Chapter 2
Threat of the Harads
Madai woke and got breakfast, not talking to anyone, and ran when servants bowed at her feet. She was not used to it a week later, and the week after that. The fact that she didn't see Legolas at all through the month did not soften her mood. Most of the time she stayed in her room, or was wandering the fields or at the Seven Falls. She tried to stay out of sight by many people. But one day she was forced to show herself. A messenger rode to the palace door that day as she was leaving for the stables. He stopped her and pled to see the king. "I-I-I am sorry. I have not seen him. Nor the queen Arwen." She said. "Then who is next in charge?" he asked. Madai dreaded answering him, because she knew she would get the same reaction out him as she did from everyone else. "I am. I am princess Madai." She said. Very surprisingly, he ushered her to a room without bowing or giving praises, and handed her a message for the king. It was read something like this:
"We want your crops We want your children We want your women We want your gold We will take them very soon; Yours are armies that cannot hold!"
Madai gasped, and asked him, "Who has sent this vile ransom?" she demanded of him. All ready her temper was boiling over, and she was about to release some fury. "The Harads, Princess. The Orcs of Harad, south of Mordor. You must tell King Elesser, and fast, for if not, all of Gondor and Rohan are doomed to die!" he gave a bow, and fled. Madai did not know at first what she would do, but when she had come partially out of shock, she ran to find Aragorn or Arwen. She found Aragorn coming from his room up three stories, and started at the princess running at him gasping. "Madai, what is it?!" he demanded. He had never seen her in such a uproar. She quickly gave him the message, and started crying out of fear. "O Aragorn, what are we to do? Those Harads; I've heard of them, they are Orc, Goblin and Troll!! The Dark Lord has been breeding them for over fifty years! I am surprised now they decided to make a move." She said. "Madai," Aragorn said. "Go find Arwen. Tell her to write to Eomer of Rohan and warn him and beg of his aid. Then go tell your father to gather up an army to be proud of." He marched out the door to the weaponry room. He entered the secret chamber in the back. In a stone box, lay a sheath. Drawing out the sword inside, it glimmered a bright light. "Sword of Elindil will be swung aging." He muttered to himself, and selected a mithril coat. Then, under the table, he pulled out a worn old quiver, refilling it with arrows, and picking up his old bow. He was ready. Now he must prepare the army. *************************** Madai ran down the halls of the palace. She searched every chamber, but only found them empty. She ran through the back gardens down the street to her parents' home. Bursting through the door, she shouted, "Arwen! Father!" Arwen, Faramir, and Eowyn came running into the room. "Arwen, war is coming. Write to Eomer of Rohan to warn him. Father, Aragorn says to build an army to be proud of. Gather them in the front court. Arwen, Aragorn didn't mention this, but also ask Eomer for about one hundred horses. We will need them." She said, and ran back down to the palace. When she got to the front gates, Aragorn was waiting for her. "Take this to Legolas, in the Houses of Healing. Wait for a response, and bring it back to me as quickly as possible. Here, take Hasfusel." He said, and a big grey horse came at his bidding. He helped Madai up, and smacked the horse's hind quarters, and she took off tearing down the road. The wind burned her eyes, and her knuckles where white from gripping Hasfusel's mane so, and when she finally arrived at the Houses of Healing, she was so breathless she could hardly ask Colithan, the head healer, which room Legolas was in. When Colithan finally understood her question, she pointed down the hall and stared astounded at the princess sprinting down to the room, scroll clutched in hand. Bursting through the door, Legolas jumped out of his chair and letting his newly polished knife clatter to the floor. "Madai!" he started. "Why must you scare me so?" Not answering him, she handed him the scroll. She waited a minute while he read it, and handed him a scroll she found in a hall-table. He quickly jotted down an answer and said to her: "Madai, stay safe. Guard yourself." And bid her out the door. On Hasfusel she tore back down to the palace, and saw a messenger being just sent off. She inferred that it was a messenger to Rohan. She halted Hasfusel, and jumped off. Aragorn and Arwen were conversing just inside. Handing Aragorn Leoglas's answer, Arwen turned to Madai. "Go home. Tell your mother that she is to go directly to Losanarch, with all the children and women in the village. I shall join her shortly." "Must I go also?" Madai asked. Aragorn answered before Arwen could. "No, you do not have to go. If something were to happen to me, you would be my first choice to send as a messenger to Arwen. Though I know Arwen would be more content if you were by her side," he said, glancing at her, "You are needed here." Arwen nodded apprehensively. Madai closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She was frightened beyond belief, but she was ready to cope with whatever came her way. She waked home to give her mother the message, and to say good-bye.
