Huánryn- Sindarin for hunting hound- Legolas called Gimli this in the last chapter. I forgot to add a translation.

Chapter 17: Gimli the Finder

'Gandalf has been squirrelled away in the libraries and vaults of this city for days,' Pippin said with faint disgust. He sat on the bench at the long dining table and swung his feet. 'What on earth he is doing down there I cannot think.'

Gimli had to agree. He had shared a smoke with Gandalf two days ago but seen nothing of the Wizard since. He wondered what Gandalf was looking for. But he and Legolas had other matters to attend. Today the two of them would investigate this missing guardsman. It was good for Legolas to have something to do, he thought for Gimli himself was enjoying engineering the city's new defences.

Behind him and standing at the great range in the kitchen, Legolas was cooking Second Breakfast, and a great pan sizzled with sausages and bacon and another pan was ready for eggs. Taking six eggs, Legolas broke three in each hand at the same time and then rapidly broke another six the same way. Gimli rolled his eyes as Sam, who was helping Legolas, gasped in admiration.

Frodo was returning from the garden with handfuls of plums which he rinsed quickly in cold water and put in a bowl on the table. Sam carefully poured milk from the urn into an earthenware jug. Gimli watched him surreptitiously, for Sam's hands sometimes shook a little still.

'He brought some old scrolls back with him,' volunteered Pippin, as Gimli filled the toast rack with thick slices of hot toast. There was a dish of freshly churned yellow butter and a jar of thick-cut marmalade. 'I saw them under his arm when he came back yesterday evening,' Pippin finished.

'What are we talking about?' asked Frodo, sitting beside Pippin. Merry sat opposite and helped himself to the toast.

'Gandalf,' supplied Pippin. 'And what has he been looking for in the libraries.'

'It's probably maps,' said Legolas. He threw a cloth over his shoulder whilst he shook the pan so it sizzled and spat. 'Gandalf always wants maps when he comes to the Wood.'

'Bilbo loves maps,' Sam said, smiling as he set the earthenware milk jug upon the table.

'I remember,' Legolas said, 'Bilbo sent my father a map of The Shire.' He began piling the cooked sausages onto a plate and handed them to Merry. 'My father was tremendously pleased with it. It hangs over his fireplace. And he sent one back to Bilbo, of the journey from Doriath. An original. Very precious.'

Merry and Pippin mouthed 'Doriath?' at each other, puzzled and shrugged. Instead tucking into the pile of sausages.

'We should give Aragorn a map of The Shire as a wedding gift!' Sam said suddenly and there was general applause and approval.

Gimli nodded approvingly and took the eggs from Legolas and put them on the table. It was a good idea, he thought and wondered if Aragorn would also like one of their own journey from Rivendell to Mordor and back.

He watched Legolas help first Sam, then Frodo and then himself to a hobbit size portion of bacon, eggs, sausages, fried potatoes, mushrooms and tomatoes. Pippin added another sausage to the mound of food on his plate and Legolas also added another sausage to his plate.

Over the almost empty plate of sausages, Pippin shot Legolas a challenging look to which the elf responded with narrowed eyes. Pippin now had four sausages on his plate and Legolas had five. Gimli regarded them both warily while Merry's eyes danced with glee. Pippin picked up another sausage, holding it provocatively in front of him for a moment before he ate it as fast as he could.

'No…' Gimli began but it was useless. Legolas was now wolfing down as much food as he could fit into his mouth and Pippin sitting opposite, was trying to match him bite for bite.

'Frodo, you must know what Gandalf is looking for?' Merry said, slapping down a coin on the table next to Legolas.

'This is so undignified,' Gimli protested weakly but he matched Merry's coin nonetheless but placed it beside Pippin who flashed him a grin. Legolas looked at him hurt and then redoubled his efforts, managing to chomp his way through sausage after sausage without a breath.

'He is looking for information about Khand I think. Someone he once knew went that way,' Frodo said laughing at Pippin who could not fit anything else in his mouth. Then he said with a mischievous grin that delighted Gimli, 'Oh, and I think he may need your help, Legolas. It is to do with a tree.'

