Chapter 2

When morning came, she expected Lindil to be weary but he looked refreshed and ready for the long journey.

"Did you kill any orcs last night?" she asked climbing out of the tree, "Or a balrog or two?"

"I had no need," he replied with a smile, "My presence was enough to strike terror in their black hearts."

"I wonder do they even have hearts?"

They walked along going east back towards the mountains.

"Would it not be better to go south?" Lindil asked.

"I am not yet going to Gondor. I must see my friends first and bid them farewell."

"Where do these friends of yours live?"

"Erebor."

"Erebor? Then they must be dwarves."

"How shrewd of you to guess."

"What strange friends you keep."

"They have been very good to me and I have spent many years among them and the people of Dale."

She looked at the distaste in his face.

"I see you do not like dwarves over much. 'Tis a shame. You shall be seeing them sooner then you may guess."

"What do you mean?"

"The orcs would not have fled their mountains without reason. I feel the dwarves are already beginning to reclaim their caves. Many orcs were killed on the other side of these mountains. Few are now left. 'Twas a very bloody war."

"You speak as though you were there yourself."

"Of course I was there. I fought as well as I could. I hope I have been of better use there than I would have been with my own people. My brother…"

She stopped. They had been walking across heather-covered land and had come to a bank.

"Do you wish to come to Rivendell?" asked the elf, "It has lost some of its splendour but it is peaceful all the same."

"No I thank you. It would only delay me further. And you too in fact. However, if I am right in guessing my friends to be in the mountains I shall soon find them so you may as well go back."

"To get to the mountains you shall need the easiest way and to find that you need me."

"Very well then."

They climbed down and walked towards the mountains rising ahead of them. In the distance the Bruinin could be seen sparkling in the sunlight.

"What is it you go to Erebor for?" he asked Mithlhach.

Mithlhach remained silent.

"Since I now know you have dwelt with dwarves I do not wonder at your secrecy. They must needs keep everything secret. No doubt they were the ones who advised you not to reveal your true name."

"They have their reasons, as do I," said Mithlhach.

"No doubt the reasons are just as secret."

Mithlhach looked at him with a smile.

"You would not understand. You are of the Children of Illuvatar, as am I, but your race alone met and lived with the Valar. Dwarves are Aule's children and their language was taught to them by him. He made them sturdy and secretive to protect them from the darkness that the enemy had spread over middle-earth. If they are secretive 'tis because they were made that way for their own safety.

"You cannot tell me that elves do not have their secrets."

Lindil did not answer and as they walked quickly and steadily he began to sing. With every word, Mithlhach's each step seemed lighter as if her limbs were being soothed by the gentle waters of the sea. Presently, Lindil stopped singing and suggested that they sit and eat. Mithlhach was about to tell him she was not tired but suddenly she realised that she was. The river was not far now but her legs ached too much to travel further without rest.

As she sat down beside Lindil she offered him some of her food. Coming away from his people as he did, he did not have much to eat with him, she realised. He took very little and as she ate he told her of the happenings of the war down south. He had not been present himself and had only gone to Gondor with Lady Evenstar but he heard from others many doings. Mithlhach listened intently. It had been a long time since she had heard of her people. When she had finished eating she began to ask questions. Most were about battles and who had fought in them.

"Did you see Prince Imrahil?" she asked.

"Yes but from afar."

"Did you see with him a man named Himthol? His eyes very much the same as my own?"

"I do not remember seeing such a man but many men returned to Dol Amroth before I arrived. All his sons were with him however, even the youngest. He cannot have been much older than yourself."

Mithlhach was silent and he knew his words had troubled her. She was staring at the ground and clutching the hilt of her sword unconsciously. She looked up and saw his keen eyes on her.

"Come," she said, standing up and holding her cloak closer about her, "Let us cross the river before nightfall."

 When they reached the river, however, it was already nightfall so Mithlhach settled down to sleep hidden away and Lindil lay down to gaze at the stars.

 The next day Mithlhach insisted that they hurry. As they sped along, the woman striding as quick as her short legs would take her and the elf stepping as light as a deer beside her, an anxiety descended upon them. Lindil soon realised the anxiety was emanating from Mithlhach herself. A frown gathered in her eyes and she hurried all the more. Glancing at her, Lindil thought he saw a real flame in her eyes for a brief moment but she closed them as though she felt his gaze upon her, and began to run.

