Chapter 8

Border of Rohan and Tharbad

Autumn, 3009

Lothíriel stretched in the saddle letting some of the stiffness escape her before gazing at the two riders approaching in the distance. She had no doubt that they were the elf twins, Elladan and Elrohir. She judged, based on the distance, that they would join their company later that evening, after the sun had set. Turning her attention to Erchirion who stood at her side, waiting to help her from Hazelfal, she dismounted. She led Hazelfal away towards the other horses. Just as she had been doing throughout the trip, she began grooming him with her guards and brother hovering behind only a few paces away.

Grooming him was less of a chore and more of a way to relax both herself and her horse after a long day of riding. Being together for such a journey had brought them closer and Lothíriel could already read into how Hazelfal felt. She now knew how the riders of Rohan could understand their horses with only a look. When she finished with Hazelfal she led him back towards the other horses. One of her guards came forward and picked up the saddle she was struggling to carry. She smiled gratefully at him before making her way towards one of the fires and her supper. Taking a seat beside Erchirion she stretched her hands out towards the warmth of the flames.

"I wouldn't have thought it would already be this cold in October." Erchirion's voice was low as he spoke. He watched the sky for a few moments. "I hope that we continue to experience dry weather. Can you imagine how cold and unpleasant traveling would be if it was wet?" Lothíriel didn't want to think of anything becoming much colder than it was now, though she did not fool herself into thinking that it would not become more frigid as the days went on.

As they sat beside the fire the sound of hooves thundered towards the camp. Within moments two dark haired strangers joined the gathering. Their movements were fluid and graceful and the very air around them seemed to hum with life. Their long hair fell down their backs with pieces from the front braided together. The only thing that interrupted the sleek fall of their hair was the pointed ears that poked out. Many of the riders openly stared at them and while they seemed intrigued, they gave the newcomers a wide berth.

They approached the fire where Lothíriel and Erchirion sat. When they were only a few paces away, Erchirion stood and bowed to the elf lords. Lothíriel began to follow his example when both held up their hands and shook their heads, their eyes dancing with joy as their mouths formed a solemn line. Erchirion stepped forward to greet them.

"Good evening my lords. I trust that you have journeyed well." He was smiling so broadly that Lothíriel knew he wasn't even trying to mask his excitement. "I must confess that I have never had the pleasure of an elf's acquaintance, and to meet two at once is quite the honor." The twins looked at each other and smiled before turning their attention back on Erchirion.

"Good eve to you as well, the blessed Eru Ilúvatar has watched over us on our way here. Most who wish to make a true acquaintanceship with us give us their name." Erchirion's face turned bright red and snickering could be heard from the riders within earshot. Erchirion stuttered out his own introduction.

"I-I am Prince Er-Erchirion of Dol A-Amroth." With each stuttered vowel his face burned brighter.

"We are Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond Peredhel, and we have come to ensure that your travels beyond Rohan go in the light." The one who spoke did so with clarity like a bell resounding from a tower, commanding attention from all around him. The brother who had not spoken stepped away from the other and approached Lothíriel. If she had not been paying attention to him, she would have thought the ground beneath him moved rather than he walked, because it was so seamless, it was less like walking and more like gliding. He took a seat before speaking softly.

"Am I correct in assuming that you are Princess Lothíriel?" Not trusting her voice and not wanting to suffer similar embarrassment as her brother, Lothíriel nodded, biting her lower lip.

"Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn." He smiled encouragingly at her and she relaxed slightly before introducing herself properly.

"Im Aranel Lothíriel e Dol Amroth." His smile widened and he nodded as a light laugh escaped his lips.

"Mae g'ovannen hiril vuin, im Elladan e Imladris." He took her hand gently before switching back to the common tongue. "You speak Sindarin well for someone who has not been tutored by an elf." Lothíriel smiled at the praise and saw Erchirion and Elrohir approaching the fire.

"I learned the language from my brother's studies. Many of the poems and songs he translates for me are beautiful in their native tongue." From the corner of her eye she saw Erchirion stand straighter than before while his face softened. Both elves turned their attention to her brother and looked at him carefully.

"We hope you will be willing to recite some of them for us during the long ride back to Imladris. And our libraries are stocked full with everything from detailed histories to limericks." Elrohir's voice was kind and joyful as he spoke to Erchirion. "When we arrive, I would love to give you a tour." Erchirion's smile was larger than she had seen since she was a child and their father had told Erchirion he could order any books he would like from Minas Tirith's vast libraries.

"I would be grateful and honored, my lord." He stood and beckoned Elrohir warmly. "Would you like to see some of the volumes I brought with me?" The elf nodded and followed Erchirion to the tent. Lothíriel smiled at Elladan.

"I have a feeling my brother has just found a friend in yours."

Elladan nodded. "He has always enjoyed pursuing the stories and histories of this world. I prefer the arts myself. Do you play any instruments?" He looked at her hopefully. Lothíriel solemnly shook her head.

"I sing sometimes, but I doubt it is to the quality of my mother. My father used to tell me of how she would play her harp and sing." She gazed into the fire before adding, "He said it was a marvel to behold." Elladan gazed at the stars, the twinkling lights reflecting in his dark eyes.

