The Kinstrife
Part
55
In
which our heroes capture Neithan, the Kuilëondo and
the last piece of the Key of Fuinur’s Well and then have a thumping great row over what to do with
them.
Brand and I have
a robust discussion regarding what we should do. Brand feels we should be more
pro-active while I feel we don’t know enough about Neithan’s
intentions to make effective plans. The events of yesterday’s riots show Neithan’s vengeance is being used for political end. The
question is whether or how much Neithan is in collusion with this political end?
I feel Mordulin is still at risk and that even if not she is still
likely to be a focus for action in the imminent future but Ilviren
and Brand seek further information on the streets.
Brand suggests I reveal myself officially and tap resources in the Cor Aran. I am loath to do this but it occurs to me to
speak to Mardil; he’s already aware of my presence
and I trust his judgement and capability.
Mardil has heard the men of Lossarnach
were behind the riots (and this is later confirmed by Sern).
I reveal my Cor Aran connection and relate our
conversation with Cealen. I explain the problem with
the hostages – since Mardil was the one who warned me
about the hostages in the first place I’m confident of his discretion.
Mardil confirms my view of the guards,
that they will be reluctant to obey orders to slaughter women and
children and will probably be only too happy to follow contrary orders from
anyone with a suitably authorative voice. I am happy
to intervene in the event of Angbor’s death.
Angbor will be in the Citadel of Stars during the
ceremony so if he’s killed there news of his death and I will be starting from
the same place. Mardil agrees to ready a fast launch
is available so I can move in time to countermand Angbor’s
apa qualme
(literally ‘after agony of death’) orders. He will also ensure Mordulin is guarded while I’m gone.
But as it happens all these plans prove unnecessary…
Sern arrives before breakfast with incredible
news – a note from Aerin apologises for leaving but
something ‘has come up that calls us away’! Sern
tells me they have captured Ornendil’s Ghost and the
jewel! Everyone else is sailing with their captive downriver on the So Much For Subtlety.
My elation at learing of Neithan’s apprehension
is tempered by the knowledge that he and the Kuilëondo
are on the water. If the Benish Armon
cult, who surely brought Neithan up-river, realise their patsy has been
captured with their jewel then they will also head downstream to recapture it.
We go to Mordulin and advise her that with the capture of ‘Ornendil’s Ghost’ my principle fear for her has gone. If
she still feel threatened (if she ever) then I am happy to remain by her side
throughout the ceremony but she releases me from her service. I take leave of Estel and she gives me a letter for her brother. Lastly I
advise Mardil of the changed circumstances. He
assumes responsibility for Mordulin’s safety and
loans six horses for Sern, Al-Han and myself.
So we set out.
Unfortunately neither Sern nor Al-Han can ride with
any facility so our progress is little better than walking. Nonetheless we make
Ithil’s Landing by evening to find the So Much For Subtlety waiting for us.
I direct Aerin to tend to Sern and Al-Han,
both of whom are suffering sore posteriors and minor cuts and bruises from
falls. (I recall my own tutelage in the saddle when I was a boy – they have my
sympathies and determine that Al-Han must rest until he’s fully recovered.)
Brand, Ilviren and Pimm confirm that
they have Neithan and the Kuilëondo. Apparently he
walked alone in to a trap wearing the Kuilëondo but
without his sword and without telling his allies – another instance of his
stunning paucity of judgement.
We interview
Neithan, who unless I miss my guess is sulking. I have to control myself to
avoid assaulting him as he sits. He admits to making alliance with the Benish Armon! He agreed to seek
the Karma of Aldarion in return for being allowed to seek petty vengeance with
the Kuilëondo to aid his endeavours. He allied with
the very people who slew his parents by foul magics
to pursue a petty vendetta. By the way he repeats his Royal lineage – evidently
he sees himself as king material.
He disgusts me
and I find his very existence an atrocity. I tell him he lacks judgement and
honour. He babbles about how his victims had ‘wronged’ him and made him kill Ornendil. I think he would be a much worse king than
Castamir and tell him so. I tell him he will be handed over to the authorities
in Pelargir for trial for murder and treason. I hint that there may be a more
honourable alternative but he either declines to take the hint or rejects the
alternative.
Leaving Neithan
to think on things we all go on deck to have a thumping row about what to do
about him. When I came on board I was surprised and slightly (but only
slightly) relieved to find he hadn’t been dumped overboard with a slit throat.
He deserves no better.
Ilviren and Brand want to sail through Pelargir
and on to Umbar and the Raj. I want to place Neithan in custody. Brand wants to
sail straight for the Raj and take Neithan along.
Brand reckons
Neithan is a spent force and he may be right. True he’s lost the Benish Armon the Kuilëondo and the final part of the Key to Fuinur’s Well but he’s still of Beruthiel’s
blood-line (as he ever keeps reminding us) and the Benish
Armon are starved for allies. If not him then they’re
down to Ilviren and the twelve-year old Estel. They must also be desperate to get the Kuilëondo back.
Neithan deserves
to be killed and dumped like the vermin he is. But the right thing to do is to
deliver him to the authorities to follow due process but no one else wants to
stop in Pelargir. Incredibly Ilviren feels some sort
of kinship with him – though not apparently with the parents slaughtered by his
allies - she wants to strand him in Umbar.
I have always
valued Brand’s advice but I fear Neithan may still be dangerous. Though deluded
and lacking in judgement he remains very capable and highly determined.
Doubtless he also now views all of us as having ‘wronged’ him and will pursue
vengeance against us if he can.
Basically, if
Brand’s right then I’m being needlessly fearful, but he’s wrong then leaving
Neithan alive and free would be incredibly dangerous.
There’s also the
issue of the Kuilëondo and the Karma of Aldarion.
Brand wants to free Tevildo from the Kuilëondo. He thinks Tevildo
could be made to swear an oath to remain somewhere desolate, the Mirror of
Fire, say. I don’t like this idea at all.
I want to get
off the river – I can feel the Benish Armon cult pursuing us downstream – but everyone else wants
to stay on the boat. Ilviren claims to be able to
sail by night! As the son of a merchant I find the idea horrifying – all those
shallows, sandbanks, rocks and meanders, and this is a deep-draft vessel
intended for ocean navigations! Nonetheless she casts off and dawn finds us
still afloat so either she knows something other sailors don’t or she’s very
lucky. Either way I’ll not disparage it.
No sooner do we
have the Kuilëondo but we are all at loggerheads.
We’ve all worked together for over a year and I’ve known Brand for years before
that. Why are we falling out? Is it that jewel’s baleful influence? How are we
going to get to Fuinur’s Well
if we fight each other?
No one has the
stomach to kill Neithan out of hand, though it’s all he deserves. Strangely
everyone else thinks he doesn’t deserve Castamir’s
justice either. My one worry with the judicial route is that Neithan may still
have friends at Court who will free him on a legal technicality.
But there may be
another way…?
To do list:
Dispose of
Neithan one way or another – Duel?
Sail for the Raj
and the Mirror of Fire
Visit Minas Ithil – probably not going to happen now
Talk to the
survivor of the 1st Mordor expedition before entering Mordor
Survey my
estates and produce a plan to improve them – consider Pimm’s
offer but be cautious