In An Age Before – Part 257
After allowing the horses a day of blessed ignorance ere revealing their upcoming trip to the Golden Wood, Helluin found herself convinced that she would not need to provide the Lady Galadriel with an account of Álfrhestr's enrichment. The aging warhorse demanded to accompany her hence.
Whyfor would thou wish to go four hundred eighty miles at thy great age? she had asked him.
At my great age? Look who speaks, he had admonished her. It hath been 'nigh two decades since thou passed ten millennia.
Helluin's mouth had dropped open in shock for she had ne'er told Álfrhestr her age. She had actually required some moments to calculate the years ere realizing that in 2043, she had indeed turned ten thousand, unmarked and uncelebrated, the novelty of birthdays having long since worn thin. The horse had been watching her and smirked as the realization became apparent on her face. Finally, she had thrown up her hands and capitulated.
Very well, thou shalt accompany us hence. Pray keep up.
Should we both agree to go afoot, I shall be glad to race thee, he had offered with a coprophagic grin. Helluin had fled the stable.
"…and he is adamant about going with us to Lothlórien," Helluin had complained to Galadhon shortly later. "He hath become cantankerous in his old age."
"Helluin, he hath remained 'nigh unchanged through all the years I have known him, or at least he hath changed but slowly," the ellon said with longstanding amazement. "He hath retained his vigor already twice the span of any horse I have known. I doubt not that he can endure the journey."
"Oh he shall arrive in Caras Galadhon even if he needs crawl the last dozen leagues," she had carped. "I wager he hopes to live fore'er by retiring to the Golden Wood."
Though she had spoken in jest, Galadhon actually gave serious consideration to that possibility.
"Time passes differently in Lothlórien and the tidal surge of the Fading is diminished," he reasoned, "these things we have all felt. Being already enchanted, I wonder if it could be?"
"Oh perish the thought," Helluin gasped in horror, "he shall become so grand in his own estimation that Ar-Pharazón would seem a middling egotist by comparison."
"Would it truly be so terrible were he to live fore'er, Helluin? He hath not an evil bone in his body and in any case, once there, he shall be 'neath the lady's dominion. Perhaps he shall choose to tarry. After offering our tidings, we shall be taking our leave."
"But he knows where we live," she had muttered ere she fled the cabin.
O'er the following week, Helluin slowly accommodated these upsetting possibilities and by mid-Nínui, she had recovered her equilibrium. As they expected to be gone no less than five weeks, and more likely eight, she and Galadhon decided to forgo the spring planting, for ere they returned, the rains would be soaking the fields. Plowing and sowing seed would be muddy miseries. They informed the animals of their coming absence, an announcement that caused some anxiety amongst the chickens in particular. To the wolves, Helluin's announcement was received with little impact. As 'twas still winter, she brought them a trio of geese that she had shot.
I reckon we shall return in a season at most, grey hunter, Helluin had told the pack alpha. If thou hast tidings, I shall be glad to receive them upon my return. 'Til then, good fortune in the hunt to thee and thy pack.
We shall continue to guard these lands and to honor our treaty, bright one. Be safe in thy travels.
It seemed that the days passed swiftly thereafter, and all too soon 'twas 3 Gwaeron. Helluin and Galadhon o'erfilled the feed troughs and left the barn doors unsecured. They sealed away their accumulated foodstuffs and then closed up the cabin.
At dawn on 4 Gwaeron, Helluin and Galadhon, riding Herǫr and Bóndihestr and followed by Álfrhestr, took their leave of Norðr-vestandóttir Bý. The air was cool, but the bitter cold of winter had diminished. The breeze was chill, but spoke not of snow. Already, the ice no longer rimed the banks of the stream though the ground had barely begun to thaw. The days had lengthened and the equinox would come in just o'er a fortnight. The seasons were turning, providing a good window for travel.
They set an easy pace of 'round thirty to thirty-five miles a day and Álfrhestr had no trouble keeping up. 'Round noon on 8 Gwaeron, the Noldor and their horses crossed the Ford of Anduin, finding the water level elevated only slightly above its winter low. 'Twas a half-day later than their original estimate, but in practice, it made no difference.
In a week, this shall be an icy swim, Álfrhestr remarked as they rode up onto the western bank. Helluin gave him a questioning look. Spring shall come abruptly and a bit early, he opined.
The Noldo had her doubts, but by now, she also had doubts about her doubts. Perhaps he actually could foretell the weather.
On the following morn they turned south onto the Dwarf Road that led to Nanduhirion. Glancing up from the foot of the ascending road that led to the High Pass, Álfrhestr again offered commentary on the conditions.
I am relieved we shall not chance that way. The ice still lies thick on the trail and the heights are crawling with Yrch. They have long recovered their numbers after thy poisoning, and from dearth of travelers, they are very hungry. That, Helluin could easily believe.
Almost eight decades had passed since Khazad-dûm had been abandoned, yet because of the precise engineering and construction of the Dwarves, their road was still in 'nigh perfect condition. Helluin and Galadhon were able to keep a faster pace, and during the following week, they felt a sharp warming of the air. A sultry breeze scented with a hint of the Sea blew north up the river vale bearing heat from the southlands. In two days, the ground to either side of the pavement had thawed to mud or sodden grassland and they were forced to camp on the road.
