Quenta Roqueni, Book OneTHE THIEVES OF METRAITH

An Adventure in Middle-earth*

By Vincent Roiron and Lowell R. MatthewsWith Gavin Carey, Woodrow H. Kroll III, George Photopoulos,

Trevor Sanders, and Christian WirtnikCopyright 1999-2000

Chapter XV: The Game's Afoot

Meanwhile, the sergeant knocked on the door, but there was no answer.He was signalling his men to deploy in an array around the house whenthe door opened on a diminutive figure, whose bare feet were hairy andbigger than what one would have expected on a man his size. "What can Ido for you, sergeant?" asked the small man.

Phillip, Aeglorias, and Carangil all wondered if he was indeed a "Hobbit,"as Elenrion had called them, when the young knights hiss answeredthem: "I knew it! One of those rats! Sergeant! Lets go inside and searchthe house!"

The sergeant spoke then, in a much more polite tone, "Master Karnouk,these noblemen have reasons to believe that you or one of the persons inthis house might be involved in the theft of their purses last night at theFattened Ewe. We would like to search the house and interrogate itsinhabitants."

The small man looked really shocked and astonished at the accusation,but he acquiesced nonetheless. "Sergeant, this must be a mistake. I livehere with my two sons and my young nephew, and they are all good lads.I cannot imagine."

But at the same time, the guardsmen clambered into the house, covering

the small mans voice. The men quickly began their search, when acommotion was heard on the second floor. In the middle of the noise,those inside the house were able to hear: "Frolo, dont!"

Then a soft thump followed and a bellow of outrage came from outside:"The treacherous little thing escaped by a window!" Bereks outragedvoice was soon followed by the noise of someone jumping from thehouses roof to that of the house on the other side of the street.

Kirdan waited patiently in the street he had chosen to guard, his armsfolded across his chest and his cloak fluttering in the slight breeze. Asmall figure of a man bolted out of a window of the house, heading in thesquires direction. The hairy-footed bandit was quite fast on his feet andmanaged to slip past Kirdan in his initial run, but the young squire wasnot so easy to evade, and continued his pursuit down the street. "Stop!Thief!" he yelled as he ran after the Halfling, slowly catching up to hisquarry. His cloak whipped behind him and his braid bounced about onhis back as he ran. His shouts attracted the attention of some of theresidents, who peeked their heads out of windows and doorways to watchthe two pass by. The squire was right on top of him.

Seeing the thief escaping through the street past the startled Kirdan,Bereks anger rose. "STOP HIM!" he roared, moving to the edge of theroof. Seeing Jiff jumping to another roof in pursuit did not lessen histemper, for he was quite sure that he could not follow the slim fellow onthis tricky path upon the roofs. Driven by his mood, Berek decided totake the straight route down the roof. He went backwards over the roof,clinging to the edge with his left hand as well as with the blade of his axe.Due to his size, he quickly found a foothold on a window on the secondfloor, where he repeated his lowering and then let himself fall the last twometers. Breathing heavily, he found himself not only behind the thief andKirdan, but also behind Aeglorias, who gave chase with an incrediblegrace. Yelling "HOLD, THIEF!" Berek started running, holding his axe inboth hands. His pace was heavy and stomping, but once his weightgained speed he was able to gain ground on the thief and Kirdanthoughnot at all on Aeglorias, who in comparison looked like a deer outpacing abear. Sweating heavily, he yelled again, and some of the windows of thehouses opened and faces appeared in the windows. Some of thebystanders wondered whether that axe was really bigger than the littleHalfling in the lead; others thought that the Halfling, Man, and Elf wereall fleeing from that sweating figure, and their faces turned red withcompassion should he catch one of them.

* * *

Back inside, Carangil realised he would not be able to aid in the pursuit,so turned his attention to the master of the house. "Master Karnouk,"Carangil began in his cultured southern tones, speaking even morepolitely than had the sergeant, "I believe we have some matters todiscuss." Karnouk nodded and sat down, dry-washing his hands andmoaning slightly. "I am Carangil Anrohirion Dcilion of Dcilion, MasterKarnouk. I understand you live here with your two sons and yournephew?" Karnouk nodded again, his eyes widening wonderingly. Whowhatwas this strangely imposing Man?

"And one of them, named Frolo, ran from the guards. You understand,"Carangil said sombrely, "that running from ones lords guards is usuallytaken as an indication of guilt, and the act itself may be a separate crime."

"I understand, MLord Carangil," Karnouk replied, looking nearly readyto cry.

"Who is Frolo?" Carangil asked.

"My nephew," Karnouk sighed. "My poor orphaned nephew. Hes onlyfifteen years old, MLord! Please go easy on him."

"We shall see," Carangil replied. "Your willingness to help us shouldweigh in his favour, and deflect undue trouble from you and your sons."

A guardsman soon came downstairs, prodding two disheartened youngHalflings in front of him. They ran to Karnouk, who stood again andhugged them close, all shivering.

"Your sons?" Carangil asked.

Karnouk nodded. "Sameluk and Marlinuk, Sam and Mar for short,MLord."

"Well, then, lads, what can you tell me about Frolo?" Carangil began. Itdid not take long before the contrast between "good cop" Carangil and"bad cop" Elenrion produced results.

"Its that girl, MLords," Sam said in a rush. "She talked poor Frolo intahelpin her!"

"Indeed?" Carangil asked. "What do you know about her?"

"Well," began the olderSam, the men recollectedwith a guilty looktowards his father, "some months ago, Frolo met that girl. Shedworked for Mich in the past, but the innkeeper fired her. Anyway, he

met her and she certainly has a taste for sweets and expensive gifts, youknow. Poor Frolo is so stricken. He wanted to please her. He saidthere was no way they could trace back to him."

Karnouk looked increasingly sick as he realised what had happened."Sam, are you telling us that Frolo robbed people to buy presents for agirl?"

"Yes, father," answered Sam in a miserable voice. Old Karnouk had to sitdown again then, for he was left as feeble-legged as a newborn, andnearly voiceless. After a while, he found the courage to say, "Sirs, I hopefor my poor nephew that your men will catch him swiftly, so that he canexplain himself on that account." Then the old Halfling began to nodsilently, while silence fell heavily in the room.

It was not long before Elenrion stormed out to check on the pursuit,slamming the door so hard it nearly splintered. Carangil broke thetension at last. "Master Karnouk, Sam, thank you for your honesty. I shallnot forget it. For the moment, let us talk of fairer things. Perhaps you willtell me of your people, whose story I do not know, and I shall tell you offaraway castles and the Starry Tower."

