A shimmering elf-maiden leaps gracefully onto a stump at the edge of the
Shire. She is dressed in a flowing white gown with peasant sleeves. Her
hair is bright blonde and crimpy. All that are gathered notice that the
rain does not seem to affect her. She gives a stare to the crowd and says,
"All creatures gathered here. I applaud you for showing up on such a rainy
night. We have joined to journey southwards to protect the Kingdom of
Gondor from the threat that is growing in the south. One of you carries
something of great interest to this threat. We must join together or all of
Middle-earth is under the threat of being turned into a new army of Orcs
and Uruk-hais. I am Luthien, granddaughter of Elrond. I give all who
choose to follow me my bow and arrows. Always they fly swiftly. Who will
choose to leave their homeland?"
Gandalf steps forward out of the shadows. "I will travel with those who
choose to undertake this quest."
"Surely it is of some comfort to know that Gandalf will be accompanying
those of you who choose to undertake this most important journey, is it
not?"
"Your ladyship, I will go."
"Ah, Frodo, I am pleased."
"Hey!"
A hobbit pops out from behind the bushes and rushes up to Frodo and
Gandalf.
"Mr. Frodo doesn't go anywhere with out me."
"Very well, you shall go too."
"Thank you your ladyship."
Luthien then stands up and glares at the crowd. "Are all of you too simple
minded to realize that all of the earth is in mortal peril? We MUST join
together! Are all of you too scared to risk your own life for the future of
Middle-earth?"
A young boy steps forward, and one could see the fear in his mother's eyes.
"I will fight the Son of Morgoth, and I will fight to the death," he
declared.
"Who are you, young boy?" said the Elf-maiden in reply.
"I am Kaltenneth, ma'am."
"You have no weapon?"
"No ma'am."
"Then I will have my steel-smith make you a sword, but it will need a
name."
"Kadune, for a former warrior in my family."
"So it shall be, Kaltenneth the Warrior. Anyone else?"
A tall girl with long blonde curly hair stepped forward also and looked the
elf into the eyes. "I will also fight," she declared calmly.
"You are a woman," the elf declared, "Why are you fighting a battle that is not yours to fight?"
"Are you not also a woman? I am a sorceress, my name is Niphredil," she replied. Little did any of the creatures gathered know in that woodland that the sorceress that spoke was no other then Gandalf the White's daughter.
As the ever-growing band seemed to thicken and even as Niphredil's voice hushed, a dark head made his way out of the nearby trees. A man of the Big Folk he seemed and yet not so for he was both taller and greater. A man of ancient blood, the kind who was not seen anymore least of all in the Shire where scarce a squirrel entered. The greatest wonder of all was the sword that hung from his back. Gigantic it was, its sheathed blade standing well above the height of the Hobbits. "I too will join your quest, if you will allow it." The others smiled at his request and the feelings of fear lessened. "Of course all are welcome here. And what is your name may I ask?" The elf maiden's eyes glistened as she stared him out yet to no avail, as he seemed in no way swayed. "I am known as Tumnarkin." Even as he spoke, Gandalf felt something. He could not quite lay his finger on it but there was something different about this being. He was not evil per say but he had ulterior motives it felt. And there was that half remembrance, as if he had met him before, in another life. Another place not of this world. "Tumnarkin?" Niphredil questioned, "I seem to have heard that before, yet in very unremembered and renounced times".
"How do we know that we can trust you?" Frodo questioned, looking at the sheathed sword that lay on his back. Tumnarkin looks down at the worried eyes around him. "I do not ask you to trust me, simply to allow me to join you. If you must know, I am of the race of Drauglim. My kind was created long ago, when Sauron the Sorcerer tried to cross Men with the race of Werewolves. I am the last of that ancient kind" "So we cannot trust you. You are a servant of that our fathers worked so hard to destroy." Kaltenneth braced himself ready to fight the giant. Yet he merely stared at him hard-eyed, as a he seemed to wrestle with a painful memory and he spoke through gritted teeth. "I am no ones servant. Tumnarkin Trollbane lives by his own way and his way is to join you." Niphredil's eyes flash from a creamy blue to an angered red and she steps forward bearing a sword. "If he is at fault then so am I," she cries.
