Behold a Pale Horse

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched,
they must be felt by the heart " - Old saying

To the untutored eye nothing much appeared to be moving in the natural little valley. The small stream, a tributary of a much larger river, burbled and chuckled its way over stones, the trees waved gently in a light but warm breeze, the first of such breezes which often rise on the cusp of the cooler seasons and which herald the coming of summer. The morning sun rose and showed rocks, vegetation and any defining natural landmarks up in sharp relief against deep, cool early morning shadows.

At midday Anor's rays were merciless and offered no relief in the form of shadow. Everything was unnaturally still. No animals, large or small, moved about their daily business and only the high penetrating buzz of any insect life remaining in the area could be heard over the chortling stream. A faint heat haze thinly veiled everything and the rocky hills that rose around the valley shimmered against a burnished sky.

In this heat and at this time of day no Orc in its right mind would rise to fight or do anything else, no matter how hard the taskmaster in charge of it. The corrupted Maiar who accompanied this large, but motley crew, knew better than to try. They sat in fulminating silence watching the slobbering, snoring, farting steaming heap of Orc kind sleep away in the heat of the sun in the shadow of some overhanging rocks; although even the Maiar would have hesitated drawing out a battle with Elves in the full brightness of day. The Valarauko had withdrawn itself into the darkness offered by a shallow cave, a creature of the shadow and the flame it also did not function well away from the darkness, either natural or that offered by its Lord.

Another of Orc kind also slept in the heat and bright fierce glare of the sun. Thadak had gone to ground in a particularly small, but thick clump of trees positioned quite close to the stream in the middle of the valley. He had dug himself a temporary cool, damp and dark place partially underneath a flat boulder which was also covered with thick bushes. His level of cover from hostile eyes was good, the Orc battle group had not seen nor had they sensed him hiding there.

Not so the keen sight, smell and senses of Elvenkind though and the even sharper senses of an uncorrupted Maiar. They knew Thadak was there and from their vantage point high on the slopes of the hill forming one side of the valley directly across from their opposition, they could see both the battle group and their original prey.

The Elves of Ereinion Gil-galad's small army had no compunction about attacking the Orcs in the bright light of the noonday sun. It meant little to them that the Orcs preferred the darkness and usually only attacked and fought when darkness fell. This usually presented no problem when Morgoth's minions were closer to Thangorodrim, since Morgoth was able to cast quite a vast area of land into virtually permanent darkness and shadow just by his will alone. However, this far from his reach, daylight still prevailed until night chased it from the sky.

The present difficulty for the Elves was that as they moved onto the valley floor into a position to attack, they then gave an advantage to the Orc battle group by exposing themselves and since the Orcs had no idea that the horrible shining Elves were concealed across the valley, they weren't about to start an attack themselves. Somehow, the Orcs had to be drawn out.

This presented yet another potential problem for the Elves. Once they had drawn their enemy out, they would come pouring across the valley. Granted the Elven archers would be able to pick most of the Orcs off, allowing Eonwe and Glorfindel to draw the Valarauko away from the main group, but in the ensuing melee, and when the attention of everyone was elsewhere, Thadak would most likely take the opportunity of slipping away.

"He will need to be silenced, swiftly before the other Orcs see him." Cirdan said. "My suggestion would be for Erestor to carry this task out. His scouting and tracking abilities are second to none."

Gil-galad nodded at Erestor who rose to his feet silently and disappeared like mist in the direction of the clump of trees. "It should be done soon. The longer we dally, the more chance of someone spotting us." He glanced over at Eonwe who was gazing in the direction that the Orcs were camped. He not only sensed the Valarauko was there, his much enhanced Maiar vision could actually see the fell creature. He had also used some of his considerable power to place a protective aura around the Elves, knowing full well that even a fallen Maia would easily have been able to sense their presence.

"The Orcs are somnolent." Eonwe said softly. "Moving in the full light of day causes them considerable discomfort, but we cannot take our ease, this is not a random skirmishing group with a loose leadership based on the strongest. This group is battle-hardened and sent specifically to take you and your warriors on in battle Ereinion. If the Valarauko detects our presence it will not hesitate to order them into battle, broad daylight or not."

Gil-Galad smiled crookedly at him. "I did guess as much." He said wryly. "As soon as I knew that there was a Balrog with them. Morgoth was leaving nothing to chance it seems."

"Indeed not." Eonwe replied soberly. "It is clear to me that Morgoth thought he could kill two birds with one stone."

Cirdan chuckled. "Two birds with one stone? I like that saying."

"I am afraid I cannot take credit for it." Eonwe gave a low laugh. "It comes straight from my future self and his time." His face abruptly became grave and Cirdan looked intently at him.

"You are concerned for your future involvement and also I sense for the safety of Lady Kim ." He said sympathetically.

Eonwe nodded. "Concerned yes, but as far as my future task is concerned, I cannot worry about it unduly just yet. I will cross that bridge when I come to it. But Kim …" His voice faltered a little. "It is very obvious that she is not with the Orc. He could not so effectively shield himself and her from our eyes and at this distance I should be able to both see her and sense her presence. So where is she?"