When they came to Sír Ninglor on the 11th, they found the river swollen and risen high up its banks. The piers supporting the arched spans of the bridge crossing it seemed unusually short above the flood.
T'would seem thou wast correct in forecasting the hastening thaw, Álfrhestr, Helluin said. From the looks of all this, I reckon we would now have to swim at the Ford of Anduin.
Álfrhestr nodded to her and added, 'Tis good we crossed the Ninglor this day, for I deem the bridge shall not endure the flood much longer. Alas, that there are now no Naugrim to repair it. All shall needs ford this river after. I would recommend far downstream.
Helluin only gave him a nod, now unwilling to bother voicing her doubts. The abutments at the ends and the spans seemed sound, but the two piers were certainly under stress. As she watched, a log slammed into the nearer pier and then caromed back into the current, disappearing downriver at an alarming pace.
Having no cause to dally, the company continued south at the same pace and on 16 Gwaeron they turned off the Dwarf Road at the crossroads and headed east towards the mellyrn forest. In the evening, they crossed the bridge o'er Nimrodel where they were greeted by the marchwardens patrolling the northwestern bounds. This time, the company of a dozen Silvan Elves was commanded by Haldir's brothers, Rúmil and Orophin. They greeted Helluin and Galadhon and were amazed to see Álfrhestr again.
"Helluin, surely this cannot be the same stallion that accompanied thee in 2008," Orophin said in wonder. "It hath been o'er half a century."
"Indeed he is the same horse, and yet not unchanged," Helluin had replied. "Aside from the increase of his lifespan, I deem the lady must take counsel with him to learn what further changes his enrichment has whelped."
Rúmil nodded in agreement and revealed that, "Our lady foresaw your coming and seeks your counsel. As ye know the way, ye may come to Caras Galadhon in your own time, yet for this night, I offer ye our hospitality with rest and a meal on our telain a ways further into the forest."
"Thine offer of hospitality we gladly accept, meldir nín," Helluin replied.
That night, whilst Herǫr, Bóndihestr, and Álfrhestr dozed in safety 'neath the trees, Helluin and Galadhon traded tidings in whispers with Orophin and Rúmil. They were another half league east of where they had met, and three fathoms up. In the darkness, the other members of the detail kept a silent watch from three other flets.
"After 1981, the threats diminished and foes have been few," Orophin said. "Whate'er drove the Dwarves hence, we have seen 'naught of it."
"Small parties of Yrch stray into the wood now and then," Rúmil added. "We shoot them if they venture 'neath the mellyrn, as we have always done."
"Have ye marked 'aught 'nigh Azanulbizar Gate, or upon the trail beside the Stair Falls ascending to the Pass of Caradhras?" Galadhon asked.
"Nay, we have not. Seldom do we venture from the forest and not in many centuries have we gone to the pass," Rúmil said.
"Nor have we come to the East Gate of Hadhodrond since the time of war in an Age before," Orophin added.
It seemed that the Galadhrim had no proofs yea or nay of Yrch occupying Moria, and that was well so far as it went. Yet none had actually made an examination or sought for any evidence. At least Lothlórien had not been attacked.
I hope their ignorance leads not to some rude awakening, Helluin thought, say, from legions of Moria Orcs streaming down Nanduhirion to o'errun the border. Such thoughts led to a troubled night with little rest.
The 17th and 18th were spent passing through the forest, and in the morn of the 19th they arrived at Caras Galadhon. Word of their coming had preceded them and the sentries at the gate gave them welcome. As Álfrhestr could not climb a ladder to reach the Royal Talan, Celeborn and Galadriel met their visitors in a garden 'nigh the gate. They appeared, wrapped in heavy cloaks against the chill, but seemed happy to be on the ground.
At their arrival, Helluin and Galadhon bowed and Álfrhestr bent his right foreleg and dipped his head. The lord and lady returned their bows. Celeborn searched their faces carefully and Galadriel offered each a smile as they came forward to meet their guests.
"Suilaid, mellyn nín, I rejoice in your safe arrival," Celeborn said. "I hope ye may tarry, for spring has come abruptly and a bit early this year and Anduin shall be treacherous."
Helluin rolled her eyes, hearing from the Lord of the Galadhrim well 'nigh the same warning that Álfrhestr had given after they had crossed the Ford of Anduin on the 8th. The lady marked her reaction and suppressed a grin.
"T'would seem ye have had some forewarning," Artanis said, eyeing Helluin.
"Indeed so, my lady, and of the bridge o'er the Ninglor being swept away as well," she replied. At the lord and lady's expressions of dismay, she hooked a thumb toward Álfrhestr and added, "ye may inquire of him regarding these and perhaps other pending dooms."
Galadriel turned her gaze to the stallion and he gave a subtle nod of affirmation ere meeting her eyes. For a short span, they traded in thought as Helluin, Galadhon, and Celeborn looked on.
Finally, Galadriel turned to her husband and said, "We must send forth scouts to confirm that the bridge has indeed fallen. Álfrhestr is sure that it collapsed on the night of the 12th."
