Gwin and Galthrod decide whether or not to leave now, and pick a difficult route to escape Nan Curunír. Will they be successful, and how are Candaith and the others doing? Read on to find out!
Chapter 124I could sense the relief in Candaith's spirit, mixed with adrenaline. "Gwin, it seems our friends were released from their cells and have come to rescue us."
I must have looked shocked, for Galthrod raised another questioning eyebrow; it seemed to be his signature expression. Focusing on Candaith, I replied, "Friends? Who has come?" Could it be true? Did Lheu Brenin change his mind, and release them early? I was not sure how long we had been stuck in Isengard, for the days seemed to blur together.
"Everyone was released, but only a handful came all the way here, including a surprise guest." He sounded mischievous, and I was burning with curiosity. However, before I could ask, he added, "You will just have to wait and see, meleth."
I huffed in frustration, but I was not truly annoyed. The thought that my friends had risked everything to come rescue us made me feel indescribably happy, and loved. However, my happiness dampened as I tried to focus on how we would reunite. "The weather seems like it will be poor come morning. While this will provide some cover, reuniting may be difficult."
"Hmm…one moment." Candaith must have been asking someone a question, for there was a lengthy pause. "We must sneak by the orc camp you mentioned, but if we go in small groups, hopefully we will pass by unnoticed. There is an abandoned Rohirric camp South of here, near the border of Nan Curunír. It is very secluded and hidden, and would be a good place to meet."
"That is far from me," I furrowed my brow in thought. "I have a river to cross, and it seems like there are few places to do so. The main crossing is the one we took right near the entrance to Isengard, and is therefore not an option." I turned to Galthrod and said, "Is there a crossing we can use further South?"
"Blackmarch Fort is another camp of Uruk-hai, and is close to the Southern exit," he replied, sitting on a boulder with his chin in his hand in thought. "I have heard there is a passage which skirts around the Eastern side of it, but it would take you into the mountains. You would need to climb down after and go West, and cross the river there, or find a way out on this side, but I do not know if there are any Uruks or orcs guarding the entrances to these lands."
I asked Candaith about this, and he was told by his companions that, when they came into Nan Curunír, there was no enemy presence there. "However, once Saruman is made aware of our escape, he may send forces to stop us."
The thought of being captured after so much effort made me shiver; it seemed hopeless. "We may need to just head out now, and go as far as we can before daybreak, poor weather or not."
"You are probably right. Lothrandir suggested the same thing."
I felt a rush of relief to hear my good friend had made it out alive, although perhaps not completely well. He had taken more beatings than Candaith and I, and I worried his injuries were more severe than he had let on. I turned to Galthrod, who was watching me thoughtfully, his dark eyes considering something. I waited, feeling awkward at the lengthening silence. What was he thinking of?
Before I could ask, he said, "Since we are both traveling the same way for a time, we should try and get out of here together."
Despite me feeling a little more comfortable with him, I still did not trust him fully. He had chosen to side with the enemy willingly. Would he turn the tables on me and betray me to Saruman? Yet, he might be my best chance at escaping here. I sighed, "Very well. I find it likely I will not reunite with my party until we are out of Nan Curunír, despite my wish to find them in their camp. Although only Lothrandir and Candaith have met you, I doubt anyone will greet you amicably, should we arrive together."
"I do not plan on going all the way to where you wish to go," he assured me. "Just far enough to make sure we both are out of these lands." He smirked, "As I said earlier, I would rather avoid another run-in with your ranger friends."
"Probably for the best," I replied. "We should leave now, rather than wait. I know it is not safe in the dark, but waiting until daylight would allow Saruman to discover our absence and send his forces after me."
"I will lead the way," Galthrod stated. "Although I am not an expert in every area of this land, I know my way around well enough. You should send a message to your…whatever he is, so he knows what we are planning."
I rolled my eyes at his terminology for Candaith, but did as he suggested. "Galthrod and I will head South shortly. I will try and find you at this camp you speak of, but if it as hidden as you say, it may be difficult. It is possible I will need to exit Nan Curunír via another route."
"We can guide each other as we go," Candaith replied. I felt a rush of worry and a little fear. "Please, be safe. I do not trust that Southerner with you, no matter what he says."
"I will keep my eyes open and watch him closely." He had helped me escape, but Galthrod had his own agenda. Whether or not he would actually help me get out of here safely was still unclear, no matter what he said. With that, Galthrod and I shouldered the few things we had, and cautiously looked outward from the cave entrance. The coast looked clear, but we stuck to the shadows as best we could while we began our journey. The clouds had fully covered the stars now, and it dampened my spirits. I suppressed a shudder as I remembered how the skies in Angmar looked much the same; the sun never made an appearance there, and the clouds were always a sickly, brown color. At least the clouds looked somewhat normal here, despite the smoke from the many forges of Isengard.
