Life of Gold RPG

[Crystal Heart]

She smiled and nodded. She would have led, but she didn't have the same information as Glirdingo did. Yet, she knew that the more they sat here the more the time was ticking by. Time was key in finding and saving someone.

"Time is of the essence. We should leave now for Tharbad. We are waisting time just standing here," Arianna pointed out. She looked back up at Glirdingo. Her hand lingered on his sword. She slid her hand down softly to just touch his hand gently. As much as she wanted to fight it, she loved him. She hadn't been near him in so long. She just wanted to be close to him, to touch him, to hear his voice.

[Glirdan]

Glirdingo looked at Arianna and nodded. "You are indeed right. We need to move out. However, we do not have the proper provisions for this. For instance, I do no have a horse," he smiled sheepishly. He also knew that they werer going to need food for such a quest.

"I have taken care of everything," the caretaker said. "There are 8 or so horses in the stable behind the Inn. Provisions are packed on each of them for 2 weeks travel. Now, get going before it's too late." With that final monotone speech, he arose from his seat and walked to the door. He turned before leaving, looked at the group and nodded. With that, he left, standing straight, his rags swishing behind him out the door.

Glirdingo looked at them. "Well, what are we waiting for!? We have someone to save!" He started to the door but stopped abruptly. "You all go on. I need to have a word with Eomeléo," " the others walked ahead while he stayed behind with Eomeléo.

He turned and looked at Eomeléo. "Now, I noticed there was something troubling you. What is it?"

[The Sixth Wizard]

Dárin listened neutrally as the caretaker came inside and Glirdingo explained the situation. He was (relatively) pleased until the mention of Tharbad, a faraway fort or ruin as he remembered, and the other mention, horses.

"Horses?" said Dárin. Oh no, I should have seen this coming. "I'm afraid I have no experience riding the beasts. Dwarves concentrate upon civilised society rather than huts and riding. I shall need to find one of you to ride with, I fear." He wondered how he could possibly continue his mission if he had to learn to ride.

And another problem presented itself. Which to ride with? He thought for a moment, and rested upon the Gondorian, Éomeléo. He liked the southern realm, they knew of good stonework and were hardy. But he stands close to the other mortal, Valesseka. I will be in the way, perchance. Dárin decided to take the chance.

"Éomeléo, man of Gondor, I have taken a liking to you. Will you ride with me?"

[Crystal Heart]

Arianna watched as Glirdingo started to head for the door, then stop. She walked over to him and smiled.

"Don't be long," she whispered as she walked out of the Inn. She wondered if she dare take the time to switch the provisions onto her Elven horse. She decided that she would. She didn't want to leave her horse behind.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Éomeléo looked at Glirdingo, even now slightly awestruck by the magnificence of the Elves. He didn't hesitate to share his concerns with a fellow Hoard-seeker, though. "My friend, I am concerned by all this. I had expected a larger gathering. How can we be confident in rescuing Thin-Gloomy when we have so few warriors among us? This quest could be more dangerous than we have wanted to believe. Yes, we sought adventure last year; but we go now to challenge criminals, ruffians, bandits. Does anyone here really know what they're getting themselves into?"

Glirdingo pondered the thought, and as there was a silence between the two, the Dwarf Dárin asked whether Éomeléo would ride with him on the quest.

"Of course we will journey together! I would jump at the chance to speak at length with a Dwarf, never having spoke with one other than Thin-Gloomy — and even then not too much at all."

"But I presume, of course, that we will not be broken up into factions yet. As you may have noticed there is someone else here with whom I need to speak; and I would have us all ride together. We will see what the caretaker suggests. Now let us go to the stables."

And with that, the Inn was emptied of the brave adventurers.

[Glirdan]

Glirdingo thought of what Eomeléo had said. It is true that they were few. But he knew that he, Arianna and Marieme would be able to take care of themselves. He also knew of the stubborness of Dwarves and their bravery. Darin shall be alright... Valesseka and Eomeléo himself...Well, they've both been through much hardship. I am sure we will be fine.

