Chapter 12

Within the Mayor's Head and Walls

April 17

Kopairin, Gondor

The prison was surprisingly close to Valihondo's house, but the walk was long enough for Aragorn to see some of the damage done by the recent attack. He frowned at the sight of several shops that had apparently taken direct hits from the weapons fired at them, some kind of burning rock that again trembled on the edge of Aragorn's memory…something he'd encountered before.

When they reached the prison Valihondo greeted the jailer wearily by name; Aragorn found it a little strange that the mayor should be on such familiar terms with the man. Mayors were not usually so deeply involved with the after-effects of local crime.

"In the past several weeks," Valihondo explained in answer to Aragorn's confusion, "several of the Gondorians made a habit of arresting people without due cause. I can't tell you how many irate townspeople, tradesmen and farmers I had to release." Valihondo sighed and shook his head as the prison door swung open to admit its visitors. "And to think my consolation was that they were just being overly cautious."

Aragorn and Legolas followed the mayor inside and they, in turn, were followed by Himadan and the jailer.

It was musty and it took a moment for Aragorn's eyes to adjust to the dark. Legolas had wisely dampened his glow to bare existence, though he was still the easiest figure to see.

The jailer gestured ahead to where torch light flickered against the wall and they followed him to a bend in the hall. Upon turning the corner they discovered it was far lighter on this side with torches lighting up a cell. Two men stood before the door, their hands on their weapons, looking a little too innocent, Aragorn thought.

Behind them a man wearing the crest of the white tree hung somewhat limply from cuffs set high in the wall. The firelight cast shadows on his face but Aragorn recognized the features anyway.

"Tantur," Aragorn breathed with dismay. Valihondo glanced at him, but immediately turned back to the prisoner. The Gondorian man's head had lolled slightly, revealing an ugly bruise across the side of his face and long gash marring his forehead.

"Edwain, Norgan," Valihondo spoke the men's names slowly and they dropped their gazes guiltily, confirming Valihondo's suspicion. "Do we not have laws set against abusing prisoners?"

"With respect, sir," Edwain responded, his Rohirric accent thickening with anger. "He had it coming to him."

"I've been worried to death about my little son and daughter," Norgan continued, his face contorting with barely masked rage. "And he is the one! He and his friends are to blame for all this. You would keep him from justice—?"

"Enough." Valihondo's eyes sparked and though Aragorn could feel his sympathy towards the two men, he held firm. "That was not my question, nor is it relevant. Your children have been recovered, they will return to you, but your grief does not give you the right to ignore the laws set down by the Kings of Gondor and Rohan."

Norgan dropped his gaze once more, his dark hair and eyes distinguishing him as Gondorian. His breath came harshly in the silence and his voice was quiet. "We have failed grievously in our duties. I beg that you will forgive us, sir; it will not happen again."

Valihondo nodded. "Nay it will not. Seek out Maridain and Eomen and inform them they will be relieving you for the time being." Both nodded and began to leave before Valihondo's voice stopped them. "Norgan."

"Sir?"

"I believe you will find Denilnir and Gildana at Theogal's home."

"Thank you, sir," Norgan whispered and bowed before following after Edwain.

Valihondo sighed and turned to Aragorn with a penetrating stare.

"You know this man." It was not a question.

"Yes." Aragorn nodded. "He is Gondorian."

"How can we be sure that he is not with them?" Himadan questioned warily.

"I know him, as I said." Aragorn moved closer to the cell, aware of Legolas at his elbow. "And I believe I may know who attacked you, Mayor."

"Indeed?" Valihondo looked intrigued. Aragorn saw Tantur glance at him before dropping his gaze. Aragorn's brow smoothed in understanding: it had been Tantur who had followed himself and Legolas up till now, and the poor man had had the ill fortune to be discovered by several confused and angry townspeople.

"It has been a possibility building in my mind for some time now," Aragorn admitted, turning back to face the mayor. "The ships, their choice of prisoners, their fighting technique, the burning rock that exploded on Kopairin — even their appearance is familiar to me." Aragorn caught Legolas' nod. Yes, his friend would know this enemy well. "They are corsairs out of Umbar. I have little doubt."

"Corsairs," Himadan said the word as though he wished to get it out of his mouth before it burned him. "But that is impossible!"

"Perhaps not so impossible." Valihondo was still watching Aragorn. "It would be easy for the message to be intercepted by the Corsairs, for them to decide to pose as Gondorians so they could steal a shipment."

"Not just a shipment," Legolas spoke up. "One that would be a crippling loss to Gondor and Rohan."

"It could be an act of sabotage," Aragorn agreed, "and such may well be happening elsewhere."

"Why would the Corsairs want to wage any kind of war on Gondor and Rohan?" Himadan demanded. "Such an act would be utter madness with their diminished numbers."

"I do not think they are acting alone." The more Aragorn considered it, the more he felt concern at what might be landing at his kingdom's doorstep at that moment… for whatever came would land straight in Faramir's hands to mend.

