Grain sacks he sat upon provided some measure of comfort to Veryacano as he rested his back upon the giant keg. The provisions room they had been locked in had no windows and hence he began longing for fresh air after a couple hours. By that time, the two Rohirrim guards inside had grown tired of talking and just stood there, leaning on the now empty crates. Most of the crates were full of food when the elves were herded into the storeroom, but the Rohirrim captain had all the stores moved out and only dried beans, grain and other legumes remained. Apparently the prison in Grimslade was already overflowing with white hand spies and common criminals so the captured elves had to be held under guard in the storeroom.
Sitting on the hay covered floor of the store room that served as a makeshift prison cell, elves could not do much but just sit quietly, each to his own thoughts. He knew what most of them thought by just looking at their faces but he would not talk to them. He knew they needed someone to blame and most would blame him for their capture. Veryacano would accept this blame willingly since he knew if they resisted they would not make it out of Rohan with their lives. Perhaps they could have dispatched the riders up close but some of them would surely escape on horseback and would summon more riders. He did not expect to survive his quest, yet he still needed his life to pursue the trail of Anglachelm. So he had agreed to surrender his weapons and was taken away without a fight. They were not mistreated, but were not greeted with hospitality either.
In the eyes of his companions locked up beside him, Veryacano saw great concern. Concerns about themselves, about their quest and about Nirhen. She was at the end of Veryacano’s patience already with being notoriously aggressive and with her lack of discipline. Now she had disobeyed Veryacano’s direct orders to surrender her weapons and hence she had placed the lives of the entire company at risk. Fortunately, the Rohirrim were not easily provoked. Horselords had the upper hand on their war steeds and had the elves surrounded. The situation was resolved when Tindir knocked her out and took away her sword before things went sour.
In the valley of Imladris before the company set out on their quest, Veryacano had made clear to all that this quest was under his responsibility and he demanded all give their word to follow his orders. So they did. But among them it was chiefly Nirhen that did not see harm in going around the Hammer Lords words and acting on her own. It seemed to Veryacano, that she grew ever bolder in this regard and she was encouraged instead of behaving sensibly when retribution for her past crimes were postponed. For Veryacano, this was the last straw. He meant to take action if they could ever get out of there.
The elves had lost the trail near the Fords at Isen and wandered aimlessly looking for any clues of his passage, but they could not know anything for certain. Veryacano’s greatest hope was the rider which Grimbold promised to send after Anglachelm over a week ago. Strange it was, to place ones greatest hope in the men who now held them captive. That is how desperate he was in that room, he would not know which way to go to find his liege lord even if he could get out of there.
His thoughts then turned to those left out there in the wilds, for not all of their company was captured. He guessed that Naergon, Telpenaro and Himwen were roaming the land, looking for the main company. He knew they were now at risk of capture too since this land was unlike the rest and it was well guarded by the men of Rohan.
Veryacano expected that guards would come in sometime soon on their captains orders and the elves would be judged on charges of trespassing and perhaps more. Veryacano had lied to the Rohirrim captain in the town, saying Grimbold of Grimslade allowed them into Rohan at the Fords at Isen. Soon, word of their capture would reach Grimbold's ears and their deceit would come to light. He did not know the laws of this land but he guessed that there would be some kind of punishment for such offenses. He thought of ways to avoid such an outcome but it was likely that nothing would go as he hoped. He did think of breaking out aswell. The six of them could easily overpower the two guards inside and the other two standing outside aswell. That would not have been too difficult, but the likelihood of making it out of the village palisade through the gate and watchtowers was next to impossible. He exhausted his options in his mind and decided they would have to improvise.
