Chapter Ten: Brief Meetings
The five riders finally found a safe patch of area near the ford of Isen were they could take a few moments to rest their horses and for Vanmeare and Avalenne to gather their bearings. The elf captain also used the time get to know the new additions.
"I am Himandel and these are my companions, Ilmelion and Narquelion. We are all from Rivendell." The elf captain introduced when they have stopped by a nearby glen.
The human fellow raised his brow in quizzical manner. "I have not seen much of the Elves travel this way," he told them.
"That is true," Himandel answered although he consciously did not offer any more explanation.
"I am Vanmeare," the man began his own introduction while letting the remark from the elf slide for awhile. "And this is my sister," turning to the lady. "Avalenne."
"What brings you out to Dunland territory with no escort?" Narquelion asked, his own curiosity mounting.
"It was not by choice. We were on our way to Rohan after barely escaping from the Easterling slave traders." Vanmeare related.
The Elves attentively listened to Vanmeare as he shared their experiences. They were surprised to hear of Easterlings and what ever they could glean from Vanmeare would be no doubt helpful to piece the puzzle. However, the change in the Elves demeanor came unnoticed by the two humans for it was too subtle for the brother and sister to easily detect.
"We were waylaid near Weathertop after meeting with my sister's husband from Bree." Vanmeare continued as he put a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder when he noticed the downcast look on her face.
Ilmelion directed his gaze at the woman and caught her staring through him with empty eyes. Avalenne abruptly looked away from him. She couldn't bear gazing straight into his eyes. The elven eyes seem to haunt her. They question her very soul.
"Unfortunately, Nolan, my sister's husband was killed when the Easterling men came after the children. I was already knocked unconscious and provided no help." Vanmeare's voice grew quiet but his tone was hard.
"I should have been there." His voice shook with anger when he spoke a moment later.
Avalenne gripped her brother's hand. "Then I would have lost you as well." Uttering for the first time. "I can't live with that." She looked her brother with tear-filled eyes.
Both brother and sister shared glances of thankful prayers and Vanmeare continued on while taking his sister's hand into his. "We traveled for almost four days in the wagon cages they have put us in when we came upon another travelling family. They suffered the same fate and there were rumors that the two girls gave the pursuing men a difficult time."
"Oh," Himandel remarked, arching a graceful brow. "How so?" His forehead creased lightly as he thought back of the travel time made by the Easterlings. The proximity of the abandoned campsite that he, Elladan, Elrohir and the rest of the scouting group found several days ago began to nag in his mind.
Vanmeare's forehead furrowed as he recalled the snippet of stories that filtered into their group as the prisoners used to talk of the chase to help passed the time while in captivity.
"We heard that the woman gave such a fight until she was eventually dealt with." Vanmeare told them emphasizing the second word and the Elves understood what he was trying to say to them and were saddened and shocked at the loss of life.
"Then, there was this girl, they say." He paused. "They say, she would have easily been caught had she not been rescued by the Elves." The man said and inquiringly looks at them. "Rivendell?" He mused out loud. "I vaguely hear the name these days but I seem to remember that it lies somewhere in the foot hills the Misty Mountains." He said in passing as he watched with curiosity at the three Elves before them.
The Elves were quiet as they digested the information Vanmeare related. Coincidentally, the girl rescued by Lord Elrond's sons could turned out to be from the family, which the Easterlings captured but she managed to flee to the direction of the Ford Bruinen.
Vanmeare was also silent, intrigued captured his heart as he continued observing the Elves. There were stories about them long ago told by rangers over the campfires when he was growing up. He had wished one day he would meet one of the Elves and now that he has, he felt close to revering them. He noticed their lips didn't move but he seems to have a feeling that some unknown manner of conversation was happening between these Elves for their eyes shone in a wordless understanding.
Ilmelion cleared his throat a second later as if a signal that the discussion between themselves have ended.
"We believe the girl from your encounter, is the same girl resting in our lord's house," Ilmelion put forth. "One of our people found her and rescued her from the pursuing men."
Avalenne released a sigh. "Then at least his sister is alive." She spoke.
"Avalenne?" Vanmeare questioningly turned to his sister. He didn't understand what his sister meant by that.
"Remember the boy?" She started but when she was met with puzzled eyes from her brother. She continued. "The one, I was trying to bring the fever down?" She furnished further hints to her brother but when Vanmeare still shook his head, she continued with her own story.
