Chapter 16: Harbinger of doom

The camp was immense, more than a thousand tents and it was filled with people and horses and cattle. Their arrival had been heralded by some of the officers riding forth meeting their equals and Maglor soon realized that this huge assembly of military force was consisting of men from several of the tribes the emperor had mentioned. This was the people from which the new wife had come and Maglor saw that they were rather different from the people of the inner realm. Their bodies shorter and more stubby and they wore clothes which were thick and less elaborate then those worn in the cities. The warriors rode small horses with heavy heads and lean bodies and the culture there did fascinate the elf. He had covered his face now with a veil and only his eyes were visible.

Aodh was not covered up and he had agreed upon doing much of the talking, Maglor would pretend to be a person of minor importance, a scribe or some other official just following along. The two concubines had already disguised themselves as local girls with native clothes and they were to act as if they were the wives of Aodh. Maglor had been training every day now, at first the swords felt odd in his hands but soon he regained his mastery of the blades and remembered all the battles he had fought. The tribes were huge, there were probably at least five thousand warriors in each of them and Maglor wondered how this war chief could believe that he could defeat such a great force? Even without the might of the emperor at their backs they did seem to be a rather unstoppable force.

The journey through the mountains had been hard but they had made it unscathed, and everybody had arrived. The paths had been guarded and the only real drama had been an avalanche but it hadn't injured anyone. Maglor was tired of travelling now, he wanted to see what this was all about and the carriage was driven into a sort of fortress built around a tall pointy cliff. It was the only stone building there and it did look impressive but he had to smirk when he thought of the mighty cities of old and the beauty of Aman. The soldiers did disperse to find a place to put up their tents and Maglor was curious. There had to be someone in charge there?

Aodh did ask one of the local officers, the tribes did have a very refined military system and their officers were all veterans who were skilled and wise. They all wore some rather elaborate decorations on their helmets which did identify them as captains or commanders and Aodh made sure that he acted with the outmost respect. The height of the blonde man did inspire awe in them and some younger warriors did try to grasp his upper arms to check the muscles. Aodh had dressed more like a warrior than an official with wool and leather and little which indicated wealth or influence and Maglor had done the same. He did wear clothes which didn't look very expensive at all. He could be an ordinary citizen. Aodh did meet the officers in a room in the fortress and Maglor had placed himself in the window with a writing board, some quills and parchment. He was ready to be a scribe now, and watch things from the side. Sometimes that was the best way of revealing the truth.

The officers were seated and one of them did stand out among the others, he was the one who sent reports to the emperor and Maglor did see that he was rather old and frail but very much alert and cunning. Aodh bowed his head. "Our great father send his regards and his unending love. How is the situation?"

The officer did stroke his long thin moustache, he smiled but the smile was a narrow one, one filled with worry. "It is dire my lord, the bastard who ought not to have been conceived have attacked several villages over the last months. He is not going to stop anytime soon. We lose men and horses and he has a bad habit of burning the fields."

Aodh took a deep breath. "They say a priest is with him, a preacher of darkness and lies"

The old man nodded slowly, there was despise in his eyes. "Oh yes, the red one. A man

consumed by true evil for sure, he is the one who makes Tharagan believe that he can conquer the entire world."

Aodh tilted his head. "Is this Tharagan a stupid man?"

The officer grinned, the expression on his face wry. "Oh yes indeed. He is too full of himself, in our people we do have a saying, a man who cannot see his own flaws is no man but a peacock. "

Aodh sighed. "Well said. How many men does he have?"

The old man turned back to the others and they exchanged some swift words, then he turned back. "At least ten thousand, riding good horses. They are his, body and soul. He has turned them into fanatics and they believe that if they die they will go to some sort of paradise where they can rape pillage and plunder until the end of days. Sounds tiresome if you ask me"

Aodh had to grin. "And it tells a lot about their intelligence yes. So, he has a great army and he does continue to pester the tribes, what sort of strategy does he follow?"

