Here is the new chapter in Galenlond. After this chapter, I am goig back to Elsa and Anna's story in Arendelle. Gondors and Robin will be present there as well, but Elsa and Anna will (finally!) have more presence and time.

The door opened and Aron's soldier entered the room, with plate full of food in his hands. Arrana was sitting on her bed, with her face in her hands, and she was probably crying. The soldier laughed slightly at that.

"Here is food for you, young lady." he said, placing it on the table and taking the plates from the previous dinner for her. "Leave the plates on the table, just like the last time." he said, and then looked at her, quite irritated. "Stop crying! I and my pals have to kill for one piece of rotten bread while you get apples and meat and the best bread in all of Israel!" he yelled and then shut the door violently.

When he left, Arrana looked up and went silent. Her face was without any tear. Arrana slowly got up from her bed and walked quietly on her tip toes to the table, taking a piece of bread and eatingi it quickly. Arrana felt some hint of sympathy for the soldier when he said about others and their food, but it was rather hard, since they were keeping her and her father as prisoners. True, Arrana did cry at the beginning of this imprisonment, but now she didn't have the time to cry: crying won't get her out of here, a plan will.

Neither will an empty stomach get me out of here, Arrana said in herself and started eating. Meat that he brought her was actually fish, but it's not like she had an opportunity to complain. That and the fish was not bad.

Although, I do prefer sheep's meat, she thought and started eating and thinking.

Arrana looked at her plate. The Red Snake didn't send a knife or a fork or any sharp thing beside the plate. Inside the fish, there were no bones, except the awful head bone. He was very careful, she'll give him that. He really thought about everything.

There must be something sharp here. Arrana thought. Something sharp must be here. Arrana didn't notice she already finished her meal.

She started looking for something sharp. Something to help her get out of the room. Something to use it to protect herself.

She looked bellow the bed, bellow the table, in the corners, but found nothing.

Arrana punched her hand with her fist and placed her hand on her mouth. She started tapping her temple. Think of something, think of something, think of something, she repeated to herself in her mind. She leaned her head against a wall and looked up.

"What will I do now?" she talked with herself. "I have no dagger, no knife, no weapon. I don't even have a fish bone to open the keyhold." she slightly chuckled when she said that. "I am talking to myself." she said. "Again." she sighed, looking down on her hands. "What can I do?"

Arrana got up and leaned against the door, trying to hear what the guards are talking about.

"...I told you Arendelle is too well-defended." one man said. "We couldn't win in any way."

"That's not the reason." the other man said. "We could have entered the walls of Arendelle if there were lesser men."

"Fewer."

"Whatever. If it wasn't for that Gondorian scum at the gate, I would have destroyed the walls myself."

"All thanks to a boy." the first man scoffed. "Curse that little lord...uh, what was his name?"

"Isaiah Gondor."

What?

"Yes. That son of a dog." the man said. "I will kill him the next time I see him."

Arrana didn't listen anymore to them. She was only thinking about what she heard. Isaiah is in Arendelle? What is he doing there? He is supposed to be in Minas Hîr!

"You two!" a familiar voice said. "Get out of there!"

Arrana ran away from the door and sat beside the table, pretending to play with the fish remains and one small, useless bone that the Red Snake forgot to get out of there.

"Are you over yet, lady?" the soldier said. Arrana didn't answer, pretending to be a sad princess again. "I'll take that as a yes. Give me your plate."

Arrana took her plate and gave it to the man, hiding her face and making sobbing sounds.

"Stop crying! I would kill someone for what you just ate. Take this, idiot!" he told someone and turned away. "Don't stand there! Enter, idiot!"

The man the soldier was talking to entered the room, Arrana's eyes widened, and so did his.

It was Ethil! Her father's guard.

"You!" the soldier said to Ethil. "I will be gone for some time. Make sure she doesn't run away."

"Yes, sir." he answered and the soldier closed the door. Ethil immediately sat on the chair beside Arrana.

"My lady!" he said with happiness.

"Ethil!" she said, still confused. "How? How did you..."

"A funny story." he said. "I sneaked away from the tent in which I was a prisoner and this soldier found me and took me for his servant." Ethil smiled. "He thought I was one of them."

"And no one went looking for you?" she asked him.

"They did, but they weren't sure who I was. That, and this soldier didn't allow them to take me for questioning." Ethil showed her his sword. "As far as they are concerned, Ethil, son of Methil, is either dead or he ran away."

"Then you can help me." Arrana said. "You can help me and my father!"

"Damn I will!" he said, and Arrana frowned. "Forgive me. Yes, I will. But how?"

"Give me a knife." she said and Ethil's face was perplexed. "Or a dagger. Or anything sharp!"

"For what?" he asked her. "To break a window? To eat?"

"To help me get out of here!" she said through a whisper and gritted teeth. "I cannot get out of here bare-handed, you know?"

"To get out of here, you need someone to help you." he said.

"And why do you think you and I are talking now?" Arrana said expressionless. "We are trying to see how you can help me!"

