Ghosts

[Bogwoppit]

When Mark had finished filling West in about the missing DHD and all he could do, or not do, about getting them back home, the two men walked back to the quarters they had been given, accompanied by a servant who showed them the way through the maze of passages.

Mark was shown to his room first, and opened the door to reveal simple but welcoming decor, a high four-poster bed and a fire with flames flickering brightly.

At last he had a proper bed to lay on, and lay on it he did, flinging himself backwards onto soft squishy pillows that wrapped themselves around him like a hug. He groaned, tempted to just fall asleep there and then, but there was a very inviting tub of steaming water in front of the roaring log fire, and he knew he would regret it if he didn't make use of it. So slowly he got up and peeled off his travel-worn uniform, wincing as his aching muscles protested.

Getting old, like Gypsy says... he thought as he finally lowered himself down into the fragranced water.

It was bliss, and he soaked there for a long time, lathering soap into his hair and almost falling asleep as he sank down to rinse it. He didn't let himself think about Thrace, not now, not while he was so tired. Tomorrow they would talk...

A knock on the door woke him and he sat up sharply, splashing water onto the thick rug.

"Shit..." he whispered, as he stood up quickly, all the blood rushing downwards causing him to feel dizzy.

Grabbing a towel he wrapped it quickly around his narrow hips and padded damply to the door, wet hair clinging to his head as he shivered in the sudden cold.

[Pinkie]

Haldir was feeling on edge. No one looking at him would guess it for his marble like skin was set smoothly on his face, his eyes always had that preternatural glow to them and his reasons for gliding through the corridors of Minis Tirith were unknown to all. He had free reign in Minis Tirith whether Denethor agreed or not. Haldir had the grace of the Elves and a long standing right to be where he wanted to be when he wanted to be.
The girl had him on edge though. Such hate! And for what? He could not fathom a human's hatred to his kind. All knew that it was the Elves who saved mankind when they turned up at Helm's Deep... the Elves had paved the way for the victory on the Pelennor Fields... the Elves who had sent the Eagles to rescue the Baggins and Gamgee Hobbits from Mount Doom. So then why would a human feel such vehement hatred towards Elves?

A slight twitch to the sides of his eyes was the only outward hint now of any irritation.
She would kill him given the chance. Perhaps not now... but in the future, when she perceived his time had come she would end his life given the chance. Except there was alot that would happen in the meantime. Eledhwen, Haldir knew, was irreparably attracted to him. A petty attraction if he did say so himself. Human attractions to Elves were always so flippant and whimsical. They were always falling in love with Elves as if under some sort of spell when really it was simply because these people who fell in love with Elves sought so much from human mates and humans could not provide it. Elves seemed to possess all and nothing. They were beautifully delicate and yet starkly sturdy. They were unfeeling and yet full of stable emotions. That attracted humans. In droves.
When there was attraction, Haldir dismissed it automatically and pegged it down to this Human obsession with Elves.

Haldir came to a door and stopped. He had walked by it a dozen times already but he had needed to think and calm himself before dealing with business. Shadowy blue eyes looked downwards and a pale, marble-like hand lifted to knock on the door.

"Major West - it is Haldir. May we talk of matters concerning us both?" the Elf asked , smiling gently. These were things that DJ would long to know - but these things had to seep down the proper channels - from leader to subordinate. And Haldir knew that Major West would not get caught up in the history and why's of things but wuold focus on overcoming. That is what Haldir needed now.

[Pinkie]

Faramir felt rather light-headed as he returned to the fortress. His smile was a little crooked and his gentle blue eyes were even more distant than normal, his mind ambling through past events and future possibilities at it's leisure. It was strange that not once did he think of his father's disapproval nor of his wife's estrangement - all he thought about was Miriel and her friendship. Would she ride with him sometime? Out of the city and towards the Rohirrim lands where the fields were golden and the sky stretched forever.... ?

The Ranger chuckled to himself and shook his head, looking up at the doors that entered into the city's main stronghold. He had to speak with Boromir about what he had missed that night with the newcomers and what was planned for tomorrow regarding them. He trusted the newcomers. Not overtly and not unconditionally, but they did not seem like a bad group of people at all. And if Haldir trusted them then ...