I held up a hand to stop Galthrod as I noticed some movement up ahead. The unfortunately familiar snuffling sounds of at least one warg were nearby. I gripped my borrowed sword tightly, as did Galthrod. He looked grim and determined, and I wondered if he was much of a warrior. Sure enough, a handful of the foul creatures came from behind some scraggly bushes, sniffing the ground determinedly. Had they picked up our scent?
I did not wish to find out, so as quietly as we could, we sunk our blades into the necks of the wargs. They were twitching wildly, but did not make much sound as they bled out over the dusty ground. Looking away, I wiped my blade on the ragged clothes I wore before we moved on. Galthrod, to his credit, had not hesitated in joining me in the attack, and walked quietly next to me, eyes forward as he assessed the path before us.
We came across a handful of wandering orcs as we headed South, taking them by surprise and killing them as quickly as we could, not allowing any to escape. We kept close to the mountains on our left, and I could distantly make out the winding river on our other side. It was slow going, and I began to feel nervous as I noted dawn was not far off. Galthrod tried to appear relaxed, but I noticed his shoulders were a little tense, and his sword was gripped tightly in his hand.
Finally, we reached the entrance to the mountain pass that Galthrod had mentioned. "I will go on ahead of you," he insisted. "For I know you do not trust me not to stab you in the back." He tried to play it off with nonchalance, but I could tell he was uneasy at his words.
"Do you blame me for being cautious?" I asked evenly, trying to lessen the tension.
"No," he replied, his lips quirked up in a lazy smile, but his eyes revealed his disappointment. I wondered if he knew how expressive they were, but did not comment on it. I knew he wanted me to trust him, but he must know why I was so cautious. Before I could consider this further, he said, "Shall we?"
With that, we carefully began to climb. It was steep at times, but the walls were high, and kept us out of the view of the many Uruk-hai in the camp below us. When I felt like my energy was nearly spent, we finally reached the top. I could see the rolling plains of the Gap of Rohan far ahead of us, and felt relieved we were so close to our goal.
"Now, as we descend, we must be on our guard," Galthrod warned. "I do not know if the pass is guarded at the bottom." Due to my observations, I could tell the sun was beginning to rise above the horizon, despite being hidden by the dense clouds, which were heavy with rain. Sure enough, as I spotted the exit, four Uruk-hai were stationed there, looking bored, I felt my breath catch as I noted this pass led outside of Nan Curunír. If I wished, I could avoid the river and meet up with Candaith and the others once they left their camp. However, would it be safe to try and hide by myself in the Gap of Rohan? I had little sense of where to find cover, and it potentially could be safer to try and cross the river anyway.
Shaking myself internally, I focused on the current situation. "We should be able to take them out," I insisted, but inside I was worried. Uruk-hai were strong and more intelligent than orcs. If one of them evaded our attack and ran off, they could report our presence to the leader of their camp, bringing a whole force of enemies upon us. We could only hope these ones would decide to stand and fight instead of run.
Luck was with us, for as we were preparing to strike, the Uruks were drawn away by something. My eyebrows raised in surprise as I heard "Forth Eorlingas!" before the clashing of swords. My eyes met Galthrod's surprised ones. "Sounds like the Rohirrim have come to save the day," he drawled.
I smiled nervously, "Looks like it. We should take our chance and get out of here, before we are noticed." Carefully, we exited the pass, sticking close to the walls. I could see a fierce battle between a small group of warriors and the Uruks, and it looked like the Rohirrim would prevail. Why were they here? Had Theodred heard of our plight and sent help? I found it more likely they were scouting and came across the Uruks by chance.
"Gwin? Are you well?" Candaith asked. "Where are you?"
I quickly explained, keeping most of my attention on my surroundings as we moved carefully West. Before we approached the river, Galthrod put a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to face him. "This is where I leave you, my lady," he said with a smirk. "Unless you cannot ford a shallow river without the help of a Numenorian like myself."
"I will be fine," I insisted. Unsure how to say goodbye to an enemy-possibly-turned-ally, I tentatively clasped his shoulder in a warrior's farewell. "If we should meet again, I hope it is not on opposite sides of a battle field." Or on a ship; I had heard tell of the mighty Corsairs of Umbar, and wondered if he had ever sailed with them as they pillaged and plundered the small towns along the coast.
He became more serious, and nodded slightly. "I…I will tell my father of your…kindness. Perhaps he will reconsider his options, for when we last parted, he had received an offer from Sauron to join his forces with ours."
