I am trying to keep in the right with the time-line given in the back of RotK, but it's hard to figure out how long it takes to get from point A to point B and guess at which route said person took and where they are at the moment this occurs… yadda yadda yadda… Please, mellon-nin, send ideas of what next… I have a feeling that pretty soon I'm going to get writers block, so I'd like to have a pile of reviews and ideas to fall back on.
Chapter 5:
"A wraith, you say?"
Lhydell nodded to Elrond who was franticly searching through reams of paper.
"That is what Seregnen called it, he said it was a shadow connected to the Nazgul."
Glorfindel leaned towards the small ranger from his chair at Adair's side, "There must be some foul plans being made, perhaps this was a scout from Dol Goldur."
Elrond paused in his searching to glance at the tall elf lord, "If that is so then Mithrandir's guesses are true, the Enemy is beginning to look elsewhere for the ring, his eye has moved from the Gladden Fields north to Eriador."
Glorfindel nodded, "And if his eye rests there now and this daemon is a scout, the Nazgul will soon be in the coming."
Elrond cursed and dove back into the pile of scrolls, hastily digging through them as he shouted, "call together all the lords that may ride out against these wraiths, have them come as soon as possible to me. We must take action to see that the ring does not fall into the hands of the enemy."
Glorfindel, finishing the bandage he had been applying to Adair's badly cut arm, rose with a bow and quickly left the study leaving the two Dunedain with Elrond.
Lhydell and Adair passed questioning glances as the dark elf gave a triumphant shout and pulled out a battered scroll.
"Can you believe," Elrond sighed, gracefully dropping into a chair, "that all these scroll are just from these last few days?"
Adair raised an eyebrow and Lhydell shrugged with a grin at their distant kinsman.
"Lord, if this wraith is just a scout from the south, why did it make chase after Ithilwen," Lhydell asked.
The elf rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, "What causes me more wonder is why, if it knew where Ithilwen hid, it did not kill her or make an attempt to bring her down from the tree. This is a riddle indeed."
Adair, about to say something else, made to stand but fell back into her chair with a gasp of pain and the healer awoke in the lord of Imladris.
"Stay seated, Ithilwen, I will get some things to ease the pain. I believe that you have not done any serious damage to yourself; your ribs are only bruised and you are still young and able to regain any grounds lost quickly. As for you, Uinaerien," Elrond now turned to Lhydell, "I will have you go find my sons and tell bring them here. They should be out near the armouries, they are preparing to leave for another hunt in the mountains."
Lhydell Uinaerien bowed and quickly departed to find the tall hunters.
She found them where their father had said they would be, grimly making bundles of extra arrows to be taken along on their hunt for the foul orcs.
"Elladan, Elrohir, a moment," she called, "wait a bit for me."
Elrohir, the younger of the two but the taller, turned and smiled when he saw the small one running in his direction. He nudged his twin, who also turned to greet Lhydell as she breathlessly stopped in front of them.
"Uinaerien, what have we done to deserve the misfortune of this chance meeting," Elladan teased.
Once she regained her breath, Lhydell teased him back, "Uh oh, Noldor elf, you are in trouble, and your Adar sent me to get you two. You're in so much trouble, I don't thing lady Arwen will be able to convince him not to skin you both alive, like I hear she did when you two rascals dyed a certain blond elf lord's hair green."
Elrohir laughed jovially, "She got you there, brother! Of course, it was only this mischevious brat," he poked Elladan in the side playfully, "that would do something as horrible as dying Glorfindel's hair green… which didn't look rather becoming, wouldn't you say?"
Elladan shoved his brother and winked at Lhydell, "Oh ho, so who's the culprit now? I seem to remember, mellon, that it was you who dyed his hair, and it wasn't green it was black."
The two brothers good-naturedly bantered on in such a fashion until all three had tears of laughter streaming down their cheeks.
"You two are impossible," Lhydell gasped, "but your father really does wish me to take you two to him in his study."
Both brothers were immediately serious once more.
"Do you know why?" Elladan queried.
"Yes," Lhydell began, "But I am not so sure if he would approve of me telling you two here where others may listen in."
