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'Gandalf,' Alearindu bowed her head. 'I was wondering about Volondil and him entering the castle. Are we to take horses into the Castle? I'm not quite sure how Volondil would be about walking by the time we got there. What should we do?'
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* Gandalf tossed an oaken log onto the campfire, holding out his pipe bowl towards it. The log thudded a momentary solid comfort against the falling twilight. A chorus of sparks snapped outwards, leaping up so high that the people sitting nearest jumped with a slight start. Gandalf’s pipe bearing Holly’s shared Southern Star came ablaze from the fire’s stray touch. * Safe for Volondil to enter the Castle? There will be no safe place, Alearindu, inside nor out, once arrived at our destination. The reach of the age-old curse of Maladil has grown beyond the boundaries of household. Volondil already has felt its clawing.
* Gandalf’s expression gentled as he turned towards the still-hobbling ranger. * Volondil, though you wish you could do more, your being is worth more than your doing. May the healing of your injuries bring healing to others.
As for taking horses into the Castle, ... * Gandalf smiled. * Horses should fare better than we, if only they could climb the stairs. Nay, at best the horses and ponies should be stabled on the grounds of Laurëondo, the better to protect them from Orcs. That is, if the horses don’t spook. Aislan can help us with the horse tending, and someone should accompany our good hostler. None of us should walk alone undefended on the Castle grounds. Even Poppy will be guarded … by Maladil himself, I’ll warrant. For despite all the evidence, yet I cannot believe he has forsaken his honor, however misplaced that honor has been from the first utterance of his oath.
* As the company assembled around the campfire, Gandalf presented them each with three long, thin rods of metal with thick heads on one end, like tiny cattails ... Aislan, Alearindu, Andreth, Bethberry, Estelarion, Hinura, Holly, Menelduliniel, Olo, Volondil. All except for Poppy, and Gandalf’s only answer when the gold-bearing Hobbit questioned why was a cryptically muttered "Maybe later." As for Nardol, Gandalf held three metal rods in readiness to present to the warrior-Elf as well, should he approach the campfire and join with the rest. *
* Midnight grazed peacefully enough, wandering freely as a shadow within sight of camp. *
[ December 28, 2002: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]