A/N: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY BETA, SORCERESS OF ROHAN. She helped me so
much with this story.
This is the prologue to a story that has been in my head for quite a while now. I actually have basically the whole plot developed, so it shouldn't take as long for me to update as it does for the Steel in her Eyes. Hopefully, I'll be able to juggle two stories at once.
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. I own Serni (the person, not the river), and Celothia, and the River Thiolan. As of now, that is it. Read and review please!
Here we go!
Aragorn surveyed his surroundings. He stood in a small clearing of the forest that covered parts of the White Mountains and extended below. He held up a hand, halting his companion.
"We rest here tonight, Halbarad."
"Why," he asked. "This is near the edge of the forest. Just a league south is Celothia. We can stay in an inn there."
"Long has it been since Celothia was a thriving port city. When the river Thiolan dried up, the town did also. It is now a rats' warren, a place for thieves and prostitutes. We would lose every belonging without realizing it was gone until we were leagues away."
"Ah." Halbarad lay out his bedroll, and commenced collecting twigs for a small fire. "I stayed there twenty years ago, when the river had just dried up. I remember hungry faces, but not to the extent you describe."
Aragorn lit the fire and roasted a small rabbit they had found earlier over it. They two men sat eating contentedly until Halbarad spoke.
"I will take the first watch. You go to sleep." Aragorn nodded and curled up inside of his bedroll.
Bulbous green eyes looked on from above. A young girl quietly climbed down the tree she was in. She crept through the bushes, taking careful care not to be heard. Her hair was matted with twigs and brush, and she wore men's clothing without shoes.
She came upon the Rangers' camp. Inspecting the scene before her, she quickly located the bags which the food would be stored in. Just as she was about to take a step forward, she heard a yawn and paused. She looked around once more and spotted a head of brown hair where Halbarad leaned against a tree, facing the other way. She quietly snuck in, carefully stepping over the sleeping man's body.
She reached out, and just as her hand was on the food, another hand smacked hers. The child gulped as she felt a knife at her throat.
Aragorn woke with a start to the sound of struggling and muffled yells. He saw Halbarad tightly holding a child against him, a knife at her throat. Barely any of her face showed behind a mask of leaves and dirt.
"Halbarad, put the knife down. It's a little girl." He knelt so that he faced her eye to eye. "Child, what is your name?" She spat on his cheek. Halbarad shook her roughly.
Aragorn gently took her from his grasp and pressed on her shoulders until her knees buckled and she collapsed on the ground. With one swift movement, he pinned her arms beneath her. "Would you like to do this the easy way or the hard way? It makes no difference to me."
She scowled at him. "They call me Quickfingers, mostly."
"A fitting name. Who calls you this?"
"Ev'rybody."
"Well, Quickfingers, do you care to explain why you had you hands in our bags?"
"I wasn't hurtin' nobody. I was just gonna take the food. You can hunt and get more. Me and my gang are starving back home."
"Where are your parents, child?" Halbarad asked.
"Me ma got arrested again two months back. Don't got no pa." There was no remorse or sadness in her tone. She sounded indifferent to the situation. Halbarad and Aragorn exchanged glances over her head.
"I am Aragorn, and this is my companion, Halbarad. Are you from Celothia?" Aragorn inquired.
"Aye."
Halbarad and Aragorn had a hurried whispered conference.
"We cannot let her go back there. She is practically an orphan, and she already thieves."
"Precisely, Aragorn, she thieves. We cannot allow her to come with us."
"She lives in one of the poorest towns in Gondor. Soon she will follow the example of the other women in that village and turn to prostitution in exchange for food. If I can prevent that even in just one child, than I will."
"Look at her. There is no meat on her bones. She's a scrawny piece of bone and flesh. She-" Halbarad broke off abruptly as he snatched a hand out to prevent her from taking their food and running. He once again held her to him, covering her ears with his hands. "One day on the road and she will steal our food and run."
"She'll have no reason to steal our food if we give it to her. If we feed her, she won't run off."
Halbarad relented and released her.
"The first thing we need to do," Aragorn said, "is give you a name. You cannot go by Quickfingers any longer."
"How come? Been doin' fine with it up 'til now. I don't see no reason to change."
"You have been living in the streets. Now, you are traveling with me, and Quickfingers will not work if we have to meet anyone important. I will call you Serni."
"Why should I travel with you? Maybe I don't want to travel with you."
"We have food. If you travel with us, you will not have to steal because you will already have everything you need. Speaking of, we will need to find you a good pair of shoes. And the second thing. You need a bath."
"I do not need a bath. I bathed not a month ago!"
Aragorn swiftly bent down, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder in one fluid movement. He carried her through the forest, ignoring her squirming and protesting. He reached a shallow part of the River Celos and threw her in the water. She rose to the surface sputtering and swearing. He tossed a bar of soap at her. "If you bathe thoroughly and come out clean, we will feed you." He set down his spare change of clothing. "Put these on when you get out, and wash your clothes too."
