Ducking in between a few buildings, you follow the narrow track northwards towards the city and the main road.
Minas Tirith: Before the Great Gate
Rising up before and tappering off towards the great moutains behind them, a walls of Minas Tirith climb into the air. Here, at the roadside a small hill rises to the entryway of the city where guards stand before the gate. These men are known as the Doorwardens. Currently the gate is withdrawn into its housing and the doors before it opened wide. The great Gate itself is housed between the two Doortowers before you, standing some 100 feet tall and nearly 50 feet wide. The gate to is made up of a pure steel bounded about the trunks of an unknown wood. The gate is said to able to withstand anything, as even the most strongest blows will just make the gate bend slightly and then return to shape.

Men and women enter and leave the city being stopped, most pass without contest others pass over weapons they carry or have them peaceknotted. Others are turned back as they approach with a horse or a cart. Only the horses of the Stewards errandriders are allowed in the city. Off to the south are the stables and inn houses outside the walls. To the east lie the crossroads of Great West Road and the Great North Road.

A warm mist is falling gently from the darkened, overcast sky.
A wind blows in from the river, chilling you.

Contents:
Malahir
Kydner
Gate-Wardens
Weapons Rack
Obvious exits:
 North leads to Anorien: North of Mount Mindolluin.
 South leads to Inns and Stables.
 East leads to Pelennor Fields: Crossroads.
 Gate leads to Minas Tirith: Inside the Great Gate.
 

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Weather:            Cloudy
Time:                Dusk <about 7 PM >
Season:              Summer
Date:               Mersday - June 22, 3014

Real Time:          Tue May 19 18:31:59 1998
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Kydner:
 A young lad, about 17 years has he seen. Brown eyes peer out of dirty blond hair. He is tall, taller than most. His youthfullness shows in his eyes and step. Dressed in simple farmer's garb, mostly brown, does let his hair shine. Through the simple cloths you can see he is muscled, yet only when he moves is this apparent.

Analdin:
        Dark blue eyes, the color of the stormy sea, shine glacially cool from this clean shaven young man's face. Dark blond hair cut short, short to hanging just abover his ears in a clean wave, covers his head. His cheekbones are chisled and his features are sharp, though the lines of his mouth are those of one used to smiling - if only slightly. His hands, when they can be seen, are rough and large. His left hand, however, sports a black glove at all times. He is a man of muscle, espicially with strong arms. Though not extremely large, he rises to six feet and is of meduim build.
        He wears the black talbard of the Minas Tirith Guard, with the Tree embriodered in silver on the breast. Simple black trousers are tucked into boots, black and polished to a shine. Upon his shoulder is company insignia, a Silver Ship set against the Gates of Minas Tirith, along with Lieutenant's bars and Company Commander's. A longsword hangs from his belt, perhaps not old, but well forged and well used. No special adornment can be seen on it save the marks of much use. A shining helm with raven's wings sometimes adorns his head, though more often, when in the city, is nowhere to be seen.
        His posture is that of a trained soldier, though rather friendly for it. Even though black is the dominant color in his clothing, his light, almost Rohirric features give him no appearance of darkness. An air of purpose surrounds him like a light mist.
 

With a full belly thanks from the lady he has helped, he wonders to the gates, a piece of straw picking at his teeth. He smiles to a man that now wears a fresh bandage who hollers out "My thanks lad, the leg feels much better." Kydner only waves and smiles before he continues onwards.

Analdin stands quietly, alone, beside the Gates. As the last rays of a summer day find their way to the top of the wall, long shadows are cast on the ground. Up beside the Gate, leaning against the wall as the Lieutenant is, none of that sunlight touches his figure, shrouding him in the darkness of the falling evening. His glinting eyes shine out like blue lights in the gorwing darkness.

Kydner does not see the new found friend, the one called Analdin. So he strolls onwards, steping to the side of the gates, again a man comes to him "Oh Kydner, my arm does feel so much better, my thanks, but I am sorry I must go. I have told my wife" the man speaks and he hurries on inside the gate "to bring ye some well cooked meals. " Kydner only smiles "I am glad" He speaks at the retreating man "to have helped, but..."

The sun sets as the day draws to an end, leaving the night sky dark save but the twinkling of stars.

Upon catching sight of Kydner, Analdin removes his gaze from the crowd, lighting it upon the youth. Leaning more heavily against the wall in a rather un-guardlike posture, he watches the young man, a hint of a smile touching his face as he sees, and hears, the man with a bandaged arm. He absently fiddles with something in his hands, a cloth and some shining metallic object, as though cleaning it.

Kydner looks at the gates, a sigh comes to him. One not of pleasure but one of awe. He mumbles to him self "One....perhaps...." He shakes his head and then turns to face the foks that hurry on into the gates as the warming sun does sink down.

Analdin takes a step out from the wall, not quite so far as the sinking sun catches his figure, as that would reqire much further walking to escape the shadow of this great city, but far enough as to not belnd so well with the shadow-shrouded walls. Torches are being lit by the lamp-lighters, and the lamps that shine on the road and gate into the city past nightfall are beginning to sparkle.

With his sharp youthfuln eyes he does catch a movement from over his shoulder. Not fearing anyone in this place, Kydner slowly turns and tries to make out the shape before him. Then as he does, a smile, one of seeing a true friend "Lt...Lt...Analdin? That is you yes?"

