Captain Amrothos of Dol Amroth (amrothos) wrote in untold_logs, @ 2008-05-20 20:04:00 |
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Current mood: | uncomfortable |
Entry tags: | amrothos, arato, calme, erchirion, essam, herenvaryar |
"Those things are wasted on the youth."
Who: Amrothos, Erchirion, Essam, Arato, Herenvaryar, and Calme
What: Amrothos leads a small group of knights to an unexpected resting spot... where an unhappy Essam deals with a problem.
When: pre-game
Where: About a day away from Arnatur's house of horrors, in Belfalas
Warning: PG-13ish, injuries, language, some "mature themes"
Other: This is the last pre-game log. All characters featured in these logs are available for chat!
Amrothos was not the only sad, sorry, bloody rider limping his way through this night. Well, if the lightening sky was any indicator, it was closer to early morning, but he remembered the orders his father had given him, to see the injures knights safely and then ride with Erchirion to Pelargir, to send reinforcements to Belfalas. His father and the other more... healthy knights were still in pursuit of the missing Arnatur, but he knew they would catch him. He had no doubt about THAT. "...you're sure we'll find rest in the house up the road?" He asked Herenvaryar, a knight from the area they had found themselves in after trying to ride all night, who had said there was a safe place down the road. He looked uncertainly at the vague shadow of a manor house on the horizon.
"I can assure you of that." Herenvaryar said with a little grin, despite the fact his face was swollen up around a nasty cut in his cheek and he was bleeding from a gash on his arm. After all, they were approaching his own home.
"...well about time," Amrothos muttered, glancing around at what he could make out of the battered party in the dark. He started counting heads, just to be sure everyone was there. Erchirion, Essam, Arato, Herenvaryar, himself... all accounted for, at least nobody had gotten lost in the dark. "Then let's rouse the house," he decided. He decided if he never had to gallop through the dark again it would be far, far too soon.
Far, Far, FAR too soon, Erchirion privately agreed, not bothering to kick Turin, his bandage had come loose that way earlier in the day and they hadn't had much time to try retying it. "Well come on then." he told his horse, "Try to make it smooth would you?"
"The sooner we are there." Essam agreed, from near Amrothos's side. "The sooner we can...deal with certain matters which need to be addressed." His normally sardonic voice had taken on something of a chill, which ought to have warned people to be careful.
Herenvaryar gulped and reminded himself never, never to get on the knight commander's bad side. "To Home!" he said, raising an arm to rouse the others, tired as he was, and urging his horse into a gallop. There was someone there he would be very glad to see.
The sun was not quite up by any standards but Calme knew there was always work to be done. Wrapping her dressing-gown closer around her shoulders, she stirred the coals in the kitchen hearth, hoping to get a warm fire blazing soon. The servants would be up, heading out to the field or beginning breakfast, and she wanted at least enough light to reread her last letter from Dol Amroth. But the sound of hooves on the road distracted her from her thoughts, and she turned away from the fireplace, moving to the kitchen window to look out and see what was coming down the way.
"Where does he get that energy?" Amrothos muttered to Erchirion, though he didn't have anything worse than a few heavy bruises -- most of which were from the saddle. Which was of course why he had been chosen. His father was punishing him by giving him extra riding for his actions during the 'arrest'. That was it. Yeah.
"Those things are wasted on the youth." Erchirion said with a shake of his head, watching the progression and giving Amrothos a little grin. "I'll be glad to see a bed, I tell you."
It wasn't... it couldn't be... was that... "Everyone, quick, get up!" Calme shouted as she caught sight of the galloping rider. "Lord Herenvaryar is home! And he has company! Oh, hurry with the beds! They'll need food!" She didn't stop to shout more instructions up the stairs, but ran outside, nightgown at all, her long brown-red hair streaming behind her as she rushed out to meet the rider. "Heren!"
"Calme!" Heren was off of his horse in a second and racing towards the lady of the house, pulling her to him in a tight embrace. "I've missed you so." he said, when he finally let her go enough to see her face.