Faramir saw his brother walking down the corridor in his direction with the blonde woman. The man grimaced ... his brother really should not be taking that woman to his rooms. It was badly done but he had no place to say so. Instead he had a good excuse to prevent the situation happening by having Boromir focus on business.

"Ah there you are brother." Faramir smiled brightly, reverently at his older brother, sparing a polite nod of his head for the blonde. She was pretty, he supposed, but certainly not like the women FAramir knew. Her hair was cropped short and she had a brightness to her eyes that a bit disconcerting... an intense stare. Which she laid upon him now... well, maybe that was a glare.
"Perhaps a drink, Boromir? I need to catch up on what I missed this evening." he said innocently, knowing very well he was preventing his brother from bedding the woman at his side.

[Pinkie]

Gypsy Calvin was never a person to need another person. When she was not enough then whatever it was she was striving for was not meant to be. She enjoyed her own company as much as she enjoyed other people's company. And yet as she lay on her huge beg, a pillow hugged to her stomach, she could not rest nor feel rested. She had had a bath and her dark hair was comically spiky about her on the pillow, still a little damp. She had had a warm drink which was brought to her by a servant without her even asking and yet she still lay there staring at the canopy of her four poster bed.

She tossed and turned creating quite the storm on the bed despite her tiny size. Wide brown eyes rolled and she sat up in the bed. She didn't have anything to wear to bed with her so she was just wearing the vest that she wore under her work t-shirt. When her slight body appeared from beneath the covers any onlooker would have been struck by the contrasting purple bruises that swelled on her shoulders and below the covers, on her bare right leg, there was a bruise the size of his foot where he had kicked her.

Gypsy ignored the mars to her body as blithely as if they were not there at all. When she was not near her husband she had a great excuse to pretend he didn't exist and she did not let his shadow darken her. Throwing off the covers, the girl jumped down off the bed and pulled on her trousers. She buttoned them up but didn't belt them so they hung low on her hips. She threw on her jacket then too, zipping that up. Without all the accessories the uniform looked huge on her, her bare toes poking out the bottom of the trousers and the coat hanging loose on her small frame.

There was something she had to do before going asleep. It was stupid, and she grinned, knowing it was stupid, but she had gotten used to seeing Mark before she went asleep, she had gotten used to talking to him for a short while about what had happened that day and knew she wouldn't sleep until she had at least said goodnight. It was a strange need to have right now but Gypsy didn't question it.

She left her room quietly, tippy toeing along the corridor not sure which door was Mark's. She knocked on one door and got no answer and carried on until a servant pointed her in the right direction. Gypsy slid up to Mark's door, giggling as her bare feet literally skidded on the floor. She held onto the doorframe with one hand and knocked with the other, a bright and cheery smile to her cherubic face.

Mark opened the door and Gypsy's mouth opened to say hello, but her eyes were drawn down to his bare chest, bare wet chest, and the towel that barely covered his decency. She let out a small snort of laughter and looked back up into the man's face. She then took a step back and saluted him sharply, a wickedly happy light to her eyes.

"Ooops - sorry Sir. I just stopped by to say g'night." she said, her hands now in her pockets and her shoulders shrugging upwards cutely, head tilted to the side. She kinda felt better already. There was an easiness in being around Mark. She knew that anything she said or did wouldn;t annoy him. Well, most things anyways. And she also had a feeling that, even if she woke him up in the middle of the night, he wouldn't be grouchy with her. That kind of mind she liked to be around.

[Bogwoppit]

Eledhwen was still confused and annoyed with herself. She lay on the wide, lonely bed, blankets under her chin, unable to sleep, going over and over in her head the encounter with the Elf. She hated that she hadn't been able to simply plunge the knife into his back, she hated that he seemed to be able to see right through her to the deepest part of her soul, and she hated that he knew everything she was thinking, or seemed to. But most of all she hated the feelings he summoned in her, feelings that made her squirm even as she thought about it. She could not even conceive of the possibility that she found him attractive. It was impossible, ridiculous, he repulsed her... so why could she not stop picturing him in her mind's eye? It was not as though she was easily swayed by a pretty face... No, she was not one to fall in love easily or swiftly. Her love for Eomer, such as it was ~ more an admiration really ~ had grown over years of riding with his men, hanging on the shirt tails of the Riddermark as she grew up. She liked men who were strong, courageous, sincere.. rough even ~ real soldiers. She would never fall for an Elf, fey creatures that they were with their pale skin and braided hair. They could not even grow beards!

