Guarded Secrets

[Naucoaran]

ERBIS
Dagoron paced back and forth in the underground room. He had sent for Bessain months ago, and he was wondering if she had gotten the message yet and if she was even coming. He could not wait much longer, or rather his father could not wait much longer. He was quite old and was now on his death bed. The old dwarf had told Dagoron that he had a final parting gift for him, but he would not get it yet. After much pestering the weary dwarf gave in and told him what it was.
Apparently the family had hidden away a cache of jewels, armor, coins, and weapons. The wealth of the Ironaxe family ran deep and on his final bed the elderly dwarf had told his oldest son about it. All that was left that pointed to it was an old map and a tale of lore where most of the words had been lost with the family members. Now Dagoron had the map and after much thought he chose Bessain, of all people, to take with him on the journey.
But Bessain was late on her arrival, and Dagorons father would have much liked to meet the infamous elf who Dagoron so loved to pester. "Durned lass," he grumbled as he paced again in the chamber where his father lay, his last moments clear on his face. "She'll be here pop, dun worry, she can’t be far." he said as he took his fathers strong hand in his. The tired warrior looked up at his son with dull eyes, "Ye make me proud son, find the horde and bring it ter the clan ere and share the wealth. Were a family and all our jewels belong to everyone." he said then laid back on the bed. "Hurry Bess," Dag said to himself as he saw his father starting to slowly fade into the after life.

BESSAIN
"What does he want?" Bessain grumbled to herself, holding the letter out in front of her. Her old dwarven friend hadn't known where to find her, so he had sent a summoning letter to most of her ex-employers asking for her whereabouts. She had been in Gondor at the time and even turned down a job so she could run halfway across Middle Earth to make sure that her friend wasn't in trouble. "He better have a good reason for this..." she thought to herself. There was quite a bit of distance between Gondor and Erebor, and the trip wasn't cheap. She had had to buy a messenger's horse along the way because her other one had thrown a shoe and split its hoof down the middle! He was defintely going to replenish her purse! She'd make sure of that.

She stood along the border of Erebor and gave her new horse a pat. He wasn't made for her heavy saddle and packs. She was forced to walk for long periods of their trip because she didn't want to ruin another horse. Tugging on the reins she entered the dwarven territory. "Dwarves..." she muttered to herself in disgust. Bessain found the majority of dwarves rather annoying and really couldn't stand the fact that she was about to walk into a kingdom full of them.

Studying the ground, she took note of the old foot prints in the dirt. Obviously, this trail was used during patrols. It looked like a couple days had gone by since someone last used it. A guard should be here shortly. Atleast they would if it was an elven kingdom. Bessain had never been in Erebor and didn't know her way around. She was even less familiar with dwarven customs. She couldn't count on the fact that someone would be along shortly. These were dwarves... the word shortly could translate to 'a few hours' or 'after the next few drinks'. Sighing, she pulled her horn from her pack and blew three times. It wasn't too long before she could hear the soft footfalls of tiny hooves approaching.

Coming over the rise of the next hill, a trio of dwarves mounted on three stocky looking ponies appeared. "Not bad for dwarven timing," she thought to herself, moving to stand in plain sight so as not to alarm them. Hesitantly they neared the lone elf. She brushed off her hood to show her face and held out her hands as a sign of friendship. The youngest of the trio squinted at her for a moment. He dismounted, then squinted again. Bessain stared at him and he stared back. Finally, his face lit up. "Oy!" he exclaimed. "I know ye!"

At his outburst Bessain stared a little harder. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him. Eventually it hit her. She sighed and tried to hide her disgust. "Suilad Rubble,"she mumbled in greeting. He had grown quite a bit since the last time she saw him. His beard was thicker, his voice deeper and he was even a little taller.

He chuckled and moved to slap her on the back, as was their normally violent custom.

Bessain had no intention of being slapped until she looked back at the two older dwarves who had seen her disgusted look when she recognized Rubble. Apparently they were offened and weren't going to lightly give her their trust. So she let the little dwarf clap her shoulder, had even knelt down to help him out. The two other dwarves approved, but were still a little wary. "So Rubble," Bessain said, attempting to break the ice. "Is Dagoron around?"

