The song of tomorrow

by Nuredhel

The past reaches out to the future and a living mystery is being delivered to the king of Mirkwood as a gift. What follows is a tale of longing and love, of lust and Death and depravity and through it all runs the tunes of the song of tomorrow...

15. Bringer of lies and deceit

Chapter 15:Bringer of lies and deceit.

Maglor soon discovered that things indeed did change also within this realm, the changes were always subtle and they did take time but they were there. The introduction of the collection had shifted the tastes of the court towards different types of entertainment and now many came to Thasul and the trainers and asked them to train also their own artists. Few were given this honour though, the trainers had more than enough to do already and they weren't swayed by money or influence. But a few were given permission to train there and they were kept separated from the collection and they had to prove that they had real talent too. Maglor had sort of dreaded having to teach the emperor's children but he soon discovered that they all were eager to learn and also very humble.

He did like this extra job for it did provide him with some very different tasks and he did also learn a lot. He had a fairly good grasp on the local culture but every now and then he did notice things he had been unaware of. One of the young princesses had a servant who wore some odd facial tattoos and he did also see some old women who were unable to work since their feet were crippled. It was an old custom which was abandoned now but some still lived who had been the sad victims of this tradition. It was done to ensure that the women wouldn't run off and thus stay at home where they could be controlled.

The performances were a joy now, something they all looked forward to and the others had sort of changed a lot. It was changes which were rather subtle but Maglor did see them rather well. Most of them had thawed a lot when the Sha'al was brought down but they had still lived within his shadow, now they were somewhere new, and there were nothing there which reminded them of the past. They had blossomed and Maglor found great joy in this fact. Maglor did often meet with the emperor within his secret room and they had long conversations, Maglor did know that the man appreciated this a lot and the elf did also like these quiet evenings with good wine and relaxation. The emperor did discuss the realm and its problems with Maglor, the elf did recognize many of the things he struggled with from his own brief time as a ruler and he hoped that the advice he did give was sound.

They had been there for half a year when the Ayjun one evening looked more worried than ever before and Maglor became a bit nervous. He saw that the emperor looked tired and there was a dark expression within his eyes. Maglor didn't speak until Ayjun sat down and made a grimace. "I see your face my friend, yes, you are allowed to ask"

Maglor managed to smile. "I doubt that I need to, something is bothering you greatly"

Ayjun sighed and grasped a goblet of wine, Maglor did notice that his hand was trembling ever so slightly. "Indeed it is, you have heard of the war campaign up north? Some barbarians are rustling their feathers and they refuse to listen to common sense. They do believe that they can attack this realm and occupy land which belongs to us."

Maglor frowned. "I have heard about it yes, is it a real problem?"

Ayjun sighed again and made a grimace. "No, not really, I could send just a few of my troops and they would be obliterated completely but I don't want to do that. Needless bloodshed should always be avoided, we are civilized and peaceful, not mad dogs. I want to solve this in a more elegant manner, by diplomacy."

Maglor leaned back against the backrest and tilted his head. "I know, but this war chief doesn't sound like someone who wants to back down at all?"

The emperor nodded slowly. "And herein lay the problem. I cannot convince the blockheaded fool of the folly of his deeds. I have forged an alliance with some of the tribes south of his realm, they will do their outmost to keep him at bay but I doubt that it will be a success. I don't want to bring an army up north, too many lives will be lost"

Maglor found this a bit fascinating, things were done so very differently now from when he was forced to rule. "What sort of an alliance?"

Ayjun put down the goblet. "One forged through marriage, I have to marry the daughter of the one in charge of those tribes. Yet another demand fate has put upon me, I cannot say that I am looking forwards to this at all"

Maglor blinked. "Yet another wife?!"

Ayjun looked as if he was tasting something rather foul. "Yes, but there is no way around it. We need those tribes as a sort of buffer, if that idiot think that he can make a move against this realm he will have to get past them first and I know that he does respect them, at least to a certain degree."

Maglor had to snicker. "So you are not looking forward to yet another wedding?"