The officers shrugged. "Full head on attacks, each time. And if they meet real resistance they retreat, like cowardly dogs"

Maglor was listening, he had already been assessed by everybody there and most believed that he was just a scribe, probably an eunuch due to his height and slender frame and nobody bothered with looking at him at all. He was bent over the writing plate but he saw everything and he did notice that a couple of the younger officers threw hidden glances at each other. They were low ranking officers but had some power already and Maglor knew that the enemy had to have eyes and ears within the emperor's forces. Tharagan would be a fool if he didn't have spies and Maglor did suspect that this could be two of them.

Aodh crossed his arms across his chest. "The priest, you called him the red one, why?"

The old man made a grimace. "He paints himself, a red line across his face, over his eyes. It looks ridiculous."

Aodh nodded. " I need to speak with someone who has seen this man, someone who can tell me more"

One of the officers got up and placed his fist over his heart. "I have seen him, he is an elderly man, bowed and gnarly and he walks with a stick all the time. But he has a powerful voice and he comes and goes like mist"

Aodh frowned. "A true wizard or something of the like?"

The man shook his head. "More like charlatan, he knows how to dupe people, to create illusions. But his malice and evil is no illusion, he pushes Tharagan into atrocities which just increase in violence by the day. They leave nobody alive, it is a bloodbath where they have fought"

Maglor did swallow hard, it did remind him of the ferocity of orcs. He didn't like it at all. "So this priest is responsible for turning Tharagan into a monster, what was the man like before the priest caught a hold of him?"

The first officer did answer. "A savage, a brute but one with little power and even less influence. He was an outcast, someone nobody bothered to listen to, not even those of his own tribe. The priest has changed everything, now the idiot knows what to say, how to enflame the hearts of the young men and make them turn their back on everything which resemble honour"

Aodh did look very tense. "So, if the priest were to go, what would happen?"

The old man sort of scoffed. "Tharagan would lose many of his supporters, they all believe that the priest is something supernatural, that he has powers and that they will take part in them. If the red one dies then they will see it was all a lie."

Aodh was playing with his knife. "Good, then the priest has to die, the sooner the better"

The old officer nodded and his eyes did reveal that he did like this suggestion. "Yes, beyond any doubt but remember this, if we straight forward murder the man Tharagan will use it to his benefit. He will most certainly make a martyr out of the beast"

Aodh cringed "Our great father did mention that possibility yes, so it has to be prevented. The emissaries Tharagan killed, were they skilled men?"

The old officer nodded. "Yes, very polite, very good at such missions. They knew diplomacy and its rules like the palm of their own hands. That didn't stop the monster from killing them"

Aodh frowned. "I see, then let us consider what we do know about the man. Does he have any weaknesses? Drink, women?"

The old officer sort of groaned. "Yes, but he never drinks himself into a stupor if that is what you hint at, and he never beds a woman whilst being alone, there is always two guards there, at all times. He has killed several women already, suspecting that they were about to assassinate him."

Aodh nodded. "Then what does he enjoy? What makes this man tick?"

The old officer did look down. "Violence, death. He forced the emissaries to fight for their lives, and they were not warriors. They had barely touched a sword ever."

Aodh got a very dangerous glimpse within his eyes. "The rules here on the plains are rather strict, would he break them?"

The officer cocked his head and looked curious. "What do you mean? The rules of hospitality?"

Aodh nodded back and the officer made a grimace. "He would only obey them if it was to benefit himself. He has no regard for others at all"

Aodh looked down and Maglor recognized the expression on his face, he had a plan and it was most likely a very devious one too. He bowed deeply for the assembled men. "You have given me much to consider my friends, now, I need to think"

The officers got back onto their feet and walked out and Aodh wandered over to the window where he pretended to be staring out at the camp. "So, what do you think?"

Maglor was writing, his voice very low. "Two of them can be spies, the man with the red plume on his helmet and the man with the odd tattoo around his eye socket. I saw that they were staring at each other. I don't like it"

Aodh nodded. "Yes, then our plans ought to be kept as a secret, or worse, false plans made"

Maglor put down the quill. "You have an idea already?"

Aodh nodded. "Yes, but you will not like it"

Maglor looked up. "Do tell?"

