[Nogrod]

Fastarr was filling his pipe after a most gratifying dinner of which all the guests had been openly thankful to their lord and his ladies. He hadn't eaten this well and in this good company in ages, at least that was how he felt. This staying at the Ulfing settlement had been such a depressing experience. And how he had hoped that Khandr would have thrown this party to announce their quick return home... But those seemed like vain dreams now. And he thought he understood what his lord thought and what might be at stake. He had felt uneasy towards this whole town all the time but now as Khandr had spoken he was getting convinced about being right with it.

After Khandr had given his list of duties to everyone Fastarr lit his pipe and puffed it concentratedly to make it alight well enough. Then he took a long puff and leaned backwards in his chair closing his eyes, thinking all that his lord had said. The smoke poured slowly from his nostrils.

"Lord Khandr, with your permission...", he suddenly addresed Khandr and pulled the pipe from his lips blowing the rest of the smoke towards the roof.

"I do have a slight concern. If we all suddenly approach these brothers tomorrow or the next day while we have had little or no contact with them during our whole stay here, then even how discreet or careful we are they will probably be able to deduce the obvious. I mean one of them just needs to notify another in a side note that one of the Borrim came to him today and the other one will go, "oh I was addressed by one too", and there it is. Maybe one of us should contact one of them personally, but the other two should concentrate on their servants?"

Fastarr took a couple of puffs from his pipe and eyed the others while he leaned forwards.

"I'm not sure how we should share this. As your retainer I might be given an errand by you my lord and I could contact Ulwarth with it? Or maybe we could come up with something for Hunta to query from Uldor concerning the hunting grounds? Or Bergr, do you have any ideas?"

He pulled back again and puffed his pipe yet a few more times. But abruptly he leaned back forwards as he had remembered something.

"Wait a minute. I know one we should go for. There is an Uldor's servant called Crogulf who's something of a drunkard. He sits quite regularly at the Dragontail Inn as long as I know. At least he has been there most of the times I have visited that shadowy place. One of us should have a pint or two with him... I can do it as I know him from his looks but it's also easy to tell you his characteristics, he's one you can't miss after a short description of his nose." With that Fastarr smiled and draw back again.

"If there would be any way we could have a word with those elves... what a pity there probably isn't without consulting the Ulfings first..." He inhaled the smoke with great pleasure and closed his eyes just to feel the substance spreading through his body.