"That would have been the night of the day after we crossed," Galadhon said. "The river was violent, running swift and high in its banks when we saw it on the 11th."
"I suppose then that we should also warn ye that travelers going by way of the High Pass may be afflicted by Yrch, for apparently they have multiplied in the warrens lying 'nigh," Helluin said. "After my last leave-taking, we found an entrance and I poisoned those within, but t'would seem that 'twas but one of many entrances to a lair that has become populous since."
"We shall warn our people," Celeborn said, giving Helluin a nod in thanks.
"And I shall warn the Lord Elrond," Galadriel added. Then she met Helluin's eyes and asked, was this warning also come of Álfrhestr?
Aye, replied Helluin, and for all his ill tidings, I reckon he should be accounted an honorary Noldo. I hope thy folk shall not come to shun him.
In Mirkwood such might come to pass, but Lothlórien is not Mirkwood. The Elves here have become somewhat accustomed to prognostication, clairvoyance, and the like. Being a Noldo has worked to my advantage in that, I suppose. The Galadhrim expect me to be strange.
They shared wistful smiles at that. During the same time, Galadriel had been speaking silently to Galadhon.
Mae govannen, meldir nín, it hath been long since last we met, she said.
Aye, Lady Artanis, since thou wast in Imladris at the time of the wedding of Galor and Lainiel, he replied.
1482, she confirmed, how swiftly pass the years.
Indeed, my lady, bearing the good and the bad. Alas, we have yet more tidings boding ill, but I shall leave it to Helluin to speak of them.
Galadriel nodded to Galadhon and then spoke aloud.
"T'would seem we have yet more matters of counsel to take. I wager the flooding of Anduin, the fall of the bridge o'er Ninglor, and the return of Yrch to the High Pass are not all that brought ye hither this spring."
"Nay, they are not," Helluin replied. "Nigh a month past, I questioned an Orc held prisoner by wolves. In his mind lay a guarded memory, and within it, commands from some fell master enthroned. I recognized neither the place nor the voice of this master who commanded the Orch to seek 'tribute' along the banks of Anduin. He showed not his face and there was only Darkness. I fear it may be Sauron, seeking for his Ring."
Despite their surprise at hearing that wolves had held an Orch prisoner for Helluin to interrogate, Celeborn and Galadriel did not miss the greater import of her words. They both understood the ramifications. Should Sauron recover the One Ring, the War of the Last alliance and all the struggles since would be rendered irrelevant. Now, with the original allied kindreds diminished, defeating Sauron again would be even less likely. T'would be more closely akin to their doomed opposition of Morgoth in Beleriand, save that now Aman was withdrawn from the world and no second War of Wrath could be expected. A new wave of Darkness would sweep o'er Middle Earth.
For a moment, Finarfin's daughter wondered at the presence of the Istari and their opposition of the Dark Lord, yet what could they do against the hundreds of thousands that Sauron would enlist in his armies? Somehow, these bluntest of weapons would needs be countered on the battlefield, and they simply had not the count of swords to do so. Númenor was gone, the Elves grew fewer with each century, and the Dwarves were divided and in disarray. With a grimace, Galadriel dismissed such concerns and focused on Helluin.
"As a true Noldo thou art come with tidings of doom, meldis ifant nín," she said. "What of this unseen master and his Darkness? Pray tell us all thou hast learnt."
"Pray attend me then," said Helluin, "and I shall show ye what I have seen."
The lord and lady nodded in agreement, for a memory was worth a thousand words. Together, they looked into Helluin's eyes. As they expected, they were immersed in the blue of a summer sky, and then the world changed. Suddenly they stood in the winter night and saw the cold copse of trees beside an ice-rimed stream emptying into Anduin. The body of an Orch lay on its side amongst the trunks whilst a pack of wolves kept a silent vigil, moving like shadows. The pack alpha looked up and met their eyes.
Our thanks for thy tidings and for preserving this captive, grey hunter, Helluin said.
'Twas our pleasure and we are glad to provide ye delicacies from east of the road, he said, grinning as he offered words that indicated some reference to a shared experience in the past.
They smelled the stench of disease on the Orc and saw Helluin shove the prisoner onto his back with her boot. They saw him recoil in horror at the sight of her. Then they heard the interrogation.
Flas, glûr! Shûmb bugud! Helluin demanded, silently and directly to his mind.
I commanded him to speak his name, she translated from the Orkish for Celeborn and Galadriel as they watched. They heard her voice superimposed o'er the vision of her memory.
Narbugud, narbugud, he whined just as silently in reply.
He claimed to have no name, not even a derogatory nickname, by which many of his kind are commonly known, Helluin told them. They were surprised to feel her sorrow at finding a creature so demeaned that its existence was not even acknowledged with a name.
Malghâra? she demanded.
Where are you from, I asked him.
At first, he sniveled as if in great fear, and then he answered, Pulgoruz.
He claimed to have come from the forest, from Mirkwood, Helluin told the lord and lady.
They saw her withdraw from the Orc's mind to confer briefly with Galadhon, and then she turned back and seized the Orch's will, constraining him in thrall as she invaded his mind and examined his memories. They saw his recollections of the horrors and atrocities in which he had reveled as Helluin cast them aside one by one. Then they saw the wall of fire and felt the Orc's fear of it.
