LOCATION:

Umbar, The Harbours: Merchant Harbour

The Bay of Umbar spreads before your eyes - a wide expanse of water, roughly circular in shape and landlocked on three sides. From the north it is flanked by a long promontory, strangely white in color - the King's Cliff. On the western side, the grim outline of Castle Umbar blots out half the sky.

All along the southeastern shore, the Merchant Harbours leisurely spread. Ships without count, of all sizes and under a multitude of banners dock, cast off and maneuver in the eastern part of the bay, growing timid only when passing by the War Harbour to the west that controls the entrance to the Bay of Umbar. Most of the docks and shipyards are further to the east, where the walls come to the very shore and prevent all access to the harbours except from the sea. The Seagate that leads into the city is to the south of you.

Obvious exits:
* Out To Sea <Northwest> leads to Bay of Umbar: Off Harbours.
* West leads to Umbar, The Harbours: War Harbour.
* South leads to Azrubatan: At the Seagate.

[Barzag:]

It is a bright January morning, and the winter air is chill and tangy with salt spray. The docks are fairly quiet this morning, filled with merchant craft at rest, for few would choose to put to sea so soon after the year's ending. A few sailors wander the quays, and a convoy of dockworkers is loading a cargo of some sort on to one stately vessel.

Down the hill from the Seagate walks a lone figure, short, broad-shouldered and cloaked in grey. That is about all that can be seen of him from a distance, though as he raises a hand to shade his eyes from the sun's rays, it seems that his skin is swarthier than most. And he seems to be looking for someone ... or something.

[Aluran:] Aluran looks up towards the soft blue sky. Puffy white clouds fill her eyes, as a soft smile of wonder crosses her pale lips. A sea breeze blows gently by her, not quite cold, but enough to cause a shiver through her slender frame. Tighter the dark cloak is pulled around her body, long lashes lowering as eyes drift shut. She seems almost unaware of the world around her at this particular moment, nor the man in the distance. Having seen a few sailors walk past, none that actually noticed the girl setting upon a crate of some sort, she felt alone and at peace.

[Barzag:]

The grey-cloaked man, the Hillman labourer Barzag, pays Aluran seated on her crate no more heed than the sailors - indeed, possibly even less. He marches straight to the quayside, and turns his head this way and that, amber eyes sliding over the crate and its occupant at first glance. Instead the man approaches one of the dockworkers, and snatches of conversation drift back. "I look ... the harbour master?" Barzag asks. "... not here," comes the swift reply. There is another question from the Hillman, and the dockworker answers with a shrug, "Don't know. Just come on shift." At this Barzag sighs, turning away, and once notices Aluran for a second time. He hesitates for a moment, then walks over to her, clearing his throat softly to attract her attention.

[Aluran:] Aluran opens her eyes as the conversation takes place, the quite of the harbour broken for the moment. Lips tug slightly to form a grin of amusement at the rude nature of questions reply. Slender fingers press against the fleshy lips to keep a laugh from bursting forth. The smile soon fades as the cloaked man approachs. Her own dark wrap is pulled tighter around her body, conforming to the clothes that lie beneath. Grey eyes peer at him from beneath the hood, though she tilts her head slighty as to make it hard to see. Long lashes lower, then rise again as she studies that which stands before her now. A gentle voice pases over slightly parted lips. " Umm, can I help you? "

[Barzag:]

Oddly hesitant, Barzag seems. He starts at the sound of that voice, and gazes more closely at the person before him, hand half-rising to his mouth as if to hide what marks him out, then bows his head. But after a moment he looks up again and speaks in accented yet understandable Adunaic. "I do not mean to disturb you, but ... you watch the ships? Can you say if any ships did dock this morning?"

[Aluran:] Aluran ponders this for a moment, as her mind had been wandering all day. A sea breeze blows past once more, this one strong enough to remove the cloth of the cloak from the more than startled girl's face. Long raven tresses, now exposed to the morning sun, gleam a soft redish hue. Grey eyes blink momentarily as small hands scramble to pull the hood back into its original position. Now sounding completely annoyed and most flustered, she finds the ability to answer his question. " None today, as of yet." Her words are not exceedingly nice, but cordial enough to let pass.