She shook her head and scowled fiercely as she thumped the pillow. No! She would not think of him, she hated him, that was the only reason she pictured him, so that she could scratch his eyes out in her dreams, those strange, ethereal, cold eyes... Had he ever loved? Did the one who had taken her father love him?

A light knock at her door made her jump, and instinctively she grasped her knife from beneath the pillow as she stood. Her first thought was that it was Haldir returned, but she pushed the thought away. If it was him he would get this knife in his belly, whatever quest he had here.

She slid silently across the room and opened the door a crack, surprised at who she saw there. Opening it wider she looked suspiciously up at the tall stranger from another world.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice raspy from her light sleep.

[Bogwoppit]

"You read my mind. You can't do that, can you? Read my mind..."

Boromir smiled, his whole face seeming to lose years as he grinned at her. Now that his night's activities were all but secured he could afford to drop the role of City Protector and good son, and revert to the carefree soldier he had once been.

"Not exactly," he supplied as they walked, "but if you are anything like me then there is only so much socialising you can handle, and an evening drink with a pleasant companion is a much desired alternative."

His dark eyes looked her over appreciatively as he ambled beside her, hands clasped behind his back.

"And may I say that a more pleasing companion I could not wish for," he continued, falling back on the classic lines he saved for occassions when he was sure of his conquest.

Before he could say more however he saw a familiar figure rounding a corner ahead of them and stopped, irritated more than usual by his brother's sappy chirping.

"Ah there you are brother. Perhaps a drink, Boromir? I need to catch up on what I missed this evening."

Boromir felt his nostrils flaring with annoyance, his fingers gripping one another briefly behind his back as he tried to control his temper. Faramir knew exactly what he was doing, as Boromir had known he would had he been in the hall when the two of them had left. He hadn't been there though, had he? So how could he have possibly known Boromir would be here now? The younger man had a habit of doing just that though, the amount of times he had 'just happened' to be wherever Boromir was trying to seduce some unsuitable female was unbelievable. Boromir gritted his teeth and flashed a look of apology at Thrace.

"I am actually quite busy, brother," he replied as pleasantly as he could, trying to burn a promise of imminent death into his little brother's mind with his eyes. "Perhaps it could wait until tomorrow?"

He glared at Faramir, and began to walk on past him, noticing as he did so the surly newcomer, Lake, leaning against the wall further down the corridor, watching the scene with evident amusement. Had these visitors, according to Haldir, not been so important to the city, Boromir could have quite easily run this miserable excuse for a soldier through with his sword.

[Bogwoppit]

West finally closed the door to his room and leaned back on it with a sigh, the events of the day running through his head. First thing would be to get back to the gate and get something set up so they could get back home, he wasn't unduly worried about that. Llewelyn had made it sound as though he could do it in his sleep, although West knew scientists had a habit of making out there was nothing they couldn't fix. Even so, West didn't want to leave yet, he was curious about this world and all its complexities. Could be there was something here worth knowing about, and anyway as long as they made it to the gate for the radio contact Landry would be ok with them staying a while longer.

He pushed himself up away from the door and walked towards the bed, pressing down on it experimentally with one hand. Nice... would have been nicer if the cute blonde chick was sharing it with him, but hey, you couldn't have everything.

He took off his jacket and laid it on a chest at the end of the bed, and was beginning to untie one boot when there was a knock at the door. He closed his eyes for a moment, then straightened to answer it.

"Major West - it is Haldir. May we talk of matters concerning us both?"

"Erm... sure," he replied, opening the door wider to allow the tall figure in.

He turned and walked back towards the heavily curtained window, lounging down on an over-stuffed armchair there and running one hand over his face tiredly.

