In An Age Before – Part 120
Chapter Eighty-two
Harondor and South Ithilien – The Third Age of the Sun
Now as the night of 14 Nórui passed, the three, staysail schooners of Linhir rounded the headland on the southern shore of the bay, and for a brief time tacked southeast ere the sailors drove their ships north into Ethir Anduin. Sea crafty were these Men who had long won their livelihood from the waters of Belegaer, and though 'twas not the blood of Númenor that flowed in their veins, their forefathers had plied the waves off Belfalas for two Ages of the world and they knew these waters well. So though their craft were far smaller than the great ships of Atalantë, with fair winds they were no less swift at need, and twenty-four knots they made. Better still, their four triangular sails required a crew of only twelve seamen, plus a captain and first mate, so that with the Rangers aboard, each vessel carried three dozen souls.
From the third hour past midnight the ships moved upriver, thankful that a fair wind from the sea combined with summer's lowered outflow on Anduin allowed them to approach a speed of nine knots. After some sixteen leagues they left the delta and found the main channel of the great river, the current slowing thence their progress to 'nigh seven knots. Thus they continued as daylight broke, and for the next nine hours sailed upriver, so that in the seventh hour past noon upon 15 Nórui they reached the mouth of the River Poros.
"I pray thee sail so far upstream as thy good ship can go," Beinvír requested of the captain of the ship she rode in.
"If 'twas thy fancy, First Guardian, I wager my sailors would carry this craft 'cross the desert of Harad on their backs," the captain replied with a chuckle, "and dost thou not have half thy bowmen also bearing axes, as do woodsmen or Dwarves?" Then he sobered, adding, "in truth, I have not sailed the Poros in any season, and so I know not for sure how far upstream we can sail. The mate shalt take the soundings and we shalt go so far as possible, this I promise."
The Green Elf graced him with a fond smile, for during the past hours she had come to esteem the watermen of Linhir. Like their counterparts from Númenor long years aforetime, they respected the sea and loved their ships, and were, by their efforts, the masters of both. And who is to say the same spirit lives not in these sailors, for like the Dúnedain of old, was not the root of their sea craft taught at first by Círdan and the Sindar out of Balar? Surely 'tis so, for in the Dark Years the Kings of Men came amongst them with many gifts of knowledge.
Now through the eve and into the night of the 15th, the ships of Linhir made their cautious way up the River Poros, and though prudence dictated that such a passage be made in the light of day, the Green Elf's need of haste and the talents of the crews let them make headway at a steady six knots. Through the dark and into the dawn they continued 'til, in the third hour past dawn on 16 Nórui, they came to a narrowing whither the Poros made its way henceforth 'twixt rising banks that left but a narrow strand with a path along the northern side. Though its breadth was but a fraction of Anduin's, Beinvír was reminded of the great river's passage 'twixt the cliffs of the Emyn Muil north of Nen Hithoel. Still the depth remained sufficient to allow the schooners' passage, though now the captain ordered a sail furled and paced the deck, calling for almost constant soundings.
"Keep to the channel center," he ordered the helm as the banks grew into cliffs and the danger of submerged boulders calved from the walls increased with each passing mile.
Through the hours of daylight they continued, 'til 'nigh sundown they were forced to a halt, and thither, a full one-hundred and thirty miles above its mouth, they could see the ford of the Harad Road, and beyond, the narrow slot canyon through which the river passed the hilly, forested land of South Ithilien to its headwaters in the distant shadow of the Ephel Dúath upon the borders of Mordor. 'Twas ominous enough, yet to the Green Elf's keen sight, more ominous still was the fading cloud of dust to the south that spoke of the march of many feet. Red dust in the reddened light of Anor's farewell.
"Good speed thou hast made, Captain, and very great is my thanks," Beinvír said, "but now I bid thee make thy way home with all haste. Late upon the morrow, or at most upon the day after, the Poros shalt not be safe for thy good vessels."
Then, though the dark of night was swiftly falling, she bid the Rangers debark and the ships sail, awaiting not the light of day. Six at a time in the schooners' small dinghy's, the Rangers were rowed to the path 'neath the cliff upon the northern side. Once ashore, Beinvír spoke urgently with the lieutenant and the sergeants, and the company set out upriver to the ford in haste.
'Twas through cuttings in the cliff banks upon both sides of the Poros that the road ran down to the ford, and this was in summer a swath of marl and gravel some ten fathoms wide, 'neath shallow sparkling water of knee depth. The cliffs embanking the Poros stood to a height of eight fathoms, rising still higher upriver, and the cutting and grading to make the ford passable even by great wains had first been made by the martial engineers of Gondor in the days of Tarannon Falastur, but much improved by King Eärnil for the passage of his arms to the siege of Umbar. The final refinement of the ford was done in the days of Ciryaher, when cunning bypasses with sluice gates and conduits were made to assure the constant level of the waters o'er the ford. So passed the army of Gondor, eighty thousands, marching to meet the fifty thousands coming by ship, to the conquest of Umbar and Harad 'neath the command of Hyarmendacil in T.A. 1050.
