One Piece of the Puzzle

Minas Tirith: Drover\'s Arms

Laughter greets you as you duck through the low door. The mood here is light and jolity and levity rule! The barkeep dispenses his vintages with a cheery grin, while the waitresses glide easily through the tables and throngs of customers. Here all is merry, the cares of the world left at the door. Riders have no desire to speak of their hardships in the midst of a glass of Minas Tirith\'s finest! A heavily-lintelled fireplace stands against the far wall, crackling as it burns the day\'s logs and casting out its light and warmth over the room.

[BOR(#30834)]

The man who sits with a hooded cloak alone at one of the tables has no drink before him nor has he ordered the lobster thermadore. He is silent and watchful, waiting with muscles taut like a predator waits for his prey.

There\'s a smile on Ceredir\'s face as the Scout ducks into the tavern, and why not? The place is known for the generally good disposition of its patrons, the serving girl at the door has given the Scout a wink as he enters, and Ceredir seems to have nothing on his mind except the next pint of ale as he heads toward the bar. He steps around and by the tables, grinning at a few of the more regular customers, his steps carrying him past Bor, though the Scout does not notice the Knight. Not particularly.

[BOR(#30834)]

\"Ceredir,\" says the Knight, his face clouded by the hood.

\"Sit.\"

\"An ale first, sir,\" the Scout protests, only glancing briefly at the man as his name is spoken. Perhaps something about the man\'s tone of voice changes his mind, though, for he pauses and turns to look back--and then hurries to take a seat, forgetting all about his thirst, seemingly.

\"You have news so soon?\" Ceredir leans eagerly forward.

[BOR(#30834)]

\"I have news,\" answers Bor dryly.

He rests back in his chair.

\"Your father is Elenur,\" begins the Knight. \"And your mother, I have yet to learn her name, but she is...\" He stops and pulls back his hood.

\"She is dead.\"

The eager look on Ceredir\'s face lasts a few seconds longer, then slowly his face falls and he leans back in his chair again, posture slumping. \"Dead? How and when? Is there no way to learn who she was?\"

[BOR(#30834)]

\"My source was...\" Bor pauses. \"...hard pressed.\"

\"I will find her name, of course. That is our agreement however, you must be patient,\" he continues, \"As for the circumstances, those may be harder.\"

\"I am sorry.\"

\"Hard pressed...?\" Ceredir\'s eyes narrow as he repeats those words. \"I don\'t suppose that this source of yours shed any light on the why of it?\"

The Scout sighs and looks longingly toward the bar for a moment. \"I am not the first child of Gondor to be born outside of marriage. Not by any means. Nor the first bastard to be denied a family name or inheritance or acknowledgement. But the tannery, sir.\" His brows knit. \"Why the tannery? Why treat me so? There surely must have been other means. A cousin, distant, in the country. Something.\"

[BOR(#30834)]

\"I am not your father, Ceredir,\" says Bor, \"Nor could I possibly fathom what reason he had for doing what he did. It is unfortunate.\"

\"I will learn what I can, and think further on this situation.\" And then his eyes are on the Scout, and they are unrelentingly harsh.

\"For the time being, I hold you to silence. There is much to this story that troubles me, and I will not have you prancing the streets with my name on your lips,\" says the Knight.

\"Is that understood?\"

\"You could find out from my father why he did what he did,\" Ceredir answers evenly. \"You are Bragollach. You would have the right to ask him.\"

He stares, then, face going cold under the Knight\'s harsh gaze. \"If I do not hold my tongue on this, then I will find out nothing more. So never fear, good Knight. Your name and the information you have told me will go no further.\" The Scout\'s tone is as harsh as Bor\'s gaze.

\"What is it that troubles you about the story? If I may ask such.\"

[BOR(#30834)]

\"You may not.\"

\"My counsel is my own, and I will volunteer it if I choose,\" says the Knight, slipping the hood back over his head.

\"I shall be in touch.\"

That cold look remains on Ceredir\'s face as the Knight answers him. \"I await your further investigations, then,\" he answers after a small pause. \"Good day to you.\"

[BOR(#30834)]

\"Good day.\"

And with a swift click of his heels, the hooded Knight departs the bar.