"Aye, that he is. C'mon lass we'll take ye to em'!" he said and bounded back to his pony.

She stood, mounted and pulled up alongside Rubble. The two older dwarves though, fell behind and rode side by side in the rear.

ERBIS
Dagoron was starting to loose hope that Bessain would not show at all but suddenly a dwarven patrol member came into the room and informed him that an elven lass was seen in the lands and was being escorted here as they spoke. Nodding Dagoron turned to his father, "She is almost here pop, jus a lil bit longer." he said gruffly as he clasped the old ones shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
Soon enough the elf was escorted into the room, a foul mood on her expressions. She started to huff and puff about her adventure and that Dag didn't look like he was in trouble and some thing about a horse. Finally seeing that Dagoron had not turned to greet her she quieted and walked over next to him.
"He en't got long, wanted ter meet ye befer...well." he said then looked at the tired dwarf.
"He had hoped to meet the infamous Bessain, yer well known here." he said with a light chuckle, "He wanted to see if you were made o' the right stuff ter go w'me on this quest." he said then looked up at the taller of the two of them. Before she could reply the older dwarf whispered "Come closer lass, lemme have a look at ye." he said as he sat up a little in his bed. "Pop ye shouldn't be movin'!" Dagoron exclaimed as he moved to help the old one sit up. "I still got strength left in me ole bones." he grumbled.
Pulling Bessain down lower with his still strong arm Dagorons' father looked at her as if he were inspecting a worked piece of metal or a gem. "Well I guess yer fine, but dun be puttin any o' yer elven charms on 'em." he said then gave a weak laugh that grew into a cough. "My time here is short, speak quickly if you have any questions Bessain the Elf." he whispered then started to lay down and his eye lids began to droop.

BESSAIN
"Excuse me sir?"Bessain asked with a puzzled look on her face. "But what am I fine enough for? What quest?" She wasn't even going to comment on the "elven charms" bit... atleast not yet.

What was this all about? Shouldn't this be a father-son moment, and not a father-son's friend moment? She realized that the answer to her question might have to be a long winded one, and the old dwarf didn't look like he had it in him to give such an answer... but what else did she have to ask? This was the first time she had ever seen this dwarf, and the fact that he wanted to see her before he died was a little disturbing.

The old dwarf touched lightly on the subject of their quest, seeming to leave the rest for Dagoron to explain later on.

ERBIS
"Ye see Bess, me family has a cache o' goods and I can't well get it me self. Naturally I thought, 'hey, what could Bess be doin? She’s ne'er busy.' So I wrote ye. Pops wanted to approve anyone goin along, t'make sure they are a trustworthy bunch. So I figured I could trust ye with me family secrets." he said then turned to his father who was lying on the stone bed looking paler by the minute. "I'll let ye thing bout it," he said then ushered her out of the room. After she left Dagoron went to his father and sat by his bedside. "I'll find it pops, then ill bring it back ere an' out family will once again use the weapons o' ole and reclaim our lost jewels. His father looked up at his sons face sitting proud and sturdy. "I know ye can do it me boy." he said softly then clasped his shoulder. Then he was gone.
Dagoron sighed and crossed the dwarfs’ arms over his chest and muttered a short speech in their dwarven tongue. Sorrow was plain on his face but he did not shed a tear for the loss. It was not a sad moment but a proud one. Soon his father’s spirit would be resting with his descendants. Dagoron clasped the shoulder of the dead dwarf and then stood up and walked out of the room. Nodding at the guards standing outside next to the door he continued on to see where Bess wandered off to as the guards went into the room.
Finding the elf Dagoron lightly slapped her back. "Have ye thought bout it Bess? If ye do come and we find it ye will get a share o' the goods. Maybe even a good blade that'll do yer hand good." he said with a light chuckle. "C'mon Bess, it's not like ye got much else t'do," he said as he leaned against the wall as a troupe of dwarves passed by to go out on their guard shift.