He walked out of the Inn behind Darin and towards the stables. Before he got to the horse that would be his (which he named Léoflic), he went over to Eomeléo. "I have ben pondering what you said in the Inn. I know that you, Darin, Valesseka and myself can all take care of ourselves and you may be worried about Arianna and Marieme. But don't be. They can take care of themselves. And I will be there to look after them. But I do share your concerns about their numbers. But we will deal with that later. For now, let us ride,"

He went over to Léoflic, hopped up on the horse. "Come, let us ride!" With that, he rode off in the direction of the Gap of Rohan, not knowing what to expect on this jorney.

[Crystal Heart]

Arianna had gone outside and had quickly switched the provisions. She then paid the stable boy to send her horse back with the message of great thanks for the horse, but that she had her own.

Arianna swung her leg up onto her horse just as Glirdingo raced off into the darkness. She reached down for a lantern and raced after him.

"Glirdingo! Slow down!" She called. She ran her horse beside him.

"What are you doing? You don't have a lantern and the rest of the group is still gathering their things and getting on their horses. You can't go galavanting into the darkness without us. Especially not me!" Arianna said forcefully. She sighed. He hadn't changed since their youth. He always had been the one that ran into the thick of things without waiting or thinking about what was to come. She was thankful that she was here to talk some sense into him.

[Cordelia Harrison]

Marieme headed out of the Inn quickly to switch her provisions onto her own horse. She couldn't leave Flower behind. They had been through many things together. She switched and was about to hop up onto her horse when she saw Glirdingo rush off. She looked over at Arianna who sighed, grabbed a lantern, and ran after him on her horse. Marieme smiled and laughed. It is so good to be with them again, she thought.

She got up onto her horse, patting the mare's neck gently. She decided to wait and help the others if they needed it.

[Glirdan]

"Glirdingo! Slow down!" Arianna shouted from behind him. He slowed down and waited for her to catch up. "What are you doing? You don't have a lantern and the rest of the group is still gathering their things and getting on their horses. You can't go galavanting into the darkness without us. Especially not me!" She sighed deeply.

He looked at her sadly. "I am sorry. I am just eager." He grined sheepishly. "I guess I haven't changed that much since we were young. Thank o for stopping me. I may have hurt myself rushing off like that."

A sudden temptation overcame him. He leaned over Léoflic, grabbed her and pressed his lips gently to hers. He realised what he was doing and broke the moment. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me..."

[Crystal Heart]

Arianna melted at his kiss. Her heart beat wildly. Then as suddenly as it started it ended. She opened her eyes reluctantly. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me..."

She reached over, grabbed him, and kissed him back passionately. After several moments she pulled away gently. Her lips were only inches away from his.

"Oh Glirdingo. I love you so," she whispered. She looked up at him and sighed deeply. She had dreamed of this since she he had left. She hadn't believed it would ever happen.

[Valesse]

Valesseka blinked as the stange old caretaker left... she did have a question- several, really- but felt they would only prove in embarrassing her with her current company. Instead she held her tongue. As half of the party departed for the stables outside, she looked at Eomerleo but he, the dwarf and an elf were already busy sharing words with one another.

"He's preoccupied... I could ask later." the Arnorian thought to herself with a sigh. Valesseka followed the other two elves out to their 'new' horses and found her's quickly. Buinn, an older but strongly built grey gelding with a perpetual scowl soon carried her as well as her supplies out, waiting for the other rescuers to climb on their horses and settle in.

Without warning "Gllaa- Glo- Oh what was it? That horrible name... I can't remember..." Valesseka grimaced half to herself and half to the elven couple speeding off into the horizon. "At least now I can talk to Eomerle-" her thought broke off. Way ahead two of the elves were presses their faces together and... and... kissed!

In no time Valesseka was very red, and scowlling like Buinn.

[Cordelia Harrison]

Marieme got up on her horse and saw that Arianna and Glirdingo were sharing a moment. She smiled. About time!, she thought to herself. She saw the human woman watching them. She guided her horse over to the human woman and smiled.

"You're Valesseka right? Sorry, I just like to try to remember the names of the people that I travel with. And I'm pretty poor with names. So I apologize in advance if I ever mess it up. Where are you from?" She asked, trying to draw her attention away from her friends.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Éomeléo was not used to riding a horse, so his going was quite slow. It gave him plenty of time to think, though all he was really thinking about was getting the first part of this journey over with so he could have conversation with someone. On the ground. No way was he going to try two things at once.

