The Slow Walk that the Thurin Tirith do is difficult for most people to visualize so I have decided an explanation would be in order. There are three times that the Slow Walk is used by the Thurin Tirith warrior order. The first instance is during a burial ceremony, the second is for ceremonial purposes, and the third is during a Rite of Retribution when the Blood Trail is being walked.

The first instance when the Slow Walk would take place and the inspiration for instances 2 and 3, is during a burial ceremony. Imagine pallbearers at a modern-day funeral as they are carrying the casket. They walk slowly, taking small, measured steps, their arms moving ever so slightly in unison as the motion of the casket shifts in time to their steps. In the military, from what I have been able to find out, when a soldier dies in battle and his body is not or cannot be recovered the pallbearers or casket carriers, if you will, will march in step as if they were still carrying the casket. When I saw this done the first time, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. It is truly eerie.

The second instance of the Slow Walk is performed for ceremonial purposes and is significant of their highly trained and lethal nature.

The third instance of the Slow Walk is done as part of the Rite of Retribution as a means of military intimidation and is meant to send the message, "Death is coming for you!"

For every thing there is a reason
and a time for every purpose under heaven.

Chapter 36

A Very Bad Day

Her lungs burned and her chest labored to rise and fall, making the simple act of drawing one breath then another a task almost beyond her power to perform. Around her in a darkness even her elven eyes could not penetrate, a great battle raged and as she ran, she listened to the cries of rage, pain, sorrow and misunderstanding. There was even the sound of the heavy tread of Death walking among those warriors on the field of battle, calling out to them to take their place at his side. Any feelings of compassion she might have otherwise felt was quickly overcome by her own suffocating need to escape ... to run blindly towards ... anywhere.

She knew Asgorath and Ederyn were behind her but did not know why she was running away and betraying her oath to keep and protect them even if it meant she had to forfeit her life's grace in the process – an all too probable possibility. She also knew that somewhere out there in the darkness something was hunting her, its great wings carrying it down out of a sky devoid of the beauty of the stars as if it was already mourning what was about to happen.

Then the very air about her began to vibrate and though she could not see the ground beneath her feet, could sense a shadow there, just beyond her field of vision, if such was what it could be called. Ever closer the shadow came, seeking her, just as she sought it now, looking over her shoulder then above her, again finding nothing but a smothering sense of foreboding.

Finally, the inevitable happened and her worst fear was realized as behind her she heard the thing's great wings change rhythm as they swept backwards then forward to check it momentum. Once they swept backwards then forward ... she stopped and turned to look. Twice they swept backwards then forward ... she realized the folly of stopping as she had and turned around to resume her flight. She heard a scream of rage and triumph, then on the periphery of her vision saw a flash of red as a great taloned hand came at her out of the darkness.

She gasped as she felt a blow, a heavy thing that drove the breath from her body and brought tears to her eyes. For a moment, she felt neither pain nor life itself and wondered if the end had already come and she had missed the beginning of the game. But the absence of pain was not to continue and unless the gift of flight had recently been given to the race of Eldar, then she was still alive and the mortal blow she had just received was carrying her to a place she still could not see.

Then the reality of life claimed her full attention as her head hit something cold and hard, a rough stone that abraded the skin from the side of her face until her shoulder hit the same stone and stopped her body from traveling further. A scream tore the air around her and this time she knew it was her own as she cried out both her pain and fear of dying. She felt her body begin to bend and twist, the momentum of the blow she had received still trying to carry the rest of her body passed her shoulder, which was adamant in its resolve that it would travel no further.

Something in her head cracked, then in her shoulder and finally in her back as well, as her physical frame was forcefully pushed into an unnatural position. As her body finally stopped its forward momentum and the pain began to recede, she heard the sound of footsteps, a heavy, vibrating tread not familiar to her, and which belonged neither to her Guards nor to her family. She became more frightened and began to wonder if her end of days had finally come. Were the footsteps coming ever nearer those of Death? Was this how it happened?

Then she started to cry, quietly mourning the lost chances of a future unlived, the children she would never get a chance to have, of never knowing the happiness of seeing her family ever again. In truth, it would not be Death who would first overcome her, rather it would be Despair for she was far too young to loose her hold on life and the fact it was even now slipping through her fingers and out of her control was dousing the flame of her spirit. Then the thought passed fleetingly through her mind that if this was how it felt to die then it was taking much too long – she no longer wanted to fear pain, loss, despair or even fear itself.

When her body hit the ground, she was confused for it seemed that she had already lived a lifetime waiting for Death to reach her only to find out she had not even reached the end of her physical flight through the air. She tried to sit up but could not move and could not understand why or how she had come to be where she was now and why she was injured.

Far off in the distance a light caught her attention and she turned her consciousness toward it for her head would no longer physically move. The light was warm and beckoned to her, promising peace … and mercy. When strong arms picked her up and smoothed the bloody hair out of her face, she was distracted and pulled her consciousness away from the light of the next life and turned to look at who had come to comfort her in her final moments.