"My mother, the Lady Celebrían, is gone as well. She sailed to the Grey Havens five hundred years ago. While I was growing up she would sing throughout the entire day bringing music into our home from sunrise to sunset and thereafter. After she left us the whole of Imladris seemed so quiet, as if the idea of music after her departure was absurd. It was because of this that I decided to learn how to play myself." He turned his face back towards Lothíriel's. "I would be honored if you ever found the time to sing for me." A small smile crept onto his face before he stood. "I must prepare my tent and no doubt you are tired from your day's ride, so I will say only this, abarad ollo vae."

As soon as he left, Lothíriel felt as tired as he had insisted she was. Yawning, she made her way towards the tent. Inside both her brother and Elrohir stood hunched over an open book, quietly analyzing whatever was being described. She ignored them and pulled the hanging fabric that acted as a curtain before dressing herself into her nightgown. Only moments after covering herself in the heavy fur blanket she fell into a deep and peaceful slumber, dreaming of a golden-haired elf singing in the dawn light.


Lothíriel sat on her bed roll and stared at the wall of her tent that was in the direction of the lonely silent town known as Tharbad. It had been abandoned for nearly a century. The only inhabitants that visited now besides the odd group of travelers were animals. Taking a deep breath she pulled her cloak around her body and began to pull her boots on. Finally, dressed in her warmest clothes, she exited her tent. The morning sun was just peaking over the plains. Its hue made both the sky and river shine with a red-golden light. The grass in front of her was covered in frost that seemed to be diamonds wherever the sun's rays touched. The puff of air that escaped her lips with each breath proved that the cold was not her imagination. Tugging the cloak tighter around her, she turned her attention back towards the camp that was just waking up.

The entire party from Dol Amroth sat around a single large bonfire. The column of smoke trailed up towards the sky, the only interruption to the morning's golden dawn. Lothíriel took a seat on a log that acted as a bench before the flames. As soon as she was seated, one of the guards came towards her with a bowl of porridge. The smell of cinnamon wafted enticingly up from it. With an unexpectedly ravenous hunger, she began to eat the food before her.

"Good morning, hiril vuin." Elladan approached her, smiling kindly. "I hope you are warm enough." Lothíriel placed the now empty bowl onto the ground before standing and returning the greeting.

"Good morning to you as well. I am rather surprised that it is so cold when it is only the middle of autumn. I can hardly imagine how it could get any colder each day, and each day, it does. Do you normally travel during this kind of weather?" Elladan took a seat beside Lothíriel before smiling and nodding. He waited until she sat back down before answering.

"We travel whenever our services are required. I believe that after the first winter in Rivendell you will be used to the colder weather. By the time you return to your homeland, the summers may even feel too hot, though the sea will most likely keep the temperatures from becoming too sweltering. But of course that is the benefit of living near to the sea, I suppose."

Lothíriel laughed. "I suppose you're right. Whenever the days in Dol Amroth were too warm, I would go and wade in the tide pools where the cool sea water would rush over my feet and ankles." A cold wind picked up for a few moments. Lothíriel scooted closer to the fire, letting it heat her fingers. "How much farther is it to Rivendell?"

"Once we've passed the ford it will be about three weeks of travel. We should arrive right before the beginning of winter. But that depends entirely on when we can cross the river. That will not be today I think." He turned his face towards the water that was so still, Lothíriel would have thought the river was frozen if not for the occasional ripple from a fish underneath.

"Why do we have to wait to cross?" Lothíriel looked around until she caught sight of where the horses were picketed. "Do the horses have to recover?"

"Well, there is that." Elladan affirmed. "But there is another reason. Do you remember when it rained a couple of days ago?" He waited for Lothíriel to nod before continuing. "That rain raised the levels of the river. Although it looks still and safe, it is a treacherous way to travel. I would have it recede somewhat before attempting to cross." He returned his gaze to river, studying it with a knowing eye. "If I had planned this trip, I would have had you come in the summer, when the river is at it's lowest, or else I would have you travel by ship up the Greyflood." He smiled slightly. "But, you are here now, so Elrohir and I will do everything in our power to see that your way is surefooted."

Lothíriel sat with Elladan for a few moments in silence before he was called away by his brother to scout the surrounding area. She wasn't surprised the elves had opted for the job. She had been told that she walked so quietly that she could have been mistaken for a breeze if she wasn't seen. But both Elladan and Elrohir put her stealthiness to shame. Their abilities to move without being noticed was extraordinary. She guessed that they could be standing in front of someone and they wouldn't be seen. But stealth wasn't the only accomplishment they had. They could hear and see things far beyond that of anyone Lothíriel had ever met before. Because of them, the company had avoided what would have been a fairly unpleasant encounter with a pack of sleeping wolves. Everything they did provided more proof that the Firstborn were closer to being at one with the earth and sky around them.

