Arrival at the Prancing Pony (open to everyone)

[aranel]

The snow was now falling heavily, catching on her hood, resting in the dark strands of hair about her face that fell free from their restraints, turning curly in the dampness of every snowflake. Her breath rose in misty puffs about her face, her cloak of darkest blood red lined with black and embroidered in gold keeping in the majority of the warmth. Under it, she wore only th under-garbs of her fighting attire, but over the top wore golden and crimson robes, her dark hair topped with a golden circlet of shining leaves.

Nimkalina lay across her back, sheathed and glistening under the full moon, and the packs to either side of Kalinoth's saddle swayed with his trot. The lantern in her grip swung this way and that, casting golden yellow light upon her pale, delicate features, and from under her hair, two chilled pointed ears emerged from under the strands.

Aranel had traveled a long way, having set off at dawn, it was not late at night, if not deep into it, about to begin early morning. She had just passed the gates of Bree, now dismounting Kalinoth, her white stallion before the stabled shelter beside it. Tethering Kalinoth quickly, she pulled her pack and her bags quickly fro the saddle, and the figure clad in red, black and gold hurried inside, stamping her feet against the cold before the tavern door swung shut beside her.

Pulling down her hood in a gentle tug, she shook her hair from it's lining, and leaned against the bar, quickly ordering something to warm her fingers.

[Lily Took]

Lily had travelled with her older brother to Bree for a few weeks visit. Her father had given her several things to trade including Southfarthing Longbottom leaf, and she was only half-way through the negotiations. It was important that he stayed home and tended her mother and the farm, because even though it was winter, there were things that needed to be done around home. The ponies needed training, axes needed sharpening, clothes mending and made, and grain counted for stores. Her older sisters didn't have the mind for business that Lily had, so even though she was the youngest and not even out of her tweens her Gaffer had consented to let her brother take her with him.

Of course, on this particular night Lily was taking a break. Where her brother had gone was none of her concern, as there were a number of very spry young hobbit lasses in Bree that were fond of the Tooks. She herself had taken to the pub of the inn with a half-pint of good ale, and there laid by the fire, listening quietly to the tales of the bigger folk. The night had quite worn itself out, and Lily was starting to nod off when the door to the inn opened with a bang, and a tall, cloaked figure entered the room. Whoever it was, they were tall, richly clad, and bore a sword at their side. Several of the other patrons by the fire glanced up, but after a few moments went back to telling stories. Lily seemed the only on interested in this new Big person.

It was about this same time she looked at her mug, now empty, and formulated a reason to approach the bar. Without so much as a sound she slid away from the cushion that had held her and wandered toward the tall bar. There was a sort of step ladder for hobbits that she had been using, and it was very close to the stranger. Lily had been in Bree for four weeks now and hadn't seen the likes of this person at all.

"I'd like another half," she told the bar keep, who looked quite tired. Her mug was placed at the top of the bar, and while the keep went for the ale she snuck a glance at the stranger. It was a woman, a very tall woman, who looked cold and hungry. Having been in Bree for so long had taught Lily not to simply talk to strangers the way she would if she were in the Shire, so she kept her mouth shut and passed a basket of bread towards the woman. It was the kindest thing she could do without actually saying anything.

[aranel]

Aranel Paused, holding her eyes shut for a moment or two. They ached, having been strained to see through the dark night path, the light of her lantern burned into her visual memory so that little green and yellow dots twinkled in her sight whenever she blinked. She raised a pale, slender hand from the folds of rick cloth, sweeping the circlet from her straight dark hair, shaking it further from her hood. A veil of silken ebony hair spilled forth over her shoulders, stopping at her upper arms. The top layer of hair had been pulled back off her forehaed and wound into braids that ran back, two strands of hair falling before her ears in the typical Elven style, and from under the midnight shades of intensely dark brown hair, two chilled, pointed ears poked through into the open. She rubbed the tips of her ears, hoping to encourage the blood circulation and get them warm again as she noticed a Hobbit female approaching the bar near her. She wached the girl request another half-pint of whatever had been in her drinking vessel before, and then offered her a basket of bread.

"Thankyou," Aranel murmured, her voice soft as she inclined her head gently in gratitude. Taking a chunk of bread from the woven basket, she briefly turned back to the bar keep, sliding a cion over the countertop and asking for a pint of mulled mead. She soon turned back to the young Hobbit, extending her hand not holding the chunk of bread. "Vedui', my name is Aranel Oakstaff."

[atarielxaldarion]

Bree was a strange place indeed. Filled with hibbits, men and other races alike. I had changed so much I could hardly recognise my surroundings. My ice blonde hair was as black as jet. My cold blue eyes were fierce green. I wore a black cloak to cover my fair elvish features, casting my face in the shadows. Butterbur feared me now.

I sat down silently thinking. I had lived in Rivendell once, hadn't I? Yes... i remember. The beauty of the lights.. the love I had recieved. Yet I could speak freely now. My voice was still a thing of beauty, yet it was not silent. I looked to the side warily. spotting an elf and a hobbit next to me, I smiled for the first time in three years.

"Aranel... I believe I have heard the name before" I said airily, hiding the panic welling inside me. "If you have passed by Rivedell.... have you heard news of Golradir?" My voice was casual, yet fear coursed through my body. Was he dead? Taken? I could not begin to contemplate the horrors that I surmised.


"Daddy... what if I can't do it?"

It was two hundred and fifty
years earlier in Rivendell, and Golradir sat beside his daughter. "Now, Elanor" He said quietly (Elanor was her name then) "We all fear riding a horse for the first time"

Then, a tall, willowy woman stepped out.

"All the same, Golradir" Atariel' said. This was her mother. "My greatest fear is not that she is inadequate, but that she is powerful beyond all measure!" They all laughed, but Elanor detected a wary, scared edge to her mother's voice. three days later, she vanished.

[Lily Took]

What was this? Lily looked at the hand of the elf, and not knowing what to do took the icey thing in her hand and wiggled it a little. There was an odd pause before Lily cocked a shy smile at her. The words of her name were stuck in her throat. Was an elf actually talking to her, introducing herself as if they were to become friendly? The possibilities that ran through Lily's mind were limitless, but before she fell over backwards with the shock she managed her name.

"Lily Took. Nice to meet you."

Just then close by, another elf that was cloaked raised her voice. It was a very pretty voice, to be sure, but there was a chill in it that Lily felt. Maybe it was because she was a hobbit that she picked it up; the tone one used in idle conversation was everything, after all. Maybe it was because this elf was dark and ominous, or maybe it had to do with the fact that she thought this other elf was familiar. As far as Lily was aware, elves that travelled were not familiar with one another unless they were in the same party. Though, exceptions were always made, and Lily wouldn't be surprised if they knew each other. Middle Earth was quite small, Lily had heard.