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

[Butterbeer]

The widow Watching, or old mrs W as some called her, shut up her cafe and deciding to follow her natural instinct for a story followed discreetly the three nobles new to Tharbad ...

she followed them to the doors of a great house in an opulent part of Orrodel ...

by now her nose for a story was twitching like an emmisary rider on his saddle coming back from Nin-in-eliph ...

maybe there was something for the Tharbad gazette here?

...................

The night was waning and dawn approached in the swamps...
Beautiful Boomeang watched as first the wraith posing as a man and the King rode off, followed by the Elven lady Earniel.

Boomerang had much to consider and many flyers to send out this day...
making a sudden decision he flew off in the direction of tharbad...

just as he was drawing near the City outskirts he was suprised to see a mysterious woman, or was she an elf? lounging in a tree, long dark hair falling languidly over the murmuling stream below ...

[Lotesse]

After her gentle yet subtly sarcastic head nod, Viniglaen picked her book back up and, before ducking back into it she let Marty feel the full force of one of her end-statement looks. For the moment, it rendered both himself and his best friend paralysed with mute fascination. Then, without a word, she shook her sexy dark hair back over her forehead, and re-immersed herself into what she had been reading. Pengolod, of course completely nonplussed by Viv and the reaction she'd garnered, puffed away and proceeded to open up a gentlemanly conversation with the two young visitors from the palace.

"I hear the new season's player selections for King Valandil's ball team have primarily been chosen from the extreme north-east of Numenor, friends; is this true?" he tried, as he exhaled a leisurely mushroom-like poof of smoke. Pen was deftly putting on his most forward portrayal of the man-about-town in the know.
Nazgul, for all that's said about them, DO definitely try. And rarely fail.

[Valandil]

While Valandil sat moping in front of the remnants of his breakfast, the serving girl leaned over him to remove the dishes and set before him a sweet roll and a fresh mug of hot coffee. As she did so, she brushed lightly against him, which got his attention. He turned to look at her.

"I didn't order this."

"Oh - it's on the house. You've become a 'regular' around here already - and looked like you weren't interested in the first dish any longer... maybe something a little... sweeter!"

She smiled and Valandil looked for a moment into her face.

"You know... you look familiar. Maybe I've seen you here before, but... are you in my Commerce class?"

"Yes - I am."

"Well then... why are you working here?"

"Oh... well, I have to work my way through school. I take classes when I can and work here evenings and weekends. The owner lets me stay in a small bedroom upstairs, and I get in my studying when I can."

"Really... what an intriguing idea," said Valandil. "Why don't you just stop working and go right on through school?"

"Can't afford to. My mother... well, her dad was a minor country thane in Minhiriath, but she married a sailer and they moved here. He left for good soon after I was born. She re-married, so I've got a couple step-brothers, but then my step-dad left too, so she moved back in with her folks but I decided to stay here and fend for myself... try to make a better life."

"Really?" said Valandil. He hadn't thought about the possibility of someone having to work AND go to school. He pondered it for a moment and decided it fit well with The Red Herring... the place was pretty unpretentious, and he liked it more than the upscale Eight and Twelve where the local nobles and social climbers hung out. Even though they all knew here that he was the High King (he had managed to avoid that getting out on his first visit here, but it was too widely known on his second) - they made less commotion about him here than among the upper classes.

"What's your name? And do you ever get time off to go to a party? Or a game or something?"

She smiled. "My name is 'Annawen'... and I was supposed to get off work soon, but RÃ*an hasn't shown up yet. She's not a student, but manages to spend her off-hours climbing trees and such. Well... even if I DO get off work soon, I'll probably need to study..."

Valandil looked back at the newspaper he had picked up before coming in. "Oh really. Hmmmm... there's something in here... a job listing. But really, it sound more like a full-time job even than this one. I'll leave it here for you to look at... or maybe this RÃ*an who works here would find this sort of work more interesting - and the inn-keeper here can find a girl he can count on a bit more than her."

Valandil pointed out the job listing to Annawen and then turned to his sweet roll and coffee. He wondered if RÃ*an was the one they called 'half-elven'... the concept of 'half-elven' fueled his hopes at the moment...

[Lief Erikson]

A ragged, beggar-like figure stepped through the door of the inn, causing shocked murmers to come from several of the polished, silky haired elves inside.

The beggar was another elf! There were supposed to be no poor in this kingdom.

The old, thin fellow was heading straight for the king. "Your highness, please hear my tale and read the following petition."

