HeySerdna

 Kahan reined in his horse by the wooded stream, gazing up and down its winding length as far as he could see. There were no orcs, he'd not seen any these many weeks of travel from Gondor. He'd already passed the lands of the Rohirrim behind him and the forest of Fangorn as well as he'd followed the Anduin northwards on his journey. When he'd been asked to where it was he intended to travel to he'd had no answer for his friends and family, simply that he felt it time he do so. The wounds from the war had begun to heal finally, both the internal and the external though he at times remembered that fateful night when the orcish ram had broken th

 Kahan awoke before the sun could fully pierce the trees, the world around him was cast in gray light as he stretched out the night's cramps. Besides him Edoin whinnied and clambered to his feet, shaking the dew from his mane as he trotted off to nibble on the grassy tufts around the clearing. Kahan rose himself and broke out his own food from his saddle bags, salted meat and biscuits. While chewing he examined the intricately inked map he'd acquired before leaving Minas Tirith. If what the elf woman had said the previous day was true, he placed his finger on the forest of Lorien, tapping it thoughtfully. He'd been following the Anduin northw

 The first day's travel from Lothlorien's pristine streams and well kept greenery over the broken ground and sparse trees of the southern Rhovanion was a slow one and though Edoin kept a steady pace Kahan could see no signs of the forest of Mirkwood before him. He had never been this far north in his life, in fact he had never traveled farther afield than Cair Andros where he had fought to retake the vital river crossing over the Anduin from forces allied with Mordor following the battle for Minas Tirith. It had been there that Kahan had spent the final hours of the war while the King had led the remaining armies of men against the Black Gate

 The morning came swiftly on the flatlands of the Rhonvanion, the sun washing across the world all at once as darkness faded to light with little preamble. The growing light and warmth of the dawn wakened Kahan from his slumber and as he blinked out the morning sleep he realized he was not alone in his camp. Bundled besides him was a blonde hair woman wrapped in a ruddy brown cloak that seemed to blend in with the barren ground them. In fact if not for her shocking golden hair he might not have noticed her at first! Coming to his feet he stood up and looked down at a surprisingly familiar face. It was the elf woman he'd met in the forest, Air

 The dawn broke as had that before it and once Kahan and Aira-ty had eaten and gathered up their things they were once again on their way across the vast expanse of the wilds of the Rhovanion. Kahan again declined to ride while Aira-ty walked, despite her halfhearted protests about the lagging pace such a choice would impose on them but Kahan remained stalwart to his commitment to walk alongside Edoin rather than mount him while Aira-ty was forced to walk. “Might I ask a question my lady?” Kahan asked as the sun rose overhead. “You seem to have done so already,” she replied. “I do not see what is preventing you

 The next few days passed in relative peace, each one carrying them further and further east as they traveled and continued their pointed conversations. All the while the vastness of Mirkwood rested to their north, seemingly stretching endless towards the east as they journeyed each day towards the rising of the sun. “I had not realized just how great the greenwood was,” the human remarked on one occasion as he and Aira-ty took a moment to gather water by a stream flowing from within the forest. She didn't say anything as she filled her flask from the stream while he knelt down besides her and filled his own waterskin. She pause

 The rest of the day and well into the evening was spent at Olen's great dining table were Kahan and Aira-ty enjoyed both the fruits of Olen's bakery as well as his meadery which proved most enjoyable. The honey ale and baked goods were more than welcome to Kahan's palate and he found that he enjoyed the gruff mannerisms of their host despite his imposing presence. “Tell me human,” Olen rumbled. “What of the lands of men?” Kahan put his tankard—quite overlarge in his opinion—down on the table and wiped the back of his hand against his moist lips before speaking. “King Elessar seeks to unify the sou

 The morning brought with it none of the customary chill Kahan had come to expect with his travels north from his homeland. It was a strange and yet refreshing change to sleeping beneath the night's chilly air. He turned and found that Aira-ty was already up—if indeed she had slept at all—and speaking with Olen in beorning's brightly lit home. As Kahan rose and gathered his things, Aira-ty took note of him. “You're finally awake human, I rather thought you might sleep the entire morning away.” “Forgive me,” Kahan replied. “It has been too long since I slept in a proper bed with a roof over my head.

 Guo-Jia stroked her mare's mane lovingly as she whispered sweet affections to the sleek steppe horse. She had been overjoyed when the man from Gondor had retrieved her horse and gear from the villagers. She prized her saber and recurved composite bow, but her dear Nidea was far more precious to her than any weapon could ever be. She turned to look at the Westerner and Elf as they watched her quietly, bowing her head slightly. “I thank you for Nidea's return. I had not expected such kindness from a Westerner and a man of Gondor...I hope you can forgive my rudeness, I was angry and hurt.” The man of Gondor nodded. “I know