* * *

Kirdan felt a pang of guilt for the young Halfling, his eyes showing sorrowas he regarded the thief. Most likely thinks he will be beaten or worsethe squire considered as he clenched the shaking Halfling youth. "Calmdown boy," Kirdan said in a calm voice. "No one will harm you just yet.We would like to ask you a few questions, though." The othercompanions were soon upon the scene, and so were the guardsmen. TheHalfling began to shake again, almost clutching to Kirdan as he coweredaway from the soldiers.

"THIEF!" bellowed Berek, pushing aside Aeglorias from behind. Wieldinghis axe in front of the Halflings face, he grabbed the young Hobbit by hiscollar and lifted him off the ground. The miserable sight of the smallfigure fearing for his life did not prevent Berek from shaking the boy backand forth.

If not for the interference of Aeglorias, Berek might have continued forsome time, and might have even hurt the poor little fellow. But the Elfpushed himself between the two of them, and with a voice of commandsternly spoke: "Calm yourself, friend Berek, our hunting is over!" Firmly,he pushed Bereks arm together with the Hobbit down, and managed toseparate the two of them, handing the Hobbit back to Kirdan.

"If we want to see your family heirloom back, we need sharp minds now,Berek," said Aeglorias as he led Berek some steps away from thefrightened Halfling. Grumbling and mumbling in Atliduk, Berek gave in,but did not seem very happy about it, cooling down very slowly.

The Hobbit looked utterly frightened, and sought refuge from Bereksangry face in Kirdans firm embrace. "Dont kill me," he muttered in avery small voice.

Seeing the small thing so frightened, Jiff knelt down beside him. Wearingwhat he hoped was a kind but stern look on his face, he said, "No one willkill you, at least not right now." He broke into a smile. "Provided youagree to help uswere looking for something, you seeor rather anumber of thingsthings which were taken from my friends during thenight. Can you help us?"

Phillip arrived to hear the Hobbits plea. He gave the Halfling an evilsmile. "I wonder how you would taste in a stew?" Phillip turned to Jiffand winked, "Your mother was always talking about some kind ofHalfling stew, wasnt she? I think this would be an excellent opportunityto try it ourselves if our captive doesnt want to co-operate. I think itcalled for leeks and a lot of garlic to tenderise the meat."

Kirdan shot Phillip a cold stare as he spoke of cooking the Halfling youth.This will not be as easy if we scare the poor boy to death! the youngsquire thought. I will have to try this my way. He turned his gaze tothe young Halfling. "We just wish to ask you a few questions, regardlessof the hasty words and actions of my companions," Kirdan began in asoft, soothing tone. "We need to recover an amulet that was taken fromour room at the Fattened Ewe. It looks like." He gave Berek aquestioning glance, looking somewhat unsure of the description of thestolen amulet.

"It looked liked an amulet, and the gold that was stolen looked likecoins," Berek grumbled, trying to ease his temper. Whats in Kirdansmind? How many amulets does this thief steal per night? And theburglar wont get away without punishment, he thought, turning awayto give Kirdan his chance in questioning the Hobbit. "Aeglorias, if youthink it helpful, show your amulet to this person maybe then he willremember what he stole last night!" he said to the Elf, who stood nearby.

Aeglorias looked troubled. "There may be more here than what we cansee on the surface, Berek," he whispered softly in Atliduk. With athoughtful air, the Elf put his hand inside the neck of his tunic to retrievehis own amulet.

At the same time, a forcibly dignified Elenrion arrived and looked at thesmall form with obvious scorn. "So, here is our thief! Speak! Where haveyou put our money and Bereks heirloom! Speak or face my legitimatewrath!" At the same time, he fidgeted with the handle of his sword.

It was obvious that the young Dnadan was angry and quite serious, andAeglorias put his own hand on the knights leather glove, while looking athim intensely. Elenrion looked at him in surprise, and muttered inSindarin, "As you want, my Lord."

Aeglorias then nodded to Kirdan, who said to the young Halfling, "Boy,this may end better for you than it looks, so tell us what you have done,and why!"

The young Halfling looked at Kirdan, then at the Elf, who he had nottruly seen before, for Bereks axe had concentrated all his attention."My my Lord," he mumbled, "my mother always told me that your kinwas fair and just? I beg your mercy! I stole because Mich said otherwisehe will chase us out of the house," then the boy burst into tears.

Jiff, looking thoughtful, turned to Elenrion and said, "So, Sir Elenrion,it seems that one of the conclusions to which you jumped has turned outto be correct! The landlord certainly did have something to do with thetheft!"

Still crying, the boy continued his confession. "He is our landlord, and heleft us with few choices. He mockingly allowed a delay to my uncle, butthat was only a trap! Once he caught me in the street, and he told me thatsoon enough he would throw us all in the street to beg. But he hintedthat there was a solution, that if I could help him from time to time in adelicate affair. He promised that if I stole for him precious things fromhis richest clients, he would not throw us in the street. I never told myuncle of the proposal. I tried to ignore him, but every time he couldcorner me, he threatened me. In the end, I had to agree because I knewthat we had no more money to pay the rent."

Hearing the confession of the boy, Berek cooled down a little bit."Hmmm" he said from behind, a stern look still on his face. "So youconfess entering the inn this very night and robbing the people in there,taking gold, gems, and an amulet?" Looking upquite a long way, in factthe Hobbit could only nod, tears still visible on his cheek. "And you didso several times before, right, waiting for a stormy night and a wealthyclient Mich appointed to you?" Again, a nod followed, together with somebobbing of the head. "Hmmm, boy boy what be your name, boy?"

"Fro Frolo," was the hollow reply.

"Hmmm, Frolo last night after you hmmm were at the inn wheredid you put the valuables? Did you give them to Mich this morning or doyou still have them?"

The young Hobbit controlled himself long enough to say, "I gave all toMich this morning; we met on the market place as usual."

"Sirs, if you dont mind," interrupted one of the guards, "I think weshould go to the sergeant now. This affair is more involved than itappeared at first."

Once everyone had regrouped in Karnouks house, the situation wasquickly (and tartly) summarised by an angry Elenrion, who was moreand more in a hurry to recover his belongings.

"Well, then, gentlemen, I suggest we go confront Mich," the sergeantmused, his expression stern. "But we should call Lieutenant Gailen first,to make it all nice and proper."

"Now just a minute, sergeant!" Elenrion protested, pointing angrily."There are at least four noblemen right here! Why do we need to wait foryour lieutenant?"

"You and your friends might be noblemen in your own countries, Sir, buthere you are in Cardolan," the sergeant remarked politely, but firmly."We will wait for Lieutenant Gailen."

Thus rebuffed, Elenrion fumed silently while Carangil meditated on theconsequences of the sergeants implicit allusions to their real status here.How different things are here from our protectorates and alliedDnadan states thought the young noble.

