Scouting Ahead, Part 5: Return to Mirkwood

[Shelob]

Estarion:

As suddenly as Estarion had appeared the first time, he did so again. He came quietly up to Auros exercising with his blade. He made sure to make enough sound so Auros could hear him approaching and he stayed well out of the sword's reach. No use getting myself skewered for a simple mistake I could not even fault Auros for. These are dark times and as unfortunate it may be, it is often best to strike first and ask questions later.

He stood silent for a while, watching Auros move, and after he was sure that Auros was aware of him, whether friendly or not, he spoke up. "Lord Auros, I beg your forgiveness for not coming with you on the trek from Erebor back here. I also beg forgiveness for not explaining now, for I would wish to exercise with you. I reckon you have come here to clear your thoughts as it can easily be seen you need not the practice. I too wish to clear my thoughts before I speak them aloud. Much troubles me, as I am sure more troubles you."

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Auros continued with his forms. There's something in the forest. It's coming closer. Auros did not stop. It does not seem to be a servant of the Enemy, or at least not one of his creatures. Only the light of Isil glinted off his sword.

Not long after, the shape of an Elf came into view from the corner of Auros' eye, but he continued to glide through his swordforms. The shape gave no motion toward him, and so he gave it no heed for the moment. The shape began to speak, and Auros recognized the voice as that of the Avar Estarion. He continued his dance as Estarion spoke:

"Lord Auros, I beg your forgiveness for not coming with you on the trek from Erebor back here. I also beg forgiveness for not explaining now, for I would wish to exercise with you. I reckon you have come here to clear your thoughts as it can easily be seen you need not the practice. I too wish to clear my thoughts before I speak them aloud. Much troubles me, as I am sure more troubles you."


A few moments of silence. Auros finished the last form in the cycle and lowered his blade. Keeping his blade arm to Estarion he took a few steps away to allow for for both of them in the clearing.

"Very well." Auros said. "I don't imagine King Thranduil will be pleased at your return, if you come horseless, though." With a small grin, he added, "Perhaps that is part of what troubles you?"

Of course Estarion would've had to have ridden, to reach Mirkwood only a matter of hours after we did. In fact, a single rider could've outpaced us because of Frali's pony, though we would've seen him coming across the plain in that case, had he taken as direct a route as we did...

A cloud passed in front of the moon as the small grin faded, and in the darkness Auros' piercing Noldorin eyes re-examined the shape that stood before him.

"When did you reach Mirkwood?"

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fainan tracked Auros towards a clearing, a pleasant place that she remembered. A guard high in a tree smiled and pointed in that same direction, with a warning second finger that the Noldo was not alone.

Fainan moved on, but stopped at the edge of the trees to allow Auros time to deal with the returned Estarion. The Avar's body language seemed friendly, but his absence at the time of a recent attack put her on her guard, ready with her bow pointed down but strung and nocked in case the strange elf made a move against the one she meant to protect.

[Shelob]

Estarion:

Estarion stood at ease, watching Auros finish his excercise with perfect execution. He lowered his blade, and took a few steps back. There was a change in his stance somehow. Estarion had never seen the Noldorin Elf at ease really, but this stance betrayed battle readiness, and not necessarily friendly.

"Very well." Auros said. "I don't imagine King Thranduil will be pleased at your return, if you come horseless, though." With a small grin, he added, "Perhaps that is part of what troubles you?"
"When did you reach Mirkwood?"

As Auros spoke, Estarion noticed the connection between his voice and his stance. Auros suspected him... but of what?

For a short time a wisp of a shadow of doubt and worry passed over his face, but quickly he returned it to normal again.
"As for your first question, Lord Auros, I fear to admit I did not think of that. I departed from Erebor bearing Northwest to inform some of my kin I knew were there as to what I was doing."
"That meeting, however short, is what worries me, but as I said, I wish to clear my mind before I speak of it."

Estarion stood silent for a moment, considering the second question and its implications. He held no misconceptions about Auros being the better swordsman nor did he believe Auros would hesitate for a second if Auros believed his answer to be the wrong one.

"As for your second question, I came here from almost due north and a bit west, I entered the forest but an hour ago. I did not attempt to hide my presence, as I am sure King Thranduil would take that amiss." He shrugged slightly, showing it hardly mattered now. "However, I have not been waylaid on my way hither, whether from a lack in security, which I hardly believe, or some other reason I do not know."

He then struck a battle stance and removed his sword from its scabbard, bringing it up slowly. I hope I gave the right answer, there is certainly nothing else I could tell him in that matter.

"Now, let us practice and save questions for later", Estarion said smiling. He waited ready to act, he would not be the first one to make an attack.