Lothíriel stood and looked towards the buildings. She saw that five guards began to trail after her when they noticed she was leaving the camp. It didn't take very long to arrive at the gates of the town. For a place that hadn't been inhabited for almost a century, it seemed as if the years hadn't touched it. Lothíriel recognized the work of Númenor in the craftsmanship and stone work of the buildings themselves. This place was designed to stay standing tall and proud for several ages that had yet to pass. She moved silently through abandoned alleyways and streets. The guards that followed her stayed several paces away, giving her the illusion of privacy, when in reality, they would be close enough to keep her safe if she fell into another vision.

As she stepped out onto an open street, she saw a doe and her fawn eating together in what had once been a cobbled market, but was now a grassy lane. She stood completely still and stared. The doe lifted its face from the grass and gazed towards the princess. It's ears stood straight up, listening for any threats while the fawn continued with its meal. The light surrounding them was beautiful and in that quiet moment Lothíriel felt truly at peace. Behind her, she knew the guards would be approaching and had no doubt they would try and kill both animals for food. Not wanting that to happen, she went closer and opened her mouth. "Go!" The words, which were nothing more than a whisper, could have been a shout in the silence that surrounded her. The doe continued to stare at her and in the corner of her eye, Lothíriel could catch the glint of the sun reflecting off the armor of one of the Swan-Knights as he approached. Lothíriel bent down and took a few scattered pebbles. Desperately, she threw them to the ground besides the fawn. The first stone didn't make it as far as she would have liked, but it met another stone rather than grass. A sharp crack resounded throughout the streets and both animals turned and ran.

By the time her guards joined her, the doe had already disappeared from view behind one of the buildings. "What was that sound, my lady?" The guard's voice was a mixture of concern and slight impatience.

"I was just throwing stones." She held her hand out with the remaining rocks, putting on her most innocent of faces. She was glad her brother was not among them, for he always knew when she was hiding something. The guard glanced around before paying attention to Lothíriel once again.

"This place is not one for children, my lady. The silence speaks of the dead. Come away from this eerie place and sit by a fire where it is warm and there is life aplenty." He smiled invitingly to her. She did not want to leave, but she knew that if she continued through the town there would be a chance of happening upon the doe and fawn again, and she would not risk their lives by her continued presence. She nodded and returned the smile before making her way back towards the camp.


It had been two days before Elladan and Elrohir agreed that the river would be safe to cross. The party prepared for their departure, anxious to be on the road once again. That was not the only reason they desired to be on their way, not only did they feel the presence of Tharbad, but they also desired to arrive in Rivendell before the first snow. Lothíriel aided in packing up her things from the tent while Erchirion packed the books and maps he and Elrohir had been using.

Within the hour, Lothíriel was atop Hazelfel and walking steadily towards the river. Like it had been for the past two days, the water was almost entirely still. As they stepped into the river, Elladan guided from the front, leading the whole party in a line with Elrohir in the rear. Lothíriel saw the shadow of the crumbling bridge, high above them. Pieces of stone as big as buildings lay in the water. As they passed them, Lothíriel turned to her brother who, like she had just been doing, was eyeing the bridge.

"What happened here?" Lothíriel's voice was quiet. She felt that it would have been disrespectful to this place to speak loudly. Erchirion shook his head in response. Elladan, who was directly in front of them spoke up.

"Tharbad was settled on the river Gwathló in the Second Age by explorers from Númenor. It was abandoned shortly after the war against Sauron and this area was largely ignored by both the elves and the Númenóreans after the destruction of Eregion and the forests. After the founding of Gondor and Arnor in the Second Age, year 3320, a great port was built to receive sea-going vessels. The ford was deepened and the massive fenlands above it was drained. Tharbad's new river-port was spanned by a bridge. The upkeep of the bridge was an enormous task and after the Great Plague of 1636 in the Third Age almost all of the inhabitants fled west. Included in that lot were the surviving Dúnedain. Gondor was devastated and traffic along the road through Tharbad declined considerably and from then onwards, the region fell into decay. As the years progressed, Tharbad was inhabited by mostly the people known as Dunlendings, but even they abandoned this land. Throughout the years of disuse the bridge began to crumble into it's current state. When the bridge was entirely impassable, the Dunlendings left for good."

Lothíriel stared in wonder at the bridge, imagining it whole. She pictured elves and knights riding across in a very stately fashion. She thought back to the town she had walked through and saw in her mind men and women going about their day in the mills and among the fishermen. She imagined the first stone that fell from the bridge and the despair the people felt at its decay. She wondered, if the bridge and the town would, or even could, be rebuilt again. By the time her focus returned to the movement of Hazelfel, they had nearly passed the river and were only minutes from the opposite shore. Looking ahead, she turned her thoughts from the past towards that of her future. A future where she had a new home in Rivendell. It would be only three weeks of travel and that future would be a reality.

Translations:

Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn(A star shines on the hour of our meeting)

Im Aranel Lothíriel e Dol Amroth(I am Princess Lothíriel of Dol Amroth)

Mae g'ovannen hiril vuin, im Elladan e Imladris(Well met my lady, I'm Elladan of Imladris)

abarad ollo vae(until tomorrow sweet dreams)

hiril vuin(my lady)