At Macar's question she shook her head. "Nah, the only thing I have skill with is the staff." Daine had managed to find a somewhat drier path in the marsh, but it was completely infested with gnats and biting insects. Swating at a few Daine gave a cry of exasperation. "Thats it! I don't care how muddy all other paths are, I can't take this anymore!" Walking of the path, Daine saw to late that she had stepped into sinking mud. Waist deep in muck she glared up at them. "Well don't just stand there gapeing at me! Help." A frog hopped up beside her which did nothing to improve her temper.

_________________

Deawen smiled slightly " I'd love to help But I think I might break one of my nails of Nobility.." she laughed taking out a Rope.Aernel jumped off as Deawen knotted the rope into a loop then swung it over her head and tossed it to Daine
"grab ahold" once Daine had ahold of the rope Deawen coaxed Bredol Backwards pulling Daine out of the mud. Bredol slipped over the edge of a mound, he spooked alittle and started to side shift .they were now in deep water. Deawen's eyes grew wide as water flooded up to her feet she stood on the saddle and then shifted her weight and kicked off the saddle horn doing a Frontal flip over Bredols Head landing gracefuly on both feet to dry ground. Deawen Grabbed Bredol's reins " Roch, you have been in battle many time and fought bravely and alittle water Spooks you!" she grumbled leading him up the the slope.
a distant Rumble of thunder caught Deawen's attention
Deawen recoiled the rope and waited for the others.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Scrambling as far away from the frog as possible, Daine muttered thanks to Deawen. She was in a foul mood that day, but at the sould of far off thunder she brightened instantly. "Oh good. I love the rain! Follow me, where almost out of this accursed marsh."

_________________

Bredol choped at the bit in his Mouth Deawen urged him into a smooth gait following Daine. The clouds had gathered quickly they now loomed above them. Deawen started to feel panicked Bredol sensed her uneasiness and picked up his pace.
Over dry ground over soft wet ground it was all the same to Deawen she wrapped Her thick black cloak tighter around her.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"An unnatural bog tis is!" Macar looked uneasily to the sky, and then to the marsh, "Something calls to me." Macar stepped to the waters edge, looking in. He saw something twinkle in the light. He extended his hand into the water, reaching into the mud. He pulled out a round globe, dark as the night, with streams of midnight blue flowing inside, like a liquid. "By the light of Iluvatar!" murmered Macar, as he placed the globe in a pack around his waist, he continued on following Daine. "Mind your footing. Rain is pleasant, but not in a bog, nigh soon the marsh shall overflow." Macar felt a sense of a presence within him.....strange...it seemed.......

_________________
Do not draw you sword without cause, do not sheath it without honor.

Sen watches the surrounds, scanning for any danger. He agreed with Macar, though it was not the bog that had him worried; the clouds had swept low, and now covered the bog in a thick, dense fog. They could see each other well enough, and those gifted with better vision than others could see a bit further, but otherwise a grey mask covered all. And things were alive in a bog. He suddenly turned as he heard Macar start, and wondered at his behavior. He sighed angrily, and spoke out.*
We must stop for now. This fog is to dense to navigate through, and if one of us gets lost, more likely than not, they will not be found. We will have to set up camp until this storm passes; worse weather than just this fog is to come.

_________________
"True Evil cannot be reckoned with. Only Defeated." - Sen L I Starfire

(Banner thanks to Imlosiel the Lost! )

"Brother, if we camp, we shall be cut off untill the waters subside!" Macar answered Sen's words. "We must move on, even though the fog thickens. It's a lose/lose situation, head blindly through the fog? Or camp here and get stuck for who knows how long or possibly drown!"

_________________
Do not draw you sword without cause, do not sheath it without honor.

once again Deawen's eyes grew wide with fear " Drown!?" she said like a foregn word. the fog was dense Deawen tucked her nose and mouth into a scarf she had hidden under layers. " My lords either way danger persistest! " she cried " my sugestion is ride on horse back through the marsh once we get into the desert we should be fine. If two on each horse we should be fine...My lord Sen you know very well you and I cannot be lost from each other," she said tapping her gold medalion

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

*Sen nodded in agreement.*
Very well. Yet just to be sure, tie ropes between the horses, and keep talking, though quietly. Our ears may pick up what our eyes cannot.

