Suladân was the first to wake up the next day. He sat up in bed and looked around at his companions, all still sound asleep. Except for Gwynne, whom was nowhere in sight. In fact, Suladân couldn't even remember whether or not she had even come into the tent with them.
Getting dressed quickly, Suladân tiptoed his way out of the tent and into the fresh morning air. He breathed deeply through his nose, his morning grogginess ebbing away. Refreshed and filled with renewed vigor, Suladân set out on the paths, not knowing what he was looking for but still feeling the need to walk.
His wandering, still upon the ground because he was not sure if he was allowed on the staircases, brought to his sight many gardens that the Elves maintained on the forest floor. As he passed a few of them, he could see Elven caretakers in some of them, starting their work early. Occasionally, one of them would raise a hand in greeting, and Suladân would return the gesture with a nod.
As Suladân came upon the next garden, he had the feeling that this one was what he was looking for. It was a very small and secluded one, just a small inlet of grass surrounded by bushes. He walked down into it and saw no Elves nearby.
Just as Suladân was beginning to wonder why he had come here and debated going back to the tent, a familiar voice spoke out behind him.
"It is hard for you to sleep." It was a statement, not a question. Suladân spun around to see Lady Galadriel walking down into the garden. "That is often a sign of a troubled mind. And guilt." Galadriel began to slowly circle about Suladân.
"I know what it is you have done, many weeks ago. What haunts your guilty mind. Those men died because of your greed and folly." she said, continuing her slow circling, Suladân turning to keep her in sight. "Only one with no respect for human life would have refused. If not immediately, then when they were faced with the task directly."
Suddenly, she stopped and turned to face Suladân and asked, "Tell me: Why did you accept the offer, even though you owed Sauron and his agents nothing?"
"Sauron? I didn't know...I never saw who was talking. And the reason I did it...I wanted to leave Near Harad. I had too much blood in my past there to continue peacefully." Suladân explained.
Try as he might, he could not resist making eye contact with Galadriel. And as soon as he did, his mind jumped to the memories of leaving the small caravan that had taken him in, stealing Dalamyr, joining the band of marauders, not much older than his tender age of 19, and the killing and pillaging that ensued.
"Get out of my head!" Suladân roared, dropping to his knees and clasping his head in his hands. Yet his mind continued to relive his experiences.
After a decade, he grew tired, bored, of the thieving lifestyle. He tried to leave, but they wouldn't let him. So he slaughtered all of them and went on, wandering the desert, always met with fear and mistrust. Until he decided to enter Old Near Harad...
Suladân sat, bent over and with his forehead pressed to the ground, his hands gripping his temples, trying to make the flow of memories of pain and death stop. He chanced a brief glance up and saw that he was alone in the garden.
Breathing deeply in an attempt to calm himself, Suladân sat up and looked around. No one was there, and the forest had become silent around him. The only sound was his heavy breathing.
Once he had calmed himself down, Suladân got to his feet and walked out of the garden. He retraced his steps to the tent where his companions slept. He sat down on the edge of the bed he had occupied, rubbing his temples and staring intently at the ground. His friends slowly began to awaken around him.
Suladân deflected any questions directed his way with silence and indifference. His friends began to worry, but as soon as they were all awake, Gwynne appeared.
"I bear a message from the Lord and Lady of Lorien." she stated. Braelorn waved her in, accompanied by a deep yawn, he was the last to wake up yet again.
"In Gandalf's message, he mentioned that a group of Warg Riders, led by the Warg Master, Skrull, would be forging North to Gladden Fields. There are many small villages in the area, and they would have no defense against them. The Lord and Lady beseech you to ride out to meet them and help the villages. You will not be forced to go, but Elven soldiers would not be able to get there on time, traveling on foot." she explained.
The companions sat in quiet consideration. Every once in a while, one of them would glance at Suladân. He would usually make this kind of decision, but he didn't appear to be paying attention to the conversation.
After a minute of silence, Braelorn spoke up, "Well, I would not want to abandon the villages when we are the only ones who can help them. I say we go." Telk was quick to agree, with Erianne and Cina a little slower to agree.
Everyone looked at Suladân, but again he was too absorbed in his own thoughts to pass comment.
"Well, then it's decided. You'll be going North to help the villages." Gwynne stated with a small smile. "I will gather the supplies you'll need to refresh your food stores, and send out a message to have your horses brought around to the Northern edge of Lorien. You'll be able to set out tomorrow." And then, Gwynne left.
The companions sat in silence once she had gone, all eyes on Suladân. It took a few minutes for him to come back to his surroundings. He looked around at all the faces directed towards him and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "What's happened?" he inquired.
Braelorn was quick to explain. "Well, we've just been given a mission to go North to stop a band of Warg Riders that are set to pillage a few villages in Gladden Fields. You missed out on voting, but the rest of us decided to go."