"And why would that be?" Kaltenneth asks moving his sword to her throat. "I am Niphredil, sorceress, but not just your ordinary sorceress I am," she starts, but before she can finish she was cut off as a tall cloaked figure stepped out of the trees. "She is Niphredil, and the Lord Sauron despises her with all his heart, for although he cannot love, she cast a spell on him, and cannot break it. He loves her, yet despises her at the same time. He will do anything to get her in his wrath," the figure explained. Tumnarkin and Kaltenneth look at each other with a great fear in their eyes.
"Do not fear me, I despise the dark lord as much as you do, and I am most sure Tumnarkin does also, or why would he be here," she replied calmly, putting her sword into a sliver sheath. The cloaked figure whistles sharply and seemingly out of nowhere, a chestnut brown steed comes galloping in. Without breaking his stride, the figure hoists himself up upon the cantering steed, and rides away as mysteriously as he came in. Tumnarkin rolled his eyes. "If we are all done accusing each other and quarreling over who may or may not join. Let us at least fight the Dark powers before we go at each other's throats. Sauron has returned and wishes to bring Morgoth, the power out ancestors fought so hard to destroy back from the Timeless Void. We cannot know or even consider the Valar will help us this time. They have removed themselves. We must unite." The others faces paled as this reality hit them. Kaltenneth was unconvinced. "And how is it that a wolf thing like you has come to know this?" "My knowledge is my own. Let it be enough that I have consented to tell you all that I have." His eyes flared up as he said this and he stared at the defiant young man. "Hold your tongue lest I feel the party would travel lighter without an extra mouth to feed." He spoke harshly yet even as he did so his eyes soothed and glanced to his side where to the young elf maiden who had begun this quest was sitting and a smile shone within him. The elf maiden walked off into the trees, and told the party she would be back at dawn.
"There is something not right with that elf-witch, a woman bearing a sword is bad enough, but she being able to use one is most inappropriate." Kaltenneth said to Tumnarkin.
"You fear her don't you?" Tumnarkin smiled, "Do you not want her to accompany us?"
"The Lord Sauron loves her, she will accompany us, but she will not be trusted, for now" Kaltenneth said looking Tumnarkin in the eye angrily as he marched off. The rest of the party seemed to follow him to the fire, leaving Tumnarkin and Gandalf alone.
"Let him be," Gandalf said as he watched Tumnarkin's eyes flame in fury, "if I know her, she will prove herself, she has immeasurable power".
Tumnarkin thought carefully as he sat alone, and couldn't help but grin at Kaltenneth's stubborness. Tumnarkin turns to Gandalf. "The Valar definately wont come will they Olorin?" Gandalf shook his head slowly and smiled. "There is a name I had not heard in a long time." He looked at Tumnarkin. "And how have you been Tumnarkin? I was not sure if it was in fact you." Tumnarkin looked up at the sky, as the Sickle swung across the great open space. "I have been in lands where the stars are so much different, where the people are so much crueler. A land so darkened by the lies of Sauron the very sun itself seems to be shadowed." He paused and seemed to sway with the wind and listen to its whispering. "I found the Entwives. Sauron had marred their new homes. All desecrated, all dead." Tumnarkin face hardened even as tears entered his eyes and Ganadlf looked with pity. Trees had been his love always. "What did you find in the South my old friend?" Gandalf spoke softly yet in earnest. "Was Mandos correct?" He shook Tumnarkin by the shoulder gently, rousing him from his daze. "Yes, it is true. Sauron has returned. He feinged to flee. And the Black King does exist. I and Pallando found him, before we were found and Pallando...Gandalf, we have to stop them." "We will old friend. But for now, you need to get some sleep. Go, I need time to think." With these words echoing, Tumnarkin wandered off into the forest. Tumnarkin awoke to the rustling of the trees all around him, it was approaching dawn and the others were sleeping soundly under the stars. About ten tall, dark figures came out of nowhere bearing their blades to Tumnarkin and the sleeping party who now were wearily up on their guard. All of a sudden a shriek came from the woods, and Niphredil came walking into the middle of the clearing. "Get her," a snarling voice snarled to the others, coming from the tallest of the figures. They all turned at her, and Niphredil lifted her sword and sent a flash, which