A/N: I apologize for this being so late but I installed my new hard drive Wednesday and for some reason, it was not letting me make an internet connection - probably tried to put a round peg into a square hole or something. I have come to the conclusion, and probably rightly so, that my computer is possessed.
While I was working on my desktop computer, I was writing on my laptop but kept wondering why the mouse wasn't working ... I don't use a mouse on the laptop. However, after all the time I had spent working on the internet problem I found, on more than one occasion, that I would try to use the laptop keyboard for the big computer and the mouse for the laptop. I'm going mad I tell you ... mad!
"We make war that we may live in peace."
-- Aristotle (384-322 BC), Greek philosopher --
Chapter 41
The Long Wait
Ragnarok - Part One
The sleeping cavern at Sanctuary was quiet except for the sound of Elias munching contentedly on his hay and the three donkeys, Cyrano, Irildë and Tinu, shifting about and carrying on with their little donkey lives. Of everyone involved, the animals of that place, were the most accepting of their present circumstances and in that regard were perhaps the wisest of those involved in the war-like climate of Hoth.
The tiny equines could well sense the anguish, uncertainty and outright fear of the beings that had left the cavern and its massive tunnel system, as well as of the one left behind to stand the watch over the remnants of the others' lives. Still the three donkeys as well as the large stallion remained placid in their demeanor as if they knew something the others did not, or perhaps saw the futility of worrying about something that was out of their control.
Anayah sat cross-legged on her sleeping pallet, meditating to try and keep her mind off a battle she would not be participating in, a battle that her blood kin, foster and extended family members were pouring their heart and soul into - and maybe even their very life's blood. She knew the chance existed that she would never see them again, but rather than let despair hold sway over her heart and thoughts, she set her mind free - in a way that would have surprised anyone who really knew what she was doing.
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The small tent city, though bustling with activity, was relatively quiet, for those who were erecting the colorful tents did so with a minimum of noise for it was far too early to alert anyone in Hoth that might be watching that Harad had "arrived." Aragorn, with Legolas by his side walked from one end of their village to the other, helping where they could, encouraging those who needed it and calming the nerves of those whose possible freedom seemed so close at hand but were still shadowed by the looming specter of war.
Lothur was out on the field helping the freedom fighters to set up the surprises that Elladan and Elrohir had devised. Other than a few words of direction, here and there, the work was carried out in complete silence, the workers almost appearing as soundless spirits, using mostly hand signals for communication with one another.
Aragorn watched them in silence for a time, visualizing the effect these "hindrances" were going to have on the Hoth soldiers. Though he knew that the different devices would not and could not take out great numbers of the Hoth and Wainrider soldiers, they would serve their purpose when they created the chaos necessary to give his fighters a better chance of winning the day.
The twins had done their job well when ordering the placement of the tents. Coming across the plains towards the camp, all the soldiers would see would be the tops of tents here and there, vaguely suggesting that there were many more dwellings further back in the forest. The uncertainty would hopefully be enough to put the Wainriders off-stride and make then uneasy.
The young Ranger continued his tour of the camp then stopped in front of the healers' tent and looked inside, watching the quiet activity. Halgar looked up from where he and his assistants were ordering the healing supplies and smiled at his Commander. Aragorn smiled back, once more remarking to himself that in the man standing before him lay over 3,000 years worth of the history of his people - the line of Kings - as well as the sacrifices of Halgar's people. The sacrifices of those dedicated people had insured that the two of them had the opportunity to stand this day on a field of war, an inevitable and understandable occurrence for a future king that must learn the art of war as well as the art of peace.
Things happen for a reason. Perhaps his whole experience in Hoth was meant to teach him about the true strength of the human spirit - or the spirit of any free being when pressed into service for a noble cause. He knew he was learning a life lesson in a way that could not have been experienced in any other fashion. He had to personally experience the pain, the fear, the despair, and yes, the ultimate hope that the sun would rise for them the next day. Some lessons could only be learned the hard way - through toil and blood - and this, apparently was one of those kinds of lessons.
After once more smiling at the healer from the small village of Hope, he and Legolas continued their walk.