Following Elenrions concession all agreed that perhaps LieutenantGailen should indeed be present for the meeting with Mich, and thesergeant sent one of his men back to fetch him. Carangil thought aboutgoing along, but concern moved him to stand between the sufferingHobbits and the fuming Elenrion and Berek.

In short order Lieutenant Gailen arrived, accompanied by the messengerand two more soldiers. The sergeant"aided" by the still-angryElenrion, the red-faced Berek, and the cautiously objective Carangilexplained the situation to the officer, whose face was a picture ofthoughtfulness throughout the story.

Gailens decisiveness was swiftly apparent. He ordered the two newsoldiers to remain behind with the small folk and the remaining six toaccompany the aggrieved companions back to the Fattened Ewe Inn todiscuss matters further with Mich. Swiftly, the large group moved offfrom the small house. Upon arrival within the inns courtyard, Gailenordered his men to surround the building, ensuring that no one couldescape the building unnoticed. Then the companions and Gailen movedonwards to enter the Inn.

* * *

As they approached, Jiff heard a small voice calling, "Sir. Sir."Looking around, he saw the stable boy waving to him while carrying outhis duties with a pitchfork. Judging that the other companions could dowithout him, Jiff detoured to talk to the boy.

"Hello, my friend!" Jiff said while entering the stables, where the boyGrion was again hard at work. "How are you right now?"

"Im fine, Sir," he replied. "The horses are behaving well and myafternoon jobs are almost done. I might get some time to relax by myselftoday. But Sir, I have a question: Why are the soldiers standing aroundthe Inn, and why are all those Gentlemen going in looking really mad?"

Jiff thought for a moment and replied, "Your master, Mich, has brokenthe law or at least we think he has. You know that my friends."

"The big man and the tall man?" the boy jumped in.

Jiff continued, "Yes the big man Berek and the tall man, SirElenrion. Well, do you remember they were robbed last night?"

"Yes."

"Well we have found the person who stole from us, and he says thatMich made him steal from us, and that he gave Mich what he stole. Thethief was a small small person called Frolo. Do you know him? Doeshe talk to Mich a lot?"

"Frolo? Ive seen him once or twice on the marketplace. Hes nice enough,though somewhat strange."

"In what way is he strange?"

Grion groped for the right words. "He looks so serious, while most ofhis people appear to be of the merry type!"

"I see. Could it have been the small person who you saw leaving the Innthat night? You said it was a man-sized person. But Frolo is very small,dont you think?"

"Small. Yes, hes small, but hes taller than me. But the person I saw inthe night looked taller than him. But I must say I didnt see well with thestorm."

"So, you dont think it was young Frolo? Or arent sure? Im sorry I haveto be very precise in what I know, but from what Ive learned, precise isvery important when things are put in the hands of the guards!"

"Im sorry, I cannot tell you for sure. Im not quite sure I would haverecognised my own father between the night and the rain. I sawsomebody, not so tall, now that I think about it. It could have beenFrolo if he had been wearing something on the head."

"Thats okay, dont worry. It isnt a huge problem anyway." Jiff smiledin what he hoped was a calming manner. "Do you know anything elsewhich might help us?"

"Im afraid thats all I know. What will happen to Frolo?"

"What will happen to him? Well, that depends on a number of thingswhether what he has told us, about stealing for Mich, is true, and whatreaction both my friends, and the Lieutenant, have to the theft. I shouldthink that if he has been honest with us, he will be okay. But surely youshould worry about Mich too?"

"Mich is not exactly the kindest master one could hope for," answeredGrion. "I suppose you could say he is a bully. Im sure he had Frolo stealfor him! He is also a coward, a lazy coward!" the boy added with someheat.

"I see. Well, Im sure he will pay for his bullying Frolo this time! Butwhat will become of you? I dont know what will happen to Mich; I haveseen many punishments for theft, none of which are particularly nice.Maybe he will lose his inn. Maybe youll get a new boss!"

Grion looked baffled for a moment, and then blurted, "Well, I had notthought of that. I suppose the new innkeeper will also need a stableboy."

Jiff smiled. "Yes, indeed. Im sure he will. And I promise here to do allI can to ensure that you, and the other people who work here at the Inn,are well looked after in all this mess. We dont want to create still

further victims in Michs crimes!"

"Thats very kind of you!" answered the boy, who still looked thoughtful,but not really upset any more.

"Well, my friend. If you do remember something please come andfind me or one of my friends. Ill be staying at the Blue Oak. If we arentthere you can leave a message for me there and Ill find you later." Withthat Jiff left the stables to join his friends inside the Inn.

* * *

The other companions entered the Inn, led by Gailen, who was closelyfollowed by Elenrion and Berek. Approaching the counter within theInn, Gailen called to a young woman, in a commanding voice, "Where isthe landlord of this establishmentI believe his name is Mich?"

"Yes, Sir," was the reply. "He is through that door in his private office,Sir."

"Fetch him for me," Gailen ordered.

The young woman scurried into the office, entering with a light knock. Afew muffled words were heard before she returned, followed by Mich,who was wearing a smile upon his face. "Why, Lieutenant Gailen, whatbrings me the pleasure of your presence in my humble establishment?"Mich began.

Michs smile did little to lighten Gailens stern face, while Bereks headseemed only moments away from exploding and his hand began strokingthe head of his axe. "Mich, do you remember these gentlemen?" Gailenasked. "They stayed here yesternight, did they not?"

Mich replied, "Indeed they did, Sir, but they took leave of myestablishment earlier this morning. My security arrangements were notto their liking, it seemed."

"Indeed," Gailen nodded. "In fact, we have been informed that perhaps itwas your security arrangements which led to the loss of some propertyof theirs. What do you say to these claims?" Bereks keen senses, aided byhis closeness to Mich, picked up a slight change in Michs demeanour,and all present noticed that the Lieutenants last words had removed thesmile from the landlords face.

"Sir I I dont know what you are talking about. Who has made theseclaims about me?"

"Well," Gailen replied, focusing on the innkeeper, "this time we managedto catch the thief, a young Hobbit, that is. He confessed his crime, andaccused you of threatening him into it and enabling the theft."

"What? A Hobbit? But dear Lords, this is absurd! We know that theselittle rats are scum and steal all the time. Of course this scum would putthe blame on someone else!"

"And so you had no dealings with one of them?"

"No, my Lord, never, I do not know any of them and I."

Gailen interrupted, "Mich, be aware that the accusation weighs heavily.Do not tell me but the plain truth, otherwise the consequences will bedire!" Hearing the lieutenant, Berek hummed, nodded, and continuedplaying with the blade of his axe. "So, Mich, are you not the landlord of aHobbit family headed by Karnouk!"

