The Kinstrife

Part 5

In which Ragnor talks with his father and receives a summons; Doronil and friends still do not improve; Aerin acquires some housemates (Ilvrin & Pimm); Brand recounts his talks with the servants; Brand, Pimm & Ilvrin assault a passer-by, who is put to the question; Aerin and Ragnor talk to Royalty; Brand, Pimm & Ilvrin contact 'the Horrid Scum'; the Loremasters are stumped, bring in the Alchemists; it's either Khoradûr or someone else.

Discussing progress with Father over breakfast this morning, he assures me that he already gained the agreement of all the families involved for me to talk to them, though the Royal family, House Linton and Tegilbor's uncle, Olthelion (on the non-Serni side) are reluctant to talk to anyone who is not the Garrison. Nonetheless we will talk.

Father passes me a summons to testify at the trial of Conath, the pirate we brought to Pelargir after his capture by Neithan. It's scheduled for April 3^rd; I promise to be ready.

As I'm parting, I also ask my father whom he would advise turning to for spiritual advice? He is unsurprisingly surprised at the question and has clearly never had to seek such advice himself; I have to turn aside his own question as to why I should feel I need it, stating only that I have had a disturbing dream, but he suggests a loremaster specialising in theology. When I ask after a priest, he can only vaguely suggest a cult of the Valar who grants visions…Mandos? Neither of us can recall exactly which – a comment on the spirituality of our race, perhaps? It occurs to me that of all the races of men, perhaps the Dunedain should be closer to the Valar in spirit, as once we dwelt closer to them in flesh. Perhaps the physical movement Eastward is itself a metaphor for the spiritual separation?

My intent is to interview Princess Telerien first. Mindful of the delicate situation and of the Royal families preference for official investigations by the Garrison (headed by the Queen's son, of course) I decide to make the interview as informal as possible, in guise of conveying news of Doronil's progress. This is a perfectly acceptable and even expected thing. It allows me to ask discrete questions that may become more probing depending on Her Highness' willingness to respond. Alternatively, if she shares the Queen's reluctance to comment informally, I may politely withdraw without (hopefully) having caused offence.

In any case, I want to know for myself how Doronil is doing so down to the Houses of Healing I go. No change! In any of the three victims. The healers are at a loss, which in itself is a disturbing thing. We need to put a name to the poison; with a name the healers could doubtless find a treatment to bring Doronil, Merethin and Tegilbor back from wherever they have gone. I would pray but after what happened last time, I am fearful of further commerce with the Valar – you pray to one in her shrine and another answers!

So my next visit is to Aerin, to see if she has got further in her analyses. She hasn't! In fact she has passed her sample of the blue paste isolated from the candle-stub directly to the healers but has heard nothing yet. Frustrating!

But I also find her entertaining guests, apparently two sent north from the Ethir by Neithan to testify against the pirate, Conath. One is Ilvrin, a pirate woman who seems to have some dispute with the main pirate hierarchy (a falling out among thieves, I suppose). The other is called Pimm, a Roadwarden, which must be a thankless task when the main highway between Pelargir and the Ethir is the Anduin itself. Pimm has no notable Dunedain blood but Ilvrin is a half-caste, like Aerin, unless I miss my guess. If she proves to be as worthy as our herbalist she will be valuable indeed – especially as if last night's dream is true, Father will be needing a new crew.

In the interests of striking a rapport, I mention that I also am to testify, though as I read the summons fully for the first time, I realise I am to testify for the defence. An interesting development; I wonder why Father did not remark on it at the time?

As I muse on the coming trial and face the fact that I cannot much longer put off having to interview the Princess, I become aware that both Aerin and Brand are being entirely too indiscrete. Aware that Brand has been busy interviewing servants this morning, I draw him aside for his report before too much damage is done.

Apparently most of our servants feel the poisoning was the work of dark forces – 'black magic'! I do hope they are not right, though the continuing ability of the poison to defy identification makes me wonder if there might not be a mystical component.

He found the girl responsible for changing the candles. She put new candles in the dining room around midday and they were of the typical type for all the above-stairs rooms in our quarters.

Since the remains we found were not typical, obviously they were changed later but no one can recall seeing anyone change them or interfere with them in any way. Brand discovers only a handful of servants had access to the dining room and could have done the change without being seen by others: Mirien who oversaw the initial preparations (though she has been a trusted retainer for as long as I can recall; I cannot imagine her responsible), Khoradûr, the Queen's chief steward who oversaw the final preparations, the serving of the food and who attended until the eventual dismissal of the servants. An unknown quantity; no one seems to like him.

