A Fool's Errand

[Envin]

Envin seized at once upon the idea. "Or, say that I go to him alone before you come with me. Persuade him, with force or by drink, to reveal more of his secrets. Or even offer to purchase information from him as an outside observer with no knowledge that he has already sent someone after it." He picked up the coins and tossed the pouch back to Vilik. "As for the green-eyed hag, I know not whether she works in concert with Dindaedel or is an outside agent. Perhaps the idol is some method of summoning or desummoning her into this world. Perhaps she is the guardian set by Dindaedel to watch it. I lean toward the notion that she is not connected to Dindaedel in any way, but this only complicates matters. Whatever we decide, I am of the thought that whatever we do, it should be done swiftly, and our first choice should be to put as much distance in between us and this room as possible, as soon as possible."

Vilik agreed, and it was decided that they should depart in the morning for Minas Tirith. They laid themselves down to make an attempt at what sleep they might attain. Vilik took the first watch, and Envin laid nearby, even though asleep his sense quite ready to awake him should aught go amiss. So the night began.



{OOC: Added the second paragraph as a lead-in to your Elmira thread, Corey.}

[Vilik]

Vilik nodded his head, "I agree. If Dindaedel and the woman in Edoras we are not safe. I would suggest we leave now with the cover of night and throw our pursuers from our trail, however, there is a complication to that plan. You see, what brought me here instead of Minas Tirith to begin with is the fact that my horse has gone missing. I came here in hopes of finding her. I will search for her tomorrow, though, we will leave before noon regardless of what my search produces." Vilik stood, offering Envin his hand, "Until then, my friend, stay safe."

[Envin]

"Very well," Envin agreed, taking Vilik's hand in a firm grasp. "It would be unwise to attempt to journey to Minas Tirith afoot, but even less wise to raise a hubbub by stealing a horse, or attracting notice by purchasing one. Humor me in this, though: take this ring." Envin fumbled in his pack and drew out a ring, made of what seemed to be iron, with an onyx atop it, and a symbol of the scales upon his armor etched into the onyx in gold. He handed it to Vilik. "If you ever had need of me, send all your will in a swift pulse into this ring, and I shall feel your need, and come as swiftly as I may. What use I may be against such foes I can never guess, but we shall see. Go with all luck tomorrow, friend."

Then Envin laid down to sleep, thinking that Vilik would surely wait until the morning to search for his steed. Envin was also comforted by the thought that the woman who called herself Gaurwyn could not know of their plans, for as he had entered Vilik's room, he had activated his Aura of Resistance, and, remembering Gaurwyn's powers being so fire-based, she could not have penetrated his strong Aura with any eavesdropping attempts. He turned, seeking a comfortable position, and sleep came to him swiftly.

[Vilik]

Vilik took the ring, studying it's details for a moment before sliding it upon his finger. He smirked, "I would question the power of such a ring if not for the things I have seen this past fortnight. At least this this item shall call friend, not foe, to my trail."

Vilik envied the paladin. Not minutes after he laid down he began snoring loudly. Vilik's mind raced, turning over all the events prior to this trying to fit the pieces together to form some picture that he could make sense of. Finally, out of frustration, he got up from his bed. If he could find no sleep, then perhaps he'd have better luck finding his lost mare.

((and that puts me into the other thread for now.))

[Envin]

Envin stretched himself as he awoke, though he was used by now to uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. What he was unused to, however, was waking and not finding a comrade with him, especially one who was supposed to be keeping watch. He leapt to his feet, hitting the rafters above him with a crash. Now quite fully awakened, and with a throb in his head that rather irritated him to boot, the paladin was not in a very amiable mood. He glanced about the room. His first thoughts had been that Vilik had decided to just quit Edoras in the middle of the night and leave Envin in the lurch. But there was his purse of gold, sitting right where Vilik had left it; surely he would have taken it, had he left for good. What then? "Ah-ha!" Envin muttered. "Then he has gone after his mare. A generous deed, not to force his comrade to wait overlong, but would that he had told me!"