He tried looking around to see his companions but every time he moved his head his horse seemed to sway wildly, causing Éomeléo to hold on tight and stare straight ahead.

Out in the open, alongside the other adventurers, Éomeléo began to feel uncomfortable. For an instant, he was hit by the urge to just run away. But as his horse slowed to manoeuvre around an obstacle, he was able to look around, catching glimpses of all the others; and he chastised himself for considering such an act.

[Valesse]

The other elven woman pulled her horse closer to Buinn and Valesseka with a soft smile and started inquiring about her. "You're Valesseka right?" asked Marieme, "Sorry, I just like to try to remember the names of the people that I travel with. And I'm pretty poor with names. So I apologize in advance if I ever mess it up. Where are you from?"

"Erm, yes." What was it that Gil-fellow called this one? "Marieme, correct? My name is fairly easy to remember" Valesseka half-boasted to herself, figuring that it had to do with remembering her 'gorgeous' face. "I'm from...er"

A farm in some obscure little village to the North. Valesseka wiggled uncomfortably in the saddle trying to find some way to glorify her past for the elves. "You've probably never heard of it" the Arnorian smiled sweetly, putting on her best show-face. "But how about you? You look as if you've probably seen a good many interesting things."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Eomerleo lagging further and further behind. To her, he looked unsure of the horse. Being who he was, she suspected perhaps his new stead wasn't quite up to par with those he normally rode so he didn't trust it. Then again, Eomerleo was doing a good bit of wobbling on his own... When he finally looked at the rest of the party Valesseka, flustered, smiled bashfully back at him before focusing back on the party's path.

[Glirdan]

Arianna had pulled him back and kissed him passionately. His stomach did a summersault. "Oh Glirdingo. I love you so," she whispered to him.

He smiled warmly. "And I love you. I always have," he looked away from her to hide his embarassment. "I-I just never knew how to express it." He looked back to her shinning face and smiled widely once more. "But now that fear has passed."

He leaned over and kissed her once more. When they broke apart, he looked behind them and saw Valesseka and Marieme, who was smiling. Oh my. Did they see that!? He blushed. "I think our dearest friend over there saw us," he whispered to Arianna. "But enough about that. Where are Eomeléo and Darin?"

[Crystal Heart]

Arianna looked over and smiled to see that they had been spotted. She stroked Glirdingo's cheek gently.

"I don't know where they are. Let's just wait a moment. They are probably just getting on their horse. Just stay here with me a moment. Once we depart I won't be able to be in your arms and I shall miss it so," she replied, kissing him gently once again.

[The Sixth Wizard]

The gang (for want of a better word) headed out toward the stables. A few horses were ready there for them. Dárin prepared himself for an ordeal.

The first try wasn't lucky. He missed his footing and fell back down the side of the mare. Trying again, he leaped too hard and frightened it, almost getting stepped on. Eomerleo quickly stepped in and helped up Dárin who protested, but didn't really mind. The next thing to do was get himself into a good position on the saddle. It was difficult to get behind the Gondorian without falling off. Needless to say, he did. But they got there somehow.

Dárin sighed, finally getting into a rhythm. It was taking a toll on his old frame already, this adventure. How will I make it back in one piece? he wondered. The fear was strengthened as they set off, he heard of the two elves kiss each other on the way. It will distract them. They won't have their minds on the task, but on each other's welfare. Were they already falling apart?

Dárin forced himself to think of other things. "The Gap of Rohan. Éomeléo, would you have a map I could see? I know little of these parts. Isn't there a river, or a tower or something? Isengard? Made by your people?"

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

"Aye" proclaimed Éomeléo, "Isengard is a famous place indeed. made by Giants, they say; although who 'they' are I was never told. I regret to say, Master Dwarf, that I have no map but the one in my head. Nevertheless, stay beside me and you should not get lost too badly.

Dárin looked ever-so-slightly reassured.

After a few minutes, Éomeléo stopped. When Dárin asked what the matter was, the young man spoke in a mystified voice.

"My friend, where are the others? We've barely started this quest and we're already separated from them. Weren't Valesseka and one of the Elves ahead of me earlier? How could this have happened?" How could I be so careless with her... he muttered.

