Post by Tallaith on Dec 30, 2009 20:24:23 GMT -5
Lately, Leasung has had a problem that's come back to haunt her; her grandmother back in Rohan has hired a bounty-hunter, Ealon, to bring the girl to her representatives in the Lone Lands. These Men will then return Leasung to her home and family.
Except this isn't what happened. After Ealon dropped her off, Leasung pretty much walked away from the Inn. Now she's trying to find her way back to her Kin and Ealon has been given the girl's cloak pin and instructions, on his honor, to find Ceallian and explain what's happened.
Leasung looked out over the ridgelines stretching away below her in a rolling pattern of fading browns and greens and silver threaded rivers stitching the whole together. She sighed. The sun was setting quickly and the warmth from the tall grass would cool all too soon. There was no shelter to be found. All she knew for sure was that the scrubby trees would offer a little protection for her tonight; the eagle had perched here, so the girl took it as a sign that she should camp here as well.
She rolled up in her cloak and nestled in the crook between the dried-out roots of two trees. The eagle was similarly situated in the forked branches of the larger tree, grooming her feathers idly. Leasung smiled as she watched the copper sunset engulf the bird's brilliant plumage. She was blessed to have such a companion.
Around mid-morning, the eagle had proven her worth. Leasung smirked to herself as she settled back into her bed for the night, hardly noting the lumpy and gnarled bark biting into her fine cloak. She was too exhausted to bitch and moan at the moment. She'd crossed a huge amount of land today since mid-morning.
At least she'd learned from Berenloth the value of adequate footwear. As soon as she'd come across a farmstead, she "appropriated" a pair of coarse leather boots from the back stoop of the little hut. That had been around noon, and she'd also borrowed half a loaf of bread from the empty house's kitchen table. Lucky for her the farmers were tending winter wheat and no one lived within half a day's walk. Why should they bolt their doors when they were in the fields?
The boots were entirely too big for her, but Leasung had stuffed the toes with hard-packed dry grass. She'd made even better time after that, knotting her skirts up around her hips to run flat-out when she had the breath for it. The entire day, a huge shadow spiraled around her; the eagle never faltered, staying within sight even when she flew so high she was only a speck in the clear winter blue sky.
Leasung held her eyes open for only a few moments before exhaustion took her away. The sun faded as did the girl's worries as she slipped deeply into a warm pool of dreamless sleep.
She had no money, no map, no weapons, and no friends in this world but her Kin and the great bird watching over her. She was sure, however, that she would find her Kin again sooner than later. They could help her out of this madness.
Almost a day's journey behind her, at the Forsaken Inn, two Rohirrim were bitterly stitching up their wounds in the meager light of a smoking fire in their basement room. They were debating if they would persue the girl or leave that to Men better paid than they were. The damned bounty-hunter who had brought the lass this far could hardly be blamed; there were a score of witnesses who had gathered in the yard before the sorry building to watch the transaction they'd heard rumors of for nearly a week now.
The Man had held his end of the deal perfectly, initialling his contract in the correct places and taking his purse before sliding his prize down from her ignoble place thrown over the back of his saddle on his belly. The girl had even seemed demure and resigned, blushing and frowning prettily when her new keepers tested the bonds around her wrists.
No one had planned on a giant eagle to drop from the heavens like a bolt of lightning out of a clear, perfectly cloudless sky. The Rohirrim had to agree with each other that they were lucky to be alive and with four eyes between them. They were missing a pound of flesh, easily, from the bird's wicked claws, but still.. they were lucky.
The pair was up too late that night arguing over what they should do now that their charge, and the purse paid for her, was gone. Reason dictated that they return to the Lady who hired them and ask for more help. As uneasy as this made them both, they agreed at last to do just that and rolled into their flea-ridden beds.
This gave Leasung a bit of freedom, though she didn't know it. However, that freedom had to first be won by surviving the journey back out of the middle of nowhere.
Except this isn't what happened. After Ealon dropped her off, Leasung pretty much walked away from the Inn. Now she's trying to find her way back to her Kin and Ealon has been given the girl's cloak pin and instructions, on his honor, to find Ceallian and explain what's happened.
Leasung looked out over the ridgelines stretching away below her in a rolling pattern of fading browns and greens and silver threaded rivers stitching the whole together. She sighed. The sun was setting quickly and the warmth from the tall grass would cool all too soon. There was no shelter to be found. All she knew for sure was that the scrubby trees would offer a little protection for her tonight; the eagle had perched here, so the girl took it as a sign that she should camp here as well.
She rolled up in her cloak and nestled in the crook between the dried-out roots of two trees. The eagle was similarly situated in the forked branches of the larger tree, grooming her feathers idly. Leasung smiled as she watched the copper sunset engulf the bird's brilliant plumage. She was blessed to have such a companion.
Around mid-morning, the eagle had proven her worth. Leasung smirked to herself as she settled back into her bed for the night, hardly noting the lumpy and gnarled bark biting into her fine cloak. She was too exhausted to bitch and moan at the moment. She'd crossed a huge amount of land today since mid-morning.
At least she'd learned from Berenloth the value of adequate footwear. As soon as she'd come across a farmstead, she "appropriated" a pair of coarse leather boots from the back stoop of the little hut. That had been around noon, and she'd also borrowed half a loaf of bread from the empty house's kitchen table. Lucky for her the farmers were tending winter wheat and no one lived within half a day's walk. Why should they bolt their doors when they were in the fields?
The boots were entirely too big for her, but Leasung had stuffed the toes with hard-packed dry grass. She'd made even better time after that, knotting her skirts up around her hips to run flat-out when she had the breath for it. The entire day, a huge shadow spiraled around her; the eagle never faltered, staying within sight even when she flew so high she was only a speck in the clear winter blue sky.
Leasung held her eyes open for only a few moments before exhaustion took her away. The sun faded as did the girl's worries as she slipped deeply into a warm pool of dreamless sleep.
She had no money, no map, no weapons, and no friends in this world but her Kin and the great bird watching over her. She was sure, however, that she would find her Kin again sooner than later. They could help her out of this madness.
Almost a day's journey behind her, at the Forsaken Inn, two Rohirrim were bitterly stitching up their wounds in the meager light of a smoking fire in their basement room. They were debating if they would persue the girl or leave that to Men better paid than they were. The damned bounty-hunter who had brought the lass this far could hardly be blamed; there were a score of witnesses who had gathered in the yard before the sorry building to watch the transaction they'd heard rumors of for nearly a week now.
The Man had held his end of the deal perfectly, initialling his contract in the correct places and taking his purse before sliding his prize down from her ignoble place thrown over the back of his saddle on his belly. The girl had even seemed demure and resigned, blushing and frowning prettily when her new keepers tested the bonds around her wrists.
No one had planned on a giant eagle to drop from the heavens like a bolt of lightning out of a clear, perfectly cloudless sky. The Rohirrim had to agree with each other that they were lucky to be alive and with four eyes between them. They were missing a pound of flesh, easily, from the bird's wicked claws, but still.. they were lucky.
The pair was up too late that night arguing over what they should do now that their charge, and the purse paid for her, was gone. Reason dictated that they return to the Lady who hired them and ask for more help. As uneasy as this made them both, they agreed at last to do just that and rolled into their flea-ridden beds.
This gave Leasung a bit of freedom, though she didn't know it. However, that freedom had to first be won by surviving the journey back out of the middle of nowhere.