"Why, yes, I am." Mich visibly started sweating, and twisted and turnedhis head from one side to the other. "But of course I had no dealings withhim concerning thievery! We have a normal, honest businessrelationship. He pays his rent, and I lend him the house. So he is athief. My, my, he seemed such an honest old fellow."

"It was not Karnouk who confessed the crime, but his young nephew,Frolo. He accused you of threatening him to steal or else. What do yousay to this?"

"H how was this name, Forlo? I remember Karnouk has children, but Inever met them nor threatened them, so that thief is obviously lying toget away with his crime!"

"How is it, then," Elenrion interjected, "that you were seen talking toFrolo in the marketplace this very morning?" Shifting to face Elenrion,Mich was not able to see the frown upon Lieutenant Gailens brow thatquickly faded into his unmoving face of duty.

"Well well, Sirs, this very morning, I I did some shopping in themarket, and had some boys running errands for me. I didnt even knowtheir names; they bought some supplies for me I needed!"

"Mich, Frolo said that he gave the stolen goods to you in the marketplacebecause you threatened to throw his family out of the house" Gailencontinued the questioning.

Michs head shot around towards Gailen, and his face turned white. Mich

stumbled, "A a lie, all this thief tries is to save his own skin."

"Aye" Berek growled, "save his hmmm skin."

"Of course you understand that my guards will have to search your inn,turning everything upside down," Gailen said, his voice outwardly mildbut with a core of steel. "I am sure you wont object." Gailen moved thedoor and called the sergeant and three guards to advance, leaving onlytwo outside.

Reaching into his shirt, Aeglorias took out his amulet. "This shall beevidence of the theft, for the amulet stolen is nearly its twin."

"And a convicted thief, hindering investigations, will surely not findmercy in the judges eyes," Elenrion sternly added, hand on the hilt ofhis sword.

Michs eyes darted from one to the other, the stress clearly visible. AsBerek bent forward and growled, "If the thief can live to see the judgeswithout his hmmm skin," Mich broke down.

Falling on his knees in front of Gailen, Mich whimpered, "Sir, please havemercy I I its all still there, nothing missing please I was blindedby the money." And so Mich confessed that Frolo had spoken the truthand that the stolen goods were hidden in a secret drawer of his desk.

Gailen soon had had enough of the whining man lying in front of him.Scowling fiercely, he snorted in disgust. Motioning to his sergeant, hesaid, "Take him into prison, and record the details of his confession. Andquestion Frolo, Sam, and Karnouk as well, but separately, so we mightsoon wrap up all details of the theft!"

Nodding, Carangil added, "Right, Lieutenant Gailen. There are still openquestions. For example, what about the woman that Sam told us about?What about the three thefts that have already occurred? And what aboutMichs incitements against Drukhas people?"

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Sir, those questions must be addressed,but first, we should try to find your friends possessions. And as far asyour last question is concerned, I am afraid that the answer is commonprejudice." Switching to a somewhat accented Sindarin, he added, "Notall Dnedain here approve of interaction with the indigenous to saythe least. Some dont even suffer the sight of mixed blood like your mostfaithful squire. Such an attitude is, by extension, reflected by thecommon people, who loathe the Dunmen. I believe that Mich, a well-

known xenophobe, simply indulged himself there, hoping to throw thesuspicion and guilt on those he feared and despised. Alas, I am mostchagrined to see such an attitude in the last followers of our Kings inexile" Gailens voice died out gently, while he half-closed his eyes,obviously lost in his thought.

Carangil smiled and said softly, "Perhaps some good can come of all this."

In Michs private room, finding the secret drawer was an easy task oncethey knew where to look. Springing the mechanism, Kirdan opened thedrawer. The contents included Bereks amulet, gems, and some gold, aswell as some of the money stolen from Elenrion, but no valuables fromthe prior thefts turned up. Berek and Elenrion showed the goods toGailen, and he finally smiled, glad they were recovered. A shortdiscussion of evidence and trials followed.

Berek snarled to Aeglorias in Atliduk, "Why must these civilised peoplemake everything so complicated!"

As Aeglorias smiled and inspected Bereks amulet, he said privately to thebear of a man, "Just bear with them. As I told you before, your familymust have a long history of connection with my kin, for this is indeed anofficers pendant."

"Hmmm. I would be glad to hear more about the origins of this amulet,Master Aeglorias. Maybe we can spend some time in the evening inprivate" Berek replied.

"As soon as we find some time to discuss this quietly and privately,"answered the Elf.

* * *

Later, on the way to the Thalion, Aeglorias took Berek aside. Hemuttered, "My friend, this boy had little choice in what he did. I thinkthat you are not inclined toward severity, but perhaps you should try toplacate our young friend, Elenrion."

"You are right, Master Aeglorias. If Frolo speaks true, he is, hmmmguilty only of not speaking up to his parent at the right time, trying toprevent an evil by committing a crime, hmmm and lying to his family,which I think a bad thing as well. But he acted in good faith, andtherefore his punishment should teach him the right values, and how toact in the future. Yes, he should learn about honesty and faith in others.In my home village, I would propose some kind of public service like

stocking firewood in all shelters made for travellers around our village forsome time. Then, I would ask some people, maybe his family or even ourelders, to walk along with him and have some deep discussions. I will tryto convince Elenrion that this is a more suited course of action thanfollowing the, hmmm law.

"For Mich, however, hmmm. If I were to punish greedy theft in thewoods" Bereks expression made it quite clear that the punishmentwould be both drastic and direct.

"I understand your feelings, friend Berek, but here you know that thingsare more formal. Im sure that Mich will be heavily punished, and all themore so since he involved an innocent young man in his schemes."

Even doubting the privacy of their conversation on the way to theThalion, Berek changed to his native tongue, Atliduk.

"Hmmm another thing we need to discuss is my amulet. As you saw it,your reaction was, hmmm strong. Since you said you would be calledcaptain among the Elven Rangers of Greenwood, I think my heritage isnot even the officers pendant you were expecting."

"You are partly right, my friend, and this is something we will discuss ingood time, I swear."

Chapter XVI: Interrogations

Before long, the various groups gathered back at the Thalion. LieutenantGailen quickly read the sergeants report. Recalling the discussion withCarangil of outstanding questions, Gailen called for the guards, orderingthem to bring the young thief to his office. While they waited, Gailen toldBerek and Elenrion that they were free to ask questions. "Please notethat this affair appears to be more involved than one could think at aglance. Your opinions will weigh heavily in this childs judgement, and, asopposed to that infamous Mich, I believe that he deserves someindulgence. Question him, and well discuss it further in given time."