Now whilst the Green Elf and the Rangers sailed from Linhir, in Osgiliath the preparations for war continued in the heat and humidity of the summer days upon Anduin, and most longed for the succor of the king's summer residence in the Tower of the Sun, with the cool heights of Mindolluin at their backs. Yet in this year of strife, such a respite was not to be.
Even as Helluin, Eldacar, and Ornendil gazed into the Palantír of Osgiliath on the eve of the 12th, the cavalry of Gondor had encamped upon the road south of Minas Anor, and thither, with much aid from Dúnedain of the Tower of the Sun and the Men of Lossarnach living 'nigh, began the construction of barricades and trenches extending both east and west from the road. This work continued through the following days, even 'til the sighting of the enemy drawing 'nigh.
During those days the number of the defenders was swelled by armed reservists from the greater households of Lossarnach, hunters from Osgiliath, Minas Anor, and the Pelennor, and a growing cadre of Rangers. Indeed these arrived, both ahorse and afoot, in such numbers as to amaze the Dúnedain. By 15 Nórui a standing army had gathered numbering almost three and one-half thousands, and word was sent to the king.
Upon the eve of the 15th, a messenger came to King Eldacar's study in the eighth hour past noon. Thither he was heard by the king, the prince, Captain-General Borgil, and Helluin.
"My lord Eldacar, I bring thee word from the captains upon the road. With much aid from the Men of the surrounding lands we have built defenses stretching two furlongs to each side of the road and sufficient to halt the cavalry of Castamir. Many have come to our aid, bringing the count mounted to 'nigh two thousand, and those afoot to o'er one and one-half thousands. M'lord, many of these art Rangers of Lebennin, and these also report the progress of Castamir's troops delayed with loss such that best reckoning now puts their arrival at our defenses no sooner than the mid-morning of 17 Nórui, perhaps later. Every mile they advance they must contest with hidden archers, and yet more, 'tis reported that Castamir himself holds them back through indecision…he wavers when his cause would be best served by haste, m'lord."
At this, broad smiles spread upon the faces of King Eldacar and Captain-General Borgil, a chuckle escaped Prince Ornendil, and the hint of a grin shaped the lips of Helluin.
"My lord, thy kinsmen Anræd and Hæleþ beseech thee to ride out to meet the enemy upon the road and reinforce thy cavalry with a full complement of infantry, for with so many horsed, rather would they meet the foe upon a field of battle than defend a city besieged."
For some moments the king made no answer. Other news had come to him only shortly afore. The fifteen hundred troops from Cair Andros would reach Osgiliath the coming morn. Yet more, on each evening since the 12th, Helluin had assailed Castamir through the Seeing Stone, and now his judgment was indeed impaired. He himself had watched as his enemy had grown more distrustful of those 'round him, more easily frustrated by the harrying of the Rangers, and the quicker to rashness in his commands. Now Castamir failed to break camp and march with the sun, waiting 'til the third hour ere striking his tents. He ordered sorties off the road, many of which returned with reduced company, or sometimes not at all. He spent much energy and time burning the surrounding lands, hounding any folk his troops met, arguing with his captains, dispensing the martial discipline of floggings for even slight infractions, and staring blindly at his maps. He slept now but little, for fell voices and dreams of ill-omen haunted him. Oft times he skipped the officer's mess, eating sparingly and alone in his tent whither he muttered to himself and cursed his servants. His captains had taken to whispering about him, for with each passing day, his condition seemed more bizarre. At all these things the king had smiled.
More than this, Helluin had shown him the march of Castamir's reinforcements in Harondor and the passage of three small ships out of Linhir, and how, but an hour earlier, those ships had made the mouth of the River Poros and turned upstream.
"Captain-General Borgil, summon the cavalry of Minas Ithil hither with greatest haste to join the defense upon the road. The garrison of Cair Andros shalt join us thither as well," the king ordered. Then, turning back to the messenger, said, "tell my kinsmen that Osgiliath shalt follow their counsel. We shalt engage the enemy upon the road, for now we can meet them with 'nigh eight thousands, and each day we hold them thither, more shalt arrive from Lebennin and Anórien."