He silently cursed. The sun was rising, and it would be oh so very simple to hide in Edoras in his armor, he sarcastically told himself. "Better now that never," he decided, and so after snatching up Vilik's purse (which he had wisely left in the room) and stuffing it into his pack, he trotted quickly downstairs. When he exited the inn, Vael shot Envin a withering glare for leaving him saddled and hungry and thirsty all night long. Envin cocked an eye at him, shrugged, and pointed to the watering trough right at Vael's feet. Vael stamped his hoof and motioned toward the trough with his nose. Envin peered into it, and saw a drunk sleeping off his hangover inside. Envin barely kept himself from roaring with laughter. He led Vael to another inn down the lane, where there was a clean trough. The horse drank thirstily.

Envin started off on his own, afoot - for it would be much simpler to get into tight places without the burden of a horse. At any rate, Vael would come when Envin called for him, so well trained was the warhorse. Envin first thought that he should search public stables, but going through them he found naught but wasted time. He popped the ground before him with his mace, at a loss.

[Idrial]

Idrial moved quickly through the streets of Edoras, not quite sure where she was going. One of the Rohirrim had been the first to run into her after it’d happened. He’d given her all the details. But even as the maiden made her way to the stable, she knew it was a lost cause. The thief would be long gone by now. She only hoped the finely tuned tracking skills of the Rohirrim could find the culprit before he or she left Rohan’s plains.

As she rounded the corner to get to the stable, she all but collided with Envin’s tall form. Jumping back in surprise, she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a yelp of surprise. Idrial laughed half-heartedly when she realized her mistake, but the smile quickly faded.

“A horse has been stolen!” she blurted out, casting a desperate glance in through the stable doors. “You haven’t seen anything have you?” the maiden asked, forgetting all manner of greeting. “A tall, roan mare? Beautiful creature.” She folded her arms, glancing quickly around them as she waited for the man’s response. Idrial only hoped he could give them some clue.

[Envin]

Envin started when Idrial collided with him at full tilt. With the greatest of effort he turned away from her and shook his head, obviously impatient. "Nay, I have not, fair Idrial," he replied to her persistent questions. "I beg your forgiveness, but I currently occupied with pressing matters. I wish you the best of luck upon your own quest." With an apologetic smile at being so abrupt, he continued upon his way, swiftly turning a corner ahead of Idrial and melting from sight.

[Morsereg Dîndaedel]

He had arrived in the Inn the night before, stowing away in this room not long after Envin and his companion began to converse. He had broken through the aura, catching the conversation as best he could through the wall. There was talk of Envin going to Gondor...of him...and of his beautiful creation.

As the conversation came to a close, and Envin was nestled into his bed, Morsereg rose from the sitting position he had against the far corner, walking to the window. His eyes settled upon the darkened sky, and a haunting smile crept onto his face. "So, my reputation still lives on in this day and age. Doubt my existance, do they?" His ghostly white hand grasped at the air, pulling back inside the room. His hand slowly folded open, revealing a moth, broken wings flapping in an attempt to fly again. The moth's back, when wings were unfolded, formed a skull. A beauty of nature. He hadn't laid eyes on a moth such as this for a long time.

His hand returned to its previous position, crushing the moth as its wings gave its last struggling attempt against his closed fingers. "I am no mere legend...you'll all remember this soon enough."

From his window, Morsereg watched as Envin exited the Inn. He had not moved through the night, watching the moon set and the sun rise in that very same spot. In this present moment, a harsh wind from the mountains he called home whipped against his face, tossing his hair about. "The sun rises, and another day begins. Let the hunting commence."

And so it was that, retrieving his sword from the corner, Morsereg Dindaedel strode from the Inn, and once again into the warm streets of Edoras. Revived, was his chase of the paladin, Envin.