Back on the road and headed to the Lonelands. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

We left shortly after Saeradan returned, not wanting to waste any daylight. I didn't relish traveling once again through the desolate Lonelands, but I didn't mention it to Candaith. He loved its wide-open spaces and the sunrise over the canyons, among other things. Luckily, I was no longer treated with hostility by its people, the Eglain, having helped them many times over. Well, Anlaf at the Forsaken Inn seemed to still view me with suspicion. They owe me after the Red Maid debacle.

We decided to camp near a grove of trees on the eastern border of Breeland. There was fresh water nearby in the Weather Hills, and I wanted to do some fishing. It was a pastime I had enjoyed when I lived in the forest with my family, all those years ago. Luckily, I had made myself a decent pole in Celondim, as fishing is a way of life there. It was peaceful sitting on the docks, fishing in the quiet evenings, and looking for boats on the horizon.

I stood on the bank and put a worm on the hook for bait. Just as I went to cast, Candaith approached. "You know," I said quietly, "I could have taken your eye out casting just now."

"Well lucky for me you stopped just in time," he said cheekily, grinning as I huffed and rolled my eyes. "I didn't realize you enjoyed fishing; we never did any while we traveled together."

I shrugged, "My fishing pole was in my vault in Bree. I decided to bring it along and hopefully catch something for dinner." I looked at Candaith until he took the hint and backed away a little so I could cast. It landed in the water with a short 'plop'. "When I lived in Celondim, I used to fish all the time. It is a city right on a river. Many ships travel back and forth, delivering various things to Mithlond, which is also known as the Grey Havens. Do you know of it?"

Candaith nodded, "I have heard of the Grey Havens. It is where Elves can take a boat and sail to the far West, in Valinor? Supposedly a beautiful land where the Valar dwell? Where the people of Numenor were trying to go until the Valar destroyed their homeland?"

I sensed some bitterness in his words. "The fall of Numenor was a horrible tragedy; I will not pretend to fully understand why the Valar refused the pleas of Amandil, but I intend to find out someday."

Candaith started, looking surprised, "You intend to sail then?" He moved a little closer to me so we stood side by side.

I was silent for a moment, idly realizing that the fish were not taking the bait and that I should maybe recast. My thoughts were racing and I was unsure how to answer, but Candaith was waiting for my response. "I suppose so. My people are leaving these shores, to return to our original home across the sea. Most Woodelves are Silvan, and have no affinity for the sea and will likely continue to reside in Middle Earth, but I have some Noldor blood in my veins, and the original home of the Noldor is Valinor."

Candaith placed a hand on my shoulder and lightly squeezed it, "You are too valuable of an adventurer to lose to Valinor." It was warm and comforting.

"Well thank you for the compliment. If I do go, it would not be anytime soon. There is much to do here, and Sauron is still a threat," I smiled slightly but moved away from him to reel in my line. "You will not be able to get rid of me just yet." I grinned as the line pulled taut, a sign that a fish was biting.

After a bit of work, I managed to catch a few salmon, which would be delicious when cooked over the fire. I pulled out my trusty skillet and drizzled it with a little oil. After preparing the fish and seasoning it with some herbs from a small packet I had purchased in Bree, I set the skillet over the fire and listened to the satisfying sizzle.

Saeradan wandered over, "What is that delicious smell? Ah, it looks like you had success fishing while I was scouting!"

"Too bad you came back so soon, I was hoping to eat your share," Candaith said, pretending to look dejected.

I started throwing some potatoes at him, "Instead of bemoaning Saeradan's presence, you can peel these and cut them up for me." I laughed as he missed one and it hit him in the head.

Candaith clutched his head, "Oh the pain! You have slain me with a potato!" He fell back dramatically, pretending to be dead. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small grin on my face as Saeradan laughed.

It was interesting how Candaith's real personality had revealed itself over the many months we'd known each other. When we first met, I had the impression that he was more serious, quiet, and introverted. Spending his days living by himself with only his horse for company seemed like a lonely experience, but he had never seemed bothered by it.

