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B2MeM 2012: A Spirit in Shadows  by Mirach

2. Another place and time

„When shall we meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?”

“Don’t be sarcastic, Halbarad. We will meet in three days in the Prancing Pony.”

“Three days of this terrible weather…” Halbarad muttered.

Aragorn laughed shortly. “It is just rain, not the Fell Winter. Think of the pints old Barliman Butterbur draws there, cousin…”

“And the mushroom stew…” Hathol added.

“Whatever…” Halbarad didn’t look quite appeased. “So, I’m going with Hathol and you with Bregor. See you above a pint!”

“Or two,” Aragorn smirked, and the four Rangers split their ways.

Bregor never made it to Bree.

There was a hill on their path, and they were just discussing if they should circle it from right or left. But something was not right. The birds were too quiet, maybe. A hawk flew suddenly from a tree. Keeeee! Keeeee! Its scream cut the cloudy sky. Next, arrows whistled.

Aragorn ducked to the ground, more on reflex than on a conscious thought. A quick glance at Bregor told him that his companion escaped with a scratch on his shoulder as an arrow nearly missed him. Then there was no time to look around or think.

Aragorn rolled to get from the line of fire, and then stood up from the dust and in a blur of movement jumped into the bushes where the arrows were coming from. The ambushers had no time to shoot another arrow as the two rangers descended upon them just like the hawk on its prey. They were robbers, expecting the merchants heading to the market in Bree, not Rangers. Or so it seemed in that time…

Later, when Bregor started feeling sick, Aragorn wasn’t that sure. In an hour, the man fell unconscious, and didn't respond to his calling. In five hours, he was dead, and Aragorn couldn’t do anything. There was some poison on the arrow, a poison unknown to him. He could only watch as Bregor descended into darkness. That day, he failed as a healer, he though. He could not save Bregor. He only could take his body to protect it from wild animals, and carry it the rest of the way, a heavy burden on his heart. When he meets with Halbarad and Hathol, they will buy a splintery coffin in Bree and bury him into the soaked ground behind the gates. Death of old age was getting rare among the Dúnedain as the world darkened. Yet nobody would care for a dead Ranger there… Aragorn gritted his teeth, alone with his grief.

In Prancing Pony, they ordered a pint in Bregor’s honour. The ale was cold and bitter, as their lot seemed in that moment.

 





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