Aodh sat down and his eyes were dark. "We need to take them both out, both the warlord himself and the priest. They both have to die, preferably at the same time. I think we can achieve this, but we do need something first. Something which will lure them to this place, under the cover of it being a parley of course"

Maglor was pondering this, his eyes distant and he was chewing on the tip of the quill. "I think I may have an idea then"

Aodh smiled. "Alright? Spill it"

Maglor took a deep breath. "The priest, he is a follower of Morgoth, he must know all that has happened in the past. I bet he sees himself as some sort of holy man, that he could be capable of bringing the dark lord back"

Aodh had been filled in on the things which had happened to Numenor and he cringed. "Like Sauron did?"

Maglor nodded. "Indeed, and therein lays the idea. If this priest was told that there is something left of the temple of Numenor, say…a sacrificial dagger? Wouldn't he wish to get his filthy hands on it?"

Aodh gaped. "Are you nuts? How could anyone really believe in that? An artefact like that doesn't just show up, it would be famous"

Maglor smiled wryly, his face revealed something which almost resembled sheer glee. "Not if the ones having it is unaware of what it is."

Aodh cocked his head. "Sauron's own sacrificial dagger, yes, that would make that priest drool for sure, and make him drag his protégé to this camp. But how are we to trick them, we do need a dagger and it needs to be authentic looking too, and feel authentic"

Maglor took a deep breath. "Yes, you know, my father was a smith, and so was my grandfather on my mother's side. Father always wished for us sons to follow in his footsteps and yes, I learned how to use a forge and make things. I didn't have his talent but I am skilled compared with a human. I need a hot forge, I need good steel and some gems and absolute secrecy. And I need that one of the men following us carry the thing, openly, and that he is let in on our plan."

Aodh nodded. "I am sure that it can be accomplished yes, there has to be a forge here somewhere. And then?"

Maglor smiled. "You had a plan?"

Aodh writhed. "Yes, but like I said, you won't like it"

Maglor just shrugged. "Try me"

Aodh scooted a little closer. "Right, here goes. They both arrive here, looking for that dagger, then we hold a sort of feast in honour of the emperor, it is expected, nobody will react to that. You will dance during the feast, really show off and I bet that Tharagan will want you, and want you bad. You are to kill him and the guards. I set a trap for the priest"

Maglor sort of scoffed and leaned back a little. "You know what, that is both bold and risqué but it may work. They don't know that you have arrived with an elf, and I think the sight may shock Tharagan a bit"

Aodh nodded. "If the priest has converted him fully he will undoubtedly see himself as superior to any elf, and you can be alluring"

Maglor snickered. "Yes, I bet I can seduce the man. "

Aodh petted his knee. "Yes, I will go now and see if there is a forge here somewhere, one you can borrow. "

Maglor just bowed his head and remained sitting there until there were few people present. Then he hurried back to the carriage, trying to hide so that nobody really got a good look at him. He could most certainly make a dagger which did look convincing but would the army Tharagan had assembled just leave without their leader or would someone else step forth and take leadership? Maglor felt that it was a very open question indeed.

Aodh did come to the carriage after a while, he was smiling. "The cliffs have some caves and there is a forge in one of them, they think that dwarves once carved the rock here. The forge can be lit and used, it just needs coals and fire."

Maglor got up, he felt exited. "Good, very good. And nobody knows?"

Aodh nodded. "I only spoke to the leader here, he swore to keep it hidden. He will send some sacks of coal to the cave tonight, he has loyal servants who won't reveal anything and the forge will be ready. Are you sure that this is the way to go though?"

Maglor nodded. "Yes, the priest is the key here, he has to be stopped and he cannot be killed in such a way that he becomes a martyr for his own cause. He has to die in a manner which shows everyone that he is only human, that he is a scoundrel and a fraud and just an ordinary mortal"

Aodh sighed. "Well' we will think about it, there has to be a way to make that happen"

The two women entered the carriage, both carried a short sword and had their faces covered with a veil, like most did to protect themselves from the dust and sharp sunlight of these vast plains. Yanhe sat down and smiled. "So, what are you planning on doing?"

