Reviewer responses for Chapter 14:

Pirate Gyrl: Yeh...poor Hobbits. We shall see their fate soon enough.

Deana: Thanks as always! We're getting to where I left off...thanks for sticking with me even though you know what happens a bit in advance.

Mornflower: That dwarf beard thing came out of the blue...glad you liked it. OK...I must admit...the Christmas song thing was quite cute. LoL.

InsanePirate624: He he...glad you liked it. Thanks for the luck with the job...read below for details.

Zammy: Updating....lol...

Kelsey: You learn more of Gweluthand a bit later...but you shall be surprised by just what you learn in this chapter of your second "question"...As for the next one...on Hobbit battles...hehe...that's coming too. Pippin said the Rohan were because unless I'm mistaken...Eowyn was QUITE a warrior, but she wasn't a Rohirrim. He was speaking of the people as a whole...

Tonianne: Hey...I missed you! Glad to see you reviewing again! Thanks for the birthday wish...glad you enjoyed the chappies. My...so many nice comments in one review...what am I to say!? THANKS!

A/N: Quickie...some of you asked about my job. Here's the low-down: it's a full-time reporter's position at a daily newspaper called the Register-Star...where I live it is pretty big. I will work 3-11 p.m. five days a week and earn $400 a week to start. After four months I will start receiving full benefits (life, health insurance and pension) AND I will get a raise. (Provided I work good!) It's about 10 miles from home and I will be covering the county government beat. That's about it! Thanks for the interest and THANKS for all the HAPPY BIRTHDAYS and ESPECIALLY for all the REVIEWS AND KIND COMMENTS.

Oh and if there is a delay before the next post...its cause my beta is in the path of Hurricane Charley and may lose power. Please pray for her and those in the path of that hurricane (which includes my parents...) and those in the path of Tropical Storm Bonnie... (if you are religious in that way!!!) THANKS...


Chapter 15: Thoughts and Theories

The Great East Road...

"Lowgala, if you don't mind me asking...what the scariest thing you encountered in the mount.... I mean, in that place you came from?" Elladan hit himself in the head when he almost said 'mountains'. He didn't want to upset the creature again and every time someone said that word Lowgala went crazy and tried to hide under the cloak Elrond had given him.

It was the third day that Lowgala was with them and he had begun to quiet down a little. Only a little though.

Racking his brain, the creature thought about it for a while. "I've got it, Mr. Elf," he said. He had taken to affectionately calling the elves by Mr. or Ms. Elf and Gandalf, he had dubbed, the 'white guy'. "That would have to be towards the end of my time in that place. I was walking around, hoping to find someone, thinking that I didn't really feel like talking to myself that day, when I heard something." He paused, shuddering dramatically. "I don't know what language it was, but it was evil. Right. Very evil I think!"

He would have continued calling the language evil, scary and bad if Galadriel had not interjected suddenly, drawing her mount to a sudden, unexpected halt. "Do you remember any of the words? Any of them at all, Lowgala?"

The creature, recognizing that he had said something immensely important, took a deep breath, deeper then he needed to. "Well, I think so. Gollem...and nerleth...there were some other words with them, but I remember those two for some reason."

Galadriel's eyes widened and she looked to Gandalf, Erestor, Thranduil, and Elrond. "I recognize those words. After Graelath saved my life from Carcharoth, I made it a priority to learn as much about the Ethaim as possible. I learned some of their language. Much of this I learned from Cellnen, before he was killed. Gollem means shadow and nerleth is armies, in Etrain."

This revelation startled the twins, who both looked at each other. So Lowgala knew the whereabouts of Graelath. "Hey, Lowgala. Do you remember WHERE you heard this voice? What did the area look like; how far from the end of that place did he live?" Elrohir was trying to coax the important information from the creature.

Lowgala, who had taken a liking to the twin brothers, smiled. "Oh yes, I made a map in my head of all the land I walked. Yes, a map. Of all of it; every last thing. Photographic memory you know. Could point it out on a map with no problem, if I had a map that is. Could draw it too."

