(A/N: Many humble apologies for how long it has taken this chapter to emerge! I actually sent it in to my beta, the inestimable Nieriel Raina, last week, but she rightly pointed out some rather egregious errors and omissions. I have since repaired them, and as she has approved my final work I present it to you, with the caveat that anything you find wrong with it is my fault and not hers. -- Le Rouret)

6. The Seneschal Twice Confounded

When Gimli awoke the next morning, he had been decorously arranged upon the couch, and a thick fur rug spread over him; the fire had been banked, and the door was closed but unlatched. Wondering what Legolas would do now that the harsh light of day burned down upon his dark and demoralizing dream, he rose, attended to his ablutions, and when he had finished and dressed went in search of the Lord of Dol Galenehtar.

Legolas’ bedchamber was bright and welcoming, but the only Elf therein was Kaimelas, seeing to his lord’s magnificent wardrobe. “He got away from me,” the valet laughed, holding in one hand a canary-colored doublet embroidered with green, and in the other, a silvery robe studded all over with shimmering glass beads. “I thought I had hooked him and made to dress him in something severe and forbidding; for he has on his catalog that insidious Man Morbel and it is essential he impress upon our mortal neighbors the severity of those peculiar and odious crimes. But he has eluded me; he slipped out unnoticed, and hied him away; and no doubt now sits in the Hall upon his throne, with neither robe nor crown nor even jewelry! How anyone can take him seriously like that is beyond my ability to comprehend.”

“O I do not know Kaimelas,” said Gimli thoughtfully, fingering the finely boned lapels of the glorious silver robe. “Morbel is a terrible man, and his deeds abhorrent; for Legolas to array himself in fine vestments as these would confer upon the filthy rake his importance and stature, and entail value to his vile actions. I do think me Legolas has it right, to direct the trial with sobriety and weight, inferring Morbel is not worth the effort to dress well.” Kaimelas but shrugged and put the garments away, and Gimli stood and looked round the bedchamber. Knowing his friend’s disinclination to rest had persuaded Gimli to design it in such a way that the occupant would seek out its especial delights without feeling constrained to sleep. It was a vaulted and spacious set of rooms, and all the windows were tall and arched, and glazed with faceted and tinted glass. There were shelves full of books and parchments and charts, and many strange and curious items Legolas had collected over the years – statuettes, and twisted roots, and carven boxes, and odd jeweled fetishes, and the forbidding vacant-eyed skull of a lion. There were little nooks with low comfortable chairs, tables with decanters and goblets, mirrors with sconces and candles, a large glittering chandelier, and cupboards built into the very walls in which Legolas might store those items he did not want Kaimelas to remove. Brightly colored tapestries softened the high walls, and the sparkling marble floors were strewn with plush carpets that begged one to shed one’s shoes and walk on them barefoot. Central to the room was the massive bed, big enough, so Legolas averred, for three full-grown Elven princes and all their esquires and perhaps even a pony or two; it was crowned with a high airy canopy held up with intricately carven poles, draped with swags and embroidered curtains and large beaded tassels that let off soft whispery jingles when the breezes stirred them. The bedclothes had been straightened and the pillows rearranged, so Gimli could not see any evidence of the Green Knight’s restless dreams the night before; he wondered if Legolas had slept at all.

“Will Tamin be in the Hall, when Legolas hears the indictment against Morbel?” asked Gimli suddenly.

Kaimelas paused in his chore of straightening his lord’s boots, and turned with a frown to Gimli, his fair face disturbed. “That, I know not,” he said slowly. “I hope not – Tamin is so young and so innocent; I am certain he has never heard or even imagined acts of such desecration before. And he is a fine lad, but he is a Galadrim, and they do not suffer mortal Men as do we; in fact I do not think me he has yet to see how evilly Men might act, especially towards the weak. To his little mind there are but two sorts of Men: the good Men of Gondor and Rohan, and a smattering of bad fellows that his Master and good Lord Faramir must needs put down on occasion. Thievery and cheating and even rebellion, which are bad enough, are all he has yet seen, but this … “ Kaimelas shook his head, and bent down again to his task. After a moment he said in a subdued voice: “Did you see the body?”

“Of the girl?” asked Gimli with misgiving. “Nay; I was yet in Osgiliath seeing to the drains.”

“I saw her,” said Kaimelas hoarsely. “It was terrible.” He glanced at Gimli through his dark hair. “Andunië found her, you know – I have never seen our huntsmistress so shaken. The child was torn within and without, and the look on her poor pinched face – “

“Stop,” begged Gimli, holding out his hands. “It is bad enough I have read the docket and know the allegations brought forward!” He shook his head angrily. “Men! Of all us mortal races they are the most prevalent, the most invasive, the most violent! No Dwarf would dream of such a thing – nor a Hobbit either. And how Men turn on each other; how they split and scrap and kill! It is almost enough to convince me to take my people deep into Aglarond and have naught to do with them again.”

