After the lords had returned to their business, Arwen showed her gift to Éowyn. The princess of Ithilien exclaimed over the softness and listened intently as Arwen repeated Ghayur's description of its source.

"I wonder if such plants could be made to grow in Ithilien," Éowyn mused. "Perhaps, should our trade agreement be expanded, we could purchase seedlings and learn the way of their growth."

"Perhaps Legolas might be of assistance in that," Arwen suggested. "Such an undertaking would be much to his taste, I think."

"If it comes that far, I will be sure to ask," Éowyn said. "But for the moment, this is the cotton we have. Have you thought of what you wish to do with it?"

"I have," Arwen answered. "I wish to make garments for my child. He will be born in winter, and will require warm swaddling. If he wore this cloth next to his skin, then I could wrap him in warm outer clothing of wool without fearing that it would rub his skin painfully."

"That is a good use," Éowyn said. "If you are willing, we may start making the clothing today. We will use Elboron and Olwyn's baby robes as patterns. But you must promise me one thing."

"What is that?"

"I would see you derive enjoyment from this lovely stuff as well," Éowyn said. "Reserve enough of this cloth to make undergarments for yourself as well as for your child. For this was a gift given to you, and it is proper that you should have at least some of the pleasure of it."

Arwen nodded, fingering the soft, cool fabric once again. "I will do that," she said. "I will swaddle my child and myself in cotton of Harad, and we will be the happiest mother and child ever to walk Middle Earth."

"With the exception, no doubt, of all the cotton-wearing mothers and children in Harad," Éowyn pointed out.

"Then perhaps we will merely be the happiest mother and child in Gondor," Arwen laughed.

"Agreed. But first, we must make the garments." Éowyn rewound the bolt, handed it to Arwen and headed down the hall to a small storage chamber. "Now, where did I store the baby robes?"

"It comes to this," Faramir said. "The land of Ithilien is at a cross-roads. Do not think that I underestimate this fact. For two days, I have heard nothing save tales of the marvelous and wonderful new goods that will flow like water through Gondor should we expand our trading pact. I would know the price we would pay for such riches, though. I fear that we will pay with a portion of our tactical strength, a position which would concern this land of mine in particular."

"Think you so little of Harad that your first thought is of ways we might harm you?" Ghayur asked.

"Lord Ghayur, Gondor has never had cause to think anything else of Harad," Faramir said, beginning to let his exasperation show. "In the best of times, the relations of our two lands have been wary and at worst, openly hostile. What reason do we have to take you to our bosom after the manner of Rohan, a nation which has never taken up arms against our own?"

Ghayur's face darkened, and he visibly bit back several scathing remarks. Aragorn rapped his knuckles sharply on the table.

"Peace, Lord Faramir. Peace, Lord Ghayur," he said. "We do not desire to give insult, but as King of Gondor and Arnor, I must make the decisions that are in the best interests of my people. Therefore I give to you, Ghayur, Gondor's final message on this subject. Gondor does not wish to buy without knowing the price she will pay. We never sought to expand upon our current agreement; should Harad desire to do so, she must bear the burden of convincing Gondor that it is a good and necessary thing to do. The Crown would know precisely what Harad hopes to gain from Gondor. Until that is known, there will be no change in our current agreement."

There was a moment of silence around the negotiating table. Ghayur appeared to consider the King's words, occasionally shooting glances out of the corner of his eye towards the other nobles in his party and his guards, who stood impassively by the door. Faramir, Aragorn and their captains waited. For the first time in several hours, not a sound could be heard in the chamber.

At last, Ghayur stirred from his contemplation. He turned to his nobles. "Go," he told them sharply. "Leave this room." They stared back at him, dumbfounded.

"But, most exalted -- " one of them began.

"Leave the room," Ghayur repeated. "Take the guards with you. Go now."

"But, Lord --"

"Out with you!" Ghayur commanded. He stood and hauled the nearest noble to his feet. The others rose immediately. Ghayur herded them to the doors, where they bowed low and backed into the corridor. Ghayur glared at the guards, and they, too, bowed their way out. Only after securely shutting the heavy oak doors and barring them with a chair did he return to the negotiating table. The lords of Gondor, having watched this performance in silent shock, sat a little straighter and began to murmur among themselves. Aragorn stilled them with a wave of his hand.