Aodh shrugged. "Maglor is gonna take care of the warlord himself, two guards and one man is not match for him for sure, but what about the priest, he has to die in a way which doesn't glorify him in any manner"

Yanhu stared at her sister and they both nodded, simultaneously. "There is a way, but it is risky, and it does require that the old man is interested in women still"

Maglor frowned. "What do you mean?"

Yanhe tilted her head, the long dark hair made her look almost angelic in the low light from the sun. "There is a trick we were taught when we were trained, we could use it, and the old man would die rather convincingly."

Aodh didn't look very enthusiastic. "What trick? I don't want any of you to put yourself in harms way, no way!"

Yanhu giggled. "It is not dangerous for us, but like I said, it does require that the priest does have lusts and that he doesn't prefer to live in celibacy"

Maglor cringed. "I doubt it, I bet a priest of Morgoth would be very glad when he can abuse someone, and rape? Now that would be a great turn on, he would be more like an orc than a human being I fear"

Aodh did frown still. "This trick, what is it really?"

The two girls did giggle a little. "Oh, it is very neat but not very well known, female assassins use it sometimes. It does require intercourse though"

Aodh swallowed. "I don't like the idea of that piece of crap touching any of you"

Yanhe made a wry grin. "I know, but it will serve the cause, and the emperor. We can do it, and we have everything we need too"

Maglor was getting curious. "So, what is it that you are going to do?"

Yanhu tilted her head and sent him a sweet smile. "It is like a small ball, cut in half and in the middle there is a very thin needle, not very long but slightly flexible. It will be dipped in a strong poison and placed inside of one of us"

The two males did go slightly pale. "Aren't there any risk of you being stung yourself?"

The two shook their heads. "We are trained remember? We can control our muscles perfectly, the needle will go inside of his urethra and pierce it and the poison will be delivered into the bloodstream immediately, it will leave no mark outside of the body."

Yanhu continued. "And the needle is so thin the male won't even notice the small sting until it is too late"

Maglor made a grimace. "Oh Eru, no! I don't care how trained you are, I forbid it. The risk is too great and what if the old fart have lost his…uhm…virility. There has to be another way to do this"

Yanhe grinned. "Well, there is, it is less elegant but the effect is the same. Some drugs in the wine and we can make it look as if he died in the middle of an outrageous orgy"

Aodh was squinting. "Ah, now that sounds more like it, what sort of culture does they have here, what would truly ruin someone's reputation?"

The two laughed, their eyes very full of mischief. "Oh, here they don't really care if someone has fucked say a boy, or a kid, that is just normal. Many partners at once isn't shameful neither but there are some taboos and they are absolute yes. "

Maglor was leaning forwards, rather eager, this could in fact lead somewhere. "Such as?"

Yanhe giggled. "They have always regarded dogs as unclean, so trying to fuck a dog would make everyone think you are a most impure person. Goats too, they are useful and almost sacred but try to have some intimate fun with one and they think the gods will punish you, which they probably will. Horses and ponies, same reason, but the worst taboo is pigs, in any shape or size."

Maglor nodded. "I have noticed that they don't eat pork in many places here yes."

Yanhe nodded. "Indeed, and it is not because of religion although some has beliefs which forbid them from eating pig but because of disease. There are some rather nasty parasites which pigs can get from roaming around eating anything they find and you can get infected and quite literally go insane after a while. The brain will sort of be eaten"

Maglor cringed and Aodh swallowed hard. "Ah thanks, I won't touch pork again ever"

Yanhe shrugged. "It isn't dangerous as long as you make sure that the meat is cooked through and not raw. But most people here eat meat half cooked so it is smart to stay clear"

Aodh took a deep breath, sat down in a better position. "Any other taboos?"

The girls stared at each other. "Having sex with a woman while she has her monthly curse? That would make you a pariah right away. Eating certain types of fruit…"

Maglor scoffed "Fruit? Why is that taboo?"

Yanhu giggled. "There is two types of fruit this taboo touches, a sort of melon and a sort of berry. Both does look a lot like a cock and is said to increase the libido when ingested, but it makes you stink for some reason. You will reek of death for days afterwards and it does also turn the inside of your mouth bright purple."

Maglor stared at Aodh and they cringed. "Yach!"