Ayjun almost snarled. "No, most definitely not, but I just have to. And I bet she is pretty and young and eager too. I am not young anymore, my libido is dwindling and a hot blooded bride is the last thing I need"

Maglor tilted his head. "Can't your oldest sons do the honours? They are old enough to marry?"

Ayjun scoffed. "Yes, they would do well as husbands, it would teach them a wee bit about responsibility but no, it has to be me. Until one of them can take the title of emperor they are nobody in the eyes of that chieftain."

Maglor did pity the emperor. "So, when is the great day to come? And what do you know about this bride to be?"

Ayjun made a grimace again. "Next full moon, that doesn't give me much time to prepare now does it? All I know is that she is regarded as a very wise girl and that she is about twenty years of age. That is rather old for a bride so perhaps that label of "wise" is an euphemism for "unattractive" What do I know really!"

Maglor tried to hide a small grin. "You will find out soon enough, think about the alliance. It will be useful for sure"

Ayjun nodded. "Beyond doubt yes, Tharaghan the great is stupid enough to think that he can challenge this realm head on. He does have a great army but they are not really soldiers. He is uneducated and very superstitious and he has never seen anything else than the vast steppes and the small villages of his people. If he does go to war against us we do have to fight back and it will be as if an aunt decide to charge at an elephant."

Maglor looked down. "Maybe he does need a demonstration of your strength? Have he seen your soldiers? Have he seen the weapons you have?"

The emperor frowned. "Know what? You are right, it could be that he need to see what we can accomplish. I will think about it, but I still have to go through with the wedding. "

Maglor tilted his head. "See it as an opportunity to dress in style"

Ayjun scoffed and then he laughed "You do see the good side of everything my friend, bless you for that. If that girl does expect a vigorous and zealous lover I am afraid she will be greatly disappointed but at least I am no overly eager teenager who will just go for it and be done in seconds"

Maglor had to snicker. "That is the right attitude, but do think about what I said. It could be that the sight of a real army will make that war chief change his plans"

Ayjun smiled. "Speaking of plans, I have finally chosen the two concubines you and Aodh are to be gifted with, I know you think you don't need them but I insist. You are slowly becoming someone of importance and you will need someone to guard your back"

Maglor sort of cringed but he didn't protest, he had sort of hoped that the emperor had forgotten about the promise he had made. "I guess I am grateful"

Ayjun laughed out loud. "Oh that is precious, you guess you are grateful. I do so appreciate your honesty. Few dare to speak their mind directly to me"

Maglor shrugged. "I remember that too, things were sugar coated and twisted until there were nothing left of the truth. "

Ayjun got up with a groan, his age did show now when he wasn't trying to hide it and Maglor knew that he soon would have to chose between his sons and decide who he would declare as his heir. "I will talk to my generals, they may have some ideas. Take care my friend, I will look forward to our next meeting. "

Maglor got up too and bowed gracefully. "Me too, it has been a pleasure as always"

Ayjun was still chuckling as Maglor left the room, he knew the way now and didn't need to be guided and he walked back to his own rooms with many thoughts spinning through his head. He was greeted by the cats and sat down by his desk. Lately he had tried to write some poetry in the style of this realm and it wasn't easy for the poems themselves didn't really reveal what they were about. The main theme was sort of hidden behind the lines and thus they were hard to interpret. He liked the challenge but he had already made a few blunders and the list of unwritten rules was very long indeed. Aodh was training with Demetry for a new sort of dance routine and Maglor was all alone for once. He was thinking about the things Ayjun had said, the best way to avoid a war was in fact to show some real strength and determination, this Tharaghan was probably the type who only understand one language and that was violence. Maglor hoped that the emperor didn't need to shed blood, he was a wise man but sometimes wisdom can come at a price.

Aodh returned late and he was really tired and Maglor did realize that he too was getting older. The blond did drink some wine and sat down. "You look thoughtful?"

Maglor nodded. "Yes, I have received some news today. The emperor is to get married again, to form an alliance with some northern tribes."

Aodh frowned. "Why? "

Maglor sighed. "The war chief we have heard of? The one raising hell along the borders? Ayjun want to use the tribes as a sort of buffer zone."