"I wish you luck," I replied. "Farewell." With that, Galthrod continued moving carefully South, and I turned West to face the river.
However, before I could move forward, the Rohirrim made their way over to me. Assessing them quickly, I noted none of them were seriously injured, and gave them what I hoped was a welcoming, disarming smile. "Westu hal," I said, greeting them with one of the few phrases I remembered of Rohirric, thanks to Ergothorn.
A broad-shouldered, blonde-haired man smoothly dismounted, and I surmised he must be the leader of their small group. He noted the sword in my hand and gripped the pommel of his own, suspicion clear in his eyes. "Westu hal, my lady. What brings you to such a dangerous place?"
Setting the sword on the ground, I held up my hands peaceably. "I am an escaped prisoner of Isengard."
He appraised me, clearly noting my ragged appearance. I knew I must look a state, for I saw pity replace his caution. "You are lucky to have made it out of that fortress. I would ask you how you did it, but I must insist on offering you some of our food and water, if you would like."
I couldn't help the grateful smile on my lips, and followed him tiredly as they walked their horses some distance to the South. A small camp was present under a cluster of trees, and while the others busied themselves with cleaning their minor wounds, the man motioned for me to take a seat by the fire. I shivered as a cold breeze ruffled my hair; the rain would be starting soon. A cloak settled over my shoulders, and I found myself surprised by their kindness. Yet, I knew the Rohirrim to be honorable men, from what I had heard. I wrapped it tightly around myself, now keenly aware of the flimsy, ripped prison rags I was wearing.
"Here," the man said, handing me a water skin. "I doubt you have had clean water to drink in some time."
"You would be right," I whispered, remembering the metallic, foul-tasting water we were given in the dungeons. After drinking my fill and eating a few bites of cram, I sent a message to Candaith. "I have been helped by a small group of Rohirrim, and are currently in their camp. It is not too far from the entrance to Nan Curunír."
I could feel Candaith's anxiety, but he did not answer. I surmised he must be busy, trying to move South with the others, and tried to wait patiently. While I did so, the captain introduced himself.
"I am Halthred, and I lead this small group of scouts," he said, with a small bow.
"My name is Gwinthilnel," I replied, inclining my head. I noted my disheveled hair was covering my ears well, so I did not think he noticed I was an Elf. Perhaps he had never even seen one.
"So," he continued, settling himself next to me so we were on the same level, "You were a prisoner of Isengard. What caused the wizard to capture a maiden?"
I sighed, "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I suppose." I paused, trying to figure out what to say. "Got caught up in a Dunlending conflict, and was taken with many of their people to the dungeons of Isengard."
Halthred's lips curled in disgust, "Serves them right, for siding with the enemy."
I raised an eyebrow, hoping my annoyance was not too obvious, "It is because they chose to fight against the wizard that they were captured. Saruman wishes to bring all of Dunland and Enedwaith to heel by coercing, or failing in that, forcing the Dunlendings to swell his armies. Despite the feud of your people with theirs, you fight a common enemy."
"I am not sure our King would see it that way," he said with a frown, "Although…"
"Although…what?" I enquired leadingly.
"I should not say such things," he muttered, looking away from me. Before I could ask more about it, he changed the subject. "Is there somewhere we can escort you to safety? Your appearance suggests that you are not from around here."
"There is a camp, where Prince Theodred currently dwells," I began. "I must meet with him, for I have news I believe he would find useful."
A flicker of suspicion appeared in Halthred's eyes, "If it pertains to my people, I would know of it as well. I planned on heading to Grimbold's camp with my report. Perhaps you could join us? A message could be sent to the Prince via one of our fast riders, and the outpost is well-protected and safe."
I was unsure what to do, for I had not heard from Candaith. However, meeting in an established, and by the sounds of it, much larger camp, would be safer than trying to find the well-hidden one inside Nan Curunír's borders. "May I take a moment to consider your offer? There are other prisoners who escaped, and we became separated. It may be they will also make their way to Grimbold's camp, but they may also try and find shelter elsewhere."
"Very well," Halthred said. "Keep drinking water, and rest for a time." He narrowed his eyes in thought, before adding, "I believe one of my soldiers has some spare, clean clothing, which would perhaps fit you. The air is cold in these lands."
I smiled in thanks, and he inclined his head before turning and walking over to another Rohirrim, who had a slimmer build but was quite tall. The clothes would likely be too large, but they would have to do until my belongings were returned to me. If Candaith had them, that is.
