Chapter 24

Of family and war.

In the weeks of our return much of our time was spent with family and Mithrandir. It felt like we did little but plan war or talk of a future that might not even come. Riders had been sent to Arnor to inform the northern Dunedain about our sightings and to prepare for war.

Tauriel and I were insistent that Idril would be that rider and take guards from our company and she did. At her return, we were called to the office of Ada and there she stood along with Ada and Mithrandir.

"My ladies," she said the moment she saw us. She looked sad and worried, yet little did we know what had happened.

"Idril. Welcome home" I said before I hugged her.

"It is good that you are back friend," Tauriel said and hugged her as well.

She smiled when we gave her hugs yet the sadness on her face returned quickly when we pulled back.

"What is wrong?" I asked out of concern and Idril looked at Ada.

He stood there with a letter and it was clearly not good news.

"What is it, Ada?" I asked worriedly and Tauriel spoke as well "My lord?"

Then he looked up from the paper and let out a deep sigh.

"King Beleg informs us of the evil men in the eastern lands to our north, Rhudaur. Yet the king sees little need to worry about a conflict from the north at this time. But informs us he has placed guard along Arthedain's north and northwestern border just to be safe. Our call for fortification of those lands fell from deaf ears" he said sad and Mithrandir was clearly in deep thought as he suddenly snapped out of it.

"What of the news from the east?" he said simply and to that, Ada nodded

"A darkness has come to the forest of the greenwood. Thanks to Elwen's sight we asked the elves of Lothlorien and the woodland realm to keep watch over the abandoned elven fortress in the south of those woods"

"Amon Lanc," Tauriel said out of nowhere and sadness could be heard in her voice that a place she knew might now be a place of evil.

"Yes" Ada confirmed "Evil creatures have been seen there, yet not in a way that would grow concern had it not been for Elwen's sights" he finished.

"Of what are we to do about it?" My wife then asked eagerly.

"We are to do nothing. We need to focus on the western side of the misty mountain" Ada responded and walked over and took her shoulders "The lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn have said they will keep eyes on the fortress and send word if any is to happen, but if my daughter's sights are true and we must think so and yet it's to the north our focus must be"

"Yes my lord" she responded simply and bowed her head some. "We are your people now Tauriel and yet I we do not wish you to forget where you come from, but they do not need you, we do and so do our people and that of the Edain," Ada said and smiled at her and I reached for my wife and held her.

To this, she bowed her head and agreed.

"I understand my lord, yet I worry for my friends and kin back in the woodland realm" At this I took hold of her and smiled.

"Whatever I see of what might happen in those lands I will make sure to inform you my love and Ada so we can send word to them" At this she smiled and gave me a kiss thanking me.

At this, Mithrandir stood and looked at us and smiled.

"You two are a lovely couple, but I am sad to say I must be off. My task has started and all the information I have from you and Lord Elrond worries me" He said and huffed.

"Must you leave so soon?" I asked

"I must indeed. What dear Idril here has said worries me and much strife is to come. Arthedain and Cardolan must be prepared" he said with great eagerness.

"Mithrandir, wait." Ada then said and looked at him.

"Yes?" The grey wizard said and turned.

"In light of all the news we had these days, I want to give you this." He pulled off a cloth and saw three swords lying there and two pairs of long elven knives. It was then both Tauriel and I got an ah-ha memory.

Ada handed Mithrandir the odd-out sword that looked nothing like the two others.

"Take this for your protection. I am sure it is not needed. But I would feel better if you had it" Ada said and Mithrandir drew the blade some to see its make and quality. It was elven by all regards and a fine blade.

"I thank you," He said and bowed to Ada and fastened it to his belt.

"My ladies I hope we see each other again soon, and take care of each other," he said and bowed his head and was off. Clearly, his name Mithrandir was very fitting.

"We hope so to Mithrandir, be careful now and take no more risks than you must," We told him.

Ada then looked at us and smiled.

"Our Master Smith took care of both your orders," he said and smiled. "But I wanted you not to receive them before needed. You two needed a happy time to enjoy your marriage and not think of the wars to come" He said "I am thus not sorry for not giving you these when he presented them to me" and pointed to which sword was mine and Tauriels along with the knives"

At that, we looked at each other and smiled as I reached for the sword I had made for Tauriel and handed it to her.