"Oh." Ethil said. "Forgive me."

Arrana massaged the bridge of her nose. "Just...let's just think with clear minds."

"Alright." he said. "I am thinking."

Arrana wanted to slap him, but just waved with her hand.

"Do you have the key for my room?" she asked him.

"No." he answered. "That soldier does, but I doubt he will give it to me if I ask him."

"Is there more than one key?"

"Not that I know." Ethil then scratched his head. "Actually, there is. I once saw him talking with the guards and giving him the key. 'This is a key for lady Gondor's room.' I tried to steal it and replace it with a similar one, but I was unable to."

"Where is that soldier working?" she asked him.

"I am not sure." Ethil said. "I think he works on the Eastern wall."

"Do you remember how he looks like, at least?"

"Yes." he said. "I can tell you the shape of his nose if you want to. I was always good at remembering people's faces."

"Great!" Arrana exclaimed quietly, and moved a little closer to whisper. "You must get that key one day, Ethil."

"One day?" he asked her. "What do you mean 'one day'? I should save you know, my lady?"

"I am least important." she told him. "You have to find my father! And Eradan, and Gad, and Adonijah!" You have to save them first and foremost."

"They wouldn't agree with that."

"I know." she said and walked to her bed and took two earrings, a ring and a necklace that were hidden there. She offered them to Ethil.

"Take these!" she said. "They are incredibly valuable, you may need them."

Ethil stared at pure gold and silver in her hands with mouth agape. He looked at her.

"I...I will...how the hell did you hide these things?!" he asked her. "How did they not take those from you?"

"I have my own skills." he told him. "Now take them!"

"I am not complaining." he grabbed all jewelry in her hands.

"If you find a place to hide from the Red Snakes, you can pay someone to keep you safe." she told him. "Then, try to find Eradan and Gad. Then find my father, and free me, so that we can all find him and free him."

"And when do you expect me to do all that?" Ethil asked her. "In two days?"

"Thunder strike you, Ethil!" she said. "Of course not! But you must find out where my father is! Try to find someone to help you."

"I will try to help, but..." Ethil looked at the jewelry in his hand. "my lady, are you sure this is enough for someone to risk their life to keep me safe?"

"Don't worry." Arrana said. "That jewelry is extremely valuable." she said. "With it, you could buy three fields. Maybe four. Possibly five."

Ethil's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" Ethil looked at the jewelry again. "If I was greedy, I would keep this for myself."

She frowned.

"But don't worry," he raised his hands in defense. "I won't."

Arrana shook her head and sighed. "Now give me something sharp."

"Here." Ethil put his hand in his pocket and took a longer knife out, and offered it to her. "Hide it well."

"I sure will!" Arrana said and grabbed the knife and hid it under the blankets. "Is he coming?"

Ethil opened the door slowly and very slightly and peeked through them, and quickly closed them.

"Yes!" he said. "He is talking with someone!" Arrana swiftly walked to her chair beside the table and sat upon it, while Ethil stood still, pretending nothing happened. The doors creaked and the older man entered the room. Arrana was holding her hands on her face, playing a hopeless damsel again.

"So, you're still crying, child?" he said, and she looked at him, with false fear in her eyes. Arrana was avoiding his look. The man scoffed.

"Do as you wish!" he said and placed some apples on the table before her. "Here! Your food," he then bowed in a mocking manner. "lady." he grinned. "Let's go." he said, and he and Ethil left. Before Ethil closed the door, he looked one last time at her, and Arrana gave him a wink. Ethil nodded and closed the door.

Arrana sighed in relief and gave thanks to God. She's got help, but Ethil can't do everything.

Now what?

Ethil left the room with master Jarl, and they both started walking down the stairs.

"Did she do anything strange?" master Jarl asked. "Anything suspicious? Did she say something?"

Ethil needed to learn how to lie. He really did. He put all his energy into this lie, that's for sure.

"No, master Jarl." he said. "She was just crying and talking to herself."

Master Jarl nodded. Ethil almost touched the jewelry in his pocket out of fear.

"Alright then. Come with me, boy, I need your help with this."

"I am at your service, master Jarl." Ethil said, but Jarl paid no attention to him. Ethil sighed and just followed him.

The camp they both entered was a sad sight. Many people dressed in rags, and sitting on the ground, begging for money and bread. Little children were holding next to their fathers and mothers, who were crying for their children. Some fathers and mothers were even hugging their dead children in their arms, weeping and screaming, while the soldiers were ignoring them.

Ethil's heart was in his mouth at that moment. He never saw any sadder and more terrifying sight in his life. He almost cried. Almost.

"Is your head in the clouds?" master Jarl asked him. "Help me with these crates!"

Ethil nodded without a word and started carrying the crates full of food, potatoes, apples and other fruits and vegetables. Those crates were placed on the big carriages that would then take all of that to the castle of Galenlond. From time to time, soldiers would take pity on the poor people and give them a crate or two.