The horrible thought had occurred that she might already been dead and not more than an hour or two earlier he attempted to do what he had avoided thus far, and that was to pick up and strengthen the slender silken thread of their bond.

He had not done so earlier because he knew that to search for her through the link between them would have, in Gary's words 'scared the crap out of her', so Eonwe had let it be. He could feel the link in the back of his mind, but had not taken it up. So Kim wasn't in any way aware that her lover could both contact her and sense her presence if he so chose.

"She is alive?" Celeborn hesitated to ask anything else. Out of all of the Gil-galad's commanders he was one who would understand most about the bond created on the joining of hroa to hroa, given his marriage bond with Galadriel. The High King had never bonded with a mate, nor had Cirdan, given the fact that his oath to Lord Ulmo and duty to Osse prevented him from leaving Middle Earth to settle down with his own people to take a wife and Glorfindel was also unwed.

Eonwe's expression was wry to say the least. "Yes, very much alive and I sense that she is uninjured, but thus far my attempts to persuade her to pick up the link I have been trying to send her have failed miserably. She believes she is hearing voices, 'going off her rocker' as she so colourfully puts it." The listening Elves laughed softly but sympathetically at his plight. "In truth I have had more luck contacting our unborn daughter than I have her mother. It is from her that I know Kim is well enough and reasonably safe, for the moment at least."

Celeborn chuckled. "I have a feeling that your future life with your lady is unlikely to be a dull one."

"I am beginning to think I may not survive the experience intact." Eonwe said dryly.

"Ah well. At least you will have an ally in the form of your daughter. My heartiest congratulations my Lord." Cirdan said with a warm smile. He reached out as best he could where they were stretched out behind bushes and rocks and gently touched Eonwe's arm.

The Herald threw him a brilliant smile and despite his difficult situation couldn't help feeling a tug of pride and excitement at the idea of becoming a father. Something he had not ever envisaged he would become in his life, although because of Melian and Thingol's daughter Luthien he knew it was a possibility. The contact however brief with the child had had the effect of forming a father daughter bond between them. Now all he needed to do was to persuade his stubborn Kim to make the contact and bond three-way.

"I cannot help wondering who she is with. There are others there, but she does not feel threatened." He mused.

"It was an arrow of Elvish craftsmanship which took the Orc." Celeborn pondered. "And it had a flight of emerald coloured feathers, which is not a colour used by any of the Elven archers we know, however Erestor did mention once seeing a group of archers who had loosely allied themselves with Maedhros and his brother whose flights were green. Could it have been their group who rescued Kim?"

"It is possible." Gil-galad said. "And if so then it means that the sons of Earendil will not be far behind." His tone was hopeful. Long had he wanted to bring Earendil's twins under the wing of people who would care for them and long had Maedhros denied them their freedom.

"She will be safe enough with them for the moment. In any case they are currently affiliated with the Host and are on scouting and skirmishing duties given to them by me. I assume that they are on their way back to the Host now to report, if so Gary will take charge of Kim for both of us." Eonwe frowned slightly. "However we will have to think of somewhere safe to send her before the Host push on if we do not retrieve these weapons. Perhaps we can send her under escort to the Lady Artanis."

He lifted an eyebrow at Celeborn, who cast him a cool, but amused glance. "Indeed. My wife, Galadriel, will be delighted to look after her."

Eonwe caught the slight reproof in Celeborn's use of his wife's name and flushed slightly. "My apologies Lord Celeborn. I have known the lady since her birth and I still think of her as Artanis."

Celeborn shook his head. "Nay my Lord, the apology should be mine. I fear I am too sensitive when it comes to my wife's previous life and family in the Blessed Realm."

"Well then, we must make sure that you meet her father the High King of the Noldor, Lord Finarfin, he currently rides with me as one of my commanders."

"Oh joy." Celeborn muttered under his breath. "I cannot wait." He experienced a light mind slap from his wife so many leagues away.

ooOoo

Celebrimbor, Olorin and their warriors and the small band of Naugrim who had, fairly surprisingly it had to be said, chosen to accompany them had made excellent time catching up with the High King and the rest of his army. Just as the afternoon shadows were beginning to lengthen, they appeared like the relief of Mafeking over the rise of the small valley and stood in stark relief against the blue sky.

For a moment it seemed that they would just sit there forever on their horses staring down at the frenzied, blood spattered scene below them. The fact that the High King and his army had come across a very sizeable battle-group had always been a distinct possibility, but what really struck them into immobility was not the whirling, graceful dance of Elven warriors in full battle mode, sweeping, slashing and slicing their way through the Orcs like a hot knife through butter. It was the side battle that was taking place between what looked very much like a Balrog of Morgoth, whip of fire cracking and curling around a tall shining warrior dressed in modern army combats and wielding a sword and last but certainly not least, an equally shining tall warrior whose golden hair sticking out of the bottom of the mithril helm clearly declared him to be Glorfindel the Balrog Slayer.

