It was very early into the morning, as it was still dark when Aragorn slipped from the warm blankets and dressed himself. Today they would go and decide what to do with the slave trader. He slipped in his boots and grabbed a heavy cloak before he exited his room. He occasionally encountered a servant, but they were too busy with their tasks to noticed their king had passed instead of another servant.
It was a long and silent track down to the jail. "Who is there." The soldier that stood next to the entrance asked when a cloaked figure approached. Aragorn walked up to the soldier who grew a little uneasy when Aragorn did not reply. "Who are you, and is your business here?" The soldier was ready to pull his sword when Aragorn deemed himself close enough.
"Fear not." Aragorn softly said as he threw back his hood. He saw the eyes of the soldier grow big in the torchlight that lightened a little circle around it.
"Your majesty." The soldier stammered as he froze, unsure what to do. It was barely a kid, joined only last year. The captains surely had given him one of the more easier jobs.
"Unlock the door, soldier." Aragorn ordered. The soldier snapped out of his stupor moments later before he started fumbling with the ring that held several large iron keys. Aragorn could have snorted at the nervousness of the soldier as he dropped the keys twice.
"Just give a shout if you need something." The soldier managed to tell Aragorn after he finally unlocked the heavy, with iron reinforced door. Aragorn merely nodded before he slipped inside. Aragorn took the torch from the wall to lighten his way as he passed four large shared cells. Most of the common drunkards were still snoring, while only a few were already awake. Aragorn ignored the calls and shouts of the already awake men as he continued walking. At the end of the hallway where the large holding cells ended, the hallway split up in a left and a right hallway.
"Your majesty." The soldier who sat slumbering in between the hallways jumped to his feet in surprise.
"Bring me to the cell of the slave trader." Aragorn demanded whereon the soldier nodded and took the ring of key from the peg on the wall. The soldier glanced in both hallways, trying to remember in which one they needed to be. In both of the hallways were the solitary cells. He turned into the left hallway and stopped at one of the last cells. The soldier sought the right key with the matching number on the cell door before he unlocked it.
"All yours." The soldier said as he pushed the door open and stepped aside. The door creaked as Aragorn pushed it open so he could enter. The cell was barely big enough to lay down in, as well as that it was quite cold. The slave trader sat huddled up in the corner on a heap of old straw. He squinted against the light of the torch, while he awakened.
"What you want?" The man rasped out as he looked up to Aragorn.
"Soldier?" Aragorn called.
"Any problems?" The soldier asked when he stuck his head inside the cell.
"Bring this man some fresh water." Aragorn ordered.
"Yes, sir." The soldier saluted before he walked away , returning with a tin pitcher with water, and a matching cup.
"Drink." Aragorn ordered as the soldier handed the merchant the cup of water. Dhama drank the water quickly, emptying the cup with a little sigh. "Now, I would like to ask you again what you were doing with those men and the elf."
"Finding a home for them." Dhama replied, eying the pitcher that stood at the door of the cell.
"Were where you going to?" Aragorn asked.
"The southern lands, eventually."
"How about the burn marks?"
"I took them from their former home because they were treated badly." Dhama replied after he took his time to think.
"How about welts?"
"I do not know what you are speaking of." Dhama said defensively. Aragorn could see in the gleam of his eyes, that he knew exactly what he meant.
"I believe you do know what I am speaking of." Aragorn sneered. "Why was there an elf?"
"They are pretty creatures, are they not?" Dhama calmly said as he went to reach for the pitcher. Aragorn snorted as he kicked the man's hand.
"You will get more when I have then answers I want." Aragorn watched as the man cradled the hand against his chest. "Well, what are you waiting for? continue."
"Alas, they do not make very good servants." Dhama continued. "They can take much for a beating, but most men outlive them."
"Obviously." Aragorn snorted. That was in the first place why elves why elves not supposed the be held captive. "How did the elf become in your possession."
"Bought him in some village." Dhama sneered. He was thirsty!
"Where?" Aragorn demanded.
"Far east from here." He shrugged. "The poor thing was so stubborn that he was more dead than alive when I took him."
"Do you know who the elf is?"
"The man I bought him from claimed him to be some kind of a prince or something and deemed ridiculous prizes for him." Aragorn snorted.
"Where did the men come from?"
"Here and there." The man shrugged.
"Are there men from Gondor among them?"
"Possibly, as well as Rohan." Dhama shrugged again. With his foot, Aragorn shoved the pitcher to the merchant before he quickly stepped out of the cell.
"Are you finished, your majesty?" The soldier asked when Aragorn stepped out of the cell.
"I am." Aragorn nodded. "Make sure he has plenty of water at his disposal." He ordered before he let the soldier lock the door again.
"I will." The soldier bowed before Aragorn turned and left the cold and damp place. The young soldier jumped when Aragorn came through the door.
"Majesty." The soldier bowed. Aragorn gave him a small nod before he quickly made his way back to the citadel. Once back into their room Aragorn dressed himself in his formal tunic.
"Good morning." Aragorn greeted softly when he noticed Arwen had awakened.
"have you been awake for long?" Arwen asked as she sat up.
"Yes, I visited the merchant before we shall decide his punishment later this day."
"Did he make your opinion better or worse?"
"He provided me with some new information yes." Aragorn shrugged, not knowing if the man had a better chance on a more pleasant outcome. "I am going to eat already. I hope today will not take as long as yesterday, I have a lot of paperwork piling up."
"Will you take Legolas with you?"
