[littlemanpoet]

He had not shown it to Raefindan, but Ædegard was enraged. Someone had taken Leafa hostage; an enemy of Amroth, by the looks of it. Ædegard loosened his sword in its sheath. He would kill anyone who so much as plucked a hair from her head against her will.

He overheard Amroth's words. "We shall not be divided again. We shall find Bella, and return for Argeleafa. She will not be far from the one who defies me."

I will not leave her unlooked for. He pulled his horse to the side of the path and let the others by. Raefindan stopped and eyed him curiously.

"You are unused to sword and bow and arrow, friend," said Ædegard. "I'll take the rearguard."

"My thanks." Raefindan's horse moved ahead. Ædegard let him go around a brambly bend, just out of sight, before he turned his horse about, seeking out the path the Elves had been talking about.

It was early afternoon and Ædegard's stomach growled. They had not stopped to eat since Amroth had urged them to their eight league gallop. And they all were overtired; except for the women, according to Raefindan, for they had been taken by this enemy swamp Elf, and made to sleep. If so, Leafa might be the harder to move, and so the easier to find. At least, he hoped so.

What are you? Oh no. He was asking himself strange questions now, so tired and hungry. I am a man of Rohan, and I seek my beloved and betrothed Leafa. Well, fine, now he was answering himself too. I will find her and make that swamp elf pay.

A half hour later, he sat astride his horse at the edge of the swamp, convinced that there was no path branching off the one he had come down. There was nothing that looked remotely like a path! But the Amroth had sounded so certain, and Elf Lords should know these kinds of things. Ædegard wished he had one of those Ranger fellows with him. Determined to find whatever passed for a swamp path, he turned his horse about, and moved slowly down the way, searching carefully from side to side.

Tharonwe

Two of his servants were with the blonde maiden, two with the brunette, and one with him as he moved farther into the swamp with the maid dressed as a man, who had a nasty cold, and was the sister of Amroth, though human. It was odd. Amroth was himself human, beyond all belief, and still he hankered for Nimrodel! He would not have her, and Tharonwe would make sure of it.

One of the eight men had turned his horse around. Tharonwe searched him out carefully. What are you?

I am a man of Rohan, and I seek my beloved and betrothed Leafa. I will find her and make that swamp elf pay. Tharonwe grinned. The man thought that he was talking to himself. So it went most often with humans. So the blonde maiden was the betrothed of this Rohirrim. Tharonwe would cloud the man's already tired mind and body, and lead him down a wending way. It would be so simple. Divide and conquer.

Raefindan

Raefindan tried to be quiet. His mounts gear rubbed and chafed and clinked. Why didn't Ædegard's mount make any noise? So quiet he was! He turned to ask Ædegard his question only to discover that he was not there. How long could it have been? He had been watching Gond's tail ahead of him, mesmerized into a kind of half wakefulness, so he was not certain. It could have been five minutes, or an hour.

"Ravion!" he called in a whisper. Ravion looked back. "Ædegard's gone! I don't know how long!"

Ravion passed the news up the line. The Elves stopped. Amroth and Herb Emblem looked very wrathful indeed. The other Elf came back down the path to Raefindan. Tate Enid, or something.

"How long has Ædegard been gone?"

"I don't know. I lost track of time. How long have we been moving on this path?"

"Nigh to an hour."

"Then he has been missing for almost an hour! Why would he do that?"

"I know not. He is no coward. A moment." Tate Enid closed his eyes and his face calmed. After a moment, he opened his eyes. "Ædegard seeks his betrothed, who was captured by our foe."

"He's in trouble alone. That Elf means business. You're an Elf. You can find him. Will you?"

Tate Enid shrugged. "I will speak with my lords and do as they bid." Tate Enid went back up the path toward Amroth and Erb Emlin.

This was not good. Just when Amroth had said to keep from being divided, Ædegard runs off. Did he think he could save his beloved, on his own? What was he thinking? He hoped Tate Enid would be sent to find him.