The twins took this as a bad sign and started off in the direction that Lhydell had just came from, leaving her behind as they strode quickly on long legs while she raced after them on her short ones.
Once Lhydell had caught up with the dark haired twins they were already being briefed by their father who was in the process of forcing Adair to drink a rather disgusting looking concoction.
"… Seregnen met Uinaerien; he was watching the fords when he saw the two being pursued by the thing. He caused it to flee from its search for Ithilwen and is now back guarding access to the ford."
"So close it came to the Greyflood?" Elrohir was amazed at this wraiths daring, "The darkness has grown stronger for it to pass so easily into Rhudaur."
Elladan nodded, "Our border guards and rangers have seen no wraiths, how could it have come so near and not be seen? It must have come far north over the mountain passes above the Ettenmoors,"
"Or south through the Gap of Rohan," Elrond cut in.
"Rohan? But Ada," Elrohir protested, "that is close to Orthanc, this thing would have been spotted and we would have been warned by Curunír, would we not have?"
The tall Peredhil lord shook his head gravely, "I'm afraid not, ion-nin, it seems the wizard has betrayed us, as Mithrandir suspected."
Adair leapt into the conversation, eyes wide with sudden fear, "Lord Gandalf has not been seen for a long time, last I saw of him was three month back, perhaps, when Lord Radagast rode to meet him near the Brandywine. They conversed and parted company…"
She trailed off as the terrible implications hit her.
Elrond inhaled sharply and nodded for her to continue.
"Well, my lords, the Brown Wizard gave Gandalf a message from Saruman to go to him at Orthanc… he has not been seen since."
She bowed her head as realization struck her and Lhydell fell into a chair nearby.
Elrohir and Elladan looked stunned, but Elrond only closed his eyes and nodded soberly, "Yes, Ithilwen is correct and I am afraid that Mithrandir is now a prisoner or… or…" he glanced at the tiny ranger who was looking at him with wide eyes, "or otherwise unable to return to us."
"Eru," Lhydell Uinaerien breathed.
Adair finished the potion that Elrond had given her and set down the cup with a clatter that made them all jump and glare at her. She gestured that she was sorry and grimaced as the after-taste of the drink worsened.
It was at this moment that Glorfindel and five other tall and beautiful elf lords returned; their calm faces and fire-bright eyes were a comfort to those in the study, especially to the two rangers who had never seen so many great lords together at once.
Lhydell, who had accompanied her cousin and chieftain to Imladris several times before, recognized the noble beings to be the lords Adarhídh, Caegaran, Öl and his younger brother Ollon, but she could not name the red-haired lord standing next to Glorfindel.
The lords bowed to Elrond and he introduced them all to the rangers.
"My lords, these are the rangers Lhydell Uinaerien and Adair Ithilwen. Mellyn-nin, these are the lords Adarhír, Caegaran, Öl, Ollon, and this is Síladan Aglargelion. You may have not seen him before as his feet are always itching to travel and goes often on journeys in all directions," Elrond commented with a small smile as Síladan bowed.
Elrohir and Elladan brought in extra chairs from an adjoining room and the lords seated themselves in a semi-circle facing Elrond's scroll-cluttered desk as the briefing was retold and the two Edain found themselves the objects of much question and scrutiny.
Once Elrond finished his telling of the events, Caegaran, the grey eyed and silver haired lord from Hollin, rose and asked what they must do to help.
"The ring-bearer is soon to make trail to these lands, has he not already left. This wraith was sent as a scout, most likely, to be sure that any that may be in the nazgul's way are chased off or killed. There will be more, we must assume, and this can only mean that the nine are not far behind."
His words caused unease among the lords and flickers of disquiet in the hearts of the two mortals, but none interrupted the wise Peredhil.
"Therefore I must ask that each of you ride out, one in each direction, in open hostility against this darkness and search for the ring-bearer.
"I have kin travelling to the havens through Eriador and the Shire, they will look out for him and send word if they meet. Also, the Dúnedain of the north watch the borders of the halfling's lands," here Elrond nodded at the seated girls, "and will be attempt to deter the attention of any who search for the bearer and his burden."
