"Be welcome among us, your Excellency," said Luigi, rising from the ground and stepping forward to greet Arafrantz. "I will make up for this error in any way I can; not for the glittering caves of Alcarrondo nor for the favors of Lutienna would I that similar thing had happened."
"Two things I ask as wergild: your hat, and the release of my friend," replied Arafrantz.
Luigi immediately handed Arafrantz his grey fedora, made by elven crafts in the Elder Days. Arafrantz bowed. "And my friend?" he inquired.
"I hope that nothing happened to him," said the Count, fingering his Ring in a faintly menacing way.
"I will announce to him myself that he is free," said Vanya. He led them through a secret door, cleverly disguised as a Valinorean pointy-eared huorn-cactus. There they saw Réginard, draped in a greyish-green cloak borrowed from one of the bandits, losing badly in a game of whist against his guard, a large black Orc with hairy arms and foul breath and two eyes made out of coal.