“That is so,” sighed Kaimelas, chucking a stray boot in the box. “Betimes when Dale and Esgaroth quarreled would our king sit back with arms folded and say, ‘We have naught to do but let them be, and they shall destroy each other, and trouble us no longer!’ It is no wonder to me Galadriel sought to hide the Galadrim. It is safer methinks for us, who are not Men, to avoid them. And yet,” he said, picking up one of his lord’s greaves; it was black, and figured beautifully with a silver tree and stars; “and yet there are Men, such as Elessar, and Faramir, and even Girion of Dale, who are good Men, and wise and just and fair and noble. I should find life the duller without Men such as these, and their children and subjects too. I only wish – “ He paused, as though to consider exactly what he wished; but Gimli thought he knew.

“You wish they would simply behave as do we,” he said. “Odd it is, Kaimelas, that a Dwarf find himself in sympathy with Elves and not Men! But Men like Morbel do make one wonder.”

“They do indeed,” smiled Kaimelas. “Well, let me to my work, good Lord of Aglarond; and if you should find my lord wandering round his halls in his old leather tunic, do you haul him up here so that I might at least make him look like a prince and not a huntsman!”

Gimli laughed and agreed, and bidding the valet farewell quit the chamber. He descended the Tower, passed through the courtyards and down hallways he had designed himself, answering passing Elves’ cheery greetings, and agreeing with their assessment of the fineness of the day. At last he ascended the grand staircase up to the Hall, he chuckled to himself over Legolas slipping through Kaimelas’ clutches and running off in a simple tunic, with the beleaguered valet trailing behind, crying plaintively of black ornamented doublets. But it was early yet, Gimli mused; still could Kaimelas descend upon his recalcitrant charge and stuff him protesting into those costumes so beloved by the court, the epaulettes and elaborate collars and capes and furs and gems and circlets that served to further elevate Legolas’ rank and reputation, while at the same time frustrating the Green Knight with their tight collars, scratchy seams, heavy shoulders, and cumbersome sashes. It was a great pity, thought Gimli, that Edlothiel had only had a son and no daughters upon whom to lavish garments; it seemed not a month went by without some gift sent from Eryn Lasgalen, containing therein for the Lord of Dol Galenehtar an offering from his Lady Mother, beaded and tucked and pinned and bedecked; Gimli was certain the queen sent these items in good faith her son would enjoy them and knew not the look of dismay her contributions engendered.

Legolas was holding court, clad as Kaimelas had lamented in a somber brown tunic, his hair pulled severely back from his face; he looked very forbidding, a slim dark figure upon the white High Seat, his face shadowed by the canopy, his eyes dim and hooded. Gimli hoped to see Morbel squirming before the dais and wished it had been up to him and not Legolas to decide the villain’s fate. Legolas could be so impartial and urbane with Men, and Morbel’s actions deserved cruelty analogous to his heinous actions. “To be drawn-and-quartered would yet be too kind,” thought Gimli; however when he looked closely it appeared Morbel languished yet in the dungeon, for there was a strange Man there, roughly dressed and very dirty, and Laivánwa was reading his transgression calmly to his lord.

“ – did deliberately and with forethought traverse by stealth and uninvited into your lordship’s demesne, and climbing the wall appropriated vegetable matter belonging to said demesne, in particular the apothecary, with no thought of seeking permission or providing funds for said vegetable matter, though Captain Meivel did assure the court he yielded himself without resistance.” Laivánwa brought the indictment down to the desk where sat his lord’s secretary, scratching busily on parchment; Hirilcúllas took the paper from him without looking up, and slipped it into a small box at her side.

A minor territorial infraction then, Gimli decided; he had often wondered why the apothecary gardens flanked the westernmost olintalari and were, though legally within the borders of Dol Galenehtar, upon the fringes of open territory. Liquíseleé was there also standing before her lord’s throne, and Gimli was rather surprised to see the leech, of wont so clement, with flushed cheek and flashing eye. The unfortunate farmer who had harvested her vegetable matter, which Gimli discovered after a moment was agrimony, was having a rough time of it, between Liquíseleé’s indignation, and Legolas’ blandly worded questions of stone walls and clearly-marked and labeled garden rows and rather obvious irrigation trenches. The poor Man was sweating, and looking round with wide frightened eyes, and turning his cap round about in his shaking, dirt-crusted hands. Gimli saw to his relief a latent twinkle in his friend’s eye, indicative of amusement and not affront, and deciding Legolas’ temper was well in hand, walked round the wall of the great Hall where he would not interrupt and watched the proceedings with gratified interest.

Tamin was, as usual, standing behind his Master, attending with care to the trial; the child’s face was a study of conflicting thoughts, ranging from offense to pity, dependent upon which person spoke. When Liquíseleé presented her grievances did Tamin’s expression harden; however when the poor bedraggled peasant pled poverty and his family’s anxieties, compassion suffused the boy’s demeanor, and as the Man described his wife’s afflictions, Tamin’s eyes filled with sympathetic tears. But at this point Liquíseleé rounded upon the fellow, and arms folded across her chest she exclaimed with exasperation:

“Agrimony, for her lungs? What nonsense! Do you take me, varlet, for some ignorant country apothecary, with no judgment and less learning?”