sent them all scurrying into the woods apart from the tallest one. The whole party stood still, staring fearfully, apart from Tamnarkin who took him off of his guard by ramming a sword through his back. Tumnarkin stepped backward and kneeled to remove a knife from his boot, as the figure laughed and threw the sword back at him. "Tumnarkin, stay out of this you fool! Did I not teach your friend a lesson before?" the figure snarled. Tumnarkin thought of the death of Pallando and ran forward to attack. Niphredil stopped him in his tracks by sending him crashing in the other direction. Niphredil laughed and then swung the figure to the ground. "Tell him, that he'll never have me...and if he tries an act like this again...I swear...you will realize, Wraith, that I am not one to be bargained with..." and with those words the figure disappeared. Niphredil threw her sword to the floor, landing just before Kaltenneth's feet. "Has one earn't your trust yet?" she snarled and ran back into the woodland, Tamnarkin following her closely. "She'll be back, infact, they both will!" Kaltenneth laughed, angrily. Tumnarkin caught up with Niphredil and grabbed her hand. "Wait up. That was really amazing what you did back there." His smile died as she turned round and he saw there were tears in here eyes. "Whats wrong?" He listened to his own voice in amazement, as sounds of worry and concern came from him for the first time in an age. "Its the enchantment. I cannot break it." She blinked and with it a handful of large blossoming tears wiped themselves off. "I placed it upon Sauron to throw him off but now it has got out of control. I'm constantly fighting to stop his eye roaming for me. I am tired Tumnarkin." As he looked at her, his heart overwhelmed with pity and he desired only to make all her pain dissipate. He took her by the arm and held her close. "It will be OK. I and Gandalf will assist you." he looked down at her and a smile passed across his face. "We may be old but I'm sure we can still do a trick or two. Come on, we had better get back to the others. Look," he said pointing to the east, " dawn is here. Our journey begins." She nodded silently and wiping her eyes, she let go of him and began to walk back to the clearing. "Tumnarkin, can I ask you something?" "Of course." "Who was Pallando?" Tumnarkin face fell as he heard this and once again that old familiar pain he knew so well returned. "He was my closest friend. Gandalf, Alatar, Pallando, late Saruman and many more besides were all part of an ancient order known as the Istari. They were sent here many ages ago to defeat the Dark lord Sauron. However, the truth of what was to come was revealed to only three of them. Gandalf, Alatar, and Pallando. Gandalf was sent here to help stir the east into uniting and recognizing the threat Sauron was. Pallando and Alatar were here to stop what the evil Sauron could create. They journyed far into the East and South, seeking out a being called the Black King. Alatar was sent for my huntsmen skills, my ability to fight and my strength. Pallando was because he understood the prophecies of Mandos better then anyone. He was the closest person to me and by Eru, I miss him."
"You are a woman," the elf declared, "Why are you fighting a battle that is not yours to fight?"
"Are you not also a woman? I am a sorceress, my name is Niphredil," she replied. Little did any of the creatures gathered know in that woodland that the sorceress that spoke was no other then Gandalf the White's daughter.
As the ever-growing band seemed to thicken and even as Niphredil's voice hushed, a dark head made his way out of the nearby trees. A man of the Big Folk he seemed and yet not so for he was both taller and greater. A man of ancient blood, the kind who was not seen anymore least of all in the Shire where scarce a squirrel entered. The greatest wonder of all was the sword that hung from his back. Gigantic it was, its sheathed blade standing well above the height of the Hobbits. "I too will join your quest, if you will allow it." The others smiled at his request and the feelings of fear lessened. "Of course all are welcome here. And what is your name may I ask?" The elf maiden's eyes glistened as she stared him out yet to no avail, as he seemed in no way swayed. "I am known as Tumnarkin." Even as he spoke, Gandalf felt something. He could not quite lay his finger on it but there was something different about this being. He was not evil per say but he had ulterior motives it felt. And there was that half remembrance, as if he had met him before, in another life. Another place not of this world. "Tumnarkin?" Niphredil questioned, "I seem to have heard that before, yet in very unremembered and renounced times".