Yanhu stretched her legs. "So, if the priest was to engage in certain activities which included these things then nobody would have anything to do with him again, and he would most certainly lose his status as "holy" even to his own followers. You can perhaps convert people here to a new belief but you cannot remove their traditions and culture, not unless you work at it for several generations. "

Aodh swallowed. "Can it be done?"

Yanhu nodded. "Most certainly. If Maglor does dance and seduce the war lord then we can seduce the priest, believe me, no man can resist us when we really try!"

The elf had to laugh. "I believe you, alright then. I will go and see if I can make that goddamn dagger and then we'll give it a few days, let the news sort of spread. Did you find anyone willing to carry it?"

Aodh nodded. "One of the captains who came with us, he is absolutely loyal and he will follow the instructions, brag about it, show it off as an heirloom of his family or something like that."

Maglor took a deep breath. "Good, very good indeed. We can go for this, the warlord and the priest has to go, both of them, at the same time."

Aodh went to talk to some of the soldiers and the girls left to make preparations so Maglor threw a wide cloak around himself and took off to find the forge. It was deep within the cliff and it was large, he did immediately see that yes, dwarves had made it but it had been centuries ago. The coal had been lit and everything was ready and there were two servants there ready to help him with the bellows and everything else and Maglor tried to remember all the knowledge his father had tried to push into his head. It hadn't been easy for Maglor wasn't interested in metal work but he did have a good memory and he would be able to make something which ought to convince this priest that the dagger was authentic. Fëanor had once showed Maglor how to make metals look older than they were and he sent one of the servants off to find the ingredients for that secret potion.

The steel he had been given was good, very good, and the gems too. He had a design ready in his head and went to work with great zeal. It soon became rather apparent that this was way harder than he had expected but he didn't slow down and at dawn the next day he did have a dagger. It was a bit larger than normal since it ought to look as if some demi god had used it, and it was treated with the special solution so it looked old and worn. Maglor had sharpened the blade and also added some wear and tear so it looked as if the thing really had been used. He engraved it with elvish letters speaking in the tongue of Numenor and it was a praise to the great bringer of life. To a layman it would be rather convincing. He hurried back to the carriage and found that Aodh had been talking to many and he had gotten a fairly good idea of what sort of man the warlord truly was.

Maglor delivered the dagger to the officer who from now on would wear it so all could see it and he would make sure that the two Maglor suspected were spies would see it and also be told of its origin. He would claim that his family got if from a sailor who had found it afloat embedded in a piece of wood and that it had been with them ever since.

Maglor was trying to stay hidden, he joined Aodh in the meetings but he always sat and had his face covered and he was never speaking. Yanhe and Yanhu were busy too and they were obviously rather thrilled by the opportunity at bringing down the priest. The camp was a lively place and Aodh told Maglor of the many things the soldiers did to pass the time, everything from card games and telling riddles to watching horses fight and of course horse racing. The horses there were so small and Maglor was glad they had brought their own, they were way larger and many of the locals were eying the animals with both suspicion and admiration. Maglor would have loved to go out there and explore but first things first, he needed to finish the job. After about a week they did send a message to the war lord, using a local very brave boy who was too young to be a threat and also of the same tribe as the man. He carried a request for a meeting and returned the day after with an answer. The great lord Tharagan accepted the request and would come to them.

Maglor and Aodh grinned and smashed their hands together, this was going the right way and the officer with the dagger did confirm that the two locals had asked him about the thing several times and even tried to buy it. Now it was crucial that the officer didn't fell victim to some sort of foul play so he stayed away from the locals as much as possible and spent the time doing office work surrounded by others. He did keep the dagger with him all the time and everybody knew that he kept it in his tent where he slept. The meeting was scheduled for an evening just three days ahead and they were making preparations. It had to seem like a legit meeting to discuss the situation and Aodh was a bit nervous. He had no idea of whether or not he would be able to convince the warlord that he was an emissary of the emperor but Maglor was certain that he would do a marvellous job at it.

Some tents were erected away from the camp and guards placed around them, gifts were prepared as well for such were the customs and Maglor did prepare too. He got a local musician and taught him some rhythms and such and found some equipment in his luggage. He would really dazzle the warlord and leave him unable to really suspect foul play.