Her eyes filled with tears for there was no being holding her in their arms soothing away her hurts, both physical and emotional; she was still alone with the realization that it had only been her imagination giving her what she wanted most at that moment. When her senses started to dim, she started to panic, for in truth, she had changed her mind. She didn't want to go, didn't want to leave this life, even though the far off light in the darkness was once more beckoning to her and telling her that there was no dishonor in letting go. Did she or did she not want to leave her pain and doubts behind her and travel on?

Then a voice called her name … ever so softly and she smiled for it was a relief to know that at least one being had come to bid her farewell. Reaching out with shaking hands, and surprised that she could, she tried to reassure whoever was there that she was fine, that she wasn't afraid to make her final journey.

The voice called to her again and she panicked thinking it could be the voice of Death who called to her for that fell demon often spoke with a hint of honey on his foul breath. She began to struggle as she could and though her body refused to obey her wishes and move, her mind just would not accept that she couldn't and kept screaming at her to get up and run.

"Anayah, wake up! Baby Girl – it's just a dream."

Slowly Anayah opened her eyes and looked around, wondering why she was not in her bed but on the floor, tangled in her sheets and drenched in sweat while her worried Captain held her gently in his arms. It was truly a mystery to her, but one that would have to wait for further thought until she had slowed her madly beating heart.

Seeing that Anayah was waking up, Rahan sighed then adjusted his hold on her so Súrion could untangle the sheet, an act which he hoped would ease some of her distress. After the Silvan Guard had removed the sheet then had tucked a light blanket around her to keep her from catching a chill he stepped back and waited.

Anayah raised a shaking hand and motioned toward a small silver tin sitting on the table beside her bed and after Súrion had brought it to her, she tried to open it with hands that were shaking so badly she couldn't even hold onto the tin, much less succeed in opening it. She began to cry softly in frustration but Rahan was loathe to loosen the hold he had of her and so motioned to the tin with his head indicating that Súrion should perform the task for her.

The lid was tight fitting, but when Súrion finally got the tin open, both he and Rahan were somewhat surprised to see that the container was full of a fine, moss-like substance. A story had once been told to the four Guards, soon after their arrival in Imladris, about how Anayah used to use the moss to treat the headaches she always got when she experienced one of her powerful visions. They had also been told that when Gandalf had taught her how to retain control of the visions the pain she suffered had lessened until it had gone away altogether.

Saeros ran into the room with a glass of fruit juice in his hands and sat it on the bedside table while Rahan guided Anayah's shaking hand to her mouth with the moss. While Semoro kept watch over all of them, Saeros and Súrion helped Rahan stand and after he had walked to the bed, helped him sit so Anayah would not be jostled. The Captain looked down into her pale face but knew that even though her eyes were closed, she was only waiting for the sedative and pain relieving qualities of the moss to take effect and was not sleeping. He frowned.

"Anayah, I want you to tell me truthfully … how long have you been having nightmares?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Rahan." She opened her eyes and looked up at her Captain. "I'm fine … really I am. I just tripped and fell while on the way to the bathroom."

When he looked at Anayah, his eyes were snapping – something that was as out of character for him as it was for Anayah to tell a lie.

"Anayah, you have never lied to me and I don't want you to start now – no matter the reason." He shifted the hold he had on her. "Now, I am going to help you sit up, after which I will help you take some sips of juice. When you have spent a few moments gathering your thoughts I want you to tell me just what is going on with you."

Rahan looked at the other three Guards and without further words, they left the room, quietly closing the door behind them.

Anayah patted the bed with her hand and Rahan helped her sit up then snagged an extra blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her trembling shoulders.

"Talk to me, Anayah. Please."

She looked at her Captain sadly then back down at her hands which were holding tightly to the edges of the blanket. After a bit, she spoke in the barest whisper of a voice.

"I am having serious self-doubts about what I am doing with the dragons, and these doubts are beginning to haunt my dreams."

Rahan reached out and smoothed her hair out of her eyes but otherwise remained silent and let her gather her thoughts. Finally, when it seemed she needed some encouragement to continue, he gave her a small, verbal nudge.

"Self doubts? Like what?"

She turned loose a dark look upon him, full of sadness and a secret too terrible to share and he knew in an instant that she was not going to tell him everything and that it was the story untold that was hurting her the most – it was bleeding her spirit dry. He put his arm around her then rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"That you should feel you cannot share your deepest fears and doubts with me is troubling, for as your Captain, your friend and as your brother, I want you to share everything, for our combined strengths will help you get through whatever dark times you feel you are facing. This goes for Súrion, Semoro and Saeros as well for they know you are hurting and they hurt too because they don't know what they can do to make anything better for you.

I was on duty tonight, the other three were in their rooms fast asleep, and they still heard your distress ... in their hearts ... and came running without being summoned. You must never doubt our willingness to be here for you at any time and you must never doubt that we want to listen. There will never be judgment for anything you say, Anayah, because that is what bonding – unconditional love – is all about."

Anayah kissed her fingertips then reached up and touched her Captain's cheek, causing him to smile.