"What has happened?" asked Lindil.

"We must hurry," replied Mithlhach, "They need me."

She would say no more until they had passed the river and even come to the foot of the mountains. It was night when they finally stopped. Lindil marvelled at her speed. Mithlhach suddenly sat down on a jutting rock to catch her breath and asked him to find firewood.

"Are you not in a hurry?"

"I cannot find them now. 'Tis too late and I need rest and food."

Lindil looked at her. She seemed pale and tired. The mortal race was indeed weak. He left her to sustain herself with some bread from her pack and went in search of wood. He would only take what he found on the ground so it was some time before he returned and gave wood to Mithlhach to pile.

"How do we light it?" asked the elf.

"Leave that to me. Please, you have keener sight than mine, tell me if you see anything over yonder."

Lindil turned away and gazed into the distance. There was nothing near and so he told Mithlhach. He had looked away for only a moment but when he glanced back a fire roared merrily before her. He began to ask how she had done it but already she had lain down and fallen asleep against the wall of mountain beside her. He looked about him.

A stranger being he never knew. One moment hiding in trees and at others lighting a fire inviting all fell creatures to come near and then falling asleep. He shook his head at the folly of mortals and climbed up the mountain a little to see further. He watched over her from the shadow of the mountain with his bow and arrow ready but nothing came near. This seemed stranger to him still. So close to the mountains but no orcs or other fell creatures were to be seen. He looked sternly upon Mithlhach's sleeping form, huddled in her cloak, and his old suspicions awoke and troubled him.

He was sitting at some height above her but he saw a spider crawl towards her. Several others followed. They were small but he trusted them not. He watched in wonder as they began to spin a web about her from the mountain to the ground but not touching her skin. He would have jumped down to get rid of them but Mithlhach opened her eyes and saw them. She seemed to utter strange words to them before falling back to sleep.

Lindil felt a sudden anger rise in him. His companion was definitely not to be trusted. A friend of dwarves, he should have known what to think. Few dwarves did he know and trust and those he counted as exceptions to their race.

Spiders! He looked at them in disgust. All knew the monster that devoured the trees of the Valar was of spider form. He had even heard tell of one that troubled the ringbearer. He did not realise it but his anger grew more from having suddenly lost a friend rather than being confronted by an apparent enemy.

The spider's web was like a silver shield in the moonlight but one half shone golden from reflecting the flames. It seemed to glint at him mockingly, the flames dancing patterns against the spiderweb. Lindil aimed his arrow at Mithlhach, still visible through the spiders' handiwork, but a sudden recollection of the fight with the orcs stayed his arrow.

Many insects were attracted by the fire. They drew nearer to Mithlhach but were caught in the web. When the fire died down and the sun rose the spiders had a happy feast on the unfortunate creatures before carrying away their snare. Mithlhach did not wake till they had all but disappeared and found herself faced by a very stern faced elf.

"Now what have I done to offend you?" she asked him good-humouredly.

"Spiders."

"I see."

"Will you not explain?"

"Why should I?" she asked standing up and hoisting her pack onto her shoulders, "You have already thought yourself of an explanation."

She then turned away from him and climbed up the mountain without turning back to see if he would follow, which he did. She picked her path with such decisiveness that it was clear she knew which way she was going. She soon found an opening, no more than a crack but she easily slipped through it and disappeared from Lindil's sight. He peered inside and could see nothing in the darkness but the eerie red glow of her ring.

Now Lindil was a slim elf so he took off his quiver and bow and attempted to follow Mithlhach. With some difficulty he managed to squeeze through the gap and reached out to pick up his things before following the lady down the dark passage. He had to bend so as not to bump his head and saw with some annoyance, as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, that Mithlhach was standing quite straight yet with an inch to spare between the top of her head and the ceiling.

The passage went downwards and the more it did so the warmer it seemed to get. He felt as if they had been going for hours and he deemed it to be late afternoon when suddenly Mithlhach stopped. The passage branched off into three other tunnels. Mithlhach saw Lindil when he caught up with her but betrayed no surprise or a single word. A sudden glow lit up the middle passage and a deep cry was heard. Lindil saw again a true flame in Mithlhach's eyes before she went to that passage and hurried along it. The elf stayed close behind her but soon began to wonder again. What if she was leading him further into a trap? Mithlhach glanced over her shoulder and glared at him.