[Pinkie]

Oops --
He had woken her up by the looks of it.
Kawalsky's shoulders immediately broadened and his back straightened when the woman answered the door. Her mussed hair and half-shut eyes made him feel bad for not thinking about this properly. Why wouldn't she be alright after all?
His golden eyes lifted until he looked at a space just above her head, not wanting to appear too leery and strange to appear on her doorstep at such an hour. Well, he didn't know what time it was really, but he did know that it was past bedtime. For most. He didn't feel tired. He was aware of the moon's waxing closer to full - such things heightened his senses, making him more aware of the scent of her - and the lingering cold scent of the Elf.

Eledhwen said:

"What do you want?"

Kawalsky licked his lips and kicked himself mentally. He cleared his throat and frowned a little, looking stoic and outwardly miserable as always.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were well. You seemed discomfited by the Elf. I wanted to ensure he had not ... further discomfited you." Kawalsky said, knowing he sounded almost robotic with what he was saying, especially as he did not meet her eyes, looking just above her head. It was a habit of his - alot of people shied away from yellow eyes. And who could blame them? Kawalsky was the very thing he despised.

[Pinkie]

This was not happening!

Thrace's hazel eyes should have set the weedy plank alight but instead he stood there smiling at his brother as if he didn't know what his plans were! The blonde could almost chew her own boot she was that agitated, and what made it worse was the audience. She was constantly aware of Lake a little further down the corridor and she was pleading with any god that would listen to her that Boromir would not 'dump her' for the night! She would be fairly fucking pissed if he did...

Boromir said:

"I am actually quite busy, brother, Perhaps it could wait until tomorrow?"

Oh thank fucking GOD!
Thrace's shoulders relaxed and she cast a victorious smirk down at the smug Lake when Boromir made a point of brushing past his brother. But they only got two feet when the younger brother spoke.

"No - tomorrow might be too late. I have news from Osgilliath." Faramir threw in, knowing Boromir would not be able to turn down the knowing of news that might affect the security of Minis Tirith for the attentions of a woman. Boromir was smarter than that. Faramir also knew that his big brother was going to be furious with him but still... the news from Osgilliath was somehow relevant. News of orcs on the move was always relevant.

"I am sure the Lady would not mind it if her companion showed her to her room in any case." Faramir said, gesturing towards Lake. Thrace bristled at the thoughts of Lake showing her to her room. She looked up at Boromir and then over at Faramir before gritting her teeth and forcing a smile to herface. But it was tense! Tense and savage - all teeth in fact! Her hazel eyes were practically black.

"There's no need for that. I can find my own way I'm sure. There's only so much leading I can take in a day before I feel the need to spread my own wings." she said with a grin, knowing the double meaning to her words and knowing that they mgiht sting or even anger Boromir. But she was beyond caring at this stage. He was building her up only to completely thrown her down again. And if only that was literally throwing her down! Perferably on a bed or against a wall or ... fuck!

[Pinkie]

Haldir didn't need sleep the way humans needed sleep. Oh he did sleep of course! But maybe only a couple of hours a week. And he certainly did not feel the need for sleep when life was so lazy as it was here at Minis Tirith. He barely exerted himself on a daily basis. So arriving at the Major's door so late and after such a long day did not seem wrong to the Elf. Except when the man did open the door and the fair-haired Elf could see that he was tired.

Still, this was business that needed attending too.
Haldir stepped around Major West. He walked into the centre of the room and turned to face the dark-haired leader as he sat on a chair by the window. Haldir made an effort at a smile, his handsome face practically glowing with the expression.

"Thank you for seeing me. There is much I need to speak with you about.. I am not sure where to start..." HAldir said, eyes widening as he looked at the ground. He turned with his head bowed and walked a few steps one way then back the other direction before stopping and turning to West looking prepared. "I will start from the beginning. The Astria Porta is closed to you at this moment in time." the Elf began, using the Elvish name for the Stargate without thinking to explain it to West. He lifted his chin a little and continued in a sure, calm and almost seductive tone of voice.

