Chapter 8: Capture of Darkness
The purpling of the sky heralded the night and dusk fell on Mordor. The jagged mountains, at the eastern boundary, cast their shadow over the land and softly starlight illuminated the rocky ground. The moon was late in rising but the party that prepared to ride out from the Tower of Sorcery did not miss her light. In torchlight mounts were saddled for Valimar and the human captain of the orc honour guard. The orcs themselves were Urk-Hai, so could keep up with the riders and travel in daylight. Eight would accompany their master's daughter on her journey to join him at Dol Guldur.
Valimar was not happy. She had wished to leave at dusk and still remained in Mordor. Angrily she paced, her black cloak flowing behind her. The horses stabled around her skittered, sensing the impatience of her mood. "Who is captain of my escort?" barked the half-elf.
A man, clad in rough mail, stepped towards the young woman and bowed. "I am my lady," he stated reverentially looking at the figure before him. The woman was dressed in elven armour, which like her sword, was plunder from some battle an age ago. Only the half elf could fit the elven armour so she claimed it as her own,
Valimar's eyes flashed dangerously. "Why are we late leaving?" she asked, enunciating each word clearly, as if to a small child, "I wish to attend my father now!" The last was roared and the captain flinched.
"Milady," he began, before being silenced as the half-elf struck him.
The girl slapped the soldier in front of her and following the crack of her palm on his cheek silence descended on the courtyard. All waited and watched in fear of the Demon to see what she would do next. "Do not interrupt me human," berated Vanaria's daughter her Mordor instruction apparent. As Vanaria's daughter made to strike the unwitting captain a second time her hand was caught from behind. Turning wrathfully to see who dared lay hands upon her, Valimar was surprised to discover it was a ring wraith.
"I apologise my lady," hissed the nazgul, releasing her arm and bowing low, towards the scowling girl. "But the master had further instructions for me."
"What?" snapped the bronze-haired woman, amber eyes flashing.
"Your mighty father commanded me to give you this," said the wraith and handed the girl a velvet parcel. "And," he continued as the half-elf made to unwrap the item, "the master bid me tell you to join him at all speed."
There was no time for Valimar to inspect her bauble. Speed was of the essence. The party rode out from the gates of Mordor heading west. Valimar halted her horse, turned and took one last look at her father's land. The jagged mountains of Ephel Dúath pierced the skyline, a reminder of her father's power. Clutching her collar she swore, "I will make you proud father." Then the half-elf wheeled her horse westerly and cantered to catch up with her troop.
The journey across the lands close to Mordor was uneventful. The orcs bickered amongst themselves but followed their orders. The party travelled swiftly and soon the lands of Rohan were reached. On those great plains they encountered a troop of riders and had to flee from them. The grasslands seemed endless and the Rohirrim were strong in pursuit. The followed Valimar and her bodyguard for days and slowly the Misty Mountains drew nearer. Eventually the horses from Mordor began to tire and were close to lameness. The Rohirrim gained on the party from Mordor. It was obvious to all that they would soon overtake them. "Hold and fight," ordered the human captain, "protect the lady with your lives." The orcs began to rank up and surround the half-elf.
"No," commanded Valimar, "make for those woods". She pointed to some so distant they appeared blue. "The trees will slow them down. We'll out run them. My father commands I join him." The elf kicked her horse to a gallop and made for the forest. The orcs and their captain quickly swiftly followed her lead.
Once the tree line was reached the orcs quickly reformed as an honour guard and the Mordor squad's pace slowed. Valimar and her troop felt safer beneath the boughs for the Rohirrim halted their pursuit, unwilling to enter the woods. The orcs shouted taunts at the men and the Mordor party continued to move deeper into the woods.
The troop's captain pulled his horse back so he was riding level with Valimar. "Milady," he began, as his hand touched his forelock in salute. "This place is not safe. I suggest that we leave her and take our chances with the Horse-boys. Is it your wish?"
There was no time for the young woman to reply. An orc to the front of the troop screamed and fell, two green fletched arrows in his back.
"Elves!" spat an orc, drawing his blade.
"Gar! Rot them," another roared another, as a third arrow flew, piercing his arm. The orc's black blood oozed from the wound. "Rack Urg Moraz," he swore in black speech. Another arrow flew and this time pierced the swearing orc's throat. Black blood sprayed onto the troop member nearest to him.
"We are under attack," roared the human captain, turning so he could face Valimar. "To me!" he cried, even as the elves became visible. "Protect the…" his sentence was left unfinished. The man fell from his horse, an arrow protruding from his eye.
The grey clad elves leapt from the trees and attacked the Mordor intruders viciously. Vanaria's daughter, at the edge of the party was spared in the initial attack. Most weren't and over half the troop that had set out from Mordor had now fallen and lay on the woodland floor, softly dappled in the sunlight. Then one of the grey clad warriors lunged at Vanaria. Her horse, unused to battle, shied nearly unseating the half-elf, and it took the blow, meant for Valimar, on its shoulder. Crimson stained the forest floor. The horse reared in pain, eyes rolling and foam dripping from its mouth. Still Valimar hung on grimly, urging the beast to rally and flee. Intuitively the half-elf knew that this battle would not be won and the only option was to flee. She could not clear her mind enough to use magic and both hands were needed to steady her steed, so swordplay was not an option.