"Do you have something you wish to say, Lord Ghayur?" he asked.

"I do," Ghayur replied. "It is not for the lesser lords of my company to hear the words I am about to utter -- may a thousand demons of wind and sand beset their houses should they overhear."

"They will not hear, for the walls are strong," Faramir said. "But tell us your secret now."

Ghayur inclined his head smoothly and looked Aragorn straight in the eye. "I had hoped to convince you of my peaceful intent by my gift to the Queen," he began. "Know, o wise and benevolent King, that I would not suffer a drop of blood to be shed in any house where she dwelled."

"That is encouraging," Aragorn said dryly. "Please, continue."

Ghayur was silent for a moment. He seemed to consider how best to frame what he had to say. "It has not escaped me," he said at last, "that my most illustrious hosts consider the circumstances of my ascent unusual."

"Say rather 'suspicious,' and you will be nearer the mark," Faramir put in. Ghayur smiled at him.

"As you like. It is the same to me. But now I will tell you the true tale of my coming to prominence in Harad and my achievement in power. May the skies turn to brass above my city if I should speak falsely."

"You are sworn to the truth," Aragorn said. "Now, say if you are or are not the legitimate ruler of Harad."

"I occupy that exalted station," Ghayur replied, "though I did not come there by the usual means. I was born to the position of lord vassal to Maruf the Sea-Born, my predecessor in this position, may his memory live forever. As was required of me, I remained humble and obedient, and I observed as Maruf made treaties and alliance with Sauron. At the time, I believed the lies told by Sauron, tales of the barbarism and evil that would spread from the northlands over our desert. And so I took up arms against Gondor and was defeated.

"In defeat, I saw the chance to observe and revise my estimate of my enemy. I began to see the lies that Sauron had told us concerning your people. Maruf did not. He chose instead to fill himself with bitterness and thoughts of revenge. He could not be allowed to hold the reins of power for long. And so I waited until my time was ripe, and then took action. I am something of a student of poisons, and I know which have swift effect."

The lords of Gondor began to talk in hushed tones. Faramir's gaze hardened, and he glared at Ghayur. "Then you are an assassin!" he snarled. "You would murder your own lord --"

Ghayur returned Faramir's glare. "I removed an obstacle from my land," he countered. "The politics of Harad are not as dainty as those of the fair north, I see. We do not disdain to soil our hands should the need arise."

Aragorn's voice was cold. "Nonetheless, you arrived at your current position by an act of betrayal. I fail to comprehend how this fact should encourage my trust in you."

Faramir turned to the King. "My Lord," he said urgently, "as we now know that Harad is ruled by a poisoner, I beg that we cut off trade altogether. I do not wish to discover that my Lord has eaten an imported orange and paid for the luxury with his life."

"My Lord Faramir, you slander me!" Ghayur cried. "Have you heard nothing of what I have said? I acquired my current position to oppose those in my land who, like Maruf, would in fact seek to wage war upon Gondor. I do not come to you seeking an inlet to poison the King. I come to strengthen trade, for in strengthening trade, one strengthens the channels of communication. It is to my advantage and yours that Gondor and Harad make certain of their doings more open."

"For one who wishes to unveil the secrets of his land, you have been very close about your intentions, Lord Ghayur," Aragorn said icily. "Am I to understand that you wish to broaden our trade agreement and secure access to our ports to facilitate mutual espionage?"

"Say rather, to uncork sources that the wine of information may flow more freely," Ghayur said. Aragorn sighed.

"By whatever name you wish to call it, the result is the same," he said. "I would think upon your request and take counsel with my lords. I declare a recess. We will reconvene at the King's pleasure, at which point I will make my decision known."

The lords of Gondor stood. Ghayur rose to his feet an instant later. He gave a short half-bow and walked out of the negotiating chamber, his spine erect and his head held high.

Arwen and Éowyn and Éowyn's ladies had formed a small sewing circle. One lady with a keen eye for patterning had examined the baby robes and sketched the pattern pieces on linen. They had then pinned the linen patterns to the bolt of cotton fabric and had cut the soft stuff. Now, the garments passed from hand to hand. One lady pinned the pieces together, another basted, and others assisted Arwen and Éowyn in sewing the new cotton robes.