[Barzag:]

Barzag watches silently as the wind draws the hood from the girl's face. His own cloak flaps in the breeze, but he pays it little heed, gazing at the delicate features. When the reply at last comes, his mouth pulls to one side before he finds the voice to reply. "I thank you. I will not disturb ..." he shifts a few paces away, enough so as not to alarm the girl, then adds softly, "but maybe I also should watch." And with that he turns his amber eyes towards the sea, staring into the distance as if willing a ship to appear, one hand raised to keep windswept strands of dark hair from his eyes.

[Aluran:] Aluran presses her lips roughly together. A soft exlimation slips from her, but nothing loud enough to be intelligable. Standing momentarily, she streches her stiffened body in an attempt to get the kinks out. Slipping back upon the crate, she leaves enough room this time that another could manage to squeeze in a seat beside her. Half-lidded eyes glance once more at Barzag. " There is no use you standing and watching. Ships have been comming in with a rarity as of late. Take a seat, lest your legs eventually buckle beneath you." With that said, she grows silent again. Her gaze moves out towards the see. If peered towards in the right direction, a spot where the hood does not hide her face well, you can see her expectant facial expressions.

[Barzag:]

Barzag turns, cleft lip parting slightly in surprise. His eyes wander towards the empty space on the crate, then back to the speaker, and his mouth curls up a little at the right side. "You think standing is so difficult then?" Amber eyes glitter brightly for a minute, and he moves a couple of paces back, not taking a seat though. "You said ships are rare at this time? That is true. Ur-ziran - my master - waits on a new load of stone for many days now. He did send me to see if it did arrive ...," he shrugs, then wonders aloud, perhaps noticing the direction of Aluran's gaze, "You are also waiting? Not for stones, I would think."

[Aluran:] Aluran lets a soft sigh escape slightly parted lips. Her gaze once more returns to the man who seems to enjoy interrupting her peace. " I do not think standing is diffcult, I think standing for such a long period of time with no need is simply..." She pauses for a moment, searching for the word she wishes to use. " ..for lack of a better phrase, stupid." She once again gazes out towards the see, her eye on a certain ship where she had seen a sailor practicing with his weapon a few days prior. The reason for his appearance here is unimportant to her, as is obvious in her body language. Nor has she any intention of telling him her reasonings, or so the silence would imply. Placing her hands demurely upon her lap, she crosses her legs at the ankle and merely waits.

[Thalos:]

The sound of horse hooves upon wood can be heard approaching the pair, talking on the docks. The figure cloaked in hues of midnight blue and brilliant silvery steel plates, called Brigandine. Upon a steed of a black so deep as it were the nights sky itself, marred only by a white star upon the steed's forehead. Thalos Longstar, Lieutenant to Lord Belzakhor rides closer to the two conversing near the crates. Immediately his eyes drop unto Barzag, then slowly scan over to the lady Aluran, "Good day to you both..." his words are solemn and bear no emotion.

[Barzag:]

Barzag's lips twitch at Aluran's words, though it is hard to tell if it is mirth or annoyance. He watches her settle herself, then deliberately turns his gaze back to the sea, continuing his vigil as if the girl were not even there. It is only when Thalos speaks that he looks shoreward again. "Good day ... officer," he replies, his expression neutral. "I wait to see if there any ships will arrive this day," he adds, as if he feels an explanation for his presence is somehow necessary.

[Kaelis:] finishing the knot he had begun moments ago, he ties off the rigging and moves away from the mainsail. walking towards the gangplank... two whole days leave? what did he do so wrong that they would kick him of the boat for two days?? shrugging in non commitance, he walks down the gangplank, the studs on his leathers polished and gleaming in the sun. his hand resting softly on the pommel of his short sword as his feet reach solid earth and immediately he feels hollow...

