- Winter SR 2956 -
As the nights lengthen, still Elladan and Elrohir did not arrive. The Elves began preparations for Midwinter. The longest night of the year will be filled with wine and song, feasting and merry-making from dusk to dawn. With the heightened excitement and the ever approaching council, Estel grew ever more restless. He was often found pacing the corridors and pathways of Rivendell with long impatient strides. And when the Housekeeper found him underfoot once too often, he was chased away in amused exasperation. It was on one of these occasions that Glorfindel found him brooding under his favourite tree.
"There you are, Dunadan!" said Glorfindel. "Why the grim face?"
"Where are they, Glorfindel? They should be here by now."
"There has been no word. But there's little we can do about it. Don't worry, they will return eventually." He leapt and swung himself up the tree Estel was leaning on. Shielding his eyes, he surveyed the sky. "Ai! The snow has fallen last night. We should have good tracks for hunting today, Estel. It will not snow again for two days, I deem. What say you?"
"You elves are fond of feasting and I'm sure Rivendell will not pass up a chance for merry-making in Lord Elemir's welcome. We might as well contribute to the pot."
"Excellent! I will see you at the stable." With that, he leapt from his perch in a somersault and was gone.
Two miles into the woods, with a brace of rabbits and a buck, Estel and Glorfindel encountered a ranger company, Elladan and Elrohir with them. The three had come upon the rangers herding a troll away from the Great Road. After a brief report to Estel, the rangers went their way, leaving behind two of their wounded to be tended in Rivendell. Thus did Estel and Glorfindel returned from their hunt, with the long expected sons of Elrond, Lord Elemir of the Dunedain and two injured rangers in tow.
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The Council was called the next day, after the new arrivals had rested. Estel found himself seated between Elemir and Gilraen. Arwen, to Estel's surprise, was seated among the delegation of strange Elves from the Lothlórien(1).
Then, for the first time, Gandalf announced his news, as was his wont, without preamble. "As some of you may know, it was 15 years ago, that the White Council had assailed Dol Guldur(2) and confirmed that the Dark Lord had taken form again. We were also too late in our assault. For though we had ousted the Dark Lord from his lair, he had escaped our net and was lost to us."
This was not news to Estel for though he did not know till much later, he remembered the long absence of his foster father, Elrond, from Rivendell when he was ten. He had been difficult at that time, as his mother often remarked.
"There was rumour from Gondor that Mount Doom had burst into flame(3) again. And I have spent some time to confirm it. This I know for certain, the last inhabitants of Ithilien had fled over Anduin in fear. What does this mean to us?"
"What do you suspect, Gandalf?" said Lord Elemir bluntly. "Now that the Dark Lord has returned to Mordor(4), he might be ready or getting ready for open war? Is he ready to begin his attacks? On whom?"
"I think that is most probable. But what are we to do?" Elrond pondered quietly. "Dare we enter Mordor to find out? For surely we do not wish to reveal our hands unwittingly to the Enemy in our haste."
"Perhaps it is time we spy for ourselves the Enemy's plans. I will take a small company into the Mordor," Estel spoke.
"Wait, Estel," Elemir said. Gilraen paled upon hearing her son's words though she remained silent. "I agree we should send scouts to the south to gather news. But Mordor is the Enemy's stronghold and seat of power. We cannot enter it without grave risks."
"The elves can be of little help here," Elrond said heavily. "We cannot hide our nature from the watchers if you wish to infiltrate. But we will give whatever aid we can."
"I agree. This is best left to us," said Elemir. "Gondor would not easily abandon the watch over Mordor. It is easier to explain a ranger's presence should we be seen than an elf's. Gondor and Rohan had no contact with the elves this past generations."
"What about a disguised delegation of Black Numenoreans?" asked Lindir. "The Enemy had allied with them before."
