The hawk fluttered its wings softly and settled comfortably on the woman's
hand, emitting a quiet chirp as she stroked its chest. It had known her
for many years and trusted her, as it would no other creature.
"Cleggwaew…" she said softly. Swiftwind. "Lasta ennie…" Listen to me…
The hawk turned his head, eyeing her sideways as she began the slow words of the incantation. He felt the gentle nudge of her mind touching his, but he ignored the feelings that had once frightened him. He clicked his beak lazily and shut both eyes, allowing her to probe his memories.
Alede concentrated on sifting through the images in the hawk's mind. She had known Swiftwind for many years and counted the bird as a trusted friend. But what she saw, or rather what the bird had seen over the last few days disturbed her.
Orcs were moving upon the land again and fires burned in Isengard. The ruins of Orthanc were no longer empty and the Watch Wood that stood around it appeared to be asleep.
She shifted patiently through more images, these of small creatures in the grass that the hawk hunted, an Ent standing in the sunlight in the depths of Fanghorn. Another amusing vision showed her an Elf and a Dwarf on horseback riding at a leisurely pace through the forest. The Elf sat the horse comfortably with one leg draped over its mane and his long hands resting on his thighs. His face was lifted up toward the hawk, so Alede saw his handsome features clearly. He wore an expression of amused serenity, despite the Dwarf who clung behind him as if in terror of being thrown.
The images from the hawk's mind moved on and Alede witnessed more mice and a snake that nearly startled her out of their connection. But then the visions returned to Orthanc and Alede was more troubled with each sighting. Orcs carried bundles of stores into the aged fortress and at dawn she saw a troop of them carrying something else, a long limp bundle. A man perhaps, she thought.
Gently, she refocused her thoughts, breaking the mental link with the hawk. If Orthanc was being used again…
The hawk chirped softly and Alede broke out of her reverie. "Thank you, my friend," she said and pulled out a piece of the dried fish from her pouch. The hawk took it politely, though she suspected that the smoked meat was not really to his liking.
"I'm sorry," she said stroking his chest. "But I'm afraid you would like the dried fruits that I carry even less. And I have not the skill for catching mice that you have."
The hawk shook his tail feathers and Alede lifted her arm high. "Farewell friend," she called as the hawk lifted off of her arm. She watched him gain the heights and then stepped back within the shadow of the trees to sit and think.
If she interpreted the hawk's visions correctly, there could only be one person who would wish to restore Orthanc.
Sildair.
She had not thought of her one time friend, Sildair in a long time.
Deliberately not thought of him. And she wished she did not have to think of him now.
They had been students together under Saruman the White, before the War of the Ring, before Saruman had betrayed them. Before he had betrayed all of Middle Earth.
Sildair had been fascinated by the dark arts and had studied diligently under Saruman. The two of them often huddled over ancient scripts, mumbling wicked incantations, chuckling over the follies of men. Their gloating attitude had given Alede much unease and she had not cared at all for Saruman's superior, condescending tone.
Alede herself had spent more time wandering the lush gardens that had once graced Orthanc, than attending to her studies. Talking to the Rowan trees and the birds had seemed a more profitable study than the ancient texts of greed and power. Saruman had warned her that she'd end up as useless as her gentle father Radagast the Brown. Or even worse, a village witch like her mother. But Gandalf the Gray had encouraged her study of the natural world and did not seem to think the worse of her for it.
In the early days of her training, there had been a friendship between Sildair and herself and a light teasing banter they had both enjoyed. The banter had later turned serious and Alede began to avoid him. Sildair's eyes followed her in a way that made her uncomfortable. As Sildair closeted more and more with Saruman and delved deeper into the dark arts, Alede had begun to fear him.
But during Saruman's downfall, Sildair had been strangely absent. Alede had been far to the North, helping to quell an uprising of Orcs, so had not noticed Sildair's absence.
But now, she wondered… he of all people would wish to restore the power of Orthanc. And he too, had showed no revulsion to Orcs. On the contrary, he'd seemed fascinated by them. Twice he had told her ways of breeding superior Orcs and the power that could be gained by doing so. She had fled him in revulsion.