“Agrimony my grandmother did say, mum, so agrimony I shall use,” muttered the Man disaffectedly into his tattered wool scarf. “Agrimony makes us breathe right, she said.”

“Agrimony will do naught for her but make her to pass water and give her sun burns,” said Liquíseleé angrily. “Agrimony! Of all things to steal from my garden! What foolishness!”

The Man grumbled into his collar again, and Legolas said mildly: “To debate the efficacy of one herb to the other is, I think, beneficial save in those instances when culpability is being questioned, O good leech; still must we determine the sentence for this Man who stole the wrong herb for his wife.” He fixed the Man with a stern eye, and the Man squirmed and stared at his feet. “It is not in Dol Galenehtar’s interests to allow strangers to traverse our lands and take for free what we grow for mercantile purposes, and such behavior must and shall be discouraged. The agrimony was, I understand, trampled in the confusion and is therefore unusable?”

“It is,” said Liquíseleé angrily. “Completely ruined. And he harvested not only the stem and blossom but the root too!”

“I see,” said Legolas gravely. “Well, it is unlikely he can produce a like plant to replace what he has taken; perhaps he might remunerate the apothecary gardens – “

“O sir – I mean, my lord – I have no money,” protested the Man miserably, twisting and pleating his regrettable hat. “Why, the leech in Osgiliath who came to see my wife asked a gold piece, which we did not have, so I sold the cow to pay him, and then he prescribed an unguent and asked another gold piece – “

“A gold piece for an unguent!” Liquíseleé was aghast. “Why, it ought to have been included in his fee, since it was so exorbitant. No wonder you decided to try your hand at healing her yourself! A gold piece!”

“Yes, mum,” said the Man nervously; he rolled his eyes at Legolas sitting in silent judgment over him; he was sweating like a nervous horse. “And I recalled what my grandmother used to say, that agrimony was good for the lungs, but none of my neighbors had any, and it is hard to find on the eastern banks – “

“And so you stole mine,” said Liquíseleé angrily. “And you have placed yourself and your poor wife in this intolerable position! Not only to have a half-wit husband but he be a thief as well! And for naught but agrimony! Appalling!”

“Shocking,” agreed Legolas mildly. “A bunch of agrimony; what would be the selling price – Hirilcúllas; do you know?”

“Half a brass piece, if at all,” said Hirilcúllas from where she sat taking proceedings, her quill scratching busily. “Why if I recall from our last list of accounts – “ She set down her quill and leafed through a separate ledger, followed her finger down the page and said, ”Yes – an equivalent herb would be, what, Liquíseleé, sticklewort?”

“Sticklewort and agrimony are the same herb, gosling,” said Liquíseleé scathingly. Hirilcúllas glanced up at her lord, who widened his eyes at her; she fought back a smile. “Were I to sell a bunch of agrimony I would not ask but a quarter – nay, an eighth of that – “

“It is used for the liver, is it not?” asked Galás, sprawled on the lower steps of the dais next to Himbaláth, who had as headsman been summoned for the trial of a thief, and sat idly fingering his halberd, much to the Man’s distress. “The liver and other digestive organs – loose bowels – “

“I have never suffered from loose bowels,” said Himbaláth absently, running his thumb along the halberd blade.

“With all the wine you drink? I am astonished, Himbaláth!”

“I do not drink so much as you,” said Himbaláth with a smile. “I am happier than you are, methinks.”

Galás snorted. “Marriage has ruined you, my friend. Why you used to sit with me at the barrels and drink and sing ‘til the rafters rang!“

“I have better things to do now,” said Himbaláth with a naughty wink. “You ought to see to it for yourself, Galás – find a nice little wife who will cure you of such tomfoolery, and of the loose bowels engendered when one overindulges in drink. Why, when Dúrfinwen returns – “

Galás gave a strangled noise of protest, but Legolas interrupted. “Enough,” he said. He appeared to scratch an itch on his nose, but Gimli was certain he was hiding a smile. “I do not recall this unhappy fellow complaining of loose bowels, or of excess of drink, but of his wife’s lungs.”

“What is wrong with them anyway?” demanded Liquíseleé. “Is she short of breath, or do they make a noise when she breathes – a creaking? A clicking, perhaps? Do you hear a rasping or any guttural noise?”

