Running Shadows: Rebellion in Numenor

Pantaimon clicked her tounge in thought. "And that is where?" she asked. There had been a few people she'd met over her life who'd mentioned that country but they'd away seemed to find another topic of conversation quickly. and Pan, not really caring about politics of the world, was usually more interested in whatever else they had to say than in asking about Moraning. "If it's south I'll travel with you." she added, more for Alice's sake than her own. She liked Alice but also got the feeling she wasn't used to being alone; it seemed dangerous to leave her traveling by herself.

 

Alice laughed nervously. "I mentioned that I have no sense of direction, right?" She shifted slightly while looking right then left, and then right again. "Maybe we can find someone to tell us, or even a guide?"

 

Pantalimon looked around waryly, rubbing the back of her neck. She personally woud rather have just headed south like she'd planned and hoped to eventually hit the country Alice wanted to go to. But Alice said she had a friend to rescue so 'hoping' to hit the target wasn't really good enough. "Oh... alright." she reluctantly agreed, suddenly turning around and heading up the street towards the castle. "the lady who lives there seemed sensible enough and not totally miserable." she explained over her shoulder. "Let's ask her for directions."

 

Alice nodded and started following Pan. "Um..." Alice shifted as she looked of rthe right tone of voice so she did not sound rude. "Why are you helping me anyway?"

 

Pantalimon threw Alice a grin over her shoulder. "Because you need it, chickadee." she teased Alice airly. Looking foward again, she led her companion down the crowded roads to the castle. "Oh, impressive." she whistled, using her hand to sheild her eyes as they gave the building a once over. "I hope you don't need an invitation to get it."

 

Alice smiled. Helping somone this much just because they needed it was someone Alice loved and admired. She passed the many people in the streets and followed Pan cloesy behind, not wanting to get separated. When the castle was in sight she looked at it in awe and let out a 'whoa' without thinking of it. "I hope not either." Alice mumbled as she took the lead, heading over to the enterance.

 

Pantalimon followed Alice in, a light smile continuely on her lips. "Let's see... hello, sir!" she caught site of a guard walking down the hall way and ran to catch him. "Yes, hello, I'm looking for the lady of this castle." she informed the startled man.

"The Princess Godwin or the Queen?" The guard faltered, not expecting to see two travelers in the castle without any escort.

Pantalimon thought back on the argument she'd watched, trying to place the name. "I believe Lady Godwin, unless I misheard."

The guard suddenly straightened up. "Well I'll inform the Lady that she has visitors if you'll wait here with your friend." he stiffly took hold of Pan's arm and lead her back to Alice. "What are your names and buisness?" no longer off blance, he was all buisness. This wasn't a good time for the country and they couldn't have random travelers trapsing in like this. It could turn out to be assains.

Pantalimon allowed him to take her arm as she didn't want to cause too much of a fuss. "I'm Pan and this is Alice. We need directions is all. She won't know our names, I don't think, but I met her in the forest just about an hour ago."

The gaurd stared at the two girls, one eye brow raised. "You need... directions? And you can't ask someone else? This is the princess! she has other things to do, you silly twit." he shook his head, pushing the two out the door. "I'll give you directions, where do you need to go?"

 

Alice made a sour face when the guard started to push her. She didn't much like the fact how rude he was being. But it could of been worse so she just went along with it. "I want to go to Moraning." Alice said then stiffened so the guard couldn't push her as much. "Could you give us directions, please?"

 

The guard gave her an odd look and pulled his hand away from both the girls. "Now why do you two girls want to go there? Where are you from? you don't look like you're from here." he looked both in the eyes, looking for suspsicious actions or words.

"We're just traveling and looking for a friend." Pantalimon spoke up. "We're both travelers. I'm from Armania and Alice is a nomad."

The guard snorted his disbeleif. "Yeah? A neutral nomad and a neutral Amanian? Of course... but you just happen to be going to Moraning and you had to come ask our princess? Hmph." the man felt like he was being tricked but he wasn't sure how. In the unstable times, this sort of thing felt like a set up and he didn't trust the girls. "Follow the main road south and continue that way straight until you start feeling the soul get taxed out of you. That's Moraning." he laughed sadly at his bad joke. "Don't know why anyone would want to go there..." he muttered, turning back to the castle.