Frolo was ushered into the office still trembling with fear, and,undoubtedly, with shame. When Gailen told the boy that they were goingto again ask him questions about the affair, he looked at the adultsaround him with the air of one who knows himself condemned. Kirdanand Berek could not, in spite of themselves, restrain a grimace ofcompassion, whereas Elenrion remained impassive and severe. Theimmortal Aeglorias features were unreadable, while various expressionswere visible on the others present. Drukha looked more ill at ease than

anything else, as did, curiously, the young Jiff, who was probablyimpressed by the formality of the situation. He sat pondering thesituation with a strange, unreadable look on his face, and took little partin the interrogation drama.

"So, young Frolo, it seems that you were persuaded to rob people onMichs behalf. That fact is condemnable in itself, but we could find it lesssevere if it appears that you were really threatened into theft by Mich."

Gailen paused while Elenrion took a sharp breath, but he stopped whenthe lieutenant looked at him sharply. It seems this bandit will not bepunished the way he deserves thought the young knight, whononetheless took Gailens point and said nothing.

Gailen spoke again, in a gentler tone. "Your cousin Sam spoke of a girl."

"She has nothing to do with it!" interjected Frolo. "I misled Sam becauseI didnt want Mich to throw us out of the house. Sam thinks I stolethings for her" Frolo burst into tears.

"May I, Lieutenant?" Carangil began, then continued on Gailens nod."Frolo, you may call me Hir Carangil. So then, is it your testimony thatyou did not steal for a girl, but for Mich personally? Does this girl ofwhom Sam spoke even exist?"

Knowing that he made a frightening impression upon the young lad atfirst, Berek tried to show Frolo a gentle expression of understanding.Hmmm he surely made a bad mistake, but if his story is true, the realblame is on Mich. His guilt is more being an unguided child, Berekthought, and asked Frolo, "What did Sam know about the, hmmmthefts anyhow? Did he ever see you going out at night, so you had toinvent a cover story? And why did you not tell Sam about the threatsmade by Mich?"

Frolo looked more than a little disturbed by the two big Men questioninghim. He looked haggardly from Berek to Carangil, and then his eyes fellon Kirdan with a pleading look. Kirdan raised a questioning brow thatdid not escape Carangil, who nodded his agreement. "Please answerMaster Berek truthfully, young man," said Kirdan.

The young Hobbit collected his ailing courage, and finally said, "Samknew not much. I had to tell him I had a girl, and he believed I stoleminor things for her, nothing serious. I couldnt tell him the truthbecause because Uncle Karnouk is too proud and would never haveaccepted, and we would have ended in the streets."

"Let us go back to last night, Frolo," Carangil said. "You went to theFattened Ewe, entered several rooms, and took anything you thought wasvaluable?"

"Yes" whispered Frolo.

"Did Mich indicate the rooms to you?" asked Berek.

"Yes."

"How did he contact you?" Berek continued.

"I went to the inn early in the evening, like most days, and he told methat he had interesting clients. I knew what that meant. I came backin the heart of the night and woke up Mich, who told me what rooms togo in."

"And how did you know how to pick the locks of the roomsdid you useany tools for that?" finished Berek, who made a good show at appearingless frightening than before.

"I didnt pick the locksI have the key." Frolo pulled out the key he worearound his neck, which appeared to be a kind of crude master key. "I leftmarks on the locks with my dagger so that on closer scrutiny, one wouldbelieve they had been picked."

"And how did you come to have this key?" asked Carangil.

"Mich gave the key to me. I dont know where it comes from, my Lord."

"Thats not that unusual for innkeepers to have such keys," interjectedJiff. "Ive sometimes worked in inns, and Ive seen things like that, butthis one is very crude!"

"Appears crude, at least," Carangil agreed. "It was probably made thatway to make the lockpicking deception more believable. Well, then,where did you go after that?"

"I went out, my Lord, towards the high town. Mich instructed me to dothat if I had any doubts of a pursuit, to mislead the hunters."

"Did you know that you were followed and tried to shake off thepursuer?" asked Berek.

"Yes, I had seen a shadow behind me. I was afraid, so I ran as fast as Icould. Since I knew the small streets of the high town, I tried to lose himthere."

"How well can you see in the dark, Frolo?" Carangil asked.

Frolo shrugged. "I dont know. Well enough to not fall down."

"Stand here beside me, Frolo; Jiff, take his other side, please. Aeglorias,please look closely at us." As the others exchanged puzzled glances,Carangil moved to Aeglorias and poured out a deluge of questions inSindarin. "Does Frolo really look like he could be the person you saw andfollowed, someone able to evade you, lead you on a long chase through astorm into Upper Metraith, and then trap you in a food cellar? Do his feetlook like they could have left the prints you followed? Did not Jiff tell usthe stable boy said the person he saw was Man-sized? You told us thethief was small but not diminutive; Frolo looks pretty diminutive to me.And what about the trick or illusion you said you felt in the cellar?"

Aeglorias mulled over the questions for a while, and then answered. "Thisboy certainly looks somewhat shorter than the silhouette I followed, butat night and during a storm, even my Elven sight can be misled. As for hisfeet, though he is standing barefoot now, the prints I saw were bootprints, which can alter ones print greatly. As far as the stable boy isconcerned, you should remember he was awakened in the middle of thenight by a storm. Between that and his young age, he could have beenmistaken! As for being able to escape and then trap me, why not? I haveseen stranger things, Carangil."

"I dont doubt that!" Carangil smiled, then turned back. "Frolo, what didyou wear last night, and where is it now?"

"Other clothes, my Lord. They are drying at home."

"Did you wear any kind of perfume?" Carangil askedseriously, but atleast two of his companions thought otherwise.

Phillip laughed and leaned over to Jiff and whispered, "Eau de Hobbit?"

Jiff smiled back. "Parfum de small-people?"

Phillip let out a loud chuckle, then quieted down after receivingdisapproving looks from the others. Carangil smiled wryly andmurmured, "Touch," then turned back to Frolo.

"Yes, Mich told me to use some grease like the Dunmen do," Froloanswered. "I felt it too smelly, so I used them on a wig, which is also athome."

"What about boots or shoes? You are not wearing them now."

"Yes, I had to wear them. Hobbit-tracks are obviously Hobbit-tracks. Aswell, boots make me look a couple of inches taller."

"I see," Carangil nodded. "Very well, then, I just have a few morequestions for now. We know that your pursuer chased you into the hightown, and that you led him through the pigsty and into the cellars. Howdo you know Upper Metraith well enough to do that?"

"I am sorry, my Lord, Im not sure that I understand you. Ive lived inMetraith for all my life, and we are not unwelcome among the old folk."Frolo answered, somewhat puzzled by the Dnadans question.

"So you have gone to the Dunnish peoples cellars before, that was howyou knew how to use them as a trap?"

