Disclaimer from last chapter still stands. A/N: Another short chapter, I know, but a lot happens. Thanks for the good reviews!
Chapter 2: A Trip to Town
Shortly after her mother left, Mireiswen found Elendawen sitting cross legged next to the fireplace. She was reading a rather thick book.
"Oh Elen" Mire sighed "Do you really want to sit inside on such a lovely day as this?" Elen looked at her sister with curious eyes.
"It's cold outside, Mire." She retorted. "Besides, this book is far too interesting to put down."
Mireiswen chuckled at this. "You can barely read. How can you make any sense of a book that size?"
Elendawen simply smiled and replied "No, no. It's the pictures. Grand pictures of Elves and Dwarfs and all sorts of beings we'll never see." As she finished her voice had a hint of sadness in it.
"Come." Mire beckoned, holding out her arms. "Take a walk with me through the fields and you can explain all about your pictures."
At this Elendawen jumped up and grabbed Mireiswen's hand, practically dragging her out the back door. As they walked Elen exclaimed with bright eyes "I've been trying to read all about Elves and all those magical creatures.They seem wonderful. How I would love to meet one." Mire listened quietly as the child explained all the various facts that she had learned from the townsfolk and from what she could decipher in books. "What do you think about such creatures, Mire?"
Mireiswen lifted her head in thought. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't think I'd much like to meet one." Elen looked quite surprised at this, so she decided to further explain. "They seem rather haughty, do they not? I suppose next to their grace and beauty humans would seem undeserving and foolish, but I refuse to believe that any being is better or worse than another. Be it Elf or hobbit." Elen seemed satisfied with this answer and they began to speak of less complex subjects. The rest of the day and night passed without consequence.
The next day Narathiel instructed Mireiswen to go to town and give a letter to Blaen, the town leader, informing him that she wouldn't be able to make it for tea with him and his wife. Mire, rather ungracefully, mounted Luna and rode for town. She arrived to a scene far different from the peaceful countryside. It was a cacophony of noise and motion. People walking to and fro, the jingle of store bells, the laughter of children playing orcs and rangers. Mireiswen made her way through the busy streets to a large gray stone building. It was used as the town leader and council member's office. She walked down the various hallways hearing nothing but the tapping of her heels on the hard stone floor. Then she came to a large wooden door. The door to Blaen's office. It was cracked several inches, so she decided to listen for a few moments to make sure he wasn't in a meeting. She soon realized he wasn't even there. She heard two voices, but was almost certain there were three people in the room. The first voice was whiney and somewhat annoying. "So when do you want my men to invade?" 'Invade? Surely whoever that was had to have been jesting,' Mire thought.
"You imbecile! You can't just break through the city perimeter. It will weaken you," the second voice said loudly. This one was strong and harsh sounding. "I will sneak you in and you will attack from within. Understand Linyc?"
'Linyc? Did he just say Linyc? Linyc was a weasel of a man who was banished three years ago for killing two innocent men in a brawl. Whoever was making deals with him was surely an evil man.'
"Six weeks from now we will attack full force during the celebrations of the New Year. It will be most unexpected. Then I will take over the town."
"Are you sure this will work?" The whiney voice asked.
"Of course!" The second one boomed. "I have done this with seven other towns. It always works." He then chuckled. "Soon I'll have enough to start my own kingdom." He said sarcastically.
Wait.Mireiswen knew that voice. She strained her memory, thinking of everyone she'd met. Of course! That was Reran's voice. He was the richest man in town. He and his son, Moddyn, had only lived there a few months. Reran was a creepy sort of man in his mid forties. Not really ugly, but nowhere near handsome. He'd always seemed rather dark and just a little scary. His son, although he had the same unnerving presence, was quite good looking. He was around twenty or so with thick black hair that fell just above his shoulders and a muscular physique. Nevertheless they both, mostly because of their large fortune, had been readily excepted and well respected in the community. Now Mire was listening to Reran plan to destroy it! She wondered briefly if Moddyn was aware of this, but didn't have to long to ponder, for just then the door swung open and who should stand there but Moddyn himself, looking extremely surprised. Mire gasped and glance behind him to confirm her suspicions and true enough, just a few feet away, stood Reran and Linyc. Mire cast one last glance at Moddyn who still wore a shocked expression and bolted down the hallway and out the nearest door.
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