A groan escaped one of the Elves. "Ai, ai, a Balrog." His muttered and fearful curse was to be repeated yeni later in the Mines of Moria by another Elf at the sight of the creature of shadow and flame.

Celebrimbor turned swiftly to the Naugrim leader who sat behind Olorin clutching on to the back of his waist for grim death. It had to be said that the Naugrim were not natural horsemen under any circumstances.

"Glosur, you do not have to get involved with this, there is no dishonour if you do not wish to fight in our battle."

The white-haired and bearded dwarf turned an almost deep purple colour, or at least as much of his face as they could see under the long white beard was purple. He slid clumsily down from the back of Olorin's horse and immediately swung his huge double-edged battleaxe off his shoulder.

"Not get involved Elf?" He shouted. "Are you mad or witless? Are these...things...not our enemy also? My beloved axe is thirsty. Long has it been since it tasted foul orc blood. Let us go, we are wasting good killing time." He lovingly draw a finger along the well honed axe blade.

His brethren had also dismounted from the horses that were carrying them as pillion passengers and stood with their own weapons of choice firmly in both hands. Glee and eagerness for battle shone from their faces.

Celebrimbor laughed gaily. "Well then, let us not waste any more time!" He drew his own sword and the blade flashed silver in the rays of the sun. He wheeled his horse around and then tossed a bag of the newly created ammunition at Olorin. "You will need these I think for your weapon." Then with a loud Elven battle cry he launched his own attack. The warriors streamed after him swords raised and bows already releasing a hail of deadly arrows into main body of the Orcs.

They were followed by the Naugrim, stomping down the rocky hill in their wake on foot, brandishing their axes and splitting the air with their own loud and guttural battle cry. "Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!" (1)

Olorin broke open the bag and loaded both of the magazines that he had with the rounds, then he clipped a magazine firmly on the weapon and put the other in his pocket where he could reach it swiftly. He turned his own horse around and bent over to speak softly in its ear. "Here my fine, beautiful fellow. There will be much terrifying noise from this thing, but it could turn the tide for them. Will you bear me with it?" He held the weapon out so that the horse could see it.

The horse blew out a snorting breath and its eye showed a brief flash of white before it calmed again and snickered softly to indicate that it would trust the Maia and bear him wherever he wished to go, no matter how loud the noise.

Olorin hefted the weapon and closed his eyes momentarily as he summoned up all of the Chief's experience and no-how, then he pressed his knees against the horses flank and rode hell for leather down the slope after the others. He used his knees and the knowledge that the horse would not let him fall to guide them down, lifted the assault rifle onto his right shoulder into the firing position, released the safety catch and squinted through the sight.

Moments later both Elves, Orcs, Naugrim and Maiar turned in both astonishment and fear as they heard the deadly sound of gunfire enter the fray.

ooOoo

Eonwe recognised the sound of gunfire immediately and his and Glorfindel's attention was briefly taken away from their battle with this horrific creature of nightmares. Fortunately the Valarauko also heard the new sound, a sound it had never heard before and its massive flame and shadow-wreathed head swung around in the direction of the sound, momentarily distracted from the fierce battle at hand.

It was the distraction that Eonwe had been waiting for and he struck the creature with all the force behind his blow that he could muster. At the same time he managed to mentally grasp the corrupted fea of what had once been a fellow Maiar spirit and he squeezed with all of his considerable mental strength until he could feel it buckling under his much stronger will. Then he saw Glorfindel turn back to the battle and summon his own shining might of an Elf-lord both born and brought back to life in Aman to face the creature and it began to dwindle and fizzle under the combined light.

OoOoo

Ereinion Gil-galad nearly wept with joy at the welcome sight of Celebrimbor, his warriors and the Naugrim joining the battle and he shot a look of triumph at Cirdan who briefly raised his own sword aloft in welcome to the latecomers before thrusting it into deep the throat of one particularly large mottled and warty Orc. He ignored the fountain of black blood which sprayed over his silver armour and plunged forward to his next victim.

Celeborn's joy at seeing them was muted a little at first by the sight of the sturdy Naugrim laying about them with their axes and shouting their battle-cry continually as they hewed Orc after Orc like ripe wheat under a sharp scythe. The Naugrim were not his favourite race and for good reason. Yet at the same time he knew that their abilities in battle were considerable and he was not so foolish as to look a gift Naugrim in the mouth when it was necessary.

The sound of gunfire immobilised everyone on the battlefield for a second, then, almost in slow motion through the smoke generated by the Valarauko and in the confusion of the fight, a tall figure with a weapon that spat deadly fire and cut a swathe through its enemies came riding into view like Nemesis on a pale horse.

The Orc commander uttered a guttural curse and turned tail to run only to be cut down by one of the corrupted Maiar accompanying them. The tall Maia spat on the corpse of the Orc before slipping away from the battle to report to its master.

ooOoo

(1) "The Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"