Arbogast strode from where they had all sat, leaving the Brown Wizard behind. The other companions came in tow, and they made their way towards the ornate tents of Ceawin and his folk.

As they approached, Esgalwen could see the rich fabrics that comprised these temporary homes. Unlike the men of the vale, they were not made of skins and thatch - instead they were of heavy canvas and thin, brightly colored silks. She had seen such fabrics before, having been transported from Rhovanion to the markets in Gondor. It was a testament to what the men of the East Bight could bring to the folk of the Anduin Vale. The riches of craftsmen of Rhovanion were once more being sought out now that the threat of the dragon was gone, and Ceawin was certainly doing his part in the enrichment of his people.

They came to the primary tent which housed the leader of Sunstead, and waited patiently while his seneschal announced them. A few moments later, the smiling face of Ceawin greeted them and he invited them into his tent. It was cool within, with the heavy canvas roof blocking the sun, while the light silks allowed a cool breeze to air the place. "Welcome, Arbogast!" said Ceawin. "And to the rest of your company. Radagast has spoken highly of you all, but also is well-known the craftsmanship of Rorin of Erebor. Lucky are we to have such a Dwarf among us, so as not to have to make the long journey north to your home."

Ceawin accepted a glass of Dorwinion wine from his seneschal, as the man then offered a cup to each of the guests.

"I understand that Radagast has asked you to accompany the maiden, Verwyne, to Woodland Hall. He has assured me of your competence and that you had performed many tasks for him before. I believe that your names alone would ease any concern - Grimbeorn, son of Beorn; Arbogast of the Black Tarn; Esgalwen, Ranger of Gondor; and Rorin of Erebor! The safety of Verwyne is assured with such companions." He raised his glass in salute and then took a drink of the sweet wine. Looking to Rorin, "Radagast said that you would then move on to Mountain Hall to attain the materials for our helm, yes? It is my goal to be home by the Fall, so I am hoping that these errands can be done quickly and efficiently to allow for the greatest amount of time for your craft-work."

"Aye, I had already planned to travel to the Woodland Hall in order to find a helping hand in crossing the Anduin, for a dwarf the likes of me will sink as a stone given the chance. But as luck would have it Radagast called together the company you see before you and tasked us with escorting the fair lady. With the help of my friends the journey should be swift and easy, I'll have that helm ready in plenty of time for...whatever it is you intend it for."

Ceawin laughed at Rorin's joke. "It pleases me that this is the case." He continued, "As you are to be the Lady Verwyne's escort, along with her personal guards, it would be good for you all to meet her. She is young and quite naive of the forest having spent the years of her youth running across the fields of the East Bight and Rhovanion. It would comfort her to speak to you folk of the vale, for though her hand has been given, she still distresses the meeting of her betrothed. Perhaps you can convey to her stories of the Vale that will ease her heart?"

The companions nodded and Ceawin smiled. He stood, "Come let us take our group to her tent, so you can meet her."

The Company followed the Lord of Sunstead, as he passed three similar tents to his own. At the the third, he called out, "Verwyne? I have some companions I would like you to meet."

"Come, my Lord," was the soft voice from within.

Ceawin pushed back the tent's flap to allow them all to enter. They all could not help but smile when they saw the young woman sitting atop her bundled mattress. She stood quickly and smiled at each in kind, her beauty a light in the room. "Hello, good Sirs...and Lady!" She started to see Esgalwen among the group. "I am Verwyne, daughter of Vingal, of Sunstead. It is my pleasure to meet you all."

Grimbeorn muttered something inaudible and turned a fair shade of rouge.

Arbogast walked from the tent of the Lord of the Bight with the nagging sense of a memory. As he laughed and followed along with his companions the keen memory of the Woodman worked at discovering the detail that nagged in his mind.