Alede shuddered and stood up again, trying to decide what to do. She hated to go to Orthanc. The once beautiful grounds had been ravaged, first by Saruman's forces and later by the Ents. It was painful to her to see the destruction of what had once been her home.
Should she try to seek out her father to ask his advice, she wondered?
But no, she knew that was not the right choice. Radagast was a minor wizard and cared nothing for politics. With most of the council gone to the West, he had retreated more and more into the world of nature and birds, which he loved. Besides, she knew nothing really except a few images in a hawk's mind.
Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she walked back out into the sunlight. Her thoughts were interrupted by the piercing cry of Swiftwind as he rode the currents to the east. Squinting, to see him better, Alede walked to the edge of the trees…
And then she heard it, the soft "clop, clop" of a horse. Quickly, she pulled back under the cover of the forest and watched warily.
To her astonishment a long limbed horse trotted past carrying a dwarf. She was so surprised by the sight of such a small person clinging to the saddle like a sack of potatoes that at first she failed to recognize him.
But then the memory came back to her. It was the same dwarf that Swiftwind had seen riding behind the Elf. And it was for this reason that the hawk had called her.
What could cause a dwarf to ride horseback and where was the Elf?
Cutting a course through the trees that would bring her ahead of them, Alede swiftly ran to the edge of the woods. The horse saw her and pricked its ears as they approached, but did not spook. For that, Alede was relieved. The dwarf obviously had little skills for riding.
"Good morrow, Master Dwarf," Alede said once they were close.
"What?!" the Dwarf had not seen her and panicked, hauling back the reins suddenly and nearly unseating himself. The horse tossed his fine head and danced in protest.
Alede quickly stepped out of the shade and caught the crude rope that had been twisted around his nose for a bridle. She remembered that in her vision of the Elf he had used no bridle.
"My apologies, Sir," she said as she quieted the horse. "I did not mean to spook your mount."
"Who are you and what do you want?" the Dwarf blustered. Obviously he was upset by more than just the fright she had given him.
She stepped back and gave him a small bow. "My name is Alede, at your service and your family's," she said courteously, remembering Dwarfish etiquette.
"I am Gimli, son of Gloin, at yours," he replied. "May I ask what a young woman like yourself is doing traveling alone in this place? It is dangerous country. At least I assume you're alone?" he said, looking around as if he expected people to pop out of the woods in droves.
"I am alone. But I am both a ranger and one of the Istari, wizards," she explained. "I travel where I choose and none bother me."
"Ah, I see," said the Dwarf suspiciously. "I've not known many wizards. I did not know there were any left. Did you serve Saruman?"
"He was once my teacher, though I preferred the lessons of Gandalf the Gray and those of my father Radagast the Brown."
"Ahh! That's a different matter," Gimli cried. "Gandalf was a dear friend of mine!"
"Indeed? And how did you …"
"I'm very sorry, young lady," Gimli hastily interrupted. "I don't wish to be rude. But I'm pursuing my friend who has been captured by Orcs. I must continue on my hunt, lest I loose him. Unless you've seen their company?" he asked hopefully.
"No, no Orcs have passed me. Who is your friend and why was he taken?"
"Alas, I do not know why! But we were attacked by Orcs. They carried some devilry with them and appeared as a cloud of mist. But I could hear their foul voices and smell their stinking hides. I do not know what happened. I heard my friend cry out and then all went black for me. When I awoke, I found my friend's quiver and bow upon the ground. The straps had been cut and there was blood upon them. I fear for his life, if he is not already dead. And I know not where they have taken him."
Alede remembered the vision she'd seen of the Orcs carrying a bundle into Orthanc and her heart sank. "What does your friend look like?"
"Oh well, most Elves look alike to me. Though this one is younger than most. He is tall and fair…"
"Oh no," Alede whispered.
"What is it?" Gimli asked urgently.
"There is one of our order…" she paused. Should she tell him the whole story? "There is someone of … power, who may be trying to restore Orthanc. And… he always wished to breed Orcs, to breed new blood into them…" She left the thought unfinished, because it was too horrible.
But the Dwarf read her thoughts. "You mean, they might be trying to turn my friend into an Orc!?"
