Sogadan

The trial being concluded, I approached Lord Estarfin to congratulate him on his victory, but he only shook his head at me and gave me quite a cold answer. I perceive that he takes very ill with me, and thinks me a faithless friend, when I insist that I did all I could to help him.

The next morning I sought Nirhen, whom I found by the pavilion overlooking the river, alone, because she is unsociable, and delivered Lord Anglachelm’s message to her, and said I would attend her to the Hall of Fire, where she would await our Lordship.

I had heard some talk in the courtyard of one of the guests leaving very abruptly, having taken sick, and all his symptoms indicated that his sickness was probably due to the food that he ate while in the Hall of Fire, which, it was said, was a seafood repast graciously supplied by my Lord Anglachelm.

We reached the Valley in good time. Lord Estarfin was more quiet than usual, perhaps contemplating the making of the sword he had been charged with crafting for our Lord Anglachelm. Close by the chalk path that leads to the Valley, we met a elf lady, a soldierly-type, by the name of Limiriel.

“I hope you did not forget to bring me some cakes, to comfort me for waiting for my dinner till I am half starved."

In the morning I rose, and went to the Hall of Fire to dine with Sogadan.

Talkale set down his thick stack of papers upon the teak writing desk, thumbing through them absently as he thought about the events of the evening. The names of various abodes of the Enemy flicked briefly before him as he thought of Parnard, that most dislikeable Elf that the Lady Rainith insists upon keeping at her side like an ill-tempered and poorly-trained hound. Yet she had asked him to treat Parnard with more kindness, and what choice did he have but to obey? Talkale scoffed to himself at the idea, for he was alone in the library at this late hour.

As told to Sogadan one besotted night in the Hall of Fire:

My Worthy Friend,

I saw Rainith and Lord Belegos wander off together, she looking betwixt us, and m