"My love" I said. "Long ago I asked this sword to be made for you, as a symbol of my love for you I want you to have a blade as beautiful and sharp as you are. To be at your side as I will be during dark times and never falter, never break, not even in defeat"

Tauriel stood there smiling with the long knives in her hands.

"I thank you my wife and as you I had the Master Smith make you these. Long knives as we use in the Sindar Rangers. Quick to use on cramp quarters and they will also be at your side. May they as I be a light that pulls you out of darkness if you will find yourself in it" She smiled and we swapped our gifts for each other and both studied the weapons that were gifted the other.

The knives Tauriel had made for me were longer than her old, yet so well balanced and the edge keen. The handles fit my hands perfectly and the sheets had fastening points to hook onto our quivers we carried on our backs. Overall a most thoughtful gift.

Tauriel drew the sword in awe as she looked at the blade. Its edge is as keen as the knives yet so light. The swords did indeed look like that of my Ada and were made for each of us. Long would these weapons serve us well and we all knew it.

We then looked over the weapons we had made for ourselves and they were as gift weapons as well made and balanced. I loved Tauriel lol "Ohh" sound as she tested the knives swinging them around and complimenting their form and perfect fit, unlike her old one that was mass-produced.

Ada then looked at us sad as the smile he had when we first looked over the blades and we both noticed it.

"What is wrong ada?" I asked and Tauriel chimed in. "Yes lord? Is something wrong?"

"Nay my children," he said and smiled as he walked around the table and held us both.

"I am only sad my daughter and daughter's wife is to fight in wars that should never have been if not for the weakness of men"

"What is done is done Ada," I said and held him too.

"Yes it is" Tauriel added "And if all goes to plan of what Elwen has seen this time we will help end it"

"I hope so, for I cannot drop the feeling I failed that day on the sloops of Orodruin," He said with a sad face and let out a sigh.

"We cannot change the past, Ada," I said with a smile and held him. "We can only do what we can for the future of this world," I said and smiled at him.

"Elwen is right, my lord. First we will see to the Dunedain of the north and when the time come we will aid the rest of this world if we can".

At this Ada took a deep breath and still seemed sad, but also proud of us for what we wanted to do for the betterment of Arda.

"Now let work lay for a while Ada, let us test our new blades and see how they are to handle, even if I am sure they will be easier than any we have wielded before," I said and Tauriel agreed as eager as I were and we all went down to the training yard and drew our swords first.

"Ready my love?" Tauriel asked as she played with the blade to feel its balance and the moment I nodded she came for me hard. I blocked it easily enough and counter-attacked her and tried to trick her, but she knew my moves to well as I knew hers. Ada stood there looking at us and even smiled some before Elladan and Elrohir came up and started to talk to him.

As we saw them we turned our speed up and our blades hit hard and as if a piece of music came from them. For this was not a fight of enemies, but of lovers testing their skill and the blades felt it in some way. Of how long we stood there we still know not. But at a point, we both put the swords aside and kept our eyes locked on each other as we drew the long knives and went at it again. Just now our speed was even greater than before and the song of the elven steel became more clear for all that heard it. More elves came to see us train and some even got worried due to our speed with the knives.

It was clear that the mithril in the blades had done something to the weapons for so light and strong neither had wielded before and as we locked blades as our faces were so close to each other that we out of nowhere kissed to the cheer of a crowed we had not even noticed we smiled and breathed somewhat hard and they started to clap for us and cheer our names as we seethed our blades and we could hear was "ELWEN TAURIEL ELWEN TAURIEL ELWEN TAURIEL." As if we were the champions of Imladris at this point and I will say in many ways we were.

"Ohh sister and sister wife, that was amazing to see" My brothers cried out eagerly. "Seeing the two of you fight so made me feel like we will never be at that level" Elladan then spoke out. "ohh shush brother, we will. You must remember that Tauriel and our dear sister are much older than us and we will get as good as them".

At this, my wife looked strangely at them "By your logic dear brother-in-law Elwen and I will have to stop training for you two to ever catch up to us" she said and poked him teasingly.

"Knowing you two that will not happen" Ada added before the twins could react and we all giggled some at them.