A hint of a smile, more shining in his eyes than anywhere else, touches Analdin's face. "Aye, 'tis me... Good evening Kydner," he says, tone quiet as normal, though pleanty loud enough to be heard over the din of the crowd waiting to recieve entrance to the city. "You seem to have made yourself quite popular, my friend," he adds with a glance towards the man walking hurridly away, one who had spoken to the youth but a few minutes ago.

Kydner chuckles, then lowers his head "well tis was nothing, he had a cut, I only helped him, now he seems to make sure that I am well fed." He again lowers his head "A man...the name slips my mind, suggested I speak to Masther Healer Starmir, but...." He shakes his head slightly, a swollow, and a shrugg...

Raising a brow a bit, Analdin looks intently to the young man. "But?" he questions. Continuing to polish that small piece of metal with both hands, holding it with one, rubbing the cloth over it with the other, he pays no attention to what he is doing, but only awaits an answer.

Kydner only shakes his lowered head and rubs his hands together "To speak" His voice now soft "to a Master healer...I think not My Lor...err... Lt. Analdin, I am but a lad, a young lad, and think such an important person would even take time to speak to me, I" He looks up at Analdin, the wild hair draps across his eyes "would not know what to say." He kicks at a stone now found near his foot "Why would such as he even speak to me?"

Analdin shakes his own head, placing the cloth into his other hand, and raising his gloved left hand to place it on Kydner's shoulder. "To speak to the Master Healer? I think 'twould do you good, Kydner. Why should he speak to you? Should I perhaps list off reasons for you?" The last sounds more a rhetorical question, be he continues, lifting his hand from the youth's shoulder to count his list off on his fingers. "Because you are a young man in search of work for food, because the healers can always use a man of skill to help in the Houses of Healing, because you have that skill, if only with animals, though you seem to be quick at learning it with men as well, because..." Trailing off, he looks up from his hand. "Need I go on?"

Kydner smiles "you mean, what I can do with cows, and horses, and sheep, well" His youthfull eyes look up at the figure before him, admiration seeps from him "the lord Starmir would ... well... be intrested in it? Oh Lt. Analdin, if only I could meet him, and what wonder it would be if he did in fact listen to me...I can help LT. Analdin, I can.... Oh to be" His face now brightens up, even perhaps a touch of self worth, comes to him "A healer, to help our land such as that..I could think of nothing better..." He lowers his eyes, yet the smile remains "I ment not to take away from the importance of the gaurds and such M'Lord."

An amused chuckle escapes the young officer at Kydner's speech, and his face breaks into a smile as he ends it. "No importance taken away, Kydner. The healers are just as, if not more, important than the Guard.. For who would we have to complain about when we are kept off the battlefield for our wounds?" Winking, he adds in a more serious tone. "The Houses of Healing are on the sixth tier. I am certain the coachman in the city would take you there, if you gave him a copper, and told of an appointment with the Master Healer."

Kydner smiles and looks up at Analdin "my'Lo...er Lt. Analdin, if a Healer I could be, can I request that I accompany such as ye, to help as needed in the field of battle? Oh yes that would be my dream!" Then as he pats his pockest again the inosence and ushruddiens comes to him "I...I can walk, if I knew how to get there." He glances at the coach, his hand leaves his empty pockes "Yes, perhaps I could walk there, the Sixth Tier ye say?" He looks about and takes a deep breath "I can find it, yes, I can, I need no coach."

Analdin watches the young man pat his pockets, shaking his head slightly. Reaching into his talbard, he pulls out a small pouch, clinking as it is with the sound of metal histting metal. Pulling out a couple small coins, copper pieces, he hands them to Kydner. "No need for you to get lost... I've heard of your forrays into the city." His smile lessens a bit, and replaces the pouch into his talbard.

Kydner holds up his hands "my Lord, tis well of ye to give such to me, but till I earn it, I wish no hand outs, please" He looks up at Analdin, now a pride that has not been seen in him shines "I wish to make my way, your generosity is overwelling, but I cannot take it Lt. Analdin, I cannot," The last said with a bit of firmness.

Analdin shrugs, placing the money back into his pouch. "If you so wish. No charity, then, my friend. But should you need an escort, or a guide to the Houses, one of my men is yours." With that, he replaces the pouch finally, returning his hands to the absent polishing.

Kydner smiles "Really! Oh that would be grand Lt. Analdin, even if they would only point me in the right direction." Stands tall, his head held high "Yes I shall do this, and ye have my word Lt. Analdin, I shall not let ye down, a Healer I can be, and a good one I think..." Then as the weight of the words he just spoke sinks on his shoulders does it seem that perhaps they now weigh heavely on him. He lowers his head "I can try." Is all he says.
 
Claping a hand on the young man's shoulder, Analdin waves one of the uniformed Guardsmen over. "Direct this man to the Houses of Healing, Mathirion," he orders the dark-haired soldier. Turning back to Kydner, he gives a slight smile, "Go on." is all he says, taking a step back, and glancing worriedly towards the darkened city. "I have my watch to finish. Good luck be with you."

Kydner nods and looks at the Gates, then back at Analdin, sweet begins to break out on his forehead. He nods, as one hand takes a swipe at the beads that now threaten to be rivelets across his face "My thanks Lt. Analdin, and soon, if Lord Starmir accepts me, I perhaps can help ye men, My thanks again." Takes a deep breath and with a smile, or is it a grimace, follows the youg Gaurd into the city."

Kydner enters the fair city of Minas Tirith through the gate, beneath the watching eyes of the guards.
Kydner has left.