Though this be madness...

[Garland]

The captain frowned. "I'm sorry, but I cannot grant that request" He motioned to the pile of rubble that was before them. "You see, my lord never made use of that old place and this tunnel here was the only one leading to that chamber." He shrugged, "You see, Lord Garland wanted a fresh start for these old mines, thus he had constructed the thone room in the upper level."

[Saeros]

Saeros throw a glance toward Aragorn and said:"Indeed? This tunnel leads to the old chamber? How interesting."

[Envin]

Aragorn looked slightly crestfallen, for he had spent several days in hiding in the tunnels around the great hall, but he brightened when he heard that Garland had had a new Throne Room constructed, and asked if they might see how it differed from its predecessor.

[Saeros]

The Captain nodded and asked them to follow. Aragorn and Saeros walked up the stairs of Moria again and came back into the higher levels. They aproached before a large door and the Captain opened the wings and let them in. He raised both arms and said with a satisfied grin, that they were in the new and marvelous heart of Khazad Dum and pointed to the large tapestries with the rich ornaments and the beautifull throne of Lord Garland. They stood in amazemend in the wealth of Moria and Saeros throw Aragorn a glance. Aragorn caught his eye and nodded at him and Saeros took the captain by the shoulder and walked up to one of the tapestries with him, and engaged him in boring conversation about the fabric and the colours.

[Envin]

Aragorn quickly walked about the room, taking in the sights, as an unaware observer would have thought, but in truth his keen Ranger senses were not lost upon this place. Here and there, especially when he would bend over to sniff the floor, however polished it might be, he caught the lingering foul stench of Orcs in his nostrils, the same scent that he found in the hallway from which they had been speedily guided. And when gazed upon in the correct lighting and angle, he could still see the imprints upon the floor of large feet, and the scrapings made by iron-shod feet. Orcs had been in Moria many years ago, but these signs were fairly fresh, and, his mind made up, Aragorn walked over to Saeros and the guide, and stood with an expression of curiosity, studying the fine embroidery.

[Garland]

The captain waited patiently for a while as the pair looked over the tapestries. He'd noted Aragorn's peculiar scouring of the rest of the room, but said nothing. After the pair had ample time to look over the unimpressive tapestry the captain said with a smirk. "Gentlemen, is there anything else I can do for you today?"

[Envin]

"Methinks perhaps not," Aragorn answered. "It has been quite and long and tiring day for this humble statesman. If 'twould not be overly an imposition, mayhap thy lord will grant us his hospitality for this night."

[Garland]

"Of course, my lord." The captain bowed and led the pair back to Lord Garland's chambers, walking in before them to inform his master of the pair's intention of staying the night.

Garland stood as his captain beifed him upon the situation and walked with a smile to greet Aragorn and Saeros once more. "I am honored to have the both of you here in Moria for the night. I would not allow it otherwise, for Gondor is a long ride my friends and the hour is already late. Come, I will show you to your quarters personally." Garland led the pair to the guest chambers which were located next to his own. "I should think you will find your stay in Moria a bit more comfortable than your last." He remarked as he opened the chambers main door. This door led into a sitting area around a fireplace which was already set blazing. Garland motioned to the two smaller doors at either side of the sitting area, "You'll find warm beds and fresh linnens in there my friends, as well as clean robes." He then pointed to a small door at the rear of the room, "You'll find fresh water in the bath and basins to clean up." Garland bowed, "Now, if you'll excuse me gentlemen. If you need anything there will be a servant just outside the door." He turned to leave them to their quarters but turned just as he reached the door. "I'll have a meal prepared shortly, I'll send word when it is ready." He then exited the room, leaving a post of two guards and a servant outside the door.

[Saeros]

After the door was shut, Saeros layed a finger at his lips and listened through the door. He nodded once Lord Garland was gone and said loud. "I take the right room, if you don't mind."
He walked over to Aragorn and pointed to the door. "I guess he is not only out there to care for our comfortability," he wispered. "I am curious if we are the only guests at the meal..." Saeros turned toward Aragorn with a thoughtfull face. "So, what did you find?"

[Envin]

"All across his throne room floor I found traces of the heavy dint of iron-shod boots, and the foul lingering stench of Orc-kind. Obviously, there had been some attempt to sponge it away, but to no avail. And these signs were fresh, not remaining from before Garland was in control of this place. As well, that was a new throne room, and if there are signs of Orcs, then they have been in it. Perhaps our good Lord Garland is not as good as we are led to suppose. And that blocked tunnel, it also had traces of their heavy smell as well. All is not right here."

[Saeros]

Saeros nodded. "The Captain was to eager to get us away from that blocked tunnel, another sign that there is something not right. And all this trials to offend me. Did you notice how much afford Lord Garland put into his mockings? That is not quite the behaviour of an innocent man, but of a guilty who feels watched with his fingers in the cookie jar."

[Envin]

"Perhaps," replied Aragorn thoughtfully. "He was certainly rather offensive, I must say. I muse how much of our suspicions he suspects, many I would guess. What occurs next will be his choice."

[Saeros]

"Yes, you are right. We have to wait and see what happens. This coming meal could become really interesting. I am wondering if he keeps trying to get me in rage." Saeros opened the door to his room and throw an eye into it. "I don't know the Moria of Lord Garland, neither how it was shortly before him. But I was one time here, when the Dwarven kingdom of old was in its former glory. This environement Garland uses doesn't lack anything of that time."

[Envin]

"Aye. This Moria seems a mockery of the grandeur of the one of yore. Perchance a front for some other design it may be. We shall see. Aye, of dinner, I say: he'll keep with his haranging of ye, sure as I stand here. I'd wager a horse on't."

[Garland]

Some hours later a messeger came and knocked on the door. "M'lord bids thee to accompany him to dinner." He stood by the door and waited for the guests to answer that he might lead them to Garland's dinning hall.