Down and down it went. Visions of balrogs invaded Lindil's mind when the tunnel was abruptly cut off. Lindil looked over Mithlhach's shoulder and saw a large hall below with a very high ceiling. They were looking down from one of many tunnels that led to it. Far below in the midst of a circle of fire, three dwarves were caught in a corner by the strangest creature Lindil had ever seen. It was thin and long like a snake, but had arms and legs, and was covered in thick shoddy scales. It seemed withered, as did its dull orange colour as if it had once been a strong red but had faded over time. Only its wings retained some of the old red but despite its scrawny body the wings did not seem capable of ever lifting it. Lindil remembered seeing something similar many years ago.

"That cannot be…" he began.

"It is," replied Mithlhach, "A dragon."

A dragon it was but old and ailing. Hiding in the deep recesses of the mountain it had been asleep for over a century. Still waiting for a call from its master who would never again return. A creature of Morgoth; Sauron was never able to control the great worms. Now in the darkness the creature cursed the ineptness of Sauron and wished it had enough strength to attack people and bring back treasure as it used to.

Mithlhach turned around and drew back into the passage. She took out her bow and fitted an arrow to it.

"You cannot slay it with an arrow," said Lindil.

"I know," replied Mithlhach going back to the mouth of the tunnel and aiming it.

"You must not."

But she did. The arrow whistled through the air and caught the dragon in the neck. It turned around unhurt but annoyed. Its wings spread out behind it and with several beats of its wings it began to rise.

"It is coming here," said Lindil, "You must leave the passage."

"Yes," said Mithlhach, "Let us go."

"I must kill it."

"When it gets here I doubt you will get the chance. Hurry. You are in front of me, I cannot leave with you in the way and there is no space for me to go around you."

Lindil agreed and sped up the tunnel glancing once behind him to make sure Mithlhach was following. But when he got back to where the other branching tunnels were she was nowhere to be seen. He looked down the tunnel.

"Mithlhach!" he shouted.

The only answer he got was the dragon's roar followed by the roar of fire as it filled the tunnel he was looking down. He quickly ducked into the tunnel on the left just in time as the flames licked the edges of the middle tunnel. Then it was dark again with that faint glow of red.

"Mithlhach!" he called again.

He did not get an answer this time either, nor did he expect it.

Lindil sat for some time staring down the tunnel. He heard a louder roar that startled him out of his thoughts and he went down the tunnel. As he neared the end he found Mithlhach's scorched cloak. The dragon had eaten her then, he thought. He looked down at the beast and to his surprise it was lying on the ground. Dead.

Beside it was a small figure putting a black sword back in its sheath. She looked up at him and he climbed down to talk to her. The dwarves were nowhere to be seen. When the dragon's attention had first drawn away from them to the place the arrow had come from they had fled down the tunnel they had entered by. The dragon sent a final gust of fire after them when it saw they had gone before flying back towards the mouth of the tunnel where Mithlhach was waiting for it, sword in hand. She had followed Lindil a short way before turning back.

"How did you survive the fire?" asked Lindil.

"There was a wall that opened a path beside me so I took refuge there," replied Mithlhach, "As the dragon drew away thinking me dead I jumped on its back and drove my sword down its throat."

"That must be a very sharp sword indeed to pierce a dragon's hide."

"Dragon's do not have scales in their mouths."

"Mouth? How did you stab it in the mouth without it breathing fire and burning you to a crisp?"

"I suppose it was too surprised to breathe fire in time. Come, we have to find my friends."

"Of which friends do you speak?"

"The dwarves, of course."

"Oh, the friends who ran like cowards when they saw you being attacked by a dragon."

"They did not see the dragon attack me, they saw me attack the dragon."

"I do not see the difference."

"You do not know me like they do. I have done far more dangerous things. I was hardly in any danger at all, I assure you."

"You are quite foolish."

Mithlhach smiled.

"Thank you," she replied with a slight bow, "Shall we leave now? Dead dragons tend to smell a great deal after a while."

"How do you know?"

"I heard from the people of Bard, how else?"

She seemed rather cheerful as she led him through the tunnels and hummed an unusual tune as she walked. From the gloom Lindil heard the same tune seemingly echoing back. He soon realised however that the echoes had words and were in a much deeper voice.

