[Envinyatar]

Khazdifir had just turned into the gates to the Palace grounds when he saw Captain Narwen stride swiftly down the steps and approach. Her brow was furrowed in thought, her eyes on the path as she walked. Khaz’s eyes narrowed, knowing that she had just made a successful return from Umbar with the added prize of a laden merchant ship. ‘So, he has offered her something to keep her close.’ he thought to himself. ‘I wonder what prize now dangles before her eyes.

He stepped to the side of the gates and slipped behind the sculpted bushes there, waiting until she had passed. He watched as she turned the corner at the bottom of the path, heading down toward the docks and disappeared from sight. He hurried to the steps to the terrace, taking them two at a time.

Inside, it was cool and dimly lit, with only the sunlight filtered through the thick branches of the surrounding trees to light the interior through barred slit windows. Two glasses sat on the table in the middle of the room. One of them, still half full, the stem of it still warm to the touch. Narwen’s glass. She had put it down on the map where the Ringló flowed northeast past the hills of Tarnost. Tracing the path of the river brought him to Ethring to the northeast and Edhellond to the southwest. ‘An attractive prize, indeed.’ he smiled to himself.

A grid map of the lower city and the docks lay spread out near the map of Dor-en-Ernil. ‘The fox! He means to have her start here and secure this area first.’

‘Are you admiring the Prince’s maps, Kestrel?’ came the smooth voice from behind. Khaz turned to see Yr Saldan looking at him from the terrace doorway. He drew his knife, and the guards at Saldan’s side came quickly toward him.

At a gesture from Yr Saldan they halted, and Khaz lowered the point of it to the larger map, tracing a light line from the southern tip of Belfalas to Linhir. ‘I saw Narwen leave, and I know what you have asked her to do. This,’ he said, retracing the route for emphasis, ‘is where I would like you to put me. Give me six ships and I will control the area from along the southeastern coast and be able to keep watch on the Ethir Anduin, where any ship from the port of Harlond in Minas Anor must pass through.’

He poured the last of the wine into Narwen’s cup and drank from it. ‘I’m useless to you here. You know I cannot stay long on land. I get too restless. Let me serve you where best I can.’ He stuck the point of his knife into the area marked as the great bay. ‘Here, on the water.’

‘Six ships, is it? And you’re then my man?’ Yr Saldan watched as Khaz nodded his head to the questions. ‘So be it. Round up the men and ships you need. The element of surprise is with us. Let us use it and act quickly. Come to my quarters tomorrow morning and we will discuss your plans in detail.’
********************

Yr Saldan watched as Khazdifir left the palace, hurrying to put as much of his plan in order as he could today. He looked one last time at the large map before checking the reports from his other captains on progress in securing the outlying areas of the city and the small bay of Cobas Haven.

Things were falling into place nicely, far better than he had hoped.

[ February 23, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]