"Your thoughts, my Captain?"
Aragorn looked over at his heart-brother and saw the twinkle in his eyes. He just sighed deeply and walked for a bit before he turned to Legolas to reply to his question.
"Already these people have more life in them."
Together the elf and the Ranger looked over the camp and saw that indeed, the people before them seemed to have been invigorated by the possibility that total freedom, news lives and new possibilities were just a breath away.
"It is truly amazing, Legolas, that not too long ago these people were cringing under the lash of their masters and now they are their own masters, working hard to assure that their fight to remain free succeeds."
Legolas put his arm around Aragorn's shoulders.
"But you, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, are the Master Gardener who has planted the seed and is tending it and nurturing it as best you can with all the skills you have and ..."
"And tomorrow these tender sprouts may lie dead and withered on the loam of their birth."
Legolas turned the young man toward him and forced him to look into his eyes.
"But isn't that truly the cycle of life? Not all tender sprouts live, my friend. They give their lives then return to the soil of their birth to make sure that the soil is rich and ready for the next tender sprouts. Not even all of those sprouts will live either, but ..." he leaned closer, "...they will have done their best to live and will have looked at life honestly and with wide-opened eyes to better see the opportunities that lie before them."
He stopped talking when he saw Aragorn looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What?"
"You do realize that we are having a serious discussion about the life-cycle and life-opportunities of tender sprouts, don't you?"
There was only a slight pause before the musical laughter of the Prince of Mirkwood could be heard throughout the camp. He ruffled his brother's hair then they turned to resume their journey toward the other end of the camp. Suddenly both of them paused and gave a quiet gasp of surprise, each raising a hand to their cheeks as a small breeze lightly brushed their faces before hurrying on its way. The two looked at each other with knowing glances then continued on their walk without another word.
Back in the cavern lovingly called "Sanctuary," a certain she-elf smiled then opened her eyes.
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As the night wore on, the war council of the Wainriders, with the interim High Chieftain, one ex-Ranger named Garm, escalated into shouting matches, shoving contests and a multitude of near-brawls. If nothing else could be said about the Wainrider people and the similarities between those in the present compared to those of 1944, it could be stated with certainty that they were still a war-like race, quick to anger and eager for a fight. Unfortunately, they were eager to fight over just about anything - which Chieftain was camping too close to another Chieftain; which Chieftain had just insulted another Chieftain's newest woman and even over which Chieftain could not cook.
Garm shook his head and sighed. He was not an altogether stupid man and knew that he needed to draw these posturing braggarts and bullies together somehow, and unite them against a common foe. All day his soldiers had been watching the plains outside of Hoth for any sign that Harad was entering the field. It had not been that long before when an excited soldier had run up to him and whispered that their former allies were beginning to set up their war tents to the southeast of Hoth and were attempting to conceal their numbers by using the forest as cover.
Since that time, Garm had been playing the dutiful host, and after filling the bellies of the Chieftains with food and their heads with wine he had sat and listened to them drawing verbal lines on the floor of the Palace's throne room then daring each other to be the first Wainrider to step across that line. Garm knew that he would have to do something drastic to focus their attention or they would get nowhere with their plans, and he was beginning to get an idea of just what would work best to shut their mouths long enough to listen to someone tell them what needed to be done. He needed to do what Ostara would have done if she had been faced with the same set of circumstances.
Rising quickly to his feet and drawing his dagger he strode toward a minor Chieftain who was clearly not able to hold his own with the others, verbally or otherwise. Walking up behind the man, he drew his head back with one hand while the hand holding the dagger slid across the Chieftain's throat.
There was instant silence with the only sound in the room at that moment being that of a body hitting the floor. Cleaning the dagger on the dead Chieftain's robes, Garm resheathed the weapon then silently walked back to the throne and sat. For a time he was silent, glaring at the stunned men in front of him until he finally sighed deeply then sat up straighter on the ornately carved chair.
"I see that I now have your attention." He said quietly and calmly.
The Chieftains shifted nervously in front of him.
"Now, shall we get back to the reason why we are all here?"