"But Ada, we also want the people to cheer us for our skill as they do Elwen and Tauriel!" the twins cried out of pride and maybe even foolishness, for they were indeed formidable fighters. But Tauriel had served in the guard of the king of the Greenwood and I was to my dismay a Gondolindrim. Trained by the best warriors of that long lost city and for the last 800 years' 'd been trained by Glorfindel. Sure that gave us both an edge over them and not just our age.

"And so they will, but they have known Elwen longer than the both of you, and also has Elwen and Tauriel had the chances for more deeds than you" he explained and then the twins got eager and shot out. "Then allow us to join the border guard? Or the scouts or the Rangers of our land!" they both cried as one.

Ada was shocked for a moment yet composed himself.

"I do not…" before he could respond they stopped him.

"You allow Elwen and Tauriel to ride out with a company of elves! To train with the Edain, to scout, to be at council, to fight and be of aid. Why can we not?" At this Ada had little to respond with. "We will speak of this later when your Nana is there as well," he said and we all walked off.

The rest of the day we spent with the twins and Ada as Nana and Arwen had been with the ladies of Imladris as I once went with her. But I was not the lady Arwen was nor would I ever be. For she was more of Nana and weirdly I was more of Ada and taken to his skills of lore, healing, and prowess in battle. Thus not strange my wife was the same, a warrior and champion of our kin as the elves of Imladris had chanted us to be.

That night Ada was indeed quiet yet he brought up again the failure of his during the last alliance how the ring should have been destroyed and the weakness of men to do what must be done. How he saw them as valuable allies, but also did not trust them as he once did. For the blood of his brother and that of Numenor was weakening he meant and even though he was not cruel and hateful of men, he did no longer trust them as he once did and that was clear to us all.

At that moment I could hold my tongue no longer as I sat and rested my head on my beloved wife's shoulder.

"Still Ada it is our duty as the firstborn to aid the Edain, even if they have weakened and faltered!" I said and his face looked at me betraying nothing of what he thought. So I continued "For we are indeed immortal in life and our life follows the circles of the world. Yes, none have indeed returned, but Glorfindel, but if we are lost to war we will still meet again." The twins, Nana, Arwen, and Tauriel looked at me with curious looks as I spoke. "and it is also our duty to aid the followers that came after, the Edain. To teach them, and make way for them. To Fade when the time of our kin is over and leave these shores when they grow into their own. For they unlike us have freedom from the circles of the world and will one day leave it. But we will stay even if not in Middle Earth itself, but in Aman" As my little speech was over and they all looked at me Ada stood up and came over to me and smiled.

"You are wise beyond your years Elwen and you are right. Yet I fear we have already failed in that task set upon us" he said.

"How can you say so, husband?" Nana then spoke. "Not that part of Elwen being wise. That Is well known, but that of our kin failing? We have not yet as Elwen's visions and yours confirm there is hope for the age to come. Of victory of our kin and the Edain even to the fact, we will then leave."

Ada tried to speak, but the twins spoke before him.

"As our older sister said it is our duty to help the edain and as we asked earlier Ada we would like to help them and our kin as scouts and show the importance of our alliance with the descendants of uncle Elros"

Ada then looked at them and gave them a disapproving look.

"I think it is a good idea" Tauriel spoke up and looked at her giving her a what stare.

"it is a good idea for the twins to get experience and we could need the aid. With the times to come we will be spread thin as is and they are capable warriors I would say." Teasing them little as she spoke. "and if the future holds what we think then we need to prepare the best we can, both at home and with our allies."

A quiet fell over the room, only the burning wood at the fireplace made noises.

"I do not know Tauriel" Nana said and looked at Ada.

"But Nana…" the twins started and Ada sighed.

"They are right my love. We need them to be prepared and to let them get the experiences now would be for the better. Just as we did with Elwen long ago" he said and sat down beside Nana.

She was clearly not happy, but it was not a bad reasoning we had laid before her.

"You two will only travel with your sister, Tauriel, Glorfindel, or any of the experienced captains. You will do what they say at any point and never stray from that order. My sons I cannot lose you, and I will be as scared as I was with Elwen when she started traveling. So please I beg thee, be careful"

Arwen on the other hand had little interest in travel, diplomacy, or the world outside the valley and was content with her station beside Nana. Little did she ever speak of the idea of traveling and war. But she was interested in tales and stories when I told them. That was also a reason I think Nana was clingier to her than to us in the later years. For she knew she would not go into the world for weeks or longer and leave her at home. She was a proper lady and not as wild as Me, the twins, or Tauriel. But she loved us no less either way.