[Varda]

Fainan:

Relieved that Estarion seemed to be rejoining them, and sure that Auros could handle any swordplay, Fainan returned her bow to her back. She gave a hand sign to the guard that she was coming up, then climbed the tree quietly so as not to scuff the bark nor cause the sparring partners to lose concentration. She stepped carefully over a sleepy treesnake and settled near the guard, Maecheneb, whose family lived a few flets from her own.

He glanced her way, pointed at the two and to her with a commiserating smile. He meant, "Your traveling companions? My sympathy."

She grinned back. She pointed two fingers at both her eyes, then towards his, then one finger at the pair in the glade. She also restrung her bow, as she was now assisting the watchman temporarily.

Then they heard what might have been the sleepy chirrup of a disturbed finch, but was a warning from another sentry nearer the main buildings. They listened until they heard quick boots in the leaves that stepped on dead twigs almost unheeding. The walk was lighter than that of most dwarves, lacking the bit of shuffle they often had. This Frali would probably be capable of all the stealth they would need versus orcs in the ruins of Angmar, especially in the stone areas. Fainan smiled with approval.

As Maecheneb pointed questioningly at the direction of the dwarf's travel towards the sparrers, Fainan nodded that there should be no problem. Both elves would easily recognize their Dwarven ruins expert's arrival, so they should not slip.

[arienv]

Frali:

Although Frali normally felt more than at home within mountain halls, the young dwarf was relieved to get out of the presence of the woodelves for the moment. He knew of course that they surrounded him everywhere unseen in trees and behind bushes He reflected slightly on the elven kings grace ful reaction to his offer to accompany Auros and his his companions.
In fact, Thrandruil had seemed well pleased by his words and bearing, so of course he granted permission. And why shouldn't he? Frali would have been only another mouth to feed and an object of discomfort and mistrust in the closeness of the woodelves' halls.

But now of course he had to let Auros know that he was coming along with the travelling company and in that mission it was that Frali stepped now out in the forest.

After his breath of relief Frali tried to figure out where the Noldor had disappeared to, but his sharp ears perceived the faint ringing of swords meeting each other. His first reaction was to race quickly towards it with readied axe but on second thought he decided to approach carefully and with as little noise as possible. The warrior couldnt be sure whether it was enemy action he heard and in the heart of the woodelves' realm it seemed improbable. But the attack on the elven girl seemed to proove otherwise .. .

Sighing almost in audibly with his hands ready on his axe prepared to relief any orc of his head the Dwarf tiptoed towards the ringing of weapons.

[Eonwë]

Auros:

The Noldo examined the person standing before him as he listened, searching for any hint of a lie. He stood poised to act, but did not show any motion as Estarion spoke. Unexpected returns did not always bode well, especially not recently. Still, he could find no evidence of a lie in what the Elf said, particularly about when he had arrived in Mirkwood, which is what most interested him. The doings of the Moriquendi mattered little to Auros, so long as they did not interfere with his mission or aid the Enemy, the latter being unthinkable already.

"Very well," Auros said, changing his stance. He drew his sword to his side slowly as if to draw a half-circle before him, though his sword never touched the ground. His eyes stayed focused on Estarion. The cloud had passed Isil, and now the light of the moon began to fill the clearing once again. Just as the moonlight reached the apex of the imaginary half-circle, Auros darted across the clearing toward Estarion.

[Eonwë]

(Without further ado, Menel and I give you the fruits of our labor)

Auros and Estarion:

Estarion was surprised by the speed at which Auros crossed the clearing, and only barely deflected the upward strike executed right as the Noldo reached him. Little force was behind the parry, just enough to turn the blade, and Auros immediately struck again, leaving no opening for Estarion to recover. To the Noldo, this was combat, and he treated it as such. However, Auros had noticed how weak the parry had been, and now Estarion had clumsily dodged his second attack, another upward slash Estarion barely managed to back away from. Advancing, he brought the strike downward. Estarion parried, and Auros, using the momentum, swung around to bring his attack against Estarion’s exposed right arm…

Estarion barely deflected another of Auros’ attacks. He was doing his best just to keep up with the Noldo, dodging when he could, parrying when he couldn’t move out of the way fast enough. Auros was not giving him an opportunity to strike. Estarion wasn’t sure he would have time to strike even if he did see an opening. The intensity with which Auros fought was impressive. Estarion had not expected as much in a simple sparring match. Finally, he saw his chance to get an attack in on Auros, and took it…

Auros restrained a smirk. He took the bait. Estarion struck at the opening Auros had left. Auros blocked the attack, drawing his opponent’s sword closer, and in one deft motion, Auros wrenched Estarion’s sword from his hands. Taking a step back, Auros lowered his blade. Raising Estarion’s sword, he turned it back towards the Avar, hilt first. Estarion carefully took his sword back, and stepped back as well.

