Chapter Thirty-Six
The soldiers marched to the council room, where the High King held a council meeting.
"My lord," The most senior officer announced after the doors opened. They halted whatever they were doing, and the High King looked up, his blue eyes sharp and piercing, from the maps he was studying.
"Sauron has attacked the cities of the Northmen." Many people's jaws dropped. Gil-Galad stood frozen.
"He has vast armies of not only orcs, but trolls, goblins, wargs and their riders." The commander took a deep breath. "It is not merely the variety, but the sheer size and number of Sauron's forces that overwhelmed us. No such force was ever seen since the days of…" He swallowed. "Of Morgoth." He finished.
Everyone gasped and the chamber burst into uproar.
Everyone was shouting, screaming, panicking, gesticulating, and much more.
Only Ereinion Gil-Galad kept his steely calm.
"Silence!" His voice boomed majestically throughout the room.
He looked at an attendant. "Fetch the Queen."
"Yes, my lord." The attendant bowed and quickly left. Estela was not presently with them.
"Get the commanders here," he instructed the one still standing at the door. "Immediately. Send a message to Celeborn and the Kings Oropher and Amdir, and the Elendili. Muster the troops. We ready ourselves for war."
Estela arrived not long after, her face expressionless but for the dark, knowing in her eyes.
He walked over to her. "It's time."
She nodded. She'd lived through this. She knew it was coming. It was nothing new to her.
She walked away. They all needed to prepare.
Ereinion watched her from behind, wishing he could go with her. But as High King, there were other things to do.
The smiths hammered swords, daggers, spear-heads and arrow-tips into sharp, deadly points. Swords were honed with a whetstone. Quivers were refilled. Bow-strings were tested. Swords were plunged into troughs to cool down before finishing. Armour was fitted and checked for any weaknesses. Discreet knives were slid into sheaths to be stowed safely away, for emergencies when the enemy least expected it.
While the soldiers drilled a messenger rode into the courtyard.
"King Oropher has heard of the attacks." The messenger announced to Gil-Galad dressed in full battle-armour, putting on his gauntlets. The High King looked sharply at him. Estela beside him, was still.
"The Elendili are mustering." The messenger continued. "The Northmen are joining them."
"What of the Wood-Elves?" The High King asked.
The messenger hesitated. "I do not know, my king." He admitted. "No word has been sent from them. The message might have been delivered but…"
Ereinion nodded. "I see. You may go. Refresh yourself and rest briefly, gather new supplies if you need it, and another horse. I fear we will need to send another message before long." The messenger bowed and left.
Ereinion turned to Estela. "I fear this is all too soon," he admitted. "No one wanted to admit that Sauron would acquire this much power."
"He has yet to come to his full strength. He is still confined," Estela said. "He will need a greater power source. He is not as powerful as Morgoth was in his time. He was a Maia. He will need something."
"Another Ring," Ereinion said grimly. Just as she had said. Estela nodded. "And the other Rings of Power, previously made."
Celebrimbor roused himself. "The other rings," he whispered. He knew, that in his folly, he could not destroy what he had made.
It was made to withstand everything.
But the problem was, Sauron was fast approaching.
He looked up, and age was written on his normally ageless face, for once. They had to hide the Rings. Fast.
Estela walked to Fëanuldon's nursery. The boy was sitting, playing with his blocks. Estela's heart threatened to break and melt at the same time. She knelt on the carpet beside him.
"Yonya," she whispered lovingly, tenderly. A well of tenderness that threatened to overflow. As it was she had trouble keeping tears in her eyes. She stroked his hair.
"Ammë?" The little boy asked. "What's wrong?"
"I have to go for some time," Estela explained.
The little boy looked upset. He pursed his lips together. So far the darkness of Sauron's blood was kept at bay by the will of Vilya, Narya and Nenya.
"When will you be back?" He asked after a while. "Where are you going?"
Estela managed a smile. "Oh, somewhere, she said. It's not important. What's important is that you behave really well for your nursemaid while I'm away, Fëanuldon. I'll try to be back as soon as I can. Will you behave well? For me?"
The boy in all seriousness, nodded. Estela smiled again, and kissed his head.
"I love you, Yonya," She whispered. "Never forget that. I'll always, always love you, more than you know. More than my own self." She kissed his cheeks and embraced him, and stood, leaving before the tears could spill.