"How do we know that we can trust you?" Frodo questioned, looking at the sheathed sword that lay on his back. Tumnarkin looks down at the worried eyes around him. "I do not ask you to trust me, simply to allow me to join you. If you must know, I am of the race of Drauglim. My kind was created long ago, when Sauron the Sorcerer tried to cross Men with the race of Werewolves. I am the last of that ancient kind" "So we cannot trust you. You are a servant of that our fathers worked so hard to destroy." Kaltenneth braced himself ready to fight the giant. Yet he merely stared at him hard-eyed, as a he seemed to wrestle with a painful memory and he spoke through gritted teeth. "I am no ones servant. Tumnarkin Trollbane lives by his own way and his way is to join you." Niphredil's eyes flash from a creamy blue to an angered red and she steps forward bearing a sword. "If he is at fault then so am I," she cries.
"And why would that be?" Kaltenneth asks moving his sword to her throat. "I am Niphredil, sorceress, but not just your ordinary sorceress I am," she starts, but before she can finish she was cut off as a tall cloaked figure stepped out of the trees. "She is Niphredil, and the Lord Sauron despises her with all his heart, for although he cannot love, she cast a spell on him, and cannot break it. He loves her, yet despises her at the same time. He will do anything to get her in his wrath," the figure explained. Tumnarkin and Kaltenneth look at each other with a great fear in their eyes.
"Do not fear me, I despise the dark lord as much as you do, and I am most sure Tumnarkin does also, or why would he be here," she replied calmly, putting her sword into a sliver sheath. The cloaked figure whistles sharply and seemingly out of nowhere, a chestnut brown steed comes galloping in. Without breaking his stride, the figure hoists himself up upon the cantering steed, and rides away as mysteriously as he came in. Tumnarkin rolled his eyes. "If we are all done accusing each other and quarreling over who may or may not join. Let us at least fight the Dark powers before we go at each other's throats. Sauron has returned and wishes to bring Morgoth, the power out ancestors fought so hard to destroy back from the Timeless Void. We cannot know or even consider the Valar will help us this time. They have removed themselves. We must unite." The others faces paled as this reality hit them. Kaltenneth was unconvinced. "And how is it that a wolf thing like you has come to know this?" "My knowledge is my own. Let it be enough that I have consented to tell you all that I have." His eyes flared up as he said this and he stared at the defiant young man. "Hold your tongue lest I feel the party would travel lighter without an extra mouth to feed." He spoke harshly yet even as he did so his eyes soothed and glanced to his side where to the young elf maiden who had begun this quest was sitting and a smile shone within him. The elf maiden walked off into the trees, and told the party she would be back at dawn.
"There is something not right with that elf-witch, a woman bearing a sword is bad enough, but she being able to use one is most inappropriate." Kaltenneth said to Tumnarkin.
"You fear her don't you?" Tumnarkin smiled, "Do you not want her to accompany us?"
"The Lord Sauron loves her, she will accompany us, but she will not be trusted, for now" Kaltenneth said looking Tumnarkin in the eye angrily as he marched off. The rest of the party seemed to follow him to the fire, leaving Tumnarkin and Gandalf alone.
"Let him be," Gandalf said as he watched Tumnarkin's eyes flame in fury, "if I know her, she will prove herself, she has immeasurable power".