'A tree?' said Legolas with his mouth full but he had no choice but to pause for breath and swallow in order to answer Frodo. 'Well. Trees I know.'

'Well, you can't do it today, Legolas,' Gimli said quickly and deliberately put Legolas off his stride. Legolas looked up and so missed the last sausage and instead Pippin crammed into his mouth triumphantly.

The hobbit held up seven fingers and waggled them in victory.

Merry grinned. 'Pippin won that one, Legolas.'

'Face of an angel, manners of an Orc,' muttered Gimli, not for the first time. 'Has Elrohir ever seen you eat? Don't answer that,' he said quickly for the wicked gleam in the elf's eyes.

Legolas bowed graciously to Pippin, and chewed more slowly now there was nothing to be gained. He swallowed. 'Gimli is right,' he said at last. 'I have to see someone about something.'

'Someone about something?' asked Merry curiously. 'Well that sounds vague.'

'Something for Aragorn,' Gimli said quickly before Legolas could blab it all out and get the hobbits involved. Because they would want to 'help' and then Aragorn would not be pleased. Nor would Gandalf.

'Then it must be important,' insisted Merry.

'Sort of,' said Gimli quickly. And successfully evading the hobbits' curiosity, he told himself, nodding approvingly.

'Sort of important?' It was Pippin now asking questions. His eyes bright and wide.

'Yes. It's something for Aragorn,' Gimli said more firmly. He prodded Legolas. 'Come on, Laddie. Finish that and come on. We haven't got all day. We have fish to catch.'

'Oh? You're going fishing!' cried Pippin happily. 'I cannot think of a better way to spend a lovely day like this than fishing. I'll get my hat.'

Legolas looked confused. 'Fishing?' he asked Gimli. 'I thought we were invest …'

Gimli rolled his eyes. 'Catching things,' he said quickly. 'Not really fishing. More like rat-catching.'

Merry narrowed his eyes at the dwarf. 'I think Aragorn must have better qualified rat-catchers than you two.' He fixed them with a knowing look. 'What sort of rats? Furry ones or two-legged ones?'

Gimli had no intention of telling the hobbits anything so instead of answering Merry, he turned to Pippin. ' I am not actually fishing but I would like an introduction to your good friend, Beregond, Pippin, if I could impose upon you.'

'Of course!' cried Pippin, delighted for an excuse. 'And if Aragorn comes looking, Merry can tell him that you and Legolas are rat-catching on his behalf.'

Gimli was appalled. 'If Aragorn comes, do not tell him we are rat-catching for him. He is very busy and will only worry.'

The hobbits exchanged quick, knowing smiles and Frodo said innocently, 'Well Sam and I are going to visit Faramir. We have not seen him properly since we arrived in the city. But it does rather leave Merry at a loose end,' he added with a glint of mischief.

'Exactly,' said Merry with a shrewd look. 'And if you are going to see Beregond with Pippin, Gimli, I shall go with Legolas!' He turned to Legolas. 'Where are we going, Legolas?'

'To see the mother of a friend, someone who was in Minas Morgul with us.' He looked at Gimli with an amused smile on his lips. 'I will tell you on the way.'

'An excellent idea!' exclaimed Frodo. 'Perhaps Sam and I should come with you after all?'

0o0o

In the end, Gimli managed to persuade a laughing Frodo that he should stick to his plans and not disappoint Faramir so at least it was only Pippin and Merry who were dragged into the adventure and not the Ringbearers. He tapped out an anxious little prayer to Mahal that Aragorn and Gandalf would not find out but he felt no answering peace in his heart.

Beregond was delighted to see Pippin and excited to meet Gimli, of whom he had heard so much. He welcomed them into his office, a small room in the Tower of the Guard, but comfortable and businesslike, with a desk covered in rosters and scrolls, reports, and four wooden chairs that were comfortably wide and the arms at just the right height. Against the walls in beautifully wrought iron racks were the banners of the Guard. The room smelled of leather and faintly of horses. Strangely homely.