"Deceits of the enemy, Éomeléo?"

"There can be little doubt, Dárin. We must find the rest as soon as is possible."

[The Sixth Wizard]

Deceits of the enemy. But who was the enemy? And how had the elves disappeared without them noticing? Dárin tried to remember back to when he had seen them last. "It was back at that last hill," he said aloud. "We last saw them then. Where have they gone? Perhaps they took a different road or were snatched off the track?"

Dárin cursed miserably. It was ridiculous. He had seen the elves seconds before, right in front. But he couldn't see very well at all, behind his companion. "What a dilemma."

[Thinlómien]

"You lied to me, you filthy little creature" she shouted. Her voice echoed in the stony hall.

She ascended from her platform all but gracefully. Her anger was so thick you could almost see a boling orange aura around her. She snatched a knife from the redhead, who did not protest.

She took a few more steps until she was standing in front of the dwarf. She put her disgust and fury in every single inch her head was higher than his and looked down to him as he was a snail she was about to crush. Hand trembling from anger, she slashed the dwarf with the knife.

Though she was skilled with a knife, she was not in the best state to attack anyone and the dwarf was aware that the cut was coming. He dodged it easily, though the big man was holding him.

Both the big man and the redhead very wary and anxious, looking at the woman as to catch a hint of what she would do next. Only the fair-haired man seemed to be at ease. "Cilia, I think that's enough. We should show him we have control over him, not the other way around", he said looking the woman straight in the eye. Her eyes narrowed as if saying "I'm the boss, keep that in mind", but she nodded.

She took a long breath and looked at the dwarf. "Tell me where it is", she hissed, leaning closer,"and no lies this time."

Oh, how I wish to spit on her ugly face, Thin-Gloomy thought. He tried to keep his dislike from his face. He wasn't going to tell her anything. He made no reply.

"Where is it?!" Oh good, this seems not to be one of her best days. I wonder if she's suffering from some feminine problems, Thin-Gloomy reflected, fighting the urge to say it aloud. He remained silent.

"Are you mute?" her tone was less angry, but a lot more dangerous. Again, he made no reply. "We can make you, if you wish", she continued. "Then you would get no response from me, my lady", Thin-Gloomy said in an overtly courteous manner. There was a flash of anger in her eyes.

The gang leader turned to her freckle-faced minion. "Jack, now cut his finger off and if he lies we'll cut his whole hand", she said coldly. The redhead came closer, fingering his knife.

This time she won't take my words as the truth as easily, Thin-Gloomy thought. He had a strategy in mind, however.

"Stop. Don't come closer", he told the bandit with the knife. "If you cut anything off me, I will not tell you anything. Anything. Ever."

The bandits exchanged nervous glances. They did not want to let the dwarf into a position where he could dictate the terms, but they were hungry for the treasure and did not dare to risk it.

"Take him back to his cell", the woman ordered with her shrill voice, "and see you don't leave him untouched. Remember, he said nothing about bruises, all he said was about cuts." She grinned maliciously and sent them away.

------

Everything was aching. Thin-Gloomy could hardly sleep. However, one good thought sailed in his mind and he grasped it. Two for me, zero for them this far.

[Glirdan]

Glirdingo and Arianna sat and waited for Valesseka and Marieme to catch up with them. But there is still no sign of Eomeléo and Darin! he thought worriedly. Then his mood changed quickly. We're out for not even a full hour and they go and get themselves lost! Well, the Man got them lost becasue the Dwarf can't ride a horse! Bah!!

He turned to look at Arianna. "Where could those two have gotten too?" he asked her. "Let's ride back to Marieme and Valesseka and ask them when they had last seen them."

[Cordelia Harrison]

Marieme shrugged. She had seen a lot of interesting things, but none that she could regail to this woman right now.

"Oh yes. I have seen many interesting things. They seemed to be finished with their moment. Perhaps we should go up there. It makes me uneasy not knowing their plans," Marieme suggested. They eased their horses up the hill and stopped in front of Glirdingo.

"Hello dear friend. What is your next step?" Marieme asked as soon as she was closer. She looked over at Arianna who seemed to beam with a new light. She had always realized that they were made for one another. She was glad that they had finally realized that too.