"What now?" She asked her husband. They mounted their horses.
"Now, I ride for Imladris," he replied, his sword was at his hip and his spear Aeglos at his back.
"Will you come with me?" He asked. She nodded. "But I must also go from there to the Greenwood and Lothlórien. They will need our help in understanding."
He nodded tightly. "And from there…" Estela faltered. Ereinion turned to her, frowning.
"There is something I must do." She said finally. "Sauron must be defeated. Nothing can allow him to remain in this world. The King's Númenóreans may no longer listen to us, but the other human races may. Not just the Elendili. But others. The Northmen. The Éothéod. Many others will. And I will speak with and negotiate with the Dwarves alongside my cousin."
Ereinion looked mildly interested. "You've made peace with your cousin?"
"I forgave him a long time ago," Estela sighed. "I never am much good with holding grudges. But even if I was, I cannot deny that without the Three Rings…" She trailed off. "All would have been lost." She said with a finality.
She wasn't just referring to her son. But to the elven realms, and the innocents within.
"Do you still have Vilya?" She asked Ereinion. He nodded, and discreetly showed her the Ring. It burned like a blue star, that massive sapphire, set in a ring of elegant, curving gold. The only fancy ornament Ereinion wore. But his bearing, regal and majestic poise was more than enough to make certain no one mistook him for anything other than a king.
"Why did you not take one for you own then?" He asked gently.
She looked down, before meeting his gaze again, with pained eyes. "I couldn't. My grandfather… made many things. He wore the Silmarils upon his brow once. This…. Is too much. Besides, you already have one. Better let Galadriel have the other one. To keep the realms safe."
Ereinion was silent as he contemplated what she said. Of course he knew that. But he also knew she how much she loathed the sight of such things, not merely baubles and trinkets, but also things of great power, supposedly, though he never heard of the Silmarils having any power apart from burning anything impure. But how she must have felt, how the agony must have wounded her deepest of all, every night, when she gazed at the night sky and saw the light of Eärendil's Star sailing across the sky. And the absence of Telperion. Now there was only ithil.
An agonising reminder that stabbed deep into her heart and soul, of what she had lost and suffered.
But it was the future that Estela was concerned with more, now. She had given up lamenting over the past.
The two raced off out of Lindon, and the gates opened to let them through. The High King and his shielmaiden wife.
Elrond Half-Elven received the High King and Queen himself, coming out to greet them. His wife Celebrían came alongside him. The twins Elladan and Elrohir as well.
Elrond bowed deeply. "Aranya," He murmured, greeting in the Quenya language.
"Lord Elrond," Ereinion greeted. He swung down from his horse. Estela nodded to Elrond and his wife and sons, giving them a slight smile.
She studied Imladris carefully as she dismounted. Elrond had chosen an excellent place for beauty and safety. This was one of the safest places, surely, in all Middle-Earth. The whole city was enclosed by the cliffs, not claustrophobic, but safe, no gaps, absolutely not the slightest weakness here, she thought. And there was the river and the waterfalls- the sound of the water would muffle the sounds of city-life, and sentient activities to anyone not of elven lineage. Not to mention they blocked just about every path not enclosed by rock. The Moors and foothills helped as well, hiding the place extremely well. Elrond also had a strong guard, she noted. But the city had yet to be finished, truth be told. It had just begun. Although elves build fast- look at Gondolin and Doriath- such a settlement, designed to be a safe refuge for elves, needed time to complete.
"My Queen," Elrond bowed. Estela gave a smile as she shook her head. "Elrond there has never been any need for formalities between us. You know that."
He smiled and the Lady Celebrían and their two sons came forwards. Estela gave the boys a curious look. She had last seen them when they were small, they were identical, handsome with chiselled features, striking grey eyes and their father's ebony hair. Already, strength and nobility emanated from their faces and bearings. Quite a change, she thought amused, from the mischievous duo she remembered.
"Greetings, great King and Queen." Celebrían curtsied and her two sons bowed. They were still youths, but how they have grown, Estela marvelled.
Then a change came across her, as she thought of her own son. These boys were untroubled by shadow within themselves. They had a childhood free of darkness, where they played, tumbled in the rolling hills and splashed in the streams of this glorious place. Of sun, wind and laughter. Wet days spent splashing in the puddles and dancing in the rain, camping and riding. What about him? He never experienced those things, will he ever feel the light, within and outside?