“I – I do not know, mum – my lady,” the Man said, perplexed and afraid. He rolled his eyes at Himbaláth, who had taken out his whetstone and began to run it across the blade; Galás at his side had put his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. And ever Hirilcúllas scratched away, her inky fingers dispassionately recording his every damning word; the indifference of the Lord of Dol Galenehtar’s retainers unnerved him. He turned to Legolas and pleaded, “Sir – I mean, my lord – I know what I have done is wrong – but I thought – I thought it would heal her – and she has been ill so long – “

“Peace, fellow,” said Legolas a little severely, though his eyes were kind. “You did steal from my demesne, from the apothecary’s stores and you admit you did so in full knowledge of the wickedness of your depredations. Now, you are a citizen of Gondor, and according to the ancient laws set in Minas Tirith the punishment for larceny is the loss of one hand – “

The Man gave an agonized cry, and Liquíseleé turned to her lord in astonishment; Galás opened one eye and said: “A just pronouncement, by Heaven!” Himbaláth snorted, but Liquíseleé was horrified. “My lord,” said she, her fair face distressed, “to punish the Man for the sake of a piece of brass – “

“Your indignation robs you of your decorum, O leech,” said Legolas firmly, and Liquíseleé shut her mouth with a snap, though she looked mutinous. “Let me finish! There are three more cases upon my docket, and I have not even broken fast. As I was saying, mortal Man, you are a citizen of Gondor, but your infraction took place in Dol Galenehtar – only just; another ten feet and I should have been constrained to send you to the White Lady who deals judgment in Osgiliath; a fearsome development indeed! – and so I have decided, as your transgression was committed within my borders, you shall be subject to my laws instead. Let me see,” he said, glancing at Hirilcúllas. “A quarter of a brass piece … how much labor, do you think, would it take to make that back?”

Hirilcúllas considered this, casting her eyes to the high vaulted ceiling and tapping her chin with the quill. “Hm … half a day, perhaps. It is difficult, my lord, because in accounts of this size, it is usual to round the sum either up or down, dependent upon where it falls in the center of the coinage.”

“And it is such a remarkable sum,” Galás interjected. “A quarter of a brass piece! Be you sure to brush up on your mathematics, Hirilcúllas.”

“Hush, seneschal.” Legolas glanced irritably at Galás. “Cousin or no, your inclination for verbal exposition grows quite irritating. And so, Hirilcúllas, at a quarter of a brass piece – “

“Well,” said Hirilcúllas thoughtfully, “the quarter itself is less than half the piece of brass, but as a half-brass has been minted in Minas Tirith as an actual coin, it is dead center, and I fear it would be up to you, my lord, to determine the judgment.”

“Such a keen mind!” exclaimed Galás to Himbaláth. “I wish I were as good at sums.”

“Your dicing partners are thankful you are not,” said Himbaláth.

“Enough, I say!” said Legolas. He glanced back at his esquire, who was looking askance at Galás and Himbaláth; then Legolas fixed his eyes upon the Man. “Tell me your name,” he said.

The Man swallowed heavily and blinked. “Ardún,” he whispered.

Legolas smiled. “Ah!” he said. “A good name; I knew a Man by that name and I liked him well.”

“Very propitious,” agreed Galás; Himbaláth shushed him.

“Well, Ardún,” said Legolas, “I ought to sentence you to a half-day’s labor in my courtyards, but I am dissatisfied, for it seems to me as though there are questions yet to be answered. Himbaláth, will you go to this Man’s village and inquire of the denizens thereof as to his behavior and character? Also take with you Celelindë to see to the wife, to ascertain if her condition is as grave as he claims. If she is too weak to work – “

“My lord,” interrupted Liquíseleé stubbornly, her fists upon her hips. “If the woman is too weak to work, and it is indeed a weakness of the lungs, and if there are children in the house – “ She glanced at the Man. “Are there?”

“The baby,” he said uncertainly.

“There,” said Liquíseleé, lifting her chin. “A wife who is ill, and a baby, and you propose to let him work a half day here, and send him back without even the agrimony – “

“If the wife is as ill as that,” said Himbaláth, “then she cannot take good care of the infant.”

“Well, Ardún?” asked Legolas. “Is your wife too ill to care for the infant?”

“She is,” admitted Ardún. “She coughs all the time – and is too weak to rise – and her milk has gone, and now that we do not have the cow – “ Then his eyes overflowed and he fell to his knees. “O sir – I mean, my lord – have mercy upon us – that is, you have shown me much mercy already; but please, please, my lord, if there is any herb or unguent, I would gladly sell myself to purchase it – if it meant my wife’s life – “

“Ardún,” said Legolas severely. “How long have I lived in Dol Galenehtar? And how old are you? Do you fall back upon those old wives’ tales of the inclemency of the Firstborn, or does my reputation speak the louder? Surely you know by now that I am no slave-merchant; at least you ought to, if you have been paying the slightest bit of attention to your lords and your lands this past score of years. All you need concern yourself with is paying back your debt. Let me see; I believe Hwindiö and the farrier have need of some labor – “

“My lord,” said Liquíseleé; she still looked recalcitrant. “If I might make a suggestion?”

“When have I ever been able to keep you from doing such a thing, O leech?” asked Legolas, resigned. “Suggest away; I am listening.”

“Agrimony to be given for an ailment of the lungs – preposterous,” she spluttered. “Nay, my lord; let me take him to the apothecary, and he shall aid me in the shifting of barrels and urns sent me from Belfalas, and help me in organizing my stores; and I shall attempt to disabuse him of the absurd and erroneous notions regarding herbology and physic.” She shot the kneeling man a scathing look and he flinched. “Otherwise, when the babe colics, he shall poison it with barberry root instead of psyllium husk, and kill it outright. But if he aid me, in this fashion he shall repay his debt to you, my lord, and gain insight, improving both your demesne and his mind.”