BESSAIN
"'It's not like Ive got much else to do'?!" she mimicked back. Since Dagoron was out here with her, she had to assume that his father was no longer around. She tried to calm herself. His dad just died, so she needed to be patient with him. But this irritating little dwarf was just so...well... irritating!

She realized that it wouldn't do anyone any good if she were to rant about all the things she had been doing before she got his letter... he probably wouldn't even listen. With a sigh she gave in and answered. "It's just me, you and a group of dwarves? Dag, am I here for social diversity, or is your game of 'torture the elf' really that amusing?" Since she was already here, it was obvious that she was expected to come along. "Alright! I'm coming! But we'll need to stop in Mirkwood first to get a new horse. Atleast they'll be cheaper there..." she grumbled to herself. She considered the fact that her road from here on out might be all tunnels, in which case she would not need a horse. No matter, she'd let Dagoron finish up with the briefing part, the start of every journey.

[Naucoaran]

"It's just me, you and a group of dwarves? Dag, am I here for social diversity, or is your game of 'torture the elf' really that amusing?"

"Well it’s a lil o' both if ye have t'know Bess." he said with a hearty chuckle then slapped her rump as he didn't feel like reaching for her back. "Follow me ter the plannin' room. I have a perdy good idea to as where the clues point to." he said then walked farther into the caves. Turning into a side chamber where a small group of dwarves sat at a stone table.
"Greetings me friends, this is Bessain, some of you have met her b'fore." he said as he motioned to some of the dwarves sitting around the table. Granite nodded slightly, she looked familiar and if he gave it some time he could remember when he first met her. The dwarf, more accustomed to a healer’s tent then the battle field, rubbed his chin and fluffed at his relatively short silver beard. His robes were crisp and light although they had been tailored to have plates of steel on the chest and shoulders. He was an odd looking fellow; he kept himself clean and pristine looking, unlike most of his kin.
"But introductions can be saved till later as we should be settin' out soon as possible." he said as he unrolled a yellowed parchment onto the table. It was a map, but it was incomplete with it being so old. It did show that the treasure might be located deep inside the Iron Hills. After explaining that it might be a simple quest to the neighboring mountains some of the dwarves became somewhat sad. "I promise there will be adventure me friends. You all should know that treasure doesn't go unguarded for very long." he said with a glint in his eye. At this Granite sighed quietly, he would have to bandage many injuries on this trip...
"We will start out by goin down ter Mirkwood cause Bess is apparently too good fer our ponies." He said with a smile. "Either that or she goes through horses quicker then we go though a shank of lamb…" he elbowed the closest dwarf in the gut as every one chuckled at the little joke. "But after that, we will be on our way to ter the Iron Hills." He finished then rolled the map back up and placed it in a convenient breast pocket. "Any questions?" he said simply as he arched a bushy eyebrow.

[Bessain]

Bessain, being saddle sore, did not appreciate the slap to the behind but could do nothing about it as she was herded into a room with a group of dwarves. Knowing that anything she said would go unnoticed, she stayed out of the conversation and waited impatiently to be given a place to rest. She needed change into something more comfortable. There was no air in the underground halls and the lack of a good breeze made her feel very hot in her long sleeved shirt.

She hated dark small places. For such small people the dwarven halls hardly fit the description of tiny. At times Bessain could not see the ceiling or the end of some very long hallways. She longed for a clean dwarven stench-less breeze. Bessain had not been with Dagoron for very long, but she already felt as if she had not seen the sun for an eternity. Her sudden awareness of time disturbed her elven mind as it always did when she felt she was on schedule.

During the meeting she had to shut her eyes and take a few long slow breaths to keep from losing her head. She could hear each dwarf just sitting there...breathing. Breathing the same air she was! Why did they seem so close? Couldn't they silence themselves? Instinctively her hand moved to her dagger. No one was paying attention to her, she could make a sprint for the entrance and anyone who got in her way would thankfully stop breathing her air.

