged elf's side and quickly bound him securely with rope. Aldea growled, but seeing that her companion's attacker was no longer a danger, she resisted her instincts to pounce on him and tear out his throat. In the excitement neither elf nor wolf had noticed Folstan's approach. As he spoke, Aldea whirled around and was about to attack when Angar called her back.

"I need no hirelings," said the Dark Elf once he understood what Folstan was about, "but if you would join me in my quest you are welcome to a share in any booty that results, provided you do your part in acquiring it. My name is Angar Eidol, and I myself am a mercenary."

Turning now to his prisoner, Angar looked upon the shabby remains of this member of the fair folk and pitied him. No doubt he had been ruined by the Dark Lord or one of his servants. He had mentioned the name of Vardor, and mistook Angar for him.

The Dark Elf knew well what Morgoth and his fiendish minions could do to destroy the will of any reasoning creature that came within his grasp. His own people, the fabled Avari, had themselves fallen prey to the Dark Lord during their wanderings in the great forests under the twilight, and had long been the subjects of that hellish Enemy's ghoulish experiments. The handful that had escaped, his direct ancestors, were never the same again. They dared not look upon the light of even moon or stars, and so had dwelt like worms, in the earth, and raised their children to likewise seek the comfort of the Everdark.

He thanked the Valar, though he had never known them or their sacred land, that he had had the courage and will to seek beyond the darkness and free himself from the legacy of Morgoth. It was said that the orcs themselves were the terrible product of the Dark Lord's treatment of those of the Moriquendi who had not been so lucky to escape. He hoped with all his heart that this was not so -- for he was not entirely sure that all his kith and kin had been killed outright when Morgoth had found their hidden halls.

He decided he must bring his captive to Tal, for questioning. Turning to Folstan he said, "Help me carry this poor mad wretch back to the village. There is one there who may well reward you for your efforts."

*I'm confused... Tater mentioned moonlight--isn't it morning? Or did I awake in the middle of the night?*

*No, it is morning.*

*I'm, apparently, not paying attention *

"My service has a price!" Folstan exclaimed, but Angar glared at him with a face that quickly made him change his mind.

"I want half of any goods we come across though!" He continued, and began to help with the transportation of the elf.

(wonder what I screwed up that time )

Tal face grows dark and bitter, and he says, "I've been searching... searching for revenge. My home was raided by orcs, under the service of the dark one, and while there were survivors, many were taken prisoner. I recently found and slew the orc chieftain, but found that those he captured were already sent on to another - a mercenary who transports slaves to Angband. He is called the Grim Wolf, and I seek to rescue my sister, El'nela, from him."

Shelina paled visibly as he continued this speech, and took a step back at the end of it. "You are . . . I see. Well best of luck with it." She started to turn, but he caught her arm.

"If you know aught of this, you must tell me. El'nela means more to me than . . ."

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "You misunderstand. It just reminded me of something in . . . my past."

A moment later her knees buckled and she nearly fell, catching herself on the doorpost. "I'm sorry, I think that I am not so well as I thought. Do you mind if I return to my bed?"

He supported her as she walked weakly back into her room, and laid her back on the bed. He shook his head slightly as he left the room, closing the door behind him. Perhaps what she said was true, but it seemed that with her things went deeper than apparent. How much deeper remained to be seen.

At that moment, the door burst open and Angar stepped in, dragging a elf. Steward followed in the back, trying to peep over Angar's shoulder for a better view.

Angar let the bound elf fall to the floor and stepped over to Tal. "I found him in the forest, and he attacked me. He is . . . I think he is at least partially insane. He was muttering thoughts as soon as they came into his mind, and he heard voices of people who weren't there. He spoke much about violence and death."

Tal nudged the elf with his foot. "Well, what have you to say for yourself?"

"He carried this," Angar said, passing Tal a dagger. The weapon was quite plainly of orcish making, and Tal set it down on the table to get it out of his hands.

"And what would you, fellow, be doing with such a weapon?" Tal asked, leaning down over the elf. "Do you know that we slay orcs? Or orc friends, for that matter."

"Slay orcs!" drool began to form on the side of the elf's mouth. "Slay wargs! Try to escape, but escape is useless! What point in living if one only lives in death?" A racaus, insane laugh burst from the elf's throat. "Why live if dead?"

"He's mad," Steward said, stepping away in disgust.

"What are you?" the elf snarled at him. "What have you in your hands, there? Orcish whips? I care not for orcish whips? Whip me till your hands ache, I'll still tell you nothing!"

"Is there any way to deal with a madman, convince him to give you information?" Tal asked Angar.

Angar shrugged. "I've never tried before. Sometimes they give more voluntarily than they'd ever give under any type of strain. But I have little experience with madmen, much less mad elves."

"Vardor?" the elf cursed. "You have returned for me, Vardor, eh? I know who led you to me! Shelina is and always has been the traitor! Should have killed her last night! I tried, really I did, so don't mock me, dearest."

Then he shifted into silence, glaring up at them. Then, he stopped glaring as his eyes rested on Tal. "You know, you look like her, a bit."

"Like who?"

"Her," the elf said, trying to point but finding himself unable to, motioning with his head towards a vacant part of the room. "Are you related?"

"What was that he was saying about Shelina?" Angar asked, taking a step closer to Tal.

"Apparently those two know each other," Tal said. "This does indeed run deeper than it appears to on the surface. Unless it's a different Shelina, of course, but I rather doubt that."