Pain ripped through her, and threatened to bring her to her knees, but she pushed it away. Now was not the time.
"My lady," Ereinion acknowledged. He nodded to the sons of Elrond. "Rise." They did so, the twins seemed to fight an expression of awe on their faces as they looked at the couple.
"We welcome you to Imladris," They intoned. Estela raised her eyebrows. "Very proper." She smiled. "I suppose years of their father's lectures taught them well."
The twins flushed.
"Will you be staying for long?" Elrond asked.
"Not for long," Ereinion warned. "I fear that there are other realms we must go to. Indeed, Estela plans to negotiate with the Dwarves as well."
She nodded. "My cousin and I have planned a meeting with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm."
Elrond sighed. "If there is one or two persons that can ever make the dwarves see reason and accomplish the impossible with ease that the rest of us can never believe, it is the two of you. Even my advice falls of deaf ears when it comes to them."
Estela smirked. She looked at the city in awe. "It is a marvellous place you have created."
Elrond smiled.
Estela said in relief. "I feel as this will somehow last. That no matter what happens in the world, this is the safest of places- this, Lindon and Lothlórien."
"And Valinor," Celebrían put in.
"Yes," Estela said, but she faltered. Somehow, something just didn't seem right about that, even though Valinor was the safest place in Arda.
Sauron growled.
The Númenóreans were a pain, indeed. He still didn't have the other rings, since that Ringmaker was somehow clever enough to steal them from right under his nose. Until the Rings were distributed, by him and him alone, and the One Ring, his master creation was made, then nothing could be accomplished.
Damn the Fëanorians.
Now the Númenóreans decided to march against him. True, they didn't march and make peace with the elves, but they still marched.
He was outnumbered, and defenceless save for a few filthy orcs, whose brains were no better than the dung heap that spawned them.
He had to accomplish this another way, he knew he had not Morgoth's strength, as much as he hated to admit it, but cunning and resourcefulness to get what he wanted. And that was power to rule Arda.
Perhaps it was too early indeed to call him the King of Men and Lord of the Earth. But now the Númenóreans were marching for him. They had already gone so far against the elves, the Creator, and the Ainur.
Why not turn them a little further? He thought.
And so Sauron smiled as he came up with a more insidious plan.
"What?" Estela demanded as the news came forth.
"Elrond," The High King said dangerously. "You mean to say, that in our absence, the Númenóreans have landed in Middle-Earth?"
Elrond looked grim. "They have not come to attack, but no doubt they have established their rule in certain human settlements, and are preparing for war- not with us, but with Sauron."
Estela looked incredulously at Ereinion. "What else do you know?" He demanded.
"That the worst is yet to come," Elrond said gravely. "Ar-Pharazôn and the King's Men were offended by Sauron's use of the titles 'King of Men' and 'Lord of the Earth', yet they despise and envy us, more than they fear and hate him."
"So they will not help us." Elrond couldn't remember who spoke it- the High King or Queen, but he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow as he tried to see.
Foresight was always his gift, but sometimes, it could hardly be counted as a blessing, to see such horrible things. Celebrian paused. "What do you see?" She asked, coming forwards, laying her hands on his overburdened shoulders.
"Many things," He said. He gripped the table, hard. "I see the waves, rising, to such height I have never dreamed. Arda will change, and Elros' legacy will be lost."
Ereinion looked alarmed. "What is this that you speak of?" "What do you mean?" Estela gasped.
Elrond looked up, his eyes told a thousand things that words will never say. "That is all I saw and know. Elros' legacy will be lost."
Estela felt her breath catch in her throat. "Númenor?" Ereinion demanded. "I pray you, Elrond, don't speak in riddles."
"It is not riddles, but the truth," Elrond said. "Forgive me, my king, but that is all I can say."
"What's going to happen to Númenor?" Estela asked. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't…
Elrond looked to her. "There is nothing we can do. Men have the gift which they have always taken for granted. They may not have immortality, yet they do have the gift of creating their own destiny, if they have the strength and the will to do it- which they have. What happens over the next weeks and months will depend upon the strength and will of Men- all humankind, and in particular, those of Númenor. There is nothing more we can do."
"Obviously they will not form an alliance with us," Estela muttered, recovering herself.