Then there was the cook and two lesser servants responsible for setting out the table and bringing the food.

All the above, plus a guard outside the door, testify that no one else had access to the room. Unless the culprit was invisible, it must have been one of them. Brand asserts that we should attempt to blackmail Khoradûr in to helping our investigations, on the grounds that whether guilty or not, the Garrison will view him as suspect, as a Southron. An intriguing tactic but I think we want a lighter touch for now.

Ilvrin and Pimm suggest a tour of the local taverns to collect 'local rumours' and Brand enthusiastically joins them. I assume drinking may prove more attractive than rumour-gathering but once they are gone I also make to leave, explaining to Aerin that I must see Princess Telerien.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when Aerin asked to come with me and frankly it must make sense for her to be present, but there are other issues at stake. Gently, I explain delicacy of interviewing Telerien to her; that as the Queen's sister and the would be object of affection to all six men present at the banquet, especially as the Queen herself has only reluctantly agreed to anyone other than the Garrison (commanded by her son, Castarion) interviewing persons connected with the Royal family, that we cannot be seen to be pressing the Princess in any way, that she has the right to avoid certain questions, and (most importantly of all) that any suspicions we have must not be conveyed by our questioning; if wrong, we may outrage the Queen, if right we will be warning someone who has already attempted one mass-murder and we cannot assume that my family's closeness to the Queen will protect us in such circumstances.

Despite my condescending explanation, as I am sure Aerin is fully aware of the finer points of the situation, it can only be folly to exclude the woman who is supposed to be investigating the crime from one of the only two direct witnesses to events within the room. I opt to explain her presence as a 'chaperone', in deference to the Princess' station and virtue. It is a suitable fiction.

But then, just when we are about to set off, Brand, Pimm and Ilvrin suddenly return carrying a wounded girl. She has been shot in the shoulder with an arrow! While Aerin and Ilvrin tend her wound, Brand explains that he saw her apparently spying on Neithan's house in the guise of a beggar. He mentions the quality of her shoes and her hair, which admittedly has been cared for better than most young beggars. I have to admire his perception but I take umbrage with the necessity of shooting her in the street!

Thankfully, it seems no one was about to see the shot and all three are adamant that without it she would have got away but I despair when a woman who is little more than a child has to be shot like a hunted stag to prevent her escaping from three healthy and vigorous persuers.

Aerin's kind manner brings her out of herself and once the door to the surgery is again opened, it turns out her name is Echadil, the daughter of a grocer beguiled by a group calling itself 'The Horrid Scum' (after a speech by King Castamir, according to Brand, in which he vilifies all who would support the ex-king Eldacar). Evidently the 'Horrid Scum' see them as fighting for Eldacar against the 'vile usurper', though what they hope to achieve in Pelargir is anyone's guess.

Echadil is a naïf seduced by someone called Brindir. This is a common name but her description dimly stirs a memory of a local tailor and Brand and his fellow accomplices are all for rounding him up.

Meanwhile we face a dilemma. Echadil is technically a traitor and by all rights we should hand her over to the Garrison. But the 'Horrid Scum' are spying on Neithan's house precisely because they think we are in league with the Garrison – such people are unable to realise that merely living by the rule of law is not in itself evidence of condoning those laws. She believes the Cor-Aran poisoned Telerien's suitors, which is undoubtedly standard dogma for any Castamir-hater but seems doubtful to me.

But Echadil is just a child, yet to see her twentieth summer if I'm any judge, and clearly terrified. We all know what will happen to her and her family if the Cor-Aran get their hands on her.

I suggest we see her home as safely as possible and let her explain her arrow-wound to her father. If we are later questioned, we will just have to say we took pity on her as a mere child led astray by persons more worldly. I ask Brand and his accomplices to walk her home.

Then, much later than I planned, Aerin and I return to the Palace, where I request an informal audience with Her Highness Princess Telerien. The audience is granted quickly and I on seeing the Princess I get the feeling she genuinely wants news of Doronil and the others.

I pass on the news, which is little enough. In her turn, she expresses her sorrow over my brother and the others with him in the Houses of Healing or awaiting funerals by their families. Her grief is genuine, I believe, and having spoken with her and Hirluin, I cannot believe she had anything to do with the murders. From her point of view, this was meant to have been a bit of fun and nothing could have horrified her more than to wake the next morning and hear that her fine paramours were all dead or dying of poison.

I make a point of not mentioning the candles, keeping my questions initially very gentle and neutral and taking an early opportunity to introduce Aerin in her true capacity. It is clear that the ban on questioning did not come from Telerien, she is only too willing to talk, and it is also clear why – as I have long suspected, she has led a very sheltered life and is very naïve indeed, almost to the point of stupidity.

