These four took very long sorry. I want you all good health during this pandemic, friends. Enjoy:)
The men of the guard set up a camp to rest a little after the longer ride. Minardil wasn't tired. He was still on his horse, and his horse wasn't tired. Same couldn't be said of Benjen. He was breathing heavily. He wasn't a weakling, but he sometimes overreacted when there was no real hard labor.
"Are you done?" Minardil asked him, trying to hide his laugh. Benjen rolled his eyes.
"It isn't funny." he said through coughs. "I never rode so much...or so long, on so... long distances."
"Long distances?" Minardil asked him and showed with his finger towards the direction where Minas Hîr was. "Hîr is just a few miles there."
Benjen looked at him astonished. "What?" he said, sighing, and Minardil laughed at him and punched him in the shoulder very lightly.
"I am just kidding, Benjen." Minardil said. "This is far from Hîr."
Benjen was slimmer than someone of his age should be. He was far from being skinny, but still slim. He was handsome, but he could be a little more bearable. Right now, he was coughing.
"Oh, come on, buddy." Minardil slapped him on the back. "You'll get used to it."
"A man should always be prepared for hard labor, lord Benjen." Minardil's uncle appeared. "Especially if he is a highborn." Calen Woods was five feet and ten inches tall man, broad-shouldered, eight and forty years of age. He had a brown hair put in a ponytail braid, the green-blue eyes and eagle's nose. He had a beard that only covered his chin and the rest of the face was clean-shaven. He liked to smile, and he smiled warmly to everyone. Including Benjen.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have come with us, my lord?" Calen said. Benjen looked down.
"I don't regret coming here, but..." he looked up again. "...that was really exhausting.
"Well, you'll have to get used to it, m'lord." then he moved from them. Benjen didn't seem excited because of that. His grey eyes were irritated and they looked at Minardil.
"Your uncle really thinks he is funny." Benjen said. "Although he isn't." Minardil disagreed.
"Or perhaps you don't take jokes directed at you." Benjen looked at him emotionless. Minardil just punched him in the shoulder. "Let's go rest, pal." and Minardil, dismounted his horse. Benjen did it too, though hardly and unwillingly, leaning on his horse. Minardil just shook his head and laughed.
"Benjen." he said, "Don't be so..."
"Shut up." Benjen said.
"Okay." Minardil said.
The guards all laid down and they rested for some time. Minardil stood beside his uncle, as they were both looking at the sea that was waving in the distance. The coast they were on now was called Gulma. The wind was flowing and the spring was starting. This long winter that lasted six and a half months was coming to a close.
"This Passover was not pretty eventful, don't you think?" Calen said.
"No, it wasn't." Minardil said. "Just like the previous few."
"Not only that, year was also uneventful." Calen said. Minardil disagreed and smiled.
"Well, this year was uneventful, but the previous one wasn't?"
"What happened?" Calen said. He apparently forgot.
"Ask citizens of Arendelle."
"Ahh, yes." and they both laughed. Calen however, stopped laughing soon. "You know," he said "I don't trust that Ice Queen, Min." he called him by his nickname. Calen liked to do that...because it bothered Minardil. But that was not the point right now.
"You don't know her, uncle." Calen turned, curious. "If what people say about her is true, it was an accident when she froze Arendelle."
"Accident?" Calen raised his brows. "How does one accidentally freeze a kingdom?"
"In anger." Minardil replied. "Fear or maybe madness, I don't know. But..."
"Minardil, don't be naive." Calen warned him and looked him in the eyes. "There were others like her before. They were anything but good."
"There is the first time for everything." Minardil said, protecting the queen he never met.
"Of course." Calen said. "But I doubt this is that first time." he turned to the sea again. "She froze a kingdom. Who tells she can't freeze all Israel?" Minardil rolled his eyes.
"Uncle," he said to him "why didn't she did it already?"
"Minardil, can you explain why are you defending her?"
"I am not defending her," Minardil replied "I just think you are not right towards her. Did you ever met her, uncle?" Calen was caught in the trap by this one, and he waved with his hand.
"I never saw an elephant, that doesn't mean I cannot recognize one." he said.
"But can you tell how does this particular elephant looks like?" Minardil asked.
"Don't teach me Minardil." he said. "I am older than you and I saw sorcerers and sorceresses before. The Law says that everyone of the sorcerers should be killed."
"But she is not a sorceress uncle." Minardil corrected him. "She was born with powers. The Law also says that if anyone is found born with powers, no one should touch him or her."
"Yes it does." Calen said. "However, the power can turn you a devil, if you can't control it."
