Yeah, I have finally managed to find some time to fix the mistakes I`ve done in this chapter and post it! I was planning to do this straight after holidays, but my school wanted differently. And I had to finish the next chapter, because I want to always be one chapter ahead. I hope you`ll like it and it was worth hours spent scratching my head over the next plot twist.

Some sound drilled into my brain, gradually snatching me from my unnatural slumber. Drip, drip, drip. I tried to chase it away like a fly, but it was still there. Drip, drip, drip, which drove me crazy. It kept floating me to the surface of consciousness like a buoyancy force.

Finally, I gave up, freed my mind and opened my eyes. I was looking at the dark, rough rock, brightened slightly by a strong light falling from one side and a weaker, reddish glow that flickered on the other. From the rock long, stone spikes were hanging, like the teeth of a monster, from which the water droplets were dripping slowly, falling on the floor with a splash. I frowned, when a sudden feeling of anxiety, caused by this association, overcame me. And then everything came back.

I gasped quietly and closed my eyes tight, as if trying to squeeze out from under them memories that now were flashing in my head. Yeah. I should have known that such an awakening does not bode well. Although the memories about the fight with the werewolf were slightly blurred in my mind, they were still quite vivid and I shuddered. The thing that scared me was not only awareness of how close I was to death, again, but also what have I done to avoid it. It frightened me, what I was capable of. To delve into someone's mind and cause such a devastation there? I tore the wolf`s mind into shreds and then I killed the wretched creature that was left. Had I really done it to help the wolf or was I driven by the same madness that overcame its body? I couldn`t remember. I couldn`t remember and it killed me. Did Alcar really destroyed all remains of evil spirit or were they still there, chomping its way through my brain, ready to strike in vengeance? I should probably be happy that I survived and helped the others, but I felt only fear and disgust.

In the end I managed to chase away these bleak thoughts, as I always do, and I stood up, opening my eyes again. I examined my surroundings. I immediately realized that I was in a cave. A glow on its vault, which caught my sight, fell from a narrow opening in the wall, through which came the bright light of day. A weaker flicker belonged to the dying fire, lit on a rock deeper in the cave. Beside a fire were two Elves – one was unconscious and the second, the one with silvery hair, holding a beautiful lute in his hands, I recognized as Celeborn.

He played quietly, weaving a sad melody and his silver hair shimmered slightly in the firelight. His tunic was dirty and tattered, he also had a fresh bandage on his leg, made from clean piece of cloth. Our horses must have returned then, otherwise he would have had to use a piece of his own clothing.

I stepped closer, swaying slightly on my feet and wincing, when the wound in my arm made itself felt. "Good morning, my lord," I said to Celeborn, kneeling by the flames and stretching out my hands toward the faint heat. Celeborn flinched at the sound of my voice and turned his eyes to me. There was a deep sadness in them, when he sent me a small smile. He removed his fingers from the strings of the instrument and put it down, looking into the fire.

„And yet again I must thank you for saving part of my people, me included" he said in a quiet voice. "I will not ask how you did it because I see in your eyes that you do not know yourself."

I looked at him, trying to read his face, but it remained inscrutable. "Celebrimbor told you about all this?" I asked, rubbing my fingers.

"No, he said very little" he answered. "When you disappeared, with the beast right behind you, he led the wounded towards the caves, then ran after you. He returned soon after, carrying you, semiconscious, with you bird, hopping after him. We stiffened Alcar`s broken wing, it should grow together properly. But you were burning up, babbling something about the blood, pain, and the fires of Morgoth, until the fever passed and you fell asleep. Celebrimbor only told us that the wolf is dead, because, in his madness, he jumped onto your blade. I did not believe him of course, just as he did not believe his own words."

He looked at me intently with his dark eyes, but I lowered mine, unable to withstand his calculating gaze. He nodded, as if to confirm his suspicions. "I will not be pushing you, but he will want answers, you know this."

I sighed, standing up. How typical of Celebrimbor, never letting go when he can get to know a secret. And certainly, when it concerns his people or new ways to defend the city.

