Chapter 7
"Your task is now dangerous, and the treachery of Saruman will consume all of Rivendell if you do not find the girl."
Andril now found his heart sinking, and a vivid image of Sissi formed in his mind.
"But where do I look, I feel that seeking for the twilight maiden is our only hope, yet even then all hope seems lost to me."
"Do not contemplate that which has not yet happened, your companions are brave." She turned gracefully to Thorin and Emoren, who nodded as in an enchanted sleep. Presently she looked at them each in turn. Then she spoke softly.
"Thorin Stonehelm does not love elves, but he is a willing companion. If asked, he will follow you to the end of all things, even if that doom lays solely upon him. Emoren son of Theoren is of stout heart also. Little help does he offer, yet remember Andril, even diamonds look uncouth ere they are polished and chipped. His time may come when all are grateful to him."
Andril stepped forward, now that the shock of her appearance was sinking in, he longed to know more.
"You speak in riddles of our fate, yet you tell us none of yours. Whither do you come from? For neither bird nor beast I have seen that reminds me of you."
"Yet your Mother alone on Middle-Earth knows. She can answer all your questions, if your curiosity is not quenched by what I will say. From a forgotten time I come, messenger of Manwe!" With that she seemed to shrink and her body disintegrated into particles of sand. As this happened, the wind picked up, and she was scattered, each grain was taken up and bore away by the wind. Andril bowed his head. His heart had been touched, as all elves would. For he alone, son of Galadrial had seen a remanent of the West on the very soil of Middle-Earth.
A loud noise startled him, and he looked up once more. Thorin had stirred and dropped his axe with a clatter on the cold rock. This woke Emoren up too, how rubbed his eyes and muttered, "Strange were my dreams. I saw a white light above the mountains that came nearer until it stood before Andril and seemed to speak into my head."
"I too had a dream, yet I do not wish to speak of it." Said Thorin, and his eyes showed a deep sorrow. Then he noticed the orc, lying before them, blood now fell from its throat. "Andril! You could have done us the honour of waking us when battle was at hand."
Still thoughtful, Andril answered, "I would have, for much use your axe would be in a battle, yet it was not me who felled that orc of Saruman."
"The dream! It was the white light that felled him, as it were." Emoren exclaimed.
"Yes, you remember the elves of Rivendell speaking of a shape in the mountains? That shape has followed us, and offered us aid when it was needed. Speak not of it now, for night is still drawn about us, we must move now, the orcs are closer then is safe!"
The three quickly packed their bags, and set off on foot for the longest leg of their journey. They headed South, and for many miles the Mountains jutted out so that their movements were hidden from the orcs even if the all of the goblins of the Misty Mountains stood at the peaks and looked down, with the sight of elves. It was not the goblins that troubled Andril though. Long he had pondered the importance of Sissi to Saruman, but no idea had come to his head. Yet Saruman wanted her dead, and now his orcs knew of her disappearance and their errand to bring her back. Goblins they could face and win comfortably, but the Uruk-Hai, in enough numbers would overpower them eventually. He did not speak to the others of this, for their hearts seemed heavy with the long and fruitless journey ahead. Their flasks were empty and food was low. Andril had enough lembas for a week, maybe two, but whether that would last them remains to be seen.
"Your task is now dangerous, and the treachery of Saruman will consume all of Rivendell if you do not find the girl."
Andril now found his heart sinking, and a vivid image of Sissi formed in his mind.
"But where do I look, I feel that seeking for the twilight maiden is our only hope, yet even then all hope seems lost to me."
"Do not contemplate that which has not yet happened, your companions are brave." She turned gracefully to Thorin and Emoren, who nodded as in an enchanted sleep. Presently she looked at them each in turn. Then she spoke softly.
"Thorin Stonehelm does not love elves, but he is a willing companion. If asked, he will follow you to the end of all things, even if that doom lays solely upon him. Emoren son of Theoren is of stout heart also. Little help does he offer, yet remember Andril, even diamonds look uncouth ere they are polished and chipped. His time may come when all are grateful to him."
Andril stepped forward, now that the shock of her appearance was sinking in, he longed to know more.
"You speak in riddles of our fate, yet you tell us none of yours. Whither do you come from? For neither bird nor beast I have seen that reminds me of you."
"Yet your Mother alone on Middle-Earth knows. She can answer all your questions, if your curiosity is not quenched by what I will say. From a forgotten time I come, messenger of Manwe!" With that she seemed to shrink and her body disintegrated into particles of sand. As this happened, the wind picked up, and she was scattered, each grain was taken up and bore away by the wind. Andril bowed his head. His heart had been touched, as all elves would. For he alone, son of Galadrial had seen a remanent of the West on the very soil of Middle-Earth.
A loud noise startled him, and he looked up once more. Thorin had stirred and dropped his axe with a clatter on the cold rock. This woke Emoren up too, how rubbed his eyes and muttered, "Strange were my dreams. I saw a white light above the mountains that came nearer until it stood before Andril and seemed to speak into my head."
"I too had a dream, yet I do not wish to speak of it." Said Thorin, and his eyes showed a deep sorrow. Then he noticed the orc, lying before them, blood now fell from its throat. "Andril! You could have done us the honour of waking us when battle was at hand."
Still thoughtful, Andril answered, "I would have, for much use your axe would be in a battle, yet it was not me who felled that orc of Saruman."
"The dream! It was the white light that felled him, as it were." Emoren exclaimed.
"Yes, you remember the elves of Rivendell speaking of a shape in the mountains? That shape has followed us, and offered us aid when it was needed. Speak not of it now, for night is still drawn about us, we must move now, the orcs are closer then is safe!"
The three quickly packed their bags, and set off on foot for the longest leg of their journey. They headed South, and for many miles the Mountains jutted out so that their movements were hidden from the orcs even if the all of the goblins of the Misty Mountains stood at the peaks and looked down, with the sight of elves. It was not the goblins that troubled Andril though. Long he had pondered the importance of Sissi to Saruman, but no idea had come to his head. Yet Saruman wanted her dead, and now his orcs knew of her disappearance and their errand to bring her back. Goblins they could face and win comfortably, but the Uruk-Hai, in enough numbers would overpower them eventually. He did not speak to the others of this, for their hearts seemed heavy with the long and fruitless journey ahead. Their flasks were empty and food was low. Andril had enough lembas for a week, maybe two, but whether that would last them remains to be seen.