He walked back to the makeshift camp, leaving Serni to scowl and swear. Halbarad was waiting for him. "Is this wise?" he asked Aragorn.
Aragorn looked at him. "With proper training, she could become a fearsome warrior and a valuable asset. She has spunk enough. I do not know if this is wise. But I do believe it is the right thing to do. My conscience would not be clear if I allowed her to go back to that hellhole."
"Ugly little scrap of a girl, isn't she." There was no question in this sentence; Halbarad said it as one merely giving facts."
"Who could tell behind all that dirt? Once we can see her face, she could be quite beautiful."
"Aragorn," Halbarad paused, as if contemplating his next sentence. "Not that I do not admire that you are taking this child in out of the goodness of your heart..." His voice faded off before he cleared his throat and continued, "But why do you care so much? If the whole town is like that, one girl taken out of poverty does not make up for all the others."
"Maybe not." Aragorn turned and looked at Halbarad, meeting his gaze with his grey eyes. "But if I were to return and rule one day, I want as few unhappy and hungry people in this realm as possible. One person may not make a difference. Or one person may make all the difference."
The two men regarded each in silence until a voice said, "Can I eat now?" Both men jumped slightly and looked down. Unbeknownst to them, Serni had finished bathing and was standing between the two Rangers. Looking her over to make sure she was clean, Aragorn chuckled. The girl had tucked the shirt that hung down to her knees inside of the breeches, which still dragged on the ground, even though she had them pulled up to her chest. Taking off his belt, Aragorn bent down and swiftly looped it around her waist to hold the breeches up. Rising up again, Aragorn motioned for her to eat the food he set out for her. Both men stood agape watching her eat. She stuffed food in her mouth with almost alarming speed and alacrity.
"And the first lesson will without a doubt be manners," Aragorn muttered to Halbarad, who nodded openmouthed. He took advantage of her distraction to carefully appraise her. With the mud off of her face, one could see that her skin was a pale ivory color. Her hair was jet black and reached just below her shoulders. Bulging green eyes contrasted even more sharply a gaunt face. Her prominent cheekbones stood out above hollow cheeks, a mark of long starvation. She was scrawny, and she wore no shoes.
"She will need both shoes and clothes that actually fit." Aragorn nodded. He had been thinking the same thing.
"When we arrive at Pelarg, we will get her both."
"I thought we were going to Minas Tirith."
"You can. I will get the child suitable clothing at Pelarg, but then I will take her to Rivendell to see about her education."
This is the prologue to a story that has been in my head for quite a while now. I actually have basically the whole plot developed, so it shouldn't take as long for me to update as it does for the Steel in her Eyes. Hopefully, I'll be able to juggle two stories at once.
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. I own Serni (the person, not the river), and Celothia, and the River Thiolan. As of now, that is it. Read and review please!
Here we go!
Aragorn surveyed his surroundings. He stood in a small clearing of the forest that covered parts of the White Mountains and extended below. He held up a hand, halting his companion.
"We rest here tonight, Halbarad."
"Why," he asked. "This is near the edge of the forest. Just a league south is Celothia. We can stay in an inn there."
"Long has it been since Celothia was a thriving port city. When the river Thiolan dried up, the town did also. It is now a rats' warren, a place for thieves and prostitutes. We would lose every belonging without realizing it was gone until we were leagues away."
"Ah." Halbarad lay out his bedroll, and commenced collecting twigs for a small fire. "I stayed there twenty years ago, when the river had just dried up. I remember hungry faces, but not to the extent you describe."
Aragorn lit the fire and roasted a small rabbit they had found earlier over it. They two men sat eating contentedly until Halbarad spoke.
"I will take the first watch. You go to sleep." Aragorn nodded and curled up inside of his bedroll.
Bulbous green eyes looked on from above. A young girl quietly climbed down the tree she was in. She crept through the bushes, taking careful care not to be heard. Her hair was matted with twigs and brush, and she wore men's clothing without shoes.
She came upon the Rangers' camp. Inspecting the scene before her, she quickly located the bags which the food would be stored in. Just as she was about to take a step forward, she heard a yawn and paused. She looked around once more and spotted a head of brown hair where Halbarad leaned against a tree, facing the other way. She quietly snuck in, carefully stepping over the sleeping man's body.
She reached out, and just as her hand was on the food, another hand smacked hers. The child gulped as she felt a knife at her throat.
Aragorn woke with a start to the sound of struggling and muffled yells. He saw Halbarad tightly holding a child against him, a knife at her throat. Barely any of her face showed behind a mask of leaves and dirt.
"Halbarad, put the knife down. It's a little girl." He knelt so that he faced her eye to eye. "Child, what is your name?" She spat on his cheek. Halbarad shook her roughly.
Aragorn gently took her from his grasp and pressed on her shoulders until her knees buckled and she collapsed on the ground. With one swift movement, he pinned her arms beneath her. "Would you like to do this the easy way or the hard way? It makes no difference to me."
