”Keep your sword sheathed and do not open your mouth unless necessary”, Minluzîr said to Ghu’nas as they approached the big stone house dressed in Pelargir city guard liveries. The neighborhood was full of once glorious noble townhouses that had gone to decline over the decades. The glory and architectural beauty of the past were still clearly visible, but the buildings were in desperate need of repairs.
The men walked towards the townhouse at the end of the lane in a damp forenoon breeze. It was early autumn in Pelargir, and it looked like it was going to be another sunny day.
They climbed the stone stairs and knocked on the big lebethron door. Minluzîr was supposed to do the talking. He did not understand why Ghu’nas had to be there in the first place. Minluzîr, who was a descendant of the line of Castamir, was fair-skinned enough to pass as a city guard at least from a distance, but Ghu’nas with his Harad blood was far too dark-skinned to pass as a Gondorian. He stuck out like a sore thumb, but Minluzîr had been ordered to take him along, so there was nothing he could do about it. He just hoped Ghu’nas would have the sense to keep his mouth shut as he could barely even speak Westron.
The peep hatch opened and a face appeared in it. Minluzîr could not contain his amazement. He had not expected to see a descendant of Castamir.
”What do you want?”
”We are from the city guard”, Minluzîr said. ”You have a woman in your household staff. By the name of Muldal.”
”I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Minluzîr frowned. ”We are from the Pelargir city guard”, he repeated.
”Are you now?”
”Does a woman by the name of Muldal work here as a servant?”
”Hold on.” The peep hatch was closed. A minute later it opened again. Now there was a face of an old Gondorian woman looking at them.
”What do you want?” she said.
”To ask about a servant of yours.”
”Is there a problem?”
”It is strictly a routine visit”, Minluzîr said. He attempted a smile but failed at it. ”We have a few questions.”
The woman inspected the men through the peep hatch a few more moments before she decided to open the door and let them in. She was wearing a cerulean blue dress and sandals. She had thin grey hair and steely grey eyes.
She led them through the hall into an old-fashioned drawing room through a door on the right side of the hall. The room was dark and resembled a library. When the men remained standing the old woman made a gesture towards the chairs. They sat down.
”What is this about?”
”Are you Lady Meldis of House Orchaldor?”
”And what is your business?”
”A servant in your household staff. By the name of Muldal. A freed slave from Harad.”
”I have the permission of…”
”But are the permits in order? Have you renewed her contract for this year?”
”I have”, Lady Meldis lied without blinking an eye. She had completely forgotten about the whole business.
Minluzîr had not expected that. The lie made him nervous.
”Tell me, do you live here alone? Besides the servants, of course?” he asked.
”Why do you want to know?”
”As you know, your son is an important official in the service of the throne of Gondor. Whenever a relative of an important public servant takes a freed slave from Harad into her household staff, it is especially important to keep the permits in order. As you know, Harad is an enemy region. Under Mordor’s influence.”
The woman’s eyes suddenly narrowed and moved from one man to the other.
”I have no son. I have never been married.”
The men glanced at each other, then at the woman.
”We were told otherwise”, Minluzîr finally said.
Meldis did not reply. She just stared down at the men. Her pewter grey eyes were as cold and hard as the Ice-Bay of Forochel. Ghu’nas wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword and unsheathed it a few inches. He glanced around the room but did not see the Corsair steward.
”What are you interested in exactly?” Meldis asked with a voice as freezing as her eyes. ”Me? My servants? Or perhaps something else entirely?”
”Delioron. And you, my Lady. You are family.”
”I do not know what you are talking about.”
”Where’s the Corsair?” Ghu’nas suddenly blurted out in heavily accented Westron. Minluzîr had to wince. Ghu’nas stood up.
”Pharazbalak, you mean?” said the old woman, suddenly smiling. ”I sent him to fetch the city guards before I let you in. The real city guards. I presume they will be arriving shortly.”
”The city guard?” Minluzîr’s eyes grew wide. ”Are you insane?”
”Guards!” Ghu’nas barked. He decided to kill the old woman. He started to unsheath his sword, but Minluzîr saw what was happening in time. He stepped in front of Ghu’nas and stared at him sternly. Ghu’nas took a step back and shoved the blade back in its sheath. Minluzîr could not think about anything but getting out fast.
”My Lady”, Minluzîr began in an apologetic voice. ”Now we must go. We have to continue this discussion some other time.” Minluzîr was fully aware how silly it sounded under the circumstances.
They opened the door. The old woman was standing behind them. Minluzîr almost ran down the stairs. They headed down to the nearest alley as fast as they could.
”She knew”, Ghu’nas said. Minluzîr thought, and not for the first time, that Ghu’nas was not the brightest apple in the basket.
”Why did you have to draw your sword? I told you to…”
”She knew. I should have killed her.”
”And the Corsair steward? And all the servants? And the city guards? And who next? That is not the solution to our problem”, Minluzîr said. ”We have to find the man first.”
”We will find him”, Ghu’nas said. ”He can’t hide forever. We will find him.”