"I think she can." Minardil said.
"And why so?" Calen asked.
"Well," Minardil showed the land with his hands, going in all directions "nothing of this is frozen, as I see." Calen rolled his eyes.
"No, it is not." Calen said. But he wasn't defeated. "But doesn't mean that she will not do it. I mean, God forbid it, but she is capable of that." Calen then sighed and put a hand on Minardil's shoulder.
"If she loses control, she will freeze everything and everyone around her. The trees, the animals, the birds, the fish...all of it will be frozen. And mark my words, Minardil," then he pointed to the sea "that great piece of water over there will be a giant glacier and not even the white bears from the far north will be able to survive that cold weather."
Minardil glanced and he saw that one ship was coming close, it's sails appearing, wearing a flag of Gondor as it's banner. It was a huge ship, it must have been carrying a unit of soldiers.
"But that ship over there is not gonna freeze right now." Minardil said smiling.
"Finally, you are right about something." Calen smiled. "Haldor!" he called out, and Haldor came running as fast as he could. "Gather men, that we might welcome that crew over there."
"Yes, my lord." the soldier said and ran immediately.
The few dozen men came and Benjen was with them too. It seems he rested that quickly. Minardil approached him.
"That's it?" he asked Benjen.
"What?" his cousin said confused. Minardil raised his brows, trying to show what he was thinking about. Benjen smiled proudly.
"Well," he said "what can I say, I rest quickly. I have a lot of energy." Minardil smiled too.
"Spare me of that energy please." he said and returned to his uncle. "I am coming with you?"
"Of course." Calen said and Minardil followed him, as they both led the people to meet the crew of the ship.
They were standing for a little while. No one came out. It seemed suspicious. It didn't look like there was anyone on the decks.
"Maybe they fell asleep?" Benjen joked. No one thought it funny. They were still waiting.
"I'll go to see what they are doing." one soldier said, and he planned to climb on the ship. In the blink of an eye, he was shot by arrows and fell dead in the place. Then many armored men suddenly jumped out of the ship, with battle cries, and they had axes, swords, spears, maces and bows and arrows in their hands.
"How did they all get in that ship?!" Benjen asked.
"It doesn't matter, just fight them!" Minardil said. Then everyone took out their weapons.
"Fight!" Calen said and they all charged to fight. Minardil tried to follow them, but Calen stopped him. "Minardil, you stay behind!"
"No way!" Minardil said.
"You must!"
"No..."
"Minardil, that is an order!" and he went to fight with other men. Minardil was standing behind all. Benjen came to him.
"Well, are we gonna obey your uncle?" he asked. Minardil looked at the few men who were trying to go outside the camp, as they avoided the rest of soldiers.
"No, we are not." Minardil said and charged at those men. Benjen followed him, unhappy.
"Alright. We'll do as you wish." Benjen said.
The five tall men were trying to sneak in the camp and steal everything that was there. They entered a certain tent that was full of weapons. Minardil wouldn't let them enter it.
"Stop, all of you!" Minardil said to them. The five bandits turned, probably expecting to see the full-grown unit of soldiers armed to their teeth. When they saw two five or six and ten year old boys, they laughed.
"Keep away, boys!" one of them said.
"We do not kill children!" the other one said. "We are not ill in the head."
"It doesn't matter." Minardil said. "I am not going to allow you to steal anything."
"And why does a boy like you care about this?" the oldest among them said.
"Better question: what are two boys doing at all here?" one said.
"Who gave you weapons? Those are weapons, not the toys for children of your age." another said.
"I am Minardil, son of lord Aramir of Gondor." Minardil answered them. "And I will not allow you to steal anything out of this camp."
"Well, you actually do look like a lord, boy." the oldest among them said. "The problem is: lords are usually bad fighters."
"Not me." Minardil said and people laughed.
"Come on you kids, I will beat you a little, you should get a rod or two." one of them said.
"Just watch not to kill them." the oldest said again.
"Don't worry, Ham. I won't kill them." he said smiling. "Now, come you..." Minardil then charged at him with his sword. The man seemed surprised at the skill.
"What?" he asked himself. Then he tried to hit Minardil from the other side. Minardil blocked the strike again. He hit the man in the shoulder and left the scar on the man's right shoulder. The man did not pay attention to the wound as much as to the fact that it was Minardil who wounded him. Minardil wondered: was he skilled or was the man unskilled?
"I'll kill..." and Benjen punched with the mace in the head. The man fell, fainted, although not dead. The other four laughed and clapped.
"Nah, Mag was never good at fighting, actually." one of them said.