Tumnarkin thought carefully as he sat alone, and couldn't help but grin at Kaltenneth's stubborness. Tumnarkin turns to Gandalf. "The Valar definately wont come will they Olorin?" Gandalf shook his head slowly and smiled. "There is a name I had not heard in a long time." He looked at Tumnarkin. "And how have you been Tumnarkin? I was not sure if it was in fact you." Tumnarkin looked up at the sky, as the Sickle swung across the great open space. "I have been in lands where the stars are so much different, where the people are so much crueler. A land so darkened by the lies of Sauron the very sun itself seems to be shadowed." He paused and seemed to sway with the wind and listen to its whispering. "I found the Entwives. Sauron had marred their new homes. All desecrated, all dead." Tumnarkin face hardened even as tears entered his eyes and Ganadlf looked with pity. Trees had been his love always. "What did you find in the South my old friend?" Gandalf spoke softly yet in earnest. "Was Mandos correct?" He shook Tumnarkin by the shoulder gently, rousing him from his daze. "Yes, it is true. Sauron has returned. He feinged to flee. And the Black King does exist. I and Pallando found him, before we were found and Pallando...Gandalf, we have to stop them." "We will old friend. But for now, you need to get some sleep. Go, I need time to think." With these words echoing, Tumnarkin wandered off into the forest. Tumnarkin awoke to the rustling of the trees all around him, it was approaching dawn and the others were sleeping soundly under the stars. About ten tall, dark figures came out of nowhere bearing their blades to Tumnarkin and the sleeping party who now were wearily up on their guard. All of a sudden a shriek came from the woods, and Niphredil came walking into the middle of the clearing. "Get her," a snarling voice snarled to the others, coming from the tallest of the figures. They all turned at her, and Niphredil lifted her sword and sent a flash, which sent them all scurrying into the woods apart from the tallest one. The whole party stood still, staring fearfully, apart from Tamnarkin who took him off of his guard by ramming a sword through his back. Tumnarkin stepped backward and kneeled to remove a knife from his boot, as the figure laughed and threw the sword back at him. "Tumnarkin, stay out of this you fool! Did I not teach your friend a lesson before?" the figure snarled. Tumnarkin thought of the death of Pallando and ran forward to attack. Niphredil stopped him in his tracks by sending him crashing in the other direction. Niphredil laughed and then swung the figure to the ground. "Tell him, that he'll never have me...and if he tries an act like this again...I swear...you will realize, Wraith, that I am not one to be bargained with..." and with those words the figure disappeared. Niphredil threw her sword to the floor, landing just before Kaltenneth's feet. "Has one earn't your trust yet?" she snarled and ran back into the woodland, Tamnarkin following her closely. "She'll be back, infact, they both will!" Kaltenneth laughed, angrily. Tumnarkin caught up with Niphredil and grabbed her hand. "Wait up. That was really amazing what you did back there." His smile died as she turned round and he saw there were tears in here eyes. "Whats wrong?" He listened to his own voice in amazement, as sounds of worry and concern came from him for the first time in an age. "Its the enchantment. I cannot break it." She blinked and with it a handful of large blossoming tears wiped themselves off. "I placed it upon Sauron to throw him off but now it has got out of control. I'm constantly fighting to stop his eye roaming for me. I am tired Tumnarkin." As he looked at her, his heart overwhelmed with pity and he desired only to make all her pain dissipate. He took her by the arm and held her close. "It will be OK. I and Gandalf will assist you." he looked down at her and a smile passed across his face. "We may be old but I'm sure we can still do a trick or two. Come on, we had better get back to the others. Look," he said pointing to the east, " dawn is here. Our journey begins." She nodded silently and wiping her eyes, she let go of him and began to walk back to the clearing. "Tumnarkin, can I ask you something?" "Of course." "Who was Pallando?" Tumnarkin face fell as he heard this and once again that old familiar pain he knew so well returned. "He was my closest friend. Gandalf, Alatar, Pallando, late Saruman and many more besides were all part of an ancient order known as the Istari. They were sent here many ages ago to defeat the Dark lord Sauron. However, the truth of what was to come was revealed to only three of them. Gandalf, Alatar, and Pallando. Gandalf was sent here to help stir the east into uniting and recognizing the threat Sauron was. Pallando and Alatar were here to stop what the evil Sauron could create. They journyed far into the East and South, seeking out a being called the Black King. Alatar was sent for my huntsmen skills, my ability to fight and my strength. Pallando was because he understood the prophecies of Mandos better then anyone. He was the closest person to me and by Eru, I miss him."