"Yes, there are so few Elves left on Middle Earth now. That's how the Orcs were originally made. They were Elves captured and tortured beyond endurance until they turned from beings of purity and light to those of complete darkness."
"By my ancestors!" Gimli exclaimed. "What are we waiting for? He's been missing for two days! After them! Show me the way into Orthanc and I'll cleave them all in two."
"No, you can not go," Alede said desperately. "It is too dangerous. This person I speak of is a wizard of some power. You have not the recourses to battle a wizard!"
"But Legolas is as a brother to me! I will not leave him in the hands of those foul creatures."
"No, I agree. You're friend must be rescued and quickly. But you, Master Gimli must not go. I do not doubt your courage, but the wizard would kill you instantly and then you would be of no use to your friend."
"But I must!"
"No. I will go. I can enter where you could not," she said with more confidence than she felt.
"But…"
"The longer we argue about it, the longer your friend suffers."
Gimli was obviously suffering too. He could see the wisdom of her words, but to abandon his friend was unthinkable.
"Very well," he finally said. "If you will not allow me to go into this wizards den, at least take the horse so that you may get there quicker."
"No," she stayed his hand when he would have slid down. "I have my own. Do you have friends in this land, so that I may find you?"
"Helm's Deep. We were going to Helm's Deep."
"Very well. Continue there and I will send you word or bring your friend to you. What ever happens do not come to Orthanc. For I fear it would mean the end of you and your friend."
With those words she shifted her pack off of her shoulder. She pulled out the bundle of ragwort and hastily twined a strand of osier around it, twining her spell with it as well.
Behind her, the Dwarf gasped as the shadow horse came to life, gathering solidity as it raised itself from the very shadows on the ground. Alede vaulted onto it's back and it rose smoothly into the air.
"Farewell, Gimli son of Gloin," she called. "I will find your friend, I promise you."
And then the horse was rising swiftly above the plains and she turned its head toward Orthanc, to the one place in all of Middle Earth that she least wanted to go.
***Thanks to everyone who posted reviews for chapter one!!!***
*** For anyone who's had trouble with Alede's name, its pronounced "al–a–DAY" and is Numenorean for "morning sun".***
"Cleggwaew…" she said softly. Swiftwind. "Lasta ennie…" Listen to me…
The hawk turned his head, eyeing her sideways as she began the slow words of the incantation. He felt the gentle nudge of her mind touching his, but he ignored the feelings that had once frightened him. He clicked his beak lazily and shut both eyes, allowing her to probe his memories.
Alede concentrated on sifting through the images in the hawk's mind. She had known Swiftwind for many years and counted the bird as a trusted friend. But what she saw, or rather what the bird had seen over the last few days disturbed her.
Orcs were moving upon the land again and fires burned in Isengard. The ruins of Orthanc were no longer empty and the Watch Wood that stood around it appeared to be asleep.
She shifted patiently through more images, these of small creatures in the grass that the hawk hunted, an Ent standing in the sunlight in the depths of Fanghorn. Another amusing vision showed her an Elf and a Dwarf on horseback riding at a leisurely pace through the forest. The Elf sat the horse comfortably with one leg draped over its mane and his long hands resting on his thighs. His face was lifted up toward the hawk, so Alede saw his handsome features clearly. He wore an expression of amused serenity, despite the Dwarf who clung behind him as if in terror of being thrown.
The images from the hawk's mind moved on and Alede witnessed more mice and a snake that nearly startled her out of their connection. But then the visions returned to Orthanc and Alede was more troubled with each sighting. Orcs carried bundles of stores into the aged fortress and at dawn she saw a troop of them carrying something else, a long limp bundle. A man perhaps, she thought.
Gently, she refocused her thoughts, breaking the mental link with the hawk. If Orthanc was being used again…
The hawk chirped softly and Alede broke out of her reverie. "Thank you, my friend," she said and pulled out a piece of the dried fish from her pouch. The hawk took it politely, though she suspected that the smoked meat was not really to his liking.
"I'm sorry," she said stroking his chest. "But I'm afraid you would like the dried fruits that I carry even less. And I have not the skill for catching mice that you have."