He drew a scroll from under his ragged outer garment and passed it to Valandil. The young king's eyes widened as he saw over a thousand names squeezed onto the parchment.

"The Greyflood may seem here to be flowing steadily, but in truth it is drying up!" the elf exclaimed. "We have sung to the waters day and night, but they will not heed us. The water is many feet below what it should have been. Because of this, our irrigation systems are failing and the farms that once poured out grain are becoming worthless. We need royal aid to get us out of this crisis."

[Lief Erikson]

The peace RÃ*an enjoyed as she perched on her lofty height was interrupted by the thundering of hooves. These hooves fell with force such as she had not heard before. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw two horses the size of elephants dragging a fine gold and satin covered coach forward. The driver was an orc near the size of a troll, dressed awkwardly in a green, yellow buttoned vest, tight scarlet shorts and an ugly, sandy colored wig. The orc's face had been extensively doctored with make-up and white powder, but this attempt at the appearance of civility only served to heighten the grotesqueness of the bizarre picture.

The orc didn't notice RÃ*an, but the passenger did. A sort of twisted, sugary whistle came from inside, and the orc tugged the powerful horses to a halt.

Through lacy silk curtains a massive, pudgy hand the size and dimensions of a basketball emerged. Fingers stuck out of the blob of flesh like pins from a cushion, but they were shrouded in rings and jewels, and the fleshy hand was obscured by a lacy frill coming from a delicate sleeve.

A voice, deep as the ocean floor and sickening as a healthy infant's burp arose in a cloying, groping fashion.

"Oh, friendly elf chick," the . . . human? purred. "Is this the way to the city Tharbad?"

[Butterbeer]

In the fresh dawning day amdist the well kempt and leafy surroundings of Orrodel, old Mrs W had sidled up to the door of the Large palatial house before her (via of course a "journalistic" - others might have said "vouersitic" - detour to the window) ... now Old mrs W new a thing or two about unsolicited calling on houses such as this, and how to put her best foot forward as it were, ... she always wore steel toe-capped boots for one thing ...

as she knocked the shockingly (she noticed) unpolished knocker ... a hideously wrought gargoyle in brass ... she heard with delight in her heart the first chirpings of the dawn chorus...


old wise Widow or experienced reporter or not, she failed to notice the beautiful butterfly fly past her ... if she HAD noticed she may have idly wondered at it's sudden arching and hovering for a momment above her ...

luckily for boomerang most of those of the 'walkers' and two-legged folk rarely took any notice ... he smiled and wondering briefly what old Mrs W was about ... he flew on towards the university and to a chat with the USAT Squirrel Clan ... almost he sighed in anticipiation of the crazy chat he was likely to have that morning ... but young Walnut son of Acornagorn was quicker and sharper than most and he could spring to the top of a tree and hoard his nuts whilst chattering 'bushy tail' like no other Squirrel leader he had met before ... of course the squirrels had never been ones for choosing leaders on merit anyway ... big bushy tails usually did the trick!

[Rían]

RÃ*an stared in disbelief at the apparition below her - below her both literally and figuratively, she couldn't help thinking! Why didn't she keep more still and hidden in the tree? Time alone was precious to her. There was so much to think about. But that butterfly had been so interesting ... there was something different enough about it to jar her from her thoughts of Gondolin ... and that takes some doing! Gondolin ... and her mind dwelt on the fountains again, and the dark-haired figure beside her ...

An explosive belch coming from below made the fountains and her companion disappear again and brought her back to the situation at hand. "Friendly elf-chick"?!?! She rolled her eyes.

"Ridiculous humans!" she thought in disdain, then remembered that those ridiculous humans (but the nicer variety, not like the one below) fulfilled a part of her being in a way that no elf ever had.

She toyed with several response options for an instant - what was most important, preserving dignity or getting rid of the thing? - then decided on the latter.

"Yes," she answered, "just keep on this road, and you'll be there soon."

[Lief Erikson]

The thing below seemed to sense the truth in her voice. "Mmm. Innocent. I like you, elf maid."

A shadow emerged behind the lacy curtain, the shadow of a huge being within the coach. Distinct features could not be seen on the body, from that angle. The size of the creature indicated it might have been able to ride the elephantine horses, were it of the right bodily structure.

An odor of perfume was rising from the coach in waves. It made a nauseus feeling in the pit of RÃ*an's stomach, but the worst and heaviest affect was in her mind, seeming to cloak her thoughts in heavy sluggishness.

