faemused | Open To Anyone For Anything RP Post

He frowns after her, not entirely surprised by her sentiments but sighs. If anything, he should, in that case, be urging Haleth on faster towards safer lands. How anyone can think that Caranthir, whose lands are indeed part of the March and therefore considered "front line" (admittedly the only people further away are the Ambarussa - Maedhros trying to protect his brothers) to be "safe" is anyone's guess. But he supposes he should mention it to Haleth, that her law-sister approached him. She cannot be the only one, after all.

But Later.

Haleth needs her sleep.

He grumbles quietly to himself and then goes to practice with his men and await her to be free.

Haleth has, of course, been working,tending to various things that need doing. Much of the camp is quiet and resting the day after Yule, but "resting" is a term but rarely applied to Haleth. It is nearly time for the evening meal before she is free to seek out Caranthir, and when she finds him and his men sparring, she takes the time to watch, her gaze both appreciative and analytical. The Firstborn fight differently from the Haladin, their stances and styles a little strange to her, and it is always wise to watch other warriors. There are many ways of learning, and she has much to protect.

Caranthir trains as he does all things, with almost vicious focus and grim fury - even if his own mood had not leant to such things, they learnt swiftly here that nothing less would keep you alive.

He looks up, eventually, and nods at her, dismissing his men to their own pursuits and jogging over.

"Your law-sister spoke to me."

There is much in Curufin's fighting style that speaks to Haleth. For all that she is calm and levelheaded off the battlefield, that is not always so on it. That focus and fury are familiar to her. Another thing they have in common--and she is still surprised whenever such things are found.

But before she can comment on that or anything else, he speaks, and she grimaces. "Ah."

One might have the impression that Haleth and her law-sister do not get along. One would be correct.

An eyebrow goes up. "Ah." He echoes her wryly.

"Then I would guess you do not need me to tell you what she said."

"I may guess." Haleth continues to look grim. "She wished me to cede my authority to you and accept you as our overlord. If that was not what she said outright, still it is what underlaid whatever request she made. Am I correct?"

"You guess aright." He nods.

"I know not how common this sentiment is."

Haleth shrugs. "Somewhat. Perhaps a third of my people, who believe we would be more safe under your protection than on our own, share her wish. Most of those are not as fervent--or vocal--as Beyhild, and I believe the number who would contest me if I chose otherwise is few. But she is very determined."

"Hmph." He opinions.

"Have they paid no attention to the maps? I remain perilously close to the front lines."

"But you have numbers," Haleth says in return, her expression serious. "You have weapons, armor, horses. You have resources, metals, a smithy. You have allies and information about the Enemy's movements, his abilities. We have nothing but our hands and feet and what scraps we have salvaged, and the Enemy has already proven that he will seek out weaker prey first. We are no match for him. We are barely a match for the elements."

She rubs at her forehead, and the set of her jaw is grim. "I am not altogether certain my law-sister's faction is wrong, though the thought tastes like submission to me, and I little like it."

"So do all of us" he snorts. "I am rich, yes - but that is shrewd management and luck of placement. If you must accept oversight, there are safer lands than mine."

Haleth is silent for a moment. "That is so," she says finally. "But accepting oversight in your lands has as an advantage to recommend it that no other could offer. As my sister has guessed, and does not hesitate to point out."

And Haleth is not at all pleased at having her...not weakness, perhaps temptation...used against her.

She sighs and rubs her forehead. "But all this is known, by us both. It serves us little to cover such ground again."

"One that would please us both" he grumbles agreement. "But not benefit your people as much as they think, I wager. No. My earlier advice stands still - this is not a good place for your people, no matter how much I wish to keep you by my side."

"I wish I did not agree." Haleth frowns, then shakes her head. "I apologize for my law-sister's intrusion, which I cannot imagine was pleasant. Had you finished your sparring? If not, I would be interested to try my hand against yours."

"It was not entirely unexpected." He shrugs, and looks at her with interest.

"I would not mind. Your preference of weapon?"

"Staff, or spear," she says at once. "We may try others later, but let us begin with those."

It is a choice where is greater height and reach will be minimized, to an extent. Haleth is not tall for her kind.

(ooc: yes please XD)

"Staves then, until we have a better measure of each other." He nods, moving to grab one for himself and let her choose one in turn.

"Have you a favoured weapon?"

"The spear," she says, reaching for a stave of her own. "I find it provides the best defense and offense combined. You?"

He tests weight and heft before settling into a ready position opposite hers.

"I do not know that I have a preference, yet." He says thoughtfully. "I used to think the blade, but the dwarven trading caravans have shown me axe work, and I might try that, I think."

A small smile touches her mouth. "Thousands of years of life, and you have not yet formed a preference?" she teases. "You are slow to make up your mind, Caranthir of Thargelion."

[ooc: RIGHT dammit Haleth get back here. Also we need timeskips. Is there anything else you/Caranthir wants to do with this visit, in particular?]

He smiles wryly at her.

"I thought I had! But I am open to changing my mind, should new information come to light."

He moves to test her defences.

Edited (hm can't think of anything specific...) 2019-04-23 05:22 (UTC)

The afternoon passes, and then another four days, so quickly that Haleth can barely keep track of them. There is much to do, but Caranthir and his people turn their hands to the work, particularly hunting. With their horses and ability to go further afield for game and supplies, they ensure the Haladin are well provisioned for the harsh winter remaining. Most of Haleth's people are inclined to be grateful to their visitors, even to like them, for all their once-wariness of the Firstborn.

Haleth is busy, as she ever is. But somehow Caranthir fits himself into her life, waiting whenever she is occupied, or assisting her in whatever task is to hand. Never does he seek to usurp her authority, or even to question it.