He stopped speaking when Elrond glared at him. He knew he was babbling, but he had waited so long to talk to others it was hard to resist. "Sorry, Mr. Elf. I won't ramble any more, just missed talking to folks, that's all. Been a long time you know. Being stuck in that land..."

Gandalf growled. "Lowgala! That is quite enough, we are trying to think."

The wizard's tone shut Lowgala up right away. He shrank back, hiding behind Elladan. The brothers glanced at their father, and then Elrohir took Lowgala's hand and led him away, followed closely by his brother. Erestor also dismounted, and followed the twins. "Why don't we fill you in on what is going on?" Elrohir said to the creature.

Lowgala nodded eagerly, plopping down on the ground and eating yet another lembas wafer. Elrohir sighed and sat beside him. "Well, Graelath, the man you heard, is an evil wizard who is trying to take over all of Middle-Earth..."


Meanwhile...

Helm's Deep.

Snuggly fit into the side of a mountain with the strong, high Deeping Wall and little or no vulnerabilities. The people of Rohan could camp out in the fortress for many months on the provisions they had gathered and brought in.

King Eomer sat in contemplation within the fortress, awaiting news on the Orc army headed for the haven. He had sent out riders earlier that week, perhaps the fact they were not back yet was good news; perhaps they had to ride far to catch a glimpse of the enemy.

"Eomer, please, you must eat. You have not eaten in many long hours; you are beginning to worry me." Eowyn strode into the room, a bowl in hand, filled with a steaming hot soup. "Please? For me, my brother?" She stood in front of him, holding out the bowl.

The king was about to dismiss the food, until he saw the genuine worry in his sister's eyes. She had been coping well with the situation, being separated from Faramir, who had returned to Gondor to rule in Aragorn's absence and prepare for an attack.

Eomer smiled lightly. "Thank you Eowyn. I am glad you are here to talk some sense into me. If you weren't, I fear I would not stir from this seat for much of anything. I worry, our riders have not yet returned."

To her credit, the woman managed a wan smile. "I too had thought they would be back by now. We can ill afford to lose men; even a few riders will make a difference. We do not have as grand an army as we had during the last battle."

She was quiet now as they both remembered the battle at Helm's Deep only a few short years ago. Eowyn frowned; she had been forced to retreat to the caves with the women and children. She would not do that again, she had proved herself in battle on the fields outside Minas Tirith, where she had nearly died.

"Yes, it is true we have less men and no Elves," Eomer said. "But have one advantage. There is no longer the drain to blow up. That is how they began to overwhelm us the last time. Our only problem now will be the shadow. Without the aide of Legolas, we may never know of an attack."

Eowyn had thought of that. She hated to admit it, but she had a feeling the air shield Legolas conjured would not work at great distances. It would not be able to come to the aide of the Rohan, nor, did she think, could it protect Gondor in the absence of the Elf. "Our fate lays in the hands of that Elf and his shroud. Let us hope that before long someone will discover the lair of Graelath and we will be rid of him."

Suddenly, the door was flung open and a breathless man hurried into the room, bowing before the King and Eowyn. "My Lord, I bring news of the Orc army!" He said, clutching his chest to catch his breath. "They are five days out, but moving fast. I do not doubt for a moment that they do not rest or slow often."

Eomer's eyes narrowed. "The news is not terrible. They are not to arrive tonight, which gives us a little more time. Do you remember what Aragorn mentioned in passing? About the shadow spell?" He had turned to Eowyn, who shook her head in confusion. "He said that the shadow seems to retreat when someone is bodily injured. In a last resort situation, we will do well to remember that."

The woman nodded, hoping it would not come to that.


Gondor...

"My Lord Faramir!"

Hearing his name, the man turned toward the speaker. A soldier, just arriving on horseback, hurried over to him. "I have just come from Minas Tirith; the spell does not seem to be in effect just yet, My Lord."

Nodding in relief, Faramir dismissed the man. He had almost expected bad news to come; it had been the trend of the last few days. When he had arrived in Gondor, he had found the armies spread thin. It had taken most of a day to gather them and set up camp just outside the city as Aragorn had commanded.

