Delioron shut the door behind him, locked it and bolted it with a chair. It was not that he expected any trouble at this point – the trouble was likely to become later, if it turned out what Hodhion was selling was rubbish and Delioron had to decline to pay for it. But still, when somebody was walking around with as much gold as he had, people tended to do stupid things. You never knew what they might do. Next he went to check the window. It was pretty small and pretty high up on the wall, and his room was on the second floor. A single person could crawl in – or out – through that window, but not without considerable effort, and Delioron was pretty sure he would know if somebody tried to get in through that window long before they got through. It would be a suicide for anyone who tried to get in, but it was a neat exit for himself if it turned out necessary. Delioron didn’t think it would.
The ride from Minas Tirith to Bree had been brutal, exhausting and a little dangerous too. He had ridden through Anórien, Eastfold and Westfold, the Gap of Rohan, Dunland and Cardolan. Forty days it had taken to get in Bree. There was very little traffic on the North-South Road these days, the road was overgrown with grass and there was much more sinister things out there than just the wild animals and the Dunlendings to watch out for. He had just arrived today, he was exhausted, but he had to make sure he had taken everything into consideration before he could sleep a little.
He thought about Hodhion, and the moment in their discussion where he had felt a hint of guilt over what he had done to him. Was such a sentiment warranted? It was not, he decided. Like he had explained to him, anything Hodhion gave to Parthadan’s agents could not have hurt himself or his kin the slightest. He could have kept feeding Parthadan with rubbish to the end of his days, and be paid handsomely for his crap too! It was so much more most people could ever hope for. What was so bad about it? What did he think he was trading away? His honor? His dignity? His freedom? What right, what entitlement did Hodhion think he had for any of those things?
Hodhion was a weak man, a fool, a sniveling child if he thought he could afford to hold on to any of those sentiments, if he thought he was entitled to be embittered and corrupted over such a trifling matter! If so, he was prone to corruption to begin with and deserved no better. Life was hard, it was hard for everyone, let alone to brats who thought they were entitled to feel noble or honorable over everyone else and not be affected by life’s ruthless demands. And freedom? Freedom was just an illusion.
Delioron could have told Hodhion all about it. Like the gold he was carrying for his trade. Delioron could have, at any moment, taken that gold for himself, escape and live comfortably anywhere he liked for the rest of his days. But to escape where? And for what? He didn’t need the money. After Rhün, they had been at a loss with what to do with him. Going back to his old work in the Houses of Lore was out of the question. But Gondor always had a need for someone with his skills and experience, so they had rewarded him with a house in the Cape of Belfalas and enough possessions to keep him in a short leash for the rest of his life.
He did not have to farm a field or work for a living no more, not ever, they had made sure of that. That was the only way they could be sure of his loyalty when they sent him abroad with so much money many people would have killed for. He was their puppet, and he would be well taken care of, as long as he was useful to them. But still, no matter how prestigious his house in the Cape of Belfalas was, it was just another prison cell. A big and comfortable one, but a prison cell all the same. He could have told Hodhion all about it, that no matter where he imagined he could run away, it was all the same everywhere. Freedom was an illusion and nothing more.
Rhün. He could never go back there, not with all the gold in the world. They would kill him if he ever went back, after all he had done there. And it had been the only place in the world he had ever loved, so wild, so brutal, but at the same time so beautiful and exciting. What right did Hodhion have to feel embittered about anything?
But he would give him what he wanted. If it was worth it of course. Delioron knew the way Parthadan’s mind worked, he knew what would be valuable to him. He had no plans of tricking anyone this time around. Parthadan had been clear on what he wanted, and Delioron had been clear on what he would and would not do. If the information Hodhion was selling was solid, he would be paid for it. If not, he would not get the gold or his freedom, whatever he thought the gold could buy for him. And if he wanted to take it anyway… well, then he was welcome to try.
Delioron fell asleep at that thought.
