Exactly what happened after I made my statement, I don�t think I can ever be totally certain. I had been expecting a sort of chaos and a most definite arrest of my person. What I got was a rather confused look from the steward, Mardil, and a slight jab in the back from Aratan. I knew he was concerned for my safety, I guess the big oaf had become attached to me or something. He was a pretty cool guy, so I had no qualms with his apparent liking for me.
Regardless, my situation had become quite the conundrum, and I risked causing major problems in this world by withholding valuable information. My very presence was probably caused by some rift in the space-time continuum (or possibly a drunken wizard or something) and making it any worse didn�t sound like a terrific idea. It was because of these beliefs of mine that I then prepared to confess all to the steward.
�Stranger,� Voronw� addressed me, �you declare to know of our king�s fate. What knowledge you have would be best served if told to those who seek it.�
I paused and took a deep breath before I spoke. �One day past I found myself beneath the shadows of Minas Morgul, knowing not where I was or how I got there.� I paused, gathering my thoughts. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the steward quirk an eyebrow at me, clearly skeptical of the validity of my statement. �Being ignorant, but not blind, I knew that barren wasteland was a place I wanted to be far away from. I trekked away from the tower when I heard this terrible unearthly screeching start, soon followed by a voice inside my head. It said �He is ours now, to meet his doom in this city of torment, never to be seen by your kind again�. I didn�t know what it was talking about, but I heard more screams, ones that sounded like they came from a man.�
I knew that Mardil wasn�t really buying any of my account, but then again, he wasn�t supposed to. The stewards only assumed power because they didn�t have any physical proof that the king was dead, and the king did not have an heir or appointed successor. I just had to tell my story, hope they wouldn�t buy it and mess up the course of history, and that they wouldn�t execute me to top it all off with.
I decided then to continue. �After that I was so frightened I ran, I am not sure for how long, but eventually I saw a river and a road off and away from that tower. Along the road were these five men, awaiting the return of their lord. They came after me, thinking me an enemy, and in my panic and fright I lost consciousness. They took me and waited for me to awaken, and when I did we spoke of many things. It was then that Aratan told me of King E�rnur�s disappearance. In return, I told them of my plight. We then were forced to gather all this information and assume the worst. We then traveled back here, to Minas Tirith.�
Voronw� said nothing for a while, looking me in the eye, then at Aratan, and the other four members of our company. He definitely wasn�t falling for it, which was a relatively good thing for the course of history, and a less gratifying one for me.
Finally he spoke, looking to Aratan. �Is this stranger�s accounting of events correct?�
�Yes,� Aratan nodded.
�This is very ill news indeed. There are still many things that remain a mystery before my eyes. I shall present our current situation as well as this new-found information before the council. A proper course of action shall be taken from there. Until that time, Stranger, you are to stay within the city under the guard of the King's Escort. Any attempt to leave will result in your arrest. You hold enough suspicion in my eyes as it is. Any attempt to flee will confirm my ill feelings towards you. Go now, you shall be sent for when your presence is required,� he said. The five behind me bowed, I stood there looking like a dolt, and the steward walked away.
Aratan grabbed my upper arm in his large hand and pulled me away towards the steps leading to the gate. He seemed rather upset, and I couldn�t blame him. I knew he had wanted me to remain silent, but that wouldn�t have been right.
�You lead yourself along a line heading straight on towards imprisonment, lass. What we had to say wasn�t enough to sway him to believe the king is passed on as we do. Your confession made him believe even less and he seems certain you are some servant of the enemy. Definitely a poor course of action, poor indeed!� he said as he pulled me down the steps.
�Well, it did not seem like a very good idea to keep quiet, Aratan! I know this will land me in a pile of trouble,� he pulled me around a street corner, �but I can worry about that when the time comes. I have other things on my mind,� I said as we stopped in front of one of many white stone buildings, which I assumed to be a shop of some kind.
He let out a sigh and let go of my arm. �I do not want to see you getting yourself killed, is all. Here,� he handed me a pouch that jangled in my palm, �go inside this store here. Have the seamstress find you some more normal attire and some boots. I shall be right in there when you are finished,� he pointed to a bustling place across the street. �I need some ale.� He waked away.
�I will see you in a little while!�
Middle-earth clothes shopping was bound to be hell.
