He could not spare the men to chase after the wounded woman. And what was one weak woman to do that would harm them now?
He turned to one of his men, Hafez, directing him to continue the sweep through the area for resisters to the takeover. ‘Come see me,’ he spoke quietly to him, ‘when you are done here. I will have need of a first mate I can rely on.’
Hafez raised his eyebrows at this request. ‘We are sailing, then?’ Khaz motioned him a short distance away from the others. ‘Soon I hope.’ came the reply. ‘I go to find us ships. We’ll be patrolling the south and eastern borders of the land, and possibly controlling access to the mouths of the Anduin. I’ll need men I can trust on my own ship. Will you look to finding them for me?’
Hafez smiled, a crooked grin that did not bespeak a humorous bent of mind, but rather something more ghastly. ‘Aye, aye! Cap’n.’
Khazdifir turned and went down toward the harbor. He knew which captains he wanted and he meant to have them for his little fleet.
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‘Many are the strange chances of the world,’ said Mithrandir, ‘and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.’
– Gandalf in: The Silmarillion, 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age'
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