Aodh leaned a bit forwards. "Uh, that is silly? With his number of men and his strength he could easily wipe the floor with that war chief and his men?"

Maglor nodded. "Yes, but he does prefer diplomacy first. Tharaghan haven't seen the true strength of the empire, he probably thinks that his army is large and impressive"

Aodh almost giggled. "From what I have heard it is nothing compared with the armies of this realm, is this man nuts?"

Maglor shrugged. "I suppose so? But time will show, I gave the emperor some advice and maybe he will follow it too. "

Aodh went over to the bed and laid down. "Good, ah, have you heard the latest news?"

Maglor frowned. "The latest news? No?"

Aodh snickered. "Aerhan is about to become a dad, he has managed to knock up one of the servant girls who found him so fascinating. "

Maglor just blinked. "Oh darn, ah, how did he react to that piece of information?"

Aodh grinned widely. "Supposedly with great calm, he almost passed out!"

Maglor had to laugh. "Good for him, but he will continue? Dancing I mean?"

Aodh shrugged. "I don't know, I suppose so? He has to support her from now on, pregnant women are not allowed to work you know"

Maglor swallowed, this reminded him of all the things he had lost and he sort of grimaced and put down his quill and tried to remain calm. Aodh saw his expression and sighed. "I am sorry, I didn't think. Are you alright?"

Maglor nodded slowly. "Yes, it is…it is just hard, to be reminded that there is a difference between us after all. I am not human, and I never will be."

Aodh embraced him. "One day you will meet someone too, I am sure of it. You are a good person, whoever your gods are, they must see that? "

Maglor just caressed the strong arms and leaned his head onto Aodh's shoulder. "No Aodh, I have done things you cannot even imagine. Let it lay, forget about it. Maybe I am meant to be here to make amends for my sins, I cannot hope for the joy Aerhan is blessed with"

Aodh took a deep breath. "Then come with me to bed and let me at least put your mind to ease for a while, it is late and tomorrow is yet another day"

Maglor nodded and got up, he was feeling melancholic. "Yes, you are right, another day"

They went to bed and when the servants came to change the candles both were asleep.

The next day they were awakened by one of the higher ranking servants, the man was grinning and he seemed eager. "Good morning gentlemen, our great father has sent you gifts"

Maglor groaned inwardly, the concubines! Damnation, he had almost forgotten about that. Aodh yawned and got out of the bed, he put on a robe and Maglor joined him, both were at least decent when the servant opened the door and two females entered. Maglor tilted his head, both were rather tall and their facial features told him that they were of mixed race. Their faces were more elongated and they eyes larger than on the local women. Both were gorgeous though, with long black hair and both wore simple but elegant clothes and Maglor did realize that they had to be twins. They were so alike it truly was hard to tell them apart. He tried to smile and the servant bowed deeply. "This is Yanhe and Yanhu, they are very well trained and capable of making a man very happy, in every way"

Maglor didn't doubt that, both girls looked curious but not alarmed and he realized that they had been informed of who they were to serve. Aodh looked stunned and Maglor had to grin a bit. "So, you two girls are from the great father's own harem, are you ready to serve two simple performers?"

They looked a bit shocked by the question. "Of course we are, it is an honour"

Aodh sort of giggled. "I wonder what the other guys will say when they see these two?"

Maglor just rolled his eyes. "I don't care, so, which one of you is Yanhe and which one is Yanhu?"

The girls laughed. "I wear earrings, I am Yanhe. I am for Aodh."

Maglor smiled. "Great, then we can tell you apart. So, I bet you weren't born here?"

Both shook their heads. "No, we come from east of here, near the coast. We were sent here as children, to train. The seers saw that we were destined for that"

Maglor sighed. "Alright, are you aware of the fact that this will be different from serving say a noble man? We have duties and spend much time training"

The girls nodded as one. "We do know yes. Worry not, we will not be in the way"

Maglor smiled and hoped that she was right, these two could most certainly cause some uproar. Both were stunning and Maglor wondered if they perhaps could be masked as performers? They were both athletic and they were probably more than capable of filling the role as dancers. It wouldn't look odd at all if the collection now also were made to include females, after all, the emperor didn't favour males the way the Sha'al had and the culture here was very different. Maglor pointed towards a couch placed in a corner. "Right, you may wait there until we are dressed and then we'll let you meet the others"

Both girls giggled and sat down and Aodh stared at Maglor with huge eyes. "Hot damn, and they are ours?"