'Master Peregrine has told me many fine tales of your deeds, Master Gimli,' said Beregond with a wide smile he could not keep off his face. 'Bergil will be so chuffed that I have actually met you.' He looked past Gimli for a moment. 'I don't suppose the lord Legolas is with you too? I heard you were inseparable and I will be the envy of all my neighbours if I have met him too.'

Pippin stifled a laugh and Gimli tried to be gracious and smoothed his beard. Patience of a mountain, he reminded himself. Patience of stone.

'I promise I will bring him the next time I visit,' he said generously.

So they sat in the wooden chairs and the sun fell through a wide window and warmed the air, and they talked for a while until Gimli skilfully manoeuvred the conversation around to the real reason for his visit.

'It is strange,' he said slowly as if it were merely occurring to him now, 'that this guardsman seems to have disappeared with none any the wiser.' He shook his head sadly. 'We come through a war such as we have and still trouble happens.' He offered his pouch of pipeweed to Beregond, who looked startled and shook his head. But Pippin was happy to dig in and soon both he and Gimli were wreathed in thin streams of smoke.

'It is strange,' Beregond agreed. 'He was such a happy soul. And a very good soldier. Never missed a duty, never missed a call.' He sighed. 'But sometimes war, battle, is easy and it's the peace that follows that is hard.'

Gimli looked down at the wooden floor of the man's office. 'Yes,' he said slowly. 'That is very true.' He drew on his pipe. 'You have long been besieged,' he began.

He drew more from Beregond than he thought he would and Pippin's company was significant for the hobbit would ask another question when Gimli paused and Beregond trusted Pippin for what they had shared in the battle for Minas Tirith.

By the time they left, they knew quite a lot about all three of the guards who had, or had not, been in the Silent Street that night. But more, they had permission from Beregond to speak to the fourth guard, Cendir, to whom no one had yet spoken.

Even more, Beregond sent a message summoning the Man although Beregond himself had to leave. He had duties that could not be delayed, but he extracted again a promise from Gimli to bring Legolas next time he came calling. Pippin went with Beregond and Gimli was thankful; he thought they would be in trouble enough when they were discovered without the hobbits being dragged into this even further.

The Man, Cendir, seemed at ease and an honest sort when he entered Beregond's office. He was tall and strong with an open and honest face. He looked Gimli in the eye without seeming defiant or challenging.

'I know Ioralas well, my lord,' he said when asked. 'And I confess I am as bemused as anyone that he did not attend his duty.' He shrugged and spread his hands. 'If anything, he was more dutiful. He did not like anything… untoward happening and would have reported anything he felt was not quite…right.'

Gimli did not lean forwards as he wanted to and wring the answers from the Man. Instead he merely tapped out his pipe and cleaned it. 'Strange, as you say. With a character like that, to have just upped and left with never a by your leave.'

There was a pause which Gimli did not attempt to fill. Sure enough, Cendir pulled his ear uncomfortably and he seemed to turn inward as if fighting a great inner battle.

At last he said, 'Do I have your word, my lord, that none of this shall be passed as coming from me?'

'Aye,' Gimli lit his pipe and puffed as if he had all the time in the world. 'You have. None but you and me shall know what is spoke here today. The word of a dwarf is as stone; none shall speak it.'

Cendir took a breath and shifted forwards, he leaned towards Gimli. 'My lord, please understand. There is nothing treacherous in this. But there is a certain…sense of obligation shall we say, amongst some of the older families, those who were loyal to the Steward and who served with him the many decades we have been under siege from Mordor.' He paused as if remembering that Gimli was close the king but Gimli did not react. Instead he puffed on his pipe soberly. He had found that leaving long pauses and saying little encouraged people to say more than they intended…as now.

'Hm,' was all the dwarf said and Cendir breathed and then looked up and said, 'A few of the older ones have wanted to pay their respects to Denethor and there is no harm in it.'

Gimli leaned back satisfied. Legolas would be hopping mad that it had been Gimli who discovered this juicy bit of news. 'Well now,' he said speculating. 'I imagine that they fear the king will hold this against them and therefore they are prepared to pay handsomely to see the tomb of Denethor…' His pipe had gone out whilst he gloated upon his find and he struck a match and held it to his pipe. 'This has made some of the men rich?' he asked shrewdly. 'But Ioralas did not approve.'

