[Child of the 7th Age]

Ráma

Still piqued over the rebuff she'd suffered at the hands of the Gondorians, Ráma discarded her rags at the Inn, explaining to Lena that things had not worked out, and then headed towards the marketplace to assuage her hurt feelings by the well known remedy of shopping. She purchased a few trinkets of jewelry for herself and a bolt of fine linen for her sister's betrothal gift, afterwards stopping to chat with another desert woman who'd come to the city to market her wares.

Holding the bundles within her arms, she slowly made her way to the Cat's Paw, still filled with resentment that she'd promised to wait for the Men. So far, she'd heard nothing about trouble in the harbor; perhaps Falasmir had altered his plans. Most likely, Mithadan and Airefalas would find their way aboard the Star and sail homeward, while she fruitlessly waited.

Approaching the Inn, Ráma was surprised to find the door latched tight: this was not Lena's normal routine. Ráma tugged down on the rope to ring the bell, expecting her friend to respond. For a long time, no one answered. Then, from inside, came muffled sounds of shuffling and dragging as if someone was preparing to barricade the door by propping up a piece of furniture in the hallway.

"Lena, where are you?" Ráma spoke in a low voice, knocking softly on the door.

"Ráma, is that you? Thank goodness! I was afraid he'd found you in the marketplace." A key turned in the lock and the door swung slightly open, affording Ráma just enough room to slip inside and fall into her friend's outstretched arms.

"What are you talking about?" the young girl countered. "No one followed me to the market. What's wrong?" Ráma cursed herself for letting down her guard and staying behind when Thorn had explicitly instructed her to leave. If anything happened to her family or her clan, she would never forgive herself for this delay.

Tugging her friend into a side chamber, Lena hurriedly explained, "After you left, there was a visitor inquiring about you."

"A trader, perhaps?" Ráma queried.

"He was no trader! The Man was fully armed and wore a hood pulled over his face. I couldn't tell who he was or where he'd come from. Because of his enormous cloak, I couldn't even see if he wore Falasmir's livery. But he asked me some very peculiar questions. He even asked whether I'd seen you cast a magic spell..."

"A 'magic spell'? That's ridiculous," the girl objected, with a shake of her head.

"Begging your pardon, Mistress Ráma, but I think he was deadly serious. He kept talking around the subject, but what he really wanted was to learn whether you could change into another form. And he insisted on knowing where you'd gone to. He even pressed me on where Thorn was, since he hadn't found him at the palace...."

As Lena revealed this last piece of information, Ráma's face blanched. Except for Lena and a few trusted members of her own clan, no one in the city or at home knew that Thorn was employed at the palace to spy. The other maenwaith had been told he was merely off working with one of the trading caravans that plied their wares along the coast and on the city's outskirts. Nor did those he worked for in Umbar have any idea that he was a maenwaith ......at least, no one until now.

Perhaps someone had seen through her guise at the palace and suspicions had been aroused. That might explain why a mysterious Man had followed her to the Cat's Paw, but it still wasn't clear how he had recognized her as a shapechanger or knew enough to ask questions about Thorn. Ráma suddenly sensed that she was standing on the edge of a large pool of quicksand, watching as her toes began sinking into the ooze. She turned around and scowled, "I should have followed my instincts and left this morning. I must go now. Thorn knew there was trouble and wanted me back home. I only hope my being here hasn't caused you harm."

Lena grabbed the satchel with her belongings, stuffing the linen cloth inside, and ran over to the stables to retrieve her horse. She mounted up and was about to gallop out the gate when something drew her back. Turning to face Lena, she stopped to add. "Two men, Gondorians, may come to the Inn tomorrow at dawn. They're not dangerous. Offer them the camels I still have in your paddock. Urge them to depart on their own, but if they insist on speaking with me, tell them that I await at the Caves of Herumor, a mile north of the main city gates. I'll wait there till just past sunrise but no longer than that!" With those final instructions, Ráma urged her mare forward and disappeared down the maze of alleys.