AGARWAEN-BOR
CHAPTER 11 – ASSAULT ON RIVENDELL
Aranwë, Celeblhing, and Andú, after receiving the Lady's blessing, departed from Edhellond making their way east. They wanted to cross the River Anduin and then over the River Poros and then heading north to Minas Anor following the Harad Road, which was now peaceful. They each had bows, Celeblhing with her knife, Andú with his sword, and Aranwë with Anormegil. They each had grey cloaks from Lórien as a sign of blessing from the Lady and the Lord of the Golden Wood and Elf Haven. The Ford that they would cross to reach the other shore of the Anduin was many leagues away and they started later than they had intended. "It shall soon be the tenth hour, Aranwë. We started far too late. We must continue until we reach the Ford."
"Yes, you are right." Andú said. "I have heard an old tale of lore concerning the particular crossing that we are seeking. They say that there is an Elf-maiden who lives there and none pass it against her will. They say she is as old as the oldest of the Eldar in the Blessed Realm."
"It is no myth, my friend. Nendur, Water-lover, is the keeper of the Southernmost Ford of Anduin, by which way few ever come. She is known in Imladris and is said to be a distant kinsman of Elrond and as such one of my distant kin. I do not know whence she came or if she ever returned back over the Water." He said, turning to Andú. "But if Nendur still does abide by the shores of the Great River, then we must be wary, for none cross the Ford against her will and she is held to be an excellent archer. I assume she is of the Nandor who remained East of the Misty Mountains ere the Elves first entered the Blessed Realm. She took to a life in the wild, as she took much joy in water. Even after her own people left the Ethir Anduin, she remained. When the Ford was constructed in the early days of the Southern Kingdom she offered to guard the Ford, though she is mainly forgotten now by Men, save in old legend and tales that are told to children restless at bedtime."
"She has not been wholly forgotten. The Lord Denethor clearly thought she still existed, as does King Elessar. It is for that reason that there are no other guards placed by the Ford. They believe she still lives."
"She still lives." Celeblhing said. "She will live until she is slain or the river is no more, for it would break her heart to be torn from the water and thus, I think, shall her doom be unfolded. I think that when the world is changed the Anduin will be no more. Such is it said in Lothlórien." She fell silent.
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"Khazad! Khazad ai mênu!" Gimli cried and he leapt down, axe drawn, and beheaded an Orc. His cry echoed in the valley. "Khazad-dûm!" Three others backed away from him and fled. They were stopped before they were three yards away. Legolas leapt down next to his friend, bow in hand.
"Excellent axe work, Master Dwarf!" Legolas said, fitting another arrow to his bow.
"Thank you Master Elf. You are the finest archer I have seen." Gimli answered. Their conversation stopped as more Orcs could be seen approaching them.
"They are filing up the mountain… Orc archers… there are many of them. Be wary of the surrounding cliffs, Gimli. I will dispatch them as well as may be." Legolas said, turning away from the Dwarf and firing up at a target that Gimli could not see. Moments later arrows came flying down around them. "Hurry, Orc warriors are hastening up the road! I will handle the archers." At that moment Elpalan ran to Legolas' side and began to fire up at the cliffs as well. Gimli turned aside and with another battle cry in the secret tongue of the Dwarves and was off.
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Gandalf sat atop Shadowfax looking out into the valley. "Rivendell has been under siege for only three hours and we are already being driven back." He said, turning to Elrond. "I will go down. Though I still implore you to remain." Elrond sighed.
"But I cannot remain here safe while my people are down below suffering."
"I will stop their suffering as well as I may, for I will go with you, Gandalf." Galadfân, who stood nearby, said. He drew out his mithril tipped sword. Gandalf nodded and Galadfân also mounted the horse of Rohan. It did not attempt to throw him off, for Gandalf calmed it. They both rode away. Elrond stood staring after them, wishing he too was with them.
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"We cannot hold them!" an Elf cried as another mass of Orcs was seen surging through the forest. A hail of arrows stopped the first few Orcs through the trees, but an even larger group replaced them. A group of Uruk-hai could be seen approaching from the south, slaying any Elf brave enough to try and stay their onslaught. Gimli fingered his axe, waiting for the Orcs to come. They had decided to make a last stand close to the mountains, for that was where Elrond, against his will, was being protected and it would prove easiest for him to escape that way, if they were overwhelmed.
Fortunately there was one thing the Orcs had not counted on. They did not expect Gandalf the White to be at Rivendell. So it was that the two Istari drove in on the rear of the Uruk-hai. Many fled before their very presence, flinging themselves into the River Bruinen. None could withstand their sudden assault and Galadfân's sword was now doused in Orc-blood. Shadowfax trampled many Uruk-hai attempting to flee and many more were slain by Gandalf's ancient blade, Glamdring.
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Celeblhing stopped. "We draw nigh to the River and darkness has already engulfed what is beyond our vision. We should stop here, Andú." She said, looking about. Andú nodded.
"However, is it safe? As we are indeed drawing close to Anduin should we not be wary. For the Keeper, if she still does exist, resides in this area, does she not?"
"Yes. But you should not fear. Elves recognize even their long estranged kin and we may hope she will recognize Aranwë son of Glorfindel."
"We may hope, though hope oft deceives" Aranwë said as he too glanced off into the darkness.
-End Chapter 11