"I will not intentionally pry but will tell you that anytime of the day or night, if your heart tells you it is time to unburden itself then seek one of us out – please?"

His heart thumped heavily in his chest when he felt her nod her assent. Of all his elves, Anayah was sometimes the hardest to reach and sometimes what worked best was silent support as was apparently the case in this instance as well.

"Can you at least share your self-doubts with me?"

This time it was Anayah who sighed heavily then entwined her fingers with her Captain's as if to gain strength.

"In my dream I am running away from where Asgorath and Ederyn are waiting for me. In my dream I have broken my vow to serve and keep them even at the expense of my own life and I am ashamed that I have done this."

Her next words were no more than mere whispers of sound and Rahan had to listen closely to hear her.

"I am so ashamed."

Rahan thought briefly about what she had said then came up with what he thought might be a plausible explanation.

"Could you perhaps be drawing the danger away from the dragons? Is your sword in your hand?"

"No."

He nodded to himself.

"The wounded bird."

Anayah sat up straighter and looked sharply at her Captain.

"The wounded bird? What is that?"

"It's a common military strategy based on animal behavior in the wild."

"Hm." Was her only answer.

He hugged her then continued.

"In the wild when a mother bird senses a dangerous predator is near her nest she will run a short distance along the ground dragging her wing as if it were broken which entices the predator to turn away from her nest and follow her, for he has sensed her weakness and knows that she will be the easier prey. Now when the predator is far enough away from her nest the mother bird takes to the air and flies out of the creature's reach.

I'm thinking that the fact you don't have a sword in your hand would liken you to the mother bird with the broken wing – and this is why I think so. Baby Girl, you don't drop your sword and you never leave it behind so you had to have done it on purpose because whatever danger you were drawing away may not have followed if you would have had your sword in your hand. You didn't have your sword, the danger perceived this as weakness and turned away from the dragons and went after you. You weren't running away in fear but were running to draw danger away from Asgorath and Ederyn – an extremely courageous act."

"And what happens if the mother bird isn't good enough or fast enough?"

"Reality."

She rolled her eyes.

"Well that fact just made me feel a whole lot better!"

Rahan tipped her chin up so she would have to look him in the eyes.

"But such is the life of the warrior, Anayah – you know this just as well as I do and have accepted it just as I have. The day will come when you, me or any one of the others, your kin and friends included, will meet that predator, the one who is faster and more skilled than we are, and we will face our reality. But until that day comes, we will continue to try to be the best warriors we can be. Don't read too much into your dream – sometimes a dream is just a dream – and no more than that. My heart tells me that when the time comes, your courage will not be questioned."

When he received neither an answer nor an acknowledgement, he looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep. After carefully laying her down and covering her with soft blankets, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead then quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

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Anayah had been awakened by the first birds of morning singing their greeting song to the sun who was only just then beginning to add the barest hint of a blush to the eastern horizon. She had risen, bathed, dressed then had gone to the gardens to do some thinking about her dream for she truly believed that there could be no greater solace for a burdened heart than sitting among the late fall flowers whose soothing scents were their own way of saying hello. Sitting on one of the many stone benches, she had taken a deep cleansing breath and after slowly exhaling, was ready to once more look at her dream through a mind that had promised to be a bit more objective and dispassionate in its analysis.

She was having serious doubts about whether she was skilled enough to fulfill the requirements of her appointed position and hence if she was worthy of her title of Champion to Lord Asgorath and his mate Lady Ederyn. There were many warriors staying and living in Imladris at that very moment who were older, wiser, bigger and much more skilled than she was – including a certain balrog slayer. If this was the case then after both dragons had been reunited within the boundaries of Imladris, a protected realm, why hadn't her father released her from her vow in favor of a more able warrior? The answer to that question was only logical – if he had so desired, her father could have released her from her duties but the dragons would have had the final say – ultimately the decision to keep or release a champion rested with Asgorath and Ederyn – and they must have told her father not to release her.

But why did they want her to remain their champion? It couldn't be because she was the only female warrior, for her grandmother was in Imladris and would have been a good choice unless the dragons didn't want Nenya to be placed in harm's way any more than was necessary. Why then? What could she do that nobody else could? Her mind drifted back to the conversation she had with Gandalf many days before and her eyes widened. Was that it? That had to be it! The far sight of the dragons had seen a need for ...

"Lady Anayah?"

She jumped then quickly turned toward the speaker, breaking into a smile when she saw who it was. Holding out her hand to the old elf, he took it then sat beside her. Her smile faded away and was replaced by a look of concern for it was plain that he had come bearing sad news.

"What is it, Elurin? What has you troubled?"

She put an encouraging hand on his shoulder and when he raised his eyes to meet hers, they were filled with tears.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news which I have put off telling you because things have been a bit difficult for you lately."

"Just tell me, Elurin, please. Don't keep this news to yourself if it is so hurtful."

He took a deep breath then spoke without looking at her.

"While you were away with the others rescuing Lord Asgorath, little Chubby passed away."