As they worked, the ladies exchanged tales of pregnancy and childbearing. Unlike Arwen's attendants in Minas Tirith, nearly all of Éowyn's ladies had borne at least one child. They were well acquainted with the fears and anxieties that preceded the first childbirth, and it took little prompting for them to speak freely to their Queen and share their own tales. In return, Arwen told them of Halandir's suggestion that she compile the experience and wisdom of mothers into a single text that could be kept in the Archives to reassure other women who found themselves pregnant and bereft of family in whom they might confide.

"It is an intriguing idea," said one lady, who was edging a tiny cap with lace. "It seems that, even among the literate classes of Gondor, there are many ladies who become mothers without ever understanding how or why they become such."

"That ignorance is hardly limited to those ladies without family," the basting lady added. "Neither my mother nor my aunts could bring themselves to talk about indelicate matters, even after I had been wed. It was only a mercy that I had a grandmother still living who did not blush to speak frankly to me."

"I am happy to say that I was taught all about the origins of motherhood while I was still quite young," Arwen said with a smile.

"Then the education of the Elves is that much more complete than the education given to certain young maidens of Gondor," the basting lady replied. "I would respectfully suggest that my Lady include a discussion of the . . . preliminaries . . . in her text. If the King would permit such a thing to be written, of course."

"Then I shall do so gladly," Arwen said. "And the King need not read it himself. This will, after all, be a text of concern to women."

"If I may be so bold, my Lady," ventured a very young lady who was hemming a little gown, "I had always heard that the Elves were the best ones for learning, and that when an Elf taught something, it was taught in the fullest detail. How did my lady come to know of the origins of children yet know so little of the bearing of them?"

"On the subject of children, my parents did not volunteer information," Arwen said. "They told me whatever I wished to know, of course, and when I came to the age of curiosity, I asked where children came from. My mother told me everything she knew on that particular subject. But I never thought to ask my mother or my grandmother about the specifics of carrying or birthing a child. It is far too late for that now. Celebrían and Galadriel have gone over the Sea, and I shall never see them again."

"That is so sad," the hemming lady said. "It is just as if they had died, only somehow it feels sadder."

"Sad it is, indeed," Éowyn said. "But that is what we are here to remedy. The Queen has no mother or grandmother left to her, so we must take the place of her lost family."

"Just think, Carlith," the basting lady teased the hemming lady, "today, you may take the place of sister to the Queen."

Carlith turned bright red and gasped. "Me?" she squeaked out. "A sister to my Lady? Oh, I could never!"

It was too much for Arwen. She laid down her sewing and dissolved into laughter. Soon, all the ladies were laughing and telling stories as if they had all been sisters from the dawn of time.

Aragorn glanced around once more to ensure that Faramir and the rest of Gondor's delegation were in their proper places. He had made his decision and wanted no uncertainty about the seriousness of what he had to say to Ghayur. Faramir sat solemnly beside him, and the remainder of the lords stood stiffly behind the table. Aragorn decided that they looked suitably impressive. He nodded to the heralds at the doors, who swung them open.

"Enter!" they cried. "Aragorn Elessar, King of Gondor, has made his judgement. Enter, and hear his doom!"

Faramir raised his eyebrows very briefly at that, but there was no time for further discussion. His features became impassive once more just as Ghayur and his lords stalked into the negotiating chamber. Ghayur marched right up to the table and made a sweeping bow. He straightened without saying a word and gazed at Aragorn, his eyes glittering, waiting for the word of the King.

Aragorn had to admit that Ghayur impressed him. He hoped that Ghayur had been sincere in his protestations of friendship to Gondor, as he was not a man Aragorn wished to meet as a foe. On the other hand, neither was he someone to be trusted with full access to Gondor's trading ports and internal secrets. Aragorn had spent an hour coming up with a plan that he hoped would satisfy Ghayur while still affording Gondor some measure of protection. He had then spent another two convincing Faramir to agree to it. During those hours, the two men had engaged in a lively discussion of all that they knew concerning Ghayur and what he might hope to gain from Gondor. It had been Faramir who had finally had a flash of insight into Ghayur's possible motives that convinced both of them that Aragorn's plan might have a chance of working. Once more, Aragorn gave thanks for his Steward's talent for discerning the thoughts of men.

