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Old 06-08-2006, 07:27 AM   #38
Folwren
Messenger of Hope
 
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States.
Posts: 5,228
Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Folwren is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Thornden followed Eodwine forward to where Haleth stood waiting. He listened in silence as Haleth pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Eodwine, explaining what it was. He watched Eodwine carefully as the Eorl numbly unfolded the piece of paper and hardly glanced at it.

“I defer, Haleth, Eoredlord, to your wisdom in the matter. I am yours to command as you see fit.”

Thornden remained still, standing upright and rigid as a couple of years as a guard had taught him, but in his mind, he wondered what troubled Eodwine. He knew, from the wall toppling down the past week, that Eodwine took much blame upon himself when something went wrong, but it was also his way to take the responsibility in recovering what he had lost, or setting to rights what had been damaged. Now he appeared reluctant to do so.

No, not reluctant. Thornden looked quizzically at Eodwine’s face. Not reluctant. He wanted very much to get Linduial back. It was something else. But Thornden didn’t know what.

Thornden pulled his thoughts away from Eodwine. Whatever the problem there, it could not be addressed now. He had to think on the kidnaping of Linduial now. His eyes riveted to the paper in Eodwine’s hand. As he perused the names, he turned over in his mind what Haleth had said.

‘I thought we might start here in looking for our kidnapper. . .’

Someone touched his shoulder and he turned his head sharply.

“I’ve been added to list of people going to the gate,” Deren said, jerking his head towards a group of men preparing to leave. “Tell lord Eodwine, won’t you?”

Thornden nodded. “I will. Good luck.” He watched as Deren walked away. Deren joined the men and then the entire group went off down the street, towards the gate. Thornden turned back towards Eodwine and Haleth. Haleth was speaking to another man, answering some question. “My lord Eodwine,” Thornden said quietly, close to Eodwine’s ear. Eodwine looked up. “If I might be so bold to make a suggestion - I don’t think that we would accomplish much if we walked up to these men’s homes,” he indicated the paper, “openly hostile and demanding to search their place. They’d jump to the defensive at once and we wouldn’t be able to learn anything.” He stopped a moment. He had not thought of what they could do instead of that.

“I don’t know what we’d be able to do, though,” he added after a short moment of silence between them. “I think that it would be a good idea not to rile anyone up before we have any evidence against them.”
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