“You have obviously been trained in the use of a sword,” Auros began, “but I am surprised you have survived with such rudimentary flaws in your technique. Have you never faced your enemy in open combat?”

Estarion sighed with resignation at this sudden defeat. He had not expected to hold up against Auros, but the ease with which he was beaten was hard to swallow.
"I was trained the best as perilous times could allow." Estarion stood silent for a small while, lost in memory, "Yes, I have seen battle," he finally said, "but no more than could be expected for a scout. We are trained to defend ourselves if need be and run from a better and smarter foe, so that our soldiers may take it from there. With all the scout patrols we have lost over the past years, I think our training is not what it once used to be."
"Lord Auros," he began, deliberately accentuating the title as a sign of deference, "I have long wandered under the moon, but now I wish to learn more from those who departed from us so long ago." He sighed once again. "My path is set before me. I must defend my people the way I know is right, to aid and protect you wherever you will go. I hope you will help me become a better swordsman so I can help fulfill your mission, and in so doing, fulfill mine."

At this time, a gleam of determination entered his eyes. He stretched his hands above his head towards the west and spoke aloud, "May the Valar bear witness to my oath! I will save my people, I will not rest until they, both my brethren who departed as well as those who remained, are safe from Sauron's tyranny! If by my death I will help to make it so, I will die gladly in the Valar's warm embrace!"

Auros closed his eyes for a moment, then motioned for Estarion to come to the center of the clearing. “No oath should be considered so lightly.” The Noldo paused again for a moment. “Take your stance.” As Estarion did so, Auros examined the position of the Avar’s feet and the way he held his blade. Coming up to him, Auros clashed his blade against Estarion’s. “Good,” he said, “your stance at least is solid.” Positioning himself across from Estarion, he took his own stance. “Block.” Auros struck downward toward Estarion, but not as fast as he had at first. “Good. Parry.” Auros attacked again, and Estarion attempted to parry, but Auros turned it on him. “Wrong. Parry here,” he said, as he clashed his blade close to Estarion’s hilt.

Silently, Estarion did as he was directed, knowing he could have no better mentor than Lord Auros. In this way, Auros examined Estarion’s technique, attempting to show the Avar his mistakes. When he was finally satisfied Estarion was able to use these corrections, Auros said “Now, let’s try this again, at a slightly faster pace. Take your stance.” Auros struck again, saying nothing as he and Estarion clashed swords. Little by little, Auros increased the pace, judging Estarion’s reactions both in offense and defense as he did so.
Estarion was comfortable with the pace, and kept up well enough with Auros. His technique was not perfect, but showed improvement. Estarion was able to make room for his attacks, and seeing a great opportunity, took a chance to get a good attack against Auros.

Auros deflected the attack, nearly throwing the blade from Estarion’s hand. “Good,” he said. “That was much better. However, you committed too much on that last attack.”

Auros turned his blade from Estarion, but remained poised to attack. Something was coming towards the clearing from the direction of Thranduil’s halls. Seeing Auros, Estarion stood poised as well. The normal night-sounds of Mirkwood continued. The two stood waiting for one moment, two,.. and eventually into Auros’ sight came a Dwarf doing his best to tip-toe. “Come, Master Frali,” Auros spoke aloud, “there is no need for care. As you can see, all is safe. A straggler of our merry troop has caught up with us.”

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fainan and Maecheneb enjoyed watching the sparring and training below, even trying to mimic a few of the moves. Auros was a good teacher, and Fainan hoped to pick up a few pointers during their journey. While her archery was good, and she was decent with long knives, her swordsmanship was probably no better than Estarion's.

She sat up straighter, as did Maecheneb. Someone was coming, unheralded by the other guard. Fainan relaxed as she saw another Silvan, but her fellow sentry stood for a better view. The approaching Meren was a fine-looking elleth and paid better attention to her garb and hair than Fainan did. Glancing up at the sentry, Fainan thought that perhaps she should comb her hair a bit more, at least.

One other thing Meren had over Fainan was a knowledge of the ruins, from much study. Meren had attempted to teach the rudiments of such things to her students, but Fainan had not been the best in subjects that seemed to have no bearing on Mirkwood. Now was the time to try to correct that error and do some brain-picking.

Fainan moved quietly along the branches and snapped her finger once to warn that she was coming down. Surprising a Mirkwood elf, including a scholar, could be lethal. Upon landing, Fainan said, "Suilad, Meren! Come to see a couple of handsome, exotic sparrers?" Fainan grinned, knowing full well that the aforementioned sparrers could hear. "And our equally exotic dwarf, of course," she added with a coquettish nod towards Frali. Someday her mischief would bring her trouble, but she hoped it was not today.

