Chapter 2

"What happened here?" Yelled Beorn when he got back home an hour later.

"We slayed a pack of Orcs, they chased after elfish girl, some friend of yours, I suppose." Thorin answered and pointed at Beorn.

"A girl?" Gandalf asked.

"En Elf. You know, white skin, pointy ears, red hair."

"Red hair?! Oh no, Ayane!" Gandalf gasped and fallowed Thorin's gaze. He immediately run into Beorn's bedroom and saw her there, lying lifeless on the bed. He pushed out Kili and put his hands on her arm and forehead. He had begun muttering incantations of healing spells, when Thorin went in. But even after long minutes, the girl was still unconscious. Gandalf was clearly concerned, when he said:

"I did what I could. Beorn, have you got any weeds that could help her in fight against the poison?"

"I think I might have something." He said and went out.

"Thorin tell me. What happened here?"

"With a pleasure" said Dwarf and cast mithril sword under wizard's feet "But you'll have to explain me this."

Gandalf snickered and said.

"Why do you care so much about elfish blades?"

"This one was made by Durin."

"And she has all rights to carry it."

"Does she?" Thorin hissed. Gandalf sighed, he knew that her story was no concern of dwarfs, but something was telling him, that revealing of the truth would be good for all of them.

"Let her sleep peacefully" He said and nodded towards the door. They went out, and when the door had been closed, Gandalf began his story. He was talking with a calm voice, bringing to light the story of old times. All of the members of Thorin's company gathered around and listened.

"The woman who's lying out there is Ayane daughter of Idril, but you may know her by her second name, which is Amrun Elen."

"The Morning Star… The last light in the darkness hour…" Balin whispered.

"The red witch of Elves. It's impossible, she's dead!" Thorin hissed.

"No, she's not. At least not yet, but you have some right to claim that, my dear friend. She abandoned her powers and moved into shadow a long time ago. "

"Why?" Asked Fili, who had never heard her name before.

"It's long and rather sad story, Mr. Dwarf" Gandalf said and decided to continue. "She was born in second age of this world. Her mother was Idril, only daughter of the king of Gondolin. After massacre of her people, landless queen, the last of her kin, had gone to woods of Lorien, and to the Eregion when the days of second age had come. Unfortunately, it was there, she met Sauron the Deceiver. He had fooled many of Elves, Men and Dwarfs that time. He was called Annatar and he was the fairest of all creatures of that time. He seduced the queen in grief, promising her reconstruction of the holy city. She gave him a daughter, red-headed girl with enormous power. She was still a child when she stood against her father for the first time. But not only the war was destroying her. Her mother was driven mad by the horrors of war and by her own conscience. Before the Last Alliance was made, Idril Celebrindal had cast herself into the sea, leaving young Ayane under protection of Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond, her last friends in Middle-Earth. She had fought bravely in many battles what made her Sauron's number one enemy. His own daughter, who had dared to stand against him. Powerful witch, protected by the Valars, became a doom for armies of the enemy. He hated her more than any other creature of this Middle-Earth. He wanted to see her on her knees but losing the ring stopped his plans. It was his loyal dog, the Witchking of Angmar, who killed her soul and fulfilled his master's wish. He had captured her, then he broke her spells and made her watch. He was kidnapping, torturing and killing everyone who was protected by her witchcraft, one by one, making her feel their pain. When he was slowly killing her dearest one, he shown her visions of all dead, cursing her name. It was too much. When he had finally broken her, he just let her go. Alone in this world, she has never stopped blaming herself for this deaths. She abandoned magic and the crown of stars. Her hart was broken, her star faded. She changed red, for black. Until now, she has been hiding in the woods and living away from horrors of the world. Lately she lives on king's Thranduil court but why the Orcs haunted her, I do not know.

Only silence remained when Gandalf had finished his story. He could see tears in Bilbo's and Bofur's eyes. Thorin also remained silent, watching the fire.

"The antidote is brewing, I'm going to wipe out those filthy corpses from my doormat." Said Beorn and left the company again. He was very quiet and dangerous folk. When he wished to, he could turn into a giant bear.

When the door closed another one was opened. Elven girl was standing on a doorstep and swaying on her feet. She clenched her fingers on a doorframe and with all her strength she tried to keep her balance. She was deadly pale and there were drops of sweat on her forehead. However, her eyes were bright again, in a colour of liquid silver. Her lips were parted when she was breathing hardly.

"You should not get up!" Gandalf said roughly ant tried to help her but she stopped him.

"I'm alright" she said. Her voice was like a silver bell covered by velvet.

"No, you were dying about half an hour ago, you need to rest!"

"Mithrandir it's about him." She said in a whisper and her face darkened. Then, something happened that none of them expected. Thorin got up from the armchair and came to her, offering a helping hand. The pride made her hesitate but she finally took his help and slightly bowed her head to thank him. Without a word, he leaded her to an armchair and helped her sit. She looked at him looking for any signs of scorn, but she found none. Then she noticed the sword strapped to his waist. She grabbed his hand and made him to look at her.

"Who gave you this?" She hissed but Thorin said no word.

"We found it in a trolls' cave, my lady," Gandalf said to relieve some tension.

"In a trolls' cave?!" She sight, let go Thorin's hand and looked at Gandalf with a pain in her eyes.

"Show me" she commanded but she added please when she saw Thorin's face. He gave her his blade unwillingly. Though her left hand was still faulty, she perfectly handled with only one hand. The sword glowed with a pale silver light in her hand.

"Orcrist, my uncle's sword, "she said with esteem "I haven't seen it since dark days."

Gandalf was observing her with a big dose of curiosity, because he noticed something, ha hadn't seen for a long time. A flash of light in dead eyes of young queen. She looked at Thorin and gave him back the blade.

"It's the finest steel in Middle-Earth. I hope it will serve you well, Thorin Oakenshild."

"And how do you know my name?" He asked slightly upset, that all of the Elves can recognize him so easily.

"I know many names, Master Dwarf and many faces."

"We've found something else in that cave, Ayane" Gandalf interrupted and showed her the Glamdring. With a hope in his eyes, he waited for her reaction.

"My grandfather's sword" She said sadly.

"It's quite peculiar sword, Mr. Baggins" Gandalf said to focus her attention on the Halfling. "It shines as bright as the sun and stars when it's in king's hand. Or queen's."

Ayane stopped her hand in a half way through it.

"I hope you won't be disappointed, my friend. It's the best of Gondolin's blades. But we've got more serious problems than remains of the heritage. Mithrandir, he's back."