================== Eldarin Calendar <in Sindarin> ===================
IC time is: Nighttime < About 11:40 PM >
IC day is: Orgilion <Stars-day>
IC date is: 72 Rhiw <Winter>
Moon phase: First Quarter <HIDDEN>
Earendil: Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is: Loa 17 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor <TA 3041>
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RL time: Wed Sep 26 09:53:28 2007
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Northern Garden
These are the Northern gardens devoted to the enjoyment of those in the long process of healing and recovery. The air here is quiet and full of a peace hard to find elsewhere, even amongst the Golden Wood. Small birds chirp softly as they move towards their nests, and a warm breeze whispers through your hair. Off in the northern corner, surrounded by a bed of brightly colored flowers, a small, but healthy, grove of apple trees flourishes. A lone empty looking basket is nestled near the trunk of a particularly large tree. The aroma of hundreds of plants, glinting in the light, float upon the breeze as the scent brings comfort and relaxation. Often patients can be found walking or sitting in these gardens, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Nearly hidden to the west, a soft gurgling sound echoes from beyond a gate.

To the South, the ground slopes gently downward through a gap in a hedge of rose bushes to another garden beyond. And to the North, a path leads out to the Golden Roadway.

Contents:
Tolur (Temped by Galharth)
Angroch
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In a cloudless sky, the heavens sparkle with a field of bright stars. The storms that consumed the lands beyond Lothlorien has passed. A cool breeze blows in from the north, bringing crisp fresh air that is warmed by the temperate climate within the protected realm of the Galadhrim. Song rises up in the trees, sung by sweet elven voices in some unseen place. It is a perfect evening.

A darkly clothed visitor enters the Northern Garden. Pausing, he looks around as if searching for something or someone. A frown appears upon his face, and it seems for that moment he's unsucessful.

Amid the soft light provided forth from the unabated heavens, the dark figure of a man sits to the north, nestled among the apple trees.

Resting his back against a tree, his feet are stretched in front of him, booted ankles crossed. A very soft, near imperceptible clacking sound comes from him, though his movements are so subtle, it is hard to determine from whence the noise comes. At the arrival of the visitor, the head of the figure moves slightly, tracking its movements, though not with any sense of urgency.

Tolur's head turns, and his eyes narrow as he peers into the trees. In the darkness, the light of the stars provides enough for the Guard to see. Silently, he steps closer to the trees. Wrinkling his nose, as if catching an unfamiliar scent, he tilts his head to peer more intently into the trees. "It speaks well of your peoples," he says in a soft voice that rings out much like the voices in song. "For it is few that can, even for a short time, shield themselves from the Galadhrim Guard."

Swinging his hand upwards towards the closest tree, the Warden aims to tap the tip of the Ranger's boot. "Are you the visitor I've heard tell of? The one known as the Iron Horse?"

An eyebrow raises at the Guard's words. He sits silently for a moment, and then comes the soft clicking again. As the Guard approaches, and the faint light brightens the Ranger's form, it can be seen what the noise is, for in the human's mouth is the end of a short, black pipe. While it is unlit, he moves it in his mouth, the hardened wood clicking against his teeth. He takes the pipe from his mouth and stowes it in a small pouch on his belt.

Slipping from the tree and landing softly upon the ground, he smiles, "Much would I have enjoyed the soft smoke of pipeweed this evening, but I could not bring myself to taint the quiet evening air with its smoke. So, from want of habit, I smoked the pipe without any fire." A soft laugh escapes his lips, then:

"I am the one known as the Iron Horse. To whom do I owe the honor?"

"I've heard of it...." Tolur mutters in comment to the pipeweed, letting his voice drop off so not to show his inexperience with the habits of the secondborn.

Clearing his throat, the Guard steps back so that the starlight illuminates his face. "I am Tolur, a Warden in the Guard." He says in introduction, "The Warden Maglind and myself are soon to head north to search for an Uruk camp that lingers on our border, and we thought you might be willing to join us."

The Iron Horse listens to the Guard, and nods at his words. He glances at himself and tugs on his coat, straightening it, then glances back, "Well met, Tolur."

He glances north, through the apple orchard, as though he could see the destination. "Maglind, you say," Angroch says, his voice calculated, "I had the honor of his company a few days past. Do you intend this as a scouting mission, or to openly engage? Whatever your answer, I intend to accompany you, and thank you for your inclusion."

"The Commander Legarwin intends for us to scout their location, and perhaps to see what their purpose might be." Tolur says as he turns his gaze towards the north. "We've had activity of late along our northern reaches," Lifting a hand he indicateds the northwest, and sweeps his hand towards the northeast. "For a time it seemed as if there were seperate, unrelated camps." the Guard says turning his gaze back towards the human. "When you arrived, what path did you take to get here?"

Grey eyes follow the Guard's motions, then come back to rest on him. "Scouting is oft a specialty of mine, though were we to get into action, I should pray reinforcments not too far behind. I have, to my infortune, stumbled alone into an uruk encampement before, and just barely was able to find my self so that I may have this talk with you this eve."

A slight grimace passes over the Ranger's face, though he makes no expression other than with his eyes. To the south now he glances, "I came from east of Fangorn, from the south."

"It is only to be we three," the Guard says with a smile, "So I'd pray that we not find action of any sort. If we do, then certainly the combined skill would surely be enough to achieve escape if not victory over a simple Uruk camp."

Folding his arms over his chest, he turns once more to look to the north. "We're to search for the camp, and yet avoid going as far as the Beorn lands. With that it should be a quick trip, there and back." Unfolding his arms and looking back to the ranger, he lifts a brow. "Is there anything that you might need to gather or wash before we leave?"

"Simple, indeed," the Iron Horse says, a slight flicker of amusement residing at the corners of his mouth. He is quiet for a moment, then slaps his hands together, "Good!" he proclaims, "A nice, stealthy mission among new Lothlorien friends. What more can a secondborn ask, eh?"

Angroch takes a few steps forward, his coat wrapping around sturdy legs. He pats the sword at his hip and says, "I am ready to leave at your bidding, Guard Tolur. The benefit of being a road-wanderer is that you have very little to pack."

Watching the human with interest, Tolur finds himself smiling. "What is it that we're to call you? Horse? Or do you prefer another name?" Once asking the question, the Guard lifts a brow in a manner that equals the rise at the corner of his mouth.

It is the next words the Ranger speaks that seem to dampen the Warden's mood. "I'll need to visit both my wife and her brother, and put forth a report to the Commander before we leave," he says as he looks to the south, to where the healing talan lies. "Like you, we travel light so I won't be long."

"The name given to me at my birth is Angroch, though the tongues of most I come across in the west and north call my the Iron Horse. Angroch is appropriate herein, I assume."

Motioning with his hand, the Ranger nods, "Let me keep you not, for your family is more important than I. I shall remain at hand and will heed your and Maglind's call."

"I thank you sir," Tolur says with a nod. "I'll not be long."

With that the Warden turns and heads southwards towards the Healing Talan to find his Brother-in-law. In moments, he is gone.