Every day they talk. Every day Haleth finds there is more she wishes to talk about. It is only two days before she realizes it is already natural to her to discuss things with Caranthir, to share ideas and thoughts, that from now on it will feel strange to keep them to herself.

She is not altogether sure she likes that change. So when word comes to Caranthir that he is needed, that there are emissaries from one of his brothers approaching his lands and he must return, her feelings are mixed.

But depart he must, and in the morning. So she asks him to walk once more with her, after moonrise, once his people are prepared for their departure at dawn.

The spar ends with no true winner, but that was not it's purpose, and Caranthir counts himself content. As the days pass he grows more and more comfortable, and the message calling him back to war stirs his temper.

(But. The Oath calls, and more than that, his brother, his lord, calls. And above all else, Caranthir loves his brothers.

And... well. He's already told Haleth that he will not inopportune her more than needed)

"What did you want to speak of?" He is waiting for her, after moonrise.

"There is a thing you should know," she says as they fall into step. It is another thing that has become automatic for them, him shortening his long strides, her walking a little more quickly than her usual wont.

She walks in silence next to him for a few moments before continuing, a thing unusual for Haleth. There is a faint frown between her eyes, and she does not look at him as she usually does. Signs that she does not think he will at all like what she has to say.

She stops abruptly and looks up at him. "I told you before of a thing in my youth, where I took a lover and it ended badly. I did not tell you how badly. And I would not tell you, except that a part of those events is relevant to this." 'This' being the ongoing, largely unspoken courtship between them, of course. She does not thinks she need clarify, for it is much on her mind--and even more on his, she would wager.

Haleth turns as abruptly and begins walking again, and quickly, her eyes fixed ahead. "He had been courting me for some weeks before I overheard a conversation he had with a friend, in which they jested of what he would do with the Chieftainship once he had it, and spoke ill of me save as a means to getting it. I revealed myself, and you may imagine how I spoke to them."

Harshly, for she can be harsh, brutal in her honesty. Once someone has earned her condemnation, she is not shy of making it clear.

She shrugs. "I did not speak publically of his words or intentions, for there was no need; it was enough that all relations between us were so abruptly ended, and the rest of the tribe hardly needed further knowledge to guess some of what had occurred. I did not mourn, save for my own foolishness; he was not what I had thought him, so there was nothing to grieve but an illusion. But he--he was shamed and lessened in the eyes of our people, and enraged by it, and fury and wounded pride ate at him."

Haleth is silent another moment, then takes a deep breath, her steps slowing. "This part I have never discussed, save with my brother and father at the time. Though no doubt it is guessed at by my people and has been spoken of, though not to my face." She is delaying, a thing Haleth rarely does. Not for her own sake, but for his. This memory no longer has power to hurt her even in pride, but it will not be so for Caranthir.

Another breath. Her face is blank and calm, and she looks up at the sky, clear and lit by moonlight. "He intercepted me while I was checking traps, some weeks later, and tried to talk his way into my good graces again. I would not hear him, and when he realized I would not be swayed, he attempted to force me. I would claim him as husband quickly enough, he said, when I was heavy with his child." Haleth gives Caranthir no chance to interrupt, but continues. "We fought. He did not succeed in his intentions, and I killed him. But he injured me first, with his dagger."

Her hand briefly rests low on her belly. Another breath. "My brother found us, him dead and me wounded, and aided me back to the camp. I was some time in healing, and decided I would not marry, would never allow any to believe they might gain any power over me thus. So I told all afterwards, and if they thought it was bitterness or heartsickness, I let them think so. With my brother as heir, and then eventually with a strong child of his own, it hardly mattered that I intended to remain unwed. My father's line would continue without me."

She stops again, looking down at her hand. "But in truth...in truth it was not wholly a choice. Because of--of where and how I was wounded--I cannot bear children." Those last words come out in a rush. "I told you I did not intend to have them, but the truth is I cannot. We have not discussed children and I do not know if you wish them. But I thought it something you had a right to know, given...what you wish from me. I do not expect it changes your wishes, from all I know of you, but...I thought you should know, first."

It is the first time Caranthir will have ever heard Haleth sounding awkward or uncertain.

Edited 2019-05-01 23:10 (UTC)

((ooc: lol true that))

He matches her pace as she matches his - instinct, by now.

"Speak then, and I will hear."

He is silent, listening to her - she has asked for his attention, and she has it in full. The story of the boy is... not unexpected, in some respects. Men are like this, he knows, and Elves not as much different as they think. Even in Tirion, there were those who might angle to catch one of the Crown Prince's sons if they could, to better promote themselves. It still makes his eyes narrow and his fists clench, but he says nothing. The boy was foolish, particularly if he thought that Haleth's spirit would yield to such a worm as he. The flame of his anger licks high, eyes burning a deadly light when she speaks of his attempted rape - it's almost visible, in truth, a cold light burning around him, an almost physical heat, his teeth baring in a snarl felt more than heard, cheeks flushed dark in rage, not embarrassment.

It is easy to see why they call him the Dark, looking at her with eyes as black as pitch, and yet bright with his fury, hands clenched into impotent fists by his side.

He turns with a vile curse to slam his fist against one of the trees nearby before spinning back to her, although he does not touch, still never sure of what she might or might not welcome.

"He got off too lightly." He hisses through clenched teeth. "I would that he had been gelded like the worm he was. But glad I am that you avenged yourself on him. Haleth, I don't care if you could bear me a score of babes or none - tis your spirit I love."

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we can timeskip over the actual sparring, yes?

Re: we can timeskip over the actual sparring, yes?

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I am far too blocked with this scene so let's move on, let me know if this needs editing.

sure!

I wanted to linger more on the bloody retribution part, which he would've liked, but it got long.

Re: I wanted to linger more on the bloody retribution part, which he would've liked, but it got long