So the order was passed and Osgiliath was emptied of troops, and Minas Anor as well, all joining those already posted upon the road. The cavalry of Minas Ithil came in just ere dawn upon the 17th, and from the south, another two hundred Rangers. Then Anor rose o'er the heights of the Ephel Dúath, coloring the clouds above with a ruddy light, and in short order King Eldacar and Prince Ornendil, Anræd and Hæleþ with all their knights and captains were arrayed, ready for war. Behind them stood almost six thousand soldiers and knights of Gondor's Northern Army, the garrison of Cair Andros, the city guards of Minas Anor and Osgiliath, the cavalry of Minas Ithil, and one and one-half thousand Rangers of Lebennin. With them were another seven hundreds of reservists, irregulars, hunters, and retainers of the loyal houses of Lossarnach and the Pelennor…o'er eight thousand defenders.
In a tent somewhat back from the front, Helluin was seated at a table. Before her on a ring-stand sat the Palantír of Minas Anor, smaller and more portable than the Osgiliath Stone. She had conjured a vision of Castamir lying upon his cot with teeth and fists clenched tight. Again had he endured a sleepless night in which a fell voice cajoled him with its offer of favor and the foresight of loss should he refuse. Yet now he was well 'nigh certain of whose voice it was that had taken up residence in his counsels, and so he resisted, to his increasing torment.
No son of kings shalt e'er again follow thy will, Abhorrent One, for to welcome thee is to invite damnation, Castamir whispered as the pressure within his skull increased a pace, bringing a throbbing as of Dwarf hammers ringing upon his pate.
Thy greatest king welcomed me! Think thyself a better than Ar-Pharazôn? Thou seek but the rule of a fragment of a poor realm of exiles, little dreamer, whilst with my aid, the Golden King of Númenor well 'nigh took Aman. Without my favor thou hast no future. Squander my offer and 'tis only a death at thy rival's hand that awaits thee. This I have shown thee, and in seeing, thou hast already accepted the first of my gifts!
Clutching both hands tight o'er his ears, Castamir screamed and jerked upright. To his feet he staggered 'neath the pounding of the blood in his veins, and he wrenched aside the flap of his tent. All 'round stood a company of captains, lords, and soldiers, waiting on him for the orders of the day, but now frozen in shock as they stared at him ere they looked away in embarrassment and fear.
Adding a sharp dagger of pain that drove him to his knees in the dirt with a strangled cry, Helluin withdrew and the palantír went dark. After drawing the swath of velvet o'er it, she exited the tent and nodded to its guards. Then she made her way to the king.
"I can now confirm that t'will be some hours ere Castamir resumes his march, O King," she told Eldacar. "'Twixt the distance, his delay, and the hounding of the Rangers, t'will be mid-afternoon ere we see battle."
At a questioning glance from the king, she added, "he hath had another sleepless night, rising only moments ago to torment and pain."
"And what of movements in Harondor?" the King asked.
"The Ford of Poros is now held against the enemy, O King, and their passage shalt be dear bought and not for some days, if indeed they win passage upon the road at all. Mayhaps they shalt be forced off it, to find some other crossing either upstream or down. Even then their march shalt be harried as has been the march of Castamir. I should say that Minas Ithil has at the least another fortnight's grace."
Glad was the king to hear Helluin's tidings, and glad too for the respite of time, and so he released the knights and soldiers from the formation 'til after the noon meal, posting in their stead sentries and watchmen and scouts. Then, like his knights, he did off his armor and breathed a sigh of relief to be free of the weight of it, for though 'twas only just past dawn, it had left him feeling half-cooked in the growing summer heat. So whilst the scouts watched for the approach of Castamir's cavalry, the warriors of Gondor spent another five hours ere the noon meal, and two more after it, in the betterment of their fortifications, and when finally a pair of scouts returned at a gallop to report the enemy advancing at a walking pace three leagues to the south, they took up again their arms and donned their armor, and all was put in readiness for battle.
Now through the hours of darkness 'twixt 16 and 17 Nórui, Beinvír and her company of Rangers scouted the ford and the road for two leagues to the south, and the River Poros for a like distance upstream. With the dawn of the 17th they took counsel and decided their course.
"The ford we must make impassable," Beinvír told them, "and both casualties and delay must we cause our enemies in the greatest measure possible."
"Yet we cannot hold back indefinitely such a force as thou expect," Brógthínen¹ the Lieutenant of the Rangers said, "and a way of escape must be decided ere we engage the enemy in battle." ¹(Brógthínen, Silent Bear = bróg(bear) + dínen(silent) At the partition of Sindarin names, -d is changed to -th. Sindarin)
"To this I have already given thought," the Green Elf said, "for even should the enemy win the ford, a long ways they have yet ere they come to the battle in Osgiliath. There shalt be no escape for us by water, nor an end to our toil in this land. Once we have visited such hardship hither as we can contrive, 'tis upstream upon the northern bank that we shalt withdraw. Thither, I deem, the enemy shalt be least likely to pursue us, for they have already both a goal and a direction, and I deem 'tis their march that they shalt resume at the first opportunity."