The great warlord arrived just in time and lo and behold, the priest did follow him and the an immediately sent shivers down Aodh's back. He had never seen someone looking so much like a rabid jackal and the man was constantly staring at the guards who had been ordered to stay around the site. He was probably trying to figure out if any of them had the dagger. Maglor was pretty certain that some of the servants who followed the warlord and the priest would sneak into the camp to steal it and he would be very welcome. The officer who had kept it would leave it at his tent this evening and make it rather easy for any thief to grasp it. The first impression Aodh got of the warlord was that he was a swine, a brute and an idiot, in the first ten minutes the man had already managed to insult both Aodh, the entire army and the emperor several times and he wasn't even trying to do it.

Aodh however did ignore it all and followed the protocol to the tee, he was not giving way in any manner and tried to act as if he truly was there to try and organize a truce between this brute and the emperor. It was not easy for Tharagan were obviously there to mock them, not to really co-operate. He obviously believed that he was the strong one since the emperor asked for this meeting and Aodh was glad he had been hardened in the sha'al's harem, he was used to verbal abuse. The fact that the tall blonde man didn't even flinch no matter what he was told to do obviously confused Tharagan who even spat at Aodh at some occasions. The priest was sitting in the background looking creepy with the red stripe across his face and the black robes and Aodh hoped that he would die slowly and in infernal agony.

Finally the first day was over, the meeting had lasted for hours and it was time for refreshments. Aodh hadn't gotten anywhere at all and he was glad that this would be the last day, the goddamn prick wouldn't live to see another sunrise. Yes, there were thousands of soldiers ready to attack if something happened but Aodh would bet that they would lose their zeal once they heard certain news. Food and drink was brought in and everything was in abundance and Maglor had made sure that the wine was of the very strong but sweet type which is rather deceptive. Tharagan was a swine also when he ate, he spilled, made a mess and threw food at the servants. And he was laughing the whole time, like a spoiled toddler who knows that he can do whatever he wishes for without getting punished. The entertainment was just musicians at first, playing some rather fast and jolly music, then some local men did a dance which included a lot of acrobatics and finally there was a dance with some girls who bared more skin than normal, just to set the mood.

Aodh raised his cup. "I have brought my own slave, from the city. A very skilled dancer, he is next"

Aodh just hoped that this would end well, Maglor had prepared and he was going to use everything he had learned and more. The local musician was starting and Maglor entered the tent. He had tied his hair back so it covered his pointy ears and the make up did also hide the fact that he was an elf for he had exaggerated the kohl a lot and hidden his features very well. But his body was as exquisite as always and he wore just a flimsy loincloth and golden sandals plus a lot of jewellery. In the torchlight he was like a vision of heaven and there was a gasp coming from everyone. Aodh knew that nobody there ever had seen anyone like that and Maglor started dancing, a very slow and seductive routine with very deliberate movements. His eyes were extremely expressive and he used them for all they were worth. He was flirting shamelessly with everybody in there and Tharagan was staring with his mouth open. To him the dancer had to look like someone from the north, like Aodh, just taller and paler and younger and it was rather clear that the man by now was very taken by the dancer. Maglor did turn the dance into sheer seduction, moving like water over stones, slow swaying movements which really showed off his every charm.

Tharagan was drooling, his eyes glued to the elf and he turned to Aodh. "The deal, I will accept not attacking caravans if I can have him"

Aodh pretended to be a bit shocked. "My lord, that is very generous, all that for just one slave but be my guest, he is all yours"

Tharagan grinned, a very wide grin before he got up and grasped Maglor by the arm, dragged him with him out of the tent. "Come here pretty, I want to see how tight that little ass of yours truly is"

Maglor didn't resist, he just pretended to be completely shocked and he was dragged off to the large tent Tharagan had been given. It had been carefully prepared and Maglor knew exactly what to do.

Tharagan was gone but the priest remained and he did look a bit angry, he probably hadn't expected his protégé to run off with a slave like that. But now Yanhe and Yanhu entered the stage and they were indeed something special. Both were almost naked but painted with gold dust and they were extremely sensual and also extremely naughty. Before long every male in the room sat there transfixed and the priest was among them, he was staring with his eyes wide open and the girls finished their routine and danced by him, dragging him along by the beard and the man didn't resist at all. Aodh closed his eyes, now it all depended upon these three people.