His actions were driven from within this guarded memory, Helluin explained, and whilst he deemed himself ruled by his natural compulsions, they were indeed commands from a master he could no longer remember.
Within the Orc's mind, Helluin approached the wall of fire and felt no fear of it. Indeed, Galadriel and Celeborn understood that 'twas a familiar thaumaturgic device to Helluin, akin to the blazing fence with which she had long confounded the Eye of Sauron as he sought for her. They saw her as the Orch had seen her, as a figure of blazing Light, and the Lady of the Noldor gasped, for she had once seen Helluin thus, long ago in Aman as she had stood enraptured 'neath the Two Trees.
As the lord and lady witnessed in her memories, Helluin chanted an incantation with authority in the tongue of the Valar, "Tulukhanuruš! Ibrîgas!", opening an ethereal aperture to expose the inestimable reservoir of Light that she had once accumulated. Then all in the vision was eclipsed in a sudden flaring of silver and gold too bright for living sight to abide. By reflex, Celeborn and Galadriel snapped their eyes shut, and only gingerly reopened them.
The incandescence had subsided, the wall of fire had been extinguished, and they beheld what had been hidden in the Orc's memory. The lord and lady saw the Orch receiving his commands, but the master's identity was hidden and the throne was empty. Save for the prostrate Orc, the throne, and the small section of laid stone 'neath them, the surroundings were enshrouded in an impenetrable Darkness. The voice seemed to come from thin air.
Seek tribute from river. Bring to me, Urgûrz.
This is an illusion, as surely as was the wall of fire, Galadriel declared. Although the Orc's memory of the encounter was hidden from him, it too included a deception. Here there are lies within lies.
'Tis the nature of Sauron to intimidate and befuddle those he commands, Helluin agreed, but he hath succeeded in hiding his presence and I do not recognize the throne. I cannot be sure of the place, for it looks like neither Dol Guldur nor Minas Morgul.
I wager that like the master, the throne too is a falsehood, Celeborn said. Save that an Orch was commanded to seek a boon in Anduin, we can be sure of 'naught.
Helluin blinked, terminating the sharing of her memory and the three again stood in the garden in Lothlórien.
"Hast thou any suspicion that Dol Guldur is reoccupied?" Helluin asked Galadriel.
"I have felt 'naught there and deem the fortress remains abandoned," she replied with certainty. With a subtle gesture, she drew Helluin's attention to her hand where Nenya rested unseen, and added, "I 'look' each night and have 'seen' 'naught."
The dark Noldo could only nod in acceptance of her words. She trusted the lady's Sight and would not go to Dol Guldur to check firsthand in dispute of it. With a sigh, Helluin realized that she was no closer to solving this riddle than she had been on 8 Nínui when she and Galadhon had dumped the Orc's cadaver in the river and taken their leave of the wolves. 'Twas frustrating, but there was 'naught to be done about it.
"Let me turn now to what I may and hopefully come to understand in what ways Álfrhestr has been enriched," the Lady of Lothlórien said, looking to the stallion. She met his eyes and they 'spoke' in silence.
So, mellon nín, save for thy long life, thou appear much as thou did at thy last visit, she said. How dost thou feel? What hast thou marked of thine abilities that thou had not aforetime?
My lady, I feel much as I did at my last visit. Thou hast my thanks, for all those I knew at birth have long since passed, yet I remain hale and hardy. I am able to follow my nose or tail without tiring, my appetite and digestion are as they have e'er been. My hair and hooves continue to grow, and most surprising, my teeth have not worn down. I see and smell and hear as well as I e'er have.
That is all very good, Álfrhestr, and 'tis a great count of blessings, Galadriel said, offering the stallion a smile. I am happy for thee.
As I am for myself, my lady. I also find that at times, 'things' come to me unbidden and I suddenly 'know' what I knew not, nor had learnt aforetime. I mark that sometimes Helluin finds this upsetting.
As when thou 'knew' the bridge o'er Ninglor would fail, or that Yrch had repopulated the Hithaeglir?
Aye, just so, and that Anduin would be flooded within a week of our crossing on the 8th.
The Lady of the Galadhrim nodded to the warhorse. It seemed that he had gained a measure of prognostication.
Being able to foretell is oft upsetting to those who cannot, she said, yet ignorance is worse than upset, I deem, and thou should not stifle thyself when such 'things' become known to thee. Several dangers thou hast already been able to warn others of, and that is a gift of great merit.
I agree, and shall continue to share my knowledge. I have become comfortable with this gift. I was already able to see what lay behind my tail, so why not see what lies before my nose, in time as well as on the trail? Indeed, I find that I now wish to know all things.
The Elves believe that none but Eru knows all things, though as the Secondborn have a measure of free will, perhaps Eru too is surprised from time to time about some details, she said with a conspiratorial smile. I shall not say that the knowing of all things is impossible for thee, Álfrhestr. We must simply wait and see.
The stallion dipped his head to her and said, Wise thou art, as Helluin believes, my lady. As I have now reached sixty years and am wiser than I was at my foaling, I wonder if were I to live fore'er, would I not come to know all things? That mechanism seems sound to me.
