The King's Players RPG

[Nerwen]

Now this was more like it. Asta wondered that she could ever have compared Coldan to an Easterling. Not that she had more than a vague idea what an Easterling looked like, but she knew they were supposed to be ugly and brutish– and Coldan, with the lock of dark hair that fell so charmingly across his forehead, with his grey eyes shining...Coldan was anything but ugly.

"To Sammath Naur and back!" Asta repeated, in a whisper equally fervent.

On impulse, she leant forward, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to his.

[Dimturiel]

During the heated discussions in the wagon, Harrenon had remained, as he usually did under such circumstances, as unobtrusive as possible, so much so that he had not even been really noticed. Then Asta left, presumably to the props wagon to take care of Smaug - which was now going to be a spider - and Coldan soon followed her. It was then that Harrenon remembered that he had not told Coldan yet about his morning with Sador – which, he thought, would be a shame if it remained unreported. If he had had to endure that romantic drivel Sador had sprouted all morning, then so did Coldan, especially since it had been on the latter’s orders that Harrenon had spent time with Sador in the first place. Therefore, he left to find Coldan. He knew where to look for him. Since Coldan usually gravitated around Asta quite a lot, then he was bound to be in the props wagon too.

And he did find both Coldan and Asta there, just as he had expected. What he had most certainly not anticipated, however, was to find the two locked in a passionate embrace, just as he had stomped into the wagon. If only he had moved more quietly, then perhaps he would have remained unnoticed and he would have managed to leave before the unexpected situation could become even more uncomfortable. But unfortunately he had made too much noise for that, and the couple became aware of his arrival.

“Oh, I’m…I’m dreadfully sorry!” Harrenon stammered turning around quickly as the two separated to see who had disturbed them. “I…I meant no…I mean, I didn't see anything, really. I was just looking for…well, never mind, I’ll leave now. You two can…well, carry on…”

[Pitchwife]

When the impossible happened and Asta kissed him in an instant that shattered his world and made it new, Coldan was for a mere fraction of a second too gobsmacked to react. But then his arms went around her, pressing her against his chest, and he returned the kiss with all the dammed up passion of three years of hopeless yearning -

- or rather, he would have, if Harrenon, whom he hadn't so much as noticed all the time, hadn't picked that very moment to interrupt them. Cursing under his breath, he turned to Harrenon, who prepared to make an awkward retreat as soon as he realized what had been going on, while Asta pulled away from him with a smoldering look in her eyes that presaged little good for the young Gondorian. His only consolation was seeing somebody else blush and stutter in embarrassment for a change.

"No, vait", he sighed, holding Harrenon back by his shirtsleeve. "I vas going to talk to you anyway. Asta, don't kill him yet - ve need him." He grabbed Harrenon's shoulders and brought the two of them face to face, willing him to overcome his befuddlement and concentrate. "Now, Harry, zink - ven vas ze last time you saw Aldarion? Any idea vere he vent zis morning? And did you do vat I asked you last night - you know, about Sador?"

[Galadriel55]

Smaug? I do not recall Smaug doing anything during the Siege of Gondor, thought Thiliel. She was calmer now, after Celebrindal truthfully told her all that she could tell about the future of the play, but she was not less confused. Asta, whom she did not like very much yesterday, seemed very upset about that. When Asta found out that Smaug is in fact a spider, she stormed out of the wagon, pushing everyone in the crowded wagon in the process. Coldan made a lame excuse and went out after her.

Celebrindal and the man who Thiliel understood to be her husband were heatedly discussing something else now. The girl listened for a minute or so, after which it suddenly struck her that her uncle might miss her and be looking all over the place, worrying unnecessarily. She quiety slipped away from Sereth, giving her a wink and a small smile, unnoticed by either of the adults.

Before returning to her uncle and her duties, she walked a little bit amongst the wagons, fascinated by the colourful displays, sometimes daring to look inside. She thought about the Smaug problem. She remembered hearing about a dreadful pass in the Mountains of Shadow, Cirith Ungol, the Spider Cleft, that up to this day no man of Gondor dared to cross. But she also heard that two periannath, came throgh unscathed. Or, at least, they were not devoured by the evil that dwelt there. This is where the spider would come in, she assumed. But none of the sroties that her elders ever told her spoke of a dragon.