Calme touched his face with her hands, wondering if he was finally back. Behind her, the house was coming to life, people scampering around and making a lot of noise. "...Heren, you're bleeding," she said, touching the place on his face, and then his arm. "What happened? Why did you come home?"
Amrothos reined his horse in as he moved into the courtyard. "...I didn't know he had ladyfriends," he said, leaning over to mutter to Erchirion. "Did you know he had ladyfriends?"
"I didn't THINK he did." Erchirion said, watching the reunion in amusement. "He's always seemed a bit young for that sort of thing to happen yet. They're very sweet though, aren't they?" he asked, grinning. Just seeing this made him feel a little better.
"It's a long story Calme." Heren said, "There was a lord harming his people, we tried to arrest him and were wounded and Lord Imrahil sent us off in our own party while the rest of them track him. And...." he stopped catching his breath and brushed some hair off her forehead. "What better place to stop than here with you?"
"...you're hurt?" Calme's voice grew loud enough for them all to hear her. "How many of you?" She became aware of the other riders, and drew her robe around her, belting it uncertainly. She was young, to be the lady of a house, only twenty-five, and it was a small house, but she steeled her resolve, stepping away from Heren to look at her esteemed company. "...good sirs," she said, after a moment, "please, we weren't expecting you, but come inside. Our servants will see to the horses. If you are injured I will do my best to help you all."
"Some of them more than others." Heren said, indicating the gash in his arm. "I think more than anything we'll just need somewhere to rest and clean up. Lord Erchirion is bleeding pretty badly though and our knight commander.."
"Has something else to see to beforeI come inside if that is all right, my lady." Essam interupted, scratching idly at the dried blood on his cheek. "But I will be there presently."
...Lord Erchirion, the knight commander? "I...... of course," Calme said, almost feebly. "It... anything we can do to help you, sir. Please, the rest of you, come inside..." At least the servants had turned out to take the horses. Finally. Everyone was still clearly sleep-addled, but that was no reason to be sharp with them if they were slow. "...give them water and feed," she instructed the head stableboy, "and a good brushing. Check their feet for stones before you turn them out into the pasture." In her mind she was desperately trying to think if she had food to feed six additional guests. And none of the markets were even open...! They'd have to make do. "This way," she told the others, gesturing towards the open door.
"I for one am in want of a good bath," Amrothos said as he attempted to help his brother dismount. "Not much else is wrong with me, I'm only here because I'm a poor rider and was slowing the hunt down."
"I think he's mad at you for going into the tunnel." Erchirion said simply, "And that's why he sent you along. Then again, considering who we all brought with us, maybe this is some strange form of group punish...." he bit back a curse as he set foot on the ground, gritting his teeth instead. "Oh that tickles"
"Got you," Amrothos said, leaning to support his brother better, and especially grateful that someone else was dealing with Turin. "Let's get you inside and off that foot, brother."
"And as for You." Essam said, grabbing at an uncharacteristically silent Arato as the knights began to file inside the house. "There are things which we ought to discuss, Captain." Inside that storehouse over there, yes.
There were chairs waiting for the three knights, and a pot had been set over the furious hearth to boil. Calme rushed around the large kitchen, gathering bandages, a jar of salve, tinctures and cordials, all things that, until today, she had made and used almost exclusively on livestock and minor farming accidents, the occasional trip into the village. "Let me look at your leg. I'm not one of your Amrothian healers, but I have some skill with medicines." She said to Erchirion when everything was in her hand. "And someone tell me coherently what's happened."
"Well now, starting at the beginining." Erchirion stretched his leg out for her to have a better look. "We have been traveling to Minas Tirth for the king's wedding and stopped by the home of one of the new Lords.."
"And once we got there....well things weren't as they ought to be." Heren took up the story for a while. "Lord Amrothos and Captain Arato found a secret passage where a girl was hidden...chained.... She'd been used by the lord for..well..." he blanched and shook his head. "I think that you can guess it, Calme. It was so wrong, it made me worry for YOU, silly as that may sound. THere was a gallows too, and we found men he'd meant to harm...there was someone he'd branded..."