Besain nearly got to her feet in her crazed state to carry out her plan. She was abruptly awakened from it though when it seemed the hairy being next to her made a lazy growl. Confused now, she looked over to inspect the origin of the noise. The growl was soon followed by the most disgusting smell ever to cross her elven senses. The little hairy dwarf smiled at his own flatulence and chuckled as Bessain moved to sit closer to Dagoron, hoping a familiar presence would still her fears.

[Naucoaran]

A round of chuckles ran through the group as the repulsive smell passed their noses. "Good one," a fellow dwarf had said then clapped the culprit on the shoulder. Besides Bessain another member of the counsel was somewhat repulsed. Granite subtly scooted away from the noxious odor and winced slightly as the smell burned his eyes.
After his laugh Dagoron grinned and continued on with his plans. After he had explained everything he said that they would meet in this room again the next morning before setting out. They all nodded and one by one left the side chamber to go about their business packing, planning, and probably drinking.
"Well Bess, what'd you think about the plan? Simple aye, but it'll work. The most straight forward plans are often the most brilliant. You'll be needin' a room then, I s'pose we can find you one and get you a nice an' soft bed, we have some visitors every once in a while and there’s gotta be a bed somewhere." he said as he led her out of the room and down the hallway.
Going into another side chamber he opened it up and showed Bess a small room with a bed, end table, and a single low burning candle. "It's right fine accommodations if I say so meself." he said as he walked in and examined the room. "I'll come an' get ye in the mornin' you wont have a wick o' sense o' what time it is down 'ere." And then he was gone. "Dinner in an hour!" he shouted down the tunnel back at her as he walked to his own chambers.

[Bessain]

The small guestroom disturbed Bessain slightly, but she was happy to get some time to herself. She changed into her last set of clean clothes and sent the rest off to be washed before they left for their quest.

During dinner she picked lightly at the large plate of food given to her and refused any kind of drink that was offered. She knew better than to accept any dwarven drink. Even the water had a strange alcoholic odor. Bessain found that there was one dwarf who, unlike the others, she found slightly tolerable.

Their cleric, granite, seemed to show more of an elven side than dwarven. He claimed to be of pure dwarven blood, but Bessain had her doubts. To her surprising delight, Bessain found that Granite would be traveling with them. Though neither of them would admit to it, the two soon became fast friends trading stories about Dagoron.

[Naucoaran]

"It's nice to have some diversity on the trip," Granite said to Bessain as they ate dinner in a less ferocious way then the other dwarves. "I was afraid that I would be the odd man out, but well..." he trailed off as he indicated the obvious differences between himself and the elf. The conversation was cut short however because Dagoron stood up on top of the table from his seat and shouted loudly for attention.
"T'morrow a small group o' dwarves and the one elf" he sloshed his mug at her. "Will set out in search o' me fathers and our clans lost riches. Many o' ye have heard the tale o' how wealthy our clan had once been and with me pa's riches found we will once again start to achieve the level of wealth we once were. T'days dinner will have to be cut short though because we leave in the mornin' and I dun need a bunch o' tired dwarves on me trip. So those of you in me company, finish up then off ter bed with ye." After this he drained the mug and jumped back down into his chair and began to finish his food.
(It's a lil short....hm...ok a lot short...)

[Bessain]

Bessain quickly excused herself and returned to the small guest room. If she was going to travel with these dwarves, she was going to need every ounce of strength and patience. To get all that, she needed rest. She sat on the edge of the small bed, testing it. It was slightly small length wise, but it would do. If she never set foot in these halls again it would be alright with her.

*****

After a night of constantly pulling her feet back up onto the bed only to have them slide off the end again, morning came and with it; Dagoron. They had breakfast and regrouped outside of the dwarven keep.

Bessain almost went down to her knees and kissed the ground. It seemed a lifetime since she had seen the sun and took in fresh air. She was not, however, willing to do all this in front of any number of dwarves, so she would have to greet the sun later.