I have not 'seen' 'aught to augur yea or nay, Galadriel said, so keep hope, for such may come to pass.
Long ago, I asked of Helluin, that if the Dúnedain live in Gondor and live longer than other Men, doth it not follow that moving to Gondor should bequeath longer life? She said 'nay', that 'twas the Dúnedain who lived long and their land had 'naught to do with it. Indeed, she implied that they had lived longer ere they came to Gondor.
That is true. In an Age before, many Dúnedain lived o'er twice their current span. Their longevity was a gift from the Valar, but most later squandered that blessing. Their kings sought immortality and mistakenly believed that claiming the Undying Lands of Aman would confer such. They were wrong in that belief, and anyway, those lands were forbidden to Men. The Undying Lands were simply hallowed by the undying who lived there. Even had the Dúnedain dwelt in Aman, their lifespans would not have increased. Instead, those who defied the Valar's ban lost all. Eventually, I reckon that even the sons and daughters of those who took no part in that blasphemy shall be much like other Men, regardless of whither they abide.
So then, those who dwell hither are undying because 'tis their nature as Elves, not because Lothlórien is enchanted? Álfrhestr asked.
Aye, just so, even though Lothlórien is enchanted. Yet that enchantment shall not forestall death in mortals, only doth it slow and diminish the Fading of time, a thing most appreciated by the undying…for a while.
Whyfor but for a while, my lady?
The Elves deem that should Sauron's One Ring be found and recovered by him, then all other powers shall be subsumed by his evil and all peoples shall come 'neath his dominion.
And this is the same One Ring whose discovery Helluin so greatly fears?
Aye, we all fear that.
Then I too shall fear it though I know it not, for I would loath to become as a foal again.
The Lady of the Galadhrim nodded and blinked to break their connection. Álfrhestr was indeed enriched. He had already lived twice the span of almost all horses whilst retaining his vigor. Yet 'twas the foresight he had developed that seemed to hold the most potential. She suspected that he would live at least a century and attain to the knowledge of many 'things'.
With their council concluded, Álfrhestr had lowered his head and was cropping grass like any horse would. Galadhon and Celeborn were engaged in a conversation a short distance away. 'Cross the garden, Helluin was seated on a rock, staring off into the distance with unfocused eyes, obviously enmeshed in some memory. The lady sighed. We have been trapped in Sauron's malice since he escaped Angband and fled the War of Wrath, she thought. Somewhere, the Dark Lord was plotting to recover his Ring.
Indeed the Dark Lord had long been plotting to recover his Ring. The 'somewhere', unknown to Helluin and Galadriel, was a forbidding seaside villa on the southwestern coast of the Sea of Rhûn. During the years since the destruction of Sheol, Sauron had spent decades supervising a terrified and growing host of Yrch and Easterlings in the construction of his new eastern refuge. The walls continued to thicken and the tower continued to rise, but the keep had long contained a throne room. There Sauron had repaired after supervising the taking of Minas Ithil, and from there he had returned for a few years to counsel Murazor on the abduction of King Eärnur.
Along with these triumphs, there had been many setbacks. The detonation of Skator, the closing of Nehemoth, the Mâh-Sakâ occupation of his lands in Rhûn, the slaughter of the Wainriders, the butchery of Ungolúróg, the loss of two Nazgûl and one of their Rings were all bitter blows, yet he had seen such defeats aforetime and each time, he had persevered. He had few choices in this, for since his cleaving to Melkor long ago, Sauron had felt such commands as compulsions and he had long regarded them as his nature as much as his duty.
Now he congratulated himself on his vast wisdom in choosing the site of his new fortress, for it stood in the safety of a narrow band of coastal lands whose soil was too permeated with salt water for the were-worms to abide. To the east lay the sea, and to the west rose the forbidding precipices of a mountain range, whence a freshet raced down for a league to the coast, supplying his fortress with potable water. Beyond that strip of territory, the monsters defended his inland frontier. He reckoned that any host of sufficient size to threaten him would draw the were-worms to themselves with the hoof beats of their mounts long ere reaching his redoubt. The same threat reduced the annoying desertions his hosts had e'er endured. Those seeking to flee his service would be forced to cross hundreds of miles of dry scrub, evade the were-worms, the Mâh-Sakâ, and escape capture by his own troops or the Gondorim in the west.
Few routes of escape existed for those not blessed to be able to fly as a dark cloud of pestilence; they could board a boat as ordered and sail north 'cross the Sea of Rhûn to eventually enter the mouth of the river Carnen. From there, those he sent west would debark and march 'cross southern Rhovanion 'til they came to Mirkwood. The few Men living 'nigh the sea he had either bribed or cowed so that they hindered not the passage of his troops. They turned their backs on the Yrch and occupied themselves with tending their vines and fermenting their wines. Thereafter, Sauron's servants would either enter the forest and pass to Dol Guldur, or turn south and come to Mordor and eventually, Minas Morgul. Urgûrz had been one of those bound for Dol Guldur.
