The Pretender Chronicles-Before the King

_-\' Dining Hall \'-_

This grand dining hall is the scene of many a banquet. It is also where the residents of Farside come to eat on more mundane occasions. Rectangular in shape, you are greeted by three long tables of polished wood, one to your right, one to your left, and one against the wall, directly before you. The floor and walls are made of stone, with colorful tapestries upon the wall to keep out drafts and brighten up the room. Torches line the walls, providing light whether night or day. The ceiling arches up, reaching 20 feet at its apex.

Off to one side are a pair of doors leading to the kitchens, while another door leads to some of the servants\' quarters.

A fire burns in the great hearths of the Farside Tower, their flickering luminance bringing to life the great Ravens fluttering on pennants and banners, and the thousands of warring figures sown into tapestries adorning the walls.

At the head of the greatest table sits, Alphros, nursing a goblet of fine wine imported all the way from Dorwinion. A handful of high-ranking Corsairs keep him company at a distance.

Sawsan comes in, accompanied by her shadow who makes sure she only goes where she\'s allowed to. She\'s got a few books from the archives securely wrapped in her arms and a look of deep, troubled thoughts furrowing her brow. The lingering smell of food does not tempt her, nor sway her mind from wherever it has gone.

[Azradi(#20135)]

Forsaking the accoutrements of the warrior, Azradi enters the great hall clad in flow silks of red and gold. Even so, her true profession cannot be completely hidden: She moves as one used to the weight of steel at her hip.

She makes her way to the high table and takes her seat. Before she has settled, a servant stands at her left, pouring wine into her goblet. \"Good evening, brother,\" she greets cheerfully.

Entering the dining hall after both Sawsan and Azardi is Ceredir, accompanied by two guards. He pauses, bowing first to Alphros and then to the Captain. Third, a nod is given to Sawsan.

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros glances up at his sister, then to the wine bottle and spare goblets resting ont he table wordlessly, he gestures, then says: \"Try it. I found it below in the vaults during my time of... absence, there.\"

But the Lord\'s attention is distracted by a movement, and he espies the entering Gondorians. \"One summoned, one unforseen. Shall you invite them to join us, my sister?\"

[Azradi(#20135)]

A hand is raised to stay the servant. She takes away the lesser vint and Azradi reaches for the bottle before her and a fresh goblet. She lifts her gray eyes to the Gondorians. Offering them a welcoming smile, she beckons. \"Of course, brother. Ceredir, Healer, come join us.\"

Sawsan inhales deeply, then lifts her chin a touch and heads towards the table with the Nobles. Her lower lip has been worried to a soft, cherry red, but her expression is calm. When she reaches their table, she dips a deep curtsy. Eyes that pay attention will note her limp is barely there any more.

\"My lord, my lady. Forgive my intrusion.\" Ceredir speaks these words when he, too, reaches the table of the would-be king. \"I was not summoned, I know.\" He glances toward Sawsan. \"And I demand far too much of your time.\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"Come join us,\" Alphros says simply to the Gondorian man and woman, gesturing to the wine. \"Not poisoned, I promise,\" he quips, deadpan. \"Company is welcome in times such as this. Besides, I heard that our young healer companion found a most interesting tome in the dusty Farside archives.\" Alphros sips idly at his goblet without shifting so as to gaze at Sawsan from behind his veil.

[Azradi(#20135)]

Azradi pours herself a goblet of wine and slides the bottle before Sawsan. \"Indeed,\" she asks, glancing between Alphros and the Healer. \"And what did you find?\"

\"Sit,\" the Corsair lady orders pleasantly, turning her regard briefly to Ceredir and indicating the chair beside her.

\"Thank you,\" Ceredir murmurs as he takes the chair offered by the Captain. He smiles briefly, but he too seems interested in whatever Sawsan\'s response might be.