"Yes, my Lord. Ive been there before, but I never stole anything fromthemthey are poorer than we are, and they always treated me kindlywhen I was a kid."

Carangil had to smile at that one. "When you were a kid, eh? What areyou now, then? Hardly an old man." He turned serious once more. "Whatdid you do to your pursuer to confuse him while you escaped, through theair vent, wasnt it?"

Frolo looked obviously uneasy, and, after a short hesitation, answered,"The air vent, my Lord? No, this was a decoy. I went back to the door,then out of the wine cellar."

"Hmmm." Berek bent forward, making it clear that his mood wouldchange quickly again if the Hobbit did not tell the truth. "So you say thatyou that you knew that you were followed, chose to go down into acellar, then let the pursuer enter the cellar. Hmmm. Then you decidedto not use a favourable route for escape that you knew existed, butdecided to somehow go back the way you came, avoiding the pursuer,and leaving by the same door you just entered? We need someclarification, boy!"

Frolo looked somewhat anxious, frightened once more by the great Mansstature. "Even for me, the vent is quite narrow, and not easy to climb up.I tried once, and I had to stop in the middle. On the other hand, I madesure the iron bars on the surface were broken apart, so that one wouldthink that I had used the vent to go out, if I ever had to trick somebodyin."

Carangil frowned slightly. "Very well, you did not use the air vent. Whatdid you do to your pursuer to confuse him? He has told me thatsomething happened to him in the cellars, something out of theordinary."

If Frolo had looked uncomfortable after Bereks last interjection, now helooked really sick when he said, "I used a trick I know how to distractpeople."

"A, hmmm trick? What kind of, hmmm trick?" Bereks and Carangilsquestioning glances made it quite clear that the way in which Frolo hadbeen able to slip by Aeglorias in the cellars was not to be dropped quickly.

"Yes, a trick that allows me to confuse people."

"That much we know, little one. How do you work that trick? Do you,hmmm, need some item to do so? Can you show us how you do it?" Witha sideways look, Berek said to Carangil, "I already feel quite, hmmmconfused!"

Carangil smiled broadly for a moment, but soon returned to seriousness."Yes, its quite a tangled story, isnt it? No, friend Berek, this is somethingmore." His voice dropped and took on a wistful tone. "I wish my brotheror better yet, Heri Nrannawas here to see this. Hir Aeglorias,"Carangils voice rose again and emphasised the "Hir" title to Frolo, "Ithink you might be the best judge of this question. Frolo, as Master Berekasked, can you demonstrate this trick?"

"It does not work every time, and I need somebody to trick."

"Can you give it a try, Frolo?" Berek asked. "Try to make me lose myconcentration." Saying so, Berek started humming and clapping hishands on a nearby table in a simple pattern. Aeglorias smiled, for herecognised one of the nursery melodies sung among the Beijabar.Although Bereks behaviour was strange enough, the companys attentionstayed on the young Hobbit, and what he might do to work his "trick."

The Hobbit looked somewhat baffled, and then blurted, "Im sorry, Sirs,but I cannot do thatall I know is how to make people not notice me.Thats what I did in the cave."

Carangil looked towards Elenrion and Aeglorias, who both nodded theiragreement. "Then perhaps you should try that on me."

"Once more, I cannot," Frolo replied worriedly. "I know how to makepeople look the other way, so to say; I cant make people that know that

Im here ignore me. Last night in the cellar, I hid myself behind a bigbarrel, and then I used the trick to escape Hir Aeglorias."

Berek nodded in understanding while his hand involuntarily went to hischest to feel his amulet on his skin. The Beijabar decided not to go deeperinto that topic. Hmmm, he thought, probably we have got all theinformation from Frolo now, maybe we should move on to Mich andthen talk with Gailen about the punishment to be expected. However, hewaited for Carangil to continue with the questioning.

"I see," Carangil replied to Frolo. "Very well, I think I understand howyour trick works now. But what makes you think Hir Aeglorias was yourpursuer?"

"Because unless there is another Firstborn in Metraith, and I am quitesure my pursuer was one of them, from what I saw during the nightIhave good sight, you knowhe should be the man who chased me.Besides, his clothing is quite similar to that of my pursuer." Aeglorias wasindeed clothed in practical gear, quite similar to the clothes he had wornthe night before. After a brief silence, the young Hobbit added timidly, "Iam sorry to have tricked you and put you in an embarrassing situation,Firstborn." Frolo somehow looked even more ill at ease than before.

Slightly amused by all this, Jiff piped up, "Perhaps then, we should gointo the courtyard and play a game of hide-and-seek? Then maybe we willbetter observe this phenomenon. Maybe we should place one person onthe roof, so they know where Frolo is, and can observe the others notnoticing him?"

The immortal glance of Aeglorias fell on Jiff. Though there was no actualcondemnation or severity therein, after a while, Jiff blurted, "Well,perhaps another time. All right, not a good idea," he added with a grin.Aeglorias and Berek looked at each other.

"I think it would be fun," Phillip whispered to Jiff.

Jiff flashed a smile to Phillip and replied, "Thanks, Cousin."

Carangil smiled indulgently, nodded, then turned aside to LieutenantGailen. "Fascinating lad, is he not? Smart, resourceful, highly skilled.How unfortunate it is that his abilities were turned to corrupt uses." Heturned back to Frolo. "I think you have answered all of my concernsregarding the method of the theft. Now I want to hear everything youknow about Mich. Why does he steal, or extort others to steal? To whomdoes he sell his stolen goods? Does he have others stealing for him

besides you?"

"About his motivations, I know nothing, but he is a well-known crook. Herepeatedly had me steal things from patrons I dont know, perhaps ahalf-dozen times in the last two years. Most of them were rich merchants,a few travellers and as far as I know, I was the only one he used tosteal."

Phillip leaned over to Jiff. "Cousin, maybe you could get our little friendto teach us that trick. I know it could have got me out of a few binds fromtime to timebut if I remember correctly, you probably already knowhow his little trick works." Phillip gave Jiff a knowing look. Jiff gavePhillip a slight nod and a smile.

"We shall make sure to ask him," Carangil said to Frolo, unaware of orperhaps ignoring the cousins exchange. "You are sure you dont knowwhat he did with the stolen goods after you turned them over to him?"

Frolo shook his head in sign of ignorance. "Im afraid I know nothing onthat account. Mich only ordered me to rob, thats all."

"Very well, then. I have no more questions for you at this time."Carangils gaze swept around the room. "Master Drukha? Kirdan?Aeglorias? Berek? Elenrion? Jiff? Phillip?" As no one added anything,Carangil continued, "Then we shall surrender him back to your charge,Lieutenant Gailen. Whom should we question next? Sam? MasterKarnouk? Some of the people from the Fattened Ewe? We shouldprobably save Mich for last, so that we can use everyone elses testimonyagainst him."

