<b>Allassiel shook her head. “It could very well be Sauron they spoke of. Hear me out.” She raised her hand as Lotharn opened his mouth to argue. “There was a period, several hundred years, we did not know where Sauron was. Suppose he came here, apprenticed this Morgan, and then returned to Dol Guldur, leaving Morgan in charge. The times match. It would be something he would have done, could do easily as he had no body. Even Saruman the White fell to Sauron's influences, and he was once one of the greatest wizards of all.” She fell silent, allowing Lotharn and Thorgan to think over her words. <br/>
<br/>
While they talked it over, she studied the garden until she found Pegawen who, it seemed, was in a lively discussion with one of the hir tending the garden. Whatever it was, Allassiel was almost certain she was right – or, if not, would surely convince the hir that she was by the end of their discussion. How she managed such things was beyond Allassiel's understanding; for someone who spent most of her time distracted, Pegawen had a way with words. Not always, but more often than most.</b><br/><br/><b>Even as Allassiel was going to point her out to Lotharn – perhaps she'd not mind having the conversation interrupted by him – she saw Pegawen nod and head towards the group. <br/>
</b><br/>“<b>What was that about?” Allassiel pointed towards the hir as she asked.</b><br/><br/>“<b>Nothing important,” Pegawen replied, grinning as she leaned down to kiss Lotharn on the cheek. “It seems that, despite all of the plants here, there is no athelas at all. I was shown a number of plants that had similar properties. While there are a couple that are, indeed, promising, none of them is near as potent or useful as the plant the rangers used. So, I gave the hir two of my own seeds, that he may grow some and see for himself.”</b><br/><br/>“<b>I'm sure he'll have many questions for you in a few weeks, once the plants are grown.” Allassiel nodded. But would their quest be over by then? And will they have succeeded?</b>