“That is a capital idea,” said Legolas, his face expressionless; Galás gave a snort of laughter, quickly quelled when the leech glared at him. “Ardún, I fear your punishment shall outstrip your crime however; will you submit yourself to be chastised by my apothecary here?”

Ardún gave Liquíseleé a cautious look. “I declare that I deserve all the harsh treatment meted out to me,” he said carefully.

“A well-balanced observation,” said Legolas dryly. “So be it, then. Take him and use him well, O leech.”

“My lord,” said Liquíseleé, dropping the barest hint of a courtesy; Ardún scrabbled to his feet and gave a clumsy attempt at a bow, but found himself dragged by the collar down the Hall and through the doors. All in the Hall could hear the leech expostulating: “Now, listen well, Man: Agrimony is bitter and vulnerary, and works primarily upon the upper colon and those digestive organs in the production of bile – “ And the Man protesting desperately: “Yes, mum – no, mum – but I – but certainly, mum – “ Legolas kept his face serene until they had quit his Hall, then when he was certain they were gone, leant forward with his face in his hands; Galás laughed unashamedly, and Himbaláth was grinning.

“A bunch of herbs,” groaned Legolas, sitting up and pinching the bridge of his nose. “All this pother for a bunch of herbs. Did you get all of that, Hirilcúllas?”

“I did, my lord,” said Hirilcúllas absently. She tucked a lock of her raven hair behind one ear and left a smear of purple ink across her cheek. She blotted her paper and pinned it to the docket. “I shall give this unto Tuilíndo so he may balance the account in the ledgers.”

“Thank you, Hirilcúllas. In the small things shall the great things be determined. What is it, my Tamin? You have a question writ large across your little face and I am certain you will rest not ere I have answered it.”

“Well, Master,” said Tamin slowly, “it is only this, and I am certain it is a foolish question, and I ask it only because I am ignorant; yet if I ask you not, how may I mend mine ignorance? So please, O Master, do you disclose unto me your reasoning in this matter: why did you not simply discharge the debt? You did so last month, when that girl knocked the hand off one of the statues in the courtyard; you said it was too small an amount to bother with, and sent her on her way.”

“That is so,” admitted Legolas, straightening with a sigh. “But the maid in question was the daughter of the Lord of Ringló, and she is as fractious as her father; ‘twere easier to dispense with them, than to haggle with his lordship over the sum; and anyway they are a family much disposed to over-eating, and my butteries were much strained; it was a relief to my cooks and store-rooms to have done with them.”

“Oh,” said Tamin, then he started and exclaimed, “Are you hungered, Master? I have just remembered; you said you had not yet broken fast and you have three more suits – “

“I would commit a petty misdemeanor for a glass of wine and a corner of cheese,” Legolas smiled. “But ere you dash off to the butteries, my Tamin, let us continue your education as mine esquire and so dispel yet more ignorance of you. Tell me, Little One, why you think I keep Ardún here, instead of absolving his debt, and sending him to his wife.”

Tamin hesitated and shifted back and forth on his feet; he looked unsure. “Do not fear my censure,” Legolas assured him. “Put yourself rather upon this throne and hear his plaint with your ears not mine. Would you have sent him back?”

“Yes, Master,” said Tamin immediately. “I would have sent him to Lord Faramir and let him deal with him, as he was a Man and ought to have rather been subject to the laws of Men not Elves. Then remuneration would have been given Liquíseleé and the apothecary from the court of the Prince of Emyn Arnen, sparing the man the time spent to compensate for his infraction.”

“An interesting solution, and very conventional,” admitted Legolas. “And what do you suppose would have been the outcome?”

“Disorder, mayhem, and chaos,” said Galás with a melodramatic gesture, grinning impudently when Legolas shot him an irritated glance.

“Remuneration, Master,” said Tamin, confused. “And I doubt me he should have stolen from us again.”

“Possibly not,” said Legolas. “What do you suppose would have happened to his wife and infant?”

Tamin stared at his Master in burgeoning comprehension. “Oh,” he said slowly, and when his Master nodded and smiled he said: “Likely his wife would die, and without his cow he would be constrained to sell himself into servanthood at any rate, and perhaps the babe would sicken without its mother and die too, or he should give unto it agrimony and kill it outright, and perhaps then he should be despondent, and start to steal from his neighbors, a cow perhaps, thinking he was owed it, and then be caught again, and have his hand removed, and fall into drink or some other vice – “

“Well, perhaps not so bad as all that,” smiled Legolas. “But this leech who asks a gold piece for a consult, and a gold piece for the wrong physic, would certainly continue his iniquity regardless; and perhaps the wife would recover, perhaps not – I am unwilling to take the risk anyway. Himbaláth, do you go with Celelindë to the village and bring back with you Ardún’s wife and baby; put them in the south wing, under Seimiel’s care; if any woman in this demesne can nurse them back to health it is she I deem. Ilterendil, fetch my next victim … And Galás, if you do not cease laughing at me, I shall be forced to eject you.”