Estel saw Elemir's jaw tightened at the mention of the traitors. "It is impossible!" he said. "We have been sundered by more than time and loyalties. None of us can be mistaken as one of them. Our best hope is still by stealth. Estel and I will take care of it. We will know in a few months what the Enemy has in store for us."
"There are also rumours Rohan has been subdued and paid tribute to Mordor." Gandalf continued. "I may have believed it of the old King Fengel, but his son is of sterner mettle. It is more probable some of the King's men, grown fat and with influence in Fengel's time, that may have been corrupted."
"We have little contact with the Rohirrim, but they do provide a buffer between Eriador and the East. Also, mayhap we also need to ascertain their allegiance." Gilraen spoke for the first time.
"They have only allegiance with Gondor. And I believe Thengel will honour it, should Gondor ask it. The Rohirrim are fiercely proud of their sovereignty but Rohan is not without its own problems. Thengel sits on an uncertain throne. Many of the Rohirrim lords are unhappy with a King that brings so much Gondorrim influence into Rohan's court. Also, some still remembered the quarrels between Fengel and his son and the circumstances when Thengel had left for Gondor(5). Thengel is a good man, but he will not have an easy rule in Rohan while his own people sees him as Gondor's puppet."
"What of Gondor?" asked Erestor. "Are they able to resist the Enemy? Or will they bow to Mordor?"
"Nay. They will not bow to Mordor. But how effectively they can guard it; is another matter," answered Gandalf.
"We have to maintain vigilance on our own lands. While the Enemy cannot send armies to attack the North and West, he can still send spies and agents that can slip through or avoid Gondor's nets," said Elemir. "Estel, what news have you?"
"There are reports of orcs stirring around Misty Mountains again," Estel answered. "Strange men had been seen around Sarn Ford and along Greenway, whether fleeing the unrest in the South or with a hidden agenda, is still remained to be seen. Trolls around Ettenmoors had been quiet but a Ranger patrol had found one straying close to the Great Road. I think more will be coming south to winter."
"If we send a company to gather word, how many will you send? And how many men can you spare without compromising our lines?"
"A small company is all we need, my lord. Four or five men, travelling light. We have ten patrols in the field and two in reserve. I will take three men from the reserve. It leaves enough men for one patrol in reserve."
"And Rivendell will provide the lack, if required," said Elladan(6).
"But with orcs multiplying in Misty Mountains, the mountain pass, the Beornings, Lothlórien and the Woodland Realms will be in danger." Erestor, one of Elrond's councillors protested.
"Lothlórien and Mirkwood are well guarded by their own," said Arwen.
"The Beornings will guard the rest. We will send warning. They will have to do," said Elemir.
TBC ...
Notes :
(1) (Tale of A&A - Arwen : I have dwelt for a time in the land of my mother's kin, in far Lothlórien. ... It is many years since I walked in Imladris.) More than 18 years, the length Estel has been living in Rivendell.
(Tale of A&A - He did not know it, but Arwen Undómiel was also there, dwelling again for a time with the kin of her mother.)
(FOTR - Long she had been in the land of her mother's kin, in Lórien beyond the mountains, and was but lately returned to Rivendell to her father's house.)
Strangely, Arwen seems to be living in Lothlórien rather more than Rivendell, unlike her brothers. Conjecture - Arwen still in Rivendell since 2951.
(2) (2941 - The White Council meets; Sauron having made his plans abandons Dol Guldur.)
(3) (2954 - Mount Doom bursts into flame again. The last inhabitants of Ithilien flee over Anduin.)
(4) (2951 - Sauron declares himself openly and gathers power in Mordor.) That Sauron has returned to Mount Doom is not news. But Mount Doom bursting into flames suggests some actions taken by Sauron that can mean dire consequences to the others.
(5) (Appendix - Thengel, ..., left Rohan when he came to manhood and lived long in Gondor, and won honour in the service of Turgon.) Turgon, grandfather of Denethor, was the Steward of Gondor at that time.