The day dawned brightly, belying the devilry in its keeping. Treebeard and a company of Ents arrived in the early morning hours and took up positions on the field with the Rohirrim.
On the bluff, Legolas and Haldir had stationed their archers. As Legolas surveyed their fortifications, he spied Tessel climbing the ladder of the flet. "She is gone!" he cried in consternation. "She has taken Alfirin – I know not where she rides!"
"Rhach! She has not gone to the Entwives, of that we can be sure!" He slung his bow across his back. "Join Haldir here and take command – I must go down to the Fords!" he said as he descended the ladder.
With mounting apprehension he raced to the field by the river, where the Rohirrim gathered in rows behind their king. Treebeard stood with Éomer, his Ents at their posts along the banks of the Poros. "Have you seen Aiwë?" he called out as he joined them.
Éomer removed his helm. "She has not gone to the Entwives with Tessel?"
"No! She has eluded him – she must be here somewhere," he replied, scanning the lines of Rohirrim with desperate eyes. "Damn, I knew I should have sent her off last night!"
"Hum-hoom!" thundered Treebeard. "She is far too hasty!"
They were interrupted by the clarion cries of horns that pierced the morning's calm. Across the river they saw the Haradrim approach, war towers upon the backs of mûmakil swinging their trunks to the sky. Ponderously they neared the crossing. Their leader plunged into the river, the others following suit. The Rohirrim gripped their reins in anticipation, waiting for the command to advance. Their restless horses pawed the ground.
Behind the front line, Rebecca sat astride Alfirin, garbed in the pilfered armor of a knight of Rohan, as Éowyn had been on the field of Pelennor. She heard the drumbeats, the harsh Haradrim chant of war. For a moment the blood froze in her veins. Where would she find the courage to face these foes? She reminded herself that the mûmakil were not enemies, then closed her eyes and summoned all her strength, picturing Legolas – his strong arms around her, his eager kisses. She would live to hold him again. Taking a deep breath she spurred Alfirin forward past the knights before her.
Her horse glowed silver-grey in the sunshine before stepping into the long shadows cast by the towering mûmakil. Rebecca tossed aside her helm. Her hair tumbled about her shoulders, curling in the day's humidity. She stood in the stirrups and shouted a warning, "Daro!"
The lead mûmakil paused and cocked his head at the lone rider in his path, who began to sing in words he understood. As he listened intently, archers perched atop him strung their bows and aimed them but held their fire in fear as a strange light pulsated about her. The mûmakil driver commanded at them to shoot but they refused, crying out that she was a demon and would curse them. Elves on the bluff trained their arrows upon the Haradrim. Éomer clenched his spear, ready to charge. Legolas blanched and raced to her side.
An eerie silence descended upon the field, punctuated only by Rebecca's song. She dismounted and handed Alfirin over to Legolas; crooning softly, she waded into the river until she was able to reach out and gently touch the leader's painted trunk. At that the driver swore angrily and yanked the reins but the mûmakil would have none of it. Instead, he caressed her outstretched hand and promptly sat down in the river, tipping driver and tower over his back. Surprised soldiers tumbled into the water. The mûmakil gave a mighty trumpeting cry and, as one, the other mûmakil sat back on their haunches.
The spell was broken. Haradrim archers fumbled in the river. Éomer raised his spear and led the Rohirrim, charging the fallen enemy.
"Do not harm their steeds!" cried Rebecca as the knights rode by her.
Legolas grabbed her arm and forced her to mount Alfirin. "Get behind their lines – ride to my camp!" he shouted as arrows flew about them. She hesitated in the stirrups, reluctant to leave the mûmakil. "You are to stay there, Aiwë!" he commanded angrily.
"I have no time to argue – promise me!"
She felt the heat of his wrath. "But…"
"Promise me!" he repeated harshly.
"I promise, but…"
He was gone, diving into the fray and rapidly firing arrows.
Despite the mutiny of the mûmakil, the Haradrim fought fiercely. Rebecca could hear arrows swishing past her as she rode through the Rohirrim like a salmon upstream.
Dismayed by the cries of battle, she looked helplessly down from the bluff to the violence below. She had promised she would remain in the camp, but she refused to leave her vantage point when an attendant hurried to her to take Alfirin. "But my lady, you must not stand here – you are too vulnerable!"
She would not budge. The fighting raged on. She scanned the chaos in the river, praying to Ilúvatar to protect her love.
Some time passed before a lone rider on a black steed made his way up the bluff. "My lady!" shouted the Haradrim ambassador. "You Elf is wounded – he is asking for you! He sends you this, a token of his love!"
She seized the outstretched mithril ring, eyes wide with fear. "Where is he? I must go to him at once!"
"Come with me – I will take you to him!"
He pulled her to sit before him on the great stallion. She was too rash in her consternation; she did not consider why this representative of the enemy would call upon her aid. They had ridden some way along the Poros when she felt something pulled tight around her throat. Clawing with both hands, she pulled ineffectively. Before her eyes burst a hundred stars. Then her arms fell limp and she slumped into oblivion.
Evening found a weary Legolas dragging himself from the river, bloody with the day's carnage. Éomer rode to him; his knights had rounded up those soldiers who were yet living and had not deserted the battlefield. Among the hostages were men of Harad and Khand, some fearful, others defiant, all exhausted. The riderless mûmakil were cooling themselves in the water. Some had climbed the riverbanks and were lazily grazing on the grassy plain, gently tended by those Ents who knew the ways of the Kelvar.
Legolas mounted behind Éomer and they returned to the camp to discuss their next steps. Tessel and Haldir met them there. Legolas cast his eyes about. "Where is Aiwë?"