"I hope that you will not hold it against me that I disabled the component needed for you to go home. This is a temporary thing, you understand, for our safety as well as the safety of your people on your planet." Haldir said glibly, not even hesitating on mentioning hte fact that he knew that West and his team were from another planet. In fact, he spoke with such ease that it seemed like he knew everything that West did -- well, most things.
"You see... I need you. I need your people. They are prophesised, you are prophesised to come here, to save this planet though it is not your own. Without your help this planet is doomed. And the place of resting for my people will be uncovered and accessed by the dark. Such a travesty would not just affect Middle Earth you see, it would have consequences beyond what you can imagine in every galaxy, in every reality." the Elf explained. He went quiet then, letting the man process what he had just been told.

[Bogwoppit]

Mark actually felt himself blushing as he pulled the door open to see Gypsy standing there, and automatically glanced down at the towel hanging loosely on his hips. Decent, yep, ok then.

"Ooops - sorry Sir. I just stopped by to say g'night."

He couldn't help but be affected by her infectious grin, and smiled back, successfully covering up his surprise at seeing her there. Like her he had gotten used to spending every waking moment in her company and so it was not really so strange that she should be here. Now he came to think of it, maybe some company for a while was just what he needed to help him get to sleep ~ not that Gypsy was boring, anything but. She was funny and happy and refreshing, especially after the surly encounter with Thrace earlier.

"That's nice Gypsy," he replied, pursing his lips against the grin that threatened and causing a dimple to appear in one cheek. "You... wanna come in for a... a minute?"

He opened the door wider to allow her entry should she choose to take him up on his offer. He didn't mind if she didn't, not really, but it would be nice to have someone to talk to around whom he didn't have to watch what he was saying, and he certainly wasn't tired any more, not now the cold air had cooled his heated flesh. He shivered, and wished he had something to hand to put on as he felt goosebumps pop up along his arms.

[Bogwoppit]

"I just wanted to make sure that you were well. You seemed discomfited by the Elf. I wanted to ensure he had not ... further discomfited you."

Eledhwen frowned up at the soldier's tense countenance, but not with annoyance. Rather, she wondered at his attitude, the way he seemed to distance himself somehow from all those around him. Why then was he here checking to see if she was alright?

"Discomfited..." she laughed shortly without humour. "Yes, you could say that."

She studied him for a moment as he gazed over her head into her room, wondering not for the first time about his strange yellow eyes. Sucking at her cheek she pondered for a moment, then made up her mind. She had to have at least one ally in this grim place, especially now that DJ seemed to have forsaken her for said Elf.

"What think you of him Sir?" she questioned boldly, jutting her jaw as she bit off her words. "You seemed similarly... discomfited... but not I would imagine for the same reasons as I. You surely have ne need to hate his race as I do?"

She would tell him, if he asked, why it was that she hated the fair creatures so, but she was not one to run off at the mouth unnecessarily. She leaned against the door frame, leaving a way clear for him to enter should he so wish, but not exactly inviting him. She was not afraid of him, but she did not trust him either, not like she instinctively had DJ, and look where that had got her. He would rather the company of an Elf.

[Bogwoppit]

"No - tomorrow might be too late. I have news from Osgilliath. I am sure the Lady would not mind it if her companion showed her to her room in any case."

Boromir stopped in his tracks at the mention of the once great Capital city of Gondor, and turned back to his brother, jaw clenched harshly. Glancing down the hall he saw Lake smirking, and supressed a low growl. Lake didn't move, but somehow Boromir knew he was listening to every word and enjoying every moment of this. What he did not understand was why the man was so interested. If he wanted the woman for himself then why did he not treat her with more respect? Even Boromir, rough as he could be, knew that women appreciated that and responded to it.

"There's no need for that. I can find my own way I'm sure. There's only so much leading I can take in a day before I feel the need to spread my own wings."

His gaze snapped back to Thrace, and he tilted his head in puzzlement before sighing, resigned.

"I am sorry," he spoke softly, reaching out one hand to touch her shoulder gently. "I must hear this. If Osgiliath has news then it must mean that the enemy stirs once more. We cannot afford to ignore such a warning again as we once did."

He met his brother's gaze sadly for a moment, remembering all the men they had lost that day. His selfish desires could wait, his city and land came first. He only hoped she understood as he gave Thrace a slight smile.