Before the night was over, they would all come to a common decision that when the sun next rose, they would launch a preemptive strike against their traitorous, former ally. When dawn finally came, the Wainriders would go to war against Harad.
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Anayah was sitting in the straw beneath her stallion's belly, petting a half-asleep, Tinu, when Greyfell entered the cave leading a bay mare.
"You found her!" She said as she jumped to her feet.
Greyfell didn't fail to notice the wince she tried to hide from him as she rose.
"A friend of mine was keeping her safe for me."
He reached up and scratched behind the mare's ears then kissed her soft nose before taking Anayah's arm and walking toward the sleeping cavern. Once inside he began to gather tins of ointment, rolls of bandages, then motioned for the she-elf to sit. In turn, she glared back at him and remained standing.
"Anayah, Estel said that I was to check your wounds and if they seemed healed enough and showed no sign of infection that all I had to do was put this numbing ointment on them."
Anayah opened her mouth to argue but after Greyfell raised an eyebrow at her and pointed to her sleeping pallet, she acquiesced and sat - and pouted. In turn, the elf just smiled benignly at her, ignored her pout, and continued with his task. Though both the wound on her chest and the dreadful slash across her back were well on their way to being healed, Greyfell knew, as sure as he knew his own name, that Anayah would find a way to put undue stress on her injuries. He shook his head - he would have to watch her closely for her definition of almost healed and everybody else's definition was not necessarily the same or of the same degree.
"May I ask you a question of a personal nature?"
It was Anayah's turn to raise an eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder.
"Of course - go ahead."
He continued rubbing the ointment onto her back for a few moments before he continued with his thoughts.
"I have watched both you and your brother closely and I have noticed a striking difference between the two of you as well as the normal familial similarities, of course."
"Continue."
"I mean no disrespect towards either of you and I understand that you both possess similar skills but yours..." He paused as he tried to think of how best to phrase his thoughts. "I hope I am expressing this correctly - your skills lean more towards the warring arts while the skills of your brother seems to have been more towards the duty of a future King."
Anayah looked sharply at her friend who, in turn, nodded slightly.
"Yes, my Lady. I know that he is the future King of Men - the heir of Isildur. He wears the ring of Barahir, a hereditary token of Isildur's line - plus I also know of his father, Arathorn."
Anayah flexed her shoulders as she turned to face him then worked hard to assume the most serious expression that she was able.
"I hope you understand that since you now know his secret I will have to kill you - don't you?"
She had not often heard the elf laugh with both mind and heart but on the few occasions when he did it was a unique experience for his whole face lit up when he did so. His laughter was infectious and soon, unable to keep up her charade, she was chuckling along with him. After a time, when both had wiped the tears of mirth from their eyes, they contemplated the issue further.
"You are asking me why I seem like the muscle and why he seems like the brains - am I correct?"
"Well ... I would not have put it exactly like that but ... yes - more or less."
Anayah sighed - serious once more.
"Don't ever make the mistake of underestimating my brother. He is an extremely brilliant, intuitive and highly skilled Ranger. As to his warring skills - Elladan and Elrohir have seen that his training has been of the highest quality - Estel couldn't have had better teachers. Even at his tender age his 'skill at arms' is better than most humans many years his senior and he has also had many life experiences, including this one, that are preparing him for his future destiny. But ... and you must understand this ... our Ada, Lord Elrond, is also teaching my brother what political skills he must have to rule his people should he decide to take the throne when the time comes. His skills are more rounded than are mine and he excels at all of them."
She dropped her eyes and Greyfell frowned for he sensed sadness in her heart.
"My job is to do what I can to turn the eye of the enemy away from my brother and do whatever I can to give him the best possible chance to pass the years in relative peace before the time comes for him to make his choice to take the throne or not. Plus, I have to occasionally get his butt out of trouble. Estel thinks he is invulnerable - a trait that will have to be tempered in the future - and does take more chances with his life than he should."
Anayah took Greyfell's hand and held it.
"He is destined for greatness - I am not - and therein lies our greatest difference."
Greyfell reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I'm sorry for whatever has happened in your life to tear your heart apart like it has."
She shrugged her shoulders.