[Aluran:] Aluran glances up towards the horse, the sun glaring in her eyes making her view nearly impossible. Taking her cue as to who is upon the beast from Barzag, she murmurs out a soft greeting. She, unlike the other, felt no need to explain her presence here, and therefore merely didn't. Her silence can be considered either immensely rude, or merely polite. Which you choose obviously bares no great importance to the lady. There she sat, her legs still crosses, her eyes now back upon the sea.

[Kaelis:] Kaelis nodding slowly to the three assembled on the harbour he heads quickly to the nearest tavern to make "merry" as his captian suggested

Kaelis leaves the harbours, passing the Seagate and stepping into the city.

[Thalos:]

The officer regards the two with a neutral glare as he reveals a scroll in his hand, unrolled it seems to be a drawing of a fairly handsome, older Numenorean male. Handing it towards Barzag he asks the Hillman, "Have you seen this man?" his voice quick and authoratative, as if he demands response, but in a subtle sense. His eyes flick to Aluran once more and then regard Barzag with an suspicious view in the depths of his deep grey eyes. He does remember this man from a while back when he searched a warehouse for a letter the Governor of Umbar wished dearly for.

[Barzag:]

Barzag reaches out his right hand to take the scroll, his cloak falling back as he does so, revealing a brown arm that seems have some odd mark or scar near the top. He hurriedly pulls the cloak back round him, before peering at the drawing. "No, I do not think so ... " There is clear relief in his voice. "Who is he?" the Hillman wonders now, gazing questioningly at the soldier, his attention well away from the sea for now.

[Aluran:] Aluran turns her head to glance back at the two men. Their conversation has once again destroyed any chance of a quiet morning, leaving her with only the option to see what is so important to rile up the place. Her right hand sweeps up to tuck a lock of hair that escaped the confines of her hood. The day is starting to grow slightly warmer as the sun's rays touch the earth. The hand pauses, as though preparing to remove the cloth, then lowers once more as she thinks better of it. One hand clasps the other in her lap, and she merely listens to the two wiht mild interesting. Her line of sight switching back out to the see every so often.

[Thalos:]

"And you milady?... have you seen that man." Thalos' eyes regard Barzag as if he were to give the lady the scroll herself. His eyes move to the lady and then back to the Rhevian sighing slightly as if to look quite unpatient at the hillman's question. "His name is of no concern to you, but if you see him... Report it at once to the City Gaurd."

[Barzag:]

Barzag frowns, shrugs. "If I am sure I have seen such a one, I will tell the guards. But in the picture he seems as most of your kind," - his lip curls then, in something that might be contempt - "is there something I should look for?" His amber eyes gaze back to the scroll as it is offered to Aluran, and his brows draw down for an instant as he ponders, before he raises his head to see what the girl's reaction to the drawing will be.

[Aluran:] Aluran glances at the scroll momentarily, really not even enough to get a good looks. A soft no followed by an apology escapes her, though with the morning buzz beginning around them it may fall upon deaf ears. She makes no attempt to rectify this, as in truth she does not much care who that man was. Her eyes fall upon Barzag for a moment, something about the way he is acting spiking her curiousity. A soft gaze studies those features that his cloak fails to hide, however few.

[Thalos:]

Thalos simply lets his hand snatch up the paper from Barzags grasp and then shakes his head, "Thank you for your co-operation. If you see him, please let the gaurds know." he ignores the Hillman's questions and then spurs his horse slightly to turn him towards the land, asking a few more citizens of Umbar as he passes them, most just shaking their heads. The Lieutenant doesnt seem to be in the best of moods today.

[Barzag:]

Barzag does not seem to notice Aluran's scrutiny. He watches Thalos leave, shaking his head. "And how can any find this man if they do not know what to look for?," he mutters to himself, before turning back to gaze at the ocean once more. Then he blinks, digs the heels of his hands into his eyes to clear them, peers again, before wondering aloud, "Is that a ship?" He raises his right arm to point far beyond any of the ships in the harbour, toward the western horizon. "See? There is a black dot - I think." He addresses these last words to the indifferent Aluran. And even as he points, a gust of wind catches his cloak and tugs it back again.