"Then I had better find him and explain this to him" I said, glancing toward the exit. "Where is he?" I asked. I will figure out what to say to our Craftmaster while walking.

"He went to explore the caves, claiming that he wants to find something that will make our people`s deaths less pointless" said the Sinda, nodding in the darkness, leading deeper into the caves. "The rest of the survivors wanted to go with him, but I ordered them to find the horses and see if some orcs are still in the area. He clearly wanted to be left alone. You better take a torch, you will not see much in total darkness."

There were several torches beside the fire, apparently Celebrimbor made them before, in case anyone wanted to find him quickly. I picked one, pressing it to the hot coals, until it caught fire and went into the caves. An horrible stench permeated the air - a combination of faeces and rotten meat. Probably the remains of the Orcs, I thought, wincing and trying to breathe through my mouth. Fortunately, an elvish sense of smell was not much better than a human`s.

I walked on, wondering at the carelessness of Celebrimbor. Orcs certainly resided in these caves before and it wasn`t known whether they weren`t still inhabited by them or something worse. I shuddered, remembering the horror, which was still sleeping in the depths of Khazad-Dúm. I tried to chase away those thoughts, they were highly inappropriate for the lonely journey through the dark caves.

My soft boots trod silently on a bare rock. As I went, bats, frightened by the light, darted over my head, issuing high squeaks. The torch revealed also other things. In its glow some walls sparkled peculiarly, revealing the ores, hidden in them. Some I recognized, like gold or silver, but there were also blues, spots of yellow and purple crystals, bulbs of tiny white spikes and the veins of something that reflected the torchlight so hard, that it`s white brilliance dazzled my eyes. Maybe mithril?

After a few minutes I came across an underground lake, in which gleamed the pale oval shapes of blind cave fish. The caves diverted there. After a moment's thought, I chose the right path, treading carefully on wet rocks. Right behind the transition I came across a line of strange mushrooms, growing at the sides of the cave, with a rolled up black hats resembling half-closed cups of flowers. When the glow of my torch fell on them, their hats suddenly opened and at first they grew brighter to issue a reddish glow a few moments later. I continued walking, fascinated, watching the mushrooms absorb another torchlight, when it occurred to me that I had chosen the wrong path. Celebrimbor also had a torch, after all.

I went back quickly, following the glow illuminated by fungi and headed toward the second pass, the left one this time. I immediately noticed a dim, crimson flickering. There were fewer mushrooms in this path, but it was enough to indicate me which way Celebrimbor went. I quickened my pace, wondering what the Elf was thinking. He was so far ahead that if we were attacked, we wouldn`t have enough time to inform him. I also felt despair at the thought of our dead comrades, even if I didn`t know them well and I understood that for him it must have been much worse, considering the time of peace and that he knew those Elves for a long time, but it did not justify his thoughtlessness. I shook my head. Who am I to judge the actions of someone older than me by thousands of years? I was not even a real Elda and although they did not know this, in years I was only a child to them. Maybe he had a good reason, that Celeborn did not consider appropriate to tell me?

The stench grew stronger and in the darkness loomed piles of something I did not have the slightest desire to explore. There was no sign of Celebrimbor. I began to wonder whether to let go of caution and call the Elf when I suddenly walked out of another narrow passage, which I squeezed through, right to the edge of the abyss. With my heart in my throat I immediately stepped back, feeling its pounding in my chest like a frightened bird. I stood on the edge of a small ledge, hanging over the vast abyss, the bottom of which was invisible to me. Several meters below, standing on the lower ledge, I finally saw Celebrimbor, holding a torch. I exhaled slowly and looked around, searching for the descent and saw that on the right side of my ledge rocks were forming a sort of large, uneven steps, leading below. Going down wasn`t easy: I had to often hang on with one hand, holding my torch in the second. I had to be careful not to slip on the wet rock. A fall from this height would have been painful, if not mortal. I walked carefully then - I had no desire to see the Halls of Mandos just yet.