"Who would ally themselves with Corsairs?" Valihondo mused softly. "No such thing has been done since the forces of Mordor were all amassed."

"That remains to be seen," Aragorn replied, though he had an idea... "Nevertheless, Tantur is not allied with them. I know him to be true Gondorian and he is, in fact, the nephew of a good friend of mine."

Valihondo looked long and hard at Aragorn, but instead of distrust Aragorn saw something like recognition lurking in his deep eyes. "Very well," Valinondo said at last. "If you say that he is Gondorian and not allied with the enemy, I will trust you, Strider."

Aragorn nodded thanks and moved to the door as the jailer opened it. As Aragorn entered, Legolas followed him and relieved the jailer of his keys in passing.

Aragorn let his friend unlock the bonds and steadied Tantur as he slumped to the floor. The man was badly shaken and in some pain, but nothing fatal or immediately dangerous.

"Are you alright, young man?" Aragorn asked the question anyway.

"Yes your…S-Strider," Tantur changed tack immediately, using the name he had heard Valihondo use a moment before.

"We should see to your injuries," Legolas advised. He handed the keys back to the jailer who was glaring openly at him; apparently no one had ever possessed the nerve to take the man's keys away.

"I am alright, really!" Tantur objected as Aragorn refused to release his elbow until he was certain the Gondorian could walk on his own.

"Of course you are," Legolas said in a mock placating tone that Aragorn recognized all too well.

"Yes, of course," Aragorn concurred, "but you'll understand if we don't take you at your word."

Legolas laughed.

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Himadan was in a rather bad temper on the way back to Valihondo's home, but Valihondo assured Aragorn that that was just his way.

"He lost the Brebenk, you see. In his opinion he lost the battle and didn't come away with any real prisoners to show for it."

Aragorn nodded sympathetically. "And now you have no official protection from Elessar."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Valihondo responded idly. Aragorn missed a step at these words; did Valihondo know? "There are many Gondorians here that are loyal to Kopairin and not all of them are as impulsive as Norgan. They may not be officially from King Elessar, but they are certainly devoted and they will lend their hands to whatever task needs doing," Valihondo continued, almost without pause.

Aragorn still watched him carefully.

"So, Strider," the mayor began after a moment, "you said that the Corsairs were familiar to you — that you recognized their fighting technique."

"Indeed," Aragorn nodded with ease, glad that they seemed to have changed the subject. "I fought the Corsairs alongside the Gondorians for several years."

"Did you ever serve under the legendary Captain Thorongil?" Valihondo asked with interest.

Out of the corner of his eye Aragorn saw Legolas bury a smile, but he maintained an impassive expression. "In a way," he replied after a moment, and when Valihondo frowned he continued, "I seemed to follow the same paths of war as he."

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Sara insisted they stay the rest of the night and leave early the next morning. This suited Aragorn as he wished to speak to Tantur and see to the young guardsman's wounds.

Valihondo was called away briefly by one of the townspeople and Aragorn offered to watch the children so that Saravesse could go next door to check on a neighbor.

The children were getting back into their night clothes after the evening's excitement and returning to their beds. Sara had told them all to sleep upstairs, so the twins' bedding had been brought up from the living area and was now strewn about the bedrooms.

Aragorn sat down next to the Tantur with the ointments and bandages Valihondo had given him and for a while they both watched the entertaining spectacle that played out before them.

"No, I truly prefer the floor," Legolas countered for the third time.

"But my bed is really comfortable!" little Feinalpha argued in her sweetest voice.

"It is thoughtful of you to offer, young one, but I wouldn't consider depriving you of your bed."

Either there were too many big words for the eight-year-old to understand or she simply wasn't listening.

"But my pillow is really squishy and there are lots of dolls and my favorite leaf and the bird feather I found and there aren't many lumps in it!"

Legolas didn't bother to ask, 'lumps in what?' but quickly broke in on the girl's list. "It is very kind of you," he repeated, "but I don't wish for you to have to sleep on the floor either."

"He doesn't want to sleep on your bed, Fein," Pilin put in from where he was pulling his sleep tunic over his head.

"Yes he does!" his sister countered loudly.

"No, it's too short. My bed is longer, isn't it?" Pilin turned to Legolas expectantly.

The elf was afraid of where this was going but before he could reply Pilin spoke again.

"He wants to sleep in my bed!"

"Now wait—" Legolas began.

"No he doesn't!" Feinalpha shot back, getting upset.

"Yes he does! Mine has the nicer pillow!" Pilin retorted.

"Can I sleep in your bed?" either Tuilin or Dulin chimed in.

"No, he wants to sleep in my bed!" Pilin's voice was over-powered by Feinalpha's but it sounded as though they had said the same thing.

"Calm down, you two, he can sleep in my bed and I'll asked mother if I may sleep downstairs—" Sorni's offer was drowned in a wave of protest from the other three children. The twins, who had given up trying to join in the conversation, were now singing some sort of sea shanty very loudly.