Lieutenant Gailen nodded his agreement. "Yes, we should save Mich forlast, but that may prove inconvenient. You two," he pointed to two of theguardsmen and ordered sternly, "take the prisoner back to the holdingcell." They saluted and laid huge hands on the forlorn Frolo, then led himout of Gailens office firmly but without excessive force. A moment ofsilent gazes loaded with various emotions passed around the room.

* * *

"Sergeant!" Gailen broke the reverie. "Take a squad and round upeveryone at the Fattened Ewe for questioningworkers and guestsboth. Leave some men there to seal the building and search it from stemto stern. Make sure someone takes notes." The sergeant saluted and left,leaving only the lieutenant, his bodyguard, and the companions in theoffice.

"My Lords," Gailen continued, "since it will take some time to bring theEwes residents here, I suggest we question the other Hobbits next."Carangil and the others agreed, so the lieutenant rose and spoke brieflywith someone outside. "Besides, the dinner hour approaches. If you wishto continue today, I will invite you to dine with my fellow officers and me.Otherwise, I will continue my official"his emphasis was obvious to all"investigation and invite you to return on the morrow."

"I think we all want to finish this as soon as possible, so I, for one, willaccept your invitation," Carangil said. He glanced around at hiscompanions and smiled. "Some of us probably think Ive taken too longalready." Soft laughter echoed around the office at that.

With that decision, Gailen summoned Karnouk the Hobbit and his sonsSameluk and Marlinuk. All three bore expressions of mingled fear andsorrow, certainly for their own plight, but more so for Frolos. Some ofthe companions wondered at the obvious difference in their ages, whichwas nearer to that of grandfather and grandsons than to father and sons."He must have married late, or perhaps he adopted grandsons as sons,"Carangil murmured to Kirdan.

Karnouk and Mar testified that they had known nothing of any theftsuntil that afternoon, but they did talk of Mich the harsh landlord andFrolo the bright but troubled orphan they loved. Sam told again his storythat Frolo had stolen to please a girl who had been fired by Mich, but bythat time, the interrogators believed that this was merely Frolos coverstory to Sam. Only a short time passed before Lieutenant Gailendismissed the three Hobbits. "You are clearly free from guilt in thismatter; therefore, you are free to return to your home. You may restassured that Frolo will not be treated harshly, but he must be remandeduntil this matter is resolved. That will be soon, I assure you."

As they departed, the lieutenant honoured his invitation to share theevening meal in the officers mess. It was perhaps an imposingexperience for the two young cousins, who kept largely to themselves, butthe warriors found many kindred spirits. A few officers greeted theforeigners with an arrogant disdain, which faded but did not disappeareven in the presence of the noble Sinda Aeglorias, but these were easilynoted and avoided. The food was far better than typical garrison fare, butit was obvious to the companions that the current cook was a poorreplacement for the one now lending her grace to the Blue Oak Inn.

As the lamps were lit to banish the gathering dark, Gailen courteouslysent a messenger to the Blue Oak to make sure the companions

reservations were held, then the company returned to serious business. Itwas time to question the other residents of the Fattened Ewe. Thisexercise, however, proved to offer little new information. Of the guests,most, including two merchants from Arthedain, had gone to the Ewebecause the Blue Oak was full. A few, including three Cardolanijourneyman craftsmen, chose the Ewe because it was cheaper than theOak. One Martin, a peddler from Tharbad, said, "Ysee, MLords, I uselysleeps outn my wagon, but it rained so fearful hard las night I went toth Ewe for some, uh, ah, fortfication gainst th weather." None of thepresent company could disagree with that logic, and they shared its goodcheer. When Martin was dismissed, Jiff and Phillip volunteered to escorthim out, swapping tales of familiar neighbourhoods and families alongthe way.

The staff interviews proved less pleasant. The serving girls know littleabout any thefts, but they complained much about harsh treatment byMich and his wife, Merta the cook, and even worse behaviour by guests,to which Mich had turned a coin-tolerant eye. Grion also told of harshtreatment, then told of what he had seen the previous night. As thistestimony matched what he had told Jiff earlier, with Jiffs confirmation,he was quickly dismissed.

Merta proved rude and uncooperative until the companions glares(rather, the violence leashed therein) and the lieutenants threat ofcharges against her personally broke her resolve. "Aright, aright, Illtell," she snarled at last, sobbing. "Yeah, I knew Mich stole thingssometimes. But I swear I never elped im, and I never knew e stole fromguests, on my life!"

"This is a most serious matter," Lieutenant Gailen summarised sternly."Merta, I hereby indict you on charges of aiding and abetting grand theft.Count yourself fortunate that I do not add corruption of a minor, perjury,obstruction of justice, and other charges to the list. Sergeant!" At Gailensorder, the guardsmen carried Merta away to a holding cell, and thecompanions noticed that they handled her with less care than they hadtaken with Frolo.

* * *

"Well, then, gentlemen, that is the last of the prospective witnesses, saveone," Gailen smiled. "The night is advancing; if you do not object, weshall save him for tomorrow."

"That is quite reasonable, Lieutenant," Carangil replied. "I, for one,would like to thank you for your dedication and time this evening."

"All in the line of duty, Lord Carangil," Gailen smiled, and sent aguardsman to fetch drinks. "Before we adjourn, though, I wish to hear allof your thoughts on what should be done to Mich and Frolo in the (likely)event that they are found guilty of their several crimes. It will beinteresting to hear how our cousins to north and south, and the Eldar andBeijabar of Rhovanion, would handle such matters."

"I say he should be shown the same, hmmm, mercy he showed to others,"Berek growled. "He robbed travellers, forcing them on the road withoutmoney, so thats his punishment: Go out, never come back, take nothingbut your clothes, leave a cut-off finger to mark you as a thief, and cutanother finger off to mark you as a child-spoiler."

Gailens eyebrows rose. "Cut off his fingers?"

"Master Bereks people live in a hard land, Lieutenant," Carangilinterjected, "and their punishments appear to be equally hard. (Youmight find some punishments in Gondor equally harsh.) Friend Berek,since gold is the lifeblood of Cardolan, I would suggest that fines andrestitution might be more appropriate. Let us say, for example, that hispunishment should include a fine of half the value of all property stolenbut recovered, and restitution for half again the value of all propertystolen and unrecoverable. Following that, he should suffer permanentexile upon pain of death. That should probably include a brand or someother permanent mark, but I would stop short of mutilation for Michscrimes appear to lack violence.

