Seedwarden Magolben stepped into the dark stone chamber deep inside the Cisterns of Minas Tirith. Only a single torch cast wavering light into the damp, moldy room. The walls were craggy, slick and partially covered with moss and fungus. The cloaked and hooded figure who had been hiding in a dark corner of the room stepped into the torchlight when Magolben entered. The flickering light reflected from the emblem the man who had been waiting in the room was wearing. A picture of a gnarled, leafless tree was carved on the emblem.
”As usual, nothing out of the ordinary happened today, Sapmaster”, Magolben said. ”Bangion’s men left their apartment to eat in The Thisty Seer at dusk. They probably missed the visitor who came to visit her soon after they left.”
”A visitor?” repeated the Sapmaster. ”Anyone of interest?”
”No. It was that Tangaron again. As always, he asked her to go out with him, and once again she turned him down. Claimed that she had to wake up early.”
The Sapmaster laughed. ”Women always lie. She simply does not want to go out with him. Was it the same guy who keeps bringing flowers?”
”Yes”, Magolben said. ”I suppose you are right. May I make a suggestion, Sapmaster?”
”Of course.”
”The Umbarrim spy ring in Pelargir. I think they should have another conversation with the old lady, a proper conversation this time, if you know what I mean. Somewhere else this time. Without her Corsair bodyguard.”
”My contacts in Pelargir tell me that she rarely leaves the townhouse”, said the Sapmaster. ”They think she is disabled somehow.”
”There is nothing more frustrating than waiting for Radawen to make contact with the man”, Magolben complained. ”I have been spying on her for months now.”
”Patience! You are already calling her by name. I understand. You eavesdrop her every day. You hear when she takes a bath, you hear her voice when she’s singing. She has become like a wife to you. Now you are beginning to feel jealous with Tangaron.”
”I am frustrated, Sapmaster. The Withered Tree looks ridiculous.”
”In whose eyes, Seedwarden?”
”Sauron’s. We have made a pact with Sauron, we are committed. To catch this man Delioron who has caused so much trouble for Sauron. And we have not done so. There is no point in resisting Sauron’s growing might, there is no point in waiting for some promised King to return to save Gondor. The glory days of Gondor are long past us. There is no King, only a weak Steward. But Sauron has promised us peace if we do not stand in his way.”
”We have paralyzed them though”, the Sapmaster remarked. ”Denethor’s henchmen cannot use him anymore because they know we are waiting for him to surface. And when he does…”
”Tell the Umbarrim spies to interrogate the old lady alone, Sapmaster. She has to know something.”
”It was of no use before. It seems that they have not kept in touch.”
”That man does not keep in touch with anyone”, said Magolben. ”I do not understand him. I have heard all the whispered tales about him. What motivates him? He clearly has a problem with authorities. He is excellent in his work, but it seems to be in conflict with his nature. It is like he is intentionally looking for trouble – both from Sauron’s servants and the throne of Gondor. Why?”
”Perhaps he is just bored. Her motivation, however, is evident.”
”That she loves him? Aye, I guess so. I remember how she cried the first night when I was listening behind her apartment wall. Very touching. She even said his name in her sleep. And woke up from a nightmare.”
”She had seen him kill two men”, said the Sapmaster. ”The thugs from Rohan. They buried the bodies in the garden so that they would not be discovered. Sometimes I think we are the savages. There is no glory in Gondor anymore. No honor.”
”That old lady in Pelargir. She is the key to this mystery. I think we should give Pelargir a closer look. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the effort, trying to save a kingdom that clearly does not want to be saved.”
”We both only want what’s best for Gondor.”
There was nothing else to say. Magolben bowed to the Sapmaster and retreated into the dark corridors of the cisterns. Soon after that the Sapmaster picked up the torch from the wall and left the chamber too.
When the Sapmaster’s footsteps had stopped echoing in the cisterns, one could hear a sound of a flint striking against steel. Light flickered in a dark recess in the corridor next to the chamber. Pale hand raised a lantern casting fluttering light on yet another cloaked and hooded figure who had been hiding in the recess, listening in on the conversation between the conspirators. The figure waited for a full minute in silence to make sure only rats, bugs and spiders skittered in the cisterns before he stepped out of the recess and disappeared into the shadows like a ghost.