“How will you do that, cousin?” asked Galás impertinently. “Himbaláth here is off on munificence bound, and Ilterendil is bringing up that wart Morbel from the dungeons for your judgment – I dare not say amercement for a guiltier fellow I never saw – do you propose to expel me yourself? O your highness, it has been long since we have wrestled, but I aver I can still give you a stinging lesson!”

“I shall set Gimli on you,” said Legolas blandly. “I challenge you to disparage his talents in mine own Hall, seneschal.”

Galás sat up on his elbows, and espying Gimli in the corner, gave a crow of laughter. “Ah!” he said. “The son of Glóin brandishes his pipe at me! Well I am vanquished ere I begin, your highness, and retreat in a cloud of confusion, demoralization, and pipe-smoke.”

“I should be so fortunate!” said Legolas. “I do think me my Lord Father did set you as my seneschal to penalize me for taking the strength of his cavalry from Eryn Lasgalen. Do you not have tasks of your own to see to this morn, or do you delay your duties in order to harass me in mine own Hall?”

“I was given to understand, my lord, that King Thranduil did send Galás to you to rid himself of the seneschal’s most noxious presence,” said Himbaláth innocently. Galás threw a stale piece of bread at him, which he ducked. “By your leave, my lord?”

“O begone with you,” said Legolas rubbing his temples. “How my head aches! Gimli, do you come up here and sit beside me; else lacking your clement nature I shall set my headsman against my seneschal simply for the fun of seeing which one is quicker with the knife!”

“Tamin, my boy,” chuckled Galás; “get you to the butteries and quick; your Master is so hungered he will gnaw his own arm off if he does not get something to eat.”

“If you are not careful it shall be your arm not mine, Galás,” said Legolas.

“It is not so bad as that, is it, Master?” asked Tamin anxiously.

“It is close,” said Legolas. “Bread and cheese and hot mulled wine for all save my seneschal, by your leave, O mine esquire.”

“At once, Master!” exclaimed Tamin, grasping Legolas’ hand and kissing it; then faster than eyes could mark, he fled from the Hall. Galás opened his mouth to speak, saw the burgeoning fire in his lord’s eyes and thought better of it, and rising to his feet, bowed Gimli to the dais. “What does the Lord of Aglarond require of me?” he asked mellifluously. “A cushion? More pipe-weed? A copy of the docket perchance?”

“A cold cup of ale,” declared Gimli, fixing the seneschal with a shrewd eye. “Dark and stout, an it please you, and nicely hopped; not that milky stuff you served Lord Faramir last month, but something with some bite to it, and a good sharp cheese to compliment it – crumbly and white and firm, and strong enough to stand up to the ale.” He sat in Legolas’ right-hand chair and arranged the cushions to his liking. “Well do not stand there staring at me; hop about!” He waved his hand dismissively to Galás, who stood there staring in surprise; Galás glanced at his prince, who but raised an interrogative eyebrow at him; the seneschal smirked a little, and with a bow withdrew, well and thoroughly routed.

When Galás had quit the Hall Legolas allowed himself a loud clear laugh. “O well done, dear Gimli!” he exclaimed. “How he has made himself obnoxious to me this morn! And I am so tired,” he added in an undertone; “I could not sleep you know – and here is this awful Man to appear before me – that poor young girl, seeking my sanctuary, to be caught upon my very slopes – well, it is a nasty case, Gimli; I am glad Tamin is gone to the butteries, for I do not want him to hear the particulars.” At that moment Ilterendil and the lackey brought up the prisoner, and Legolas sat up, his shoulders and mouth set; Gimli saw him fix the Man with a severe look, and sat back with a grim smile; it was gratifying to see Legolas handle such evil so resolutely.

O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*O

“Gimli,” said Legolas over the fish. “I am going to Osgiliath tomorrow.”

He spoke in an undertone, for he did not wish Tamin to hear; the boy had been grieved enough on his friend Fastred’s account, and he did not wish to excite his little esquire with the news of a visit, at least not ‘til supper was over and his duties wound up. But Bandobras overheard, and at Legolas’ left he leant in, still busily extracting a bit of bone from between his teeth.

“There now!” he said with satisfaction. “Going to see to that there leech, are you? A shame it is, that men such as him go about their business robbing the poor folk of their hard-earned money, and giving them naught but bad advice in exchange. How he can sleep at night is a mystery to me.”

“If he is getting two gold pieces from every peasant he counsels, he is rich enough to afford a comfortable bed at least,” said Legolas. “Yes, my Bandobras, I shall speak to Faramir about the leech. Would you like to accompany me? I did hear from Tyarmayél that Spark’s hock is healed well and he is spoiling for a run.”

Bandobras brightened. “Why, yes, my lord; that would be quite gratifying! And you come too, Gimli; that little hill-pony of yours is getting fat and needs a little exercise.”