Suladân took a moment before answering, "Well, I'll be going as well. Nothing else to do. What of Gwynne?"
"She was the one who gave us the offer. And now she's gone to gather the supplies we'll need and to give the order to bring our horses around to the Northern edge of the forest." Erianne explained, settling back onto her bed when she was finished, assuming a bored disposition.
"I'm assuming we'll just have to wait here until tomorrow, when we're expecting to head out." Erianne stated, lying down and looking up at the canopy of the tent.
The rest of the party settled in to wait also, Suladân pulling out Gandalf's map to look for Gladden Fields. It looked like it would be a week's ride to the North. And if the Wargs had a head start on them, they might be too late.
A few hours later, Gwynne returned, bearing a couple of packs containing what appeared to be bread wrapped in leaves. "Lembas bread." she explained, "Just one corner of it is enough to sustain a man for a week." The companions took a small nibble of it and found it satisfactory.
Shortly after Gwynne handed the packs over, another Elf arrived. "I've also managed to locate some weapons to replace those lost in the battle." she explained. The Elf handed his burdens over to Gwynne, before disappearing.
She handed an Elven spear and sword to Suladân. "We don't make many of those anymore, it was fortunate that we have some in reserve." Gwynne commented, before handing a replacement sword and another rare find, a shield, to Braelorn. Erianne was given enough arrows to refill her quiver.
"I hope that will be satisfactory. You should be able to leave tomorrow morning, I can guide you out to your horses and see you off." she stated, then left them. Suladân watched her go for a moment, before getting to his feet and beginning to follow her.
"Where are you going, Sue?" Telk inquired, turning away from Braelorn practicing with his new weapons briefly.
"I'm stretching my legs." he answered over his shoulder, heading in the direction he had seen Gwynne disappear.
He followed her into the gardens he had wandered through earlier, only occasionally catching glimpses of her that quickly disappeared.
Suladân hadn't seen any sign of her for a few minutes, but was sure that she had headed this way, when suddenly he was tugged by the arm into a small, secluded garden.
He turned to face the person who still had a hold on his arm, and was only mildly surprised to see it was Gwynne. "Why are you following me?" she inquired in a way that said that she already knew why.
"I wanted to talk with you." Suladân answered. Gwynne looked up at him and nodded, releasing his arm but not moving away.
Suladân took a steadying breath before saying, "I want you to come with us."
"Why?" she inquired, again in the way that indicated that she already knew.
"I have grown...accustomed to your company, and would miss it." he answered with a small smile that she returned.
"I would go with you, but I'm not sure if it would be agreeable with your companions." she replied, breaking eye contact and looking down to his chest.
"Erianne?" he inquired, getting a nod from Gwynne in return. "Well, she and Braelorn didn't think much of asking if she could join with us on our journey here." he said, grasping her chin and pulling it up so he could look her in the eyes. "I don't think much of asking either." he added.
They looked at each other for a brief time, then Gwynne pulled away. "I would feel better if you did." Suladân nodded, and Gwynne began to leave the garden. Suladân let her go, walking in the opposite direction and heading back to his companions.
When he returned, Braelorn asked with a broad smile on his face, "So, how went your walk?"
Suladân shook his head, smiling in return and took a seat on his bed. "Well, I think Gwynne should come with us." he stated. Everyone turned to look at him oddly, but didn't say anything. "I thought I'd ask." he added with a shrug.
Erianne frowned at Suladân, but he didn't meet her stare. "Well, sure, I guess. The more the merrier." Braelorn stated, giving Erianne an odd look. Telk and Cina agreed. And when everyone turned to Erianne, she gave a small nod. "Well, then it's settled. One more added to the group." Braelorn said, then fell back onto his bed and resumed waiting for the next day, and their departure, to come.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Occasionally, an Elf or two would walk past them, but there was never any sign of Gwynne. An air of boredom settled around the companions, whom milled about, never leaving the shelter of their tent. They found small tasks to keep them occupied until night, when they gladly went to sleep.
The next morning, everyone was up bright and early, even Braelorn. They strapped on their packs and belted on their weapons, anxiously awaiting Gwynne's return and their eventual departure. Minutes later, Gwynne arrived. A similar pack on her back and her sword at her side. She looked immediately to Suladân, whom nodded slightly. Gwynne smiled in return before indicating that they should follow her.
The party went directly out of Cerin Amroth and took a Northward bearing into the forest. No one was there to see them off, but any Elves they passed raised a hand in farewell or inclined their head respectfully.
True to her word, their horses awaited them at a small guard camp on the Northern edge of Lorien. There were a pair of Elven guards waiting, with the companions' horses tethered to a tree nearby. They nodded their thanks to the guards, whom returned the gesture and returned to their duties. The party mounted their horses and set off and leaving the ancient forest behind, plains ahead of them and a long mountain range to the Northwest.