WWXLV: The Fellowship of Saruman

[Thinlómien]

"I do not understand all these complaints of Éomer's silence. For even though he speaks seldom, his speeches are long and tell what he is thinking. One does not need to talk all the time in order to contribute to the discussion," he said, smiling a bit self-ironically.

"Now, maybe I should say a word or two about each of you. Of Éomer I have already spoken and I will only add that I find him relatively innocent-looking. My mind is not troubled by his actions, but I'm not ready to trust him either.

His cousin Théodred then... In Eregion, he seemed like an honest man, but now I'm not too sure. Something in his late manner troubles me, but I can not tell what exactly. Yet he remains on the list of those I trust the most in this company. Maybe it is only his quick agreeing with Lady Galadriel that troubles me.

The lady herself has an innocent presence, but some of her words today have made me raise my eyebrows, mostly because of their aggressiveness or hastiness. I do not like the way she accuses me and Iarwain Ben-adar.

I do not mean to claim I find Iarwain innocent-looking. In fact, there's something very troubling in his presence. He reminds me of a treacherous Dwarf of Nogrod I met very recently. (Now, what words did I utter? Recently? From Nogrod? Nay, I believe it has long lied in ruins. How time passes...) Yet I'm not ready to send him away on such flimsy grounds...

Speaking of flimsy grounds, I think that's what Lord Elrohir is basing his accusations on. His actions trouble me to a certain extent, but I'm actually not finding him traitor-looking.

Another one I'm not finding suspicious is Radagast. His presence is so kind and honest that it is impossible to think bad of him. If he's a traitor, he's the foulest of them all.

Dáin, too, is very honest-looking. Some of his arguments I find odd and disagree with, but his overall manner is more that of an innocent than that of a traitor.

Halbarad the Ranger is an enigma. His behaviour is at times very suspicious, but a shadow crosses my mind every time I think about lynching him. I have a bad feeling both about him and lynching him.

I do not like the way Lobelia pursues him. She looks like a traitor who has found a good victim. And Saruman must have told her that it is unfortunately very easy to gain my trust by trusting me, for she seems to be following that pattern of action all too fluently. I suspect her, but I'm not truly ready to lynch her on these grounds.

Last but not least, Uglúk has been avoiding my attention. But he feels quite innocent for an Orc so I'll let him be for a while."

Gildor laughed, but there was a stony edge to his laugh. "See?" he asked. "This is what I think of you: no one seems very suspicious, yet three of you are traitors for sure." He shook his head, smiling grimly. "If I was to guess, I'd think the traitors were among Iarwain, Galadriel, Lobelia, Halbarad and Éomer."

He shadowed his eyes with his hand, looking to the distance. When he turned back to his companions, his fair face was troubled. "Already our time is running out, and we are merely struggling in the bog of uncertainity."


edit: xed with Radagast, Dáin and Lobelia