Pantalimon watched the man walk away and shrugged. "Well that's good, we're traveling in the same direction. Why do you want to go to Moraning first anyways? He didn't seem to think much of it."

 

"Well..." Alice placed her backs behind her back and walked a bit ahead of Pan. "Our clan was made rivals with their people. I don't know why, they told me that I was too young and naive to know. And we had a run in the day before my friend ran away so a group of them must of been close still." She turned to Pan, acting panicing. "They could of captured her and taken her back to their city, y'know? Think of all the things they could do to her..."

 

Pantalimon took hold of Alice's hand to calm her and gently led her down the main road. "Sh.. sh... I'm sure she's fine. If she's a nomad, she's a tough girl. And if they just took her recently, they're probably still traveling. We'll catch up in no time compared to city people's travel time." she felt awful for the girl who was clearly on her last nerve worrying over her friend. This further proved Pan's conviction not to get too attached to people, but also strengthened her admiration for Alice's dedication. Once down the road alittle she let go of Alice's hand and started rifling through her things, taking mental stalk of what to gather once out of the city.

 

Alice smiled at Pan, calming down quickly. "Thank you." Alice followed Pan once more then looked over her shoulder to see Pan look through her belongings. "I may be bad at directions, but I am good at getting herbs and stuff. I just had that bad run in on my way here which I told you about... It made me want to hurry and I forgot to get any new food or water completely." Alice laughed nerviously, again embarrassed. "So, I believe we'll be fine even if we run out of food." She wasn't weak, only outnumbered. But now that she had someone else with her their chances of being ambushed again automactically lowered since they could take turns sleeping and had their combined strentgh and skills.

 

Pantalimon nodded, having a good list in her head for things to look out for. "i know what you mean. Sometimes you're just caught without anything. That's what other people are for, to help you out when you are just out of luck." she shrugged. "You know I'm really-..." Pan stopped talking, forgetting her thought as a voice caught her attention. At first she thought someone had called her name so she turned around, only to run into Alice. "oh sorry!" she laughed it off, moving to the side to look for the person who'd called. Instead of seeing anyone someone laughed over her shoulder. "Oh drat." she swated a hand behind her and turned around once more in the direction of their travel, and picked up pace in an attempt to outrun the voice. Not a few hours in this town and i've heard enough voices for a week! there's something bad about this place for me... or maybe I'm just going crazier than before. she pulled out her container of water and took a sip, hoping it would cool her brain off alittle.

 

Goldwin left her parents room feeling more depressed than angry at the moment. She headed down to the salle to practice with Trys like she said she would. All her energy had to be put somewhere. When she arrived, her man was waiting for her already, and the two of them sparred for hours, with and without their weapons. Goldwin felt sweat run down her back and her vision start to blur, but she didn't let up. Trys was silent, matching her strength blow for blow, just has they had down for years. He knew her limits, and he knew very well when she was pushing herself; he would be there to catch her if she pushed herself to exhaustion, knowing their was no way he could talk her into taking a break.

Gabriel gathered his things for his journey reluctantly, still feeling wary about being forced into such a mission. He was surprised to find the messenger who'd brought him his instructions last night waiting for him at the castle entrance.

"Come to see me off?" he muttered skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the man as he drew his gorgeous new cloak around him further against the cold air, his pack of supplies and several spare weapons resting over his right shoulder.

The man shook his head, his face unreadably neutral. "Just one more request; you need to reach Numenor by nightfall."

Gabriel almost doubled over laughing. "Are you out of your mind?" he snapped through his grin. "That damn country's border is three days away, Numenor itself another few hours in! How the hell is that sensible?"

The man raised his eyes. "You've plenty of tricks up your sleeve; figure it out, Summoner."

 

Alice looked worriedly at Pan. She was curious as to what happened but didn't wish to pry, especially since she was a liar herself.