Fioni watched the whole scene from her crib, her two middle fingers planted in her mouth.

Legolas gave a few more tries to get a word in edgewise before turning to Aragorn for help.

The man smiled innocently at Legolas and received a glare in return. As amusing as the scene was Aragorn had promised to watch the children while Sara was out.

Rising from his seat the ranger king stepped into the middle of the arguing children.

"I suggest a solution." The children quieted slowly — all except the twins who kept singing. Having their attention Aragorn sat down on Sorni's bed and studied the little ones. "You all have very nice beds, but we could never choose between them, so instead why don't each of you choose something from your bed and we will sleep downstairs with those things. That way we may enjoy the comfort of each of your beds."

The idea apparently made sense to the children who quickly ran to their beds to choose something. In the end a pile of dolls, toys, and something that looked to be a fuzzy insect in a box were in the middle of the floor and the children were fast asleep.

Aragorn checked on each before picking up the items and carrying them down the stairs. Legolas and Tantur followed and when they reached the living room Legolas broke the silence.

"I don't understand how you come up with such solutions."

"Well, to be honest, I've met similar impasses before." Aragorn smiled as he laid the toys on a table and looked up at his friend. "Recently, as a matter of fact. All three of the children wanted me to sleep in their rooms and Gilraen wanted to sleep in ours. It is fortunate for we poor fathers of the world that diplomacy among children can be simple once one knows the trick."

"It would almost make my having a family worth it for just that purpose," Legolas muttered, glancing up the stairs once more.

"Believe me, mellon-nin, Arwen still tries on occasion; the Prince of Mirkwood unwed seems to be a calamity not to be borne by any right-minded female. But now that all elven kind are leaving these shores and all that remains are us mortals, it makes it difficult. I believe you are safe." Aragorn smiled faintly at the mention of his loved one, but then sighed and turned to Tantur.

The man had already bandaged his own hand and was dressing a cut on his arm — a task that proved difficult with only one available hand.

"Forgive me, Tantur, I did not mean to leave that to you." Aragorn moved quickly to the man's side and took over dressing the wound.

"It is nothing, your highness…" Tantur trailed off awkwardly and looked up at his king.

"I am 'Strider' on this venture, Tantur," Aragorn smiled. "Legolas and I have a mission that I am afraid is connected inescapably to myself; he cannot do it alone."

"I understand, your—Strider." Tantur winced as Aragorn applied ointment to a bruise on his shoulder.

"I am sorry that you were treated this way." Aragorn took the bandage Legolas handed him and began to bind the man's temple.

"It's my own fault." Tantur answer through his teeth. "Foolish of me to think I could do aught but get in the way— I just didn't want you to go alone."

"I had Legolas." Aragorn sobered when he saw the look on the man's face. "But I am not angry with you Tantur; you did your duty as seemed appropriate at the time." He paused. "Though, if I'd had nothing to lose from your choice, I might have said that informing Duurben would have been a swifter course of action and might have better suited your goal."

Tantur snorted at that. "Are you sure it is wise to tell me such things? For the sake of next time this occurs, I mean."

Aragorn frowned good-naturedly. "What next time? If Duurben ever lets me leave his sight again for the rest of my life I shall assume he is either dead, captured, or held down by chain, stone, or a mûmak sitting on his chest. My only worry is that he will blame himself personally for this."

Tantur chuckled softly. "Yes, he often takes responsibility for mistakes which not his own. There are few so protective in Middle Earth as my uncle. I can't imagine him without someone to watch over."

"But why does it have to be me?" Aragorn questioned with a sigh.

"My friend," Legolas answered instead, "you attract such people."

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April 18

Kopairin, Gondor

Valihondo's whole family was awake at dawn to see the travelers off. Aragorn said an individual farewell to each of the children and both he and Legolas found themselves the recipients of some very unique gifts.

Not quite as unique, but doubly helpful in their need for haste across Rohan, the three travelers were also given horses as a gesture of gratitude from the town itself. As he mounted, Aragorn thought he recognized Nethtalt's brand on the beasts' flanks. Good Rohirric breeding would be a great advantage on this trip.

Saravesse, who was wrapped in a long shawl to stave off the morning chill, had replenished their healing supplies, asked them four times if they had enough food, and finally bade them farewell.

Valihondo was last and after saluting Tantur and Legolas he turned to Aragorn. "May these horses bear you swift and safe to your destination, my friend. And home again, where your family and all those who depend on you wait."

Aragorn found the departing words odd but not as odd as the strange, knowing smile that faintly touched the corner of the mayor's mouth. Or else was he was only imagining it.

As the three companions rode away from the town, Legolas looked back in time to see Valihondo wrap an arm around Sara's shoulders and lead his family back inside. The morning light had revealed a town in great need of repair, but the elf was not concerned. His friend had left Kopairin in able hands.