"When the band of Easterlings chased after the escaping girls, we witnessed their parents' fight with everything they have. We wanted to help them but we couldn't. We couldn't free ourselves from the chains inside the cages. In the end, they were killed and the boy was taken and he was added into our cage. No one went to check him." Her voice changed. Suddenly disgusted at recalling the other captives' reaction.
"My boys, they helped me with him as much as they could in their little way. They have befriended him but I can see his deep pain. He wouldn't talk save only in his sleeping. He has bad dreams- every night." She stressed the words while shaking her head and fingered the reins of her horse.
"He was talking in his sleep most of the time and kept asking for his sisters- Norleana and," her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the name of the other sister. "Anathea. Yes, her name is Anathea." Affirming the name to the Elves. When they have nodded. She continued with her tale.
"The boy kept muttering their names in his sleep." Avalenne sadly related. "But we didn't hear anymore of what happened to them. Except, his parents were savagely taken care off and that we had to move again. Five more days into our travel before, we reached Novan's checkpoints. The name of the boy is Movlen." She informed them after a quiet spell. "I managed to coax only his name beyond that, I don't know where he was from or the names of his parents."
"They soon herded us into a big tent where Novan, the slave head trader sized us up for delivery. He...he was responsible in separating my children from me." Avalenne told them as her voice taking an anguished tone. She couldn't contain her emotions. She was feeling very raw. She lost her husband and now there was a possibility she would never see her children again.
"We have to go now, Vanmeare." She urgently said to her brother and no longer cared if she appeared disrespectful towards the Elves. The more time they tarried, the harder it would be to track the boys.
Himandel and the others did not take it as an affront to them and they understood Avalenne's need for haste. They were shocked and angered at the events these two humans experienced and were very sympathetic for her loss. They knew Lord Elrond would dispatch scouts to assist them.
"If our lord will permit us. After we have completed our errands we would like to extend our assistance to help recover your children." Narquelion offered.
And for the first time, Avalenne's gaze was not empty and took noticed of the Elves. Her eyes glistened from the tears that already had moistened her cheeks.
She looked into their eyes, trying not to tell them she was starting to loss hope.
Gently spurring his horse forward, Himandel guided his steed and stopped beside the woman. "We will find your sons, Avalenne." He promised her.
The woman nodded and did her best to believe the Elf's words.
Himandel smiled and was relieved that the woman took heed of his words and that she has, even it was for a short while, no longer looked very ill at ease. He looked up at the sky and saw the first early stars peeking out from the sky. "We must find shelter for the night. In first light, we journey forth." Himandel instructed and soon the travelers found a shallow cave to rest.
Being able game hunters, Himandel and Narquelion provided the dinner for the group while Ilmelion stayed with the humans to serve as a watch. When the other Elves returned, dinner was quickly set up and soon their human companions slept while the Elves silently talked amongst themselves and later retired for the night as well.
A new morning came and was greeted by the soft glow over the left phase of the shallow valley, but was strong enough to penetrate until the mouth of the cave. Vanmeare strode near the opening and found that the Elves have busied re-hitching all the horses.
"If you and your sister are ready to eat..." Ilmelion said letting his statement trail off as he directed him to the meal at hand.
"We could have done it ourselves," Avalenne said a second later from behind and took her seat beside her brother who handed her a plate.
"Tis nothing." Ilmelion replied who was later joined by the other two elves.
The Elves have learned long ago that humans found it disconcerting if they witnessed an Elf not eating and that one could go for days without nourishment. So when Himandel and Narquelion reclaimed their seats by the campfire, they ate along with the humans. Conversation remained light but both kindred have started to trust one another and Vanmeare shown extreme curiosity to their new friends much to the amusement of the Elves. Even Avalenne couldn't help but laugh at a story shared by Ilmelion, which came, as a nice surprise for her brother since it had been quite a while since his sister laugh after the tragedies.
Two hours later on the road, Vanmeare and Avalenne guided their horses' northwest direction towards their home while the Elves proceeded further on en route to Gondor.
"Till our paths cross again, friends." Vanmeare said in parting.
"Aye, Vanmeare." Himandel replied and gripped the forehand of the man in a customary ways of Men for parting friends.
