~Memories~
By Ola
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A/N~ ops. Meant to post this chapter yesterday. Mmm, forgot *sheepish smile* too busy getting lost in "magic's promise" for half the night. =)
*A LITTLE PART ADDED. SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT FOR LATER PLOT DEVELOPMENT.
Huh. How come my title isn't centered? None of them are!! (well, they are on my word processor, but not on fanfic.) anyone could help me with that please? That would be greatly appreciated.
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Part 28~
She yawned and blinked at the bright light that flooded the common room. Even though the sun was up, it seemed to Lan a waste of hours which she could have spent in sleeping. Sigh. Yes, sleep. Sleep is good. I'll have to find m'self a job where I don't have to wake so early. She starred mournfully at the plate in front of her and poked at it with a fork before taking a bite.
For Heaven's sake, it's market day. A holyday! Nobody should be up that early!
A maid came through the double swinging doors that led to the kitchen, with platters laden with food for a few other early risers. On the other side, sitting on a low stool with a bucket between his feet, sat Sindarin, his back turned toward her.
Huh. She left her breakfast.
"What are you doing?" he looked up.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" he seemed very unenthusiastic as he pointed at the sac of potatoes with his knife.
"I can see what you're doing. The question is why?"
he sighed. "Captain's orders. Because of yesterday's fight." He explained. "Peeling potatoes, cleaning out the stables, and washing the floors." He sighed again, shook his head, and went back to his work.
One long peel fell to the stone floor, while the whitish tuber joined the many others in the bucker filled with water. Lanea opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it without doing so. The fire crackled; plates clattered against wooden tables in the common room; Sindarin's knife softly scratched the brown skin away; ploink, splat…another tuber less. A little while later, she squeezed his shoulder and left.
Scratch scratch scratch, …ploink, splat.
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It felt strangely good to be on the march again. The cold morning air cleared their minds, as the sun rose from its slumber. Their packs full of provisions and warmer clothes, they set forth on the last leg of their journey before wintering over in Brownbarrow, two fortnights of walk away. The high mountains were past, but tall hills still abounded, now more sharp rock than grassy meadows.
Many a thought passed through each of their mind. Lan was too occupied thinking about that last morning at the inn. Many villagers came to say farewell –as much in real sadness and friendship as in politeness-. Many of those were members of the guard. Jack however, had not been there. Lan had scanned the crowed one last time before departing, feeling miserable. She had not meant to hurt his feelings, and had no time to apologize. She only hoped now that he had not gone and done something …irrational. He had been a nice friend while she was in this town; someone she could talk to without innuendos of any sorts. And she walked away on that sunny day, realized she missed his company.
But life still went on. There still were night watches, sword and archery practice and hand-to-hand combat. As much as Lan had thought she was good at that –being taught by a very street smart friend of hers- she quickly realized she did not have that much of an advantage over any of her comrades. The man reason for that was her light weight. A punch from her would have little effect on a stocky man like Tuck. She learned that the hard way –staring at the little stars that danced before her eyes while she lay flat on her back, trying to remember how she had gotten there-.
The nights had become quite cold, and the icy wind heralded snow. Even thought Lan had lived up north, she had never seen much of it, since her town lay in a sheltered valley, and was looking foreward to the first snow flakes twirling out of the sky. But until that day, she would have to wait. And waiting was grating on her nerves.
As before, in the open, Lan and Sindarin were obliged to restrain their…amorous adventures. Even when they were the only ones awake, during their time of watch, there was the possibility of someone waking up and seeing them in a position that could not be explained away, and thus jeopardize their pursuit of career choice. The moments they could both escape safely were few and short. Never long enough. Both trainees were becoming frustrated, longing for time alone, and no longer satisfied with the quick brush of fingertips, the long glances across the fire, or holding hands beneath their blankets. They days simply went by, not slower nor fast, even though they seemed to drag on forever for two certain people. But that is not to say they went by uneventfully.
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Sindarin woke abruptly to the sound of someone retching his guts out. His head shot to the person lying next to him, and he heaved a sigh of relief at seeing her well, and only now awakening as well. The sound repeated itself, to their left.
Tuck was on his knees, thankfully turned away from the rest of the camp. The noise was bad enough; they didn't need see his half-digested dinner as well. After he calmed down, gulped some water, and scowled at anyone who tried to help him, he consented to answering some questions to the captain and the healer.
"So it's the mushrooms then." The healer nodded. "Anyone else ate any of those?"
"I did."
"And I."
Mat and Lan.
"Seeing that you are both all right, I would venture the assumption that Tuck, you either ingested a rather large quantity of those mushrooms, or had the misfortune of eating a bad one mixed in with the other good ones."
Before the healer finished his statement however, Lan's face had paled considerably, and she had ran away, her own dinner now lying in the grass a few feet away from the assembled group. Sindarin took a step toward her, then changed his mind and fetched her some water, feeling her ache as she clenched her queezy stomach with both hands. She was fine a few minutes later, and no more such incidents followed the first two…
…until the next morning.
Lan again ejected the contents of her stomach. Tuck seemed over his own bad morning.
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A/N~ short, yeah, I know, and getting to the end soon.
-trina ti- lots of scrowling = more muscles in finger =) (yep, that't it, I lost my marbles. Lol )
-m'cha- lol, sorry about your name =) I think I was way too tired then. Male chauvinist. Yep exactly =) *sigh* ah, guys…
-magdellin-thanks, I'll go change that =)
-shalott- hee hee, glad you liked it.
-falcon-rider- glad you STILL like it =) lol.