She scowled at him. "They call me Quickfingers, mostly."
"A fitting name. Who calls you this?"
"Ev'rybody."
"Well, Quickfingers, do you care to explain why you had you hands in our bags?"
"I wasn't hurtin' nobody. I was just gonna take the food. You can hunt and get more. Me and my gang are starving back home."
"Where are your parents, child?" Halbarad asked.
"Me ma got arrested again two months back. Don't got no pa." There was no remorse or sadness in her tone. She sounded indifferent to the situation. Halbarad and Aragorn exchanged glances over her head.
"I am Aragorn, and this is my companion, Halbarad. Are you from Celothia?" Aragorn inquired.
"Aye."
Halbarad and Aragorn had a hurried whispered conference.
"We cannot let her go back there. She is practically an orphan, and she already thieves."
"Precisely, Aragorn, she thieves. We cannot allow her to come with us."
"She lives in one of the poorest towns in Gondor. Soon she will follow the example of the other women in that village and turn to prostitution in exchange for food. If I can prevent that even in just one child, than I will."
"Look at her. There is no meat on her bones. She's a scrawny piece of bone and flesh. She-" Halbarad broke off abruptly as he snatched a hand out to prevent her from taking their food and running. He once again held her to him, covering her ears with his hands. "One day on the road and she will steal our food and run."
"She'll have no reason to steal our food if we give it to her. If we feed her, she won't run off."
Halbarad relented and released her.
"The first thing we need to do," Aragorn said, "is give you a name. You cannot go by Quickfingers any longer."
"How come? Been doin' fine with it up 'til now. I don't see no reason to change."
"You have been living in the streets. Now, you are traveling with me, and Quickfingers will not work if we have to meet anyone important. I will call you Serni."
"Why should I travel with you? Maybe I don't want to travel with you."
"We have food. If you travel with us, you will not have to steal because you will already have everything you need. Speaking of, we will need to find you a good pair of shoes. And the second thing. You need a bath."
"I do not need a bath. I bathed not a month ago!"
Aragorn swiftly bent down, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder in one fluid movement. He carried her through the forest, ignoring her squirming and protesting. He reached a shallow part of the River Celos and threw her in the water. She rose to the surface sputtering and swearing. He tossed a bar of soap at her. "If you bathe thoroughly and come out clean, we will feed you." He set down his spare change of clothing. "Put these on when you get out, and wash your clothes too."
He walked back to the makeshift camp, leaving Serni to scowl and swear. Halbarad was waiting for him. "Is this wise?" he asked Aragorn.
Aragorn looked at him. "With proper training, she could become a fearsome warrior and a valuable asset. She has spunk enough. I do not know if this is wise. But I do believe it is the right thing to do. My conscience would not be clear if I allowed her to go back to that hellhole."
"Ugly little scrap of a girl, isn't she." There was no question in this sentence; Halbarad said it as one merely giving facts."
"Who could tell behind all that dirt? Once we can see her face, she could be quite beautiful."
"Aragorn," Halbarad paused, as if contemplating his next sentence. "Not that I do not admire that you are taking this child in out of the goodness of your heart..." His voice faded off before he cleared his throat and continued, "But why do you care so much? If the whole town is like that, one girl taken out of poverty does not make up for all the others."
"Maybe not." Aragorn turned and looked at Halbarad, meeting his gaze with his grey eyes. "But if I were to return and rule one day, I want as few unhappy and hungry people in this realm as possible. One person may not make a difference. Or one person may make all the difference."
The two men regarded each in silence until a voice said, "Can I eat now?" Both men jumped slightly and looked down. Unbeknownst to them, Serni had finished bathing and was standing between the two Rangers. Looking her over to make sure she was clean, Aragorn chuckled. The girl had tucked the shirt that hung down to her knees inside of the breeches, which still dragged on the ground, even though she had them pulled up to her chest. Taking off his belt, Aragorn bent down and swiftly looped it around her waist to hold the breeches up. Rising up again, Aragorn motioned for her to eat the food he set out for her. Both men stood agape watching her eat. She stuffed food in her mouth with almost alarming speed and alacrity.
"And the first lesson will without a doubt be manners," Aragorn muttered to Halbarad, who nodded openmouthed. He took advantage of her distraction to carefully appraise her. With the mud off of her face, one could see that her skin was a pale ivory color. Her hair was jet black and reached just below her shoulders. Bulging green eyes contrasted even more sharply a gaunt face. Her prominent cheekbones stood out above hollow cheeks, a mark of long starvation. She was scrawny, and she wore no shoes.
"She will need both shoes and clothes that actually fit." Aragorn nodded. He had been thinking the same thing.
"When we arrive at Pelarg, we will get her both."
"I thought we were going to Minas Tirith."
"You can. I will get the child suitable clothing at Pelarg, but then I will take her to Rivendell to see about her education."