[Child of the 7th Age]

Since Lindir is my character, it may help if I share some information. Tevildo and I communicated before the post, and it's essentially what we discussed.

To make things more believable, we felt Shae should approach on horseback. That way, Lindir wouldn't see her full profile, but merely glimpse an unknown rider hunched down on the back of a horse. Lindir would have sprung up and dragged Shae off from the rear and then held the dagger to her throat. Shae probably cried out as she was wrestled down. When Dorran arrived, the Elf's knife had just touched her throat. Had he come an instant later, Lindir would likely have recognized his own mistake and released her.

I imagined Lindir waiting in the tunnel just beneath that blanket. (This wasn't spelled out in the actual post.). That way, his view of anyone approaching would be limited. Still, I don't think the tunnel is critical. Lindir is just plain edgy--worrying about the prisoners, worrying about Aiwendil's group, worrying Dorran has been injured or killed--and more likely to make a mistake. I envisioned Shae in a floppy tunic and pants, clothes that would mask the fact she was a woman. Interesting that we bring away so many different images from a single story!

I've used Lindir several times. His distinguishing characteristic is that he is an Elf who does make mistakes. He's not malicious but has made some boners in his long life. I've done this intentionally--I cannot stand 'perfect' Elves. If you think it would clarify things, I can interject a short post of my own somewhere inside Tevildo's, explaining the situation from the Elf's perspective up to the point he tackles the rider. Just let me know....