Sawsan looks down at the books she holds, absently strokes her thumb on the spine of the one that the others can easily see, then steps up closer to the table. She places them with reverent care upon it\'s surface before pushing them towards Alphros. Then she looks up at to him, her gaze troubled. \"You have been nothing but kind with me, Lord Alphros, for that I thank you. It troubles me to know I have nothing to offer in return. I could say I will take the brand, as the Master Scout offered.. but what would that serve? I am just a young girl.\"

Drawing her brows down a little, Sawsan folds her hands demurely before her, studying the books with open longing, then lifts her lashes again to look to Him once more. \"I found an old tome, a study on poisons.. as well as one on balistic weapons, two things that plague our people.\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"You are quite right there is no use in following the same path as your countryman. May I have a look?\" Alphros extends both hands towards Sawsan, placing aside his goblet.

Sawsan steps forward again, this time to lifts the books and move close enough to Alphros to gently place them in his hands.

[Azradi(#20135)]

\"And this was your mission to our land?\" Azradi asks, her gaze steady on Sawsan. \"To research remedies in our archives?\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros leafs through the tome carefully, apparently accustomed to handling books of such age. \"An old book of Numenorean lore,\" he notes, impressed-- a little obviously so, as Azradi asks her question. \"You\'ve sniffed out quite the treasure indeed, Sawsan of Gondor. Lore from the great kingdom of the lost isle and the courts of its peerless kings.\"

\"Sawsan is but a novice healer, but she saw one of her friends nearly die from poison on an orc arrow,\" Ceredir offers quietly.

Sawsan looks to Azradi, \"My Lady, the driving force that made me step on that ship and live through the sickness of the sea, that brought me here despite the fact that I likely would die, is the chance to help those that fight for the lives of others back home.\" She glances longingly towards the tome of remedies, then lifts her gaze back to Alphros, not bothering to confirm what Ceredir had said.

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros glances at Ceredir and then nods, silently. Then he looks at the second book, the one concerning ballistics. \"And your interest in the old war-machinery of Numenor, Sawsan of Gondor? Not a healer\'s usual fascination.\" Though his veil hides his eyes, there is a keenness to his unseen glare, as is the wont of those of the Dunedain.

\'It is so,\' Ceredir confirms Sawsan\'s words quietly to Azradi. \'I must say, my lady, that you look lovely. My wife would surely like to have a dress of this fabric...\' Ceredir starts in, then blushes, stumbling over his words, and muttering an apology, with a quick glance to Alphros.  \"... is ... ... ... ... ... that ... seeks ... ..., ... for ... ... ... so ... ... ... expose me ... ... rest of ... ... ... ... then ... ... ... to ... ... ... ....\"

Sawsan tilts her head to the right oh so slightly, \"Do you not study those which you fight against? If you know your foe and their ways, are you not better prepared to defend yourself against them? Perchance even defeat them?\" She studiously ignores Ceredir and the conversation going on in that direction. Instead, she keeps her gaze locked upon Alphros, her eyes starting to burn with a small, subtle fire.

\"I may not be a warrior of steel and might, but I fight none the less!\" She declairs with a quiet intensity. Then she motions to the books. \"These.. learning more about the weapons that wreak the greatest damage upon flesh and bone.. mayhap I will triumph more than lose.\"

[<#20135>]

\'Novice?\' Azradi repeats the Westron word. \'I would assume from the context, this means you are still new to your healer studies. If so, your dedication is remarkable.\'

She falls silent, waiting for her reply. The Farside lady sips her wine at last. When Ceredir speaks, she stares at him in surprise.