Then, he had found it immensely difficult to explain to the men why they were not barracked inside the walls of the city when an attack was definite.

"Surely, we should take advantage of the hard, strong walls of Minas Tirith or Osgiliath!" The men had argued.

"No!" called out Faramir, trying to get the men to understand. "By order of King Elessar, we are to make camp outside the city walls. The shadow that led to the downfall of the Elves has already nearly claimed Edoras. It seems that the spell is cast over the cities and shrouds the minds of the people. They do not see the threat coming!"

The men were listening now, though there was still doubt on their faces. "The King feels that if the spell is cast on Gondor, it will encompass only the main cities, Minas Tirith and possibly Osgiliath. If the soldiers of Gondor are not in the city walls, we will not be shrouded. We will stand a chance, which the Elves did not."

Murmurs permeated the silence that followed Faramir's speech. Leading a small troup of rangers was one thing. He was not accustomed to ruling the kingdom in time of battle. But he hoped that his words would be enough. To his relief, the men began to nod in understanding.

"We will not sit like lambs awaiting slaughter! We will outfox this wizard!" A man called out. "Gondor will not fall easily; we will beat them back from the city!" called another.

Faramir smiled and nodded, raising his hands in the air. "As long as the men of Gondor remain outside the spell, we will not let Graelath destroy our people. We will use the tragedy that befell the Elves to learn and not make the same mistake!"

Cheers broke out at the words and the men kept them going for long minutes while Faramir remembered the time in Osgiliath that his brother had given a rousing speech, the last time he had ever seen his brother alive. Boromir would be proud of me this day, he thought to himself. If only he could see his little brother now; ruling in the stead of the King in a time of war.

He dismissed the men now, sending out scouts to make sure no Orcs were too close for comfort. I wonder how Eowyn, Eomer and the Rohan are fairing, and if King Elessar and the old Fellowship have reached the Shire. This battle is being fought on many fronts; let us hope that good prevails once more.

Only one obstacle stood in the way of the good. Where is Graelath?


Graelath's Fortress...

The Rohan had encamped themselves in Helm's Deep. Gondor was without its King. The Shire was soon to be under siege and the Queen of Gondor was well on her way to being in his possession. "Things are going well, as I had hoped they would. It is only a matter of time before the world is at my fingertips."

He glanced over his maps, focusing on Minas Tirith and Osgiliath. "The strongest cities of Gondor. I can easily shadow them and Helm's Deep at the same time. But I'd best wait a bit until I am sure that the Shire is taken care of. Those Halflings might be daft and harmless, but the Ring was destroyed by their kind, I'd be wise not to underestimate them."

Graelath frowned. "AND, I am not entirely certain that Elessar has not arrived there yet. He might be able to fend off an attack if he is; which would be an unfortunate problem." A small smile crossed his face. "But even if the Shire doesn't fall now, it is of no consequence really. With his Queen here, he will surely come for her, leaving Gondor to my armies."

Glancing at the waning sun, he sighed and hurried up to the top of the tower, chanting the spell to shroud the Shire. His eyes narrowed when he felt a resistance. "What is this?" He muttered, thoughtfully. "Is it possible that the Elf has already reached the Shire and is shielding it?" He couldn't be entirely sure of this, but it seemed like his spell was not taking as well.

Anger flowed through him and he balled up his hands into fists. "You will not get the best of me!" Hurrying back into his tower, he sought his spell books in hopes of finding a way to incapacitate the Elf.

"I lucked out killing Cellnen, there must be a spell to stop the Elf from shielding people," he said to himself. "I will find it if it exists, I have come too far to let him stop me now."

He began to riffle through pages of large, leather-bound books.


The Great East Road...

"So, now we are on our way to the Shire," Elrohir finished the story as the night came to an end and they were forced to stop and rest. "Lady Galadriel is very wise; she knows that Estel and the rest of the Fellowship will go to the Shire."