The morning after the twins had already left with a border patrol under an experienced captain and the house was quiet. Tauriel and I lay still in bed and Estelwen had not yet come to see us.

"Good morning my love" I heard her say and kissed her forehead. "Good morning Tauriel," I said and I felt so much joy in having her rest on me. To feel her soft naked body on mine and every little touch she did with her fingers or lips.

"The house feels so quiet without the twins," I said simply as a fact.

"It does, but they are not elflings anymore and I think for one it is good we got aid to help the Edain from them and less weight will be on our shoulders." She said simply.

"You are right my love, but they are still little Elladan and Elrohir to me," I said and smiled at her.

"They are so yes," she said looking up and reaching for a proper good morning kiss and she got many of them.

Suddenly the door was opened and Estelwen rushed in with some food.

"Please excuse me my ladies, but you need to get out of bed now, I got a message from the captain of our northern border."

"Elladan or Elrohir?" we both cried out as we sat up keeping us covered by the sheets.

"Nay. A revolt of hillmen in Rhudaur. Dunedain hard pressed. Need council"

"I it all the messenger said?" Tauriel asked quickly.

"It is my ladies. Lindir is informing Lord Elrond now and I ordered your company to assemble" Estelwen said looking worried if she had overdone her station, but we praised her for her thinking. We hurried out of bed and got on under clothes and the tunics we used under our armor. Then several elleth servants came and helped us get the armor on and we ate as they did so.

Our swords were placed on our hips, our quivers on our backs with the long knives mounted under them.

"Tell Ada and Nana we respond to the message and not to worry," I said to Estelwen as she placed the circlet on my head and on Tauriels.

"I will my ladies, please return safe" and gave us both a hug and kiss on the cheek, and as so many times before we bowed a little to her and rushed out the door. The sun had barely crept up to light the world and in the courtyard, our company or what fit in it waited for us with our horses ready.

"All of the company is ready my ladies," Idril said with pride in her voice and looked at us curiously. "Estelwen ordered it, but said little of what is happening." She added.

"Mount up," I said and made sure she knew we heard her.

"Elven of Imladris" I cried out loud.

"The border captain to the north has informed us of an uprising of the hillmen to the north and that the Dunedain there is hard-pressed. We are to ride out and aid them as peacefully as we can. If that is not possible we will do all we can to protect them" I informed the company.

"Be prepared for all and nothing, we do not know what we will see when we arrive. Healers be prepared to aid wounded Dunedain!" Tauriel added

Everyone looked at us with firm stares and bowed their heads as we were done speaking the banner carriers blew the horn and we set out hard.

Our elven horses were too smart for their good and knew this could turn ugly. But still, they carried us with pride northwards.

With Oswane Tauriel and I spoke of care for each other and no risk should be taken. Of not being separated no matter what would happen, but fear was in us both. The rest of the elves including Idril were quiet and said little if anything. The forest was quiet the further north we came. The guard posts of our kin were abandoned and at the edge of the forest, all animal sounds were gone. As if evil had pushed them away.

Many trees were now gone and the name of the land was more ironic now than anything else. It was like the land had been pillaged of trees and why I only feared to know.

We kept riding ahead to see fire and smoke rise from what we believed to be a village of the Dunedain. It was a great hill looking over it and the moment we came to the top we saw Captain Landor and the elves of the guard posts stand with the Dunedain at the gate surrounded by an angry mob of hillmen, women, and children. We saw some others as well, but they tried to hide from us the moment they saw us. It was a decently fortified town, nothing like Fornost Erain, but it had stone walls a gate, and archers protecting the men that talked to the hillmen and their guard.

"Announce our arrival," Tauriel said to the banner carrier, and the horn of Imladris was blown over the lowlands of Rhudaur.

Whatever was going on between the Dunedain with our elves and the hillmen seemed to stop and they looked at us. That was when one of the Dunedain men cried in pain and from nowhere a dark arrow was loosed at him striking him down. Chaos followed and the Dunedain archers answered the arrow with a rain of their own arrows over the crowd and we could do little from the distance we were at.