The hawk shook his tail feathers and Alede lifted her arm high. "Farewell friend," she called as the hawk lifted off of her arm. She watched him gain the heights and then stepped back within the shadow of the trees to sit and think.
If she interpreted the hawk's visions correctly, there could only be one person who would wish to restore Orthanc.
Sildair.
She had not thought of her one time friend, Sildair in a long time.
Deliberately not thought of him. And she wished she did not have to think of him now.
They had been students together under Saruman the White, before the War of the Ring, before Saruman had betrayed them. Before he had betrayed all of Middle Earth.
Sildair had been fascinated by the dark arts and had studied diligently under Saruman. The two of them often huddled over ancient scripts, mumbling wicked incantations, chuckling over the follies of men. Their gloating attitude had given Alede much unease and she had not cared at all for Saruman's superior, condescending tone.
Alede herself had spent more time wandering the lush gardens that had once graced Orthanc, than attending to her studies. Talking to the Rowan trees and the birds had seemed a more profitable study than the ancient texts of greed and power. Saruman had warned her that she'd end up as useless as her gentle father Radagast the Brown. Or even worse, a village witch like her mother. But Gandalf the Gray had encouraged her study of the natural world and did not seem to think the worse of her for it.
In the early days of her training, there had been a friendship between Sildair and herself and a light teasing banter they had both enjoyed. The banter had later turned serious and Alede began to avoid him. Sildair's eyes followed her in a way that made her uncomfortable. As Sildair closeted more and more with Saruman and delved deeper into the dark arts, Alede had begun to fear him.
But during Saruman's downfall, Sildair had been strangely absent. Alede had been far to the North, helping to quell an uprising of Orcs, so had not noticed Sildair's absence.
But now, she wondered… he of all people would wish to restore the power of Orthanc. And he too, had showed no revulsion to Orcs. On the contrary, he'd seemed fascinated by them. Twice he had told her ways of breeding superior Orcs and the power that could be gained by doing so. She had fled him in revulsion.
Alede shuddered and stood up again, trying to decide what to do. She hated to go to Orthanc. The once beautiful grounds had been ravaged, first by Saruman's forces and later by the Ents. It was painful to her to see the destruction of what had once been her home.
Should she try to seek out her father to ask his advice, she wondered?
But no, she knew that was not the right choice. Radagast was a minor wizard and cared nothing for politics. With most of the council gone to the West, he had retreated more and more into the world of nature and birds, which he loved. Besides, she knew nothing really except a few images in a hawk's mind.
Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she walked back out into the sunlight. Her thoughts were interrupted by the piercing cry of Swiftwind as he rode the currents to the east. Squinting, to see him better, Alede walked to the edge of the trees…
And then she heard it, the soft "clop, clop" of a horse. Quickly, she pulled back under the cover of the forest and watched warily.
To her astonishment a long limbed horse trotted past carrying a dwarf. She was so surprised by the sight of such a small person clinging to the saddle like a sack of potatoes that at first she failed to recognize him.
But then the memory came back to her. It was the same dwarf that Swiftwind had seen riding behind the Elf. And it was for this reason that the hawk had called her.
What could cause a dwarf to ride horseback and where was the Elf?
Cutting a course through the trees that would bring her ahead of them, Alede swiftly ran to the edge of the woods. The horse saw her and pricked its ears as they approached, but did not spook. For that, Alede was relieved. The dwarf obviously had little skills for riding.
"Good morrow, Master Dwarf," Alede said once they were close.
"What?!" the Dwarf had not seen her and panicked, hauling back the reins suddenly and nearly unseating himself. The horse tossed his fine head and danced in protest.
Alede quickly stepped out of the shade and caught the crude rope that had been twisted around his nose for a bridle. She remembered that in her vision of the Elf he had used no bridle.
"My apologies, Sir," she said as she quieted the horse. "I did not mean to spook your mount."
"Who are you and what do you want?" the Dwarf blustered. Obviously he was upset by more than just the fright she had given him.
She stepped back and gave him a small bow. "My name is Alede, at your service and your family's," she said courteously, remembering Dwarfish etiquette.