[Aluran:] Aluran lets her eyes trail down Barzag's arms towards the area that he is pointing towards. Narrowing her gaze she attempts to gain better sight, but fails miserably. " Looks more like a bird, if you ask me. " She has no intentions of trying to burst his bubble so to speak, her voice is merely monotone filled with her opinion. A soft sigh escapes her, the last breathe of hope falling through. " Perhaps it is your ship, a passing crewman might know what ship is to come into the harbour." There she fall silent again, though her eyes follow that speck of dust as it comes closer to the harbour.

[Barzag:]

"A bird?" Barzag frowns, shifts his hand to shade his eyes and stares out at the horizon once more. "No, I do not think ... we will see." Only then does he remember to pull his cloak down over his arm. There is a sigh, and he adds matter-of-factly, "It will be long before the ship is near, though" and he resumes his watch, not even bothering to look to the young girl to see if she will respond. After all, why should she?

[Aluran:] Aluran presses her lips together. Her watchful gaze upon the speck broken as she studies the man near her. His mark does not interest her nearly as much as the man itself does. Leaning back slightly, she studies his reactions to the ship that draws near, if it is indeed that. Legs uncrossing, she stretches out the long appendages before her. " What is it about this ship that is so special to you, certainly can not be rocks. You act as though your life depends on its soon arrival."

[Barzag:]

Barzag watches the sea a moment longer, then turns to Aluran, one eyebrow slightly raised. "My life? No," he pauses, the right side of his mouth curling again as he adds very softly, "I do not wish to trust my life to a ship." A snort then, as if those that do are completely incomprehensible to this man. "My work? Maybe. The work has been little for this past month, and there will not be more until new materials arrive. If Ur-ziran no longer needs me ..." He trails off into an uncomfortable silence, before adding with an obvious glare of resentment in his eyes, "And so now you know why I am here, though I do not know why you are. But your people are .. odd." Those amber eyes flicker away seawards to watch the speck resolve itself into a square blot - a ship with black sails.

[Aluran:] Aluran blinks suddenly as she finds herself being called odd by a man that was most strange himself. Quickly she covers her reaction by also staring back at the ship. It nears, its hull visible now, even if still slightly blurry to her eyes. The resentment that she beheld causes a great sorrow to fill those grey orbs, yet she has no intentions of letting him see such. There she sits in silence, even more determined to keep her reasoning a secret. The only sign that she was affected by him at all, her arms swiftly wrap around her waist as shiver runs up her spine. Then again, it could look as though the January chill is getting to her. Lips part once more, ready to pass another question, yet shut again before one is asked. Her head bows and she just waits for the ship in silence.

[Barzag:]

Barzag's own gaze is fixed firmly shipward now, so he remains completely unaware of Aluran's shivers. He shifts from one foot to the other - not tired, but more impatient, it appears. And with time the black blot becomes a square, and below the square a hull becomes visible, a thin sleek shape that slices the waters. Barzag's shoulders slump a little then, and his voice when it comes is thick with disappointment. "It is not a stone-carrier - they are wide, and sit low on the water. This is a messenger boat, I think. Ur'ziran's cargo will not be here today." He sighs, and adds almost as an afterthought, "Were you waiting for this boat, lady?"

[Aluran:] Aluran makes no move to look at him this time while responding to his question. " I don't know" A simple enough answer, though riddled with hopelessness. Her eyes no longer rest on the boat, returing once more to those already docked. Her gaze plants itself upon that of which the crewman had walked off minutes before, leaving towards the inn or the tavern perhaps. Arms wrap tighter about her waist as her legs coil back up against the crate that she sits upon. " If your cargo will not be here today, perhaps you have no need to wait here any longer. " Her voice has become oddly soft and quiet, the edge lost for now.

[Barzag:]

Barzag's head jerks up sharply at Aluran's first words, and the tiny frown that appears between his brows now is one of puzzlement, rather than anger. But her last question is answered simply enough - indeed, he is already turning to go by this point. "Yes, I will not wait longer. I wish you good day, lady, and that your waiting bears fruit." And with that odd turn of phrase he starts to plod up the hill towards the town.