Smoke & Mirrors

Chapter 8

It seemed to Éomer as if the world that had slowed down for the last few months now speeded up dramatically. Too late did he appreciate what a brief interval of peace they'd had. The next few days he spent closeted with Amrothos and Damrod, the ranger who knew the territory they would have to cross, while couriers went out to summon his marshals and their senior captains to a council.

He saw little of Lothíriel during that time and perforce their visits to the stables ceased since they were both so busy, him with preparations for their expedition, Lothíriel with the influx of visitors. While it was the tail-end of the foaling season anyway, he still regretted the loss of those peaceful nights spent together – more strongly than was reasonable, he told himself, when all they did was chat with Aedwulf and his lads and witness the foaling. As for going for a ride again, that was out of the question for the moment.

The day of the council arrived and as usual Éomer shared his morning kahva with his wife; that at least had not changed. Elfhelm and Erkenbrand had arrived the evening before and with her customary efficiency Lothíriel had arranged for lodgings and charmed the two men at the evening meal.

Now she sat leaning back against her cushions with a faint frown between her eyebrows while Dordes brought her the breakfast tray.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Well, I've been thinking..." her voice trailed off.

"About what?" He only hoped she would not suddenly reproach him for leaving her. But no, she understood her position as queen.

"About supplies."

"Supplies?" That was not what he had expected.

"Yes." She hesitated. "I hope you won't think that I meddle in men's affairs, but I couldn't help overhearing some of the details of your plans."

He wondered why she sounded so defensive. "And what did you think of them?" he asked. The matter had in fact been uppermost in his own mind. Unlike with their mad dash to Minas Tirith during the war, they could not rely on finding a well-stocked city at the end of their journey, so they would need to take food stores with them. With the new harvest not yet in, that meant collecting the wheat from their granaries located chiefly in the Westmark, where most of their farms lay.

"Well..." She twirled a strand of hair around her fingers. "Have you considered shipping supplies up the Anduin from Minas Tirith instead of transporting them there by packhorse? The river is navigable up to the Falls of Rauros."

"How would that help?" Éomer asked. "You'd still have to get them to Minas Tirith."

"No, I meant buy the grain directly in Gondor."

It sounded like the kind of plan a princess brought up amongst the riches of Dol Amroth would come up with. "That's much too expensive," he explained. "The Mark's wealth lies in its horses, not in ready gold." He couldn't help sounding slightly defensive.

"But you wouldn't have to pay in gold," she said, surprised. "If you wish, I could arrange it for you. My credit is good from Dol Amroth to Minas Tirith; I can buy the supplies and pay back the merchants later, after the new harvest has come in. Of course they charge you a little extra, but it would save considerable time and effort." She drummed her fingers on her breakfast tray. "Do you know, why not trade them our surplus wool? If we sent it by cart to Minas Tirith, it would fetch a much better price than what you get here."

"It sounds good," he said slowly. In fact they could then collect the needed pack horses straight from their herds in the East Emnet and only load them up after crossing the Anduin, which would simplify things greatly. "Why don't you suggest your plan to the council?"