They exited the town and as soon as the voice of the town were behind them Alice took a deep breathe. She streched for a bit while still walking. "How long do you think it'd take to get there?" She asked looking towards the back of Pan's head. She was slightly envious that Pan was taller than her, even if it was only a slight difference. Alice laughed mentally at her child-like envy and shrugged it off.


ooc- mind if I change my color? the purple was kind of hard to read XD

 

Atreyu had begun to lose track of how long they'd been flying by the time Keiran finally touched ground again. Atreyu got off the Night Fury's back and stumbled a couple steps before gaining his balance back. His legs and back were sore from the effort of staying on the Dragon. His arms felt like noodles and strangely airy when he lifted them to fix his severely wind-blown hair.
After looking around, Atreyu realized he had no idea where he was. It was the Targon Mountains, that was for sure, but he didn't know where in them. It was cold, but not so cold that he wouldn't be able to endure it.
"However long we have to stay here," Atreyu muttered, hugging himself.

 

OOC: yeah, go for it. whatever is easier for ya :D

BIC: "Mi'lady," Trys finally began hours later. He lowered the long sword he had borrowed from one of the salle's walls and shook his sweaty hair from his eyes. "We need to rest."

Goldwin shook her head, standing her ground, remaining in the same ready stance she had silently insisted in staying in after each fight. "No," she countered, her breath just as ragged as Trys'. "We're not done... the sun isn't even down; there's still light left."

"Regardless," Trys countered softly, "you have proven you're more than capable of lasting a battle, if one ever comes... and much more. Now you need to rest your body so you can keep up your mental strength. Does that make sense?"

Goldwin rolled her eyes, but lowered her weapon anyway, nodding curtly. Her arms ached and her legs were on fire from all the footwork she'd be practicing, but she held herself tall nonetheless. "This feels good," she muttered, gazing in front of her at nothing in particular. "The pain, I mean... it's better than standing around just thinking about what the hell I have to do and how much is coming... this is better."

"Till you can't make it back up to your room," Trys teased lightly, moving over to a bucket of water and dipping a cup chained to the side of it into the liquid. He offered it to Goldwin, who took it gratefully. "Don't push yourself too hard, Mi'lady."

Gabriel clenched his fists for a moment, and decided not to add anything further to the conversation. He turned and exited the castle, walking briskly down its steps and in the direction of the stables; he either had to buy or steal a horse now, though there was none fast enough that could possibly get him to Numenor so fast-

And then the idea hit him, and a grin cynical spread across his face. "No living horse, that is," he muttered happily. He'd never Summoned the spirit of an animal before, but the idea seemed to be brilliant; the ghost of a beast that was strong in life would have no worry for fatigue or need for food once it was under his dark magic's command. He could ride the damn thing faster than a speeding falcon, no, ten times faster, with nothing to stop him but his own body's exhaustion.

The idea brought new excitement to Gabriel's quest, pleased with his newfound idea to use his power with.

 

Scattered trees covered the area Atreyu and Keiran had come to. Atreyu figured he could gather some branches and make a fire. It would not be for cooking -- he had decided not to eat that night, save the food for tomorrow -- it would be for warmth. Thinking of staying warm now, Atreyu looked around for a cave or somewhere he could keep out of the winds. Staying away from the winds would be better for the fire too.
"Keiran," Atreyu began. "Why did we come here? It's a strange place, don't you think?" Atreyu got a head shake and a poutful snort in reply. "Alright then. Go find yourself some food. I'm saving what I have for tomorrow. No one will see you once the sun goes down."
With Keiran eagerly bounding off to find something to eat, Atreyu occupied himself with gathering firewood.

OOC: Easier? Then can I hire a professional writer? =D

 

Blade stood infront of the castle of Numenor with his arms crossed. He had to admit, the castle was a pretty remarkable thing to look at. As he watched the castle he began to think of the conversation the princess has with Atreyu war... I wonder what is going on Blade thought to himself

 

Pan looked back at Alice and shrugged. "I don't even know what we're looking for." she admitted, laughing. "Next time we pass people we can ask." she continued after being silent for a few moments. She didn't mention it aloud but after leaving the city, Pan noticed she was still hearing the same drone of voices as inside the city; granted it was quieter. Sighing to herself, she shook her head and glanced to Alice again. "You don't mind if I hum or sing do you?" she asked, remembering a time she'd tried to drown out an annoying voice while in the company of a young man who'd calmly informed her that if she didn't stop singing he would sew her mouth shut. He was a little off. she thought while waiting for an answer.