Maglor nodded. "Yes, but don't think they are slaves, they are here to make sure that nobody try to do anything funny, I have become someone with influence through my friendship with the emperor, which means we both can become targets since you are my lover"

Aodh just grinned. "It doesn't frighten me, oh I cannot wait to see their faces when these two show up"

Maglor felt a short sting of worry, he had come to appreciate Aodh a lot and he was suddenly afraid that the man would lose his interest in Maglor when he had a pretty female readily available at all times. They got dressed and walked to the great hall where the others had gathered and the two girls did indeed cause quite a stir but not as much as one perhaps would anticipate. Thasul did immediately declare that they were to be a part of the shows and that they could pretend to be prop workers and help Noolar and the others with their dances. They would fit right into that dancing routine and both accepted that gladly. Maglor was glad they didn't protest at all, they were probably capable of adapting to almost any situation they could encounter.

The odd thing was that Maglor and Aodh got used to the two rather fast, at first it was strange to have them there all the time but both were easy going and nice and Maglor found that they indeed were very well educated and he found it stimulating to talk to them. Aodh on the other hand had another way of appreciating them, he was after all not that intellectual and soon Maglor found himself dragged into veritable orgies. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it but he often found it to be a bit disturbing. Both girls were trained also in this art and capable of giving great pleasure but the elf did appreciate mental stimulation higher than physical one.

The emperor's wedding was drawing near and the party which was to be held demanded excellent entertainment so they had to train a lot. Both girls were tasked with dancing and did so very well and for a few weeks all their energy was put into training. New costumes were made and new routines practices and Maglor didn't get to meet in private with the emperor until the day before the wedding. He was shocked by what he saw, Ayjun was pale and his face a bit drawn and there were dark rings underneath his eyes. He did look older than before and Maglor sat down and felt a sting of fear. Ayjun sighed and his movements were stiff. "You were right, it cannot be solved through diplomacy. I sent some men to the war chief, may the ancestors curse his bones. Three days ago I received their heads, in a casket filled with turnips. I cannot ignore that"

Maglor swallowed. "Does he want a war?

The emperor nodded, wetted his lips. "Yes, he thinks he can win. When this mess is over with I am going to send troops up north"

Maglor nodded. "That is wise, show him that you do have teeth"

Ayjun looked at Maglor with eyes half shut. "You have fought in many battles have you not? You have seen war, I want you to go up north and see what it is that man is up to. Is he really so stupid or is there something else going on?"

Maglor blinked a few times. "Ah, of course, It is an honour."

Ayjun sent him a pale smile. "I trust you Maglor, you are capable to seeing what man cannot for you have a different background. And I bet you are a capable warrior as well"

Maglor nodded but he felt a knot form in his stomach. He hadn't thought of that possibility for a long time, that he once again would have to pick up a sword and go to war. But this time it would be for a worthy cause and if he was lucky he wouldn't have to fight at all. "I…I am very capable yes"

Ayjun smiled again and patted his shoulder. "I have several reasons for sending you my friend, I want you to watch and evaluate the warriors, both those of the enemy and our own, If there is any flaws in their training I want to know and I want it addressed. We cannot allow ourselves to grow soft in times of peace, it may become our downfall later on"

Maglor bowed his head. "That is most wise of you, I will do my best"

Ayjun went over to a table and opened a small box which rested on it. He picked something up and brought it with him back to the elf. "Here, wear this at all times. It shows that you have the right to speak on my behalf. "

It was a ring, bright green and obviously made from Jade and in the middle was a huge garnet which shone like blood. Maglor blinked and bit his lower lip. "Are you sure about this?"