"...we decided to arrest the man immediately," Amrothos took up the story, stretching his feet gratefully in the chair, glad to be out of a saddle. "He fled and as you can see, some of us were injured in the fight. The Prince and the best of the knights are after him now. After this lot is cared for I've orders to bring in soldiers from Pelargir to clean up the area and make sure it stays safe."
Calme's face was pale with the story as she gently washed Erchirion's injury and pressed crushed herbs against it, though it was not the blood that disturbed her. "Was he... was he terribly close?" She asked, in a muted tone. "I mean... I mean close to here." She remembered Heren's ecstatic letter that he was going to go to Minas Tirith with the prince, that he had been chosen to ride in the honor guard of the lord of Belfalas, and that she should come join him when he sent word, but... she had never expected this.
"It was about...." Heren tried to recall the distance, "A days ride away, though I do not think he can do much harm as he is now. Not with so many pursueing him and his own people knowing what he's done as well. He'll come to justice." He just had to. On the other hand, maybe this meant he could persuade Calme to come with them NOW....
"...it's no wonder you haven't heard anything of it, lady," Amrothos said, "he kept the whole thing very secretive. Everything will be all right now that he's lost power on his land."
"The water is hot, mistress," one of the servants said, setting down a bowl of water near Calme, though she was clearly eyeing Erchirion in a way that suggested he was a slab of meat and she was hungry.
Erchirion glanced at the servant for about half a second, raising an eyebrow slightly. Pretty enough for the night, he thought, though it figured that he wasn't in much mood to enjoy it.
"...stop that," Calme said, catching sight of the servant's roving glance. "These are our guests, not the miller's boys on market day." She took a small clear bottle filled with bright red liquid, and put a few drops in a cup of the hot water, holding it up to Erchirion. "Please, drink this, it will help. There's enough for all of you..." she added, passing cups on to everyone.
For some reason, Erchirion felt embarrassed himself as he took the cup and sipped, breathing in the steam and hoping that whatever it was would really help.
"Calme has a magic touch you know." Heren confided, beaming at her. HE felt better already that was certain. "She'll have us all to rights soon enough and then...Well not that I want to leave now I am here."
Amrothos thought that whatever it was had a pleasant enough taste, and felt his shoulders relaxing already as he sipped the mixture. "I'm sure my father will understand. Sorry, sir, we couldn't get Heren to leave, he went to sleep in his own bed and refused to get up again until a week had passed."
Calme's face took on a faint hint of a flush, and she busied herself in tying a fresh bandage around Erchirion to avoid looking at anyone.
Heren flushed too, not looking at any of them right now.
"Ulterior motives in suggesting we stop here?" Erchirion teased, waggling those eyebrows a little. "I could not say I blame you really, Heren."
Rather loud giggles erupted from where the servants were making breakfast, and a lot of frantic whispering. HIGHLY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.
If Calme tugged the last part of the bandage a little tighter than was strictly necessary, it had to have been an accident. "There you go," she said, rather like he had not said anything. "There's a bedroom here on the first floor if you wish to rest until breakfast."
"That's probably a good idea." Erchirion said, giving her a little bow. Hopefully by then, Essam would have put in an appearance, at least to tell them where he'd left Arato's body. "Thank you lady for your kindness...both of you in fact." he said, grinning at Heren.
"...first door to the right," Calme said, pointing with her hand. "And we'll leave you fresh clothes, your breeches are quite ruined."
Amrothos grinned a little to himself, but then remembered two members of their little party were still missing. "...I'm going to step outside a moment," he said, "to uh, check on the horses." Best to give Heren a few moments of relative privacy before springing whatever Essam had done to Arato on them.
Calme turned to Heren then, sitting by him and cleaning the blood off his face and carefully removing his shirt to look at his arm. "...they're not very courtly, are they," she murmered. "I'd expected something a little more... well, mannered. You failed to write about these parts of your life in your letters home."
"I am afraid not at present." Heren said with a little frown for her. "It's the stress I think, and having been on the road so long. In Dol Amroth..you'd scarcely know them I don't think. Well apart from Lord Erchirion...." He'd always sort of been...that way.