"Perhaps we can do this another time, when we are not so... caught up in other affairs?" he suggested, flicking another frown in Lake's direction, although he was unaware of the double entendre.

"Come brother, let us go to your chambers that I can hear this message and fill you in on all the things you missed," he said, placing an arm around the younger's shoulders with affection. Quietly he added, "And if I find this is simply a ruse brother, I will kill you myself, not leave it to the Orcs to mess up again."

He did not mean it of course, he loved Faramir more than anything, but sometimes his brother was the most infuriatingly moral person he had ever met.

[Bogwoppit]

West was quite disturbed by the fact that this graceful, confident creature seemed... nervous? He straightened himself up in the chair slightly before Haldir turned back to him and began to speak.

"Thank you for seeing me. There is much I need to speak with you about.. I am not sure where to start... I will start from the beginning. The Astria Porta is closed to you at this moment in time. I hope that you will not hold it against me that I disabled the component needed for you to go home. This is a temporary thing, you understand, for our safety as well as the safety of your people on your planet. You see... I need you. I need your people. They are prophesised, you are prophesised to come here, to save this planet though it is not your own. Without your help this planet is doomed. And the place of resting for my people will be uncovered and accessed by the dark. Such a travesty would not just affect Middle Earth you see, it would have consequences beyond what you can imagine in every galaxy, in every reality."

West pursed his lips as he listened. Astria Porta... Well that was easy enough, Stargate, he had heard it called weirder things...

Nor was this the first time they had arrived on a planet only to be told their coming had been 'prophesised'. That sort of story usually ended up in them getting into big trouble though, so he didn't like the sound of that much...

Wait a minute... did he say disabled the component? West assumed the Elf must be talking about the DHD, but the whole thing being missing wasn't exactly what West would call disabled.

"Woah, hang on," he said as soon as the tall blond paused, "back up a bit. Firstly, before we even start to get into where this resting place for your people might be and why it would be such a disaster for the bad guys to find it, what d'you mean 'disabled'? Because I've just been told that the DHD... the round dial-y thing with all the symbols on it? It's not there. Tell me that's what you meant by 'disabled' because believe me, that would make my life a hell of a lot easier right now."

He had a frown on his face as he spoke, but even though he was a little pissed off that their means for getting home had probably been stolen by this guy, it wasn't directed at Haldir. It was more of a frown of concentration as he tried to make all the pieces fall into place. On the other hand, this bit of intel didn't serve to endear these people to the major any more. It wasn't that he minded helping these guys out, but it would have been nice to be asked instead of forced.

[Pinkie]

Mark said:

"That's nice Gypsy, You... wanna come in for a... a minute?"

Gypsy could see him trying to suppress a grin. She bit her bottom lip as she smiled broadly, trying not to look down. That would be too obvious. Even if it was the kind of body that a normal woman would admire in a man, she didn't want to make him too self-conscious! The young woman perked up when he invited her in. She knew damn well that it was awkward which was all the more reason to do it - for the fun of it.

"Sure!" she chimed, sliding in beside Mark and strolling over towards the bath before turning to look at him.

"Wow - your room is so much bigger than mine. Guess they thought that someone my size doesn't need much room eh?" the woman said, prowling towards the bed as her big wide eyes took in the rest of the room. She turned around when she got to the bed and then jumped backwards, flopping down onto the mattress with a great big sigh.

"Ahhh --- my bed is much more comfortable I must say. Softer. Though I suppose with your back..." she joked, flopping onto her stomach and propping herself up facing him with her elbows on the mattress and her chin in her hands. She looked tiny on the huge coverlet, her dark hair standing in damp spikes and her skin practically glowing she had scrubbed so hard. Gypsy blinked at Mark, wondering what it was about him that made her always feel so cheery and so ... vibrant! So like her true self. There was no pretense with Mark, no quashing her giddy side. He liked her giddy side.

"So ... what do you think of this place then? People are a bit strange dontcha think?" Gypsy said, tilting her head so that her cheek rested in one palm, her other hand falling to the cover, small fingers toying with the material idly.