Malindron and Othmiel watched the encounter between Hobbit's and Dwarves from the vantage point of the ridge on the opposite side of the valley with mixed feelings, not all charitable. "Those stupid Hobbits!" Othmeil fumed. "We warned them. Now they'll expect us to rescue them again!"
Malindron was prone to be less sceptical than his sister. "They are stubborn. They would have come anyhow, nor were they killed. They may even be of use to us," he observed mildly. "Nor are we well placed to sweep down and take on Dwarves, for rescue or anything else. Not in their mine. If this were the forests, perhaps."
"So what do we do now, Dear Brother?" Othmeil demanded. "The dwarves must be getting close to the seal by now and nothing we have done is stopping them!"
"Perhaps it is time to seek further help?" Malindron suggested thoughtfully. "Now that Hobbits have got themselves involved, we can hardly be blamed by Celeborn or the Lady for allowing them to be drawn further?"
"This is a matter between Dwarves and Elves!" Othmeil protested hotly. "We cannot."
"Hobbits also. Now," Malindron pointed out. "We cannot stop the Dwarves in their mine and sabotaging their carts has not worked."
"Very well," Othmeil sniffed her acceptance. "But who do we seek for assistance? Hobbits may be stout of heart, but I doubt they can match Dwarves in battle."
"That will remain to be seen, Dear Sister. Come. I think things are safe for the time being."
With that Malindron and Othmeil set off south, using more direct routes than any Hobbit knew.
Samwise Gamgee had set the latch of the big round door that guarded the entrance of Bagend. The hour was late and there were unlikely to be visitors at this time, or none he would see fit to allow to walk in uninvited. With so many travellers now on the Bywater Road, one slept sounder knowing thw door was secure. Though he had lingered before he had closed the door, looking up the lane that lead to that same road as he had every night since his younger charges had set off.
It was a foolish thing to do, he knew. Even if they had ridden and marched hard they would still be less than halfway back in the three weeks since they had left and Hobbit's did not strain unless they had to. Besides there was no reason for them to return just as he closed the door for the night and if they did they would pound on the door until it was opened again.
None of this would shake of the foreboding that suggested that not all was well. The news that three ponies had arrived in Tookland seeking their stables had done little to ease things. Thus he no longer shuttered the windows against the cold. Rose had chided him over this and the chill draft the omission created. "Not good for your Chest, Gaffer!" She had scolded just that morning. "What would we do if you came down with a chill an' at your time in life!"
He had, however, caught her looking expectantly out when she unlatched the door each morning and accepted it all as a mutual concern, not for him, but the others.
He had settled into the old armchair for his habitual evening pipe before the hearth when there was a scratching at the door. He watched it suspiciously, in the belief of animals, perhaps a dog or fox, though neither came into Hobbiton often. More alarming was the latch lifting, dropping back before there was a soft knock at the door.
Quietly he took the poker from the hearth and opened the door sharply, intending to brain the intending thief before he could run far. It was with the maximum of effort that he diverted the blow into the door frame, where it landed with a thunk!
The last thing in all Middle Earth he was expecting was a female elf. For a long moment both gazed at each other on open surprise. Finally he found his voice and muttered. "Happen you could've just knocked and called. We ain't a bed yet?"
"We did not know who was abroad," Othmeil informed him, regaining her composure and bruised ego. "Nor were we sure which hole we were looking for. This is Bagend?"
Sam nodded impassively. "Says so on the gate."
"And you are Samwise Gamgee?"
Again Sam nodded. "Since the Gaffer named me."
Othmeil gave a low whistle, summoning Malindron from his lookout post. "We need to speak quickly," she urged.
"Aye well, perhaps you should come in?" Sam suggested numbly, backing away to make room for his guests. "Sit by the fire there an' I'll fix some tea."
"It is urgent," Malindron insisted. "It will affect the safety of the Hobbits and men."
"Appen it may," Sam agreed determined not to be rushed. "But it will be no worse after some tea."
