Paths That Bend

The next morning I awoke with a soar back and shoulders. I had several bruises where I had tripped and fallen. Knife fighting was harder then I would ever have had imagined. Laiqualassё suggest that when we reached Nan-Tathen in another month he teach me to use a bow as well. This excited me for I had actually done some archery before.

As we marched that day Laiqualassё told me stories of Aman and the early days of the Exiles. He began to teach me Sindarin which for all my training in linguistics was more difficult the Quenya by far. The lessons kept my mind off my sore body and off the horrors I had seen. Yet, still nightmares plagues the few hours of sleep I got when we paused in our march. I would dream of orcs and dragons attacking my family home, wolves and balrogs destroying my school. Such terrors rained in my mind if I did not keep myself busy during the days as well.

Thus, my life continued for the next month. Lord Tuor began to send Earendil to join my lessons, both academic and martial. The adorable young elfling out did me by far at the martial arts. As I grew stronger, and got steadily better with the dagger Laiqualasse began to add bits of hand to hand fighting.

I remember the first day he pulled a move that didn't involve the knife. We were sparing after setting up camp as we did every night. He lunged at me and I saw an opening in his defenses. Ducking downward and to the side I got inside his guard. In m moment of triumph I found myself on my back with a blond elf holding a knife to my throat. He had spun in mid lunge and used his leg to sweep my feet out from under me.

"Watch your footing," he said. He had said that so many times before, but that had been in reference to my falls over tree roots and rocks. I glared up at him with venom but he just laughed. Reaching down he grasped my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Do you think orcs will fight fair?" That was all he said. I knew he was right and never let his tricks bother me again.

A month past and we had yet to reach Nan-Tathen. Indeed we were still traveling through the same dense forest through which we had traveled the previous two months. It was this month that I came to a realization. One that startled me to no end, my moon times had stopped. I wasn't so regular that skipping a month was odd but three was unheard of for me. It puzzled me. I knew that a woman could loose her moon time if she lost a lot of weight or was under great duress which I had and was, but it still worried me. I decided to leave it be, and hoped that things would return to normal once we reached Nan-Tathen and ceased this endless traveling.

I was tired of walking, I was tired of being scared and I was tired of death. I had often been recruited to help dig graves on the march. All told we had lost just over a hundred of our number in those first tow and a half months. Some had died form the wounds they taken at Gondolin's fall for not even elves heal well when they do not stay in the same place for more then a day. Other faded, the grief became too much for them to bear and their fёa broken fled their bodies to seek the peace of Mandos. The rest had died in the small skirmishes that had occurred as we marched; thankfully none of the orc groups that attacked were great enough to posse a significant threat.

The company if anything became grimmer, little singing was heard and never laughter. Even the children were solemn of face and voice. Earendil was ever serious and worried more then I though a child should ever have need to worry. We had become friends little Earendil and I. Often we would share our takes, hunting for fire wood, fetching water, and we shared our lessons. I think Idril and Lord Tuor were glad that Earendil could spend time with me and let them be free to deal with all of the daily workings of our company. Laiqualassё still found time to teach Earendil and me but he had become increasingly busy helping Lord Tuor lead our company, and organize the scouts.

I remember the night I trudged tiredly into our resting place and had found stretched before me what was undoubtedly our campsite from three nights before. Slowly all of the company filtered into the clearing and understanding, shock and horror registered on every face.

Lord Tuor told the company to set up camp once more while he took council with the other leader. Earendil was once again left with me. We began to collect fire wood together. "Eruanna, what do you think happened? The sun set not an hour ago and we were going west." Earendil asked touching on the question I had been asking myself.

"I do not know, Earendil. Some things are beyond my understanding and I find that it is best if I simply accept them and deal with them." I leaned down to pick up a piece of dry wood off the forest flour.

Earendil simply nodded, he then bit his lower lip. "Will we ever get to Nan-Tathen?" he asked. "Wait, Eruanna, you don't have to answer that." He said quickly. He did not know my story, but he did know that I knew things that others didn't and that I was reticent to speak of them.

"Thank you, I will tell you this. Have hope, you are a light of this world. All that is holy will not forsake you if you hold faith." I smiled at Earendil. "I bet I can collect more first wood then you before Laiqualassё comes for our nightly training." I set off at a run with Earendil hot on my trail.

It was a half an hour later that Laiqualassё returned. There were two considerable piles of wood collected, but alas, Earendil's was larger then mine. Laiqualasse just shock his head when he discovered our game. He seemed to believe that Earendil and I had far too much energy. By the time he let us stop our training that night we both could barely move and Earendil had beaten me once again. Tally, one day, Eruanna zero, nine year old child 2, I shook my head in despair.

Over the next two months we seemed to walk in circle though no one could ever recall walking in any direction but west. Many of the company were quickly loosing hope of ever escaping that thrice cursed forest. Meanwhile I continued to keep Earendil from worrying too much my captivating him with my challenged.

By the fourth month out of Gondolin it was getting much colder and I began wearing my sweater again. I had returned the white chemise to Idril after having taken an entire evening washing many months worth of dirt and sweat out of the fabric. When I presented it to her she smiled to me and thanked me taking the shirt. She then handed me a green cloak, saying that I would need it in the cold weather that would come. It was now my turn to thank her.

I did need that cloak, for as Idril had warned the weather soon got very cold. It was in the sixth month out of Gondolin, an entire half year that we came to the edge of the river Sirion. There was snow on the ground and it shone cold in the clear winter sky was we emerged into open land by the river bank from beneath the trees. If I had not been tired I believe that I could have danced for joy of finally being free of the woods. I had ground up around forests and trees and loved them, but this one was much too eerie for my tastes.

The night after we escaped the confines of the woods Lord Tuor led us to a cave that he knew of down river not far from where we stood. Once we reached the cave it was announced that we would stay there for a sennight as Lord Tuor wished to send out scouts before continued on. It was a relief to all that we would have an opportunity to rest.

We had very little elven bread left and it had been reserved for emergencies. Every day as we had walked every one keep their eyes open for anything edible, our group now numbered just over 600 little more then two thirds of its original sizes however that was still a lot of people to feed. I worried at first on our arrival in the cave about the issue of feeding every one but it was then that Lord Tuor revealed a large cash of cram bread, which although not as good as lembas was excellent traveling food, and dried meat.

It was another month of traveling along the verge of Sirion before we came to the willow meads. Our company was very weary and traveled slow, but in time we came to the willow meads, Nan-Tathen which would one day be called Tasariand.

Author's Note: I know this chapter is short but I promise the next one which is in its last stages of editing will make up for it. This is really just a filler chapter to get us up to where something interesting happens. Chantal if you have trouble understanding anything email me at That goes for everyone who has questions and comments.