[Child of the 7th Age]

The afternoon sun flooded in through the open curtains as two men sat talking in hushed tones over lunch in the private dining room.

"Denethor, I promise to take care of this. I do thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I've heard of these rumors already, and they do not please me..."

"As to your other request, regarding the Lady Pelien, I will tell you that I am hesitent to act in the manner you suggest."

Eckthelion stared at this son and sighed, "You're young. Just getting married. You have no idea yet what it is to have children, to love them beyond anything in the world, yet sometimes be unable to help them."

"If Lady Pelien has overstepped her bounds, and I do not doubt that fact, it is not because she is a traitor or wishes ill to our household. No....she is a mother who has failed to get her daughter what the young woman so desperately wanted. Surely you're aware of that. I am well aware that Adrama had her eye set on you, and that her mother tried to aid her in that."

"You liked her well enough. She is of good family and brighter than most. Who knows....? If it hadn't been for Finduilas catching your eye, and our need for an alliance, the Lady Adrama might have been chosen to join our family. Her mother finds that hard to forget when she sees her daughter's sorrowing eyes."

"Lady Pelien is no traitor. And I have no wish to start a battle with her, or her family. She was merely repeating what others have said. We must look elsewhere for the author of these lies. This is where the poison lies."

With these words, Eckthelion drew closer to his son and confided to him the name of the traitors, cautioning him to keep the news to himself. The response came swift and immediate, "But father, I cannot believe this. Are you certain? Do we have proof?"

"I am certain enough in my heart, and enough has been shown to convince me. But we can do nothing till we secure some public confirmation of what I've privately learned."

"And will you do this?"

"Aye, the trap has been set, and we will soon see what creature is caught inside. Go now to Finduilas. Tell her I am proud of how she responded to Pelien's words, and for her not to be overly harsh on the poor woman. And you, Denethor, are fortunate to have chosen a wife worthy of you, and of our family!"

"I have already sent out the invitations for the betrothal party. By week's end, you will stand in front of the court to make your promises, and all else will be forgotten. And, if I get my wish, by week's end, these poisonous vipers will be caught in a trap of their own making, and I will have them under my command."

With that, the two men parted, with Eckthelion returning to his desk to work.

********************************************

Eckthelion hunched over the table scribbling out one last letter, this one directed to the Lady Pelien. The woman was no spy or agent. He was certain of that. No agent of Umbar would dare have approached his son face-to-face with such a preposterous set of charges. If anything, Lady Pelien was the one person he could be totally certain was innocent of any serious misdeeds. She was not involved in any of the scheming other than as an innocent bystander, albeit one whose mouth was a bit too loose.

He sighed and reread the letter that sat in front of him, making sure that the words and tone conveyed the exact message he intended:

Dearest Lady Pelien,

It has come to my attention that there was a minor misunderstanding yesterday evening at the ball. Denethor came to me expressing his own concerns and those of his Lady Finduilas, a young woman of unblemished descent in whom I put great trust.

I assured my son that the whole episode had been a regrettable misunderstanding. Your family has long been among the most trusted and valued supporters of the Stewards, and I assured him this relationship would continue in the future.

With this thought in mind, I would like to put forward a proposal, for there is indeed a way that your family could assist me in safeguarding the security of Gondor. I would be most grateful if you could set up a luncheon for two days after tomorrow. This luncheon would be for three of the guards stationed in the garrison. I will be sending you the names shortly.

Please arrange for three young unattached ladies of appropriate station to attend and keep them company. You will, of course, wish to include your own daughter Adrama as well.

One other consideration. As you may have suspected, this party is more than a simple afternoon luncheon. There is a viper loose in the court, and we will use your little party to uncover just who that viper is. You do not need to bother with the details of all this. However, I will be sending you an official dispatch under separate cover addressed to Sador. Do not open that dispatch, but set it clearly out on a table, in plain sight of all, in the very room where the soldiers are asked to leave their weapons and cloaks. I will do the rest.

One final request. It is also imperative that Addruran attend this little gathering. I will contact him personally, since he will be the one assisting me in these endeavors. I have great trust in him. He is a man of valor and common sense, and one whom I've marked out for future responsibilities and a position of trust.

I pray that this arrangement will meet with your agreement, and that of your husband and family.

Regards,
Eckthelion, Steward of Gondor