Over time, I noticed he was more extroverted and prone to laugh and make jokes (usually at my expense), and it was a pleasant surprise. He always seemed to make me smile without necessarily trying. It made me wonder what else I would discover about him as we traveled together. Would we grow closer? Was that what I wanted? I shook myself out of my musings as I realized I should be paying attention during my watch.

As I swept my gaze across the darkened landscape, I reflected on my earlier conversation with Candaith. I had always assumed I would sail West after Sauron fell and peace started to settle on the land. My mother and sister had both sailed before I left for Edhelion; they hoped to find that my father and brothers had been released from the Halls of Mandos. They begged me to come with them, but I knew in my heart that it was not time for me yet. It was a hard parting which still brought me grief.

My grandmother Gwynduilas, from whom my name is derived, fought in the Battle of the Last Alliance and was so grievously injured that it put her into a coma for thousands of years. After awakening in Imladris, she was given the choice to sail or remain, and she decided to depart these shores. I was able to meet her briefly before she left, and was stricken by the close resemblance we had to each other. I was disappointed she was leaving but I understood. My grandfather had sailed soon after she was injured, unable to bear the torture of seeing her comatose for so long, and she missed him dearly.

I also knew many who had no intention of leaving. Many of my comrades in the Guard in Mirkwood were Silvan, and were forever drawn to the forests they called home. They said they could never imagine leaving this place that meant so much to them. The trees were their friends, and they could communicate with them. I was able to hear them but speaking to them was more difficult for me.

There were many others in Middle Earth who were not Elven that I would miss. They would never be able to follow me across the sea. However, the thought of watching them all eventually grow old and die was almost unbearable, and I did not know if I would be able to face it here. Sailing would be a way for me to minimize the grief…or run away from it, depending on one's perspective.

This brought me back to Candaith. He tried to play it off like it was no big deal, but I could sense he was surprised by the thought of me sailing. It was true that it was hard for mortals to fully understand what sailing West truly meant, but it felt like more than that. Men are confusing.

I found myself softly begin to hum a tune I had learned in Celondim, called Theme for Mithlond in Westron. The Elves would often sing it as they worked by the river. It made sense, seeing as Mithlond was only a short distance away, and several traveled back and forth delivering supplies, as well as Elves wishing to sail. I could remember sitting on a bench overlooking the river, with Duillond in the distance, playing it on my hand harp and reflecting on what it meant to me. It made me feel wistful, and I shook myself slightly, trying to dispel the ghosts of the past. It brought tears to my eyes thinking of those whom I loved sailing to the West, leaving me behind.

"What is the melody you sing?" a sleepy voice spoke, interrupting my thoughts. I knew it was Candaith without turning around to see.

"It's a song I learned many years ago," I said simply, not wanting to revisit the topic of the Grey Havens again. The melody flowed through my soul, and I felt it deep within my heart. Thankfully Candaith didn't respond and likely fell back asleep.

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The sun was beginning to rise, and we broke camp after a quick breakfast. As we stepped into the Lonelands, I could sense Candaith becoming more anxious. Clearly, he wanted to know if things had deteriorated in his brief absence.

Sensing his thoughts, I said, "I am sure you want to stop and scout the area, but we must keep moving. I want to reach the ruins that are in the shadow of Weathertop, on the Southeastern side."

Candaith reluctantly nodded. "It will take us two days to reach Ost Guruth from here. It is not safe to simply gallop full speed on the path; here are several orc encampments and a large warg den near the road, and we must be cautious. Leaving the road and traveling more secretively might be wise."

"Would it not be more dangerous to leave the path? It is open, yes, but as you go further from it there are rocky cliff faces and ruins that could be harboring threats," Saeradan countered.

Considering this for a moment, I replied, "We will stay on the path until we reach Weathertop; the place we will camp is not far off the road, but is sheltered by the towering cliffs. Keep alert for enemies." Both rangers nodded and we continued our journey.