Walking in a dream-like way, lost in her thoughts, Thiliel was startled when she heard a voice coming from a wagon just a few feet away. "Now, Harry, zink - ven vas ze last time you saw Aldarion? Any idea vere he vent zis morning?" This was Coldan's voice. More about Sador! It seems that Celebrindal hasn't told me all.

Thiliel once again reminded herself that she should be inside, where Ingold could keep an eye on her. But she decided to take a quick peek at what was going on, and then, she promised herself, she'd get on with her chores.

"And did you do vat I asked you last night - you know, about Sador?" Coldan asked a man, probably another actor, who he was holding by his shoulders. "I could tell you abot Lord Sador!" Thiliel said. Coldan and the other man turned to her. "His sister and sister-in-law came to the inn in the morning and took him away in a rich carriage that was decorated with swans."

[Nerwen]

It was truly remarkable, Asta thought, how someone as insignificant as Harrenon could at the same time show such talent for getting in the way. She contented herself with merely glaring at the young actor, as she was very curious to know what his task had been.

So Coldan had already been taking some kind of action about Sador! It was not like him to show so much initiative– but then he had certainly managed to surprise her over the last few days.

Then the aggravating little maid had to burst in, babbling about carriages and swans. Asta felt like slapping her.

"By King Bard's arrow, does this waggon look like a public thoroughfare to you? Of course they have a carriage with swans, they're rich folk (ill-gotten gains, I'm sure); anyway I saw it myself. As if anyone could miss a great thing like that!"

"A swan device, you say?" Harrenon spoke quietly, yet with a note in his voice that made Asta, for once, give him her full attention.

"Yes. Why, is it important?"

[Dimturiel]

"Yes. Why, is it important?"

Secretly, Harrenon was glad he could distract Asta from whatever murderous plans she had regarding him. The tone of her question showed that she had guessed that he thought something was not quite right.

“Well, it’s the Swan device,” he said quickly. “Don’t you know what that means?”

He looked from Coldan to Asta, waiting for the two to realise what he was talking about.

"Have you forgotten last year when we performed in Dol Amroth?" he asked. " We saw many such devices there. Well, the swan is the device of those of Dol Amroth. Don't you remember?”

Harrenon paused, and looked at the other three. He frowned.

“I don’t understand,” he said. “What link can there be between Sador and those of Dol Amroth?”

[Pitchwife]

Coldan slapped his forehead when Harrenon reminded them of the Swans of Dol Amroth. Of course! Dol Amroth - the Swan Players - Aldarion and his mysterious connection to a no less mysterious lady which Sador had hinted at - it all fit together, even if he wasn't yet sure precisely how; but it corroborated his suspicion that Aldarion's kidnapping wasn't entirely without this connivance.

“I don’t understand,” Harrenon said with a puzzled look. “What link can there be between Sador and those of Dol Amroth?”

"I don't know", Coldan admitted. "But I know of a link betveen Dol Amroth and Aldarion. Zat's vere he joined us, after all, leaving zat other group he vas viz at ze time - ze Svan Players; I'm sure you remember ze arrogant sods."

Last evening, though, Aldarion had spoken of his past career with the Dol Amroth company with positive nostalgia. The greatest company in the history of Gondor! I had it all, and by the Valar, I will rise again!

"Maybe zey vant him back, and Sador is vorking for zem; and zey probably von't vant us to succeed viz zis play and gain ze King's favour in zeir place. Or maybe - " He hesitated to broach this in Asta's presence, willing to spare whatever lingering feelings she might still have for the playwright after what had just happened; but they would find out the truth soon enough - better to spare her a nasty surprise.

"Or maybe Aldarion even consented to being kidnapped. Remember vat Sador told us last night? - No matter", he hastened to continue, "ve're going to find him and rescue him if he vants rescuing." And drag him back by the ears if he doesn't, he added silently.

"Vat say you, Harry? Are you viz us?"