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Marsillion sat alone in his thin walled tent, quietly fingering the soft leather grip of his heavy sword. The thought of wielding such a weapon against a fellow Númenorean sent a shiver the length of his spine.
Tucking the sword back into his saddlebag, Marsillion, preparing to turn in, was surprised to see Azarmanô appear in his doorway. Before Marsillion could offer a greeting, the sea captain began. Marsillion listened carefully, relieved that the Captain harbored no grudge for the way Marsillion had handled the situation with the King's Men earlier in the day. The thought of alienating himself from the rest of the group had been wearing on him. He had considered apologizing to Azarmanô and Abârzadan, but had decided against it. After solving the situation earlier in the day, Marsillion felt he had thrust himself into the previously vacant leadership role in the party. It was a role that desperately needed filling, and grudgingly, Marsillion decided to take it upon himself. A leader must be strong. A leader must be respected, Marsillion had thought during the long, dull ride that afternoon. I can not apologize for actions that saved the lives of all, offensive though my actions may be. Pride can be regained, life can not. Very relieved was Marsillion to know that Azarmanô held nothing against him.
“Please come in and we can discuss these issues further,” Marsillion offered, waving vaguely into the tent. “Sit and be refreshed. I have some dried beef and smoked cheese if you will join me,” he said as the older man took a seat in the corner of the small leather tent.
“I greatly appreciate your company, as many of your concerns have been on my mind as well,” Marsillion stated, taking a bit of aromatic cheese from his saddlebag. “For your thanks I am grateful, no more so than for your convincing play of my servant." Marsillion said, cracking a smile. "You catch on quickly Captain.” Taking time to slowly chew a bit of dried beef, Marsillion thought on the matter of Thoronmir.
“Thoronmir is, as I think many political minds can be, a bit eccentric. Loyal to our cause he is certainly, yet I do wonder how long it will be before he pushes us back into the fire. He acted very foolishly yesterday, no denying it. Perhaps the two of us should approach him in the morning, for we can certainly ill afford him to endanger our mission so rashly again. Tell me, how did Abârzadan swallow the events of yestermorn? Do you trust him Captain? He is brave, almost to a point of admiration, but how can we trust him with our very lives? The time must soon come that the truth is wrung from this young drifter.”
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