AN : This is a short one as I felt the end of it would be a good stepping off point for CH11. Hope this is living up to your expectations!
Bale tumbled out on the other side, rolling down a set of stone stairs and coming to a stop the bottom. In the cascading light of the gate he sat up to see the man who threw him through emerge at a run. He ran to the pedestal, and hit the controls, effectively shutting down the portal. Bale looked around, realizing he was in another forest, which as he stood and rubbed the pain from his soon to be bruised arms, he pondered if all gates were in similar places. The man was hunched over the console, catching his breath, when he turned his eyes to Bale.
"Sorry about that boy." he said standing up, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I didn't think you'd want to stay with that bunch of killers." The man wore a dirty canvas shirt, the brown stains on it nearly matching his shoulder length matted hair. One arm was covered in metallic plates, like a part of some armour, that was secured with leather straps over his shoulder and torso. His pants were a kind of leather, and in a state of badly needed repair. His weapon was in his hands, with a long leather strap looped in such away as to carry it. Any exposed skin that Bale could see had scars, including his face. Bale stood silently trying to figure out what to say, and the man started to look tired and nervous all at once. "Well..." he began, gesturing at the trees around them,"... no place like home right. Thanks for your help boy." The man started to walk off, heading for what looked like the start of a path.
"Wait!" shouted Bale, surprising himself at the volume. "Where are you going?" The man didn't even look over his shoulder.
"Away from the gate. Maybe find some food."
"We should stick together!" Bale's mind suddenly switched to suspicion after making the statement. He didn't know this man, and it was obvious that the Wraith were after him if the number of them pursuing him was any indication. He could be dangerous.
"You'll be better off on your own boy." said the man disappearing into the woods. Quickly Bale gathered his things and threw his pack on. He ran into the woods, seeing that the man was already a good distance off, becoming obscured by the leafy low foliage. The ground was uneven and soft, making going rough as he climbed over deadfall, or plowed through bushes, and around trees. The 'path' wasn't much of one at all from what he could tell, or at the very least hadn't been used in a very long time. As Bale bashed on through the greenery, he heard a snap sound, and was suddenly cased up in a large rough net, shouting in surprise. Several feet above the ground, he hung captive in a large net, bobbing from a pulley set into a very large branch. He was so tangled that his arms hooked on everything, and the angle that he was hanging at made moving more difficult.
"Help!" he yelled, alternately hoping for, and dreading assistance. As he struggled he heard rustling below him, and couldn't see who or what was there.
"You really know how to get into trouble don't you kid." said the man below sarcastically. "Hold on." After a minute or two, Bale was falling. The tension of the net relaxed as he crashed into the ground, dropping over top of him. The man helped him get untangled, and then stood there as Bale finished the job, looking around, or rather through the undergrowth. "Better?"
"Yes." said Bale picking a leaf out of his collar. "Thank you."
"Alright then. Stay out of trouble." Once again he began to walk off. Bale stood up and trailed after him calling for the man to stop. "Look kid, when I said you were better off on your own I wasn't joking around."
"Is it because the Wraith are after you?" asked Bale rushing to catch up to the mans long stride.
"Yeah, that's part of it. That and I'm not good around children alright?" He got back on to the path and took a look, determining the direction he wanted to go in.
"You could at least tell me your name!" shouted Bale as he stepped into soft ground, getting his foot stuck a little in the mud. He saw the man turn, exasperated.
"Tremaine. Alright? Tremaine Prell. Now would you please stop shouting." Bale pulled his foot free, a small happiness at seeing his shoe was still on his foot, and set off again following Tremaine. He eventually caught up with him just as the forest broke into small clearing. At the far side was a village, smoke rising from chimneys atop well constructed buildings. At one end they could see a large wheel, it apex turning visibly past the rooftops, which Bale presumed was a mill of sorts, and likely a river. He looked at Tremaine, who observed the activity he could see, some villagers working in garden patches, a man chopping wood, and so forth. His expression was worrisome.
"What's wrong?" asked Bale, viewing the scene as if it was something like home. Normal people doing normal everyday work to make it to the next day. A pang of homesickness hit him.
"I don't like people I don't know." Bale caught the double meaning, and pressed a little.
"Well how do you know you don't like them until you meet them?" With that he started walking across the clearing. Tremaine came up behind him after a moment, and asked his name, to which Bale gave it.
"Well Bale, whatever we find here I won't be staying long." said Tremaine, looking about as if something was going to jump up at them. Bale was suddenly annoyed at his new companion, and shot him a small sidelong look as they walked. He noticed that the man chopping wood had stopped and was watching them. Also the people tending their garden had mostly ceased working as well. A woman in a dark blue dress walked across the field to intercept them. As she approached Bale stuck a hand up in greeting, as it was clear that Tremaine wasn't going to say anything.
"Hello. My name is Bale, and this is my friend Tremaine Prell. We're travelers hoping to find lodging for the night." Out of the corner of his eye he caught a surprised expression from Tremaine, unsure as to why. The lady, a long blonde braid hanging from out under a blue kerchief, put a dirty hand on her breast and bowed. "My name is Katy. This is the village of Trom, as small as it is. Are you from one of the other villages over the mountains?" Before Bale could answer Tremaine jumped in.
"Yes. We're from a small village also, just past the mountains." Bale didn't say anything, waiting for the whole thing to play out. He decided to confront Tremaine about it later. Katy looked at the two of them, and just nodded her head a little.
"As you wish. Trom has a small inn that would suit your needs if you like. If you have no way to pay, I'm sure our headman could come up with a bargain for you for food and lodging." She turned and began to walk, expecting the two to follow from what Bale could garner. He looked at Tremaine clear on his face that he was confused and annoyed by the lie.
"Trust me kid. This isn't as good as it looks."