Anayah's eyes filled with tears and she placed a hand over her mouth and even though it was her heart's greatest desire to cry, she kept silent and let the old elf tell his story.

"I was in the kitchen one morning, preparing the breakfast meal when this small black squirrel, no more than a weanling, came bounding into the kitchen, squeaking, trilling and chattering, making it quite clear to all that she wanted help immediately. Her courage at seeking help among the tall ones she didn't even know impressed me, but before I could go to her, she ran right up my body until she could sit on my shoulder and hold fast to my ear. She would not settle and kept tugging on my ear, clearly wanting me to go somewhere with her although I had no idea where this 'somewhere' might have been.

I reached up and took her off my shoulder and after I explained that I would be more than happy to assist her, but that she would have to show me where to go, I put her on the floor. She immediately took off, setting quite a pace, but always waiting for me to catch up if I fell too far behind."

He paused to wipe a tear off his cheek and Anayah leaned her head against his shoulder in encouragement.

"I was too late to do anything for him for he was already gone by the time I got there although his body was still warm. I sat on the ground and just held him, stroking his head. Little Lady," he looked at Anayah and gave her a small smile, "just sat there watching me but after a bit I think she finally decided I wasn't going to be able to do anything for her Ada and laid herself down and was silent though she never took her eyes off me.

He was old for a squirrel, Anayah, and I think it was probably just his time to go, for I had been noticing as of late that he was grayer than I remembered him being and was walking a bit stiffer than he used to. Chubby was more than just a pet to us – he was a part of this family – and so I decided to give him the burial he deserved. Little Lady followed me around as I gathered linen, spices and a hand-carved wooden box. I spoke to the stonecutter and requested a stone marker for the grave and because it was to be so small, he said it would be finished in a day. Even he was saddened by the news of our loss." He paused and looked at Anayah. "Would you like to see where he lies?"

Anayah wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I would very much like to say goodbye – thank you."

Both elves rose, then walked off to pay their respects to a friend.

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The tiny squirrel was quite frantic, for she could find her elf friend nowhere even though she had been diligent in her searching and had looked everywhere he could possibly be, in drawers, behind doors, upstairs and even downstairs. The elf she sought was nowhere to be found and that fact was frightening her for it had not been that long since her own Ada had left her.

Then she remembered seeing another elf, one with silver hair who had actually looked at her and winked. As she had sat and watched him walk away from her, she had gotten a good feeling from him and decided to seek him out and see if he would help her. She ran through the door of the kitchen and with a flick of her tail, disappeared from sight.

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Súrion knew without even opening his eyes that someone, or something, was watching him and as any good Thurin Tirith would, he sent his senses outward to determine if there was any threat associated with whoever had entered his room while he had been asleep. The only information that his "probe" had produced was that this being was patient and wasn't going anywhere until he woke up.

Cautiously he opened his eyes then widened them in surprise.

"You're not Tinu!"

Indeed, he had expected his visitor to be his tiny donkey friend and was surprised to see that it was not. A tiny, black squirrel sat on his chest, staring at him intently and as he reached out a hand to stroke the tiny creature's head, remembered her from some time before when he had passed her on his way to the warrior barracks and had made eye contact with her.

She started to trill slowly, deep in her throat, as he stroked her head with one finger. A quiet chuckle from the open door alerted him and he looked up to see Captain Erenol of the Avari Thurin Tirith looking at him with a twinkle in his eyes.

"It is perhaps fortunate that she who now sits so lightly upon your chest is not the diminutive Tinu for that young one has put on a bit of weight as of late. It seems everyone here is enamored of him and thinks that if they feed him enough tidbits that he will grow larger – they are incorrect in their assumptions for the only thing he is doing is getting fatter."

The Captain laughed as he began to walk off.

"I think I will go find the Lord of this House and inform him that you are in your quarters keeping company with a beautiful female."

Little Lady trilled at the compliment.

"So you are susceptible to flattery? I understand you now, my beautiful young friend." He paused as a thought came to him. "Why are you not with Elurin?"

He rose from bed and began gathering a clean tunic and leggings and when he did, the young squirrel began to nervously pace the bed, squeaking and chattering at him until he sat back down and picked her up.

"I promise I will help you, young one, however, I require a bath first, then clean clothes." he put her down, "After this is done, then you and I will go find your elf friend. Do you find my terms acceptable?"

It was apparent that the tiny squirrel did, for she lay down on the bed and was still ... until he disappeared into the bathing chamber ... at which time she jumped down off the bed and ran after him. A few moments later, Súrion re-entered his sleeping room and sat the tiny squirrel down on the bed then looked at her admonishingly.

"I realize that you are but a tiny squirrel and a young one at that, but there is something about having a female – of any species – watching me while I bathe that embarrasses me so I want you to stay in here on my bed until I return." He turned away but had an additional thought and turned back. "And don't you dare tell Anayah that I was embarrassed to have a squirrel watching me take a bath."

When thinking about it later, he would swear, to himself at least, that the young she-squirrel gave him her best "who, me?" look before he turned and walked away.