Ayjun nodded. "Yes, you carry our hope for the future, you have full freedom to use whatever authority you need from now on."

Maglor could only swallow and smile, it was really overwhelming. The emperor put on a fake grin and his eyes did sparkle with mirth. "I better go and get ready for this grand event, I doubt that I will impress my new wife but at least I can look amazing when I want to. The servants have gathered some robes and I fear that my back will snap while wearing them for I bet not even a horse would be able to carry all that weight."

Maglor did pity the man, a lot. He was like a puppet in the hands of fate and had to sacrifice almost everything in order to keep things in order. The elf wondered how in heavens name anybody could wish to become an emperor, it had to be a cruel fate unless you were a cruel person, like the Sha'al.

Maglor and the others had a very early dinner that day and went to bed early. The preparations were on their way everywhere and the palace was being decorated and everything had to be in perfect order. The servants were scurrying around like frightened rabbits and the work leaders had panic in their eyes and were sweating as they ran around shouting orders. Everything had to be ready.

The morning came with the sound of trumpets and drums and a thousand doves were released the moment the sun did leave the horizon. The collection wasn't to be a part of the celebration until after the ceremony and Maglor was glad, there were endless rows of traditions to be followed and he already knew that the bride and groom had a very hard day ahead of them. The collection had to prepare to and had a light breakfast and then they warmed up and went through the routines one last time. Maglor was a bit nervous, he and Aodh were to do the sword dance and this time it was very important that nobody made any mistakes for that would be a bad omen.

When they finally were let into the huge hall everybody were shivering with nervous anticipation, the hall was enormous and filled with tables and the bride and groom were placed upon a dais and sat there on a throne each and looked as if they both were terribly bored. Maglor saw that the bride wore a very elaborate headdress with long golden chains hanging down forming a sort of veil and it also decorated her hair in a peculiar manner. She wore a sort of kimono which was so stiff it had to be like wearing plate armour and her face was covered with make up. She did look like a masque of some sort, not a living person. The emperor too was wearing some very elaborate robes in gold and green and he had probably dye put into his hair and had make up on too, for he did look better than the day before.

The entertainment was to last for hours and Maglor and the others were very glad when their part was done. The hall was filled with nobles and the atmosphere was good but there were tension there too. Maglor could sense it, the conflict up north was making many nervous and that the emperor did marry this girl to forge an alliance could be seen as a sign of weakness by some. Maglor had already decided that he wanted to bring Aodh with him up north, he needed someone by his side who he knew and the two concubines would of course come too. He was already making plans as they returned to their home, he wanted to make sure that nothing went wrong and the sad death of the emissaries told him that this war chief was bold and brutal. He saw why the emperor was nervous, such a man can be manipulated by someone even more ruthless and crazy.

He and Aodh did spend some days packing and preparing and troops were chosen to go, there would be some cavalry and also some of the emperor's elite corpse. They all had been given new equipment and they all looked amazing. Ayjun spoke to Maglor the day before they were to leave. He was obviously tired and Maglor wondered if it was the new wife who wore him out or the general situation. Ayjun was sitting down and he was smiling but his eyes were sad. "I am a newly wedded man and yet I feel little joy."

Maglor frowned. "The marriage isn't a very happy one?"

Ayjun sighed. "She is a daughter of the plains Maglor, born in a tent! She has spent her days riding and hunting and being free. Placing her in this court is like cutting the wings of a hawk and then expecting it to turn into a canary. She will probably fade away like roses on a chilly day. I try to protect her but the other women here are acting like hens, pecking at her whenever she goes."

Maglor was a bit shocked. "They don't like her?"

Ayjun shook his head. "Of course they don't like her, she is threatening their positions. I have given her a sealed off part of the palace in which to live and her own servants. Until she learns more I think she will be better off being isolated from the court in every manner."

Maglor sort of winced. "That bad? Poor girl"

Ayjun sighed again. "Yes, she is brave to have come here and I think I will try to find a way in which I can send her back home without her losing any honour. Time will show. But when you return I want you to help me chose my heir, I am very tired Maglor, and I know that my days are numbered. I want things to be organized and prepared for my…demise"

Maglor gaped. "You have years left?!"