"I am Gimli, son of Gloin, at yours," he replied. "May I ask what a young woman like yourself is doing traveling alone in this place? It is dangerous country. At least I assume you're alone?" he said, looking around as if he expected people to pop out of the woods in droves.
"I am alone. But I am both a ranger and one of the Istari, wizards," she explained. "I travel where I choose and none bother me."
"Ah, I see," said the Dwarf suspiciously. "I've not known many wizards. I did not know there were any left. Did you serve Saruman?"
"He was once my teacher, though I preferred the lessons of Gandalf the Gray and those of my father Radagast the Brown."
"Ahh! That's a different matter," Gimli cried. "Gandalf was a dear friend of mine!"
"Indeed? And how did you …"
"I'm very sorry, young lady," Gimli hastily interrupted. "I don't wish to be rude. But I'm pursuing my friend who has been captured by Orcs. I must continue on my hunt, lest I loose him. Unless you've seen their company?" he asked hopefully.
"No, no Orcs have passed me. Who is your friend and why was he taken?"
"Alas, I do not know why! But we were attacked by Orcs. They carried some devilry with them and appeared as a cloud of mist. But I could hear their foul voices and smell their stinking hides. I do not know what happened. I heard my friend cry out and then all went black for me. When I awoke, I found my friend's quiver and bow upon the ground. The straps had been cut and there was blood upon them. I fear for his life, if he is not already dead. And I know not where they have taken him."
Alede remembered the vision she'd seen of the Orcs carrying a bundle into Orthanc and her heart sank. "What does your friend look like?"
"Oh well, most Elves look alike to me. Though this one is younger than most. He is tall and fair…"
"Oh no," Alede whispered.
"What is it?" Gimli asked urgently.
"There is one of our order…" she paused. Should she tell him the whole story? "There is someone of … power, who may be trying to restore Orthanc. And… he always wished to breed Orcs, to breed new blood into them…" She left the thought unfinished, because it was too horrible.
But the Dwarf read her thoughts. "You mean, they might be trying to turn my friend into an Orc!?"
"Yes, there are so few Elves left on Middle Earth now. That's how the Orcs were originally made. They were Elves captured and tortured beyond endurance until they turned from beings of purity and light to those of complete darkness."
"By my ancestors!" Gimli exclaimed. "What are we waiting for? He's been missing for two days! After them! Show me the way into Orthanc and I'll cleave them all in two."
"No, you can not go," Alede said desperately. "It is too dangerous. This person I speak of is a wizard of some power. You have not the recourses to battle a wizard!"
"But Legolas is as a brother to me! I will not leave him in the hands of those foul creatures."
"No, I agree. You're friend must be rescued and quickly. But you, Master Gimli must not go. I do not doubt your courage, but the wizard would kill you instantly and then you would be of no use to your friend."
"But I must!"
"No. I will go. I can enter where you could not," she said with more confidence than she felt.
"But…"
"The longer we argue about it, the longer your friend suffers."
Gimli was obviously suffering too. He could see the wisdom of her words, but to abandon his friend was unthinkable.
"Very well," he finally said. "If you will not allow me to go into this wizards den, at least take the horse so that you may get there quicker."
"No," she stayed his hand when he would have slid down. "I have my own. Do you have friends in this land, so that I may find you?"
"Helm's Deep. We were going to Helm's Deep."
"Very well. Continue there and I will send you word or bring your friend to you. What ever happens do not come to Orthanc. For I fear it would mean the end of you and your friend."
With those words she shifted her pack off of her shoulder. She pulled out the bundle of ragwort and hastily twined a strand of osier around it, twining her spell with it as well.
Behind her, the Dwarf gasped as the shadow horse came to life, gathering solidity as it raised itself from the very shadows on the ground. Alede vaulted onto it's back and it rose smoothly into the air.
"Farewell, Gimli son of Gloin," she called. "I will find your friend, I promise you."
And then the horse was rising swiftly above the plains and she turned its head toward Orthanc, to the one place in all of Middle Earth that she least wanted to go.
***Thanks to everyone who posted reviews for chapter one!!!***
*** For anyone who's had trouble with Alede's name, its pronounced "al–a–DAY" and is Numenorean for "morning sun".***