With that the riders separated and rode away.
The five riders finally found a safe patch of area near the ford of Isen were they could take a few moments to rest their horses and for Vanmeare and Avalenne to gather their bearings. The elf captain also used the time get to know the new additions.
"I am Himandel and these are my companions, Ilmelion and Narquelion. We are all from Rivendell." The elf captain introduced when they have stopped by a nearby glen.
The human fellow raised his brow in quizzical manner. "I have not seen much of the Elves travel this way," he told them.
"That is true," Himandel answered although he consciously did not offer any more explanation.
"I am Vanmeare," the man began his own introduction while letting the remark from the elf slide for awhile. "And this is my sister," turning to the lady. "Avalenne."
"What brings you out to Dunland territory with no escort?" Narquelion asked, his own curiosity mounting.
"It was not by choice. We were on our way to Rohan after barely escaping from the Easterling slave traders." Vanmeare related.
The Elves attentively listened to Vanmeare as he shared their experiences. They were surprised to hear of Easterlings and what ever they could glean from Vanmeare would be no doubt helpful to piece the puzzle. However, the change in the Elves demeanor came unnoticed by the two humans for it was too subtle for the brother and sister to easily detect.
"We were waylaid near Weathertop after meeting with my sister's husband from Bree." Vanmeare continued as he put a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder when he noticed the downcast look on her face.
Ilmelion directed his gaze at the woman and caught her staring through him with empty eyes. Avalenne abruptly looked away from him. She couldn't bear gazing straight into his eyes. The elven eyes seem to haunt her. They question her very soul.
"Unfortunately, Nolan, my sister's husband was killed when the Easterling men came after the children. I was already knocked unconscious and provided no help." Vanmeare's voice grew quiet but his tone was hard.
"I should have been there." His voice shook with anger when he spoke a moment later.
Avalenne gripped her brother's hand. "Then I would have lost you as well." Uttering for the first time. "I can't live with that." She looked her brother with tear-filled eyes.
Both brother and sister shared glances of thankful prayers and Vanmeare continued on while taking his sister's hand into his. "We traveled for almost four days in the wagon cages they have put us in when we came upon another travelling family. They suffered the same fate and there were rumors that the two girls gave the pursuing men a difficult time."
"Oh," Himandel remarked, arching a graceful brow. "How so?" His forehead creased lightly as he thought back of the travel time made by the Easterlings. The proximity of the abandoned campsite that he, Elladan, Elrohir and the rest of the scouting group found several days ago began to nag in his mind.
Vanmeare's forehead furrowed as he recalled the snippet of stories that filtered into their group as the prisoners used to talk of the chase to help passed the time while in captivity.
"We heard that the woman gave such a fight until she was eventually dealt with." Vanmeare told them emphasizing the second word and the Elves understood what he was trying to say to them and were saddened and shocked at the loss of life.
"Then, there was this girl, they say." He paused. "They say, she would have easily been caught had she not been rescued by the Elves." The man said and inquiringly looks at them. "Rivendell?" He mused out loud. "I vaguely hear the name these days but I seem to remember that it lies somewhere in the foot hills the Misty Mountains." He said in passing as he watched with curiosity at the three Elves before them.
The Elves were quiet as they digested the information Vanmeare related. Coincidentally, the girl rescued by Lord Elrond's sons could turned out to be from the family, which the Easterlings captured but she managed to flee to the direction of the Ford Bruinen.
Vanmeare was also silent, intrigued captured his heart as he continued observing the Elves. There were stories about them long ago told by rangers over the campfires when he was growing up. He had wished one day he would meet one of the Elves and now that he has, he felt close to revering them. He noticed their lips didn't move but he seems to have a feeling that some unknown manner of conversation was happening between these Elves for their eyes shone in a wordless understanding.
Ilmelion cleared his throat a second later as if a signal that the discussion between themselves have ended.
"We believe the girl from your encounter, is the same girl resting in our lord's house," Ilmelion put forth. "One of our people found her and rescued her from the pursuing men."
Avalenne released a sigh. "Then at least his sister is alive." She spoke.
"Avalenne?" Vanmeare questioningly turned to his sister. He didn't understand what his sister meant by that.
"Remember the boy?" She started but when she was met with puzzled eyes from her brother. She continued. "The one, I was trying to bring the fever down?" She furnished further hints to her brother but when Vanmeare still shook his head, she continued with her own story.
