@Rillewen
Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - January 24th
~ the day the Rangers return from sea training ~
Thankfully, Cali had led with the fact Trastion was alright, or at least that is how he must have looked, when he had taken the strap to Cali. If the smith hadn't led with that, Arnyn would not have succeeded in keeping her expression as composed as it was now, when the smith went on to comment the strap had broken while Taras while riding.
While he was riding.
Arnyn could see some of the other woman's frustration at her concerns not being delved into. It wasn't that the Lieutenant wished to discard the smith's concern, or that she thought it was implausible. And perhaps it should be higher on her radar, but there was no time for that in Arnyn's reality. Even if Cali were right, the work did not stop. There was impossibly much to do in very little time.
"Thanks, Cali," she smiled softly, in return to the smith's smile. Arnyn was also sure Cali would be glad for Unalmis' return, but she decided not to mention the younger ranger. She didn't add anything else as Cali left the office, after which a ranger promptly entered. Vorondil.
He gave a detailed and chronological report of what had been assigned to him and two others. For Ava had spun Arnyn a story about bringing back the parents of a certain Amber to Gondor, and since Arnyn had acquired more details of the alleged whereabouts of this man and this woman, and since Amber herself was being followed up on by Pele... It was most definitely a lead Arnyn had intended to follow up on, even if she had delegated it.
De Mein would have been proud.
Vorondil told her of how the information Arnyn had gotten from Ava's Gondorian
butler had brought them to the couple's house. How they had shown proof of their identity, their professions, before talking to them about Amber. Who might or might not be their daughter. How they had told the couple what they knew of how they had escaped Umbar; that Avaleazar Hazadazra had bought the woman from the auction block and had bought the man from the fields. How Avaleazar had taken them in, hidden them away, until she had brought them to Gondor upon a ship with a particular description. About their request to the couple to write this Amber a letter, with questions only
their Amber would know the right responses to. That this could be a way to verify the question of whether this Amber was actually their lost daughter.
The couple had been eager, Vorondil relayed to Arnyn. Very eager indeed, even if they had not confirmed - nor denied - anything about Ava or how they had escaped Umbar. They had not claimed anything the rangers had told them to be false, about how they had been rescued. But they also had not wished to commit an answer to whether they would confirm the story. The woman had simply kept repeating that 'a kind person had helped them escape and get back home'. Vorondil and the others had rushed the letter back to Amber, and the other two were still away from bringing Amber's reply back to them. But Vorondil had read both the parents' letter and Amber's.
"It did not feel right," he told Arnyn, "to read such correspondence. But since we redacted the parents' letter along with them... and knowing that Amber's reply might lead to them reuniting with their daughter..." He shrugged. "It helped. From what I can tell from what they told us when we were there, Amber is in fact theirs. So, Ava did not lie to you about at least a big part of that story. Even if they were, last I knew, unwilling to actually confirm that it was specifically Ava who got them out of there."
"Technically speaking, they could have been an elaborate ruse, even if she was the one to return them to Gondor," Arnyn mused.
"You still have not told us, Lieutenant, why it is important to know whether this Umbarian told you the truth?" He knew, of course, what the rangers' plans were, concerning Umbar. Pele and Arnyn had shared it with all of them, about two months prior. "As I understand it, they cannot be trusted."
"I understand just about the same," Arnyn muttered. "But the exception does confirm the rule." And it would be freaking convenient if this one
were the exception. "When do you suppose the others would be back?"
Vorondil paused in thought. "I think they should be back in a few days, Lieutenant."
Arnyn frowned. "Perhaps they will be more forthcoming once they see Amber," she decided. "Thank you, Vorondil. Good work." At the very least, Ava had not yet proved deceitful. And that was heartening, given the fact her brother and two of her friends were currently
lodging at the Umbarian's estate.
Uncharacteristically, Vorondil lingered. Arnyn fixed her dark eyes upon his own. "Yeees?" she spoke slowly.
"Cal mentioned he might be leaving in a few days. Him, Pick, and you."
Arnyn tilted her head. "He did, did he?"
Vorondil shrugged. "The old Hyandaner crew's ties run deep, Lieutenant. You only have yourself to blame."
Her eyes narrowed, before she let out her breath in a small huff. "And?"
"And, nothing. That was all he said, in response to me telling him about our own assignment not being fully completed yet. But he was acting in that way he does when he doesn't want people to see he's nervous. And
I don't remember being asked anything about a mission."
Arnyn smiled. "Jealous?"
Vorondil frowned. "If even
Calan's nervous, I know not to be."
"What about Picker?" she asked. "Is
he nervous?"
"Stars, that bastard seems as comfortable as ever," Vorondil said, shaking his head. "Will I see you again, before you leave? To deliver the final report on this?"
"Probably," Arnyn confirmed without fully committing. "You're dismissed, Hyandaner," she added on with a little smile.
Vorondil made a face, then nodded and saluted sharply, before flashing her a quick smile and leaving the office.
Arnyn followed him, closed the door behind him, and sat down at the desk to record Vorondil's verbal report into the correct file. If she'd already left by the time the others returned, Pele would need to be able to dive in seemlessly.