[Valesse]

Valesseka was completely unsatisfied with Marieme's answer, and by the time the two of them were halted before Arianna and 'rrr-that OTHER one' as she put it, she was having a hard time to keep herself from grumbling. While Marieme paused to ask about the party's next move an uneasy feeling started to fall over the Arnorian. Sure enough, others felt it also... or at the sight of the 'infuriatingly named elf' 's expression Valesseka knew he also felt something was wrong.

"What is it?" She inquired loudly, at least assumibly for her present company's standards. Looking back in the same direction Valesseka took on the same worried look as... as -him-. "Where's Eomerleo? He was right behind me..."

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

As if to accentuate the point, the mist descended upon the Dwarf and the Gondorian. They circled a couple of times, not really sure what to do. After this useless strategy, Éomeléo got off his horse and stood on the grass, chewing his lip.

"We're in a pickle now, Dárin" he said. "What wizardry is this? I can barely see even you now."

"Who said that?"

Éomeléo laughed. At least the Dwarf had a sense of humour.

"In all seriousness, Éomeléo, we are too far gone to attempt a return to the Inn. Rohan is famously a land of wide open spaces. We must try to escape this dratted fog and continue onwards in our direction. We will find the others, of course we will."

Dárin was right. Besides, Éomeléo would not be able to find the Inn again for love nor money. As soon as the mist cleared, they would be able to navigate using the mountains; and from there it was not a long journey to the Gap of Rohan.

"...unless" Dárin continued, "a worse fate than this has befallen them."

[The Sixth Wizard]

Well, this is your last chance, Dárin. said the afore-mentioned dwarf to himself. If you don't want to go through with this, hop off now and buy some more ale. There's no-one else around but a horse and a man. But he knew he would finish the job. Dárin always finished the job.

"Well nothing for it but to go forward! And start yelling a bit." He proceeded to do that for a few minutes, but gave up, soon finding it was useless. Dárin decided to change the subject. "What's the story behind your hat and its feather? And, pray tell, why is such a man dressed in noble's clothes as you doing coming upon such a mean journey? I am curious."

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Éomeléo pondered how best to answer Dárin. He hadn't been too keen to speak of his former life, but he supposed that he had to placate the Dwarf somehow. Taking off his hat and examining it, he began to speak.

"I have always worn such clothes. I have had this hat for years and I am quite fond of it. They are not so fine as they might appear, for they have travelled long and far and have gone through hardships they could not previously have imagined. But surely, they do invoke nobility. My family was, is, rich. I have not seen them for some time. I decided to become a bit of an adventurer and that's how I ended up here."

They began to ride north-west, the fog still hanging over them, shielding them from the sight of others. Éomeléo told Dárin about the Quest for the Golden Hoard, and began to feel more at ease, knowing that the other adventurers could take care of themselves, at least for a while.

[Glirdan]

Glirdingo sat and still, pondering what move to do next. Arianna touched his hand softly and he awoke from his reverie.

He looked over at her and smiled. He then looked around him and saw that fog was coming in thick and fast. "Oh Eru! We'll never be able to find them in this pea soup!! I have nothing. Do any of you have an idea?" He asked the group.

[Valesse]

The male elf -who's name continued to evade Valesseka- spoke softly: "Oh Eru! We'll never be able to find them in this pea soup!! I have nothing. Do any of you have an idea?" causing Valesseka's calm to start ebbing away quickly.

"What do you mean you have nothing? He can't be far away, listen for them!" the Arnorian half-growlled "We should ride back to find them..." her eyes started crossing with her tiny human brain straining for a slightly more cunning thought. "I will go back and find them, who's with me?"

Pulling on Buinn's reins Valesseka turned her horse around, only for him to stubbornly completely the circle. She growlled at the geding before looking back at the three elven fair faces. "What was the dwarf's name? I'll call out for them both if no one will ride with me."

[Crystal Heart]

"Perhaps we should call for them. Riding out into this fog would be foolish as well as dangerous. Especially since we can barely see each other and we are so very close to one another. No. Let us call them. That is our best plan at this moment," Arianna replied. She held onto Glirdingo's hand, slightly frightened by how thick this fog was. And how it had come up so fast around them. It made her uneasy.

