It was cold this time of year on Cape Forochel, Carth mused. He had lived here much of his life in these frozen wastes. The only nearby city was primitive, but during the summer, ships would sail the now frozen harbor to reach it and trade goods with the humans living there.
Carth trudged through the deep snow, his heavy robes dragging slightly behind him. A perfectly normal freezing winter day, Carth thought. Except... what was that up ahead...
A small house of some sort... Not what Carth had expected to see this far outside of town.
"Shows I should be leaving my wonderful little abode more often... It's been a good 250 years since I headed to this area... and at least 30 since I went into town.." he mused to himself.
"Well, it's a bit chilly *chuckles* perhaps they'll have a decent fire... Humans are usually nice about that sort of thing..."
Even as an Elf, Carth's boots were heavy, and every step sunk him deep into the snow. His cloak was pulled down from his head, revealing clearly his slightly rugged elvin features. Carth struggled to the door, and knocked.
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne looked up from her book. Narcho??But he had already sent food to last her the month and nobody else ever came here...they feared her too much for that.
She got up with a wry smile at that thought and shook back her flaming hair, tying it back with a piece of twine. Giving herself a cursory glance in the pretty mirror that hung on one wall, she went to open the door. Perhaps Narcho had
forgotten to give something.
Eruanne found herself face-to-face with a man she had never seen before in her life. He towered above her and from under the hood of his cloak, two piercing eyes looked into hers.*
"Who-who are you??And how did you come here??" she asked, amazement and fear mixing together. A thought struck her. "Did Narcho send you here?"
Re: The Frozen North
Carth looked down slightly at the elf before him. This was most unusual, and his facial expression changed appropriately for a fraction of a second. Carth quickly brushed a bit of snow off his cloak, and spoke in the most convincingly pleasant manner he could muster.
"Hello fair elf! I'm a tad chilly, and on a bit of a journey. Would you mind if I stepped in for a while to warm up? Perhaps hear a bit of the news? I've not been around the town in quite some time..."
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne looked about uncertainly. The newcomer was certainly elvish, but there was an air about him that scared her. She gazed once more into the strange face and unobtrusively fingered the small dagger that Narcho had given her. Not that it would be much use against this person...and she wasn't much of a fighter anyways, something her family had forgotten to teach her.
Arranging her delicate features into an expression of politeness, she smiled winsomely*
"Indeed, you may come in! Warmth is something you can find here, but news..nay, I know of none for I seldom leave my home."
Re: The Frozen North*Returning his smile, Eruanne sat down near the window. She indicated to a seat, but the man shook his head.*
"I don't know. How many years since the Last Alliance went to war?" *She smiled softly at the stunned expression on the man's face, a smile tinged with sadness.*
"No, I don't think you would have seen me before. Like I said, I don't go out much. The people here don't like me much, so I stay up here alone." *Eruanne was about to tell him where she was from, when the last thing that Gil-galad had said to her before sending her away came to her mind. "Tell no one who you are. Ever! Your life depends on it...there are many who roam who wish only for your death. You will be the heiress of Fingon before long and it shall be as a curse on you. Guard your secret well."
She got up and took off a kettle from the stove*
"Would you like some mea? It is a drink much loved by these people and it keeps one warm..though I cannot say much for the taste."
Re: The Frozen North*Carth couldn't believe what he was hearing! How long sing the last alliance... But who would... No...*
"Sure, the eh... mea sounds perfect." *He wondered again at who this was. Away so long... Why in Middle Earth would she decide to stay up here of all places?! Carth took the steaming cup he was handed and took a sip. She had been right about the taste, but it would be sufficient. Carth nodded in approval.*
So, eh, could I get a name? *He judged the response wouldn't be a straight answer by the way she acted. And that smile... I would have cast truth on a lesser being by now...*
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne pushed back her unruly hair with hands that trembled just slightly. This was getting too close for comfort. The world still remembered Ereinion Gil-galad, who was to know whether they still remembered Eruanne Vanimelda? She cleared her throat*
"You may call me Aralle. That is what they call me here, at any rate. Who may you be?"
Re: The Frozen North*Carth took the offered seat, and set his mea down for a moment*
"Carth. I'm not known to many, but I will say that I've never been looked... kindly upon by other elves. Or humans really for that matter." *He took notice of the expression that showed itself, if only for a moment, on this "Aralle"'s face. She was noble, he knew now. But where had he... Well, with any luck he could get her to tell. Carth chucked quietly and spoke again.*
"So, why the NorthLands? I'd expect someone like yourself further south. Quite a bit further, and perhaps a bit more protected?"
Re: The Frozen North*Her fingers unconciously twined themselves together, a sign that she was nervous.Eruanne again brought up one hand to her head to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She would have to tread carefully here.*
"Which elven realm are you from, Carth? I must say I cannot place your accent." *Eruanne poured out some more mea for herself and Carth, buying herself sometime.*
" It must be hard to be..disliked by so many. One of the reasons that I chose the NorthLands. I'm not very popular with the people from the SouthLands...something to do with old time feuds I think. As for protection, I don't really need it. Nobody comes to meet me, except for Narcho and now you. But tell me more about yourself."