"I agree," Brógthínen said, "for they art ordered to battle in the north."
"And once they pass?" Sergeant Langeleg¹ asked. "Surely we cannot let them go?" ¹(Langeleg, Swift Sword = lang(sword) + celeg(swift) At the partition of Sindarin names, the –c is changed to –g but is dropped rather than doubled in this case. Sindarin)
"Nay, we shalt not let them go. Each mile they march they shalt be forced to win with loss," Beinvír assured him. "We shalt do as thy brothers in Lebennin have done and continue to do, for 'twixt Poros and Harnen, the lands of Harondor were won by Falastur, but north of Poros is Ithilien, and that has been a part of Gondor since its founding. And so, as in the great war, thou shalt deny the enemy the passage of his arms upon the king's roads, for though we number but three score and five, as in an Age before, we art now Rangers of Ithilien."
"And as of old we have again thy leadership, Cónhal Beinvír," Sergeant Gilhuor¹ said, "and indeed even the same mission. Does not the saying go that oft art deeds repeated in the Song?" ¹(Gilhuor, Star of Courage = gil(star) + huor(courage) Sindarin)
"Aye, 'tis so indeed," the Green Elf replied.
"How then shalt we cause our enemy the greatest discomfort?" Sergeant Celebthá¹ asked. ¹(Celebthá, Silver Shadow = celeb(silver) + dae(shadow) At the partition of Sindarin names, the –d is changed to –th and the diphthong –ae changes to –á. Sindarin)
"Great thanks we should give to both Yavanna and Ulmo for the nature of these lands," Beinvír told the Rangers, "for hither we have both running water and trees upon the banks. Still, we have much to do and but a day in which to accomplish it. A furlong downstream, one company shalt fell such trees as needed to dam the river's flow. A second company shalt do likewise upriver, save that the dam be rigged to fail on command. Hither the third company shalt plug the conduits and remove the gates from the sluices. The southern cutting we shalt block partly with branches and such deadfall as we can find. 'Tis within easy bowshot from the northern banks, and at need we can fire the wood set in the cutting."
With a grim chuckle, Lieutenant Brógthínen assigned the duties.
"Sergeant Langeleg, take thy company downstream. Sergeant Celebthá, thou hast the duty upstream. Sergeant Gilhuor, remain hither and prepare the ford and yonder cutting…the cutting first."
With nods of acknowledgment, the three sergeants gathered their companies and set out to their stations in silence. Soon the ringing of axes, the fall of trees, and the splash of trunks hitting the water could be heard in the canyon of the Poros, whilst in the south cutting, a growing collection of deadfall and tinder grew into a well-laid bonfire awaiting a flaming arrow. By the noon hour, the labor of King Ciryaher's engineers had been undone, depriving control of the water level to the invaders. Unhinged, the sluice gates lay now at the bottom of the downstream channel, whilst the conduits had been plugged with branches and rubble. O'er the ford the velocity of the water immediately increased, and erosion by its scouring set in. By mid-afternoon the depth of water had begun rising, and the last few of the company working in the south cutting waded the ford waist-deep upon their return
The trickiest part of the plan was the work upstream, but in the late afternoon and early evening, the companies from downstream and the south cutting had joined those already working upstream, and with their aid, a very crude and leaky, but breakable dam was in place at the first hour after nightfall. Then the companies retired to the north cutting to set their camp, and 'twas a very tired group of Rangers who finally took some food and rest upon the night of the 17th.
Just ere dusk, Beinvír had ascended the bole of a tulip tree, and from a height of some twelve fathoms, marked the dust of the approaching enemy, rising as they set their camp. I make them three leagues to the south still, and so they shalt reach the ford at the fourth hour past dawn upon the morrow. That is good, for the Rangers art weary from their toil and a night's rest shalt be a balm to them ere the battle.
"Sleep well this night, for thy labors have wrought an obstacle the enemy shalt find difficult to pass even were it not also defended. I believe that they shalt come two hours ere noon upon the morrow, yet tonight thou can take thy rest in ease," the Green Elf told the Men at their supper.
About her the Rangers were too weary to cheer, but sincere smiles and nods of thanks came from many, and all felt a sense of pride in their accomplishments of that day, whate'er should come after. Too, many felt a kinship with their ancestors who had fought in these same lands 'neath the command of this same Elf, and perhaps even against the ancestors of these same foes, at the end of the Second Age so long ago. No few reflected upon the words of Sergeant Gilhuor that past dawn, Does not the saying go that oft art deeds repeated in the Song?, and the Green Elf's reply, Aye, 'tis so indeed. And with such a confirmation from one of such age and renown, they had hope and faith…they believed that, though they numbered but three score and five, they could cause the enemy such hardship and delay that by their actions, they would affect the coming siege of their king's city.
To Be Continued