"El'nela will have your hide for tying me up," the elf said angrily.

*waiting for Tal's reaction to this*

Tal's eyes widen, and all composure vanishes. He grabs the madman and slams him against the wall, nearly growling into his face, "What do you know of El'nela, villain!?"

"I will tell you nothing!" the elf snarled at Tal. "I will not betray our cause. You tortured me before and may do so again, Vardor. But El'nela, don't worry, I'll tell him nothing!"

They tried for some minutes to convince him to say more, but the elf was silent from then on, glaring up haughtily at Tal.

"Well, perhaps he will reveal more by accident as time passes," Steward said. "But I think you cannot afford to waste much time, Tal, correct?"

Tal's face was tight as he stared down at the elf captive. "But he has knowledge in his head. Knowledge that I need."

"Hear me out," Steward said, raising a hand appeasingly. "You cannot afford to tarry here, wasting valuable time which could be spent rescuing this El'mela of yours. However, if you took him with you he'll very likely let something slip by accident. My suggestion is that you take him with you, and possibly others as well. Where you go, you may have need of companions to help you in a fight if nothing else. Angar will do well and a better choice you could never find. But there are others, hereabouts who could be helpful as well. The halfling, Hushpad could be useful. Hobbits, I have heard are marvelously stealthy on their feet. Stealing a person out of a dangerous situation calls for other people, good at trickery and other things as well. That calls for the doormat replacement, you know, the girl who dropped in here last night."

"We work better alone. Those people could never help in a fight," Tal said grimly. "They would need defense from us constantly, and would be more trouble than they're worth."

"They have taken care of themselves in a dangerous world for some time," Steward said. "And they would be better than you think at different tasks that you could ill accomplish. Those pointy things sticking out of either side of your head will be a detriment to getting into certain places, and other points of your features, both of you, point out exactly what race you are. Elves do not serve the Dark Lord, and his orcs know it."

Tal turned angry eyes towards Steward, his teeth bared in a vicious sneer as he said, "You seem to know much of many things, stranger, and I wonder if you are not working at some hidden motives beyond which you have said. Speaking of 'hobbits' casually, when neither I nor any other has so much as seen such a creature in these lands to the best of my knowledge. Bah!"

He turns away from the old man, and grabs the captive, who looks up at him with a decidely unstable gaze. Tal drags him so their faces nearly touch and, spittle flying, Tal snarls into his face, "You WILL tell me what you know of my sister!"

He then tossed the elf against the wall, and backhanded him harshly across the face, dropping him into unconsciousness. Breathing heavily, he slowly calmed down, and turned a brief, bitter look at the still form on the floor. He looked back at the others - both of them somewhat shocked - and opened his mouth to speak, with something resembling remorse in his eyes - when the door to the common room burst open. Dain stepped in, carrying a heavy pack upon his back. He stopped in his tracks, looking at the three of them standing there with the unconscious elf by their feet, and said, "What in the name of Eru just happened?"

Irid walked pass some doors. One of them was standing open, and she only just looked in for a moment. She wanted to go on, when she heard the word halfling spoken. She stood still and listened with the ears of the wolve. She saw some people, humans and elves, all men. One of them, a dark figure, claimed hobbits didn't exist, because he hadn't seen one. Then he took an elf who was captive and asked something about his sister. Then a dwarve walked in, though he didn't see Irid.

She knocked at the door and walked in.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. Well the last part in every case."

She turned to the person who looked like the leader.

"I heard that you said hobbits don't exist. It feels like my obligation to tell you otherwise. I happen to have a few good friends in Bree. And why is a member of my people captive?"

Then she noticed something else. A big albino wolf was standing there, looking at her.

(occ: the next is wolve language, but i'm gonna right it in english so everyone can follow. With wolves it's mostly thelepathic, so the others in the room only see Irid and Aldea looking at eachother)

"I'm Irid al'Menie. You must be Aldea. I have heard of you."
"You are remarkable to know our language, elf. But don't think i trust you for that. The only one i trust is Angar..."

"Though I am an elf," said Angar, "I am usually viewed with suspicion by other elves due to my sombre appearance. Perhaps I could trick the Enemy into thinking that, as a Dark Elf, I have no allegiance to the Eldar or the Valar. In a way, that is the truth, and I could use that truth to entice the Grim Wolf to seek me as an ally. If he could be made to think that accepting me into his ranks was his own idea, he would be slower to suspect me of treachery."

As the newcomer entered, Angar's hand strayed toward the hilt of his sword. Yet this was no dark foe springing from the shadows, but another elf. A cursory glance told him further that this was no ordinary elf -- like himself, and like Tal, there was something different about her. After she spoke, her eyes met Aldea's, and he instantly sensed something transpiring between the two of them, but at first was not able to determine what it was. Then Aldea expressed to him in a way that was part body language and part limited telepathy that the other elf was able to communicate with her.

"How can this be?" he asked aloud. He turned to Irid and explained, "Aldea has told me that you know her language. Though I wonder at the possibility of such a thing, since even I cannot speak to other wolves or understand them as I do her, I cannot help but think that such an ability would prove most useful in our quest. If it ever becomes necessary for our party to split up into two groups, with your help we might use Aldea to deliver messages to each other..."

His voice trailed off. He was getting ahead of himself. Forcing a smile, he said: "Forgive me. You of course have nothing to do with this matter and we'll understand if you wish to stay out of it. It's just that it struck me what a help your peculiar ability could be to us."