Yet what great lord wrestled with but one cause at a time? Certainly not the fallen Maia. Many were the concerns of his rule wherein the search for the One Ring and the building of his fortress were but two. The breeding of more Yrch was e'er a consideration. What host could have too many? They were vicious, easily cowed, and when necessary, cheaply maintained for they would eat each other rather than starve when rations grew scarce. 'Neath his new estate, Sauron was intensively breeding Yrch. There he applied what he had learnt from his master in Utumno, and e'er the cunning student, he was successful. His armies grew.
Few prisoners Sauron kept alive and so few cells had he need of in his dungeons. The vast majority of the subterranean warrens delved 'neath the fortress held his Uruk rutting grounds. There the ravishing chambers were filled with their Lord Sauron's prime breeding stock.
After their gender was determined at birth to be female came the amputation of limbs so that all nourishment went to the growing of foetuses. Eyes too were extracted, for the 'bitches' had no need to see what they were subjected to. Salves bearing hormones derived from the glands of animals in oestrus were massaged into their bodies to promote early maturation and greater fecundity.
In their twelveth year, Sauron's 'sows' were bound to boards for easy transport, and these were lined up on the bare stone floors where the studs took turns one after another, seeding them repeatedly, impregnating their voracious wombs and fertilizing the eggs from the four ovaries they had each been bred with. Those given most to screaming 'neath the years of communal defilement had their jaws bolted shut. When their limbless torsos writhed in pain, 'twas regarded by their partners as brazenly stimulating.
Outside of such breeding schemes, female Yrch were ne'er seen, and this led to a plethora of ridiculous speculations, ludicrous explanations, and pitifully imaginative lore regarding their procreation. Many believed that no female Yrch existed, but this was a convenient fiction. The Yrch were creatures of flesh, bone, and blood; they lived, they died, but also, they were conceived and born, and all this amidst horror and pain.
The studs were specially hybridized as well. They had been bred for endowment and duplicate testicles whence came a thick, copious, and long-lived seed that sought for ova just as a hunter stalked its prey. Even what spilled upon the floors would crawl for hours towards the hormone laden, copulatory secretions clinging to the lower stumps of the 'sows'.
Once the breeding managers determined that wombs had been impregnated and litters were growing within, the 'sows' were removed to a separate gestation ward. There the backboards were lined up vertically like the pages in a book and they were fed a nutritious pap of meats. The breeding managers watched o'er them to ensure that 'naught went awry. Their six teats were massaged, with suction applied for the greater development of their lactation so that even ere their own 'farrowing', they could serve as wet nurses to replace those 'dams' lost whilst birthing their young. Litters of four to six 'orclets' was the normal count, for some in utero sibling cannibalism¹ usually occurred. ¹(as practiced by modern sand tiger sharks, extinct Megalodon sharks, and the 'living-fossil' Coelacanths)
After a litter was born, the young fought each other to consume the afterbirth ere clawing their way up their 'dam's' belly to sink their fang-like milk teeth into the flesh of her areola, each thus claiming a teat. The struggle for survival and the monopolization of resources began as soon as they hit the air and lasted a lifetime. And as at their start in the womb, the closer they were, the bitterer the rivals they became. Ere they could think, they learnt that filial relations came with a knife in the back.
In the vast nether world 'neath Sauron's fortress there were suckling wards, weaning chambers, crèches, and reception halls. Each stage witnessed a measured retraction of care. By the time an Orch reached the age of six, life grew increasingly brutal and supervision became non-existent. The strong became warriors, the mere survivors became slaves, and the weak became fodder. By the age of ten, their life paths were set.
In the breeding of Yrch, Sauron did as he had learnt from Morgoth. E'er did he seek amongst them for superior strains. Those stronger, hardier, more vicious, or more cunning were bred in hope of propagating their traits as the Dark Lord sought to perfect his Uruk-hai. The gains were subtle, incremental, but o'er thousands of years, the Yrch had become more deadly. The modern Orch was a superior creature when compared to those who had once fought in Beleriand. Ere the Third Age ended, they would become more deadly still.
Well as his breeding program was going, some events had proved vexing. The small companies of Yrch that he had sent west to resume the search for his precious Ring had failed to return any word, good or bad. He could only assume that they had failed, for the way he had commanded them left no chance for desertion or deception. They each felt the imperative of their mission as if it came from their own hearts and minds. Though they knew they had been ordered afield, all else seemed to be their own choice. The Yrch would no sooner defy their own desires than his orders and so they had certainly died.
Sauron had sent the last company to Anduin towards the end of Hithui 2059, and by his expectations of their progress, they should have reached the Anduin by early Nínui of 2060. By mid-year, he had heard 'naught. When a year had passed, he deemed them lost and summoned Khamûl from Minas Morgul to act as regent of his new eastern stronghold. 'Twas Hithui, 2060.
Keep the construction and the breeding on schedule, my loyal servant, he told the Úlair. And bring our guest with thee. See to his continued comfort, for I shall have need of his counsel when I return.
It shall be as thou commands, my master, said the e'er-accommodating Black Easterling.
Khamûl arrived in Narwain of 2061. He spent a month sniffing out e'ery aspect of his new appointment. In Nínui, Sauron chose a larger company from amongst the best of his Yrch and to their horror, let it be known that he would accompany them west.