Lhydell cleared her throat and the glittering eyes turned to her, "My lords, what of my kinsman Aragorn? I was told earlier that he had caught some loath creature and delivered it into the prisons of Mirkwood, but where is he now? Would he be on his way to the halfling's aid now, or is it that he may also be held in the dungeons of Orthanc?"
"Orthanc! Who," Adarhír jumped to his feet, "is imprisoned in the hold of the Chief Istari? Why would the Dúnadan be held there?"
Elrohir rolled his dark eyes and Elladan pressed a hand upon the upset lord's shoulder.
"Mithrandir suspected that Curunír has joined with the servant of Morgoth, Sauron; since then he has disappeared. Ithilwen here witnessed Mithrandir's cousin, the Istar Heruvarnë, deliver a message from Orthanc to him… when do you believe that day was?"
Adair closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side as she counted back in her head the days. "I think… about the fifth of July, in Shire reckoning, that is. Today would be the fifth of September, so three months to the date, Mithrandir left the Shire for Isengard."
This news alarmed even Elrond himself, and the elf lords frowned and muttered amongst themselves, this ended though when Elrond raised his hand and they fell silent. Elrohir and Elladan, who had finally coaxed Adarhír into sitting down, looked around the room with icy green eyes as their father described his plan to the agitated elven-lords.
Lhydell listened to Elrond's words and felt quite out of place among these great beings.
'I needn't hear all of this, this council is for great lords and I don't doubt that I stick out like a dragon among lizards,' she mused. 'I wonder if we will be told why we were summoned here in the first place?'
Adair must have had these same thought, too, for once Elrond was finnished and the lords decided upon what to do, she stood with a grimance of pain from her bruised body and bowed her head to the circle.
"My Lords, if I may, I have an enquiery."
Lord Elrond nodded to her and she continued, "Uinaerien and I are present at this council because of our incounter with the daemon, but why, I wish to ask, were we summoned from out watch of the Shire's border to Imladris in the first place?"
She eased herself back into her seat, where Elrond passed her another cupful of the brew he had made, and forced her to finish it before he would answer this question.
"You were summoned because I need two reliable and inconspicuous companions to travel with messages to Mirkwood. My sons sugested the pair of you."
Elrohir winked and both Lhydell and Adair found themselves blushing, but just from the praise received. Adair winked back.
"Thank-you, lord," Adair sighed, the medicine kicking in and making her thoughts slow and eyelids grow weary.
As Adair Ithilwen drifted off into sleep, the council rose and departed from the study.
Elladan left with his father and Glorfindel, but Elrohir stayed with Lhydell.
"I assume that you will need rest soon too? There are rooms that have been made ready for you and a bath was drawn when you arrived; it may be cool now, though."
Lhydell smiled at the thought of a bath, she'd not had a real one since her last visit and would find it most enjoyable, no matter what the water temperature was.
Elrohir gently lifted the drugged ranger into his arms and set off with his distantly related companions to the guest's wing where he left them under the care of Hélen, the resident nanny and general pamperer of guests, who had been Elrond and Elros' own nurcemaid.
*****
"Well, my love, how you have changed since I've seen you last," the merrily round and red cheeked Hélen crooned, wakening the aching Adair with a gentle shake of the shoulder. "You must drink this, lord Elrond himself made it and said to not let you make one move until you've drank it all down."
Adair sighed as the prospects of another one of the ancient healers' terrible tasting medicines.
Wearily she held out her hand for the cup and raised it to her mouth where she curiously sniffed it. The scent made her mind clear and eyes spring wide, it didn't smell like a skunk beat with a salmon (a term used by Aragorn to describe the taste of the strange brews and mixtures forced upon the injured by his adoptive father) In fact, it smelled sweet, like the flowers of the Tuilëion trees that grew in the more remote western places like Harlindon and Eryn Vorn.
Without hesitation she gulped down the sweet smelling drink, only to gurgle and shout in mock rage when the taste hit her like a troll.
"Ugh, Hélen, this is worse than the others! What on Arda is this," Adair sputtered.
The jolly lady took the cup from her, laughing, "That is boiled tharladen mixed with ground athelas and red wine."
Adair made a face, causing Helen to laugh again.