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Elurin had taken Anayah to the tiny grave of her long-time friend and after giving her a hug and a kiss on her temple, turned and walked back to resume his breakfast duties in the main house. Anayah stood for a few moments just looking at the last physical reminder of her friend then sank to her knees and put her hand over the freshly turned soil.

"Hello, my friend." She began. "I guess it is now a given that we are going on no more adventures together." Her breath hitched at the memories. "We have had a few of those, have we not? But I guess you were tired and felt the need to rest; I just wish that you had waited for me to get home before you went to sleep for the final time. I will forgive you if you will forgive me for being away."

She paused as tears began to make their way down her cheeks. Swiping at them almost angrily, she continued.

"I am so sorry that I was not here to ease your passing and for that I have no excuse, but I do promise to see that no harm will come to your daughter as much as I am able and if it is Ilúvatar's will that that be so. Chubby, you were never a pet to me – you were an able partner and a friend and will remain so in my heart and memory for as long as I draw breath. And thank you for letting your daughter come to us for she will always remind us of you."

Anayah paused her farewell to her friend as she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. She heard the footsteps stop then felt an arm go around her shoulders.

"I see Elurin told you about Chubby."

Anayah nodded silently and Elladan kissed the top of her head.

"I grieve with you, sister, for he was a friend to all of us, giving us strength and courage to face our trials – and he was very brave as well. Do you remember when that fox came down to the house and tried to come in? I don't think I have ever seen a squirrel get that bushy before or jump up and down quite like he did – it was quite an experience – and the noise he made! I will miss him ... we will all miss him."

Anayah hugged her brother back.

"Thank you for not laughing at me, Elladan."

Elladan frowned.

"Laugh at you? Why would I do that? Chubby was just as deserving of our respect as any of us or any other creature because he was a creation of Ilúvatar and we honor him for that."

He took her hand, brushed the dirt off of it then kissed it. Anayah smiled at him.

"Now … Ada has sent me to summon you to a small council meeting he is holding in the grand dining hall. He wishes to reassure the elves of Imladris that they are safe as well as answer questions they may have regarding our most recent attack."

Anayah rose to her feet.

"I had a feeling he would." She blew one last kiss to the grave of her friend then turned back to her brother. "Well, let us be off then – we do not want to incur the wrath of this realm's Lord so early in the morning."

They rolled their eyes, both well remembering the hard look their father had given them for being late to a council meeting once before. As they walked toward the house they were both lost in their own thoughts about the recent happenings until they saw Súrion walking toward them. They stopped and stared for his head looked quite odd – almost misshapen – but when he stopped in front of them and they had a chance to take a closer look at his blushing face as well as his head, Elladan had to turn around to keep from laughing. Anayah, however, did not exercise the same portion of control and pointed – then laughed, for the Silvan Guard didn't have some wound, bandage or even growth on his head, rather, he had a small she-squirrel sitting there. Súrion took the squirrel off his head and looked her in the eyes.

"You do know how embarrassing this is for me, do you not?"

He put her back on his shoulder and she promptly scampered back atop his head where she gathered up 4 or 5 strands of silver hair to hold on to. Anayah took his arm then with all three of them laughing, walked on toward the house.

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Rahan met them as they walked in the door and did a double take when he saw the squirrel sitting on his Guard's head. Quite out of character for him, he began to laugh but when he saw the "droll" look Súrion sent his way, cleared his throat and made a mighty effort to regain his composure. When they met Lord Elrond, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel on their way to the meeting, the two Lords broke out into great peals of laughter while Lady Galadriel hid her smile behind one demure hand. Finally, the object of the squirrel's hunt was spotted from her lofty perch and with a final trill of thanks, Little Lady ran down the Silvan Guard's body and took off across the room, dodging other elves and furniture then ran up Elurin's body, chattering all the while, evidently giving him a stern lecture for causing her such a fright.

From across the room, Súrion remarked to the elves around him, "Now that just hurts me to the quick – to just leave me like that after all I did for her ... what's an elf to do?" The others just shook their heads and walked on.

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Just outside the great room where the council meeting was to be held, Anayah stopped Rahan and with as serious an expression on her face as she could put there, looked into his eyes.

"You said that now that we were bonded you would do anything for me. Is this the truth?"

"Absolutely – other than chasing and/or hurting your brothers."

"That's no fair!" She began and when it looked like her Captain was going to say something further she held up a conciliatory hand. "Peace, Rahan, I was not going to ask you to chase and/or hurt my brothers."

Rahan gave her what was as close as he could come to her own "squinty-eyed" look.

"Then what are you going to ask me to do?"

She looked at him innocently.

"Would you eat a bat for me if I asked you to?"

Rahan stopped so quickly that Semoro ran into the back of him. Not wanting to be caught witnessing his brother's discomfort, he moved passed him. He could not, however, pass up the chance for one final comment.

"You remind me of a fish, caught out of water, when you do that, brother."