"Dwarves," he said under his breath.

Mithlhach looked back at him.

"Perhaps you should begin your journey back now that I have found my friends," said Mithlhach, "They do not like elves overmuch."

Lindil looked angry.

"I would not abandon you to a party of dwarves. They care for nothing but riches. You cannot trust them. I will not let you journey alone with them. It would be too dangerous."

"They are my friends, do not fear for me. If they proved not to be, my sword would be out in a flash and they would lose their bearded heads before you could say Khazad-dum."

Lindil smiled. The picture certainly appealed to him. He still did not altogether trust her especially with a band of dwarves. Who knew what evil they could create together?

"I will journey with you all the same," said Lindil.

"Perhaps you had better remain here while I talk to them. They will not much appreciate travelling with an elf."

"I shall not much relish travelling with them either," said Lindil but she had already slipped away following the voices.

Soon he could hear rejoicing voices in a hubbub. Then the sound of Mithlhach's voice as the others listened in silence followed by peals of laughter and clapping. Mithlhach spoke again but the dwarves replied in angry voices. Lindil could not hear the words but he assumed he was now the topic of conversation. He was quite right.

"An elf!" cried the eldest dwarf, "Have we taught you nothing! Did you hear that, Merin?"

"Yes, Sarin. I'm right here aren't I? I have ears!"

"Haven't we told you time and time again that elves are not to be trusted?" said Sarin.

"What I'd like to know," said the third dwarf, "Is where he was hiding when you were slaying the hideous old worm."

"I told you, Corin," said Mithlhach, "I told him to leave the tunnel and made him think I was following."

"Well, I congratulate you on tricking an elf at least. You have got something into that curly head of yours it seems," said Sarin.

"Don't be too hasty," said Corin, "I do not suppose he was fooled at all but ran off all the same. Elves are all high and mighty but I'd be much surprised to hear they cared for any race besides their own. Do you not agree, Merin?"

"Whether Merin agrees or not," said Mithlhach, "He is coming with us. You may argue all you please. I shall not listen to you. Now come, I do not feel as comfortable in this stone maze as you do and would much prefer some fresh air and sunshine."

The dwarves grumbled but followed her and when she took them to Lindil they greeted him civilly, albeit bluntly and coldly and he replied in much the same way before they made their way out of the mountain to the east side. They walked with Sarin in front (which greatly annoyed Lindil) armed with his axe followed by the other two dwarves and Lindil and Mithlhach at the back.

"They all look the same," said Lindil quietly, "Do they wear different coloured hoods so you can tell them apart?"

"They are brothers and very easy to tell apart," replied Mithlhach, "Sarin is the eldest, he has the greyer beard and by far the larger nose and his eyes are rather beady. Corin is the youngest, is smaller than the other two, his nose is rather pointy and his eyes very big. Poor Merin is stuck in the middle agreeing with them both as far as he can. As you can see his nose is the smallest and rather rounded and…well, all their features differ. How can you not see the difference?

"Then again. I doubt they would be able to tell the difference between two elves. They would probably not see the difference between an elf from Rivendell and one from Mirkwood."

"Then they would be very foolish."

"Just like all who refuse to see others as single beings rather than parts of groups while at the same time hating to be considered in the same way."

"The smallest dwarf is rather distinguishable…" began Lindil.

"His name is Corin. You know the names of the others so make use of them."

A sudden breeze filled the air. Sarin had found the way out. They stepped out into the cold night air but then stepped back in. Merin knew a place inside where they could rest till morning and the others agreed that, as they would not be travelling more that day they might as well have something to eat and rest in the shelter. They had just eaten when Corin began to look restless. He was thinking about how small the room was and how much he disliked elves.

"Where will you sleep, elf?" he asked.

"His name is Lindil," said Mithlhach, "Make a point of remembering it."

"Where will you sleep, Lindil," asked Corin again but with more contempt.

"I shall find my own place to sleep," replied Lindil and went out under the night sky.

The dwarves found one compartment to rest in while a smaller room served for Mithlhach. Already spiders had gathered and spun a hammock for her to lie in. She lay her blanket onto the sticky bed before getting into it herself and then snuggled into her cloak to sleep with a hand on the hilt of her sword.