When I finally was down and glanced at Celebrimbor I saw him standing with his back to me, studying some dark mineral with his fingers. His tunic was in the same state as Celeborn`s, but he had a clean cloak over his shoulders. His hair was dirty and dishevelled. I probably wasn`t looking good either.

I walked over to him. "Celebrimbor, you should not have gone so far away from us after what has happened. If there was another attack..." I stopped when the Elf turned to me. His grey eyes were like steel, his mouth was clenched tight, as if in barely suppressed anger. Pointed apparently in my direction. It threw me off guard. Had I said something wrong...?

"Come, Rovalhen, let me show you something" he said quietly in a voice so icy that I froze in astonishment. I followed him hesitantly, unsure what this was all about, when he moved toward the opposite wall. He leaned over the remains of some creature that gave off a strong odour of decay, put the torch next him and gestured for me to join him. On the ground lay the bloody remains of a bird. Not much of it left, just a pile of chewed bones and some black feathers. Celebrimbor took a stained piece of parchment out of his sack and placed it next to the remains of the bird.

"Do you recognize this?" he asked so quietly I could barely hear him. I frowned in astonishment, put down my torch beside his and picked up the parchment. It was written in uneven Tengwar letters, but in some strange script, which I did not understand. It formed very long words and had very few breaks. I searched my mind. Black Speech, maybe? The earlier version? In some places the material was torn, and stains which I recognized as dried blood, covered some of the letters. I shook my head slowly, but then my eyes fell on the black feathers and understanding struck me. I opened my eyes wide and gasped in amazement and disbelief. One word was fluttering in my mind: why?

"So, you recognize" said Celebrimbor coldly. " Then may you would be so kind to explain this to me?"

I looked at him. How was I supposed to tell him? Would he believe that his friend ordered to kill him? "Look, I know that it may be hard to accept..." I started, but then he interrupted me.

"Hard to accept?!" he shouted, and I felt as if lightning struck me. I pulled away from him, horrified, as his face twisted in a grimace of terrible fury and his eyes were like thunder. He looked like he wanted to strangle me with his bare hands. "Answer me straight, do not twist your words like Melkor! Why did you do that?!"

"What, I-I ...?" I stammered, terrified, backing up more and more. What has gotten into him?

"Yes, you, you fool! In the name of what you decide to sentence me, Celeborn and our friends to death? Lust for power? Mad belief that after our deaths, our nation will begin preparations for war, which you so are afraid of? Or maybe you are one of those elves who were released from Angband, but your broken mind tells you to continue to operate to the detriment of other Eldar, just like your master would want you to do? Answer me! "He stood panting, thrusting a steel gaze at me for answers.

I stared at him, wide-eyed, uncomprehending. "Why are you accusing me of this?" I whispered. "Have I not fought twice already with you against Orcs, pulled the werewolf for you to survive, risking my own life? Why would I want your death and to deal with these scum?"

Celebrimbor snorted quietly, looking at me with a cold disdain. "Do you think you will fool me again with the same trick? You used the first attack, to buy our favour. You simply miscalculated your abilities and Orcs, in their rage, attacked you too. But the hunt for the wolf - that was your idea. You knew about these caves from the beginning! You and a few of my closest friends whom I trust utterly. You knew that I wanted to examine them. Only you could send a message to the orcs then, who you got to know during your trips into the wilderness, with the information where they can attack us" he said, pointing his finger accusingly me. He lowered his hand and shook his head. "Even the knowledge you may die with us did not stop you. I do not know if this wolf thwarted your plans, or if it was their part, and it were the Orcs that fled rather than finish the job, but, frankly, I am not interested in this. At first I did not want to believe it, because you seemed to me someone with a good heart, someone who just lived through a lot of bad things, like many of us, but now I see how wrong I was. Tell me what you wanted to achieve with this, because even though I try, I am unable to understand something like that."