Rahan's mouth snapped shut and Semoro wisely moved on before his brother could assign him to stable duty for a month.

"Well? Would you?" Anayah looked at her Captain with a look just short of full-blown glee.

Rahan schooled his features.

"Of course I would." He lied.

"I knew you would." She said as she walked away.

Rahan let her get a little bit ahead of him.

"Not if you were the last Charge on Middle-earth." He whispered.

"I heard that!"

"I meant unless you served it with one of Elurin's tasty sauces all over it."

"I thought so." With fists waving in the air over her head, Anayah walked into the council room while behind her, Rahan shivered mightily before he followed.

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The informal council meeting was just that ... informal. The elves stood in a loosely formed semi-circle in front of their Lord and his honored guests and asked their questions for they badly needed reassuring.

"I mean no disrespect, my Lord, but Imladris is a protected realm so how can these attacks keep happening?

Lord Elrond held up his hand to stay the murmurs that followed the question.

"Imladris is a protected realm and will remain so. However, even though the Witch King is using the innocents – the animals and birds – to attack us, Imladris will never break procedure and bar the innocents from crossing its borders, for if we bar one species we must bar them all – four legged, winged, or two legged. These creatures, even though dangerous by virtue of their sizes or wild natures, are not evil and it is only evil that is forbidden entrance to our realm."

"Will there be any more of these attacks?" Another elf asked.

Elrond turned to Glorfindel who answered.

"We have set extra watches and patrols and while we can't promise that the animals and birds will quite attacking, we can say with a degree of certainty that we should have at least a little more warning. There will be someone in the bell tower at all times so if you hear the bell toll in pairs, seek shelter immediately."

The elves in the crowd nodded their approval of the actions their Lord was taking to try to secure their safety. They knew they lived in difficult times that would become more so as Sauron became stronger and knew it was not realistic to think or say they would never see trouble again. However, they were gratified to know that steps were being taken so they at least had a chance of surviving the troubled times they were facing now.

As Elrond watched and listened to his elves discussing their concerns, his mind went back to a meeting held between he, Glorfindel and the rest of his advisors earlier that morning as they prepared for the present council meeting. Glorfindel had touched on something, the knowledge of which needed to be kept between a select few, his family members, Lórien, Mirkwood, as well as the Avari Crown Prince.

"The elves of Imladris need to be reassured, my Lord," Glorfindel had said, "but we must not, indeed, we cannot tell our elves that in this last attack that the bats were never after the dragons – they were sent after the elves. The Witch King is trying to force the elves to move the dragons to save themselves."

Elrond had nodded his head in agreement then had made the comment that at least they could be assured that no living creature of any sort would remember any details of where they had been – Vilya would see to that. The Witch King would not be able to use the animals to locate Imladris, a fact that had done much to reassure even his own advisors. An elf in the crowd raised his hand to get his Lord's attention.

"My Lord, in light of what is happening, should we consider taking the dragons to Annúminas early?"

"We?" Elrond asked.

The elf before him bowed low.

"Yes, my Lord, I meant that statement literally. You are our Lord and have always done everything in your power to protect us and now, if you raise your sword in defense of another then so will any of your elves, male or female that has a sword or can even borrow a sword."

Elrond's breath hitched as he saw every elf in the crowd nod their heads.

"You all do honor to Imladris and her Lord." Elrond touched his forehead.

"If it is your wish, my Lord, you have but to ask."

Elrond smiled at the elves before he continued.

"To answer the original question of whether we should take the dragons to Annúminas early, the answer is that we cannot because it would put them in mortal peril to have them out of protected territory too early. Even with the attacks, they stand a better chance of survival within our borders. However, we are going to start sending out scouts in preparation for the trip who will seek the temper of the land beyond our borders so we may plan for as painless a trip as possible.

To that end, Anayah and Banion, I would like to request the services of your Thurin Tirith in this matter. We will call a meeting in the next day or so to discuss the particulars."

Though she nodded her assent, Anayah would have sworn at that moment that it was indeed possible for one's heart to fall into one's stomach. How could her father have asked such a thing of her knowing that her vow to the dragons would keep her homebound and that her Guards would have to go without her? Though she did her best, to keep the expression on her face as neutral as possible, she couldn't quite keep the tears from her eyes and when she felt Rahan put his hand on her shoulder she almost burst out crying. Feeling eyes on her, she looked across the room and saw Prince Ereb smirking at her as if he knew the nature of the pain her father had inflicted upon her with his request. When Rahan and his three elves looked to see what had caught her attention, the errant Prince was facing forward with a neutral expression on his face.

He turned back to Anayah then said just loud enough for her to hear. "We serve only you, Anayah, remember that."

She nodded as she patted his hand then turned her attention back to her father.

"That will be all for now – you will be kept informed of any further developments." Elrond said as he dismissed those at the council meeting.

Anayah was just turning to leave when her father called out to her.

"Anayah, a moment of your time in private, please."

"We'll wait right here, Anayah."

"I shouldn't be long, Rahan." Anayah said as she walked away.