Lowgala, to the surprise of them all, had been virtually silent during the long tale that Elladan, Elrohir, and Erestor took turns telling as they rode. When the story was done, he looked at Galadriel and said quietly. "The man I heard in...the...mountains...you think he was this Graelath?" The creature had completely transformed from his usual bubbly self.

Galadriel nodded lightly. "Yes, Lowgala, we believe he is. And welcome news this is because now we will be able to defeat Graelath. As it stood before we met you, we would only be able to hold off his armies. But Legolas can not be everywhere and one day Graelath would have triumphed."

Elrond, speaking to his sons in a whisper, suddenly turned back toward the group. "I fear something has happened, something unexpected. I do not wish to rest here tonight; instead I would much prefer to continue to the Shire."

The twins weren't sure what had caused their father to suddenly change his mind about the stop. They had merely been talking about Arwen, hoping she was all right, knowing that she had accompanied Aragorn to Eryn Lasgalen, when their father had his outburst.

Galadriel's eyes narrowed. She studied the dark-haired Elf lord and a sudden realization flooded her features. "Yes, it would be best to go if your feelings are correct. This could seriously complicate matters."

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged glances. "What could? What is going on, you two know something we do not."

Elrond turned to his sons. "Do not think on it. Get Lowgala back on Nirnen, the Shire is only a day or so away now, the sooner we get there, and the sooner I can rest at ease knowing that Aragorn and Arwen are safe."

Gandalf looked on from his perch on Shadowfax, exchanging a quick glance with Thranduil who was equally as baffled as the twins and him. Shadowfax snorted a little, anxious to be off again because he was not yet tired of journeying. "Hmm, what do they sense or see, I wonder," the elder wizard said under his breath.

Erestor heard the wizard's words and eyed Elrond suspiciously, but he did not question his lord. But he did not know what Galadriel and Elrond were thinking either. He shifted in his saddle, as his wounds, while healing rapidly; ached slightly. The worst of them was his broken arm, which would make it difficult for him to fight, as it was tightly wrapped and in a sling that Elrond had insisted he wear to take the strain off, and to immobilize it.

The twins also wondered about their father's words, knowing inwardly that it had to do with their sister. Elrond spoke in low tones with Galadriel. He hated to keep this secret from his sons, but he didn't want them to worry. They could ill afford being attacked when half their number were worrying, their minds elsewhere. They were a small enough group as it was.

To their credit, Elladan and Elrohir did not press the matter. Lowgala was strangely silent. Since Elrond had announced their proximity to the Shire, he had not said a word. The twins wondered if he feared rejection from the Hobbits.

"Lowgala," Elladan said, voicing their concerns. "What ails you? I have not seen you so quiet since we met you. Does something trouble you, my friend?"

Looking up at the dark-haired Elf, Lowgala sighed and nodded. "I fear these Hobbits will not accept me. I may be similar in size, as you say, but I'm not their kind. And I fear I have forgotten how to act in public."

The twins smiled. "You act just fine around us. Just try not to babble so much and you will be all right. We are arriving in the Shire at a rather tense time; I do not think anyone will shun you. If anything, they will probably welcome the good news we bring." Elrohir said, laughing.

Soon, the company was again moving toward the Shire. It was growing darker by the minute; soon they would only have the light of the stars to guide them. Luckily it was a clear, crisp night and the stars shone like gems in the black blanket of the sky.

Elrond rode in silence, trying not to feel too impatient. His heart and his bond with his daughter were telling him that something was very wrong, and though he wanted to press the pace, he wouldn't risk harming Thranduil or Erestor.

Galadriel rode up next to him, and for long moments didn't speak. Finally, she turned and gazed at him. : You are worried, Elrond. I can feel it, and I think that you are right to be. Something is very wrong, and the feeling that I am getting seems to revolve around Arwen. :

Elrond sighed, before replying in the same way, using Vilya to project his thoughts. : What have you seen Galadriel? What has happened to Arwen? :

Galadriel was silent again, her gaze distant. : More than one life is now in danger. We must make haste, for a shadow has fallen over the Evenstar. :