Tiny twin pricks of yellow light appeared before RÃ*an for an instant, where the face probably was. They might have been eyes- or a trick of the light.

"Your kind are good for me," said the voice, appreciatively. "Healthy."

The flashing treasure-studded blob of flesh disappeared back into the coach, and the enormous body changed direction, looking away from RÃ*an. It was as though a heavy hand lifted from her as the coach passed by, leaving only the faintest vestiges of its powerful and sickly sweet perfume behind.

In a final flash of gaudy gold and scarlet, the coach had disappeared up the road toward Tharbad.

[Rían]

RÃ*an shook her head and gasped for breath. What had just happened? She blinked her hazel eyes hard to make the ground stop spinning. She felt an urge to dive into the clean, fresh waters of the river - she felt as if that ... lady? ... had left a sort of slimy film on her that only Eru's water could remove.

"Humans!" she thought in disgust, as she wrinkled her nose.

"Humans..." she thought again, and her mind wandered back to the other day when she caught a glimpse of the young king. Some humans were more elven than others ...

She shook her head again, and gazed at the sun. It was late, and she knew it was time to get back to the inn. With a sigh, she climbed down from the tree.

[Earniel]

Eärniel leafed through her papers as she walked through the still, rather empty streets of Tharbad. It was light already, but still early in the morning. It was a cool morning so she had kept the hood of her cape on. As she walked, she mentally checked off the items she had taken care of already.

She had nearly rang the clark at the university out of his bed but she had managed to enroll for the classes she wanted and then some. She would have some catching up to do but that wouldn't pose too much of a problem. She had found lodgings with a family of distant relatives of hers. It was not too far from the University so that was a bonus as well.

She sniffed the morning air. A city smelt very differently from a swamp but they both had their pleasant and less agreeing smells. Right now she caught the smell of freshly baked bread and realised she was hungry. Maybe breakfast was in order, she decided. And it would be an opportunity to see a little more of Tharbad before going back to the university.

[Lief Erikson]

EDITED

[Lief Erikson]

EDITED

[The last sane person]

Ray was as taken by this new woman as Marty was taken by Lily. Only this one looked like she was harder to get! The woman dived back into her book and Ray settled down into his chair, all other thoughts put aside except how to get acquainted with the sexy dark haired lady. "Ah, I think I am in heaven! Tharbad has had an explosion in the number of sexy and availiable women! I hope she is availiable that is....." He went into a brooding mode on how to approach said lady.

Pengolod puffed away and asked, "I hear the new season's player selections for King Valandil's ball team have primarily been chosen from the extreme north-east of Numenor, friends; is this true?" Marty nodded and responded,

"For the most part, in numenor, the reigning champions and many of the best players originated from there. It only makes sense to bring in the best, from the best areas. But the rumors are exagerated, there are about 8 spots still wide open, last I checked." Marty picked up a friendly discusion with Pengolod, talking of the atributes and faults of each player, and which positions they would be best suited for.

"I fully agree friend, he would be great as a foreward! But why was he stuck as a wingman?" Pengolod had to refil his pipe.

"I haven't a clue, but I guess he just wasnt playing his best on the tryout day. I know he would have done better. You sure do know quite a bit, have you ever played on a team?"

Before pengolod could answer, the door was knocked on and Lily stood up to get the door. "I'll get it, you have had quite the adventure tonight lily, not to mention you serving us, I will answer the door."

"Oh, but we can't ask you to do that, why, its a servants job!" Lily made to get up, but Ray laughed. "My lady, today, I am your servant!"

Ray got up and headed to the front door, and greeted the old lady.

"greetings Madam, this is the residence of Lileawen and Pengolod, how would you be helped."

OOC: what the heck type of ball game is this, exactly? And I am mentally pooped, so CS or Lotesse, can you write for the badgering old lady?

[Rían]

RÃ*an ran swiftly back to The Red Herring .

"So there you are! It's about time!" Annawen said sternly, but with a little smile, for she rather liked the girl. "I sure hope you enjoyed your trees, but I rather think I had something better to look at!"

"Do tell!" smiled RÃ*an, as she joined Annawen in clearing the table.