Just as she was about to step into her father's study, her brother's and Legolas ran towards her with their hunting bows and packs in hand.

"Going hunting." Elladan said before he kissed her forehead on the run, his brothers doing the same.

It was a surprise to her, however, when Legolas kissed her forehead as well. However, when the Mirkwood Prince turned to follow the others he almost ran into a glowering, 6'6" Thurin Tirith Captain who was standing directly behind him with his arms crossed over his massive chest. Rahan couldn't keep up the charade because he feared that if he did the Mirkwood Prince would pass out and fall to the floor. Patting the pale elf prince on the arm he turned away. Legolas looked at Anayah and rolled his eyes then turned away to follow the others.

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When Anayah entered her father's study, he was standing at the window with his back to her and his hands laced together behind him.

"Ada?"

Elrond turned to her and when Anayah saw the dark circles under his eyes and the paleness of his complexion knew that she was not the only one whose shoulders were bowing beneath the weight of their responsibilities. The Lord smiled and walked toward her then after giving her a hug, walked her to a nearby overstuffed chair. He laid the back of his fingers against her forehead then frowned as only a father was allowed to.

"You still look exhausted, daughter, are you not resting?"

"I'm fine, Ada, really. I just need a little nap."

Elrond looked at her silently for he had seen three of her Guards with unbound hair, clad only in sleeping breeches running up the stairs to her room in the middle of the night, and though he had not inquired at the time, knew that whatever had happened would eventually be brought to his attention. That did not mean, however, that he couldn't discreetly watch her whenever he could. He nodded then got to the matter at hand.

"I called you here to inform you of my decision regarding Prince Ereb."

Anayah sat up straighter.

"Prince Ereb has been brought to task for his actions and will be allowed to stay in Imladris although he has promised to behave for the duration."

Anayah waited for more but when she finally realized that there would be no more, an icy fist clutched at her heart. She had to try twice to speak – a fact not lost on her father. Gathering her dignity as best she could and after folding her hands demurely in her lap and taking a deep breath, she looked at her father.

"I am quite sure the middle Prince was appropriately grateful for your mercy, my Lord. I thank you for your attention to this matter, but now if you will excuse me I have other duties to attend to."

Her father frowned.

"Are you alright with this – with my decision, Anayah?"

She smiled.

"Of course I am, for you are my Lord and I accept the wisdom of your decision. May I please be excused?"

"Of course."

Elrond rose and when Anayah did the same and turned away he laid a consoling hand on her arm but took it away when she halted stiffly and looked at his hand with an unreadable expression on her face. He wisely did not follow when Anayah left the room. Glorfindel took that moment to walk into the room from the balcony where he had been patiently waiting to either pick up the pieces of a certain Lord's body off the floor or offer a shoulder for a friend to cry on – a she-elf friend that is.

"She did not take that very well, did she?"

Elrond looked at his friend seriously.

"How could she, Glorfindel? She is assaulted in her own home then is told that the one who harmed her got a stern lecture – that's all. How is she supposed to take it?" He rubbed circles in his temples in an attempt to hold an oncoming headache at bay. "Why did I say that what we said was going to be kept in that room and mustn't leave? What WAS I thinking?"

"Things will work themselves out as they should, Elrond. Have faith that they will."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Glorfindel." He cast a glance at the door as if he could see through it. "That is exactly what I'm afraid of."

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Rahan was standing with his back to the room when Anayah left her father's study and when she didn't even pause to tell him what had happened, he became concerned.

"Anayah?"

She just held up a hand and kept walking.

"Rahan?"

Rahan was just about to turn to his Second when movement on the far side of the room caught his eyes. Though his back was to them, The Guards could tell from not only Ereb's body language but Anayah's as well as she paused slightly before beginning to ascend the stairs to the family's sleeping quarters, that the middle prince had said something to her. Though they could not hear him from where they now stood, they knew that the exchange had not been pleasant. All three of his elves looked at him.

"Just give the word, Rahan." Súrion's eyes were beginning to darken and Rahan knew he had to say something before it went too far.

"Just stand down for the moment – we must have more to go on than just a shrug of the shoulders or a nod of the head."

The others nodded as they all began walking toward the steps. Ereb turned and came towards them, a gleeful smile on his face that all four of the Guards wanted desperately to erase.

"Captain Rahan – how nice it is to see you today!" He said happily. "I just saw your Charge pass by – she didn't seem to be in a very good mood. Perhaps she just found out that I wasn't going to be drawn and quartered like she wanted – too bad. I think she went off to have a bit of a pout so perhaps the four of you had better run after her to see if she needs a clean cloth to blow her nose on or to blot the tears from her eyes."

He started to chuckle although any thought of merriment quickly disappeared off his face and he began to back away as he saw the eyes of the four Guards coming at him from across the room turn black, one after the other. When they began the Slow Walk he knew that he was in serious trouble for the Right of Retribution had been invoked and the blood trail was being walked for the first time in millennia. His backward movement stopped when he accidentally backed into Erenol but when he looked around for Banion, the Crown Prince just turned his back on him, signifying that he would not help – even if he could. From where he was watching while standing in the doorway of the kitchen, Elurin could tell that the situation was dire and after flinging his cleaning cloth away from himself, ran for the stairs.