((Ok, *is revised*))

[Naucoaran]

Walking outside Dagoron breathed in the smell of outside and looked almost like he was enjoying the light and fresh air. Seconds later he snorted and then spit and said in the rough dwarven tongue. "It smells better inside. The smell of the furnace and food." he said with a grin and then slapped a comrade on the shoulder. "Were all mounting up on ponies for the trip to Mirkwood so that the elf can buy herself a new mount." Scanning the group quickly he pointed to Granite. "You, Granite, you are the lightest and most elf like," at this comment some of the dwarves snickered and started to act very feminine in a mocking way.
The healer dwarf sneered at the other dwarves and then ignored them, focusing on Dagoron. "Because of your odd stature you will be sharing a mount with Bessain unless she is too good to share a pony and prefers to walk all the way to the forest." He said with a toothy grin just as the ponies were led into sight by a small (no pun intended) group of dwarven children stable boys. "Shall we?" Dag said as he straddled up on his trusty charcoal colored pony.

[Bessain]

Bessain's hated messengers' horse was brought out with the dwarven ponies. She was surprised to find that he was only halfway groomed, as if the stable boys only cleaned as high as they could reach. Since dwarves were not counted among the taller races, the horse couldn't even be considered half clean. The elf rolled her eyes at this and let Granite mount up behind her.

Because her horse was well rested, the dwarf's extra weight did not seem to bother him. Bessain wondered at how long it would be before she led the horse while the dwarf rode.

After three hours of nothing but slow traveling and dwarven song, Bessain began to question which was worse; stuck in that small dark guest room, or stuck outside with serenading dwarves.

[Gwyn]

(Bear with me I'm rather rusty at this)


"Come on Thalion you are making to much of this, I’m sure all is forgotten and forgiven. Five summers have passed and there will be tears of joy when we return to Mirkwood and not the bitterness you foretell."

Thalion shakes his head. "Forgiveness never was and likely is still not our fathers strong suit Tómas. I doubt that 5 years of absents has done anything to change him. I will ride with you until we the crossroads but there our journey will end. I will keep riding to the west until I reach the great sea and stay for a while with mother’s kin, where I’m sure I’ll hear all about father’s rants about my character. I admit I said too much, but too much was said on both sides, and he will never see me as his son again. I will not fight old battles with him again; it would bring nothing but sorrow to mother and girls. My mind is set Tómas, I will not return to my family." The conversation between Thalion and his brother end though neither would rest well this night.

Little was said the next morning and when the brothers embraced and went their own way. Thalion sat and watched his brother until he finally dropped from site entering the Mirkwood forest. Thalion road west for another three days until he reached the banks of the Anduin and then turned north. He reached the old forest road on the fourth day and followed it west over the Anduin River and into the High Pass of the Misty Mountains. The cold of the high Misty Mountains was in stark contrast to the heat of the deserts beyond the Sea of Rhûn. Thalion rode down into Eriador staying on the Great East Rode for two days. On the morning of the third day he spotted a larger party of dwarves still a mile or two away. He watched them for a minute and was surprised by something he saw. “What the hell is she doing with dwarves?” he muttered out loud. He grabbed his horn and gave two loud blasts of the Mirkwood hail and rode on to meet them.

[Bessain]

As predicted, her small mount tired at a surprisingly fast pace with the weight of Bessain's heavy tack and the extra rider. So to give the beast temporary relief, Bessain got down and walked beside him. Granite seemed uneasy about staying on top of a horse alone at first, but soon got used to the idea.

The other dwarves were a rowdy bunch indeed. It was common for travelers to be excited at the start of their journey. Who wouldn't be? Dagoron was dangling stories of untold riches in their faces. But these dwarves hooted and howled for hours on end about how successful they'd be in a few days and it gave Bessain a headache. Normally she would have advised them to keep quiet, for fear of attracting less-then-desirable guests on their quest. But honestly she was hoping an orc or two would attempt to ambush their party and silence a few of their party members for her.

