Two units of Elf Guard rode into the Citadel Station at mid-morning. They were alone. No clarion call came from the Station to alert the Citadel retainers to prepare for visiting dignitaries.
A lone Guard did rush past Rhavaniel and the carillon player. He came back with Tauriel and Ruscion. Rhavaniel arose from her seat and quietly followed them outside.
Rhavaniel listened as the newly arrived Guards gave their report. They had returned with haste from two different Avari settlements to the south. Their mission had been to escort the Avari Cáno to the Citadel. The first Guards reported that the order had been refused by the Avari chieftain. Since they did not know if they were authorized to use force, the Guards decided to return for additional instruction and if necessary, reinforcements. The second set of Guards told an identical story.
"You acted wisely." Ruscion assured them, and Tauriel nodded in agreement.
As they conferred, a third set of Guards entered the Citadel. They had a different story to share. They said the settlement of Tasar Loxë had been found abandoned. It had been carefully packed up, the harvest bought in and nothing of value left behind, not so much as a kitten.
A fourth set of Guards was overdue. The arrivals of the eight Cáno had been timed so that they not all arrive at once. Certain rivalries could be eased or exasperated based on the equality with which all were treated, and staggering the arrivals through careful orchestration was the best means of avoiding perceived slights.
By mid-day, a fifth set of Guards was overdue.
A sixth set of Guards was actually the eighth set come early, having ridden hard. They said they found the village burned and pillaged.
Valdarion and Legolas had joined Tauriel and Ruscion outside, as the sense of foreboding increased with each passing hour.
Valdarion asked the newly arrived Guards, "Could they have burned it themselves, to complete their abandonment of the village?"
"I know not what attacked them," said a Guard, "but they were attacked. There was blood in the streets and in some dwellings."
That village was Rúmenya Halya, home of Cáno Revion, and the village that Lithaldoren and his family had gone to work.
'The Darkening has taken them all.' Tauriel thought with dread. She saw Rhavaniel standing forlornly at the gateway of the Citadel station. She no longer thought Rhavaniel looked like a young woman - she looked once more like a small child.
"They are not coming." Rhavaniel said quietly to Tauriel, "Not the ones you think are my blood family, not the Uncle who helped raise me. I will never see them again."
The Guard, Adanion, had joined the growing group of anxious watchers. "Cursed." he muttered.
No more Guard escorts arrived that day.
(*************)
Legolas paced angrily, "We need to send out other Guards in full force to every settlement, to escort everyone back, for their own good. I will go to Rúmenya Halya myself to determine what happened. There will be evidence. The Guards left quickly, as they should have, to bring us word. They did not have opportunity to investigate."
Tauriel agreed, "I want to take Rhavaniel with us. She has been to that village. She may be able to tell what is out of place, and help us determine if this was the work of Azog or the Birdclaws."
Valdarion resisted, "You must not leave until first light tomorrow. It is not safe at night."
Legolas asked Tauriel, "Where will you keep Rhavaniel tonight?"
"I will take her to the west forge, where she says she has a bow of her own and a small sword she can borrow. Then, I will find a quiet room for her in the Citadel."