*Taking a sip of his mea, Carth thought for a moment about the question.*
"Oh, the southeast lands really. I've never been particularly close to many of my kindred. I've noticed most tend to avoid me for some reason." *Carth sipped the mea again, realized what he had just said and coughed a little trying to swallow too quickly. With any amount of luck, that comment would go largely unnoticed. But who in the south... And an old feud... a parent maybe?*
"Erm, hehe, and the lack of accent can be accounted to two things. I've been up here for about the past... 300 years or so. Off and on of course for my travels, but up here none the less. The other is... well... *Carth paused* On second though, take no heed of the second."
Re: The Frozen North*A frown creased Eruanne's smooth forehead. South-east realms of elves? There were none there..not that she knew of anyways. And he wasn't liked by elves...why?*
"Forgive me, but what realm of Elves lies in the south-east? I cannot bring any to mind." *She sipped her mea, grimacing as the liquid went down. Much though she wanted to question him, she realised that it would be rude to ask him things like that. She continued in her soft voice.*
"You must really love it up here, to keep coming back."
Re: The Frozen North*Carth thought for a split second about a quick stunning spell. Knock her out, make her think the mea was... no... he could answer this... He sighed and looked directly into her eyes*
"There is none. For the first 150 years of my life, I was not raised by an Elvin parent. I will say nothing more of this." *He smiled slightly. She looked farmiliar now all right. Or at least related to someone who was. Grudge with the south, grudge with the south...*
"I'm sorry to have to be so vauge... But yes, I do love it here. It's quiet, solitary, and keeps away those that might cause me trouble. Unfortunately, there's also rarely anyone to speak to. I was starting on my way south for that very reason actually, towards Rivendell generally at least." *Carth couldn't help himself*
"Why... do you look so farmiliar?"
Re: The Frozen North*Her deep blue eyes softened, memories of her own childhood coming back to her*
"It must have been hard for you." *She listened to him speak about Forodwaith with such love, a half-smile on her face. He spoke about a place called Rivendell...she was certainly out of touch with the world..it must be some new realm.
They sat together in silence. Eruanne's thoughts turned inwards, to her own home in Lindon and her happiness there.
At Carth's question, she jumped violently*
"Wh-what?" *He patiently repeated his question. Eruanne looked at his watchful eyes, her thoughts in turmoil*
"F-familiar?? It can't be...I've never met you before in my entire life!! Y-you must be confusing me with someone else...you must be!"
Re: The Frozen North*Carth smiled, ever so slightly. She had relatives, and it was touchie. They must have been important... Feuds in the south... The daughter of...* *With a little smile, Cath looked Arelle as she called herself deep in the eyes. He sighed, concentrated, and with a slight tinge of power through his body, searched for the first name her subconcious mind would throw at him.*
"Gil-Galad's... daughter..." *He looked at her with the smile on his face friendly, nonconfrontational, but knowing.*
"I never thought I'd see you... I wondered where they put you at!"
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne stared at Carth, her blue eyes wide, a frightened expression in them. He was so close! She tried to give an offhand laugh and brushed her hair back again*
" M-my lord, what are you talking of? Gil-galad's daughter? I'm no such thing!! What on Earth are you talking of! And why would you have ever seen me before? If you had not stopped for warmth, you would have never come. Really, I think you're being quite absurd!" *She stared defiantly at Carth, daring him to contradict her, though all the time, painfully aware that he was coming closer and closer to who she was.*Edited by: elbereth elvenstar at: 11/22/02 9:45:50 pm
Re: The Frozen North*Well, Carth thought, I've got the name right, but not the relation. Close... But... Gil-Galad?! Impressive enough!* *Carth got an idea, and perhaps... haha, yes, it might just work.*
"Excuse the mistaken relation, I thought he might look farmiliar though if..." *Carth created an illusion of Gil-Galad's face over his own for a second and a half, then it disappated as he attempted to once again skim her subconcious. Relation... first word...* *Whoever this was obviously felt the tingling in her mind this time. He felt the feedback, and fell to the floor. Standing back up and falling into his chair, he looked her in the eyes, with one heck of a headace, and said*
"Sister. And thank you for that little pain..."
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne jumped back with a cry. She stared with horror at the man sitting in the chair, his head in his hands. What was he?*
"What do you want from me?! Leave me alone..please!! I haven't done anything to you!" *She edged away from Carth, her bright hair escaping its confines of the twine and tumbling about her shoulders, her eyes full of fear. Carth stood up, towering above her, his head brushing the ceiling. Eruanne felt for her dagger. It flew out of her hand and fell near Carth's feet. She shrank against the door, feeling for the knob. Finding it, she twisted it and fell out into the snow. Scrambling up, she ran away, as swift as the icy wind that blew, a tiny figure with bright hair in the white backdrop.*
Re: The Frozen North
"No!! Wait!!" *Carth ran out through the snow, following the running figure. This was a bad idea and he knew it, but somehow, following her seemed more important than a fire about now...*
"Please... wait! I can explain!" *He wasn't catching her, but stayed about 100 yards behind. The snows was slowing him down.*
Re: The Frozen North*Eruanne looked over her shoulder at Carth. He was right behind her. She ran faster and around an icy hill.
Three hills came together and closed in a "U" and there was no way out. Eruanne looked around in despair and tried to climb them, but it was too slippery. She was trapped.
Behind, she heard him run up. Slowly, she turned, no longer frightened. Eruanne straightened her shoulders and pushed back her hair which blew in the wind. Her eyes became like the cold sea as she stared grimly at Carth.*
" You can kill me if you want, but I shall not give you the satisfaction of watching me grovel and shake with fear."
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