As Ceawin threw back the tent flap the Fire Watcher caught a wiff of the smell again and the pieces clicked into place. The smell of the Dorwinion wine was almost exactly that of the same wine Door Knob had at the gate of Fenbridge.

Arbogast beholds the face of Verwyne with no small amount of interest.  It is a face that suggests that he might like to abandon the Black Tarn and enjoy a carefree life tending sheep, drinking Dorwinion wine and learning to play a flute in the sun - dappled meadows of the East Bight. 

It is not an altogether unappealing face, but not, he decides, is it the face of his desires.  He begins to mull over the significance of Dorwinion wine appearing at Dol Guldur - taking his time, letting the issue stew thoroughly in the back of his mind. 

"Greetings to you, Verwyne daughter of Vingal.  I hope your journey so far has not been entirely inclement."

"My Lady Verwyne, please allow me to introduce to you, Arbogast of the Black Tarn. He has worked alongside the Lady Amaleoda in building that fastness, and I hear it has come along well. With him is his other companions..." Ceawin went through the litany of names and honors, those of which he knew, regarding each of the guests.

Once done, the young woman looked to Arbogast, "Master Arbogast, thank you! The journey has been well enough, but oh was it a tiresome trail. The forest is not inviting and many times I feared for us, even though there be strong men amongst our company. Horrid things, too, did we see - animals weaved in silk and hanging from trees, evidence of the spiders that I have heard tales. Fortunately, there were no horrid orcs to hinder us, for as you can see, we are safely here. I hope the road north from Rhosgobel will be an easier task?"

"Aye, the western trail from Sunstead is a challenge, which is something I might speak to you of, my good Dwarf!" interrupted Ceawin. "It is my understanding that one of your kin seeks assistance in reclamation and repairs of the Old Dwarf Road. I believe his name is Bofri, and he has come with the investment to hire and clear the old Dwarven crossing. Surely that might be something you would wish to aid in - an undertaking to truly reunite the west and eastern borders of Mirkwood!" Ceawin's voice rose in excitement.

The name Bofri rang as familiar to a few of the companions who had first met, five years past, at the Folk-moot. Bofri was the only other Dwarf that had been present at the moot.

Arbogast chocks an eyebrow at Rorin, as if to ask what he may know of Bofri. 

To Verwyne, he says "fear not, for you are come once more to a country long inhabited by Men, and the dark things of the wild hold little sway here.  It will, of course, be different to your old home.  But I hope that, in time, you will come to live the smell of the loam after the rains, the sound of hidden night-birds and the shining of sunlight on the Dusky River, as we who were born beneath the Western Eaves do." 


I'm going to make small talk for a while and try to reassure her about her new home. 

Persuade roll:

Rorin caught Arbogast's glance and sighed deeply.

"So, that old fool has finally begun his undertaking. Bofri is a particularly stubborn dwarf with big plans. He has spoken of restoring the old road for years with no success, he cannot rally support for his cause. When I still hung my armor in Erebor I dismissed him along with all the others, we have plentiful trade with Lake Town so why would we risk restoring a broken road with the power of the Shadow still holding sway in parts of Mirkwood?

But that was then, I have now spent several years among the various peoples of Mirkwood and consider Rhosgobel to be my home, and the wisdom in Bofri's plan is apparent. The road ought be built.

My thanks, Lord Ceawin, for bringing this to my attention. I will try to seek him out on my path to the Mountain Hall and pledge my support once my current obligations are fulfilled."

Curious, Grimbeorn chimes in, "Where does this road come out on the western edge of the forest?  I am not familiar with it."

 
I'll let Doug answer that one as Rorin haha.

"Why, right near your father's realm, Grimbeorn." The Beorning was surprised by whom it was that replied. Bandy smiled broadly, "I have studied many of the maps in my home far away. The library of Buckland was given one of the maps that Bilbo Baggins had returned home with, and I spent many hours reading it. My time here has increased my knowledge, but the road you would call the Old Forest Road was once known as the Old Dwarf Road and it exits the western wood just south of your father's realm, connecting with the Old Ford."

