[Child of the 7th Age]

Boarding the ship with a heavy heart, Luindal immediately retreated to his cabin and was surprised to find both Alahseey and Hilde waiting for him there.

Hilde scurried up to address him, still clutching her broom and cleaning rags. “I am pleased to see that you and the others came through alright. At least most of the others," Hilde nervously averted her eyes and pursed her lips, wondering if she should say more. News of the loss of the two men had already spread through the ship. She quickly added, “Don’t blame yourself, sir. Those caves were never safe. I’ll never understand why anyone would tell you to search there. Too dangerous, if you ask me. It's a wonder any of you made it out alive." She cast a ponted look at Alahseey and then turned back to Luindal, smiling. "I didn't think you'd mind, Captain. Elder Alahssey rushed here right after we got the news of the landslide. She seemed very anxious to wait and talk with you so I let her in.”

“That’s fine, Hilde. Would you like to go down and eat supper now? You’ve worked hard today too. I understand something is being prepared in the galley.”

“Yes, sir. That would be fine. I’ll get my things and go.” Hilde was about to slip out the door when Alahseey gestured with her hand for her to remain and explained, “What I have to say concerns both of you.”

First the Elder questioned Luindal, “You are alright? And the men? After what happened....”

“As well as can be expected. We found no sign of the Stones and two of our party were swallowed up by waters that flooded the side tunnels: one of the Elves from Rivendell and his Lossoth companion”

“Sadly, we have heard. The Elders have sent someone to speak with the family of the man who was killed. The caves seemed like such a promising place to search. Yet the Elders debated whether to send you there first because of the dangers. Still, we felt there was a real possibility of finding the Stones.”

Luindal sighed and said, “Promising or not, we found nothing.”

“Aye, and the Council of Elders met again this afternoon, trying to decide where you should search next if you returned with your hands empty. Some said you should head straight to the Bay and begin to plumb its depths before the waters became too cold. But then I remembered this.”

She put her hand in her pocket and withdrew an oblong-shaped rock that was no larger than a Man’s palm, on which could be seen inscribed letters. Luindal reached out to finger the piece, then peered at it more closely.

“These are Elvish runes….fragments of a script that would seem to come from a time even before I was born.” He traced the letters with the tip of his finger.

“Aye, it looked peculiar to me too. And I have seen others like it in the same area. When I showed the letters to the Elders, one of them thought it looked like the script he’d seen you and the other Elves use. This comes from a place north of here, about a one-day trek, a stretch of coastline along the Bay that has already seen much ice and snow.” With that Alahseey drew out a map and pointed to the spot where she had found the strange stone. She handed the paper to Lindal to keep and he carefully circled the spot on the map to which Alahseey had referred.

“You think some of the shipwrecked things made their way to this point?” he queried.

Alahseey shrugged her shoulders, “Perhaps. I have seen some strange things in this region. And, if that is so, it is possible the Stones could have landed there too. It is a land both Hilde and I know well, for we both hail from that portion of the Bay. My reindeer herds spend the summer there. The two of us could easily lead you north.” Hilde smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

Luindal remarked, “This seems like a good idea. And, for now at least, I would rather wait to search the Bay. But we need to rest and recover. It would do no good to lead the men out when they are still exhausted and disheartened. I would say two days' rest are needed.... I will tell them to be ready on the third morning to set out for this northern shore, and to plan to stay overnight there.”

“Yes,” added Hilde, “I’ll be glad to help scout the passage and, once we've gotten there, can show you how to build an ice trench, to keep your men warm and comfortable thoroughout the cold night.”

Luindal had to smile at the thought of an ice trench being called warm and comfortable. But he was not unhappy with the suggestion to search further along the shore, since they still had not come up with a practical plan on how to search for the Stones on the bottom of the Bay. "It is agreed then. I will speak with my crew later tonight."

Saying good night to Hilde and Alahseey, Luindal left the map on his desk and then wandered down towards Rôg's cabin, knocking on the door. But before the Shapechanger could respond, the Captain slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the scrap of fabric and button that he'd picked up in the cave. Perhaps, Rôg could tell him which of the men had lost it....