[Envinyatar]

Yr Saldan walked in the palace garden. It was cool there and fragrant, reminding him of the lush gardens that grew along the river he had grown up by in Umbar. Two things occupied his mind as he passed among the flowers. One was the number of ships and men he had now committed to patrol both the northern and southern borders of the Prince’s land, and the other was that he would soon need to move away from purely military tactics to secure his position, and into the realm of tactical negotiations.

The first problem weighed on his mind heavily. He did not want to spread his naval advantage too thin. Perhaps after a swift skirmish at Edhellond, he should pull Captain Narwen’s ships back to reinforce the ships of Khazdifir along the southern borders where a fleet moving upon them from the Anduin could prove fatal. For a brief moment, he entertained the thought of sending a small fleet all the way to Minas Anor. But viewed in the harsh light of reality, it was an idea quickly discarded. Unless of course, he should receive a message otherwise from his eyes and ears in the White City.

The second problem, that of lining up advantages for negotiations, seemed an easier one to solve. Very few adults had been taken prisoner who were of any worth as hostages. Most of those who were prominent in the government either here or in Elessar’s court had resisted and been killed. The children, however, were a different matter. They carried a lot of emotional weight, and would prove very useful as bargaining chips.

A problem with them though, was that they needed to be separated from the adult prisoner population, and be well taken care of. The better they appeared to be treated the more sympathetic the opposing sides’ negotiators would feel to the demands of the Corsair government.

Jem would be an excellent choice for that position. Young himself, and amiable. The children would like him and grow to trust him. It would do well if they could find out which children belonged to which prominent families. Saldan had already decided the large tower at the northeast corner of the palace would serve this purpose well. It was large and tall, and had limited access. Only a few guards would be needed to secure it. Attached to its base on the west side was a walled in garden with a high fence. There was no access to it along any of its walls, the only entry into being from the small door at the base of the tower.

One of the guards came and spoke to him softly as he passed the doorway into the palace. Saldan smiled. ‘Show him in here! He’s just the man I wish to see.’

It was Jem, his arm freshly bandaged and tender from its wound. Saldan motioned him into the garden and over to a small table where he had laid out a map. Without preamble, he launched into his ideas about the detention of the children, showing Jem on the map where he intended they be kept.

Saldan called for a server to bring them a bottle of wine. He poured a goblet for Jem and one for himself. ‘I need a man who is capable of doing this for me. One who is loyal.’ He raised his glass to Jem, in salute. ‘I think you fit the bill on both counts. Will you do this for me?’

[ March 11, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]