"Tauriel, Idril" I cried as I saw what could be a massacre of our kin and the Dunedain.

"Tauriel led Troop One to the south and charge, I will take Troop Two from the east and Idril take the rest and come at them from the north. Let us box them in with the Dunedain and our kin holding them outside the city! Do not hurt any women or child, only cut down any aggressor that charges you" I cried loud in Elvish so the hillmen would not know what was coming for them

"Yes my love, be safe!" Tauriel cried and set off as I said the same to her and Idril responded simply with "Yes my lady" and was off as well. For a few moments, I took a breath drew my sword, and called my banner carrier to sound for a charge and he did. The horn blasted not as sweet a tone as before, but harder and angrier and our horses set off down the little hill and the hillmen were clearly scared. The Dunedain cheered us on as Tauriel and her troop slammed into the lines of hillmen and cut down several and more so when I did the same from the east and Idril from the north.

As they got caught between the nail and the hammer they dropped whatever farm tool they had used for a weapon and the dark-clothed tried to flee, but Dunedain archers shot them down quickly to my dismay, as I wanted to question them.

"Mercy, MERCY" cries came from the hillmen in very broken elvish.

"HOLD" I cried and soon after I heard Tauriel "HOLD" and Idril last "HOLD" and the blood-shedding stopped for now.

"Why cries for mercy!" I cried out loud.

"Banith… BANITH is my name warrior of the high elves. Please MERCY" cried the one that begged for mercy.

"Come forth and explain yourself and the actions of your kin Banith" I responded.

"We did not lose the arrow at the Dunedain. I swear to it warrior of the elves. Please have mercy!"

"LIES" the dunedain cried and Landor tried to calm them but failed.

"Why is there then a dunedain with a black arrow in his chest!" I responded to the welcoming agreement of the Dunedain.

"It was the dark clothed men. Warrior. You must believe it! He cried out"

"The men clothed in black that cannot be asked as they fell?" I responded.

"Yes.." he cried back at me and then for the first time I think he saw me clearly.

"Lady of elves, we only wanted to ask for more food and shelter from the dark night in the north! Yet they demanded to come with us and see all went as planned. I can't say for what they meant, but they made us feel we had no choice, but to let them come!"

"Dark night in the north? Of what do you speak Hillman!" I responded strictly.

"The men dressed in black with the dark crown imprinted on them Lady of elves" At this point, I switched to elvish and looked at Tauriel.

"Tauriel come. Idril. Take command. Make sure no Hillman leaves!" I said strictly and our elven company pointed spears and swords at all the hillmen and formed a half circle around them so they couldn't leave, and I pointed out six elves to come with us as we moved over to the dead men dressed in black and the elves that came with us turned them so we could see a black crown imprinted in their forehead as of spikes shot out of it.

"By the Valar" some of them said lowly so no other could hear yet I knew I had seen that crown before. Long ago when we met the dark shade not far from our home.

"IDRIL" I cried and Tauriel looked at me with some fear in her eyes, yet she did not let others see.

"Yes my lady" she cried out."

"Bring me Banith!" I said and dismounted my horse and so did Tauriel. Neither seethed our blade and stood by our elves that held the dead man so we could easily see his face.

"Here my lady" she said and pushed him to the ground. Two elves made sure to guard him alongside of Idril.

"What is this mark. Tell me who it belongs to!" I said sternly in common tongue so he would understand. He did not respond at once, but when he did he was scared, not only of us, but of the marking itself.

"It is the… mark of the dark… night that lives in the north… of the cold… of evil… of fear…"

"Tell us his name Banith" I commanded and the elves holding him made sure to let him know he should speak.

Several times he tried to say it, but it was if he had the one causing the fear standing behind him, to punish him to strike him down if he spoke. That was when I changed my approach to the problem. I started to sing a song I remembered my Nana singing to me before I woke. Of light, of hope and dreams, of a future in safety far from evil and death.

I knew he did not understand it, but everyone else did and even if he did not know the worlds the elven magic the tones came with let him know all he needed to.

His breath became stable and is gaze managed to focus. His people had also calmed from my song and stopped resisting and only listened to my song. The evil men that came with them were dead and we did not wish to harm them more than we had to and they could feel it.

That was when he opened his mouth to speak and only one word came out of his mouth.

"Angmar"