IV
I rode for the rest of the day and all night as well. I headed west in the general direction that the murderers had been riding in, hoping that perhaps they had stopped along the way and somebody had seen them. I rode through the land of Anorien. In every town I came to along the way I questioned the locals as to whether they had seen any strange folk about. No one, it seemed had seen anyone suspicious.
So I continued riding. I eventually left Gondor and came the land of Rohan. I rode for days and encountered many of the Rohirrim, the legendary horse tamers that lived there. None had seen any shady characters lately. Eventually I came to a small village on the River Isen. I stopped at a public house at the center of town. I thought about renting a room for the night because I was very tired. I had hardly eaten of slept at all since I had left my home. I decided I would try to sleep here for the night, and in the morning I would continue my search.
But before I retired for the night, I walked up to the bar and got my self a pint of strong ale. I had never been much of a drinker, but now seemed like the appropriate time to drown my sorrows in alcohol. Once I got my drink, I sat down at a table in the corner away from the rest of the patrons, where I could sit and think about my situation. Not long after I sat down, a man approached me. He wore simple farming clothes, and he looked as if he visited this tavern often. He asked if he could sit at my table and I let him.
"I warn you, I might not be the best of company right now" I said to him.
"My friend, you look like you have a story to tell" he replied.
"Lets just say, I'm looking for some interesting characters" I said. I could tell he was intrigued by this. He finished his drink and began to question me futher.
"Interesting characters ehh" he replied. "What sort of characters, may I ask?"
"Dark figures on horseback."
"Say that sounds vaguely familiar." I almost spilled my drink when he said this. He continued. "About four nights ago I was just coming back into town at dusk. I saw several men out in the distance riding at great speed in formation. I couldn't tell who they were exactly."
"Which direction were they heading in" I asked?
"I say it looks like you need this information badly" he said. A devilish look came over his face. "I might remember better what direction they were heading in once you tell me how much its worth to ya."
This enraged me beyond words. To think that he would demand payment for an answer to such a simple question. I immediately stood up, grabbed him by the neck, and threw him out the door. He lay there on the ground shocked at what I had just done. I drew my sword and brought the tip to rest on his neck
"Tell me old man where they rode to, or I will tell you exactly how long you have to live!" I yelled at him.
"They rode west across the Isen, through the Gap of Rohan" he said. "Now please leave me alone. I...I meant no offense. I don't want no trouble."
I sheathed my sword and climbed onto my horse. I did not mean to frighten the old man any further. He had told me all I wanted to know. The old man just stayed on the ground until I was out of sight. As I left the village, a great downpour started.
I rode for the rest of the day and all night as well. I headed west in the general direction that the murderers had been riding in, hoping that perhaps they had stopped along the way and somebody had seen them. I rode through the land of Anorien. In every town I came to along the way I questioned the locals as to whether they had seen any strange folk about. No one, it seemed had seen anyone suspicious.
So I continued riding. I eventually left Gondor and came the land of Rohan. I rode for days and encountered many of the Rohirrim, the legendary horse tamers that lived there. None had seen any shady characters lately. Eventually I came to a small village on the River Isen. I stopped at a public house at the center of town. I thought about renting a room for the night because I was very tired. I had hardly eaten of slept at all since I had left my home. I decided I would try to sleep here for the night, and in the morning I would continue my search.
But before I retired for the night, I walked up to the bar and got my self a pint of strong ale. I had never been much of a drinker, but now seemed like the appropriate time to drown my sorrows in alcohol. Once I got my drink, I sat down at a table in the corner away from the rest of the patrons, where I could sit and think about my situation. Not long after I sat down, a man approached me. He wore simple farming clothes, and he looked as if he visited this tavern often. He asked if he could sit at my table and I let him.
"I warn you, I might not be the best of company right now" I said to him.
"My friend, you look like you have a story to tell" he replied.
"Lets just say, I'm looking for some interesting characters" I said. I could tell he was intrigued by this. He finished his drink and began to question me futher.
"Interesting characters ehh" he replied. "What sort of characters, may I ask?"
"Dark figures on horseback."
"Say that sounds vaguely familiar." I almost spilled my drink when he said this. He continued. "About four nights ago I was just coming back into town at dusk. I saw several men out in the distance riding at great speed in formation. I couldn't tell who they were exactly."
"Which direction were they heading in" I asked?
"I say it looks like you need this information badly" he said. A devilish look came over his face. "I might remember better what direction they were heading in once you tell me how much its worth to ya."
This enraged me beyond words. To think that he would demand payment for an answer to such a simple question. I immediately stood up, grabbed him by the neck, and threw him out the door. He lay there on the ground shocked at what I had just done. I drew my sword and brought the tip to rest on his neck
"Tell me old man where they rode to, or I will tell you exactly how long you have to live!" I yelled at him.
"They rode west across the Isen, through the Gap of Rohan" he said. "Now please leave me alone. I...I meant no offense. I don't want no trouble."
I sheathed my sword and climbed onto my horse. I did not mean to frighten the old man any further. He had told me all I wanted to know. The old man just stayed on the ground until I was out of sight. As I left the village, a great downpour started.