Faint at first, the noxious odour grew ever stronger as they proceeded down the tunnel. There was an occasional opening branching off to the left or right, but they heeded them not. As much as their noses would rather have signalled them to turn back, they indicated that this was indeed the path they must needs take.
The Innkeeper walked purposefully, with attentive eyes scanning the ground and walls for clues. Estelyn’s impatient steps took her ahead of Rimbaud until she realized that she could see nothing in the shadow that her body cast. Her restlessness grew more intense with every step and became evident on her usually composed face, though there was none to take notice of it.
The passage took a sudden turn to the right, and she winced as her hand grazed the rough wall. The stench was now unbearable; a wave of nausea overcame her. No draught could be felt, and the flickering light of the lantern fell upon an obstacle which blocked the way.
They could see the dull glint of dark metal mingled with a heap of leather, cloth and twisted limbs. Neither had actually seen an orc before, but they needed no one to tell them the identity of the horrible features and empty, leering eyes piled there. Black stains blotched the bodies and clothing, exuding the terrible odour that almost overwhelmed them.
Every breath that they took was a torment, yet both strove to regain clear thoughts and decide what to do.
“Should we go back?” Estelyn asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“We know what lies behind,” answered Rimbaud. “The puzzle’s solution lies beyond these corpses. We must try to move them and go on.” With these words, he set the lantern down and began tugging at the foremost orc body.
The princess hesitated only an instant before grasping the other end and pulling with all her might. It was good that the main passageway was wider, or they would not have been able to move the bodies. The strain warmed their cold limbs; sweat beaded Rimbaud’s brow, and his companion smiled wryly.
“Well, Master Innkeeper,” she said lightly, “we shall be glad of the cold draught as a refreshment after this!”
“Indeed,” he reiterated, “I am warming to this task and shall be delighted to thank our unknown benefactor for providing it!”
Five orcs had been moved aside when they came to the last body. But it was no orc that lay before them. The pale, slender limbs of a young human were visible, and Estelyn caught her breath as they turned him over to see his face.
“You know him?” Rimbaud queried.
“I have seen him,” she answered, “though I know not his name. He belongs – nay, belonged to the Guards and has been in the royal houses on duty. What has he to do with this business?”
“No cloak,” the Innkeeper noted. “That part of the riddle seems clear now. But who removed the cloak and escaped with it, and why was his comrade left here to lie among his foes?”
They had spoken in low tones that did not carry far, yet their quickened breathing and the beating of their hearts had distracted them from their usual watchfulness. Suddenly they heard a sound behind them, echoing in the passageway.
Instinctively, Rimbaud grasped the lantern and climbed over the bodies. Estelyn scrambled after him, and they fled as noiselessly as possible. An opening to the left appeared, and they rounded the corner into a tunnel that twisted and turned several times. Suddenly the way ended; ahead of them was a solid rock wall, and they knew not whether friend or foe followed them…
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
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