_________________
"True Evil cannot be reckoned with. Only Defeated." - Sen L I Starfire

(Banner thanks to Imlosiel the Lost! )

Deawen bowed her head slightly In silent agreement.
she tossed Sen a rope she tied her end to the saddle horn
" Daine?" she asked reaching out to Daine from the saddle.
A flash of light then the roar of the heavens followed.
pat Deawen looked at a saddle bag a drop of water...pat Deawen looked over at Sen in Horror pat....Deawen pulled up her hood drew her cloak again tighter around her Aernel yipped pat...pat "Times up !" Deawen hissed grabbed Daines Arm and pulled her up in the saddle then spurred Bredol into a canter. the line tuggedvery little, as they went keeping the horses close to each other. the light was so dim it seemed like evening the rain became persistant Deawen guided Bredol through safe path with Daines help. but that path started to fade as the rain pured relentlesly " my lord sen do you remember when in osgiliath when we escourted the two children across the Aunduin?" she asked just to keep talking.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Macar took Sen's advice, "So Daine, tell my of your travels as of late. Has the world been treating you well?" Macar rubbed his hands together, he had a blister under his gauntlet, it was starting to irritate him. But we walked on, his eyes focused on Daine.

_________________
Do not draw you sword without cause, do not sheath it without honor.

as the rain poured on the water kept rising Deep enough to cover low grasses. Aernel didn't seem to notice the water she trotted on through mud and water. Deawen had slipped her feet out of the stirrups and had them tucked under her cloak. Deawen could no longer see what was before Bredol for the fog became so thick. Aernel moved littarly undre Bredols feet. Deawen looked back at Sen but she did not see him her heart sank with fearthe rope was slack! Deawen pulled on the rope to see if it was attached.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Hearing Macar's question, Daine frowned. "Ha! If the world were good to me do you think I'd be here? For a while I made a decent profit picking the pockets of Minas Tirinths good folk. But then they tried to lock me up and I made myself scarce. Even went down south of Gondor and.." here she paused and gave a side-long glance at Deawen "...took up up buisness as a smugler for a while, but nobody took me serious. They all said I either was to young or that I couldn't do it cause I was a girl. After that I gave that up and came back up here. Been roaming the Ithilien woods ever since, had a couple bad run ins' with the rangers though."

_________________

Deawen listend with half closed ears
" smuggling?" Deawen asked suddenly
"not a very good trade" she sighed "too much dealing underhand risk of getting caught not worth my neck,"
Now Mercinary work thats worth the hard work!" she said Brightly
"The Gold I am paying you with Comes from my income of Mercenary work and dealings" Deawen looked back at Daine she was smiling under her dense hood.

"and You Master Macar?" she said cutting through the fog " your weapons I find Rather fasinating. Though i did not have time to study them since you came at a bad time"

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"I always come at a bad time. I met the Rangers of Ithilien in the middle of a battle..." he chuckled at the memory. "You shall not find their make again. They are custom made, forged from the weapons of Numenor. Of course my adopted father taught me the art of smithing." Macar bowed his head for a moment, "May his spirit find the Halls of Mandos." He raised his head again to look at Deawen, "The gauntlet is of the normal ranger. With a few optional extras installed!" He laughed. "My sword is of elven make, and as for this..." He extended his hand, a small ring upon his finger, it was that of a dragon's head, with a dark crystal embedded in it's mouth. "This belonged to Feanor, Elf-Master! Given to me by one of his desendants." Macar lowered his hand, placing it around the hilt of his sword. "Are these...Bredenians friendly with Men and Elf friends?"

_________________
Do not draw you sword without cause, do not sheath it without honor.

Deawen sat thinking " lord Adrod..." she cleared her throat in correction she was not in the company of Dragon tears the mention of Lord Adrod may spark something he was well known for murders and scandals.
" my brother went to Bredena a year ago he said no elf friends there. they are easterling type. Men only...or so said."
" my brother would not permit me going to Bredena so i know very little."
Her brother was fond of taken Deawen to distant lands until Deawen Met Sen Adrod felt threatened and no longer trust his own sister. she became the enemy when the Phantoms the most elite force in the Dragon tears Pledged thier faith and loyalty to Deawen and not him she now was the head of the Dragon. Deawen could not see the ring clearly for the fog she just nodded silently.
"Numenor?"

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home