"In pursuit of justice," Carangil continued, "the Prince should confiscateall of Michs worldly goods and apply their value towards the fine, therestitution, and any incidentals like court costs. If anything remains, thePrince should give it back to him in cash and send him packing. If, as Ithink is likely, Mich owes the Prince money, the Prince should recoup thebalance in forced labour. The exile should be deferred until such time asthe Prince has been repaid (which could, of course, become a lifesentence)."

"There are not enough witnesses for that long a sentence," Gailendemurred. "Frolo testified to other thefts, but only Master Berek and SirElenrion are here to accuse Mich. The inn should possess sufficientvalue to send Mich (and perhaps Merta with him) on the roads after oneyear or so of forced labour."

"That seems fair to me," Carangil nodded. "And if I may offer an offbeatsuggestion, perhaps the Prince should confiscate the inn, then lease itback out to Master Karnouk and his sons. It would be poetic justice."

"Thats a great idea, Sir! Definitely!" Jiff exclaimed happily.

"Yes, it is," Gailen agreed. "I shall keep it in mind, should thecircumstances so develop. Now then, what about Frolo?" Gailenprompted.

"Hmmm," Berek mused, "it seems to me, Master Gailen, that Froloshmmm punishment should teach him the right values, and how to actin the future. He should learn about honesty and faith in hmmmothers. In my home village, I would propose some kind of public service,like hmmm stocking firewood in all the travel-shelters around ourvillage, for hmmm several seasons. Then, I would ask his hmmmfather and several of our elders to walk along with him and teach him."

"I agree with Berek," Carangil began. "Personally, I think Frolo deserves afair measure of mercy, for there are several mitigating factors in his case."Carangil quickly scanned the room and saw expressions of agreement onmany faces, including that of Lieutenant Gailen but excluding that ofElenrion. "First," he ticked off the point on his fingers, "Frolo is still ayouth. Second, he committed his crimes while under extortion; fear forones family is powerful motivation. Third, once captured, he co-operatedwith this investigation.

"Nevertheless, he has committed several serious crimes. In Gondor, theywould include multiple counts of breaking-and-entering and grand theft.The trick he used on Aeglorias might be considered assault, and lastly,he fled from your guardsmen. Clearly, he merits punishment, but I wouldrequest that it be something designed to make a proper citizen of him,not something which would do lasting damage."

"Perhaps we should press him into service here at the Thalion," Gailenmused.

"Perhaps," Carangil replied, "but I will offer another offbeat suggestion. Itwill be conditioned, of course, upon what my companions have to say.

"I seem to find myself in need of a page to complement my squire, andFrolo seems to have talents that should not go to waste. Were I to enlistFrolo into my service, we would all have opportunity to correct his errantways, and he would have opportunity to serve those whom he haswronged directly and thus make recompense. What say you, gentlemen?"

"Why. Lord Carangil, I think that would be marvellous!" exclaimed Jiff."It would be nice to have another youngster along with us, and Im surehed enjoy the travels toobut would it be fair to remove him from the

family he doubtless loves so much, at such an age? Maybe hell be neededat the Inn should Master Karnouk take up the lease?"

"Hmmm" Berek reasoned, "I am not so sure if this is a good idea,considering his age." He glanced aside towards Jiff and added, "Yes,friend Jiff, I remember saying that a man will grow by his taskshmmm but this kid has to find his way back into his family, get comfortafter these events, and not go out adventuring especially consideringthe places that lie ahead of us. Master Carangil, I do not doubt yourability to, hmmm, educate this young Hobbit, but I think his familyshould be given that task at this very moment of time. As forrecompensation" Berek let out a deep sound of amusement, "are yousure he will save me the sweat I wasted while chasing him through thestreets?"

Carangil laughed merrily. "No, friend Berek, probably not. Well, I did sayit was an offbeat suggestion."

"What!?" Elenrion spluttered, finding his voice at last. "You must havelost your senses, Hir Carangil! I can understand that he was probably nothappy with what he had to do, but should you take him out of his ratshole and take him into your service, you would be doing him a favour."Elenrion looked like somebody on the verge of strangling himself withfury.

Carangil returned to seriousness and turned to the stone-faced Elenrion."No, my friend Elenrion, I have not lost my wits. I felt plainly that youwould most likely wish no part of such service, but I also felt obligated tomake the suggestion. As Berek reminds me, we will be taking gravechances which should not be forced unwilling on one so young, criminalor no. Friends, do you feel the lieutenants suggestion of service here atthe Thalion to be the best alternative?"

Jiff replied, "Well. If Frolo is anything like me, Im sure hed love towork in a place like this," he waved, indicating the Thalion. "It must befull of so many memories, and the people must have many stories to tell!"

"I think maybe we could give Frolo the choice. I think he could be anasset but, thats just my opinion," Phillip said.

"And I certainly value your opinion," Carangil replied. "However, I thinkthat in the present circumstances we need Sir Elenrions good gracesmore than we need a potentially useful wardeven were Frolo to sochoose and the Lieutenant to so allow. We are, after all, planning to travelwith Sir Elenrion to his homeland." Carangil moved to Elenrion and

laid a calming hand on his shoulder. "My friend and brother in arms, Ishall yield to your judgement, and where you lead, both my companionsand yours will most likely follow willingly. Yet I would ask you to choosewith cold reason, for that way lies the most benefit to yourself andperhaps also to House Orros."

Elenrion released his breath in a long sigh, and with it went the teeth ofhis anger. He clapped his hand over Carangils and brought it down intothe warriors clasp. "Your composure is amazing, arms-brother; I wouldgive much to see it hold so fast when next the Orc-blades are drawnagainst Arthedain."

"I pray that never comes to pass, but I fear it will come to pass all toosoon."

"Indeed," Elenrion nodded, then sighed. "Perhaps you are right insaying that the little thief could have his uses, and I concede that heshould benefit from our moral instruction. Very well, then, if theLieutenant allows, make your offer and let the boy choose his owndestinywith his familys help, of course." Besides, he smirked, theressomething likeable about the lad in spite of it all.

"I find your proposal quite fair," Gailen smiled and lifted his cup, "thoughit will most likely horrify Master Karnouk. We shall see. Gentlemen, letus drink to Justice, then call it an evening. A carriage will come for you atthe first hour."

"Thank you, Gailen," Carangil grinned broadly and hoisted his own cup."To Justice!" Echoes and the sounds of toasting filled the room.

* * *

As the companions made their way towards the Thalion gate, Carangilfell back beside Drukha. "Did you have nothing to say, Master Drukha?"

"Nothing you people didnt say already," Drukha replied with a wry smile."Tomorrow will be different, I think."

"Will your father attend the trial?"

"I think it will interest him," Drukha smiled. "I go home now to tell thisstory."

Carangil held out his hand. "We have met well. Until the morrow, then."

Editor's Note

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