'Not rich. But those that do comply have made a little money from the Pilgrimage, my lord.'

'Pilgrimage?' He kept the alarm out of his voice with an effort but thought how Aragorn might be crowned but he was not yet truly King. And with an elven bride on the way rather than one of these noble families, or a Rohirrim princess, it might add to the legend but would not endear him to his nobility.

Cendir swallowed. 'Yes, my lord. This is what they are calling these visits.'

Gimli nodded sagely, calmly. 'I understand,' he said quietly. 'These men have served with Denethor, and his father before that. Many decades. This city,' he said slowly and reached out to stroke the solid stone of the wall. 'This city has withstood the siege of Sauron's forces for long years. And the Stewards have served the people well.' He nodded. 'I understand why they would wish to respect Denethor.'

Cendir's shoulders almost sagged with relief and Gimli thought it was not only the old families who thought perhaps, that Denethor should be given more respect.

'Thank you, my lord. They say that you understand the minds of Men, and that you sing to the city's stones so they will lift up and build themselves high and tall, and stand forever against our enemies.'

Gimli was startled. He stroked his beard. 'Do they indeed?' He laughed, faintly embarrassed but pleased nonetheless. 'Well I cannot raise stone up on my own, but I do understand its ways, and its song.' He paused for a moment and then prompted softly, 'But Ioralas did not think this pilgrimage should be happening?'

Cendir seemed to have lost all fear now and shifted forwards confidingly. 'No. He did not approve.' Cendir sighed. 'He did not say anything though and never threatened to give them away. He just didn't like it.' He paused, thinking for a long time. Gimli said nothing; just let him think. 'When Ioralas disappeared, I questioned Maltök, and Tyrises. I confess I did wonder if he had threatened to give them up but they swear he did not speak of it.' He paused and shook his head slightly. 'It is so unlike Ioralas to not turn up, and if ever he is detained for any reason, he always makes a lengthy apology! He is known for it. I cannot believe he simply left without word. '

Gimli chewed the end of his pipe and let a long, thin stream of smoke spiral up into the air. He thought for a moment and then said delicately, 'And do you know his friend, Arduin?'

Cendir looked up and for a moment, his face was conflicted. 'Yes,' he said eventually. He glanced up at Gimli. 'Such things are not spoken of.'

Gimli nodded kindly. 'Yes. I have heard. And yet they happen in times of war when men think they are lost.' He watched Cendir's face carefully but he saw no trace of either sympathy or loathing. ' Do you think that Ioralas would have left without speaking to Arduin?' he asked gently.

Cendir did not hesitate. 'No. Those two were close. They might have left together but not apart.'

Gimli nodded. It was what he had needed. 'Thank you my friend. None will know what you have said and none will know that you have spoken with me. Before you leave, tell me something of yourself. Are you from the city itself or beyond?'

Cendir was from Pelargir and Gimli extracted information from him about the soil and rocks as carefully as if he mined it. After a little while he nodded and smiled. 'When you leave, anyone asks you what we spoke of, you can say in truth that I asked you about the nature of the soil and stone of your home. We need granite for building the walls, and finer marble and basalt for the palaces and great houses destroyed. Pelargir will provide some of that.' He pressed a silver coin into the Man's hand and nodded away his profuse thanks, thinking he needed to warn Aragorn of his people's need. After Erebor, the people had wealth beyond their dreams for they had recovered their lost gold- but this was more like Azanulbizar, when finally they had defeated Azog but at such a cost in both lives and wealth that it took long to recover. The people of the city were poor, and some hungry, bereaved and lost the hands that had kept them fed. And there was an old loyalty to Boromir's House that Gimli understood. Aragorn would need to tread softly here.

0o0o

Pippin was waiting for him, sitting on the crumbled wall of the guard house and swinging his feet. Beregond had long gone. The hobbit was whistling tunelessly and waved when he saw Gimli and jumped down, sticking his hands into his pockets.

'Hullo Gimli,' he said and fell into step with the dwarf. 'Have you finished your chat with Cendir then?'

'I have indeed, thank you, Pippin. Your introduction was most helpful.'

