Falowik found himself in charge of the extra horses, who had never had much at all to do with them. The prisoner's horse was controlled by Thoronmir, toward the front of the group. Falowik had found rope, and not knowing what better to do, had tied the rope around the horn of each saddle. At least, that was what he called the things; it was what they looked like to him. Falco had given him a look as if he were dotty, but said nothing for a change.
Uien was toward the front, looking around her, looking as if she were fending off insults form every corner. At one point, after they had wandered for some time about Deadmen's Dike, Thoronmir's hand went up. They were in a courtyard before an old broken down manse. The walls had the blackened look of soot. Litter of human activity was everywhere. There was a fire pit near one wall. Bottles and paper lay on the ground nearby. Thronomir told Falowik to tie the horses down and help him search the manse while the others looked over the grounds. Gorby and Anson were assigned guard duty at the gate, where they were to keep an eye on the prisoner. Lumiel and Finėwen were sent around back of the manse while Lira and Eswen were to search every inch of the front. Uien insisted on joining Falowik and Thoronmir. Falco insisted on joining them, to keep an eye on the wanderer and the Elf woman.
The floor was littered with rubble that was mostly former roof and walls. The roof was still intact in one back room. There was hay on the floor, and a rancid smell mixed with that of old hay dominated the room. There was a table and rickety chairs in the middle of the room. Uien studied the table. There was nothing on it, except for scratches gouged in the surface. Thoronmir checked the walls while Falco kicked among the hay here and there. Falowik looked all around, trying to imagine what had gone on in this room. Was it a headquarters for the brigands? Then they might be back, but it seemed as if this place had not been used for a while. Was it an outpost? Falowik wondered if there might be shallow graves in the courtyard.
Lumiel and Finėwen came in with scrunched up noses. They reported an old latrine in one corner of the back yard, and a working well not far from it. Falco said what was on his mind about the filthiness of brigands. Falowik asked if they had found any shovels or spades, to which they answered 'no'. He asked if there was a shed or anything like it nearby. They hadn't seen one.
"I'm going to look in the other rooms again. Falco, would you join me?"
Falco gave him a startled look. "What for?"
"To look for tools. Like shovels."
"What would brigands want with shovels? Not bludgeoning weapons, surely!"
"To dig graves."
Falco's brow shot up. He nodded with a look of reconsideration.
"Lumiel and Finėwen," said Uien, "if Thoronmir agrees, please check around the outside of the manse for sheds. See what you can find that brigands might have used at the command of some leader whose purposes the brigands might not have known." They looked confused. "Such as building an army or torturing captives. Or anything like that." Uien looked to Thoronmir, who nodded his head. Lumiel and Finėwen left the manse.
Falowik led Falco into the next room and started looking closely at everything.
"You're not just looking for shovels, wanderer."
"The name's Falowik, if you don't mind."
"Falowik, then. What's your thinking?"
"Any clues that might explain what our enemy would want with captives, and the blood in their veins."
"Mighty evil sounding, that."
"Indeed. I wonder if we might not find a no longer used throne room of sorts here."
"They say the King of the North once made this his seat of rule."
"No, much more recent, I'm thinking. Just guesses, of course."
"Of course!" Falco eyed him with suspicion. They kept looking.
<font size=1 color=339966>[ 1:59 PM January 31, 2004: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]
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