The party was arranged at her behest by Father and the Queen. She recalls nothing extraordinary. Tegilbor arrived late, straight off the ship from Umbar, it seems. She was most happy to see Valadan, who brought flowers! (She confirms that Hirluin brought fine wine and Nastarthil brought something less fine but she cannot recall what the others offered as gifts. I want to ask about candles but that would be dangerous.) She claims he was to be her final choice, though I've a suspicion he was not much closer to her hand than some of the other five have been in the past. Of course, as one of the dead, she will doubtless view things differently but for all that her sorrow is powerful, if not perhaps deep.

Of the reaction within her family, Queen Mûrabeth is angry but the King is currently out of Pelargir and may not know of the incident (like he wasn't supposed to know of his wife's treasure ship?) Telerien's nephew (she doesn't say which but I suppose she means Castarion) has tightened the guard.

Asked about the servants present, she comments that she doesn't like Khoradûr (no one does, poor chap). He was appointed recently by the Queen on the recommendation of someone, whom Telerien doesn't know (though my guess might be Telemnar, their father). Telerien also mentions in passing that Khoradûr was once an alchemist – an odd career change, if true.

Aerin asks to interview the Queen and Telerien willingly offers to ask her for an audience. I insist I would like to be present, to represent the family, but I'm not letting Aerin anywhere near the Queen without very intensive preparation – as Telerien said, Mûrabeth is angry.

The Princess admits to feeling guilty, fearing that her suitors were killed because she had failed to keep her favour for Valadan discrete. She's obviously in need of reassurance and I see no harm in advising her that I believe she is in no way responsible for this foul crime. She affirms that she wants the culprit found. On taking our leave, she informs us that it's been a pleasure! Perhaps it's shock and grief making her so insensitive but I find my self thinking that she really is not very bright at all.

Back at Aerin's, Pimm, Ilvrin and Brand advise us that they tracked down Brindir. He was indeed the tailor I recall. After following him across the town, they finally got him to admit he was involved with the 'Horrid Scum'. Apparently he was tipped off that are working for the Garrison. (I wonder if someone had misheard Captain Neithan of the Ethir Garrison, or whether one garrison was deemed much like any other?) If the rumours are proven wrong, Brindir reckons he will work with us.

I am not sure I am happy to hear this. We are in danger of compromising ourselves. I would warn Ilvrin and Pimm, not to mention Brand, but I fear I must cultivate some sort of political disconnect between us in case their indiscretions bring the Cor-Aran down on us all.

With Pimm in tow (I wish we could lose him but I've a feeling Neithan wants corroborative reports and it may prove politic to indulge him in neutral matters), Aerin and I return to the Houses of Healing. The patients are still asleep and they cannot identify the poison. We rendezvous with Brand at the Loremasters guild where he is trying to confirm whether Khoradûr was once an alchemist. Apparently it's true! My, my! Now things begin to look very dark for Khoradûr indeed – yet I still cannot see why he should try to poison so many and so clumsily. Brand also makes the very pertinent point that if he is responsible, why has he not already left?

With his recent reading fresh in his mind, Brand takes us to the foremost alchemist in Pelargir who promises to analyse the poison, though warns the research may prove costly. I upbrade Brand for using the phrase 'money is no object' (anathema to all merchants) but frankly he's right.

Returning to have supper with Father, I take the opportunity to discretely question a couple of servants myself and they confirm that Khoradûr is a thoroughly nasty piece of work. No one likes him at all – yet presumably the Queen does or he wouldn't have his current position.

I discuss our findings with Father. It seems to me that all our investigations point to Khoradûr as the poisoner. He apparently had the means, via his alchemical knowledge, and the opportunity. It is the motive that eludes, and also how he could possibly have hoped to get away with his crime.

It occurs to me that either Khoradûr is the murderer or someone is trying to make him appear to be the murderer. Father confirms that this incident is damaging to our (the Queen's) faction, and that if Khoradûr is proven to be the culprit, it will be very damaging indeed.

If someone is framing Khoradûr, we need to find out who and neutralise them. On the other hand, if things are actually at their face value, then we may find ourselves in a position where, as Father puts it, "we know who to blame but can do nothing about it". He advises me that he expects me to do what is best for the family and not to endanger us – though with one brother unconscious in the Houses of Healing, danger seems to already have found us.

Politics is even dirtier than I'd suspected, which probably makes me only a little more naïve than Neithan. I wonder if Father's repeated attempts to set me on a mercantile career are his way of trying to protect me from the dirt?