It was then that Lhydell, looking much younger and brighter cleaned up and garbed in a soft blue elvish dress, slipped into the room with a sly smile on her face.
"Did Hélen make you take that false poison too, Ithilwen?"
Hélen patted the freshened Dúnadan's head and smiled, "Ai, love, she took her medicine as well, with considerably less fuss and hastle than you, I believe."
Lhydell shrugged with a grin and settled down into a convieniently placed chair.
"I can tell that this is the first time you've had this particular concoction? Dear cousins Aragorn, Halbarad, Wherul, and I were his 'patients' for a month after a rather nasty incident with the twins and a band of goblins.
"Elrond decided to see if he could still make a mean draught of restorative and tested the batches out on us four unsuspecting and helpless rangers, or experaments, as we decided we should be called."
Adair snorted and Hélen chuckled as the smiling short Adan recounted the unsuccessfull-hunting trip to northern Hithaeglir and the interesting journey back to Rivendell with four injured rangers and five bemused Noldor elves, including the sons of Elrond.
After a good chuckle, Adair felt well enough to get up and take a bath.
Hélen helped her in and washed her hair for her, despite Adair's emberassed protests, saying that she wasn't supposed to raise her arms above her head.
"Ah, my little Ithilwen," the nanny sang in a child-like voice as she washed the long and coarse brown hair, "I will miss you greatly when I go, you and all your cousins and kin. You are all like my own, I have pampered and taken care of most of you and I will feel a deep hole in my heart where you hold on."
Confused, Adair looked up into the glimmering eyes that threatened to shed tears.
"Oh, Hélen! Aunty, you speak as though you know something I don't. I'm only thirty-five years old; I have a long time yet for you to baby me. Why do you mourn already?"
The dark-haired elf patted Adair's cheek, comforting her.
"Oh, love, it's not you for whom I mourn. I mourn my own loss… I shall soon pass through Mithlond to my own husband and children who have long since departed. My lady Elwing charged me to look after her sons, and soon my little Elrond will leave for Valinor. I have looked after Elros' children and each heir of Elendil has been pampered and tended by my hands, but now I must see to my own children and my own kin."
Adair smiled sadly at the ancient being and felt tears flowing down her own cheeks.
No more words were needed to be said and Hélen finished washing Adair's hair and left.
For a long time Adair just lay back in the bath and reminised, nearly drifting off as the waters cooled. Once she did screw up enough energy to climb out the water and dry herself off, she discovered that someone had laid out a deep green tunic and slacks for her. These she donned then wandered out the glass doors into the fountain room where Lhydell lay dozing by the small waterfall.
The sun shone merrily and Adair found herself blinking heavily.
A voice inside her shouted 'don't sleep, you might miss something, you need to keep your eyes sharp!' but the soothing sounds of water and the warmth of the sunlight beat the voice and Adair found herself stretching out on a fountain ledge near Lhydell and fell fast asleep.
*****
While the two exhausted edain slept fitfully in the calm and peace of Rivendell, Gandalf the Grey pondered the events that led up to where he was now – imprisoned on the pinnacle of Orthanc- and Aragorn travels from Mirkwood where he stayed with his friend Legolas Thrandulion, Prince of that realm, to Bree. He passed over the Ettenmoors and through the Weather Hills as his cousins slept after their own travels.
Boromir, son of Denethor II of Gondor, passes Isengard by way of the Gap of Rohan, and Legolas Thrandulion leaves for Imladris carrying the new of Gollum's escape.
Elladan and Elrohir leave for the north to hunt orcs hiding on mountain paths, and the Elf lords from the council attended by Lhydell and Adair disperse and look for clues as to where the wraith crossed the mountains into Eriador and the location of the Istari Mithrandir and Heruvarnë.
* Heruvarnë is Radagast the Brown
* Peredhil is elvish for 'half-elven'
*An Istar/Istari is one of the five wizards that came to middle earth in the third age to
contest the power of the Maia Sauron. There was one white, one grey, one brown, and
two blue wizards.
* Uinaerien means 'of the sea'.
* Ithilwen means 'moon light'.
* Tuilëion trees are Mayday trees