"I'll get over it."
"I know you will, Anayah. I just wish your road would be easier while you are doing it."
Their conversation was interrupted when all three donkeys ran into the room and after all three were "hiding" behind Greyfell's back with baby Tinu between mother and father, Cyrano began to bray while Irildë started looking around the cavern. Both elves petted the trio, trying to calm them.
"They know that something is going to happen, don't they?"
"Yes, my lady, I think they do."
Anayah was watching her friend carefully for it was clear to her that he had another question on his mind.
"Speak your mind, Greyfell. Do not worry overmuch about the words for they can always be sorted out after they are spoken."
He looked up at her with his own grey eyes filled with compassion.
"Are you at all disquieted by the promise you made to your brother to stay off the field of battle?"
He knew he had touched on the problem when he saw her avert tear-filled eyes.
"Talk to me Anayah for if you do perhaps your heart will be eased."
After a few moments of silence she sighed.
"King Thranduil of Mirkwood, the father of Legolas, as well as Lord Elrond, adoptive father to Estel, asked my elves and I to find Legolas and Aragorn. The King was having disturbing dreams about his son being in trouble and Lord Elrond was feeling a certain unease that didn't totally stem from the King's dreams alone. My brother and Legolas are always getting themselves into trouble when they are together but this ... this situation was something else entirely. The two fathers knew in their hearts that something was wrong. It is for that reason that my Guards and I are in Hoth for we tracked the two here. We have done what we came here to do and so our obligation has been met.
I could have taken my Guards home but I pledged our support to Estel's cause and to me a pledge is a bond - so we cannot go home. However, I did not know that things would have come around to this end with myself being injured and sitting on the sidelines although foreknowledge of this would not have influenced my decision to do what I did. When I told Estel that I would assist him, I meant that I would fight at this side - not sit in a hidden cave while he is out there having arrows shot at him as well as other things. I can't support him nor can I protect him while I am in here."
"But your Thurin Tirith Guards serve his cause in your name - is that not enough?"
There was a hint of fire in the she-elf's eyes.
"No, my friend, it is not enough, and will be even less than that if something happens to Estel. I should be out there helping him and watching his back - not hiding in here like some helpless elfling. I should not be sitting here doing nothing!"
Anayah stopped her frustrated tirade as she saw Greyfell looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"What?" She asked.
"Anayah, you are holding my hand. Is there something you wish to tell me?"
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It would still be some time before the sun rose on the freedom fighters and the few that had not laid down to rest were gathered around a small camp fire taking comfort from its warmth and from those, who like themselves could find so peace in sleep. There was little laughter but many smiles, for they would find no ease for themselves until the issues with the Wainriders had been confronted and put to rest.
Some of the humans gathered around the fire were completely fascinated with the stories of long ago that Halgar had been sharing with them and in particular with the history of the Wainriders. The humans listening to the man from the village of Hope agreed with Aragorn that just like the Wainriders who had fought in the Battle of the Camp, the present day Wainriders had many of the same weaknesses, the main one being ignorance of number of the enemy, although in the present instance, the freedom fighters numbered fewer than the Gondorian forces of 1944. The Wainriders had underestimated the Gondorian forces and it had led to their own defeat. Now, as then, the freedom fighters were going to take advantage of the overconfidence of the much bigger Wainrider force and hopefully win the day just as it had been won in 1944.
The Wainriders would come but they would find out that not only was the enemy not the one they thought it was but that the opposing forces consisted of slaves that had escaped from under their very noses. This fact would pose a severe blow to the egos of the Hoth military. However, as Aragorn had told everybody, they should not underestimate the Wainriders either, for that could very well mean their own defeat. They might be the smallest dog on the field but they were going to prove that their teeth were just as big as the other dog - of that they were all sure of.
Stories and laughter were suspended when sentries alerted them that the four Thurin Tirith Guards were returning to camp. When everyone started to rise Rahan motioned for all of them to stay where they were and after removing their back-scabbards, long knives and bows, the four elves sat themselves with the others.
"Did you encounter any difficulties, Captain Rahan?"