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Just before Rahan and his elves reached the terrified Ereb there was a blur of movement and almost knocking Banion and Erenol down in passing, Anayah entered the ever-narrowing circle and stopped in front of Rahan. Her heart almost failed her for she had never seen him while on the blood trail, but after a momentary pause, said a small prayer petitioning the Valar to give her the wisdom to do what most failed to do – to interfere and hopefully stop what was about to happen – then placed her hands on her Captain's chest to try to stop his forward progress.

Nothing happened and no matter what she did or said, he would not stay his forward progress and pushed her before him as he walked ever closer to his prey. She was at a loss as to what to do for her size was working against her and pulling on his arm or pushing against his body with her shoulder did absolutely nothing. It was not until she moved behind him, grabbed his waist length braid, and braced her feet against the stone floor that she got any reaction out of him at all. He stopped, his eyes never left Prince Ereb's face, and his Guards turned to look at her as well. Having lost her angle, her feet slid out from underneath her and she plopped down on the floor, still holding fast to his braid.

"Give me a reason, Anayah. Give me a reason not to execute this poor excuse for an elf. He has demeaned you, assaulted you, made fun of you behind your back when he was warned what would happen ..." Rahan's voice was almost unrecognizable to her, guttural and grating.

"You weren't supposed to say what was said in that council meeting!"

From where she sat on the floor, Anayah looked at Ereb, at Rahan then back at Ereb. Locking eyes with the middle prince, Anayah made a point of letting Ereb see her turn loose of Rahan's braid, but before the Captain could resume his walk, she sprang to her feet. This time is was not the four Guards he had to fear but the barely contained fury of a certain she-elf, walking toward him while forming an evil looking red fireball in her right hand. Ereb looked from the fireball to Anayah's face and back again, once more too frightened to move.

"I am Anayah Dúnedhel, foster daughter of Elrond, Lord of Imladris, granddaughter of Galadriel, keeper of the Golden Wood and of the lineage of Melian, one of the divine. I bid you heed my words, Prince Ereb of the Avari ..."

She was directly in front of the Prince and stopped, glaring at him mightily.

"I am having a very bad day, you are an insolent turd and if you bother me further or if I catch you baiting my Guards again, I will personally petition Lord Asgorath and Lady Ederyn for leave from my duties to thrash you to within an inch of your lousy life."

She let the fireball fizzle out in her hands then brushed imaginary motes of dust off the pale prince's tunic.

"Have a nice day, my Lord."

The tension of the moment was broken by a stentorian call from the direction of her father's study.

"What is that stench? Anayah, how many times have I told you not to play with fire inside the house? Now take it outside!"

"Yes, Ada." She called out to where she knew her father had secretely been keeping close track of what had been going on.

"Anayah?"

Anayah neither paused nor turned around at Banion's call.

"Not now, Banion, for I am late tending the dragon's injuries. Please meet my Guards and myself in the upper pasture in an hour to begin selecting horses for training."

Banion nodded to Duilin and Eglamar who once more escorted Ereb to his quarters for a "time out." This time the middle prince did not protest as he left.

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"Your Charge makes a worthy adversary, Captain Rahan."

When he didn't receive an answer Banion looked at Rahan then at the other Guards. He immediately turned to Erenol and Bansil.

"Pair up. These four need the support of their brothers."

The seven of them then made their way to the balcony off the kitchen where the three Avaris seated the Noldor Guards. An ever alert Elurin appeared with a cup of tea for each of them. He made a point of stopping next to Banion.

"Make sure they get the blue cups, my Lord. The tea will help make their transition back to us a bit easier."

Banion thanked the old elf then he and his elves got the tea into the shaking hands of Rahan and his elves. The adrenaline spike that had sustained the four after they had invoked the Right of Retribution was rolling back and they were literally going through withdrawal as they would from any addictive drug only at a much faster pace. Elurin's compassion would make things easier for them as they came back to normalcy.

When a Thurin Tirith committed himself to the rage of the blood trail, he did so with mind, body and spirit. He was transported back to a time when emotions were uncontrolled and primal and though they were given much training and counsel by their training officers when they were but young warriors, it was not until they first walked the trail that they finally realized just how far they would go for their Charge. When they came back to the normal world, it was often difficult for the elves to reconcile their disciplined, professional world with the world they had just left. In the old days when there were many Thurin Tirith Units on Middle-earth, it was quite common for one Unit to care for another – as only a brother could. It had been much too close of a call and Banion just prayed that Ereb realized just what he had almost done – and what he had almost lost.

TBC

A/N: In the next chapter entitled The Golden Horn many things will be explained. Very, very seldom will I ever put something into a story that doesn't have meaning and while some have thought certain elements of my story were superfluous (ain't that a kool word?), I can honestly tell you that they are not and were meant to add depth and mood. Until next time ...