\'Brother,\' she begins in Westron, \'this word novice\'

\"\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros laughs softly. \"I do not doubt your passion, Sawsan of Gondor, your sincerity. But I do not quite believe that you came here across the seas, to the halls of your enemy to find -both- these ancient books of your own behest. Healing, perhaps. But who save those of special and certain training and scholarship would know of the ancient siege weapons of Numenor?\"

Alphros places down the book. \"We spoke at length about this, you and I. The healing tome I will part with, as a sign of my good faith as your rightful King. But this other tome on weapons and war I will not. You may bear word back to the one who sent you, whoever they may be, that I have a price. A very specific price.\"

Sawsan looks with startled joy at the tome of healing before she can stop herself, then jerks her gaze back to Alphros. Now the young one looks very, very thoughtfull. Tilting her head to the right once more, she considers Ceredir and the Lady Azradi for a moment, then back to Alphros, \"Would this price need a courior to return it to you, Lord Alphros?\"

\"Perhaps, my lord,\" Ceredir says--with a small nod to Sawsan--\"I might be able to pay that price in lieu of the one who sent Sawsan? And...if a courier is needed. I will volunteer to do so as well.\"

[Azradi(#20135)]

\"Who is that seeks this book?\" Azradi asks, bluntly. \"And to what purpose?\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros looks between Sawsan and Ceredir, and then he nods. \"A fair settlement. The price I ask is this: Zigur-Ziguran, Seer of Umbar, tells the Sword by which Kings are made. The Sword of Anarion. I wish to know of it proof of it, tangible enough to merit my parting with such a valuable tome as this.\"

Sawsan stiffens a tiny bit when Ceredir speaks again, then turns her head to look to him when Azradi asks her question. She arches her brows very faintly, per chance waiting for him to reply, then blinks and looks back to Alphros. She crinkles her brow a tiny, tiny bit and asks in her quiet voice, \"And who would you have return with this proof, be it that it exists or it does not, Lord Alphros? The Master Scout.. or myself?\" And yes, the way she speaks those, the title is capitalized and given import over the indication of self.

\"We are sworn to secrecy, my lady,\" Ceredir answers Azaradi, his tone humble. \"Certainly there are ways of getting a name from us, but...I thought or hoped we might have moved beyond that. Come to a certain understanding. Would it suffice for me to tell you that there are those in Gondor not unsympathetic to your brother\'s cause and claim? and that they are the ones who sent us and seek this tome and its knowledge?\"

\"Sword? This is the second time in a week I have heard a sword mentioned in relation to your claim to the throne, my lord.\" Ceredir\'s attention has now gone to Alphros. \"Just the other day, the Lady Eruphel told me of a sword and a prophecy that it was needed to make you king. And that...she asked me to find out about this sword and to bring her back information in regard to it.\" He watches Alphros carefully for his reaction.

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"The Master Scout has proven to be a trustworthy intermediary with these affairs a number of times. I see why you should no further endanger yourself, Sawsan of Gondor, when you have patients to attend to. That sounds fair, does it not?\" Alphros looks to Ceredir. Then he looks to Azradi. \"My sister might be persuaded to arrange transport to and from Gondor?\"

Sawsan lowers her lashes, her shoulders dropping down a hair, then dips a deep curtsy of respect to Lord Alphros before stepping back away from the table. Once there, she smooths her hands from her waits to her hips, as if setting her dress straight, folds her hands together and falls silent as the talk continues.

[Azradi(#20135)]

Azradi shows no surprise when her questions are refused.

She glances towards her brother briefly when he offers her services. \"Of course. It would be helpful if we could devise a reliable way to contact our friends in Gondor on a regular basis.\"

\"I will be an intermediary still,\" Ceredir agrees, though he seems a little pale as he says this.

\"Reliable way? I know of none...\"

\"My lord, lady..then it is no problem that Lady Eruphel asked me these same questions about the sword?\" Ceredir adds. \"I was not certain.\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"I believe I can devise a way to arrange contact,\" Alphros says, but then he adds nothing more. \"Of old, Farside Tower was ever the least geared to total war against Gondor, the most given to trade with your merchants. And there are many traders in Pelargir through whom loose contact can be maintained. We can find a way to arrange a transfer. Though only if my sister ascertains that the risk is worthwhile.\"

Alphros then glances to Ceredir and purses his lips slightly. \"I am not surprised. Though the Lady Eruphel is not claiming to be the King of Gondor.\"

[Azradi(#20135)]

\"Merchants and Gondorian smugglers are ideal,\" Azradi adds, smiling slightly. \"You see, Ceredir, you and your wife can find silk in your own lands if you know where to look.\"

\"But we can use them to set up a means where either of us can contact the other when need arises. Messages will have to be couched in secret, however, as these are mean of coin for the most part.\"

She says nothing about Eruphel. Quite pointedly.