"None, Estel." He frowned and shook his head. "These people do not have a single clue as to what is going on - not a clue." He shook his head again. "There has been a dramatic change in their discipline alone since Ostara's death and reminds me somewhat of a newly butchered chicken - the head of the chicken is cut off but still the chicken is capable of random movement."
"Do you think they will come to us when the sun rises?"
"Aye, Estel. When my elves and I were inside the city, we heard talk among the soldiers that Hoth will probably strike at "Harad" when the sun rises. That is why we came here instead of going back to the cavern as we had intended for we thought this was something you would want to know - your sister will understand."
Aragorn nodded his head sadly. Of course Anayah would understand - she always understood - but then it was always expected that she would. In his heart he vowed that if he lived through what the new day would bring, he would do his best to make it up to her.
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Dawn was quickly approaching and every preparation possible had been made. The four Thurin Tirith Guards left for the hidden areas where they and some of the better archers would lay down cover fire with their bows if the last of the slaves leaving Hoth ran into trouble. Other than the slaves who were pretending to be barracks and quarry guards and a few slaves belonging to independent merchants, the slaves had all vacated Hoth. The popular sentiment that this rebellion was necessary to insure their continued freedom was entirely correct for no man should have to bow his knee in servitude to another and on this point there had never been any dissention. When the sun rose however, their resolve would be put to the test.
Finally, as the sky start to barely lighten on the horizon, Aragorn turned to Elrohir.
"Elrohir - send the signal."
Elladan and Elrohir ran a few yards out into the field beyond the camp. Taking an object out of his pocket, Elrohir leaned over and sat it on the ground in front of him then taking a piece of straw, also from his pocket, he lit it from the torch held by his brother then touched the fire to the fuse of the object on the ground. Though small, the grand display of lights in the sky that came from the firework was impressive.
In the shadows of a building on the outskirts of Hoth, a figure stood and stretched. Agalarion spent only another moment looking at the beautiful display in the sky before he took off to begin his run.
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The sky was beginning to get brighter then those back at the camp on the edge of the woods first heard the faint cadence of the war drums of Hoth. The Wainriders were coming. Aragorn looked around him and at the assembled Captains who were now looking to him for further instructions.
"To your positions - just like we planned."
The Captains turned to their people and soon the camp was enveloped in ordered chaos as everyone prepared. Aragorn sighed deeply then turned to Legolas.
"And so it begins."
TBC
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NOTE: If anybody did not receive a private acknowledgement email from me thanking them for their review, please email me back ... I do not trust the email gods - at all!
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CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur - Your the best, girl! NanaHalfelven - you're my heart and you keep me from going mad ... mad I tell you! Morwen Pallanen aka Aduwathiel ... I am so glad you're back! Karone Evertree - I didn't get my blind carbon copy aka bcc from the email so let me know if you got my email or not.
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kukumalu: Do you have an email listed? I looked but couldn't find one. With all the stuff going on about review responses, I have been responding privately but I couldn't with your wonderful review.
Yes, life is a mad rush but it is just another life skill that we all must learn. I was a single mom raising three children ... now THAT was mad! Had to get all three ready between 6 and 7 o'clock and get out the door. Don't know how I did it. You'll learn though! 8-)
(pop into ME every now and then and work for Elessar.) Actually, I don't know if I lived in Middle-earth in a past life and worked for Elessar or just have too much time on my hands. I try to put myself into everybody's heads - the difficult part being to keep track of everybody's heads. I always have many characters in my stories and not always the same ones. Maybe it's because I can multi-task ... except for trying to use my laptop while I'm fixing my desktop computer ... in that case I can't walk and chew gum at the same time.
Hmmmm. Anayah the counselor. This is entirely a "girl thing," but how many females, even little ones, can come across someone who is emotionally hurting and can't stop to try and help. 5 and 6 year olds ask for Band-Aids for their dolls; 7 and 8 year olds bring home stray pets. I firmly believe that if a female is at all normal, there is a mothering "gene" in her that kicks into high gear when needed. Anayah is really a loving elf - or at least she tries to be.
Thanks for the review! You take it easy and don't let yourself get all stressed out.