The blast of a horn spurred Bessain's hopes before her mind could register the sounds origin. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment when she finally recognized it as a Mirkwood horn. The older dwarves behind Bessain stopped chatting and looked on at the stranger approaching them with distrust. The younger ones wouldn't stop asking questions, even when they noted the tension in their seniors. Bessain, glad for once to be near elven borders, looked on with unusal hopefulness. But as soon as she identified the stranger she quickly hid the look, knowing full well that it was out of character for her to enjoy being where she was with anyone (much less dwarves).

"Suilad Thalion," she said when horse and rider finally skidded to a halt in the loosely graveled terrain.

[Naucoaran]

Once the new comer came closer Dagoron recognized the elf. "Ah, so if it isn't that smelly dog Thalion!" the dwarf said in a joking way. "Fancy seein you out ere." he said in a lower less exaggerative voice. Some of the dwarves were still a little uneasy at the appearance of another elf. Some of them had stuck to the more recent ideas of hatred to the elves but grudgingly learned that they were not as bad as they thought they were. "Ease yer arms boys." he said as he patted the air behind him. "This one dun bite."
Granite looked at the other elf with slight curiosity, he had always wondered about their people and their ways. They varied in personalities almost as much as humans did. Some could be the kind considerate type while others were the more strict and serious. They could prefer to remain solitary traveling or in communities their whole life. He would have to ask him about it later on if they ever met again. Chances were slim that they would ever see each other again unless he joined with them but some of the others might be a bit untrusting.

[Gwyn]

Thalion pulls up and looks at Bessain and docs his head. “Suilaid Bessain, I hope all is well with you”. He lowers his gaze. “Well Dagoron, it has been a while. Though once met I doubt anyone could forget the experience of meeting you. It is good to see again my friend.” Thalion leans over and glances at the ram-shackled company of dwarves remaining behind Dagoron and Bessain. He sits up looking somewhat puzzled and shifts his gaze to Bessain. “Let me guess, you’re leading a group of Khazâd warriors in a revenge strike against a pitifully small band of thieving orcs?” He may have been gone and out of touch for some time but Thalion knew that when Bessain is involved with Dagoron, there is usually quite a story to be told. "I can hardly wait to hear this tale." He mutters quietly.

[Bessain]

Bessain shrugged in reply to Thalion. "Sorry to disappoint you, but this expedition is slightly different. As much as I'd love to fill you in on whats happening, this is neither my troop to lead nor my story to tell." She had tried to make her answer sound as harsh as possible, but for some reason it sounded too friendly to her. The fact that there was another being in the world besides herself, who was not a dwarf, was overwhelming.

When they found a spot to settle down for the night, Thalion was invited to stay and eat with them. Anything said about their quest was left up to Dagoron to answer. It was his mission and his party, therefore his reply would be the only one given.

[Gwyn]

The meal was traditional dwarven fair, which meant that there was a generous helping of meat and there was even ale. Thalion partook of the meal though in small portions and limited his ale intake knowing what dwarven ale can do to the hardiest soul. He watched Bessain in the dancing light of the fire but averted his eyes anytime she made any move. She was still the same elleth he had seen last some six years ago and true to herself. In Thalion’s eyes she was a loner and also a law unto herself, not at the whim of decisions made far off or one to follow all the rules. He felt a connection to her for now he was a rouge, an outcast who would not return to the hallowed Mirkwood. His reasons for not returning were his own, as Bessain’s were her own.

Some of the younger dwarves sat closer to Thalion but well out of arms reach and questioned him until one or two of the senior dwarves pushed them side and asked their own questions. Thalion was asked about the Mirkwood and of the resent troubles with the orcs. Thalion explained that he knew nothing of the current problems and told them of his journey deep into the lands of Rhûn and of the great desert beyond the Sea of Rhûn, and of their battles with the orcs and hostile men. He skirted around the issue of not returning to the Mirkwood and told them he preferred a solitary life and said nothing of his plan to continue on to Mithlond. “There is no one who awaits me and I alone decide which road to take and when. Much like Bessain, though it would seem Dagoron is able to sway her from time to time. Gentlemen I have ridden far and hard today and I am weary.” With that Thalion thanked them for the meal and the company and bid them goodnight.