"Alright, enough of games." the oldest one said. "Will you leave boys?" he asked Minardil and Benjen
"No." Minardil answered. Benjen scratched his hair.
"I guess we won't." he said. Then the four men took out their swords.
"Then we will have to kill you, little lord." Benjen swallowed at this, but Minardil wasn't afraid at this. The tallest among them then charged at the two cousins and Minardil blocked one strike. The man seemed surprised, but then he pushed Minardil, who fell to the ground. Minardil was still holding his sword. So he stood up and again charged at this tall man and their swords clashed. The man laughed and he struck Minardil so bad that the sword flew from his hand. Then he pushed Minardil and he fell to the ground again. The man was holding the tip of his sword just right bellow Minardil's neck.
"Don't be so disappointed boy." the man mocked him. "I admit, you have a fairly good strike." then man raised his sword to finish him. "However, it won't be enough to save you."
"What about my strike?" the voice said and the arrow hit the man right between the eyes. And he almost fell on Minardil, who rolled and avoided the huge warrior. Minardil then looked up and saw to whom the arrow and the voice belonged to. It was his brother, Túrin, holding a bow in his hand. Túrin was followed by a hundred men behind him. Minardil took his hand. Another soldier was helping Benjen to fight.
"It looks like you run into trouble again." Túrin said with a smile. Minardil looked the other.
"Just joke around if you wish. I was protecting the camp." he answered his brother.
"You did a pretty good job."
"Hey." he showed to the fainted man. "I knocked him out."
"That's not true!" Benjen protested. "I did that."
"Did you?" Túrin asked, looking at Minardil.
"He couldn't do it without my help." Minardil continued.
"Alright, kids." Túrin told them. "Stay behind while soldiers do their job."
"Calen needs help!" Minardil said.
"And he'll get it." Túrin said and placed a hand on Minardil's shoulder. "But not from you."
"Charge!" Túrin said to people behind him and they went into fight. Minardil tried to follow his brother, but Túrin stopped him.
"Minardil, stay here!" Túrin ordered him, looking at him with strict face. Túrin charged with his men. Minardil stared at them for a moment, feeling little angry. Benjen came closer to him, sighing and breathing quickly.
"Are we gonna obey Túrin..." Minardil didn't listen to him, but ran in another direction.
"No, we're obviously not." Benjen finished and again followed Minardil. "I hate you." he whispered to Minardil.
Minardil noticed that the leader of the band was standing on the ship, on the docks. He wanted to sneak in the ship while everyone else was out of it and either kill or defeat the leader or give him to his brother and uncle. It seems Benjen also realized it.
"You aren't gonna do that?" Benjen asked.
"Yes, we are." Minardil answered him. Benjen sighed.
"Minardil, we are not even twenty years old. You think we can get a leader of a band? He must be armed to the teeth!"
"I don't think we can get a leader of the band." he looked Benjen in the eyes with certainty. "We will get the leader of the band." and he instantly ran to the water.
"Oh, come on." Benjen said and followed him.
As silently as possible, they walked through the water. Obviously, the pirates did not made a way to climb or left a rope to climb.
"How do you plan to get there?" Benjen asked him. Minardil took the rope that he carried on his horse and threw it at the closest gunport he could and clasped it.
"This is how I plan." Minardil smiled and climbed, Benjen right behind him. When he made it up, Minardil looked very carefully is there anyone on the deck. The leader of the band and one armed man were on the foredeck, watching the battle play out.
"Is everything alright up there?" Benjen asked impatient.
"Shh!" Minardil told him. "You can get right after me." And Minardil got inside the ship as quietly as he could, and gave a hand to Benjen. Benjen however made a noise. The leader and the armed man looked a little behind them, but quickly returned their look to the battle. Minardil and Benjen quickly hid behind four huge barrels of beer.
Minardil looked around again. No one was there. Only the leader and his one guardsman.
"Something is wrong here." Minardil said. "There are only two of them."
"Perhaps they really wanted to empty the ship." Benjen said.
"It is still strange." Minardil said, not taking look away from the two standing on the foredeck.
"You know," Minardil said, turning to Benjen "you are not actually weak as I thought." Benjen breathed.
"I am not weak." Benjen said, playing with his fingers. "I just, uh...I am confused, you know me." Minardil nodded. "Okay, what are we gonna do now." Benjen asked. Minardil didn't know.
"I don't know." he said. Then he looked at the weapons there. There were shields, bows, arrows, spears, maces, axes, hammers, daggers, bludgeons, crossbows and (of course) swords. Minardil saw all those weapons.