Frustrated by the old Hobbit's dogged following of Hobbit protocol the Elves did as he bid.
Bringing forth bread, cheeses, tea and light beer, he bade them to eat and refused to listen until they had at least sampled the profender. It gave him an opportunity and observe the two Elves.
They had both carried the deeply curved Elven hunting bows, and the familiar long slender knives that could serve as short swords. That at least suggested they had a mission of some form, but apart from the small leather bags, no larger than a purse, at their right hips there was no sign of further supply. He guessed that they may be brother and sister, there was more than passing similarity in their fine facial lines.
When satisfied they had eatten and drunk to his satisfaction, Samwise brought the discussion to the front with a blatent statement. "Now. You'd better explain yourselves. Tolman and Bilbo are in trouble and it may effect others. So start from the beginning. None of that fluffy stuff you people put in mind. I've had twelve children. I knows when things are not being hung straight."
"Hobbits are not noted for straight speech," Malindron postulated.
"Not noted for vague stuff neither."
For a few minutes there was silence, then Malindron began. "The three Hobbits found the Dwarves in the Evendwm. There words were some harsh words spoken and they were taken into the mine. We do not think they are in immediate danger."
"We warned them not to search for them," Othmiel inserted.
"Aye. And to get a hog to move you tie a line to its hoof. Your being here has somethin' to do with the Dwarves and the fact that Tolman an' the others are in trouble has to do with you. Hasn't it?" Sam observed shrewdly. "Now let's have the rest."
The elves fidgeted uncomfortably. Samwise was proving to be shrewder in his age than Frodo Bagins had ever led them to believe.
"In the dying years of the Elders and the beginning of the First Age," Othmiel reluctantly started to tell the story, "Elves were rich in magics as you know. But much of the magic was raw and powerful and we did not know its full effect and experimented. Too deep. We found things that no living being should find. One was dark, in the form of a grey mist. We named it the Valtar, it was pure evil."
"Like the Balrog in Moria?" Sam put in with a flash of the terrible event.
Malindron shook his head sadly. "Worse. It stole souls. Only sourcery of the highest order could ensnare it."
"It claimed some of the finest Elven wizards of the time before it could be captured," Othmiel continued. "But it could not be destroyed. So it was contained in a chalice of purest Mythril. but it was not going to be enough. We needed somewhere to imprison it permanently. It came in the form of a small Dwarf mine in what you call the Evendwm. The mine was all but worked out of its notable minerals but still retained a thin seam of Mythril. It was agreed to entrap the chalice inside a box of Mythril, then bury that below that seam."
"So why are you here. All except a few elves went west almost thirty year ago?" Samwise demanded breaking the silence that formed where Othmeil finished.
"We were sent to guard the mine," Malindron admitted.
"The elves have not forgotten our responsibilities, even if the Dwarves have!" Othmeil cried.
"Pipe down, girl. You be thinking the Dwarves are seeking your bane?" Samwise demanded. "Why bring the story to an old Hobbit that can barely walk?"
"The Dwarves are not seeking the chalice," Malindron admitted softly. "But they are greedy. They are seeking the Mythril. When they find that they will find the chalice. Valtar will be released and it will be the bane of all living things. They must be stopped."
"And you wish me to do what?" Samwise demanded again, almost angry this time. "When I returned from Moria I didn't want no more adventure. Just look after Rose an' Mr Frodo until he wanted me no more. I ain't goin' charging into no mine to fight Dwarves, or this Valtar character."
"You cannot fight Valtar. Nor do we wish to start a war between Dwarves and Hobbits," Malindron assured him. "But we must prevent Valtar being discovered."
The room descended into silence as the old Hobbit thought.
Finally he looked up from his pipe. "We ain't going to do nothing tonight," he observed quietly. "I am going to bed. There are guest rooms off the pantry. If you wish to sleep. If you want to leave then shut the door behind you."
Thus dismissed he left them to their own devices and unsure as to where things were to go next.
