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[Khamuli]

Khamuli climbed to the top of the old fortress, Amon-Sun, and looked around. It was but a reminder of its former glory. Her mind was foggy, so she could not remember what purpose it served in previous ages, but even an Easterling knew his or her history. It was part of their strict living regiment, one that every Easterling fought through to survive. Only the strong ones survived, which made them excellent mercenaries.

Khamuli had little care of what was happening east of where she stood, with what marriages and love and babies. She detested all of those things. She fancied the thought she had a heart of ice. She smiled mirthlessly as a cold breeze blew over her. She had lived a tough life in Harad, in the heat, and the north of Middle Earth was deathly cold to her. She brought her thick woolen cloak tightly to her skin.

She fingered the scarred skin that she had obtained during the war of the ring. She had fought against the forces of good and light, and had been pardoned. She remembered kneeling before the King with her kinsmen and receiving. She still didn't know why King Elessar or whatever he called himself had given them their lives, but she hadn't stuck around to test his patience. She had fled and planned to make her life out here.

But for now, it was just a matter of getting through the night.

[Cield]

Cield had been going around on his regular patrols as a ranger when he suddenly spotted something that he hadn't in a while. In fact, the sight was so rare he was almost certain that it didn't truly exist and perhaps his eyes were deceiving. However, this time that fact was not so.

Not too far away from where he was was a woman who looked to be a warrior woman herself, and she seemed to have battle wounds to prove it.

Frowning, he took a step towards her before clearing his throat, looking about.

"May I ask what you are doing around here?"

((DUMB!))

[Khamuli]

Khamuli turned quickly at the sound of another voice. She had no other weapon than a short dagger, which was already in her hand, so she felt at a loss. If this man was intent on killing her, since she was one of the Easterlings who tried to kill his kin, she could not fight him, despite all her years of fierce training. And she was much younger than he was, and that instilled fear in her tiny heart of ice.

She watched his every move carefully and gripped her dagger tightly. She brushed an errant strand of dark hair from her eyes and took a step back. He looked like those Rangers, whom she had heard terrible stories about. They were merciless killers who cut down men, women, children and elders. He did look dangerous and she tightened her stance and stared him right in the eye.

"I am traveling, lord." Khamuli could not break her habit of speaking to men with respect and a proper title that had been instilled in her since early childhood. She adhered to her morals that women were lesser than men. "I meant only to stop for night, since it is very dark." She gestured to the night sky, studded with stars.

"Are you a Ranger?" She asked curiously, looking him over. Her feminine side noted that he was handsome, in a rugged way. She was used to very young men and older men, since the middle aged men stayed with their families. He was very handsome, even more so than that blonde prissy elf who was King Elessar's friend.

[Cield]

Cield frowned as he looked towards the woman with slight apprehension. Years of traveling with Adelina made him know well enough that a woman's bite could be just as terrible as her bark. Which, in fact, could be pretty nasty on its own.

"I understand that, but why have you no traveling companions? It is odd, seeing those such as you alone and about these parts of Arnor."

His response was merely questioning, but rather than waiting for an answer he continued to answer her own with a nod. After all, it seemed no harm in telling her. While she was still armed, it was obvious that she had already been armed and would have attacked already. Moments earlier, he was much less on guard than he was at that moment. And that was saying something.

"Yes, I am indeed a Ranger. I work for King Elessar himself, and trained him in his youth. Who are you, though?"

[Khamuli]

Khamuli was tempted to merely look at him in fascination, since he hadn't killed her, but training told her otherwise. She watched him carefully, looking for any hostile signs. He had been nothing but polite and curious, but she knew well that curiosity could turn into deadly obsession... obsession meaning he could become obsessed with the thought of her dead. She arched an eyebrow at his questions, but answered them anyway.

"I have no traveling companions because most of my kind have returned to Harad upon receiving pardon from King Elessar. I am still a wandering spirit. I have no need for companions. There is nothing here that I fear." She declared proudly. It had taken years, but finally she was rid of her fear of any living creature. She feared only the Valar, which was a healthy fear.