Fear not, my servant, thou shalt scarcely see me, he told the Orch that he had appointed commander of the company. The poor creature could only nod 'aye' in terrified agreement to the black cloud that was the physical manifestation of his master.
They set out 'cross the Sea of Rhûn aboard a dilapidated ship that passed o'er the water enshrouded in a dark fog. When it came to port, Men fled the quay, for that vessel exuded an air of evil and malice that stole the warmth from their hearts. The Yrch debarked from the ship and marched west. In the lands 'nigh the coast, the vignerons and vintners locked themselves in their cellars where they quailed in fear, for it felt as if death walked their lands.
Towards the start of Gwaeron, they reached the East Bight of Mirkwood and there encountered a few nomads, the surviving scions of the once fearsome Wainriders. Sauron rent the bodies of their strongest and made for himself a new suit of meat, and in this fearsome and unnatural embodiment, terrified his Yrch so badly that they ran as if in a rout towards Dol Guldur, o'ercome with fear for their lives. He jogged along behind them scarcely able to control the wet gurgling of his laughter.
Finally, in mid-Gwaeron 2061, they reached the fortress and Sauron sat again upon the throne that he had abandoned in 1856. He took the precaution of enshrouding himself in spells for the concealment of his presence, deeming that his couple hundred Yrch alone would draw no undue attention from 'cross the river.
A quick inspection of the premises revealed that 'twas as he had suspected and none of his servants still abode there. The old, rat gnawed carcasses he found in the underground warren proved that they were all long dead. Of the companies that he had sent to Anduin, there was no trace. He commanded another six to the river that night. Two nights later, they came from the trees into the grasslands. They ne'er marked the silent wing beats of an owl as he began his flight due west 'cross the river.
When he arrived in Lothlórien, he found that the Lady Galadriel was not on the Royal Talan. He met the eyes of the Lord Celeborn as he was just beginning to descend the ladder to the ground.
I bear tidings to the Lady of the Noldor, he said.
Pray join me, silent hunter, the Lord of the Galadhrim said, and received a head bob in reply.
The owl spiraled down 'round the mallorn's trunk and roosted on a branch to await the ellon. When Celeborn arrived, the owl alit light as a feather on his shoulder and rode there to a garden where a horse and the lady stood taking counsel in silence.
"A messenger comes to thee, my love," Celeborn said to Galadriel who immediately broke from her conversation with Álfrhestr. Both the horse and the two Elves stared into the owl's eyes.
I have come from the forest, he began, where an hour ago I witnessed six Yrch march west from 'neath the trees. They came from the haunted fortress.
It hath come to me that they are but six of two hundreds recently come thither. They mill 'round the ruins in fear, but of what, I know not, the stallion said.
And I have felt the presence of increased evil, yet if there is 'aught more than the Yrch, I have not seen it, said Galadriel. Perhaps 'tis simply that they are so many.
Why so many when only six have gone to the river? Celeborn asked. What purpose might they have?
Of these things, we cannot be sure, Galadriel said. I must seek added counsel. She then looked to the owl and asked, I pray thee, wouldst thou speak thy tidings to Helluin at Suꝺriborg? I deem she should know of this increased danger. She shared an image from her memory with the owl of the lands 'twixt Caras Galadhon and Norðr-vestandóttir Bý.
The owl spent a moment absorbing the vision and transposing its information into a reckoning of what he would see whilst awing and then bobbed his head 'aye'.
I shall do so this night, he said. Hast thou other tidings for her ere I take my leave?
Nay, silent hunter, I pray thee share what we have spoken of here, and what thou hast seen, she said.
The owl again bobbed his head and then abruptly launched himself into flight from Celeborn's shoulder. In a moment, he was invisible in the canopy heading northeast.
Galadriel reached out and took her husband's hand, and then she laid her other hand on Álfrhestr's neck.
We shall take counsel with Lord Elrond, she told the stallion. I pray thou join us.
T'would be my pleasure, Álfrhestr said, for I have not seen Imladris in many years.
After nodding and offering him a small grin, the lady concentrated deeply and a weak glow enveloped her figure. In the next moment, the trio stood in the Lord Elrond's study, startling the ellon so badly that he spilt a goblet of wine all o'er his hands and face and spewed out what was in his mouth. The sudden and silent appearance of his mother and father-in-law and a vaguely familiar horse had been highly unexpected. He recovered admirably, snatching up a lap cloth that lay with the dishes from a recently eaten meal and began dabbing at his face and hands.
"Thine astral projection is most convincing, my lady," he finally managed to say, then asked, "Wherefrom do I know this horse?"
"I visited Imladris in 2008 when I came bearing Helluin Maeg-móremenel from Gondor," Álfrhestr said, and then realized that he had spoken aloud. His eyes widened and the shock well 'nigh made him swallow his tongue.
The Peredhel gaped at him, but now he recalled Álfrhestr from Helluin's brief visit as she shepherded Lord Annuihír and Lady Lainiel home to Celenhár. That had been fifty-three years ago. He briefly wondered if the horse was a wight, a conjured spirit, or actually still lived, then dismissed the question, for he deemed that his guests had not come simply to astonish him with a talking horse.