Calme frowned as she dribbled cool water against the wound on his arm. She was thoughtful a moment, before she said, "...I missed you. The prince's son will need at least a day off that leg before I'd feel right letting him ride. But that hardly seems long enough."
Heren nodded, thinking this over. "He's very stubborn all the same. I don't think he would wish to stay much longer unless we have to beat his head in and I think that would be unwise."
"...I do hope the knight commander has not badly injured the other man who was with you," Calme said after a moment. She knew how these things worked. The other man had Obviously Been In Trouble. Not that she knew what for.
"So do I." Heren agreed with a little wince. "He never has before for all his threats, of course, but then no one's been quite so stupid as to rush a fight either. At least so long as I've been knighted."
Amrothos had similar thoughts in his head as he walked around, looking for where Essam and Arato had gotten to. The horses were all looked after, which was a good thing, and aside the bruises it felt good to stretch his legs but... ah, what was that noise coming from that storage shed? He got closer.
"And should you EVER think to act the fool like this again." Essam was muttering, as he gave Arato one last firm shake before shoving him back up against the wall and kissing the younger man for all that he was worth. "The next time will be worse and I'll not even try to make it better."
"mmmmnnghpfft." Arato muttered, hands twining in Essam's hair, now that he was through receiving what had been a very solid slapping and a swollen eye. "I will keep that in mind." he said as a response to that. "I know you'd hate to lose...."
"And you have no idea how much, you little idiot do you?" Essam continued his tirade, as he reached for Arato pulling him close against him. "Do not ever do that to me again, you understand?"
Amrothos stood transfixed to the spot. For the love of... "What the FUCK?" His voice came out as a hiss as he nudged the door open. "Are you knights or bloody sailors? Do you have any idea what you two look like?"
"We look...." Arato jumped back when he realized he was answering a question that... "Lord Amrothos.." he said instead, blinking fiercely and attempting to smooth out his rumpled tunic.
"You're lucky it was me," Amrothos hissed, taking in Arato's blackened eye. "Eru knows what would have happened if it was someone with a grudge."
"That would be why we have not..." Essam looked marginally cool considering the circumstances really, as if he were found in this position often, when he hadn't been for quite some time. "It would be foolish in the city, or near anywhere else much of the time."
"It's only that I scared him." Arato explained, getting his breath back now. "Otherwise, this hasn't happened since the coastal fires." Not that that was any of Amrothos's business but he might as well share.
"...look at you two," Amrothos protested, straightening Essam's bloodstained shirt and then pulling his collar back into place. "Sorry to interrupt your precious moment but it was getting suspicious. Anyway..." It happened, Amrothos told himself, it happened to a lot of men. It had even happened to him, on an occasion or two. Even so, he wasn't telling his father. He knew they two understood that, at least -- the secret was safe with him. "Heren's lady is something to be seen. Did either of you know he had a lady?"
"Not until I saw her myself." Essam answered, having the feeling Amrothos would not feel the need to share with anyone and glad for a change of the subject. "He has never spoken of her before has he?"
"At least the mystery of his constant letters are now solved I suppose." Arato winked at that. "He never WOULD tell the rest of us about that."
"...let's get you two inside and cleaned up," Amrothos said. "You look awful, Essam. Worse than I did when they cut my face open." So that was a slight exaggeration, but...
"Hardly so bad as that if I recall the stories correctly." Essam protested, reaching up and feeling his hand come away with sticky blood. "That seems to have reopened." he said, not liking the looks of this. "Your fault you know." he told Arato in an undertone as he began to follow Amrothos. After all of this though, cleaning up would be good.
"You'll need stitches," Amrothos said ominously. "Good thing Heren's girl seems to know her way around a needle..." Coming here could have been a lot worse, Amrothos mused. A lot worse. After all, they were getting medical attention, and warm beds, and the promise of food... if there were many more opportunities to embaress the dark-haired lord of the house, Amrothos might put this as his favorite stop so far...