On the sunny day the raven came with a message tied to its leg, Sarnai was sitting in silence under a tree, sharpening her knives and watching her horse graze. She smiled at the bird, removing the parchment and letting it go. Reading slowly - her Westron, Sarnai realized with a twinge of regret, needed work - she deciphered the missive’s contents, being thorough to make sure she understood the words, then slipped it into her pack. Sarnai mounted her horse, whispering a few kind words into the animal’s ear, and rode south toward Bree-town.
She made her way quietly through the town, wearing her long patched coat and with her hood up to appear as a simple hunter and avoid notice, in case of encounters with some of the less savory folk who had threatened to start a fight the last time she came through. Stabling her horse by the Prancing Pony, she walked along the main street and quietly slipped into the Training Hall, closing the door almost inaudibly behind her.
There, Sarnai saw Duramarth sitting at a table by the fireplace. The Grandmaster must have known the Lady better than any other member of their Order, she realized, and she approached him quietly out of respect.
"Sir... I received your letter." Her voice was still soft and just as raspy as the day they had met years before, but there was more confidence in her stride. "I only ask that we not meet in Bree-town often." She pulled her hood a little lower, shading her eyes. "It may be... unwise."
Duramarth looked up as she approached. “Ah, Sarnai! Welcome. Have a seat.”
Eyeing the chair with her usual apprehension, Sarnai obeyed the command, sitting cautiously on a nearby chair. She seemed more strong and vital than at her first (and for a while, only) meeting with Duramarth, her face less hollow, her pride less fragile. However, her accent was nearly as thick as it was back then.
Duramarth smiled. “I can appreciate your apprehension of where we would meet, but I assure you, it is much safer than Arrowhaven for the time being.”
Sarnai raised an eyebrow at that. "Truly? This is troubling news."
“Troubling news indeed, and part of the reason I have summoned you here.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Sarnai added, "I... had an ill encounter in this town some time ago. A watchman may have... made some threats. If a man tries to stab me again, I will be... held." She looked back to Duramarth. “Tell me.”
Duramarth lowered his voice. "I have made an error in judgement. An error that now involves all of the kin."
Her heart sinking with dread, Sarnai nodded in reply. "I... am sorry for my rudeness, but please be clear. I need to know the problem as soon as I can."
Duramarth continued, "In my pursuit of mining for new ore to craft weapons to forge against our enemies, I unearthed something I should have let lie. A new metal."
“Something dark and terrible?”
“Or more likely,” Duramarth replied, “a very ancient one…”
Sarnai mused for a moment, speaking somewhat haltingly as she had for years. “One who joined the Order around the time I did, a scholar known as Lômizimril… some time ago she was asked to learn what is known of a blade or two… she spoke little of it to me, but said they were of a dark metal, fell in nature, lost to the past. Now, I am no tale-teller or wise woman, but they may be linked.” It was unclear in the moment whether the pauses in her speech are required by the rasping reminder of her scarred throat, or by her less than ideal grasp of Westron.
Duramarth chuckled sadly. "I appreciate that but our Knight Commander has already searched the ends of Middle Earth looking for that very answer."
Sarnai looked away. "Oh. I... speak too much, I know," she muttered.
"In his haste,” Duramarth continued, “he did something...regrettable.”
Sarnai kept her face stoic as usual, interest clearly evident in her eyes despite that effort.
“Listen, I will tell you the details of our problem later, but that is actually not why I have brought you here. Do you still have the brooch?”
Sarnai nodded, drawing the seven-jeweled brooch out of her pack. "Always, Grandmaster. I bled enough for it." It felt like an understatement, but she had little desire to revisit the moments in which she proved her loyalty and earned her place in the Order.
“Tell me. What did Our Lady Iaurmenel tell you when she gave you that brooch?'
“What she has told every other person to claim it, more or less. To abide by the tenets of the Order, to pursue the light from the darkness.” She paused a moment to think before she replied, “... the light that shines out, as the Wain shines in the sky.”
Duramarth nodded. "I am glad you remember. She was a magnificent orator. A masterful planner and a great leader. Perhaps she will be again one day. I do not know when or if she will return. For better or worse I am your leader now. Unfortunately, I am no Eldar.”
"Men have their own strengths,” Sarnai interrupted, “if I may be so... proud on our behalf." She felt oddly defensive about her fellow Secondborn, sometimes, even if they were people who hated her for the roots of her blood.