Threat of the Harads
Madai woke and got breakfast, not talking to anyone, and ran when servants bowed at her feet. She was not used to it a week later, and the week after that. The fact that she didn't see Legolas at all through the month did not soften her mood. Most of the time she stayed in her room, or was wandering the fields or at the Seven Falls. She tried to stay out of sight by many people. But one day she was forced to show herself. A messenger rode to the palace door that day as she was leaving for the stables. He stopped her and pled to see the king. "I-I-I am sorry. I have not seen him. Nor the queen Arwen." She said. "Then who is next in charge?" he asked. Madai dreaded answering him, because she knew she would get the same reaction out him as she did from everyone else. "I am. I am princess Madai." She said. Very surprisingly, he ushered her to a room without bowing or giving praises, and handed her a message for the king. It was read something like this:
"We want your crops We want your children We want your women We want your gold We will take them very soon; Yours are armies that cannot hold!"
Madai gasped, and asked him, "Who has sent this vile ransom?" she demanded of him. All ready her temper was boiling over, and she was about to release some fury. "The Harads, Princess. The Orcs of Harad, south of Mordor. You must tell King Elesser, and fast, for if not, all of Gondor and Rohan are doomed to die!" he gave a bow, and fled. Madai did not know at first what she would do, but when she had come partially out of shock, she ran to find Aragorn or Arwen. She found Aragorn coming from his room up three stories, and started at the princess running at him gasping. "Madai, what is it?!" he demanded. He had never seen her in such a uproar. She quickly gave him the message, and started crying out of fear. "O Aragorn, what are we to do? Those Harads; I've heard of them, they are Orc, Goblin and Troll!! The Dark Lord has been breeding them for over fifty years! I am surprised now they decided to make a move." She said. "Madai," Aragorn said. "Go find Arwen. Tell her to write to Eomer of Rohan and warn him and beg of his aid. Then go tell your father to gather up an army to be proud of." He marched out the door to the weaponry room. He entered the secret chamber in the back. In a stone box, lay a sheath. Drawing out the sword inside, it glimmered a bright light. "Sword of Elindil will be swung aging." He muttered to himself, and selected a mithril coat. Then, under the table, he pulled out a worn old quiver, refilling it with arrows, and picking up his old bow. He was ready. Now he must prepare the army. *************************** Madai ran down the halls of the palace. She searched every chamber, but only found them empty. She ran through the back gardens down the street to her parents' home. Bursting through the door, she shouted, "Arwen! Father!" Arwen, Faramir, and Eowyn came running into the room. "Arwen, war is coming. Write to Eomer of Rohan to warn him. Father, Aragorn says to build an army to be proud of. Gather them in the front court. Arwen, Aragorn didn't mention this, but also ask Eomer for about one hundred horses. We will need them." She said, and ran back down to the palace. When she got to the front gates, Aragorn was waiting for her. "Take this to Legolas, in the Houses of Healing. Wait for a response, and bring it back to me as quickly as possible. Here, take Hasfusel." He said, and a big grey horse came at his bidding. He helped Madai up, and smacked the horse's hind quarters, and she took off tearing down the road. The wind burned her eyes, and her knuckles where white from gripping Hasfusel's mane so, and when she finally arrived at the Houses of Healing, she was so breathless she could hardly ask Colithan, the head healer, which room Legolas was in. When Colithan finally understood her question, she pointed down the hall and stared astounded at the princess sprinting down to the room, scroll clutched in hand. Bursting through the door, Legolas jumped out of his chair and letting his newly polished knife clatter to the floor. "Madai!" he started. "Why must you scare me so?" Not answering him, she handed him the scroll. She waited a minute while he read it, and handed him a scroll she found in a hall-table. He quickly jotted down an answer and said to her: "Madai, stay safe. Guard yourself." And bid her out the door. On Hasfusel she tore back down to the palace, and saw a messenger being just sent off. She inferred that it was a messenger to Rohan. She halted Hasfusel, and jumped off. Aragorn and Arwen were conversing just inside. Handing Aragorn Leoglas's answer, Arwen turned to Madai. "Go home. Tell your mother that she is to go directly to Losanarch, with all the children and women in the village. I shall join her shortly." "Must I go also?" Madai asked. Aragorn answered before Arwen could. "No, you do not have to go. If something were to happen to me, you would be my first choice to send as a messenger to Arwen. Though I know Arwen would be more content if you were by her side," he said, glancing at her, "You are needed here." Arwen nodded apprehensively. Madai closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She was frightened beyond belief, but she was ready to cope with whatever came her way. She waked home to give her mother the message, and to say good-bye.