[Mithalwen]

Elfride felt as if she had been away for hours so far into memory had she delved but in fact only perhaps twenty minutes had passed between her intrusion on Garnae and Cordelia and her return, composed to the same doorway. Hama had reacehd the yard and was entrusting his horse to Bredon's care. It was clear the old soldier was delighted to meet the General. She would have to rescue him. She was glad to have him at her side as she reentered the great hall. His presence avoided any need for his absence. Of the group the young soldiers, Leoflic and Edhener seemed most impatient but then they did not have the distractions of the others. They were leaning over the map strewn table and looked up as they came in. Hama was the focus of most attention but Elfride was aware that Leoflic's gaze rested on her a little longer. Certain her face betrayed her she turned away, ostensibly to pour a dring for the general.

Now he was here, her mind focussed less on the route they should take and more on the other practicalities - supplies of food, bedrolls and so forth - she would have to check all the party were properly equipped befor they left. She must think carefully of all the supplies she should take for her craft, both in case Sandrine needed treatment and for more general mishap or malady that might befall an expedition. She wondered if it were her mother instinct coming to the fore or a legacy of her father's insistance that good preparation was essential to a successful campaign.

She listened though to Hama speak, he had thought to ask at Edoras where Samuel held land. His closest property was near Underharrow - a village a few miles closer to the mountains where the Harrowdale narrowed alongside the Snowbourn. It was the closest village to the long stetch of woodland that ended up right at the foot of Dwimorberg the haunted mountain underwhich passed the Paths of the Dead. Though the dead had been allowed to find peace after the King Elessar had led them to battle in fulfilment of their oath, the woods were still somewhere where few of the Rohirrim, brave though they were would chose to venture without need, even if their conscious minds rejected the dark stories told of them. It would be an ideal place to hide a captive. It seemed the likeliest place to start looking.