Abduction in Edoras Discussion Thread

[littlemanpoet]

Here is the latest follow-up on the "Bertwald & Hilda" sub-plot. Please let Foley and me know what you think.

Eodwine reached the gate of Edoras and found Deren with the other guards.

"Greetings, Deren! I hope your thankless chore at the gate has paid you in some bit of news. What know you of this Bertwald and Hilda?" Eodwine smirked. "The wife seems to have mistaken your King's Markings for robbers' crests, if you can believe it! Do you remember the pair?"

"I remember the pair," Deren replied, walking forward. He placed his hand on the horse's shoulder and looked up at Eodwine. "They came through not long ago, just after dark. Said they were on their way to see the woman's dying mother and had to stop here on their way. Why do you ask? Has something come up?"

Eodwine wondered at that: the woman had spoken nothing of a dying mother. Had the man? Eodwien could not remember that he had. It was suspicious. Then again, anything and everything seemed suspicious these days. Eodwine scowled, not liking that he was suspicious first.

"They have come to the Mead Hall seeking shelter for the night. What think you of the pair? Tell me all your mind about them."

“Well, I do not rightly know, sir,” Deren replied. He knit his eyebrows together, wondering if something had happened and asking himself all the while why the Eorl had come all this way to question him on the matter. “This job has made me question everybody, for real and in my mind. I did wonder that they came so late, but I do not suppose we can really hold that against them too much. He spoke strangely, sir, to tell you the truth. All day we had people coming through here and they did not know why they were stopped by guards and most of them didn’t say much. They just answered the questions straight and went on. He. . .well, he talked, but without making his point quite clear. But maybe it was only my imagination.”

Deren scratched his head. He was talking in circles and that certainly would not help in the matter. “I would just keep an eye on him, my lord,” he finished. “If he fails to leave tomorrow morning early, then there would be real cause to worry. He told me that they were only stopping for the night, and when I asked him if he’d be leaving tomorrow morning, he said ‘I imagine so!’ and I let him pass."

"My thanks, Deren. I will watch these two and see if they leave early tomorrow. If we could spare men, maybe we should have them followed. I will give the matter thought. Good night to you!"

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Firefoot's post


Upon his return to the Mead Hall, Eodwine went directly to Haleth and asked him to his own rooms for a talk in private. Once there, Eodwine went straight to the point.

"I know not if you heard Bertwald's own words as to the greeting he and his wife were given at the Gate. I spoke to Deren who was the very guard this Hilda claims to have mistreated her; or I should say, this Bertwald claims that Deren was, shall we say, overzealous. Deren told me that it seemed this Bertwald talked more than need be. That suggests to me that he may be crafting a bed of lies, as they say. I admit that I have no other call to think ill of the man, but these are bad times. So I would ask of you that the couple be watched. Maybe they will lead us to the fiend who has taken Linduial."

Haleth hesitated. Where did one draw the moral line? "In normal times, such would not even be thought on," he answered slowly. "As like as not it is simply an innocent couple staying here the night. Would not watching them be near the same as questioning those nobles on our list simply because they meet our guidelines?" But then what had been the point of guards at the gates of Edoras if Haleth was not going to take their word when someone seemed suspicious? "I would be loath to have them followed in the case that they are innocent people. But if they do not leave the Mead Hall in the morning, then yes, have them watched. If they leave, let them go."

Eodwine was unsure of Haleth's thought, but Haleth was the ruler in this matter. He nodded, "Aye, that is well."

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EDIT

So, lmp I'm supposing you can move Firefott's post to wherever it needs to be moved? (See her post #294 on this thread)

~*~ Pio, helpful, but confused

[Celuien]

Very nice twist.

I'll edit my filled in save later so that Garstan's comments to Torim still make sense, given that he would probably know about what was going on.

Are they still being followed in the current day? Knowing where they're headed could be useful information now that the clear connection to Sorn is in place.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Celuien

Very nice twist.

I'll edit my filled in save later so that Garstan's comments to Torim still make sense, given that he would probably know about what was going on.

Are they still being followed in the current day? Knowing where they're headed could be useful information now that the clear connection to Sorn is in place.

Well, that's a problem. I intend to write a follow-up post in which Eodwine recommends to Haleth that Bertwald and Hilda be watched and followed. In fact, Firefoot, what say you and I PM-build that post? And we can see where it leads? It's going to be perhaps tricky to keep this lead from developing into too much by Day 4 when Torim finally comes forward, but we'll do what we can to not mess with that, right Firefoot?

[Firefoot]

Sounds good to me.

I'm slowly realizing the implications of this though... they're followed, then they don't leave the city like they say... perhaps they somehow manage to lose those following them - do they assume they've left the city? And then they're able to actually leave because out-bound traffic wasn't being so well monitored? Hm...

Or what if Haleth decides not to have them trailed? I'm not sure about reasoning here, but talk about a mistake...

[littlemanpoet]

Haleth saying "no" would be the simplest way to take care of it. I would be fine with that. However, such a decision will no doubt have implications down the road. .... which could be fun. I'll PM you and that'll give you a chance to have Haleth respond as you see fit.

[Firefoot]

Alrighty, this needs to be placed after Folwren's and LMP's post above...

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Firefoot's post


Upon his return to the Mead Hall, Eodwine went directly to Haleth and asked him to his own rooms for a talk in private. Once there, Eodwine went straight to the point.

"I know not if you heard Bertwald's own words as to the greeting he and his wife were given at the Gate. I spoke to Deren who was the very guard this Hilda claims to have mistreated her; or I should say, this Bertwald claims that Deren was, shall we say, overzealous. Deren told me that it seemed this Bertwald talked more than need be. That suggests to me that he may be crafting a bed of lies, as they say. I admit that I have no other call to think ill of the man, but these are bad times. So I would ask of you that the couple be watched. Maybe they will lead us to the fiend who has taken Linduial."

Haleth hesitated. Where did one draw the moral line? "In normal times, such would not even be thought on," he answered slowly. "As like as not it is simply an innocent couple staying here the night. Would not watching them be near the same as questioning those nobles on our list simply because they meet our guidelines?" But then what had been the point of guards at the gates of Edoras if Haleth was not going to take their word when someone seemed suspicious? "I would be loath to have them followed in the case that they are innocent people. But if they do not leave the Mead Hall in the morning, then yes, have them watched. If they leave, let them go."

Eodwine was unsure of Haleth's thought, but Haleth was the ruler in this matter. He nodded, "Aye, that is well."


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EDIT


Hmmm . . . I'm not sure who you're asking to do what or where . . .

So - I did move this post up into lmp's post space above (#288), and then he can put it wherever it's supposed to be.

~*~ Pio, the confused

[littlemanpoet]

I've added the most recent additions to that lengthening post on the main thread. I hope it fits okay with what's needed. Please let me know if it needs anything changed.