"Hey!" master Jarl called him. "Give this crate to that group over there." master Jarl pointed to the line of fifteen prisoners in chains. Jarl took the crate of apples and carried it towards them. When he took that crate, he started giving each one of them one apple. Then, he approached a man with a long beard, who was bareheaded and kept his hand down. He was dressed in torn priestly clothes, so Ethil decided to show him respect.

"Here, my father." Ethil offered him the apple, and the man slightly raised his head and slowly reached out his hand to take the apple. Instead of receiving the apple, the man received a punch on the face, and someone took the apple from Ethil's hand. Ethil immediately raised his face up.

"No!" the soldier standing above Ethil said. "There is no food for him." saying that, he gave the apple to one of his companions.

Ethil wanted to challenge the man to the fight, but a hand touched him.

"No, dear son." the priest told him. "Don't risk your life."

"What has this man done to deserve such punishment?" Ethil asked the soldier, half-ignoring the priest.

"He served lord Gondor." the soldier answered. "That's what he did. Now get out of here!" the soldier commanded him and Ethil looked a bit more closely in the priest.

"Adonijah?" he said, and the man looked down.

"Have you not heard me?" the soldier pushed Ethil. "Leave!"

Ethil scoffed and pursed his lips, ready to fight the soldier. He looked down on Adonijah again and left.

Aron was holding the dagger in his hand. It was not a very long dagger, going from his wrist to the tip of his middle finger, but it was very sharp, made from grey steel and shaped similarly to Israelite dagger. The dagger was made short so that it could be hidden well. And one swing of that dagger was enough to kill anyone.

It was a dagger from the village of Dull. Aron was there four years ago and the lord of that village wanted to kill him and ordered his men to attack him. One man attacked Aron and he killed him instead, and then threw the axe right into the lord's face. Before he left, Aron saw that dagger among the men that attacked him and decided to keep it for himself. You never know when you will need it. And it was a pity to leave a dagger like that behind.

"And?" Aron asked. "What is happening with lady Arrana?"

"She is in her room, my lord." the soldier told him. "Crying all the time." he scoffed. "Good thing there isn't anything sharp there. I am afraid she would kill herself."

"Why?" Aron asked and looked at him. "Have you or anyone done anything you were no allowed to?"

The soldier went pale. "No, master!" he bowed. "We did nothing! I swear!"

"Good." Aron said. "I need her alive." Aron whispered and turned away. "I need all of them alive."

Aron killed the soldiers who told him they almost killed Elsa and Robin. To make an example of them. He needs them all alive.

"Lord Aramir?" he asked the other soldier.

"He is still alive, master." soldier Hildim answered. "He lost a bit of weight and his hair has grown, but he is still alive and healthy."

"Excellent." Aron said. He doesn't want Aramir to die, but he needs him in that dungeon. No one else must now the truth.

"Father." Dargol entered the throne room and bowed his head. He had two soldiers around him. Aron nodded to his son and then looked at the dagger.

"He is here, father." Dargol said. Aron didn't look at him, but kept his eyes on the dagger instead.

"Bring him in." he said, and then he could hear the footsteps of someone entering the room. Aron smiled at that. "Leave us. Everyone." and then he heard other footsteps, this time of the people leaving the room and closing the door behind them.

Aron turned around, and he saw an older man with a very small beard, hi ash-white mustache being the only visible part of it. He was tall, an inch or two shorter than Aron, but that couldn't be noticed. His dark brown eyes were almost black.

"You called me, here I am." he said. "What do you want?"

"Kirun, welcome." Aron smiled and sat down on his "throne". "I have a business for you. I will pay you, of course, but I think you will consider doing it for free."

Kirun raised his eyebrows and sat on a nearby chair. "Why the hell would I do something for free?" he asked. "Especially if it's for you, Aron."

"You remember how I told you that you don't know everything about me?" Aron asked. "There are many things you don't know about me. Have you ever heard of prince Aron of Arendelle?"

"You mean, you?" he said, with a grin. Aron looked at him from above.

"You know that?"

"I figured that out myself." Kirun said, while drinking a glass of wine. "It's pretty obvious. Like two plus two equals four. You didn't put a lot of effort into hiding it from me."

Aron intended to answer back, but he just waved with his hand and scoffed.

"Then you know who is my niece?"

"Of course I do..." Kirun's eyes widened, and he scratched his small beard, with a realization on his face. "I think I know where this is going."

"I am pretty sure you do." Aron said. "She is a Snow Queen, a ruler of water and ice. But she is just a child." Aron left his dagger on the arm of the throne. "I need you to help me with her."

Aron stood up and took a nearby torch, with the intent to light one of the candles. But when he approached the candles, Kirun waved with his hand and a flame burst out of the candle. Aron's hand almost burned. He flinched, holding his hand, and staring at the small burn on it, gritting his teeth. He looked angrily at Kirun who was smiling.

"Well?" the smile didn't leave his face. Kirun was holding his hand above in the fire of another candle, enjoying it's heat. "I am listening."