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| 6 Fourth Age: News from the Fold; [ Closed - Eomer & Lothiriel ] | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 15 Sep 2008, 02:52 PM (889 Views) | |
| Deleted User | 15 Sep 2008, 02:52 PM Post #1 |
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Aragorn mounted the earthen steps leading to the Golden Hall with deliberate purpose. He had been gone from Minas Tirith for five days now when he had anticipated leaving only for one. This news was too important to return home and send a messenger, however. It was urgent for the people of Rohan and, Aragorn suspected, all of Middle-earth. The sentries at the door were genuinely surprised to see the King of Gondor and Arnor appear in front of them without a retinue or even a Royal Messenger sent before him. It was unusual, but Aragorn did not have the time or patience to stand on formality today. The two Rangers who accompanied him here were still in the stables seeing to the horses. The King was alone. “I wish to speak to Eomer King, or if he is not here, Queen Lothiriel,” he announced. The sentries sent a young man to inform the King and Queen of the Mark that King Elessar was here, then showed him into the hall. Although Aragorn had been here many times before, whenever he walked through the doors and saw the throne standing in front of the tapestries depicting Rohan’s noble history, he could not help but remember Theoden and his selfless heroism. Aragorn let a burlap sack rest against one of the many intricately carved pillars, then clasped his hands behind his back while he waited. He had much news to share today. |
| Deleted User | 16 Sep 2008, 01:33 AM Post #2 |
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Lothiriel glanced up from the text she had been reading as a knock sounded at the door of her library. She stood easily and placed the heavy book on the large wooden desk next to her seat before turning her attention to the door. "Enter." The young man bowed low as he passed into the room. He shuffled slightly from foot to foot before speaking, she didn't recognize his face, it was obvious he wasn't used to being in the direct presence of the Queen of the Riddermark. "M-milady, there is a visitor for you." He stumbled over his words before squaring his shoulders and speaking again. "King Elessar requests an audience." Lothiriel stared incredulously at the young messenger. "King Elessar?" To find that the King himself was here at Edoras was something all together unexpected. She collected herself and smoothed her skirts lightly. "Thank you," She nodded to the boy and gave him a slight smile. "I will see him now." The boy nodded stiffly, bowed low once again and hurried quickly from the room. She followed soon after him, following the corridor that led to the Hall. She emerged from the door closest to dias where her husbands throne sat and immediatly spotted the King standing in the great hall. "M'lord." She approached him, smiling prettily and lowering herself into a light curtsy in greeting, letting the manners of court she leard as a young woman in Dol Amroth take control. "What brings you to Edoras so suddenly?" |
| Deleted User | 16 Sep 2008, 02:27 AM Post #3 |
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Aragorn turned abruptly, his examination of the Hall cut short, when he heard footsteps returning. This hall did not have the same echoing quality as Merethrond, with the animal skins and thatch absorbing much of the sound. It had changed a little since his first visit here long ago, unlike Minas Tirith, which Aragorn pictured as held in a permanent stasis. “Queen Lothiriel,” he said, dipping his head slightly to her. “It is good to see you again. I wish it were under better circumstances.” His eyes flicked to the burlap bag he had brought with him. The severed Orc hand was not something he would show to the Queen, but he would leave it for Eomer to examine. The symbol charred into the flesh was something he would want to see. “Four days ago, while riding towards Anorien to meet with the Lords there, my Rangers and I came across Orc tracks, which we followed into the Riddermark. We overcame them in the Fold and destroyed them there.” Aragorn hesitated to go on, but only for a moment. Lothiriel, young though she may be, was a Queen and had been a Princess of Gondor. There were few others in Middle-earth who he could speak candidly with. “Their boldness is troubling. I fear they have a new leader.” |
| Deleted User | 16 Sep 2008, 04:42 AM Post #4 |
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“It is good to see you again. I wish it were under better circumstances.” Her smile faded abruptly at both his tone and his words. His face was serious, and he did seem troubled. His attention shifted breifll, to a burlap sack resting against one of the many columns in the hall, her eyes followed his, if only for a second before turning her attention back to him. He began speaking again, telling her of his encounter with Orcs, that he and his Rangers had followed their tracks into the Riddermark. Her body stiffened at the sound of his words. Very few Orcs would stray to pass the borders of Rohan in this age, lest they wish death upon themselves. But from the sound of his explaination, these were more than just the stray few that had been scarcely encountered before. She turned her full attention back to him with pursed lips and a furrowed brow. He had hesitated breifly, but continued soon after. “Their boldness is troubling. I fear they have a new leader.” At this, a shiver ran down her spine. She shook it off easily, but crossed her arms across her chest before speaking. "Boldness you say?" She frowned. "How many did you encounter?" |
| Deleted User | 16 Sep 2008, 01:02 PM Post #5 |