"Retreat," screamed Valimar using the black speech that the orcs spoke amongst themselves. Then the girl dug her heels violently into her mount's sides and she hauled harshly on the horse's mouth, attempting to turn it sharply. In response to her efforts the horse spun round. For a moment, in front of the half-elf, there was a path clear from the skirmish to the depths of the wood. The quiet leafiness did no more than beckon and as Valimar urged her horse forward towards freedom, the nag slipped on the blood-soaked earth. As the beast crumpled down onto its offside knee Vanaria was pitched onto the earth. Her temple stuck a loose stone and the battle faded as the world turned black.
Orcs battled elves around the unconscious girl. More orcs fell and then those remaining turned and fled, their own skins more valuable than a position in an honour guard. "Run away and live to fight another day" was their motto. There was no honour in battle for them, so they turned and fled disobeying orders from the highest level and leaving their master's daughter in enemy hands.
The grey clad elves did not pursue the fleeing foe; instead they slaughtered the injured enemy. Mercy was not a commodity granted to the Dark lord's servants with. The only good orc was a dead one. So as the dying orcs around her were returned to their maker Valimar lay undisturbed on the edge of the battle site. Eventually one of the elves reached the side of the black clad girl and pulled the fabric from her face in order to better find the enemy's throat. Even as her face was exposed so to was the elven armour.
"Aiee!" cried the elf, "there is one of our kindred here. Though how she came to lie so in the midst of this skirmish I know not."
The slaughter of the injured orcs ceased as the other grey-clad elves swiftly gathered round the prone body of Valimar.
"Ah, my head," moaned Vanaria's daughter.
The elves drew back from her at that, one murmured, " This maid speaks in the tongue of men, yet I would swear she was of our kindred. Come maiden," he continued louder in elvish, "you are amongst your people. Fear not."
"Who am I?" Valimar repeated, in the common tongue, raising her head and shadowing her eyes from view with her hands. The half elf had some knowledge of elvish which had been taught to her during her time as a student of the Mouthpiece of Sauron and could comfortably understand the elves around her, but her speaking ability was limited and so rather than show this lack of ability, pride was everything to the half-elf, she spoke in the language of men. Then the child of Vanaria smiled and withdrew her hands from brow making her amber eyes visible to the grey clad elves surrounding her. The elves drew back further from their golden-eyed kin and gasped with amazement at her eyes. Valimar continued relentlessly, "I hear you ask let me answer clear:
I walk in the dark yet live in the light,
Have some beauty yet echo might,
Daughter of night and sun,
Child of power yet heir to none.
Wielder of both blade and pen,
Maiden of bower and cat of den,
Am haunted by the starlight,
By the westwards call
Am the master of nothing,
But will be mistress of all."
The elves of the Golden Wood looked questioningly at each other at this. "This girl has ambitions of power," they muttered angrily amongst themselves. "Yes, but who is she?" questioned others. "Yet she speaks of the western call," more interjected, "mayhap she is elven." "Nay," called out yet more, "she wishes to rule all. No elf ever had such a dream. She rode with orcs, let us finish her"
As the muttering of the elves continued the original elf that had addressed Valimar, a brave and handsome young captain named Ralfolier, spoke up in the language used by the girl. "Lady, you are something that differs from the norm. For we thought you kin, yet you know us not and speak with the common tongue of men. Also the eyes' of a cat rest in your fair face and that is singular in itself. Furthermore Madam, you speak in riddles that we do not comprehend."
His whole tone was one of courtesy and respect and Valimar unused to being addressed so chivalrously tilted her head with curiosity and a soft smile replaced her malicious grin. This action transformed her and her elven beauty became apparent. The elves whispered amongst themselves for as her elven appearance became more pronounced it made her cat-like eyes more puzzling. In truth Vanaria appeared as if she must be one of the elder races, and the elves were confused, why was an eldar speaking with the tongue of man? Indeed what would one of the eldar being doing amongst the fell orcs they had slain? In truth this was a question they felt they were not fit to deal with.
Quietly the grey-robed elves conferred together. After a while they reached a conclusion and Ralfolier, the self appointed spokesman, addressed Vanaria's daughter, " Madam we would take you into our lands to meet with the wise amongst us. Yet these times are not gentle and you, an injured maid, could be our foe. Therefore we will bind your hands and eyes and lead you through the woods. So come lady smile and feel no fear. We do not harm our friends or even enigmas such as yourself. No harm shall befall you until we solve the riddle whether you be friend of foe, injured maid." Ralfolier smiled at this robbing his statement of any malice. "Come lady," he repeated, "You are honoured for you will meet our lady, the lady of Lotherian."
Valimar realised that she had no choice in this. The girl nodded her head once in acquiescence then suffered her hands to be bound and eyes to be covered. Unresistingly the child of Sauron was led into the Golden Wood.