She turned to Glirdingo and lowered her voice. "Do you think that this could be a result of foulplay? This fog. . . it came up far too quickly around us and our expedition to be coincidential. Do you think that someone of magical means has done this, Glirdingo?"

[Cordelia Harrison]

Marieme looked up and nodded in agreement. This fog was very very thick and slightly scary. She wished that it would go away so they could get on their way. Much was ahead of them and this small obstacle seemed to be a foreshadowing of what was to come.

"Yes, let us call the dwarf and the human that is with him. Hopefully they will be able to follow the sound," Marieme agreed. Though there was something deep in her heart that made her feel uneasy.

[Valesse]

Valesseka gritted her teeth. Did that elf just call her -brilliant- rescue plan foolish? How dare her! With a huff, Valesseka looked at the OTHER two elves, refusing to grace Arianna with her acknowledgement. She had the most experiance out of this party with loosing people temporarily and considering Eomerleo was one of the lost, Valesseka was certain of one thing at least... if all else failled they'd find the rest of them before dawn.

"Shouting will do nothing if they're a league away already." she grumbled, suddenly curious just how distantly the elven ears could listen. "If we were to head back..." she started, waiting for the trio's complete attention "If they are calling out to us... You three could listen for them. We wouldn't have to ride far from one another."

Valesseka was quite blatantly unmoved by the quickness of the fog, or how uncanny it seemed to appear the night of their quest's beginning. Unlike the others around her, all of her thoughts were locked onto the task of recovering the lost half of their party and possibly how horrible it was that the fog impaired other's gazing at her gorgeous-ness.... Buinn was, however, content to graze below with the occational snort.

[Valesse]

Valesseka huffed again and tugged spazmatically at Buinn's reins in vain "Whatever we're doing we need to start doing it now." Buinn, however, was doing a very good job keeping his head and staying still with all of the Arnorian's prodding, and pressing, and pulling. When after a few seconds the human was all but seizing ontop of the geding Valesseka gave in. "What's the dwarf's name. I didn't catch it when you first introduced us."

With a sigh Valesseka looked out into the fog. What a miserable way to start an adventure, yet, sadly, such a familiar situation.

[Glirdan]

"Darin I believe. But we still have no plan. This fog is too thick for even our Elven eyes to pierce," Glirdingo repsonded exhasperatedly. "As for calling out to them, we don't even know where they are. They could be miles away from us as far as we know."

He looked around at the fog which was thickening by the minute. He squeezed Arianna's hand to reasure her that everything would be alright.

He sat there silent for awhile and finally came to a decision. "I think, however, that calling them will be our best plan of action. At least for awhile. If we don't find them, we may have to just wait this pea soup out until dawn. By then, we may be able t find them."

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

"...O! We ride the roads of Dwarves!"

Éomeléo smiled. "And that, Dárin, is a song I learned when I was young. Don't you like it?"

"Aye, Éomeléo, 'tis a mighty chant, for sure. The folks back home would laugh, so they would."

He had sung to the Dwarf some ridiculous song about marching into the wilderness and hunting elk. It was a good idea for it lightened their spirits. They were still hopelessly lost and praying to find something, or somewhere, soon.

"I must say Dárin, I fear we have left them behind forever." Éomeléo sniffed, and considered his own hyperbole carefully. Then he heard someone yelling:

"Can't you hear us, you fools? Where are you? Why did you go and do such mischief?"

He looked at Dárin straight-facedly for a couple of seconds, then they both burst out laughing.

[The Sixth Wizard]

Dárin laughed. "Ah, Éomeléo, you make me feel young again. I suppose it must happen to those who travel with a feather in their hat. The Road goes ever, ever on. Perhaps we are fools to sit at our forges and hammers in the Iron Hills. But I could not bear much more of this profane horse-riding!" Dárin tried to re-adjust his posture for the fourth time in as many minutes, and promptly fell off. Before he could struggle to his knees, his pack sprung open, and all of the small items tinkled to his head one-by-one. To add to the effect, the elves chose this moment to return from the fog, and saw the whole thing.

Surprisingly though, Dárin did not get angry. He merely picked himself up from the ground, mumbled an apology, and was helped back on the horse, humming, then chanting.