"How can bandits have such good weapons?" Benjen asked.
"Doesn't matter, take something." and Minardil took a sword and a bow and one arrow. He aimed at the guardsman. The guardman's head was not covered by a helm, but Minardil didn't want to kill him cowardly when he doesn't see. So he instead targeted his thigh that was also not well defended. He shot the guardsman in his thigh, and he shrieked in pain. The leader of the band immediately turned to see where it came from. Benjen appeared out of nowhere and knocked out the wounded man. The leader tried to take out his sword, but Minardil shot his hand and the leader screamed and reached it in pain. Minardil then took the mace and with all his strength hit the man in the face. He then fell from the ship into the water. Minardil and Benjen both sighed in relief and smiled.
"That went better than I expected." Benjen said.
"And what did you expect?" Minardil asked him smiling.
"Well," Benjen answered "I thought I will lose a few teeth." and they both chortled.
"Hey, you two up there!" a voice called them. They looked down from the ship and saw that it was Calen.
"Nice job you did, I suppose." he said while looking at the leader lying unconcscious. "Come down now that you might not get into another trouble!" and he threw them a rope, by which they both climbed down from the ship. They won this fight.
After the fight was over, these pirates and bandits were all tied up by ropes and some of them by chains. They were gathered in circles and were left to wait until the soldiers start going back to Minas Hîr. They didn't look like pirates and bandits were usually described. They would often be fat, smelly, with bad teeth or missing them even. They would be short and ill-built. They all looked decent, some of them even like of noble birth. Perhaps the stories about pirates and bandits were exaggerated.
"And then I punched him in the face and he fell down." Minardil told his brother and uncle proudly. Túrin and Calen looked very surprised by the ability of the two.
"You two are pretty good, I have to admit." Calen said. "Better than some who are older than you."
"It was still dangerous." Túrin said, not as seemingly impressed like Calen, but still impressed. "You could have died."
"I thought exactly the same." Benjen said. Minardil looked at him and Benjen regretted saying that.
"But we didn't." Minardil said. "We won and we defeated the leader."
"Not that it matters much, the bandits were already defeated when you fought their leader." Túrin said, trying to find flaws and irritate Minardil. He did it.
"Túrin..."
"Ah, get over it, I am just kidding, Min." Túrin smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "You are a Gondor, after all. You were always good at sword and punching." he smiled and Minardil returned it as well. Túrin then turned to Benjen. "You are also pretty good, Ben." and he punched him in the shoulder, at what Benjen flinched and touched it.
"Yeah, I guess I am." Benjen said.
"Alright, let's see those bandits and pirates." Túrin said and he and Calen turned to talk with the leader. Minardil followed them.
"Come on." he said to Benjen.
"Oh, really?" Benjen asked him, as he was sitting on the ground.
"Yes." Minardil said to him and Benjen stood up, unwillingly. "You should really practice more. Maybe run or something." Minardil told him before slapping him on the back, at which Benjen flinched. Minardil then sighed.
"Benjen." he said to him. "You should really work more. You just fought a leader of bandits."
"Hey." Benjen said. "You are not gonna teach me." and he walked angrily. Minardil then shook his head and smiled.
The leader was a man of around forty or fifty years of age. He had brown hair, the piercing blue eyes, the flat nose and a long beard on his face. He was around five feet and eight inches tall, an average height, and he had long arms. He spoke before asked.
"My name's Clim, if you wanna know." he said to Túrin. Túrin didn't pay attention to his manner of speaking.
"It is not common for pirates and bandits to attack the armies of the great lords of Israel." Túrin said to him.
"We are not pirates." he said. "We are an army."
Well, you do have good weapons, I'll give you that, Minardil spoke in himself.
"Why did you attacked us?" Calen asked this Clim.
"We were commanded." the leader answered not uncomfortable.
"By whom?" Minardil spoke, expecting that Túrin and Calen will tell him not to speak. Surprisingly, they didn't. The leader was smiling unfriendly.
"By the one who gave us the weapons. And trained us." he answered, again provoking them.
Túrin then asked with his hand from Minardil, and Minardil gave him the mace he was holding. Túrin then observed the weapon and watched it curiously. Minardil saw it himself that this was not the weapon that simple pirates and bandits used.
"And who gave a group of pirates and bandits such good weapons...and trained them?" Túrin asked the leader calmly. The leader stared into all of them, reluctant to answer as it seemed. Minardil then noticed that Clim smiled with an evil grin. Then he stopped smiling and became more serious, so that he might tell them.
"Aron, king of Israel."