Having received my summons from the steward, I was forced to follow a page up to the citadel. Aratan, who had wanted to come with me, was informed that I was required to come alone. I figured that could not be a good thing, but I kept myself calm and I followed the page through the city streets as we ascended, gate by gate.
Though it seemed like forever, we reached the Citadel in good time. My heart was starting to pound in my ears, and I was nervous. My cheeks started to turn bright pink, as they always do when I�m this way, and I follow the page into the main building of the Citadel, passing through several small hallways and into one great hall. At the head sat Mardil Voronw�, Steward of Gondor, and set around a table in the midst of the hall were councilors and advisors to him and of the late king.
I stood at the far end of the hall near the door I had come in, and everyone present stared at me. I shifted uncomfortably and kept wringing my hands together, waiting for someone to say something. I saw the steward shift in his seat, staring at me all the while.
He cleared his throat and then spoke forcefully so his tenor voice filled the great hall. �Stranger, I have shared your tale with all the advisors and councils present in this city. We know not what to make of your tale, for to us it seems rather farfetched. You have five men who can confirm most of your tale, but not all. We have only the words of one foreigner telling us that a voice within her mind that spoke of the king�s demise. Our king is missing after a duel with the Witch King, and we believe it is plausible that some ill may have befallen him, but without any substantial evidence we cannot confirm that he no longer draws breath and that he cannot return to his throne.
�Accounting all of these details,� he went on, �it has decided that I, Mardil Voronw�, Steward of Gondor, shall maintain the rule of this kingdom, until the king returns. Until then his throne shall remain unoccupied.�
I released the breath I had been holding, glad that they hadn�t believed me. This was the way things were going to be. Now all they had to do was address the issue of me and my mysterious appearance. Hopefully they would just leave it alone, allow me to settle down in the city for a while, maybe find a way to get home. That would be too perfect though.
�That leaves us to address the issue of your mysterious presence in this city,� Mardil said, as if right on cue. �That part of your tale is vague and it also reeks of suspicion and darkness. Thus, we have come to an accord; you must leave this city, out of sight from the city walls, by dusk. If you have not departed by then, you shall be arrested and imprisoned as a spy of the enemy,� he said.
Well, so much for letting me stay around for a while. That was definitely wishful thinking. He gave a wave, which I took to mean he had dismissed me. This wasn�t good, and I was in at fair start toward an all out panic. I ran through the halls, out into the Citadel�s courtyard, and down towards the Fifth Circle, to Aratan�s house. I burst in through the front door, gasping for air. The door shut behind me, and then came Aratan around the corner to see who it was. Seeing me in such a state he rushed over and helped be to a chair.
�What has happened? What did the steward have to say?� he asked.
�They did not believe me,� I choked out as Iorene handed me a cup of water. �They ordered me out of the city by dusk,� I gulped down some water, �I have to be out of sight from the city walls by then or they will arrest me and imprison me as an enemy spy!�
�Imprison you? A spy of the enemy?� fumed Aratan. �This is utter nonsense!� he growled.
Iorene gently rubbed his back with the palm of her hand, trying to calm him with this soothing gesture. He turned to her with a despairing look in his eye, �She but a lass! Clearly she can do them no harm!�
�The powers that be see her as a threat, husband. We know this to be foolishness, but they want her far away from these walls,� said Iorene. She shifted and rubbed the swell of her stomach for a moment. �We have precious few hours before dusk. Go out with her and get her the things she will need for travel. I shall pack as much good traveling food as I can while you are gone.�
Aratan just nodded and pulled me from my chair and out of the house. He made way for the gate to head down to the Fourth Circle of the city. I assumed any good travel-suited materials would be found in the family-owned shops and businesses of the lower circles. We rushed through the crowds of people moving on down until finally we were in the Second Circle of the city.
He led me to a shop with a fairly familiar looking sign hanging out front.