Annawen paused for effect, then said in a mock-casual voice, "Oh, only the young king! Then dropping all pretense, she squealed, "And RÃ*an, he's just the cutest thing! He's in my commerce class, and I declare my grades are really suffering - I just stare at the back of his head and hardly hear what the teacher says! I think he even put out a feeler to see if I might go out with him - he asked if I ever have time off for parties. I wanted to say, "I'll go anywhere with you!", but I restrained myself and acted calm and collected but still encouraging. I sure hope I didn't act TOO cool towards him!"

"Well, good luck, and I bet he'll be back here soon!" said RÃ*an encouragingly.

"Oh, by the way, I know you're not wild about this job," said Annawen, "and, um, Valandil" (said with a blush) "saw a job opportunity in the paper here. I saved it for you." She handed the paper over to RÃ*an, and then the two girls said their goodbyes.

RÃ*an read the part that Annawen had indicated. "Housekeeper at Orrodel," she mused. "Well, I think I might look into that. It's in a nice part of town, with really lovely grounds." She carried the dishes into the kitchen, then came back out to take the order of a young couple that had just arrived. As she took the order, she noticed with a start that the young lady was wearing a very artistic shirt with a picture of an Ent on it! "How odd," mused RÃ*an, "How did she know what one looked like?"

Later on that day, a slender girl with long, dark hair could be seen making her way up to Orrodel - that is, if anyone was watching ...

[Butterbeer]

"My! what a handsome Man!" purred old Mrs W, unashamedly eyeing up Ray ...

with a winning wink and a quickly offered hand she shook his midly amused hand

"the Widow Watching, proprietor of the best wharfside whelps and Society reporter for the Tharbad gazette ...."

She was in and past him before he began to reply "Ray, King's man and ..."



OOC: ask Valandil about the game: it is in either in tales of V or letters of firiel, it is a Northern numenorean custom a kind of end to end no rules scrum of a game like what they do in Derbyshire, UK ..maybe in future i'll post a link to the real life version ...

i hope too very much either CS or lottesse might post some mrs W for me while i am away ...

[Lotesse]

Pengolod, Viniglaen and Lilaenwen simultaneously bristled with alarm and agitation at having a reporter walk right into their midst, unannounced and uninvited. Reporters! This situation needed delicate handling, and fast.

Viniglaen put her book to the side, got up and was in the old woman's face before another step was taken. Putting on the innocent act as deftly as putting on shoes, Viv coyly yet firmly gripped the Widow W with her undeniable eyes, immobilising her on the spot.

"Why, I have been brought here by my guardians, " at this she gestures to Lilly and Pen, "to begin my studies here at University of Southern Arnor!"

Old W found she had been stricken momentarily mute.

"I am majoring in World History, and have also signed on for courses in Art History and Applied Structural Engineering. Is that newsworthy?"

Viv's silky voice belied a twinge of an edge, but was cleverly enough presented to seem absolutely benign.

The old woman suddenly found her tongue, and she could not explain to herself why she felt so excruciatingly uncomfortable there, but on the surface she decided that there was no news to print coming out of this genteel household, and turning around, making for the door, she said:

"My, my; how very sweet! It's wonderful to see the young taking up such important studies as our history, yes, ye - "

Slam! went the door after poor Widow's back, when Viv couldn't resist a tiny display of her temper.

As the reporter left the premises and scurried back to her office as fast as she could, she thought to herself, 'something is very, very off about that situation; I shall have to keep my eyes and ears open as the semester gets underway. Why do I sense something; what is it with that household?'

[Lief Erikson]

The blob in its coach sighed thoughtfully as it eased the flabs of its body into a more comfortable position on the dozens of cushions that surrounded it. He was a male. He might have once been entirely human, but he plainly now was more closely related to some other species. Something inanimate. Jello, maybe, though certainly no one could claim that he wasn't organic.

The pasty flesh of the creature was a slightly pale pink. His vast bloated body was nearly as wide as it was tall, and this was saying something, as the being was slightly over six feet in height. Somehow he managed to squeeze through narrow openings when needed.

Intensive surgery had replaced many of his bones with heavy metal beams, and various strange chemicals ran through much of his body in place of blood. Various tubes and instruments were constantly attached to his slowly decaying heart to keep him from failing him.