'Indeed. Though I fear I may have already fallen prey to old habits of our race in my vain pursuit for power, I still believe we can achieve greatness together and I will do my best to lead you. Some things are going to change. You know we have always been an order of Knights and Septarians, yes?”
“I know. Will that change?”
“Those of us who are Septarians will remain so but as it stands our kin, our entire Order is under great duress. Much worse I fear than what happened with the Warhorse. A powerful evil hunts us and with our numbers dwindling, I need knights. So until further notice, we will only receive knights into our ranks. Furthermore, the Council of the Seven has waned and must be strengthened. This is the true purpose of my calling you here this evening.”
Sarnai blinked, eyes widening. "Wait, you... you cannot possibly..." She bit her lip and fell silent, aware of Duramarth’s rank.
Duramarth looked at her with sincerity. “You have served our Order faithfully. Never wavering. Always keeping the faith. Even through the many hardships. It is time that you joined the upper echelon of our ranks. To learn our most guarded secrets.
“I am not worthy, sir. My... seniors... some have told me as much.” Would she always be a rabbit to their eyes, a frightened girl no matter how hard she fought or how much she endured, her pride always stubborn, her will always headstrong?
“A humble servant as always,” Duramarth said with an affectionate smile. “Your words only strengthen my confidence in your abilities. You swore an oath when you joined our Order. Now that you have been duly elected to the ranks of the Council of the Seven, you will recite a new one that will solidify your understanding of this new role.”
“Yes, sir. I may not... agree with every decision you make. That matters not. My father raised a good soldier.” Sarnai paused for a moment, looking aside. “Well, a soldier. ‘Good' is not agreed upon.”
Duramarth put his hand over Sarnai’s, covering the bone ring on her thumb. "I assure you only the courageous, the bold and those with integrity, those elect few are called for this honor. Now please, repeat after me,” he said as he began the oath, “No law nor love / no blade nor bow / shall keep me from my duty...”
Sarnai twitched slightly at Duramarth’s touch, but she steeled her face and looked him in the eye as her body held very still. "No law nor love, no blade nor bow, shall keep me from my duty to defend the Flame Imperishable from those who would destroy it: this power, which is that of Free Will. I shall spread truth to them who would hear, then I will gather those allies beside me and prepare them for war.”
She frowned slightly as she thought of the next few words she had to say, but continued without further hesitation, “For I am the Sower, the Hand of the Harvest, and the Instrument of Death. A Knight of the Order I am, an Order of Night shall it be, now until my Rest, when Eru sets me free.”
Duramarth smiled. “Well done.”
"I try to do things well enough," Sarnai said with a bow of her head. “What would you ask of me, sir?”
“I need you to seek out our dear friend Cynraede. He has been appointed as our Knight Commander. He will oversee your training...in the safety and refuge of our hidden hall.”
Sarnai restrained the urge to mention that she didn’t know him very well, and therefore ‘dear friend’ might be an overstatement. “It has been some time since I saw him. I will do as you command, sir.” After a moment’s consideration, she added, “'I will try not to disappoint you.”
Duramarth grinned proudly. "I have no doubt, Officer. Fare thee well on your journey. And remember, stay off the roads."
Sarnai got up from her chair and bowed respectfully at the waist, as she always had for her superiors. "I always avoid them, sir. Would it be wise to wear armor on the way, then?”
“These days it would be wise to sleep in it,” Duramarth replied with an affirmative nod.
“Speak to Skufr first. He will instruct you on what you will need for your journey."
"Thank you, sir. I shall." She smiles wryly. "Sleeping in armor is... not new to me." After all, had she not spent many days and nights on the road, armored against potential attack? It was not so terrible with a gambeson to cushion one’s body.
“One last thing.” Duramarth reached into a leather pouch, producing a small piece of parchment. "Please take this and give it to those you deem worthy. Sow the seeds, dear Knight."
“... I will,” Sarnai said as she accepted the parchment. “I am not sure I will meet many.”
With that, the two parted ways and Sarnai set out toward the location of the dwarf, Skufr. There was so much to learn. What secrets had been kept from her, and how would she guard them in turn? At least she could keep a secret, Sarnai realized. That had been proven long ago.
Author's note: This is heavily based off the chat logs from an actual in-game RP session.