[Bessain]

It was much easier to be around dwarves when their attention was focused at someone else. Leaning back against her pack, Bessain ate in silence; enjoying the fact that no one was tugging at her sleeve or shouting in her sensitive ears. She could not understand the dwarven fascination with yelling straight into your face when they were trying to carry on a conversation that was usually one sided anyway. It was like they could talk to air but felt odd talking to nothing, and so they needed an actual body to sit in front of them. She thought of the possibility that all dwarves were deaf and realized that she had never actually seen Dagoron's ears, as it was usually covered by hair or his helmet.

Thalion, at one point in the conversation, compared Bessain's occupation with his. The prospect of seeing herself through someone else's eyes struck her profoundly since she could usually care less about what other people thought of her. The few friends that she did keep were preferrably people who possesed a substantial amount of character. Normally they accepted her secretive side enough to respect the perimeter around her mental security. But Thalion's observation really rubbed her the wrong way. The way he said it made it sound as if she thoroughly enjoyed solitude. Bessain enjoyed how peaceful a solitary life could be, but quite recently she found that the thing she feared most of all was to truly be alone. Such was the irony of her life. This new revelation visited her thoughts often, causing her to wonder if she was wrong in choosing such a life. Bessain knew that Thalion had not meant to bother her this way, so she told herself to calm down and forced the thought from her mind. She was tired but didn't want to sleep, it was one thing to have to fight off exhaustion at the moment; she refused to add frustration to her list of enemies.

As soon as Thalion left to rest, Bessain turned towards Dagoron. The dwarf had not mentioned anything of their quest to Thalion. She had also noted that Thalion had not said anything about where he was heading. For someone that they claimed to know and trust, there seemed to be a lot of secrecy passing amongst the three of them. "Guess he won't be joning us then, he doesnt want to enter Mirkwood... despite the fact that we should be in and out."

Pity, she thought to herself. I so would have enjoyed getting back at him for earlier.

Bessain took second watch that night, not caring who she stepped on while making her way out of the camp. She honestly wished that one of them had been Thalion. With her back to the firelight she focused completely on the dark wilderness before her, using a state of mind that one truly needed when traveling alone.

[Naucoaran]

Dagoron, for once, did not immediately go to sleep when the others did. Sitting on the hard comfortable ground was tempting his eyelids to close but he wasn't mentally ready yet. Inside his thick head he was having a mental battle with himself as to if he should invite the new comer on the journey. On one hand he had known the elf for a little while and another elf might help Bessain retain some sanity some time longer then she would have with just the dwarves.
On the other hand his father had inspected every companion and looked if they were reliable to go on the quest. He had even looked Bessain over before she went, not taking Dagoron, his own son, by his word that she was reliable. The others would want proof that this elf had the guts to travel with them. They would have to test him. It was the only way seeing as they had already put a days journey behind them and his father ha now passed.
Laughing lightly to himself he rolled over onto his side. They would need to test his character, dexterity, strength, and endurance. And Dagoron might have found the perfect way to do them all at once. He fell asleep with a smile on his face. (Hope you don’t mind me skipping to morning here.) Later before dawn He was woken by one of the other dwarves for his turn at watch. Stretching the red bearded dwarf rolled over then jumped to his feet when his idea sparked back into his mind. Laughing to himself he dismissed the tired and confused companion and quietly went to work preparing the test.

[Gwyn]

Thalion didn’t rest well that night and was up well before the first stars faded. He was not looking forward to arriving in Mithlond and having his aunt lecture him on his hostile relationship with his father for days on end, and if there was a way out of going he would take it. What made things worse was the knowledge that something was going with Bess and Dagoron, and it wasn’t something minor. There were enough of them to take on a small company of orcs but if that had been the case they wouldn’t have been able to keep it quiet about it. He’d never known the dwarves to be so closed mouthed about their intentions so something more serious was going on but he could only speculate though he had a couple of ideas.

