Gwedhion and
Gladhron
Traveling - 3003
(About a week after the previous post)
Shadows in the Night
“How far will be be traveling, Father?” Gladhron asked, from atop his horse. He looked around them, trying to keep aware of their surroundings. There didn’t seem to be too much to be wary of, but his father had told him not to trust all that he saw, for sometimes things lay hidden that you may not see until you had overlooked it. It was a puzzling concept to the fifteen year old.
“We are traveling to Dale, or near there. Esgaroth, at least.” Gwedhion quietly replied to his son. He cast his own gray gaze around the pair as they traveled, his expert eyes more keen to things that one needed to be on the watch for.
“How long will that take?” Gladhron asked, curious as he had never been this far from home before.
With a small smile, Gwedhion glanced at his teenaged son. “It will take us as long as it takes us, son. Be patient and enjoy the journey, however much you can.” he told him, then added, “Unless you feel you would have had a more enjoyable time staying at home, minding your younger brother and sister, and helping your mother?”
“No, sir!” Gladhron replied, hastily. He was eager for this adventure, his first one away from home, with his father. He sat up straighter on his horse and looked around, one hand brushing back his dark hair to better see around him. He opened his mouth to ask another question...
“Gladhron,” His father interrupted him, speaking lowly. “I appreciate your curiosity, and in some instances, asking questions is the best way to learn things. However, there are other times when it is best to be silent and listen.” He told him.
Pondering what that might mean, Gladhron looked around, and listened. He heard nothing but their horses’ hoofbeats on the ground, falling softly as they walked. There were birds singing from afar, and not much else was to be heard. He looked again at his father, wondering what he was supposed to be listening to.
Gwedhion continued onward, riding in the blissful silence, however long it lasted. He hoped that this adventure might prove the beginning toward teaching his eldest son the ways of the Dunedain Rangers, and perhaps it would also teach him some things which Gwedhion had yet to get across to him.
As the pair journeyed onward, Gwedhion was glad for the brief respite of silence. Not that he minded his son’s questions, but at times it made him uneasy to have much talking between them during their travels. One never knew when enemy ears were about. Not to mention how annoying it could get, having a constant barrage of questions.
“What do you suppose it is, causing the disturbances?” Gladhron asked at length, after having been silent for a long while. He wondered very much about this. He hoped it was nothing too major, yet enough that he could have a very exciting tale to bring back to Gwestion and Gwilithiel.
“I know not the answer to that question, son.” Gwedhion replied. “It is entirely possible that we will find the creature for which our chieftan has been seeking*. If so, then it may take the both of us to capture it.” He glanced at his son. “And, furthermore, I will require you to stay focused on our goal.” He told him. “We mustn’t become distracted by the.. sights which we may see in town.” He knew that there was every chance that there may be some pretty young maiden within the town that was their destination, which may catch his young son’s eye. He hoped for no such distraction from the work they must do, but thought it good to warn him in advance that he must stay focused.
“Of course, Father. I know that. I am not a child anymore.” Gladhron replied with an eyeroll, almost offended that his father felt the need to tell him that.
With a wry smile, Gwedhion refrained from answering. He focused on guiding his horse onward, instead. Gladhron may feel as if he were practically a grown man, but Gwedhion knew he still had much to learn, and a few years yet to go before he could truly consider him a man. Still, he hoped that this trip would set him along the way to manhood and teach him important lessons that would be useful later in life.
* * * Arriving at Esgaroth(aka Laketown) * * *
The pair arrived at the outskirts of town at last, while the evening shadows were lengthening. Gladhron was rather tired after the long journey, and merely nodded when his father asked him to take their horses to the stable and join him in the common room of the inn there. Gladhron could not help looking around at all the new sites. He had heard so much about Dale, and some about Laketown. But this was not actually Laketown, he realized, for they were not on the lake. There was an inn there, on the shore of the lake, for travelers to pass the night without having to cross the water in the dark, he supposed. It made sense, at least, he thought as he led both horses to the stable just outside. Apparently they didn't like having horses in the town itself, which made sense.