The man's eyes could scarcely be seen as layers of flesh on his forehead sagged down over them. Squint little fragments of yellow light gleamed out from under the fat, however, hinting at a voracious appetite and ruthless personality. The nose hung down the face like a hot dog suspended on string, but the mouth seemed as large as a small cave. It could extend to eight inches when fully opened, usually releasing vats of saliva and revealing teeth like walrus tusks. The ears were large, though certainly not in comparison with the nose or mouth (they looked small indeed when taken next to them), and they were keen. Perhaps it was the chemicals from surgery, or perhaps it was some elven blood in his heritage, but the beast had hearing to match with that of the elves, and an uncanny ability to sense danger or problems before his physical senses caught up with them. This ability was particularly helpful when the monster needed to make a quick get-away, or when coping with the problems raised by a frustrating business opponent.

A few bristles of hair remained on the top of the gluttonous beast's head, and his flabby feet and hands lay like sausages out of the sleeves of his huge, thick white overcoat.

This . . . fellow . . . was dressed in white and blue from top to bottom. Golden chains hung from around his neck and about his behemoth torso, and twin, tiny golden daggers hung at his waist.

The chap's jaws seemed to leak a kind of black sewage slowly, one drip at a time, and he idly wiped these away with a silken handkerchief. He placed that back in one of the pockets of his overcoat, knowing that it would come out completely clean again when he next needed it.

The being glanced out the window as his coach rumbled along the road toward Tharbad. This morning he intended to make a cry he had only learned through the spiritual powers of darkness, an echo of the twisted spiritual nature that existed behind his own bloated form as well. The creature was a creation of Mordor, one used to a life of luxury. He had peace on his mind, as he headed toward Tharbad, however. No real damage. He was mending his ways, ready to be helpful, for a change.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

At the door of Penny, Lily and Viv there was yet another knock. Viv moved towards the door, her fists clenched but was surprised when she opened it to find a tall dark figure standing there. Lily ran towards the door and hugged the dark figure.
"Boyfriend?" said Ray loudly.
"Brother," replied the figure. "I'm Galadannun. I was recently appointed Head of riental Languages at the University and was delighted to find that my younger brother and sister and moved up here. However I am surprised to see my little cousin Viv here. I haven't seen you in seven years."

[Lotesse]

"You, too, Galad! What a nice surprise! Did my cousins tell you I'm starting school?" Viv responded, after she'd given Galadannun a polite double-kiss on his face, and showing him to an easy chair next to Pen's favourite spot in the room.

"Yes, little one; Pengolod's told me all about it! That was one of the deciding factors for me to accept this teaching position, you know. That, and the opportunity to spend some quality time with my family here. Viv, I will personally see to it that your education is well-rounded and accurate."

Marty and Ray didn't quite know what to do immediately; all the new introductions of such cultured and obviously powerful richies had come on strong that morning. They looked at each other, wondering whether to stay, or to take their leave. They both wanted to stay. Before they could voice their conundrum to their elite hosts, Lilaenwen piped up as if reading their minds.

"DO stay, dear gentlemen of the King's house," she graciously and sexily cooed. "And if you all will excuse me momentarily, I shall check and see if we have brought our reserve of Miruvor - it IS already noon, isn't it?" Her golden eyelashes mischievously fluttered. "Such occasions call for the best of drinks to toast with!"

[The last sane person]

Ray and Marty arched their eyebrows at Viv's fast acting and seemingly benign dismissal of that snoopy old lady. Neither of them had missed that little display of temper with the door. But how could they blame her? Reporters were the bane of many royals.

Marty resumed his seat and Ray moved closer to the window. "Well, at least she was worth somthing, Marty. We now know this young woman's intent on being here in Tharbad and her relation to our two friends!" Ray fiddled with his pipe, Marty took a sip of his wine. "Indeed, Though we still do not no said woman's name, at least we now know why she is here...In part." Marty grinned at Ray over Viv's head, who -to their surprise as well as hers - turned an oh-so-slight shade of pink.

She tried to hook Ray with that full power stare, only to find that he met it eagerly with a small grin of his own "once fooled and startled, not so easy the second time around...I think I am starting to know that little trick of hers...Damn, those are beautiful eyes!" ray thought unto himself as the little staring match continued for a moment longer, before he spoke. "Now, my lady, since we are to be friends of your guardians, it is only befitting that we have your name, seeing as you are a person and not some beautiful acoutriment of the room!"

Neither of them had desinged to look away from each other and neither had blinked. Marty was silently shocked, "Sauron's Balls! Ray can FLIRT! Why, that brick, I never knew he had it in him...and he is doing a damn fine job of it too! With quite the woman to tangle with no less!" He continued to sit back and watch this spectacle, as had Lily an Pengolod and the new found brother.

Viv graced Ray with a small smile, and thought about the words she would say.