“Of course I shall come,” said Gimli, glancing at Legolas, who smiled in relief. “The Prince of Emyn Arnen sets a fine table; and anyway I should like to check on those allure walls my folk repaired last winter. Now that the weather is warm the settling should start, and I would like to make certain the foundations hold.”

“Excellent; let us leave at dawn – “ Legolas cut himself off, for at that moment Tamin bustled by, refilling their wine goblets; the boy looked uneasy Legolas thought, and kept glancing down at Nwalmä, who was chatting and eating at a table across the Hall; when the lieutenant laughed at something Fionim said Tamin frowned. “Little One,” he said, and Tamin startled turned to his lord. “You seem to me to be silently accusing Nwalmä of coarse feeling.”

“O no, Master!” said Tamin hurriedly. “I only wondered – how can he eat, after what he was constrained to do today? And look at him,” he added, distressed; “there on the table before him the boar’s head sits, and he but carves the cheek and eats of it – should it not connote to him his sad errand, and so rob him of his appetite?”

“Sad!” exclaimed Galás on Bandobras’ other side. “A great relief I call it! Nwalmä did good work today. And execution is hard work; I do not doubt me he worked up an appetite for some good roast pork.”

“The ground clove is a nice touch,” agreed Bandobras. “And the crackling very fine.”

“I aver naught tastes so good after an execution than fine crackling,” said Galás comfortably.

“Little One,” said Legolas kindly to Tamin, who looked more distressed than before; “do you not worry your dear little head about Nwalmä’s sensibilities – he is a stout and kind-hearted fellow, and in the implementation of his duties, made Ithilien the safer, and dispensed justice swiftly and efficiently. I know you think putting a Man to death a cold-hearted function, but it is Nwalmä’s, and he did not do so cruelly. Though Morbel had no blood-money, the axe was sharp and the blow clean.”

“’Twas a better death than he deserved,” said Gimli firmly. “Cheer up, Tamin; you did not hear the proceedings, so you do not know what that horrible Man did, but trust your Master’s verdict; Morbel deserved death ten times over.”

Tamin nodded, but his eyes were still troubled; he went down the High Table with the jug of wine, and Legolas, seeing Bandobras involved with Galás, leant over and whispered in Gimli’s ear:

“I want to talk to Faramir about dreams.”

Gimli raised his eyebrows and looked in surprise at his friend; Legolas had held up well all day he thought, betraying no sign that he had spent such a distressed night; he had held court and eaten and laughed with his folk, and Gimli had wondered if Legolas finally dismissed the dream outright. But now Legolas seemed restless, and Gimli noted he had not touched his food. “Well,” he said in a low voice, “he would be the one to ask I deem … have you not mentioned it to anyone?”

“Nay; none save you, my friend,” said Legolas, poking a little dispiritedly at his fish. “It may be nothing – I hope it is nothing – and I wish neither to alarm nor amuse anyone else. So let us go to Osgiliath, and thence – “ He glanced at Galás who was laughing at something Bandobras had said. His grey eyes glimmered in the lamp light, and it seemed to Gimli that he was not looking at his seneschal at all, but had been transported elsewhere and saw evil things. Legolas shivered and rubbed his hands over his upper arms as though pushing something away, and Gimli wondered if he thought of his dream-snake. “And thence?” Gimli asked after a moment of silence.

Legolas’ eyes focused and he turned to Gimli. He looked very grim. “And thence Eryn Lasgalen,” he whispered.

Gimli’s heart sank. “Whither you go, so go I,” he said, and Legolas managed a weak smile. But then Gimli’s attention was taken by Leithwen upon his other side, who plucked his sleeve and asked a question about his demesne; he answered absently, too polite to put her off, and when their conversation wound down saw that Legolas had regained his composure, and was speaking to Galás rather firmly.

“What do you mean, why should I go? Why should I not go? Is not the Lord of Osgiliath a dear friend? If I wish to pay him a visit I do not see why I should not.”

Galás was regarding his royal cousin with a shrewd look. “You saw Lord Faramir and his family not a fortnight ago,” he said; “I do not know of any calamity occurring in the meantime that would force you to foregather with him on this issue, when a mere missive would satisfy the problem.”

“I do not want to write him a letter; I want to speak with him myself,” said Legolas stubbornly. “There is naught of import to occupy my time right now, and should anything arise this week, I am certain my seneschal may attend to it with all wisdom and diligence; else why should I keep a seneschal at all?” He turned back to his trencher and gave his pork a stab with the blade of his knife; Galás looked suspicious and said,

“You will take Kaimelas with you of course.”

Legolas looked darkly at him through his hair. “I have mine esquire; I think I might dispense with my valet’s assistance to dress for a few days.”

“Nevertheless, I think I shall insist.”

“Shall you?” Legolas tapped his lips with his serviette and picked up his goblet; his eyes were smoldering. “And what reason shall my seneschal give his lord to convince him to bring Kaimelas to Osgiliath?”

“Does my lord want his seneschal’s contrived reply, or the truth?” asked Galás looking angry.