"If he is already awake, yes." Aragorn walked to the other side of the bed so he could kiss his wife. "Check his room before you go to the dining room, you will know enough."
"I will. Good luck." Arwen said as she watched Aragorn leave. Aragorn knocked twice before he softly opened the door to Legolas' room. He saw that Legolas was still curled up in the corner of the room. With a little smile of seeing his friend asleep, Aragorn closed the door again.
The whole concept of seeing an elf asleep was foreign to him. Never in his life he had seen an elf sleep with his eyes closed, well he had seen when dear brothers Elladan and Elrohir had been into something that was too big for them and had returned to Imladris badly injured. That luckily had never taken longer than three weeks before they were all up complaining and being annoying. Seeing the mighty prince with his eyes closed was also something he had seen before, yet to have the elf almost sleep twelve hours a day, when they easily could go four days without any... Aragorn sighed as he walked into the dining room where breakfast already stood on the table, with the Steward of Gondor present.
"Good morning, my lord." Faramir greeted.
"Ah, Faramir. Good morning." Aragorn greeted as he sat down and started eating.
"What is it with the far-away look in your eyes?" Faramir inquired when he had finished eating.
"I believe I should sent Lord Elrond a message, concerning Legolas."
"What about it? I did not see him enter with you. Is he all right?" Faramir asked concerned, several questions flooding his mind.
"He is still asleep when I went to look for him." Aragorn sighed again. "Elves barely sleep, if they do at all. His eyes are closed. That only happens when they are severely hurt." Aragorn explained.
"They sleep with their eyes open." Faramir mused. If that was so, something very serious was indeed going on.
"If you can call it sleeping, yes." Aragorn confirmed. "We should get to the council."
"I would not want to miss it." Faramir joked as he stood, even though he was still quite concerned for the wellbeing of the elf. When they reached the small hall the councillors had assembled in, they could already hear the discussing going. Aragorn took his rightful place at the head of the table and stood with his right hand raised. When the councillors finally quieted down, Aragorn went to speak.
"Before you all start shouting again, I would like you to listen to me. Yesterday and the day before you had all discussed on what you thought that supposed to happen to Dhama Rom. There for I have decided we vote. All is to choose once. Raise your hand if you find it that the upcoming should be executed." Aragorn looked around the table where the councillors all looked at him. "Raise your hand if you want him to go free, never to return to our lands." Only two of the councillors raised their hands. "Have him locked up forever, never to walk free again." About a twenty councillors nodded and raised their hands. "Put him to dead, how is later to be determent."
"End his miserable life." One councillor shouted as several others raised his hand.
"Or," Aragorn said, not happy with the interruption, "he shall work in a labour camp, together with those who committed crimes." Those who had not raised their hands, raised them now. "Then it is decided." Aragorn nodded. "Dhama Rom shall be put into prison." Several councillors started to shout and once again tried to open the discussion on what should happen to the man, alas it was of no use.
"Hold your tongues." Faramir called as he slammed his fist onto the walnut wooden table. Several councillors looked up at him, never heard the Steward of Gondor raise his voice.
"Thank you, Faramir." Aragorn softly said. "I have decided, so hereby I thank you and end the council." Aragorn firmly said. Even though several councillors were still not quite happy, all of them slowly left the room.
"Thank the valar that this is over." Faramir sighed as he picked up his goblet and took a big swallow from it.
"Almost." Aragorn agreed. "Could you go to the dungeons after I signed the papers? And while you are out, could you collect bandages and some more healing supplies from the Houses of Healing?"
"I will." Faramir agreed as he stood. "Let's get to the signing of the papers then." Twenty minutes later Faramir was on his way with a signed piece of parchment. After he delivered the parchment he continued his way to the Houses of Healing.
"Lord Faramir." Healer Delion greeted with a bow when he saw the steward of Gondor, looking around. Faramir gave a little nod before he walked over to the healer. "What can I do for you?" He asked as he finished washing his hands, drying them on a cloth.
"King Elessar sent me to gather new healing supplies." Faramir explained as his gaze drifted over to the slaves in the corner.
"What does he need, my lord?"
"I believe it was mostly bandages, and probably more Althelas paste."
"Just a moment." Delion said as he walked away, returning several moments later. "A healer pack. It has all kinds of dried herbs in it, as well as bandages and Althelas paste." He said as he handed over the pack. "And extra bandages." He handed over a large bundle of pristine white strips.
"Thank you." Faramir said as he accepted the items. "How are they doing?"
"Still the same as when you asked last time." Delion said while he wearily ran a hand over his face. "They luckily eat when we give them food, even if it is only little bits they eat. They are better rested than when they arrived. I believe the company they have in each other will also help them heal."
"This is about the men that supposed to be turned into slaves? Or about all six of them?" Faramir softy inquired.
"I believe the two marked slaves have a lot more trouble for when they would need to return. They seem more healthy as the other four."
"I can imagine." Faramir agreed. "Has anyone spoken about what happened?"
"Not yet. Has the elf spoken about it?"
"I do not know. To me he has not, maybe he told king Elessar something."
"Has the slave trader said anything concerning the slaves?"
"King Elessar visited him this morning before the council made the decision that the slave trader should be locked up for the remainder of his life." Faramir softly said. "I shall ask when he would be able to come and visit you to discuss what he found out since I do know all he does."
"Thank you. It would possibly help to find relatives of these men." Delion agreed.
"Good luck." Faramir thanked the healer again before he made his way back to the citadel.
-A/N Do you have suggestions for activities or maybe characters you would like to see? Thank you for your review!-