"When the band of Easterlings chased after the escaping girls, we witnessed their parents' fight with everything they have. We wanted to help them but we couldn't. We couldn't free ourselves from the chains inside the cages. In the end, they were killed and the boy was taken and he was added into our cage. No one went to check him." Her voice changed. Suddenly disgusted at recalling the other captives' reaction.
"My boys, they helped me with him as much as they could in their little way. They have befriended him but I can see his deep pain. He wouldn't talk save only in his sleeping. He has bad dreams- every night." She stressed the words while shaking her head and fingered the reins of her horse.
"He was talking in his sleep most of the time and kept asking for his sisters- Norleana and," her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the name of the other sister. "Anathea. Yes, her name is Anathea." Affirming the name to the Elves. When they have nodded. She continued with her tale.
"The boy kept muttering their names in his sleep." Avalenne sadly related. "But we didn't hear anymore of what happened to them. Except, his parents were savagely taken care off and that we had to move again. Five more days into our travel before, we reached Novan's checkpoints. The name of the boy is Movlen." She informed them after a quiet spell. "I managed to coax only his name beyond that, I don't know where he was from or the names of his parents."
"They soon herded us into a big tent where Novan, the slave head trader sized us up for delivery. He...he was responsible in separating my children from me." Avalenne told them as her voice taking an anguished tone. She couldn't contain her emotions. She was feeling very raw. She lost her husband and now there was a possibility she would never see her children again.
"We have to go now, Vanmeare." She urgently said to her brother and no longer cared if she appeared disrespectful towards the Elves. The more time they tarried, the harder it would be to track the boys.
Himandel and the others did not take it as an affront to them and they understood Avalenne's need for haste. They were shocked and angered at the events these two humans experienced and were very sympathetic for her loss. They knew Lord Elrond would dispatch scouts to assist them.
"If our lord will permit us. After we have completed our errands we would like to extend our assistance to help recover your children." Narquelion offered.
And for the first time, Avalenne's gaze was not empty and took noticed of the Elves. Her eyes glistened from the tears that already had moistened her cheeks.
She looked into their eyes, trying not to tell them she was starting to loss hope.
Gently spurring his horse forward, Himandel guided his steed and stopped beside the woman. "We will find your sons, Avalenne." He promised her.
The woman nodded and did her best to believe the Elf's words.
Himandel smiled and was relieved that the woman took heed of his words and that she has, even it was for a short while, no longer looked very ill at ease. He looked up at the sky and saw the first early stars peeking out from the sky. "We must find shelter for the night. In first light, we journey forth." Himandel instructed and soon the travelers found a shallow cave to rest.
Being able game hunters, Himandel and Narquelion provided the dinner for the group while Ilmelion stayed with the humans to serve as a watch. When the other Elves returned, dinner was quickly set up and soon their human companions slept while the Elves silently talked amongst themselves and later retired for the night as well.
A new morning came and was greeted by the soft glow over the left phase of the shallow valley, but was strong enough to penetrate until the mouth of the cave. Vanmeare strode near the opening and found that the Elves have busied re-hitching all the horses.
"If you and your sister are ready to eat..." Ilmelion said letting his statement trail off as he directed him to the meal at hand.
"We could have done it ourselves," Avalenne said a second later from behind and took her seat beside her brother who handed her a plate.
"Tis nothing." Ilmelion replied who was later joined by the other two elves.
The Elves have learned long ago that humans found it disconcerting if they witnessed an Elf not eating and that one could go for days without nourishment. So when Himandel and Narquelion reclaimed their seats by the campfire, they ate along with the humans. Conversation remained light but both kindred have started to trust one another and Vanmeare shown extreme curiosity to their new friends much to the amusement of the Elves. Even Avalenne couldn't help but laugh at a story shared by Ilmelion, which came, as a nice surprise for her brother since it had been quite a while since his sister laugh after the tragedies.
Two hours later on the road, Vanmeare and Avalenne guided their horses' northwest direction towards their home while the Elves proceeded further on en route to Gondor.
"Till our paths cross again, friends." Vanmeare said in parting.
"Aye, Vanmeare." Himandel replied and gripped the forehand of the man in a customary ways of Men for parting friends.
With that the riders separated and rode away.