Tharagan threw Maglor onto the bed right away and threw off his robes and Maglor did snake his way up into the wide construction and sort of smiled invitingly while grasping the headboard, looking very inviting while doing it. The headboard was hollow, there were several daggers and a sword hidden in it and he knew where they were. Two guards had followed the master inside and they stood there, almost panting. It was obvious that they were used to watching their lord have his fun. Maglor let the man climb onto the bed, almost trembling with lust and he had removed all clothing except from a loincloth. Maglor grinned and let a foot run down the war lord's body, very suggestively and he was a bit shocked by the man's physique, he was not very well trained and rather flabby.

Tharagan started rubbing himself against the elf, tearing at the clothes they still wore and Maglor did rut back against the man, making it look as if he was just as eager as the human. "By the great lord, you are beautiful"

Maglor didn't say anything, he just smiled and flipped them over, now he was straddling the war lord's hips and he was grinding against the man with lots of zeal. Tharagan was moaning and the two guards were panting and staring at the beautiful young male with obvious lust. Maglor had to time this perfectly, he had his hands on the headboard again, for leverage and found one of the daggers. It was very small and thin and almost more like a nail than a blade. He hid it in his hand which he used to toss back his long black hair and the man was moaning and groaning and pushing back. Maglor made a very suggestive move with his other hand, as if he was touching himself and Tharagan got frantic, almost yelling and trying to flip them back again so he could take the dancer. Maglor leaned forwards as if to kiss the trembling man and as he did he did thrust the small dagger into Tharagan's ear. The blade was long even if it was narrow and the man did stiffen and he let out some obscene sounds while trembling in spasms. To the two guards it had to look as if he was coming and Maglor did throw his head back and pretended to be feeling the human's release. "Oh yes my lord, you are so mighty!"

He then leaned forward once more, covering the man's head with his hair as he pulled free two more daggers from the bedframe. As he leaned backwards once more he let them fly and both guards fell with a dagger firmly planted between their eyes. He hadn't lost his touch at all. He dragged the two guards underneath the bed, then he pulled the dagger out of Tharagan's ear and there was hardly any blood at all. He wiped away the few drops before he arranged the man so he appeared to be asleep. Maglor did sneak out the back of the tent where they had hidden an exit and then he used the cover of darkness to sneak over to the tent the priest had been given.

In there the last priest of Morgoth were rather busy, he was having the time of his life or so he believed. Sipping wine from the bosom of one of the very lovely slave girls and the other one was feeding him grapes and massaging him very expertly. The wine was special, prepared very well for the occasion and before long the priest was so intoxicated he was unable to move much. But he was feed delicious food and even more wine and he was feeling as if his blood was on fire, he had never been so aroused before. Yanhe grinned at Yanhu, they manhandled the priest onto the bed and stripped his clothes off and then they smeared his body with what he probably believed to be oils. He was so blissful he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary and soon he became completely unable to move. Yanhe did pull a thin tube out of the bed, and a small bottle. It contained a clear liquid and as the man mumbled and groaned they used the tube as catheter and let the content of the bottle end up in his bladder. The priest didn't feel a thing as the poison slowly went to work, slowing down his heart and dragging him onto the eternal sleep.

Maglor did enter and now all three became busy, they rearranged the entire tent, a small herd of animals had been kept behind it and now they were taken inside and some got some blood smeared onto them to make it look as if the priest had tried to abuse them. The ointment the women had smeared onto the priest was in fact a mixture of animal dung and blood and they did also leave a few half eaten melons. After a few moments the illusion was perfect and they left the tent, hoping for the best.

When the sun did rise Aodh and some of the officers did arrive at the tent used for the meeting but there was nobody there so Aodh ordered one of the war lords servants to go and wake his master. Ten minutes went before there was an uproar and servants ran also to the priests tent to find him dead in the middle of the bed hugging a sow and a ewe, covered with moshed melon and wine and shit. The news spread like lightening, the war lord was dead, having had a sort of collapse and the priest had done unspeakable things too, also dead.

