[Envinyatar]

Yr Saldan was pleased with the men and ships that Captain Narwen had acquired for the assault on Belfalas. His glittering eye viewed the map of the region, and with his roughened finger he traced an ever widening circle around the city of Dol Amroth. The city had fallen easily, a fat goose caught, plucked, and done up for dinner. Now his palate craved the other courses to the feast.

Tarnost to the north and Linhir to the east, would make the triangle with Dol Amroth complete. His finger moved across the surface of the map, along the boundaries of the Prince’s realm. He would secure the headlands just south of the Hills of Tarnost, too, with patrol ships. Then Dor-en-Ernil would be his.

He called for Captain Narwen to be shown into him. ‘That was well done, my friend.’ he said, pouring them each a goblet of rich red wine from the Prince’s store. ‘The men and ships you brought will be well used in the next few days. But that merchant ship – now that was a fine morsel to pluck from the sea!’ He looked appraisingly at the captain.

‘I have a job for you if you’ll consider it. One that will bring you some measure of power and wealth if you do as well with it as you did on your last assignment.’ Captain Narwen looked at him, her face a careful blank. She would hear him out first, and then decide. He saw that in her. ‘Good!’ he thought to himself. ‘She’s a careful thinker. She’ll stand me in good stead if I keep an eye on her.’

Pouring them each another round of wine, he continued. ‘I’ll need someone I can depend on to be in charge of the lower part of the city – especially the waters of the small bay and the wharf here. We have secured a large warehouse there where we will be placing prisoners we think ‘useful’ to our negotiations later on. Sweeps of the city in that area will also be necessary to pick up resisters to the new government. You can kill them as you like, or press them into service on board the ships we will have patrolling off the southern tip of this region. Plunder as you like to bring that part of the city into submission. As to the women and children, I leave that entirely up to your discretion.’

Yr Saldan motioned her to come look at the map of the region with him. Once the lower city is well in hand and under your control, there is one thing further I would like you to entertain.’ He pointed to Edhellond at the northern head of the small bay on which Dol Amroth lay. ‘See here how the River Ringló empties into the bay? I want this area taken and placed under our control. From there we can make our way North to Tarnost and secure that northern city, while others of our ships make for Linhir to bring it beneath our Southern fist.’

He pointed to Edhellond and tapped it. ‘Think about it, if you would. And let me know if you can do this for me.’

One of the Corsair guards came quietly to Yr Saldan’s side and whispered a hurried message to him as Narwen perused the map. ‘I must leave you, Captain.’ he said. ‘Other business presses in upon me. Enjoy the wine and the comforts of the Prince’s palace before you show yourself out. And please, think on what I’ve said.’

He turned, following the guard out the main entrance, and down the steps.