Gates

[[deleted user]]

The gates to Bree.

[Evelina]

Mae squinted up through the rain at the sign on the gate, pulling her orc-style cloak tightly around her. She had a sneaking suspicion, but she wasn't quite sure.

She wiped off some of the mud that was spattered on the sign, then read it. "Bree," she said aloud, and grinned. Bree. Of all the places in Middle Earth to end up in, Bree was one of the most diverse.
She knocked on the gates once, then waited.

[[deleted user]]

Madelaine and Anne rode into Bree. Madelaine clutched her staff, her cloak covering her face.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne stopped at the gate, her hood down as well, as she looked down at the figure below. An orc cloak. She drew her blade. "Madelaine, look."

[Evelina]

Mae heard a hoofbeats and a voice. She looked up... and saw the flash of a sword. Without thinking, she raised her bow and nocked her arrow. Both were weapons that she had stolen from fallen Orcs, along with a long sword.

She didn't notice that her face was hidden beneath the hood of her Orc cloak.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne jumped from her saddle and straightened up in front of the figure. "Lower your weapons, fool." The dark of the fading sun and the tone of her voice made her appear oder than a mere fourteen-year old.

[Evelina]

Mae scowled. She hated backing down, but she had really just gotten here. She didn't want to die so soon.

She tentatively lowered her bow, put didn't put it away.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne didn't lower her blade, but reached up and over, and swept the hood off the figure's face. "So not an orc," she muttered. "Not bulky enough to be one." She suddenly tugged the cloak off the girl's shoulders. "But wearing this-" she threw it in the mud- "Is likely to get you killed." She seethed.

[Evelina]

Mae frowned. "It's the only protective garment that I have right now," she told Anne. "I had to make do. The dangers of the cold and the elements were more imminent than the dangers of a misunderstanding."

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne snorted and then lowered her hood, revealing her young face. She wasn't in the best mood, having had to leave the Mirkwood recently, and her azure eyes told the girl that. "If you think that," she said steely, "you're obviously not from here."

[Evelina]

Mae nodded. "You are correct," she told Anne. "I am a long way from home." If only she knew, she thought.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"As am I. But not as far. In fact, I have no home," she replied airily.

[Evelina]

Mae looked at Anne again. She didn't know if she trusted her, but she was the first person that she had met... well, the first human, anyway.

"Do you know of a place where I can acquire different... er, garments?" she asked, looking down at her Orc cloak with much distaste.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"I you have money, then yes. If not, then no." Anne replied. She didm;t have a single sou on her, and nothing was free in the world.

[Evelina]

Mae smiled sadly. "In that case... I'll just have to make do with the Orc cloak for now." She looked up at the Gates. "Or... do you think I could trade it?"

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"Trade an orc cloak?" Anne was bewildered at this human's otherworldly ignorance. "I'll see what I can do. I know how to weave a cloak from reeds."

[Evelina]

Mae sighed. She had always wanted to live in Middle Earth... but she felt like Tolkien's books were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the real version.

"Can you teach me?" she asked.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"I'll do it for you." She replied, then sheathed her sword.

[Evelina]

Mae nodded. "Thank you for your assistance. It wouldn't do for me to wander about in the clothes of a fallen Orc."

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"Yes, it would not," Anne said.

[[deleted user]]

Madelaine slid off her horse. "Calm yourself, Anne." She swept her hood off her face, standing tall. She gave the girl a warm smile. "Your from Earth. Aren't you?" She said gently. "I'm Madelaine, daughter of Gandalf the White, and also from Earth." She held her hand out to shake. The 20-year-old looked down at the young girl, a kind expression on her face, yet her eyes were sad.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne scowled and pulled her hood back over her head. Sh leaned against her large horse, who attempted to nuzzle her shoulder, but she ignored it.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

ѕαяαн {２４６０１} wrote: "Anne scowled and pulled her hood back over her head. Sh leaned against her large horse, who attempted to nuzzle her shoulder, but she ignored it."

[Evelina]

((Ah, my apologies. I didn't see! xD))

Mae looked up at Madelaine, surprised. "Yes," she said softly. "I am from Earth." She shook Madelaine's hand. Then she looked over at Anne. "I hope I have not offended you in any way."

[[deleted user]]

"Oh don't worry about Anne. She's just... Touchy." Madelaine said patting Anne's shoulder.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne pulled away from Madelaine's touch with a sigh. She laced her fingers into her horse's mane and looked down.

[Evelina]

One corner of Mae's mouth quirked up into a little half-grin. Anne was just so serious.

"What's your name?" she asked Madelaine.

[[deleted user]]

"Madelaine." She confirmed wit a gentle smile.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

Anne saw the girl's mouth curl up in a grin and she scowled underneath her hood.

[Evelina]

Mae frowned. Anne was definitely mysterious.

"I'm Mae," she told Madelaine tentatively.

[Evelina]

((I have to go eat dinner. :P I'll be back soon!))

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

((Alright!))

Anne said, "I'll be back in an hour or so." She mounted her horse and started off to the marshlands.

[Evelina]

((I'm back! xD))

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

((Yay!))

An hour later Anne returned, doing something with both hands on her horse. She wasn't holding the reins.

[Evelina]

Mae craned her neck, trying to see what she was doing. Finally, she gave up.

"What are you doing?" she asked her cautiously.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"Here." She tossed her a bundle of something that looked woven.

[Evelina]

Mae caught it, surprised. She unwrapped it. "Is this a cloak?" she asked.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

She nodded. "Reed cloak, like I told you."

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

((Are you both still up for this?))

[Evelina]

((Yep! I only have an hour, though! What about you, Madelaine?))

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

ѕαяαн {２４６０１} wrote: "She nodded. "Reed cloak, like I told you.""

((Okay… Where's Madelaine been?))

[Evelina]

((No idea! So sorry. xD))

[[deleted user]]

((I'm sorry! Sick and fainted yesterday!))

Madelaine smiled at Anne. "You're a blessing to this world Anne." She said grinning.

[Evelina]

Mae grinned for the first time. "Thank you, Miss Anne!" she exclaimed, running her fingers across the cloak. It felt so very... Middle-Earth-y?

((xD))

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

((Oh- ouch! I once fainted after a blood test. I didm;t have enough sugar in my body. ;/))

Anne snorted at Madelaine's words. "No I'm not." She looked down at Mae. "You're welcome."

[Evelina]

Mae smiled and put the cloak on. It fit perfectly, and was much more comfortable than that scratchy Orc cloak. She looked at the gates again. "Do you guys want to enter?" she asked.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

"Alright…" Anne replied. She hammered on the gates.

[Evelina]

Mae looked at the gates, both nervous and excited at the same time. She had always wanted to go to Bree, but had never had the chance before. (Well, obviously.) And now she was here. Wearing a cloak that... DIDN'T belong to an Orc. She awaited the gate's opening with bated breath.

[sᴀʀᴀʜ, Head Mod and Legolas Greenleaf]

The gatekeeper looked out. "Who passes there, and what is your business in Bree?" He asked.
"Our business is our own," Anne replied heatedly.

[Evelina]

Mae stood still, hoping that the gatekeeper would let them in. She admired how Anne could snap at the gatekeeper like that; she didn't think she'd ever be able to do that.