Dreams of Power [ Lord of the Rings x Silmarillion ]

Caravan

The caravan began their journey that morning in high spirits. Adira and her black mare trotted alongside her sister, Malika, who sat upon a brown colt. To the other side of Malika rode Elboron. The young girl liked the man from the Reunited Kingdom.

“Tell me about the girl I will be living with,” Malika begged of him yet again.

Elboron smiled. “Sídhil. She’s the youngest daughter of the King and Queen.”

Malika nodded. “What does she look like?”

“Sídhil is tall for her age, a little taller than you. She’s got dark hair and pale skin, and grey eyes just like her mother.” Elboron shook his head as he thought about her. “She's also a little rascal.”

Malika nodded forcefully. “I look forward to meeting her.”

Adira, listening in but not responding, finally chuckled. She looked at her youngest sister and shook her head. “Of course you are.”

“Maybe it isn't such a good idea to introduce Malika and Sídhil,” teased Fëalas, who dropped back from the front to talk with them. “Perhaps Malika should stay in Hidor.”

The girl laughed and shook her head in protest. “No!”

The land passed by them slowly. As the day progressed and the sun rose higher, they did their best to stay hydrated and cool. It was a difficult task, but there were outposts along this main road from Hidor through Near Harad and into the Reunited Kingdom. They planned on stopping in on Prince Elphir, Lady Orla, and their son Alphros in Dol Amroth.

They had been instructed to retrieve Alphros from Dol Amroth and bring him to Minas Tirith for him to begin concentrated training with Aderthon. The boy, eighteen years old now, showed a great affinity for swordplay. It was something Aderthon wanted to cultivate in him. Elboron agreed with him, and was eager to watch Alphros’ training begin in earnest.

By evening, they reached an inn on the road that was called Nomad’s Paradise. It had a large stable, large enough for all the horses. Fëalas dismounted and, with Sarnor at her side, walked up to the door and in.

The inn was very large, with old wooden floors and some sand that had been tracked inside littering the ground. To the left were all the rooms, and to the right, a tavern area. A Haradrim man stood behind a counter talking with a few Variags, visitors from Khand based on their very dark skin.

Eventually the men noticed the two pale skinned Gondorians standing at the door and stopped their talking to stare. Finally, shuffling her feet and twirling her red hair, Fëalas spoke up.

“Greetings. I am Fëalas, Captain of the Southern Dunedain of the Reunited Kingdom. We are on a mission for Chief Saleem of Hidor, traveling north.” She paused before continuing. “We request rooms for the night, housing for sixteen.”

“How many rooms?” The innkeeper asked. “Two to a room?”

Fëalas nodded with a small smile. “That would work, yes. Eight rooms.”

“You can pay?” He added this quickly as the Variags moved off into the tavern.

Fëalas drew out a small sack of gold coins and placed them on the counter. “Should be enough.”

The innkeeper smiled and nodded. “Indeed. Stable your horses and then bring the others inside. I will instruct my servants to show you to your rooms.”

Fëalas and Sarnor left the room and wandered out into the chilly night. The moon and stars were bright, and a brazier cast a warm glow about them as the redhead told her company to stable their horses.