"Over plains and mountains wide,
We free the chained, we ride, we ride.
Rakhâs and bandit upon the road
We will return, laden with gold.

With gold, ha-hoy, with gold!"

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Éomeléo, though unable to stop grinning, was nevertheless serious with his concerns.

"I say, folks, what on Middle-earth is happening here? We rode north and east, yes! north and east. How come we by you, glad though this meeting is? Either we have gone in a circular fashion since leaving the inn, and that is highly improbable; or you have somehow burst ahead of us. Do the horses of Elves reach such great speeds? I clearly remember leaving you behind."

"Or" put in Dárin "we are being tricked and deceived. Tell us, have you heard aught strange? Whispers on the wind? Anything at all that gives cause for alarm."

Perhaps it was just Éomeléo's fast imagination, but he began to suspect that great powers were caught up in the the search for this Treasure.

[Valesse]

She had heard the singing and the banter but as if it were a whisper in the distance dampened by the filmy fog. Slowly by slowly it had grown louder until she could make out strange figures in the sunken cloud. The first thing her human eyes saw of their missing band was Dárin, the dwarf, taking a backwards tumble off of the back of his mount. Slightly - mischeviously - amused, but mostly just glad to see they had found the two stray memebers of their rescue party Valesseka laughed loudly and pushed her ankles into Buinn's sides to urge him on. "And I remember watching you behind all of us," she cleared her throat "Perhaps there is some weird force acting against us?"

The Arnorian tried to sober up her expression more, Eomerleo's grin felt contagious. "Are you hurt any, master dwarf?" - probably best if she didn't mention the tumble... just to save his feelings - "or you, Eomerleo?" Buinn, being the stubborn gedding he was, refused to move any closer after the third approaching step. So, with the roll of her eyes, Valesseka climbed down and left the lazy stead a few short paces behind her to inspect the two found riders.

[The Sixth Wizard]

Dárin's smile faded. "Have you not felt it? Well, I have had a hunch of some impending doom, but that happens at my age. They say the dark power of Angmar has spies, birds in the trees, wights, spirits. We are not yet in Arnor but if we can feel it even here then the power is growing. There are more goblins and worse in the mountains, I know. Let us be vigilant! Stray not far from the group, even if it is one of elves and fools. We are ignorant of any peril, far-fetched though it may be."

Tharbad, Dárin remembered, was their destination. "Somewhat north of the Gap of Rohan, wasn't it? Tharbad I mean. For that is our goal, hmm?"

[Glirdan]

Glrdingo

Glirdingo rode up through the fog with Arianna and Marieme. "This is a pleasent surprise, you confounded doddlers! We thought we had lost you!"

"Somewhat north of the Gap of Rohan, wasn't it? Tharbad I mean. For that is our goal, hmm?" Darin had asked.

"Yes my friend, that is indeed where we are heading. However, I think for tonight, we rest here. It is much safer than travelling any further into this pea soup and risk getting seperated again. And possibly for good."

He held Arianna's hand squeezed it tightly to tell her that he wouldn't leave her. He brought Léoflic closer to her so he could be closer and keep an eye on her through the night.

Arianna

The group had just arrived when they heard Darin, Eomerléo and Valesseka talking about the strange whispers in the wind. "Oh yes, I remeber those..." She thought. "Quite chilling to the bone in fact."

She shuddered slightly. It was at that moment that she felt Glirdingo beside her. She rested her head lightly on his shoulder and sighed deeply, wishing the moment could last forever.

Marieme

Marieme watched as her dearest friends got closer together, and she smiled. She had always known it was bound to happen, and she was glad that it finally had.

She looked around at the rest of the group settling in for the long night ahead. "If you all would like, I could take first watch of the night. I am not tired, nor frightened and my Elven eyes can pierce this fog more than the rest of yours, discluding Arianna and Glirdingo that is."

[Crystal Heart]

She wanted to rest, but she was still a little fearful. Though, Glirdingo's presence and his hand in hers was certainly helping ease some of her fears. She hated being out in the open where anyone or anything could stumble upon them. She nestled herself closer to Glirdingo. She looked up at him, wanting to tell him over and over just how deeply her love for him ran. She opened her mouth to do so, but decided against it. Instead she just sat with him.