Aodh knew that the men would spread the news to the war lord's army, rather fast and they did.

Now they had to prepare for anything and Maglor was aware of the fact that Tharagan was a violent man from a violent tradition. Some would probably demand to avenge their master and he had prepared well. He had brought an armour from the city and it was made in the style of his people, and he did also carry two swords. Aodh too had donned armour and he carried a wide bladed axe. At noon some of the war lord's men came, demanding that their master be avenged and Aodh said that it was fair, and that it should be solved through a duel. The war lord's men could meet their champion and the men agreed.

Maglor saw that the men who had arrived were the best Tharagan had, they were experienced, skilled and very good at fighting but they had never met an elf before. He and Aodh did toy with them, taunt them and injure them and in the end Aodh left it to Maglor to finish the men off. He did behead them all and the onlookers were in shock since the tall dark haired one moved so fast it was hard to see the movements. The remaining followers did return to the army and Maglor and Aodh had prepared the men they had brought too. They lined up and attacked and since Tharagan's army no longer had a strong leader they were mowed down and spread out. It was more of a slaughter than a battle but Maglor knew it was needed, the people had to see that the emperor did look after his own and that his hand was both merciless and swift. Maglor did fight well, his old instincts did awaken and even though this was merely a challenge at all he didn't become too confident. They let some escape to spread the word and soon word of a demon was spread all among the tribes. The emperor had a terrible creature in his service, someone who fought with supernatural speed and strength. Maglor had to grin when he heard of it but it was useful. The wild tribes would most certainly think twice before they launched another attack.

The priest was burned like trash and so was Tharagan, both were to be forgotten and the officers were told to keep an eye out for any follower of this false fate. If anyone did seem to remember the priests false teachings they were to be interrogated and if they indeed were believers they were to be executed immediately.

Now Maglor and Aodh were done with the official business there and could enjoy the landscape and the culture and they did enjoy the stay a lot. Maglor was contemplating returning soon when a man entered the camp, he was old and bent and barely able to move and with him he brought only two things, a small packet and a foal. Maglor got rather shocked when the old one approached him for the man appeared to be blind and how could he then travel like that? The man stopped and bowed. "Greetings, I have come, for I have seen. Go back to the city, and keep an eye out for the man with the golden heart for he is not what he seems to be."

Maglor swallowed. "You are a seer?"

The old one bowed again. "I am, listen son of fire. This I will give you to have and to keep"

He handed over the packet and it was very heavy. Maglor opened it hesitantly, it was just wrapped in old cloth and he frowned. It was a piece of steel, flat and rectangular and the old man grinned. "Special steel this is, forge it, make it into a sword and you will have a blade like no other. This fell from the skies you see"

Maglor swallowed hard, he saw that the steel was almost black and he had believed that it was discoloration but now he did see what it was, it had to be Galvorn, the mysterious metal from which the dark elf Eolh had forged two swords and an armour. "Why give me this?"

The old man snickered. "Because you will need it, they are hidden now you know, everywhere, the servants of the dark one. This may kill even one of them."

The man put the metal into Maglor's hand, it was freezing cold and he hissed. "This is evil."

The man shook his head. "No, only if the hand which wields it is evil, fear it not, do as I have told you but keep it hidden."

Maglor took a deep breath. "Alright, who are you old man?"

The man snickered. "My name is forgotten by this world, did I ever have a name? I can no longer remember but return like I said, and beware. "

He grasped the rope which held the foal, gave it to Maglor. "Here is my final gift, breed him well, he will give you horses unlike any other"

Maglor stared at the foal, it was very pretty with extremely long legs and a very long neck and the huge eyes were curious and friendly. The foal appeared to be a dun horse and he felt a bit confused. "I am grateful for sure but…"

The old man petted his arm. "Go now, and stay alert, that priest was a harbinger of doom, remember that. The darkness will rise again, be a fortress against its hordes, stay strong"

The old man just wandered off and Maglor could only remain standing, staring as the tiny figure disappeared among the tents. He had a strange feeling of having met someone with more powers than anyone could possibly imagine.