We rode carefully by the entrance to the canyon that lead to Minas Eriol; the ruins were swarming with goblins and wargs, but if we avoided detection, we would be safe. We did not stop at the Forsaken Inn; despite all I had done to help them, there was still some distrust there. I did not want attention drawn to our errand unless it was necessary.

Luckily all remained calm during the day, and as the sun began to set, we dismounted and settled under the shelter of the tower. "Candaith, I heard there was a series of disturbances on the summit of Weathertop recently. What do you know of it?" Saeradan asked curiously.

Candaith briefly looked my direction, but replied, "The first time I noticed any trouble was several months ago. There was lightning striking the summit, despite the clear skies. It ended as soon as it had begun, and I noted a figure climbing down. I considered approaching but was afraid some witchcraft was afoot, and did not want to risk endangering myself." He glanced up at the tower again. "The following night I felt the presence of great evil, and there was fire and shrieking. I was barely able to keep my horse from bolting, and I was filled with fear. I stayed hidden until sunrise before walking closer, and noticed things had calmed."

He sighed. "Over the next several days, I noticed a large orc presence gathering along the path up to the summit. I knew something had to be done, but knew that I would be unable to do it alone." He turned to me and smirked. "Next thing I knew, I was holding a knife to the throat of a trespasser."

"I escape one threat to my life and am immediately faced with a deranged man attempting to murder me!" I said dramatically, throwing my hands up in exasperation before laughing.

Saeradan looked back and forth between us. "It sounds like there is a story here."

Candaith then went on to tell the tale of our first meeting, as well as what we had accomplished on Weathertop. "I could not have assaulted the tower without her help."

I smirked, "You just had to get yourself injured, leaving me to fight all the leaders on my own, including a massive troll!"

Candaith shrugged unapologetically, "You managed just fine without me. I would have only distracted you."

"Fair enough," I replied, standing up. "I will go scout the immediate area. You two can make yourselves useful by setting up the tents." I left before Candaith could stop me; I knew he wanted to scout but my eyesight was better in the dim lighting. I was familiar enough with the terrain to find my way around without trouble. As luck would have it, I managed to kill a small boar along the way that I knew would make a hearty meal.

I moved slowly across the ground, dragging the boar on some tarp I had in my bag. I only had a short distance to go, but it was a heavy load to carry. I paused as I heard what sounded like footsteps nearby. They sounded heavy, and I knew how lightly Candaith and Saeradan walked in their soft boots. Enemies then. I looked about me but found nothing close by where I could hide. I would have to confront them.

"Come any closer and you will find a sword in your stomach," I growled, dropping the boar and grasping the hilts of my knives.

I heard the grating sound of orcs laughing before they came around a large rock nearby. "Not if we put one in yours first little elf," one of them growled.

I assessed the scene; they were a larger pack of orcs. I quickly counted 7, but it was possible more were nearby. I knew that our campsite was likely out of hearing range. It was possible my companions would hear me if I called for them, but I was uncertain.

I decided to play it off like I was the only traveler, but spoke louder, "What do you want?" I said, gritting my teeth. "Do you want the boar? I will leave it here with you if you will let me pass." I hoped Candaith and Saeradan heard me; I was too occupied to listen for their approach.

The evil creatures smirked at each other, "That's what we wanted at first, but elf flesh is so much sweeter, don't you think boys?" They laughed again, before looking more serious and staring at me with cold eyes full of malice. "If you come quietly, we'll kill you quickly. If not…well, we like to play with our food before we eat it."

Before I could say another word, one of the orcs rushed me with a torch in his hand. Temporarily blinded, I drew my knives and haphazardly swung them forward. I heard a pained grunt as I felt one cut through flesh. I kicked out at the orc with the torch and he fell over, and I did a back flip to create some distance.

The next thing I knew, I felt a searing pain in my head before I slipped into darkness.

Uh oh, looks like Gwin is in some trouble! What will happen next? If you want to find out, follow my story, and leave a review if you'd like.