"Lord Ghayur, Chief of All Harad, hearken now to the King's decision," he said formally. Ghayur's face remained impassive. Aragorn folded his hands on the tabletop. "I have seen the samples of trade goods that you have shown us, and I am most impressed by their quality. I do not doubt that an expanded trade agreement would enrich both our nations, but I am not willing to buy that enrichment at the price of leaving Gondor open to infiltration by agents of a lord I cannot trust even to be loyal to his own land. I will not agree to any expansion of trade between Harad and Gondor at this time."

Ghayur's face darkened, and Aragorn could see that he remained silent with some difficulty. He plunged ahead. "But neither will I break off trade completely. The current trading post will remain open, and our two nations will continue to exchange what goods have been traded in years past." Aragorn glanced at Faramir and took a deep breath. "In addition," he went on, "I have charged the Prince of Ithilien with a new task. He will enlarge the trading compound and staff it with a team of military and diplomatic agents. For a year, they will observe the course of politics in Harad."

"Spies!" one of Ghayur's men spat.

"Observers," Aragorn countered. "Who may be expelled from Harad at any time that Lord Ghayur wishes. However, if they are expelled before a full year is out, they may not fulfill the second part of their mission."

"And that is?" Ghayur asked.

"At the end of one full year of observation they will report back to Minas Tirith on all the doings and policies they have seen. I will consider their reports. If I am given reason enough, I will reconsider our trade agreement, and may even open negotiations concerning the military aid you so desperately need."

Ghayur stiffened. "Military aid?" he said. "I asked for no military aid."

"You did not ask directly," Faramir said gently. "But all your talk has been of what goods you would pay us and justification of your seizure of power. From that I read that your situation is more precarious than you would have us believe, and you would seek to shore it up with the military backing of Gondor. Our assistance would be bought with exotic spices, and the increased access to Gondor's interior would be merely a fringe benefit for you."

There was silence for a long moment. Aragorn could hear his own heart pounding. Ghayur leveled his gaze at Faramir and considered the man who had unmasked what he had tried to conceal by indirection. Finally, his face split in a wide grin.

"Hail Lord Faramir, whose eyes pierce even to the innermost hearts of men," he said. "The Men of Harad are not to be trusted, so they are to be watched, and if they behave to the satisfaction of the watchers, then they will be treated with. Tell me," he said, leaning closer to Aragorn, "what assurance you will have that your spies will receive true reports of Harad's doings? If I were as black of heart as you believe, it would be nothing to me to do with one hand and, with the other, to tell your military and diplomatic team what it wished to hear."

It was Aragorn's turn to smile now. "Tell me, Ghayur," he said, "what assurance you will have that Gondor's watchers will remain in their compound? You are correct; your land must be watched before we will enter further relations with you. I am not the Dark Lord Sauron, to watch from afar with an all-seeing Eye that may be fooled. I am a Ranger of the North, who will slip into dark corners unobserved and there see things intended for the eyes of no one. Your own observations of Gondor must surely have taught you to expect this."

Ghayur laughed loudly, startling the delegation of Gondor. "A fine speech indeed, o Ranger King!" he cried. "No longer is this the age of Maruf and Denethor, two fierce old men peering suspiciously at each other across the void of their lands. This is now the age of Ghayur and Aragorn, who spy on each other at more intimate quarters. Very well; I accept your decision. We will continue our trade, and you will set your observers and spies for a year. Perhaps I will return the favor. If you discover mine, you may kill them or expel them; it matters not to me. If I discover yours, we will see what may be done with them. At the end of a year, we will meet again and tally the score in our little game. And then, perhaps, we may at last sit together and do real business."

A feral gleam appeared in Aragorn's eyes. "Let the game begin, then," he said, "and may we both emerge the richer for it."

Ghayur laughed once more and directed his lords to leave the chamber. Just before he left, he leaned in close to Aragorn and spoke softly to him. "Know one thing more, o Ranger King," he said. "Every word that I spoke about your Queen was the truth. I will never shed blood in any House where she dwells."

"I believe you," Aragorn said. Ghayur swept another low bow and walked proudly out of the negotiating chamber to return with his lords to his own land.