"For what cause have ye come?" he asked.
"We have received tidings of Yrch and Dol Guldur," the lady said, and with those words cemented the Peredhel's attention, yet ere he hearkened to their rede, he begged their indulgence for a slight delay.
"I pray ye wait on the arrival of my guest who should hear all tidings of the Enemy," he said as he called for his seneschal. Lindir appeared at the door as if he had been lurking in the hall and did a double take when he saw his lord's guests.
"My Lord Celeborn, my Lady Artanis, noble horse," he said with a slight grimace at the last as he offered bows of greeting, "'tis a great surprise to see ye."
"They arrived unannounced," Elrond said, and Lindir's eyes widened as he marked the wine stains on the lap cloth and the neckline of his lord's robe. "Pray summon Lord Mithrandir at once, mellon nín," the Peredhel requested.
"At once, hír nín," Lindir said, then bowed himself out of the study and hastened down the hall.
The Lord of Imladris suppressed his hospitality reflex to offer his guests refreshments they could not consume whilst they awaited the Ithron's arrival and instead asked after Álfrhestr.
"How came thee to remain as thou wast o'er a half-century past?" he asked. "'Twas an event of great remark, I reckon."
"I have been so since the lady enhanced me using a golden coin from ancient Doriath," the stallion explained, "yet the mechanism of such an enchantment escapes me. Aside from my miraculous preservation, I have come to know 'things' unbidden and unlearnt, and oft at some remove of time and space."
"Amazing," he said, and looked to his mother-in-law who nodded in confirmation.
"That particular coin held some residual power, perhaps from the touch of Melian the Blessed herself upon a time, for 'twas minted to commemorate the birth of her daughter Lúthien," Artanis said. "'Twas a simple thing to transfer that virtue to Álfrhestr."
"And so now he hath gained longevity and foresight?"
"So t'would seem," she said, "I know not the full extent of what, if 'aught, may follow."
"Amazing," Elrond repeated.
At that moment, Lindir opened the door and announced their guest. Mithrandir hastened through the door and stopped dead in his tracks on the threshold upon seeing the apparitions of Galadriel, Celeborn, and Álfrhestr. After a heartbeat to regain his composure, he offered them bows and greetings.
"Suilaid, mellyn nín," he said, "'tis a joyous surprise to find ye here. I have been told only that there are grave tidings to be heard." Lindir's notion of a jest, I wager, he thought to himself.
"We indeed bear grave tidings, Lord Mithrandir," Celeborn said, "from the words of an owl that have been corroborated by the Sight of Álfrhestr and my beloved wife."
"Barely an hour ago we were visited in Lothlórien by a hunter from the forest who had seen six Yrch heading west toward Anduin," Galadriel said. "They came from Dol Guldur."
"The knowledge that they were six of two hundreds recently come to Dol Guldur came to me most timely this night," Álfrhestr said.
"And whilst I have felt an increase of evil within the old fortress, I am unsure if these Yrch are the cause, or if there is 'aught that I cannot See that came with them." The lady added, "We sent the owl to inform Helluin of what he had seen, and I wager he hath come to Suꝺriborg by now."
The Ithron nodded to them, accepting their tidings, and for a while, he stood silent with eyes closed, deep in concentration. The others waited on him, hoping his Sight might reveal more. Finally, he opened his eyes and spoke his findings.
"Whilst I agree that the evil in Dol Guldur has increased and I have not seen more than the gathered Yrch, I too feel unsure. I sense deception, as if those newcome are but part of a plot that moves obscured in Shadows," he revealed. Alas, he had found no certainties. "Should 'aught else become known, pray inform me at once, for I feel doubt."
'Twas an ominous assessment, and yet for the present, they could do 'naught but maintain their vigilance. Dol Guldur would be the primary focus of many eyes 'til its mysteries were revealed. Unspoken was their suspicion that the Sorcerer or the Necromancer had returned.
With their council completed, Celeborn, Galadriel, and Álfrhestr bowed to the Wizard and the Lord of Imladris, and then they vanished. Mithrandir and Elrond looked to the empty place they had occupied and then the Ithron turned to the Peredhel with a sigh.
"If the owl has told his tidings to Helluin, then I reckon the six Yrch may ne'er reach Anduin."
"I agree, for she hath slain many aforetime in the Vale of Anduin," Elrond said.
"I would that she preserve at least one long enough to question," Mithrandir said, "and perhaps thereby we might gain some answers."
"And I wonder what time shall pass ere she goes thither and slaughters all within the fortress …again," Elrond mused.
"I hope we learn more ere that day," Mithrandir said, "for I would understand why I feel there is deception there and come to know what moves within the Shadows that I sense."
To this, the Peredhel nodded in agreement. Ere charging to invade a fastness of the Enemy, they should know what awaited them within. He had to wonder if his old friend would feel the same need for caution.
To Be Continued
Guest: Thanks for your review. Sorry I couldn't reply to an 'unsigned' review in a PM. Here, I can't give anything away, lol. Poor Eärnur, flawed hero that he is, I don't hate him. Stay tuned. Thanks for your good wishes, I hope 2022 is a great one for you too.