"We took her horse, my lord, but she remained here, looking out over the fords."
"She isn't here now!" he cried frantically, stating the obvious. "Search the camp – find her!"
The Elves searched the southern camp of Ithilien from river to treetop into the morning hours. Legolas paced restlessly in its main clearing. He was so overwrought that he did not hear the approach of Dolressa as she laid a hand upon his arm. "Hîr-amin, you are troubled."
He recognized her and scowled. "Lady, what are you doing here? You should be under the protection of your king."
She lowered her eyes. "I prefer your protection, meleth nín."
Legolas flinched at the words, so recently spoken by Rebecca. "You have no place here. Return at once to Emyn Arnen."
She shook her head firmly. "I will not leave you thus."
"Aiwë is missing," he replied shortly. "I must concentrate on finding her."
She tossed her silvery hair. "A child is wont to go missing. You should not concern yourself so."
Angrily he grabbed her wrist. He noticed she did not wear his ring. A deep sense of foreboding seized him. "You say you will not give me up, lady. Where is your ring?"
He saw the look in her eyes; he knew her too well to miss their expression. "What have you done, Dolressa? What do you know of this matter? Tell me!"
She pulled her arm away. "I have no idea where the chit is! I suspect she has abandoned you for another; I knew she would! You will see – she is not worthy of your love, but I am!" She turned on her heel and disappeared into the camp.
His fury was left unspoken as Radagast hurried into the clearing. With him was Oromírië, who bowed her graceful head as the wizard introduced them. "I see the mûmakil below, herded by the Ents. Where is my Rebecca? Why is she not among them?"
"She is missing!" lamented Legolas. "She should have gone to you in Lossarnach!"
"We came after Treebeard – Oromírië would not remain idle with the Entwives when Bregalad was facing danger and there were mûmakil to be seen. What has happened to my Rebecca?"
Legolas raised his hands in despair. "We cannot find her! If not to you, I know not where she went!"
"I will call upon the ravens. They are a noble line, long established in these lands. They will search for her and send word to Aragorn in the north."
A glossy black raven found the King as he sat with his captains upon a rugged outcropping overlooking the Dagorlad. The plain was strewn with the bodies of Men and Dwarves; most of the corpses were of the Emperor's army, garbed in golden armor. Eagles had joined the battle and left many an Easterling dead upon the field. Gondor had prevailed, the East was routed.
The raven alit stiffly on a large boulder before them and bowed surprisingly to Gimli. "Greetings, Gimli, son of Gloín. I am Carc, named for my grandsire. My father Roäc served your sires of the Lonely Mountain. Now it is time for me to do you a service. I bring you tidings from Radagast the Brown."
Carc spoke to them of they victory at the Fords and the unfortunate disappearance of 'She who speaks to Kelvar.'
"I will bear you south," suggested Meneldor. "I am swiftest of my kin – we shall arrive at the Fords ere night falls."
Aragorn graciously accepted the eagle's offer. "Faramir, Imrahil – I charge you with our treaty here. Deal justly but fairly with our prisoners. Come, Gimli, we fly south!"
Aragorn and Gimli found a somber camp upon arrival. Radagast, as was his custom in complete dismay, paced restlessly. Legolas seemed as if he had been pierced by many arrows, so acute was his misery. Haldir looked no better.
"There is no sign? The ravens have not found her?" asked Aragorn anxiously.
"No, sire," replied Tessel. He looked with concern to his prince. "We have pulled all the bodies from the Poros onto the plain. She is not among them."
"Thank Eru," sighed Gimli with relief.
Legolas put his head in his hands. "But where is she? No one in our camp knows where she has gone; she did not return to the mûmakil nor did she go to the Entwives. The ravens have searched in vain all day…"
They heard a deep rumbling along the path. Treebeard returned to them, having aided the Rohirrim in securing their prisoners. In his strong grip was a frightened Haradrim archer. "Hoom. I bring you news which must be dealt with hastily," he spoke in uncharacteristic brevity. "Speak, villain!" he boomed, tossing the soldier to his knees.
The terrified man blanched before the stern gazes of his enemies, unable to utter a word.
Aragorn stood. "Do you speak Westron?"
"A little," stammered the soldier haltingly.
"Then come and sit. You are weary with toil. Take some bread and wine."
The man was amazed at this civility and stood frozen as marble.
"Please," continued Aragorn. "We will not harm you, but we must hear you out. What is your name?"
"Herunor."
"Then, Herunor, sit and be refreshed."
Distrustful, he gingerly sat amongst his foes before assuring himself of safety. This done, he fell upon the bread and wine like a man long starved.
"Tell them what you told the horselords," growled Treebeard.
Herunor looked at Aragorn. "Our man to you – he was on horse."
Aragorn frowned. "Your man – the ambassador? Is it Lokirim of whom you speak?"
Herunor nodded. "Yes. Had woman on black horse."
Legolas stood eagerly. "A woman? What did she look like?"
"In enemy armor. Hair like so," he indicated with his hands.
"It is Aiwë! Where – where were they going?"
The soldier pointed south. "Home."
Legolas clenched his fists. "He has taken her south!" he cried. "We must give chase before it is too late!"
Aragorn laid a hand upon his arm. "Calm yourself, mellon. Harad is vast; we must not rush off without a plan."
"We will take counsel," declared a deep voice.
Tom Bombadil, sporting his feathered hat and bright yellow boots, stepped into the clearing. With him were the sons of Elrond. A shaggy grey dog was at Elrohir's side.
"I have a tale I must now tell…" began Tom.
Things Elvish
Rhach – curse
Daro – halt
Hîr-amin –
my lord
meleth nín
– my love
Next: Captivity