Thalion had left the camp in the dark and the dwarf sentinel heard and knew nothing of it. He walked through the woods looking for signs of wild boar which made for a good breakfast and one that Dagoron and his company would enjoy; though Bess likely would likely eat none of it once she knew that he had provided it. The boar was simple enough to find and he killed a fine big male while it still slept. He gutted and dressed the meat using it’s skin to carry it back to the camp. He made his way back into camp unnoticed by the dwarves as daylight was breaking. Dagoron was no where to be seen so Thalion dropped the meat beside the dwarf tending the fire, “Your breakfast with my complements.” He said and gave a slight bow. Dagoron was nowhere in site but Thalion figured he’d be back once the meat was on the spit or in the pan. Come to think of it he didn’t see Bess around either.

[Bessain]

With yesterday's excitement now long gone, Bessain was perfectly content to sleep in and leave the work load to the dwarves. If some dwarf hadn't started messing with her weapons early that morning she would have succeeded. She opened her eyes to find one of the younger dwarves with his back to her, fingering her bow. He didn't notice the fact that she was awake, so she threw off her blanket, swung her legs around, and kicked him in the behind. The impact sent him staggering forward a couple steps until he fell on his face. He came back up spitting dirt and sputtering curses. Bessain collected her weapons while he brushed the sand out of his eyes. The now angry dwarf grabbed his club, swung it over his
head for a double-handed strike and charged Bessain.

The overly annoyed elf didn't even bother to draw her weapons. It was too wide and slow of a move to bother countering. With the flat of her sheathed sword she smacked the dwarf's helmet down over his eyes and stepped out of his way. His helmet smashed into the bridge of his nose and he dropped his club to clutch at his now bloody face.

"Touch it again and I'll shoot you with it," she warned, not forgetting the crime against her bow. Just for safe keeping she strapped it and quiver onto her back.

Thankfully the spot she had chosen to bed down in was farther away from anywhere the dwarves had chosen to pass out in. No one saw her little scuffle with the lone dwarf. Atleast, she didn't think anyone did. Hopefully he would be too proud to admit that he was beaten by an elf. She didn't want to start any fights between her and the other dwarves. That was the last thing she needed on this journey.

She joined the senior dwarves for breakfast, hoping to get some information on Dagoron's whereabouts. No one knew anything. At one point, she wondered how the dwarves came across the boar. Bessain didn't remember hearing anything squeal that morning. She even checked the meat to make sure nothing was wrong with it and that it was properly cooked. They didn't need any sick dwarves. Deciding that somethings were better left unsaid, she dropped her guard and ate her fill.

[Naucoaran]

Dagoron stood with his hands on his hips looking proudly at his creation. At least it was a creation in a way, you had to be imaginative. He had been able to make something of a course in the mirkwood trees leading to the top branches where he had spotted a large spider web. Not one of the normal small spiders who had big plans for his life. It was one of the famed giant spiders who nested in mirkwood, with a painful bite and webs stronger then steel. That’s where the final part would be, although he didn't know if it was an abandoned nest or not. He decided he would take the risk anyways, after all he wasn't going to be the one up there.
Traveling back to the group he sat down and enjoyed a somewhat light meal. After which he went to Thalion who was sitting relatively by himself. "I s'pose yer wonderin why were out here and all. I can't really tell you unless you are with us. And I can't really let ye be with us unless yer worthy o' it. I know ye are good as any fer the quest but the others'll want proof. Regardless it'll be fun for ye ter test yer self against the wilds again, see if ye are rusty in yer work. He slapped the elf on the back then started to walk away, "Better hurry, Granite can't wait fer a rescuer for too long." he said over his shoulder.
While he was explaining things to Thalion three other dwarves who had been told what Dagoron planned had gathered a resisting Granite and lugged him up and into the spider web to await a rescuer. They had taken his mace and given him a length of rope; telling him that if the elf had been able to get to him that he would tie himself onto the elf’s back and be carried down by his rescuer. Granite had hated the idea and was forced into the job of damsel in distress. "Get me outta 'ere!" the usually calm and well spoken dwarf yelled from the middle of the spider web. "How d'ya know that the spider isn’t even 'ere anymore!?" he continued to bellow.