“The truth first. Then, if my seneschal fails to convince his lord, the seneschal shall be constrained to give unto his lord the contrived reply.” Legolas drained his goblet and set it on the table with a thunk, glaring challengingly at him. Galás’ mouth worked furiously a moment, but he regained his temper and spoke evenly.

“Very well. I want Kaimelas to keep an eye on you. You lie poorly, my lord, and I know you do not go to Osgiliath simply to speak with Faramir about this leech. I also know, for I am well-acquainted with you and your caprices, that you will not give to me the true reason for this little jaunt; therefore I shall not ask, but treat you with full skepticism, and send your valet to hobble you in your movements.”

“Hm.” Legolas shrugged, and attended to his trencher as though Galás had not spoken harshly; he looked rather unconcerned, though Gimli could tell his friend’s mind was working very quickly. “And the contrived reason?”

“To keep your robes pressed.”

“Ah. How astonishing that the contrived reason is shorter than the truth. Oftimes it is the other way round.” His eyes twinkled, and Galás glowered.

“That is so.” Galás looked past his lord to Gimli, who pretended to find something on his trencher very interesting. “And the Lord of Aglarond is to go with you of course.”

“And me,” said Bandobras, regaining his seat; he had gone down to the lower tables to speak to his assistant. “Fainilyas says to stay as long as I like; he’s got the groves well in hand. Good fellow, that. Tamin’s coming too, isn’t he, my lord? I know he wants to show off his little white horse to Fastred.”

“Hush! Yes, Tamin is coming, but do not speak of it to him quite yet,” said Legolas, glancing down the table to his esquire, who was taking a platter of stewed marrows from Tuilíndo. Their pungent herby scent wafted down the table to them, and he smiled as those closest to him reached eagerly for the serving spoon ere the boy could put the platter down. “He will get over-excited, and forget to remember something, and Laivánwa will scold him, and he will be grieved and weep, and Tuilíndo will scold his father … nay; it is easier to wait ‘til his duties are done, and then he can forget to remember all he likes.”

“You had best bring your armor too, Legolas,” said Gimli as though on an after-thought. “I can send it back to Aglarond then with Nórin to get that bevor repaired.”

Galás raised his head and scowled suspiciously at Gimli, but Bandobras just said in surprise: “O is your bevor damaged, then? I hadn’t noticed!”

“And bring yours too, Bandy,” said Gimli casually. “Théodred has not yet seen it, and he will be cross with me if you do not show it off to him.”

“A serviceable enough reason,” said Galás with an exasperated smile. “Perhaps I had best come with you, my lord, and bring mine own armor!”

“That will not be necessary,” said Legolas coolly. “Besides which, you must stay here in mine absence.”

“Of course,” said Galás; his dark eyes flashed. “By the Heavens, the Lord of Dol Galenehtar goes to Osgiliath simply to visit with a friend, yet brings his esquire, two stout warriors known for their ability to be influenced by their friend’s decisions, and all the armor needed for a tournament! What is a good seneschal to think of all this duplicity?”

“Should I have the opportunity to meet with a good seneschal I shall ascertain,” said Legolas; his voice brooked no further argument, and he fixed Galás with a severe eye. “We leave at dawn.”

“What; no breakfast?” asked Bandobras plaintively. “Not even an egg and a rasher and a pot of tea?”

Legolas opened his mouth to reply, but catching Gimli’s cautioning glance, said with an air of pleasant reasonableness: “Why certainly, my Bandobras; it is discourteous of me to expect a Hobbit to sally forth without proper fortification! We shall break fast together, the five of us then, ere taking the road to Osgiliath.”

“O Master! Are we going to Osgiliath?” asked Tamin then, coming up and looking very excited. “When are we going? Are we leaving tonight? What shall I pack? O I cannot wait to show Fastred my little white horse, and O I wish so badly to go riding with him, for we have not ridden together in O so long, and O Master how long are we staying, and ought I to bring my formal doublet? I do not like it much for it is very scratchy, but if the Lord and Lady of Ithilien have a dinner, then I must wear it as I serve you, Master, for it would be unseemly to be seen in my plain tunic in such circumstances – “

“O dear,” sighed Bandobras, and Galás gave a sharp bark of laughter.

“I am pleased you can count at any rate, my lord,” he said, rising and picking up his goblet. “I shall inform Kaimelas you leave in the morning.”

“Thank you, Galás,” said Legolas wryly, and turning round he said, “Yes, Little One; we will leave on the morrow – do not jump like that, you may spill the – Ah! There, see?”

“Drat!” said Gimli as Tamin anxiously and apologetically mopped him off. He glared at Bandobras who was laughing heartily. “Well,” he grumbled, “I needed to wash this doublet anyway!”

“O Lord Gimli, I am so sorry – “ stammered Tamin, but Gimli grunted good-naturedly and patted the boy on the hand. “At least it was not hot gravy,” he said. “Let us count our blessings at that!”

“Let us indeed,” laughed Legolas. “I have got Galás angry enough to not tease me, and we are going to Osgiliath, and there are cherry subtleties in the buttery – I know; I saw them! Drink up, friends; there is nothing so bad that wine cannot mend!”