'So…Ioralas? What has happened and why are you looking for him? Is he your fish or your rat? Or is Cendir your fish-rat? And why is it important-ish for Aragorn but he mustn't know you are rat-catching for him?' Pippin looked up at Gimli with wide eyes but the gleam in them was far too like Legolas for Gimli's liking. 'You can tell me, Gimli. I am completely water-tight!'

Gimli snorted.

'Well I suppose it is to do with this missing guardsman that you asked Beregond about.' Pippin stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered along beside Gimli. 'Although he told me that he does not think that this chap has just upped and left and is bothered by it more some days than others.' Pippin cocked his head like an inquisitive robin, his eyes bright. 'Why is that, do you think?' But he went on without a pause. 'He says they are all part of a special patrol that look after the Tombs of the Stewards and I suppose that means they are guarding Denethor's tomb. Either against desecration or against what could be called, loyalists I suppose.' He gave Gimli a look and said with barely feigned innocence, 'I suppose I could always ask Aragorn to explain.'

Gimli found the ends of his beard were in his mouth and took them out quickly before anyone noticed the indignity. 'Aragorn does not need to know,' he said, hearing his own voice sound faint and anxious. Hardly the voice of a Master of Stone and Iron! 'He is much too busy,' he added. But the hobbit's words struck a chord with Gimli and he realised that in fact, Pippin had indeed worked out the facts pretty well in a very short space of time. Perhaps now was the time to involve the hobbits after all.

'Very well,' he admitted. 'You have it. There are those who make what they are calling a 'pilgrimage' to Denethor's tomb and pay for it. Ioralas did not like this but does not seem to have made any official complaint.'

'No,' agreed Pippin. 'Beregond has only just discovered this himself. And will put a stop to it now.' Gimli glanced at the hobbit, secretly impressed. 'The two, Maltök and Tyresis, have been moved off this duty now,' Pippin continued, 'and Tyresis made a big fuss, made a lot of threats to Beregond. Said he had friends in high places who could make Beregond's position difficult. But since Beregond is going to leave for Ithilien with Faramir when he goes, Beregond is not in the least worried.'

Gimli walked slowly, thinking. 'Who is this person that Tyresis knows in high places?' he wondered aloud. 'Or persons?'

'It could be that those who have been to Denethor's tomb are powerful,' Pippin said as they turned into their own street. 'There is that lord Heredir we met at the coronation. He was quite dismissive about Aragorn's time spent as a Ranger. And he won't be the only one. Merry says that Faramir is always being visited by old families who want to tell him how sorry they are that Denethor is dead.'

Gimli slowed almost to a stop. They had reached a wide square that was bustling with market stalls and housewives with wide baskets on their arms. There was a cheerful and optimistic air and minstrels were wandering about the market and taking coin for songs. This was the time of peace, thought Gimli. But a precious and fragile peace. The people had their King. They had peace. But that did not mean prosperity. Times were hard still and old families might wonder if their power, influence, or wealth was safe. 'We need to tell Aragorn,' he said at last.

'Yes,' said Pippin. 'Or at least tell Faramir. He seems to always know exactly what to do. Now,' Pippin said with a bright smile. 'Aren't you glad that Merry and I came along with you and Legolas. You would never have got all that without me, and Merry is completely the right person to have sent with Legolas. Although Sam would have been even better. He would have made the old lady a cup of tea and asked about her garden, got her talking and then she would have told him everything. But Merry is quite good too.' I tell you what!' he said brightly, 'why don't we drop in on them on the way home? See how they are getting on.'

'No,' Gimli said firmly, remembering what he had said to Legolas when he had the same idea and not for the first time, thought that Pippin and Legolas were, in fact, very alike. And not always in a good way. 'I trust Legolas to have a chat with an old lady about her missing son. He has proved himself over and over on this quest.'

'Yes! Against orcs and goblins. I would not want anyone else at my back,' said Pippin. 'But not to tackle a little old lady in a cottage with lace curtains and doilies and things. He doesn't really understand tea cups and doilies.'

'Um,' said Gimli indecisively. 'You might have a point.'

0o0o

tbc