\"I see,\" Ceredir replies, his lips briefly pressed together as he considers both of these replies. Azradi\'s failure to mention Eruphel perhaps does not go unnoticed, for he looks to her, brows furrowing briefly in a question that remains unspoken.

\"Merchants...and coin, yes. I will have need of coin, likely then, to make it work. But...not Haradric, alas.\"

[Sawsan(#20113)] We, he says, as if more than one person would be needed for this. Sawsan lifts her chin ever so slightly, her gaze settling on the tome of healing she\'d found.

[Alphros(#31271)]

Alphros reaches across to take the books. He opens the one that contains healing lore, and then considers it, before reaching for the other grimoire of Numenorean siegecraft. After flipping through it for a few moments in silence, he finds a particular page containing a diagrim and scrawls in Adunaic, and then -- with precision and care revealing experience at such study -- carefully removes that single page.

The single page extracted from the tome of siegecraft is placed betwixt the pages of the tome of healing, and then Alphros closes them both. He pushes the latter towards Sawsan. \"Your gift, Sawsan of Gondor. With a small proof of this tome\'s existence, should our friend in the shadows doubt your eyes and your recollection. One more thing.\" The Lord of Farside snaps his fingers, and a Tower servant approaches. He gives a few terse commands, and then turns back to the others, waiting.

Sawsan looks to the tome of poisons again, then draws her gaze back up to Alphros, \"I have.. nothing to give in return for this wonderfull gift, Lord Alphros.\" And that disturbs her. She shakes her head slightly, steps forward, then dips him a curtsy, \"But I thank you deeply for this chance to learn.\" She will stand again..and wait. No, she does not reach for the tome just yet.

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"You may take it,\" Alphros assures her, simply. \"It is yours now. A sign of my goodwill. Though I counsel you also, bear such goodwill close to your heart many in the land of Gondor would deem you a traitor for the errand by which you have gained it.\"

[Azradi(#20135)]

\"I believe we can find you sufficient coin from your realm,\" Azradi replies to Ceredir, leaning back in her chair thoughtfully.

She watches Alphros handle the old tomes curiously and winces when he tears a page from the old Numenorean book.

\"Of course, my lady,\" Ceredir inclines his head to the Captain, smiling. \"And I know at least one boat captain, but I am not certain they will assent to carry me on this errand. We shall see.\"

[Alphros(#31271)]

After a moment, the servant returns bearing two other packages. One is no larger than a fish and bundled in cloth and tied with rope. The other is a small pouch. First, Alphros tosses the pouch towards Ceredir it clinks with coin. \"We have enough Gondorian currency in this Tower, gleaned from years of trade and Corsair raiding. Keep that for when the need arises.\"

The servant then passes Alphros a parchment and quill, and the Lord scratches out a brief message, blows the ink dry, then folds up the letter and tucks it into the other small bundle which he also pushes towards Sawsan. \"Take this also to the one who seeks the tome. Yet more proof to... whet their appetite.\"

Sawsan scoops up the tome with care, as well as the small package. She doesn\'t even glance at it, just dips her head to Alphros, \"It shall be done.\" She tells him, her words gentle.

Catching the bag with both hands--and a solid clink of the coins within--Ceredir nods to the Farside Lord. \"May I will take my leave now, then, sir?\" he asks.

[Alphros(#31271)]

\"You may go,\" Alphros says simply, to both Gondorian man and woman.

Sawsan dips a curtsy to Lord and Lady alike, then turns on her toe and heads to the door. Her shadow peels away from the others and takes up his post behind her.

A quick bow, and Ceredir leaves, as well.