"Aye, he's right!" laughed Ceawin. "The Holbytlan is correct. RIght, Dwarf? The road bisects the wood and would make for a much easier route."

Rorin clapped Bandy on the back, to which came a yelp from the Hobbit. "Aye, he speaks the truth."

Behind them, Arbogast spoke with the young maiden. His words made her smile and he sang her a song that he had been composing. While talk of trade and travel across Mirkwood was discussed by others, the Fire-watcher spoke of home and love - all the things he knew that appealed to young women. Verwyne laughed and told her own tales of a life upon the prairies of Rhovanion. What Arbogast did not see, due to his own lack of experience in the ways of women, was the wry smile that she gave him while he spoke.

Ceawin called out over all conversations, "This be grand talk, but we have a wedding to get to. We shall leave for Woodland Hall with the morning sun. You all shall eat with my company tonight, and then we make our way north."

The Beorning eyes narrowed at the jest at his expense in lack of knowledge.  "It would appear learning something new every day has its benefits.  My father would be glad that I am hear to represent our people's interests."

Quote from: tomcat on Dec 13, 2015, 01:18 AMWhat Arbogast did not see, due to his own lack of experience in the ways of women, was the wry smile that she gave him while he spoke.

This is what happens when you get great success rolls while talking and persuading young Sansas, Arbogast.  

For those who want to know what is in my brain when I come up with these names or take them from a book, since we don't sit around a table, as to how I hear them pronounced:

Ceawin = Say-uh-win
Verwyne = Veer-wine

---

"As he should be," nodded Ceawin. "Come, let us make to the table. I hear that my cook has at last made ready."

The rest of the evening was spent over food and drink. The merriment pushed aside Arbogast's sadness and woes regarding his own home, though it would later fill him with guilt. The people of the Black Tarn had suffered and some had died, whils't he drank and made merry. The Fire-watcher breathed deeply and closed his eyes trying to quiet the voice in his head that still questioned his departure.

In his own tent, Grimbeorn reviewed his memories of the night. The young Beorning had had a very nice time with the Easterners, especially the beautiful Verwyne. She made her rounds between Arbogast and Grimbeorn, laughing and telling tales, or asking for one in return. She had danced when the meal had finished and pipers took up a tune, but Grimbeorn had denied her request to join her. Dancing was never a talent he had acquired and he would not look foolish in front of such a lovely woman. What was he thinking? She was betrothed to a Woodman!

But her smile...

Grimbeorn fell back onto his cot and fell into a deep, restful sleep - a smile of his own across his sleeping face.

Bandy was excited that the folk of Sunstead were here in Rhosgobel. He had traveled far already, but he had not made it so far as to go east of the mountains. Hence it was the company more than the wine that opened his mouth and poured forth a deluge of songs, questions, and stories. The young hobbit asked any who drew into his orbit questions about where they were from, what they knew of the lands, songs and stories of ages past and recent events. Many the Hobbit would not allow to leave until he had committed the song to memory. The Firewatcher was impressed by his ability to memorize songs and tails so quickly. While most had retired it was long in the night before the Hobbit quit the tent of his host.

"Oh what a great adventure we shall have Verwyne! Having come through the wood you will now get to pass over the great river and climb into the foothills of the Misty Mountains. Ahhhh such sites you wil see. I remember the first time I spied the mountains. They seemed to grow with each passing day while I thought I grew no closer to finally reaching them. You will see, you will see. And the river, unlike any other you have seen, why the great river is great even this far north and outshines anything else that I have seen so far in my travels. And noble companions you shall have along the way! Ah, I see my long speech has fatigued you and wearied my host as well. Good night to you and all the folk of Sunstead, you have watched the sun rise east of the forest and now you shall see it set into the mountains.....there may be a song in that somewhere. Alas, goodnight."