[Celuien]

Listening to Torim's story made Garstan uneasy. The man did not seem craven (or so Garstan hoped, thinking that had he been completely without courage, he would never have come forward at all), yet he had held back his knowledge of the kidnapping for three days. Sorn must be a brutal man, far worse than the half told rumors the search party had been somewhat uselessly told. Three days, and those days had passed without word that the kidnapper's demands would be met. He feared for Linduial, trapped as she was under the ill guardianship of her probably increasingly frustrated abductor. They had to hurry.

Torim described Sorn's companions. The description of one, though it started as a picture that might have fitted most any man of Rohan, began to catch Garstan's ear. Middle height, but strudy. Blond hair to his shoulders. Then came the difference. A large mustache, brown coat, and black boots. Garstan had seen this man. And heard of him in a way that now caused to to jump forward in alarm and anger as Haleth asked, "Can any of you think of anything else?"

"Indeed, my lord, I can." Garstan looked from Haleth to Eodwine, seeing his own thought mirrored in their faces. Both seemed filled with consternation, though he could not tell who held more frustration with their lost chance to follow the suspicious visitors to Edoras. Eodwine, whose suggestion to shadow the visitors had been rejected, or Haleth, who had made the error of rejecting the plan. "Do not fear, Torim. He is gone now. But not two days ago, the second man you speak of was under this roof as a guest." A grim laugh, devoid of humor escaped him. "And I might have known it then, had I but a little more wit. The man spoke to my daughter and questioned her about the fair. I thought nothing of it then, setting it to the curiosity of a passer through Edoras, but I see it now. Though, mayhap, I should have suspected then. I know that you suspected them, Eorl. Had their actions been known, perhaps they would have been followed as you intended, and we would be nearer to finding Lady Linduial."

Garstan paused, taking in the frustrated silence, puzzling over the questions they had put to his daughter. "Lèoðern spoke freely and told him of Linduial their ill-fated trip to the horse fair, as he asked. This Sorn must have sent him to gather word of our doings here." He scowled, furious that his children had been in such close contact with the villianous schemers, worrying that they would now be in danger from the kidnappers, wondering what the purpose in their questioning had been.

"I fear too that my own children are now in the view of the kidnappers. Though they have no rank or wealth to make them objects or ransom, Linduial took some interest in my daughter. I do not know why else she would have been chosen for questioning, and I do not know what the kidnapper's intent was in doing so.

"I have but one question more for you, Torim. Where is this Sorn and where did you see him last with the lady?"