I could only stand there, staring at him, frozen in astonishment. My mouth was dry, and my tongue seemed to be a piece of wood. It took me a few good seconds to get over the shock, and then the rage immediately took its place. How dare he accuse me? And I took elves for a reasonable race! It seemed they were not so different than humans, after all. "Listen, Celebrimbor" I hissed. "I do not know what madness overcame you, to throw such accusations with only a handful of conjectures, but before you throw them left and right, you should get a better look at your own house!"

His eyes darkened as he narrowed them looking at me with fury. "What do you mean?" he drawled.

"Cartelion, of course!" I yelled, before I could stop myself. "Do you really not see? Are you as blind as your grandfather, like your father? He is the one behind all this, he sent out a raven, he sentenced you to death!"

I immediately regretted those words. Steel flashed and before I could react, the tip of the Celebrimbor`s sword was on my throat. "How dare you?!" he hissed. "How dare you accuse someone who has been my companion for centuries, my most loyal friend. Who are you to spread venomous lies about him?! "

All the anger left me, when I looked in his darkened eyes. Now I felt only fear and despair. "Please, Celebrimbor, you had to saw something! I am not saying you should believe me now, but do not reject my words so lightly. I ... I will prove it, prove my innocence to you, just give me some time!" I said, desperately trying to convince him.

For a moment, he looked at me with unyielding, cold eyes, and his hand, holding a sword, was trembling slightly. I swallowed. Suddenly, with one swift motion he lowered his weapon and turned his back to me. "One month after we are back" he drawled, sheathing his blade. "You are forbidden to leave the city at that time. If you break the ban, there is another similar incident, or you do not prove your innocence in time, you will be expelled from Ost-in-Edhil with no chance to return. And do not expect that the opinion of Celeborn or Galadriel will change anything here. They will not refuse me in the current situation."

Having said this, Celebrimbor climbed to the first step and moved up toward the ledge, from which I previously went down. I stood rooted to the spot, rubbing my throat, as if trying to wipe away the feeling of the cold blade. I still could not get over what had happened. Tears, held up by adrenaline, rolled down my cheeks now, but I did not know if I`m crying because of despair, or anger. I was furious at Cartelion, for what he did, at Celebrimbor, because of the fact that he let himself be tricked like this, and at myself, that I could not prevent this, that I have not followed Cartelion more closely, that I did not go to Galadriel with this. Celebrimbor`s accusations hurt me more than I wanted to admit, because I already started to regard him as a kind of friend. I doubted that a month would be enough to solve the mystery of Cartelion and get relevant evidence. And to stop all his plans, I realize all of sudden, because if some bad thing should happen, Celebrimbor would immediately throw me out of town. I shook my head with a sigh and wiped my eyes. Tears will not help me now.

I leaned against the wall, thinking about what I had learned. Cartelion sent the raven, probably to the leader of the Orcs, with the command to ambush us. He did not know exactly where the trail would lead us, but he knew that we wanted to explore the caves, so there the Orcs were waiting for us. The Orcs, seeing the Black Speech, knew they had to obey orders. I did not know how Cartelion came to know the Black Speech, but decided to drop it for now.

The werewolf probably wasn`t part of the plan, but it was unclear whether we would have won with him. Thus, it was also not part of the plan to frame me in it all, though I doubted Cartelion would regret it. But what was the purpose of this whole conspiracy? Dudhe finally see me as threat big enough to get rid of me? I rejected the idea immediately. It would be much easier to just do this during my solitary trips into the forest, not to involve a whole group of other elves including the Lord of Eregion and Craftmaster. One of them must have been the target then. But which one? And why should Cartelion want to kill his friend or his Lord? As an elf who fought against Morgoth in the First Age, and who, as I have learned, had never been imprisoned in Angband, how could he become so evil? What goal was worthy of murdering friends?

I picked the torch. I might as well come back now, when I had already pulled myself together. I won`t find the answers, not alone and certainly not here. I confer with Alcar and we will try to devise some plan. I'll talk to Galadriel, she may believe me and decide to help me. I clenched my fists. Ost-in-Edhil was my home now, the best I've ever had and I will not let it be taken from me.