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Lothiriel had captured the direness of the situation immediately. Her question about the number of Orcs was exactly what he would have asked, had the situation been reversed. Here, at least, was one Gondorian noble with her feet planted firmly in reality. Aragorn warmed to her immediately, just as he had done with Faramir and Imrahil. “A full Orc band,” he stated. “Thirteen dead and another six or eight fled. They were all routed before reaching the mountains. They were the breed of Orc normally found in the Morgul Vale. Seldom do they leave there because the Rangers of Ithilien will not go into the Vale. They were … branded with a symbol.” Aragorn frowned, not liking where his own thoughts lead him. For a moment, the King’s eyes ventured to the burlap bag again. He regretted now bringing into the Golden Hall. He wanted to share all his news without showing the hand to Lothiriel. He traced his lips with a forefinger before continuing. “It was the Eye of Sauron inside the right palm, but burned black and charred into the flesh. You’ve heard the rumors, I’m sure? I cannot deny there were Lieutenants of Barad-dur and maybe one of them was not in the tower when it was broken, but …” There was no proof, which made Aragorn hesitant to believe the gossip circulating around taverns and guild halls. “I have seen a Lieutenant of Barad-dur. He was called the Mouth of Sauron. He was the stuff of nightmares, yet I cannot fathom him rallying the forces of Mordor. If the other Lieutenants were like him … It might be someone unrelated using the symbol because of the fear and panic it will cause.” |
| Deleted User | 17 Sep 2008, 01:18 AM Post #6 |
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Lothiriel sighed deeply. A full Orc band. And there was a chance they were Orcs of the Morgul Vale. This was not something to be taken lightly, not in the very least. And then the King spoke of the Orcs being branded with a symbol. Again she saw his attention linger on the bag, but she didn't speak of it. She was more interested it what he had to say. Her lips pursed as he continued speaking of the symbol branded into the hands of the Orcs. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the picture he painted with his words. She listened closely to his explaination, focusing entirely on the information he had brought before her and trying to fathom it all in the short amount of time she was recieveing it. All the while she was pushing the trickle of fear she felt into the back of her mind. "A-another Lieutenant?" Her voice faltered slightly, and she paused very breifly to collect herself. "Do you think it's possible...that there is another?" |
| Deleted User | 17 Sep 2008, 01:30 PM Post #7 |
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Aragorn looked to the Queen with sadness in his sea gray eyes. The One Ring had been destroyed, but the war was not over. The West would have many long battles ahead of them before the scourge of Mordor was completely defeated. “I don’t know,” he admitted. The King ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. “I think it is very likely Sauron had more than one trusted servant to do his bidding, especially in this last war when he could not come out and meet us himself. Anyone inside the dark tower was killed, that is a certainty.” But Lieutenants were not always with their masters. In fact, they rarely were. Here again Aragorn hesitated, but he plunged forward a moment later. This was a threat he was not taking lightly, and he would have his friends in Rohan know it. “I will order a doubling of the patrol beyond the Rammas Echor, rebuild the beacons through the White Mountains, and give the Princes of Gondor authority to question any foreign travelers in their lands.” Aragorn fixed Lothiriel with his penetrating gaze, as if trying to silently impart to her the conviction he felt in the righteousness of their cause. “We must be vigilant. If there is a Lieutenant of Barad-dur, we will find him and defeat him, just as we did his master.” |
| Deleted User | 18 Sep 2008, 12:33 AM Post #8 |
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Lothiriel did not realize it at first, but she had begun to pace. Her feet carried her back and forth across the ancient stone floors. Her heart grew heavy at the thought of war being even slightly possible. And this Lieutenant, or who ever it was that had awakened the brazen attitude of the Orcs, was certaintly a threat. She sighed, feeling slightly defeated, not for herself, but for her people. They had only very recently recovered from a war that had ravaged their lands. “We must be vigilant. If there is a Lieutenant of Barad-dur, we will find him and defeat him, just as we did his master.” "We will keep a close eye on our borders." She nodded lightly, almost to herself as she acknowledged his plans of action. She glanced his way. Her grey eyes were wary. Though she did not voice it, the chance of another war frightened her. She stopped her pacing and leveled the King with an even stare. "We know very little, yet you seem sure a fight is inevitable..." Her question hung in the air between them, though she was not sure she wanted the answer. |
| Deleted User | 18 Sep 2008, 05:25 PM Post #9 |
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The wisdom of ages of Princes and Stewards belonged to Lothiriel too, Aragorn realized, as she asked the question so many would have overlooked. “Yes. I believe we have many long years of war ahead of us. I’ve travelled this world for nearly eighty years. Never have I met a Southron or Easterling or fell creature capable of recognizing defeat until he met the point of my sword. For right now, all we can do is watch our own lands closely and wait for the enemy to reveal himself. The servants of Mordor cannot stay cloaked long now that the Shadow is gone.” Aragorn’s eyes moved back and forth as she paced across the Golden Hall. What different things the Rohirrim expected of their leaders. It brought a smile to his lips for the first time that day. “You seem born to be Queen of the Riddermark,” Aragorn complimented. “Your father must be proud. Gondor and Arnor are proud,” he added, speaking in the royal collective. “We see you serve your people well.” |
| Deleted User | 22 Sep 2008, 03:17 AM Post #10 |
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"The servants of Mordor cannot stay cloaked long now that the Shadow is gone.” Lothiriel nodded slightly in agreement. Aragorn's words gave her a sense of comfort and calmed her. They would protect their lands and people. This opposing threat would be stopped, she was certain of it. “You seem born to be Queen of the Riddermark...” His sudden compliment startled her from her thoughts of war, and she blushed. She faced him and smiled slightly before inclining her head in a small bow. "Such high praise M'lord, thank you." Her eyes rested on him for a moment, and her smile faded slightly. "And yet I feel I've neglected my duties as your host, you've traveled far and I have not offered you food or drink." |
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