"I am Khamuli, Easterling of Harad." She introduced herself proudly. Though it was no good thing to declare to a Ranger that one was an Easterling, she was still proud that she, a woman, had succeeded among their ranks. Women did not do that often. And Harad was a place of pride and dignity. It was her home... if she could call it that.

"Who are you, then, Ranger?" She snapped. It was bad form to ask for a traveler's name and not give yours in return. But then again, he was just a Ranger.

[Cield]

"Fearing nothing must be awfully hard. After all, it is well known that there are those who have several trouble with the ability of keeping up their pretenses. Not fearing anything, then, leads to being nothing but trouble and a whole load of dark work."

Cield knew well that he spoke the truth. After all, Arvedui had put claim to having no fears. But when one does not hold a fear in their heart, they grow with a seemingly ability to be invincible in more than one way. And it leads to torment when they actually fall.

Noting the woman's sudden anger, he couldn't help but smirk to himself. He had obviously upset her with his lack of manners.

"I am sorry, I am Cield, Ranger of Minas Tirith and all that is Gondor."

[Khamuli]

"Fearing nothing is not hard. It is as easy as breathing when you accomplish it." Khamuli narrowed her eyes at him and gripped her knife tighter in her hand. There was something about this man that made her uneasy. She did not fear him, but she was apprehensive. As if he would be her downfall. No, that would not happen. An Easterling never fell.

"Cield..." She whispered softly. It rolled off her tongue nicely, much more pleasant than the rough names of Easterlings. It was almost musical in quality. She would never, ever admit it, but she loved the way it sounded. It sounded valiant and noble, as if it was the name of a hero from some far gone history tale. It seemed to fit him.

"So, tell me, Cield..." Khamuli's innermost womanly nature giggled and a blush rose to her cheeks, a sign that she was indeed mortal (other than that, she was a block of ice). "Since you seem intent on not leaving me any time soon, would you be interested in telling me a tale of Middle Earth and your travels? The only dealings I have with it were at Pelennor Fields and the road to it." She did want to know more about the land she dwelled in, and this Ranger seemed to best to divulge information from.

"I apologize if I am forthright." She gulped and hoped he did not become angry. She had long since learned her lesson about being disrespectful and it seemed her past lessons had slipped her mind.

[Cield]

"Ay, you are fine. But I find it difficult," Cield responded with a roguish smile, smirking slightly in response to her. He couldn't help his response, he just enjoyed having the opportunity to take an opportunity to get the upper hand.

"I must say that my travels have many stories, one of which would take much too long to tell you."

((You know why it's short.))

[Khamuli]

Khamuli knew well the game he tried to play with her. He was trying to get the upper hand. Thats the problem. He tried too hard. In fact, the problem was that he simply tried. Women did not need to try to win. She smirked at him, "completely unaffected" by his roguish charms that would have melted the heart of any other women, married or otherwise.

"You find it hard because you are a man." She answered, without missing a beat. She did love undermining men who could not do anything short of killing her about it.

"Your life has been that interesting?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He was probably just playing up on her. He probably was just a grunt, told what to do, and when to do it. The Rangers had their Chieftain, did they not? Now that would be a man to meet. She cleared her throat, feeling the chill seep into her clothes that had been made for warmer climates.

"It is hard for me to believe that, but then, of course, I have barely ventured from Harad and I know little of what this land is like." Khamuli looked over the land and took in a deep breath, clasping her hands together.

[Cield]

"Oh, I'm sure you would know so much about men," Cield rolled his eyes, looking towards her in mock amusement. After all, he really had a hatred for women after the whole Arvedui/Adelina deal.

"And for you information, Rangers indeed have quite a deal many stories to tell. Working for the king himself only makes the amount greater," he shot as a response. "But what about you? I'm hardly aware of any sort of talent you could have that brings a decent story about."