Ayjun nodded. "Yes, probably, but if I know that everything is in order I can relax and enjoy these so called golden years. There is no reason why I should wait, my oldest sons are more than ready for this. "

Maglor took a deep breath. "It is a deal then, I will help you when I return. I swear!"

Ayjun grasped his hand and shook it gently. "Good, go in peace my friend and find out what that moron is up to. There has to be something we don't know anything about behind it all, some hidden truth"

Maglor smiled. "I agree, I will reveal it all, don't worry"

Ayjun grinned. "You are to pretend to be a general, I bet that the truth would shock even that barbarian. An exotic dancer is hardly what he would expect to go up against!"

Maglor had to snigger. "No, I bet he wouldn't."

Ayjun let go of the hand. "Ride knowing I trust you completely my friend. Gather all the information you can. I will be waiting here!"

Maglor bowed and kissed his ring and then he left the room. He had to get ready, they would leave by the first light of dawn.

Saying goodbye to the others had been hard, he hadn't been away from them for many years and now he was going on a journey he knew could last for months if not years. He was rather emotional when he told them to take care of his cats and make sure that they all did practice as much as they possibly could. He had been given some horses by the emperor in addition to those he already owned and all were excellent and of good breeding. He was also given a huge carriage in which to rest and Aodh were to share it with him. The two girls did ride with the two of them and revealed that they were expert riders. Both had been given rather docile mares and the animals were dun coloured. It was common that concubines and wives rode dun mares for it was said that it was smart since evil spirits couldn't see a dun horse as well as one of other colours and then they wouldn't be able to spook the animal. Maglor did ride a rather tall black gelding at first, it wasn't his favourite horse but it was very hard to handle and that gave him some respect from the soldiers of the cavalry. The number of soldiers sent north was large, they were at least ten thousand strong and yet this was just a minor part of the army of that region. The emperor could muster millions if he needed it and Maglor did doubt that the war chief would dare to attack when he saw this.

At first they did ride through farmlands and villages and the landscape was relatively flat. Then sloping hills did take over for the plains and the hills continued for many days before they too rose into small mountains. Maglor was fascinated by the geology of this region, here and there they saw hills which had sort of lost their top and formed craters and he believed it to be a sign of ancient Volcanism at first but then their guides explained that many of the hills were hollow and that time and erosion made them collapse into themselves. Some formed very deep lakes while others were the entrance to huge cave systems. The local people didn't dare to enter the caves though, they feared a sort of spirit they believed to live in them. Here people farmed other things, fruit and berries had taken over for the rice and the wheat and as the landscape did rise yet again sheep and cattle became the main source of income. The temperature dropped and Maglor realized that they would have to cross some rather high mountain passes on the way.

The landscape here became almost unreal, huge spires of rock with tiny patches of forest on top of them, rivers and gorges between them and sharp ridges no wider than a man. There was a road there, unbelievably enough, it was well made too and wide and Maglor realized that they had built huge bridges over the worst gorges and in some places the bridges were hanging from these odd stone needles. It was a lush landscape but odd and alien and few people lived there. There was little food to find for the soil was poor and the narrow valleys were dark and dank and there was always the risk of flash floods for it did rain a lot. Some had in fact hollowed out some of the stone towers and made villages on the inside of them and it was a very safe place to live for all they needed to do was to pull up the rope ladders and nobody would be able to get to them.

The army moved rather fast even in this terrible terrain and Maglor was impressed by the efficiency. He realized that the generals were very good, they didn't push the men too hard but allowed them to rest well and regain their strength at certain intervals. After a week they were out of the odd area and a more normal looking mountain valley opened up in front of them. The guides said that this was the only way across the mountains which by now seemed to touch the sky and Maglor was stunned by the wild beauty of this place. The people living there were tough and small and also very jolly. They didn't seem to worry about anything, they had very little but made due with whatever they had.