"No." Ereinion and Elrond confirmed simultaneously.
Celebrían pressed her lips together. "But if the Númenóreans are already marching upon Sauron…"
Elrond shook his head. "You know of how Morgoth reacted to the coming of Men." He said darkly. "He knew of their ability to shape their own fate. He knew what they were capable of- of ambition and desire for power. More than any other race, are Men susceptible to such strength- and weakness."
Estela breathed out a powerful sigh.
She turned to the window overlooking the valley. They were in Elrond's private council chamber. The waterfalls splashed and cascaded down the cliffs, catching a rainbow of colours in the light of the sun. Everything was bright, lush, fresh and beautiful. Yet she saw none of it.
"I have had a dream." She said as if from a great distance.
Instantly Ereinion frowned. "I know of your dreams. Do I have reason to be wary?"
"You always do," Estela pointed. "But in this case, I do not know. I believe they were a mixture of messages.
Estela didn't have Elrond and Galadriel's gift of foresight the same way they did, but always, throughout her life, she had a powerful sense of what was to come- a strength in knowing and preparing for the worst. That helped a lot when the terrible blows came.
The only difference between then and now, was that now, she now had something to lose. Then she fought with little.
"I must go with Ereinion to the Greenwood." She said with a finality. "And to Lothlórien. After that I will go alone to Khazad-dûm to meet my cousin and the dwarves there."
"Of course," Elrond said. He had no doubt while humans might trample such a gift to the ground, elves were bound by their own fates.
What will happen over the next weeks and months, maybe even centuries, would not be of Estela's choosing. It never was.
The Greenwood was alerted, and the meetings there in Amon Lanc and Caras Galadhon were more than successful. Ereinion marvelled, genuinely, at his wife's ability to get along wonderfully well with anyone she set her mind to.
The dwarves were already won over by her, anyway before she even set out. Ereinion went with her, and met Celebrimbor there.
Estela had a steely determination in her eyes and an energy that others could only envy. But the determination was replaced by confusion when a messenger arrived with news of Sauron.
He had been captured.
Estela stared and looked at her husband. "How is this possible?"
"How many were killed in the assault upon the Enemy?" Ereinion demanded.
She narrowed her eyes. They both knew where this was going. "None, my King and Queen." The messenger answered.
They both looked at each other aghast.
Understanding flashed in Ereinion's blue eyes. "It's a trap," Estela gasped. "He set them up. He wanted them to capture him. He has another purpose for them."
The king Durin IV of the Dwarves stroked his beard thoughtfully and leaned forwards. "Could it not be that he saw that they outnumbered him vastly, and saw that he could not win?"
Estela shook her head. "Sauron always finds a way," Ereinion said darkly. "Always does he creep where we least expect, and creates more evil than we have ever imagined." Estela remarked.
Ereinion brooded silently over his cup of mead. "What is he planning now?" He pondered darkly. "Damn him, damn him to the end of all days."
Estela could not sleep that night. It wasn't that they were underground.
Something was not right.
She decided to postpone her trip to find a cure for her son- only for a slight while.
Returning to Lindon, Estela received distressing news, however.
"My lord, my lady." A courier bowed. Ereinion raised his eyebrow. "Well? What is it?"
"Sauron has been captured by the Númenóreans, but he is not a prisoner anymore. Instead Ar-Pharazôn holds him as an honoured guest."
Ereinion's eyes flashed and his met Estela's panicked emerald ones.
"Now it's true." She whispered.
This was the beginning of the end. But for whom?
Yeah, I know. I'm late. And this chapter really isn't much. you don't see much of Sauron in this one. And Eregion is still standing along with Númenor, but I'm trying to put a spin into things. But the next chapter is MONUMENTAL. So please bear with me. There the world is about to be changed- literally. And Estela- and anyone else, gets a big surprise at the end. People must have noticed that although she doesn't have the Gift of Sight, like Elrond and Galadriel, she does have an uncanny tendency to sense things coming.
Here's another thing- I've noticed how many people want an AU where Gil-Galad lives! Wow, that guy is really inspiring isn't he? Look, I can't make promises, but I don't like unhappy endings anymore than you do, so no matter what happens- THIS IS NOT THE END.
I'm planning a sequel anyway. There's already one, but I'm taking that one down- compared to this, I think it's not worth it.