[arienv]

Frali:

Blushing Frali who had watched the two sparrers fascinated before finally approaching them the dwarf stepped into the open clearing and wanted to bow to Auros and Estarion when Fainan dropped out of a tree and threw him nearly off balance.

Just in time he caught himself and managed to keep his face as courteous and pleasant as possble, but his eyes betrayed a bit of bewilderment and amusement.

As gallantly as he could Frali bowed before Fainan before he turned to the Noldo and the Avar.

*My lady Fainan and my lords Auros and Estarion. I hope i have not interrupted your precious moments of relaxation"

The last was plainly addressed to the two fighters. "From warrior to warrior , even though i dare not compare my own weak skills with both yours, let me express my admiration of the skill you both displayed. " Respectfully and admiringly he nodded to the two Elves and wished yet again he could prove himself worthy of such exquisite company.

Then he turned to Fainan and gave her a shy smile "But nothing would surpass the pleasure of being in your presence again." Frali fell silent and blushed yet again. Slightly embarassed he waited for an answer from all parties adressed.

[Varda]

Fainan:

"'tis always a pleasure to be in your company, Master Frali. I look forward to our continuing journey together!" Fainan remembered just in time to make a lady-like curtsy rather than a bow or nod.

[Eonwë]

Auros:
As the Dwarf came into the clearing, Auros also closed the gap between them. The Noldo examined his blade, then sheathed it.

"Not at all. We were just about done. When you have had as much time and chance to practice your art, you will show as much ability. Let us hope, however, you do not have as much chance as I."

Auros paused for a moment as he stood before the Dwarf. "What causes you to search so for me that you come to this place?"

[Indis]

Meren:

The moon seemed brighter to Meren as she walked quietly through the woods from Thranduil's hall. Mind engaged with a replay of the conversation she had just finished, she moved almost automatically through the bushes, vines, and shadowy trees to find the visiting Noldo and his escort. When she heard them a small distance away, she stopped to look at the sealed message she was carrying so hopefully. Yes, it still said "To Hir Auros of Imladris" and "From Thranduil of Mirkwood." Nothing had changed.

Of the Noldo's previous escort she knew Fainan slightly and Calion almost not at all, though she was well aware of his status. Hesitating at the edge of the clearing where the others of the party were discussing swordplay, she looked them over. She had only seen the dwarf in the Hall, and had not spoken with him. Estarion she had also seen before the departure to Erebor, and of course there was no mistaking Auros. Watching in the moonlight, she could see Auros's pride in his stance and his face, Estarion's strength and worry, and Frali's combination of wariness in a strange land and curiosity about it. She thought to herself that she would be pleased to get to know the dwarf better and smiled.

As she walked, she heard finger-snap, and then she saw Fainan before her. Fainan said, "Suilad, Meren! Come to see a couple of handsome, exotic sparrers?" Fainan grinned, knowing full well that the aforementioned sparrers could hear. "And our equally exotic dwarf, of course," she added.

"Mae govannen, Fainan," Meren replied with a pleasant smile. It's been some time since we met; I hope things have gone well for you. And of course, I'm always happy to see fine specimens of the Quendi--and the Dwarf too. From the sounds I hear, that is the very place I was heading. Shall we go together?" She gestured in the direction of the sparrers, with a bow and pleasant greeting to Frali.

[Varda]

Fainan:

"Accompanying you would be an honor, Hiri Meren. Although my attention used to wander in your classes, now I see the need of them and apologize for not having learned well at the time. Perhaps you could recommend a book on the ruins of Angmar that I might study tonight? I can read Sindarin but my Quenya lacks somewhat." That was another class to which she had not given proper attention; would they all come back with such teeth?

Fainan waved cheerily to Frali and, with Meren, followed him the short way to the clearing at a slight distance. He seemed to have business with Auros, which she did not.

[Indis]

Meren

Grinning, Meren reassured Fainan, "Fear not, we have almost no holdings in the Noldorin tongue, and, sadly, fewer than I would like even in Sindarin. But no apologies are needed: learning comes from desire as well as instruction. And in fact, no doubt you were more adept at history than I am at archery, for I am adequate but no more. You, on the other hand..." She hesitated a moment. "Your marksmanship is well known, and a source of pride to our people."

"As for something to read, here is something that will give you an overview," and she gave the name of a basic document, "but it is possible you may not need so much background if things go as I hope." She looked slyly at Fainan as she spoke, then adopted a more serious expression. "And speaking of reading matter, I have a letter for Hir Auros from the King. Will you join me as I approach him to deliver the letter."