Maglor did find some young boys who were willing to tell him more of the history of the people and the area and he was entertained for several nights. He and Aodh would sleep very tight now for it was ice cold there and even the carriage couldn't contain the heat very well. Maglor could deal with the cold but Aodh had become accustomed to the warmer climates and had some problems. He was shivering a lot and wore their best and warmest cloaks. They had reached the mountain pass when Maglor for the first time met someone who could tell them more of their enemy. It was a warrior from one of the tribes which weren't loyal to this leader and he was heading towards the south to sell some jewels he had found in the mountains. He had a pack horse behind him and carried two slightly curved blades and he did look like a very tough person. Maglor found the man fascinating for he did speak the language of the capital very well and he appeared to be very well educated and after a while he did reveal that he in fact had been born in the capital by a mother who had been one of the mountain people.

He had returned to his mother's people when he was ten since she divorced her husband and left and took her son with her as the custom was and he hadn't looked back at all. He was much happier in the wild mountains. When Maglor asked him about the war chief Ulkchan spat on the ground and made a sort of sign in front of his chest, as if to ward of evil. "Tharaghan is a bastard, the son of a rabid pig and a snake. He was always a coward and now he is mad as well"

Maglor frowned. "Could you please explain?"

The warrior grimaced. "He believes that he can conquer the entire world, that cities will fall at his feet and armies flee. He thinks that walls will crumble and kings surrender. He does believe that the gods have spoken to him but the truth is that he is being fooled and that rather royally too."

Maglor got interested. "Is he being controlled by someone else?"

Ulkchan nodded solemnly. "Oh yes indeed, there is this priest you see, one who has convinced the poor idiot that he is the chosen one and will bring a new beginning to the world.!"

Maglor frowned and petted his horse which was getting rather impatient. "What sort of a priest is this and what faith does he preach?"

The warrior spat once again. "He does worship some ancient god, very dark and sinister. Apparently he can bring immortality to mankind but that is a huge load of horse crap. He is only after wealth and prestige, nothing else. The priest is a charlatan and a bandit and ought to be dragged to his death after a mad mule."

Maglor felt a chill run down his spine, was the cult responsible for this? It was a very smart way of causing trouble, and if they played their cards well they could make people feel sympathetic with their goals. Maglor had to gather more information, and he had to do that fast. He thanked the man for the chat and told Aodh of the information he had gotten. Aodh was a bit shocked but it made him think hard. "If the emperor's army does slaughter these mislead people the priest will most certainly use that to his advantage. I think he wants Tharaghan to attack and lose, to make the emperor seem like a terrible tyrant."

Maglor made a grimace. "Know what? So do I, so we have to make sure that there won't be any fighting. We have to win with as little bloodshed as possible. "

Aodh was stared down at the neck of his horse. "There is just one way to accomplish that my friend."

Maglor sighed and nodded. "We have to get rid of the spreader of these lies, the priest. He serves Morgoth for sure, and he will not just back down. He is serving Tharaghan a lot of lies and makes it look like the truth and I don't think Tharaghan will be as confident without the priest. Such men rarely are, they need that little push from the back to step forth and truly go for it"

Aodh smiled but the smile was a stiff one. "So, the plan is to assassinate the priest?"

Maglor nodded. "In a way that makes it look like an accident. Yes, we have to avoid a disaster here"

Aodh sighed. "The emperor is most certainly better off without these idiots."

Maglor grinned. "He is better off without all these worries is a better way of saying it, we just have to find a way of doing this elegantly without arising suspicion."

Aodh petted his horse "That won't be easy?"

Maglor shook his head and made his horse trot again, there was still at least two weeks of travel left." No, it won't be easy at all, but we have to try, for the sake of the realm. If someone worshiping Morgoth does get real power then Eru help us all"

He stared ahead at the road, his mind filled with alternatives, none too tempting. He was an elf, they wouldn't expect that. He was rather sure that he could take advantage of his skills and his previous experiences. Yes, he would have to train a lot from now on, get familiar with a sword yet again. There was no way around it. He wouldn't let Ayjun down, he had to solve this and keep the realm safe. It was his task, and he wouldn't back away from it, no matter who or what he would have to kill to achieve that goal.