A short time later, I had found some privacy and was wearing a baggy shirt and too-long trousers. As an Elf, I was taller than most Men, but this soldier was even taller than many of the Dunedain I knew. I rolled them up to keep the ends from dragging on the ground, and tied the linen belt I was given securely around my waist. I wandered over to Halthred and said, "Thank you for the clothes. You cannot truly know how much I appreciate it."
Halthred quirked his lips up in a small smile and replied, "I am glad I could help." He looked away for a moment, and his eyes grew misty. "I cannot imagine what you went through in such a dark place."
I swallowed thickly, pushing away the bad memories with difficulty. I knew they would not stay in the back of my mind forever, and I would have to deal with them…but not now. I did not have time to focus on those things. "I hope you never have to find out."
With that, I attempted to contact Candaith again. "Meleth nin? Can you hear me?"
When it seemed he would not answer, I felt a swell of relief when his voice spoke into my soul, "Yes, I can hear you. I am sorry, I was focused on trying to get to safety with all of the other prisoners."
"Have you found a safe place?"
"We made it to the hidden, old Rohirric camp, but it was a dangerous journey which involved fighting numerous wargs and orcs."
My heart dropped into my stomach, "Is everyone all right?"
"None of our fellow prisoners were injured, although some of our Dunedain companions are dealing with minor wounds." I didn't sense any lie in his words, and was glad of it. "Are you well?"
I surmised he was worried I still traveled with Galthrod. "The Rohirrim provided me with food and clothing, and they offered to escort me to Grimbold's camp, which is an outpost of their people. They say it is safe, and nearby."
"Let me see if anyone knows anything of that place." There was a pause, before he returned to our 'conversation', "The others passed through there on their way to Isengard, and say it would be a good place to reunite."
"Then we shall do so." I felt a wave of relief, and I wondered if it was Candaith's, or my own. "Please, be careful. We are so close to seeing each other once more."
"We will be. I will see you soon, meleth nin."
I sighed, and made my way over to Halthred. "I would like to join your party on your way to Grimbold's camp, if the offer still stands."
"It does," he said, pleased with my decision. "Do you feel strong enough to travel?"
"Yes, although I do not have a horse to ride." He offered to ride in tandem with me, and I swung into the saddle behind him once the camp was quickly dismantled.
Unfortunately, our journey was more eventful than I hoped.
We were about halfway there before a pack of wargs ridden by orcs came up over a small hill, trying to ambush us. However, Rohirric horses are fast and well-trained, and we were able to outrun them. Halthred shouted for help once we were within earshot of the wooden gates of the outpost, and the archers on the wall easily killed the evil creatures, leaving none alive. My heart was racing, knowing how lucky we were to escape. We were fortunate none of the orcs split off to return to Saruman, for if they reported my presence, a large host of orcs and Uruk-hai would potentially be sent to…retrieve me, putting Grimbold and his camp at risk. Unfortunately, there was still a chance such a thing would happen; Saruman's armies were large; the question was, did he care enough about me to put in the effort of sending them after me? I knew he was gathering fighters for some great battle, and hoped he would instead keep them in Isengard.
I was able to calm down enough to be collected when I was introduced to Grimbold, the leader of his camp. He grinned and said, "I am glad to see you, my lady, for some very concerned Dunedain passed through here, determined to rescue you!"
"I am glad they found shelter with you, for a time. Thank you for your help," I replied politely.
He waved his hand, "It was no trouble, I assure you." His brow furrowed, "Did you not meet with them?"
"From what I understand, they were able to help rescue my other companions, as well as many prisoners of Isengard, who escaped along with my friends," I replied. "I hope they will make their way here, and I would ask you to keep a lookout for them. Perhaps they will also be accosted on the road." I frowned, and sent up a quick prayer that they would be safe. I paused, looking at him uncertainly. How would he react to dozens of Dunlendings arriving, if they all in fact decided to come here? Deciding he would need to figure it out, I kept it to myself.
"We will do so," Grimbold assured me. "Now take some rest, you look exhausted." I was bone-tired, but too anxious to rest until I saw Candaith and Lothrandir again. Nevertheless, I followed as Grimbold escorted me to an unoccupied tent. "One of my men will find you a bedroll and some food and water shortly."
Thanking him again, we parted ways. Sure enough, only a few minutes later a man brought the requested items, and I reclined back onto the bedroll, staring up at the tent ceiling in thought. How long would it take Candaith and the others to get here?
Only time would tell. Despite my efforts, I fell into an exhausted reverie.
Wow, what an exhausting night! Gwin and Galthrod escaped Nan Curunír, and she was aided by some Rohirrim. Now she only has to wait for Candaith and the others to arrive while enjoying some much-needed rest. Thanks for reading, and leave a review!