The young man poked his head into the stable. “Hello?” He called. “I’d like to put these horses up for the night, and perhaps longer. We know not how long our business here shall take us.” He looked around, waiting a moment. No one came, and he frowned. “Hello? Is anyone here?” He called louder. “I’d like to give my horses something to eat.” He frowned, a bit puzzled by the lack of a stableman. He wanted to give the animals the best care possible, for they had come a long way and must surely be weary. Would he have to do this himself? Gladhron had inherited a love for horses that came from his Rohirrim mother’s side of the family, and couldn’t simply leave the horses there, without a stableman around to give instructions to. After waiting a moment, Gladhron sighed and got to work on tending to the horses himself.
Gwedhion, meanwhile, having taken his saddlebags from his horse, had gone inside the inn and spoke to the innkeeper to acquire a room for the night, for the two of them. Leaving their things there, he went to the common room. He found it emptier than he had anticipated, as he had been here in times past and the room would usually be crowded. He could guess at the reason though; the very reason that had brought him here. Something was attacking, though no one seemed to know what. Livestock going missing, the occasional person disappearing, whispers of a dark menace lurking in the shadows. From what he had heard, many people were frightened to go outside at night, and he could imagine that they were keeping their children close to them. What animals could be locked up, were kept carefully sheltered.
Selecting a table, Gwedhion ordered a drink while he waited for his son to return. He debated, given the things he had heard, whether he ought to have left Gladhron to take the horses to the stable by himself. But he reminded himself that his son knew how to use a sword, and that he carried a good sword, forged in Gondor, by what was known as the best weapon smith in Gondor. He was well-practiced at using that sword… He would be fine.
As his drink arrived, Gwedhion asked a few questions of the innkeeper. “Where is everyone, tonight? I thought it was normally packed this time of day.” He suspected the answer, but wanted to hear it from the locals.
“They’re all staying indoors, these days.” The reply didn’t surprise him. “What with all this going on...”
“All what going on?” Gwedhion questioned, as if he had no idea. “I have only recently arrived in town, and have traveled a long way. I would appreciate hearing a bit of news.”
“Well, see..” The man lowered his voice a bit, though it was unnecessary. Gwedhion was the only one here at the moment. “There’s been these attacks,” He explained, frowning. “Something’s lurking in the dark, somewhere. No one’s seen yet what it is, but... animals have gone missing.. a pig or two here, a goat or a sheep there, you know? and then there’s been a few people turned up missing too. A couple of children, some young folks.. I think one elderly woman disappeared the other night... that sort of thing.. it’s frightening.”
“Hmm…” Gwedhion frowned, thinking. This thing had apparently not taken any large animals like horses, but it was large enough to need pigs, goats, sheep and children. Even weaker adults. This left him a little puzzled, but focused on the conversation at hand, for now. “No one has seen anything, you say? Whatever it is, it must be large.. how could no one have seen anything at all?” He wondered.
“Not a thing. Whatever it is, sneaks in at night and snatches ‘em, or something. Everyone’s been staying home more, keeping a closer eye on their children, locking up their livestock. It’s really hurt my business, too.”
“I imagine so.”
Gwedhion was thinking over this, pondering what he could. Trolls would do something like that, he was sure, but he had yet to hear of trolls in these parts. And how would a troll go completely unnoticed? The fact that it struck at night would fit with the troll theory, although he rather doubted it was a troll. In truth, he was hoping it was another creature, which was being sought for by all rangers and those who worked with them. The man was very concerned about this matter, and would begin checking into it as soon as he’d had a meal.
“Well, is there anything else I can get for you?” The man asked, drawing Gwedhion’s thoughts back to the present.
“Oh, yes.” Gwedhion remembered. “I’m expecting my son any moment now. He’ll like a drink. Mead will be fine.. he isn’t yet old enough for anything stronger.” He said with a small smile. He watched the man nod and go off to get the drink. Gwedhion glanced toward the door, waiting for Gladhron to come through it. He didn’t know exactly how long it would take the young man to accomplish his task, but couldn’t help worrying slightly. What if there was more danger out there than he’d anticipated? Could it be something which Gladhron wasn’t prepared to handle? Trying to distract himself from his concerns, Gwedhion glanced around the room, trying to piece together this puzzle.
(*
This RP is set during the time that Aragorn is searching for Gollum)