Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

In a land of shadows	By : Nuredhel Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1448 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien, and i do not earn any money from this work of fiction, it is solely written for entertainment and not for profit at all.I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien,

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Chapter Eleven: Do not walk quietly into the night
Do not willingly bow
Don’t let it steal your strength
Face the falling darkness with courage
Keep your steel sharp, keep your spirit alive
Remember who you are

The small group left the camp after a short rest. Ravenne was excited to see the landscape but she was worried too. Haldir and Gwan were calm and concentrated and Narriar was leading them through the dark forest with ease. He walked without making any sound and she had to admit that he really belonged there. He was one with the forest and that even more so than the elves she was used to back home. The landscape was indeed wild, it was if it hadn’t had time to be worn down by time yet, steep hills and mountains, wild rivers and deep canyons and the strange faint light made it hard to see the details or determine distances. He had no problems though and he obviously knew the almost invisible paths like the back of his own hand. Haldir was impressed, his warriors back at Lothlorien would have had problems finding their way there but Narriar never lost his course even when they had to take detours to avoid dangerous areas. Narriar told them of the animals and plants they saw while they walked and Ravenne saw a few rather bizarre creatures she hardly believed to be real, including a huge armadillo like animal the size of a SUV. Narriar told them that they sometimes would use the armor of these creatures as huts when they were on the move.
The landscape rose slowly towards a range of extremely ragged mountains which seemed to reach into the very skies itself, they looked like a row of teeth and Ravenne felt a chill run down her spine. They looked menacing and she could see that Haldir and Gwan thought that too. Narriar grinned. “Those we call the dragons teeth, nobody knows what’s beyond them. It is impossible to cross the peaks, and there are no safe passes.”
Haldir puckered his brow in a frown. “Have anyone tried?”
Narriar nodded. “Yes, many seasons ago. I think it was back at the time of my father’s father. Three very brave ellyn tried, they found the body of one of them in the river, the other ones went missing.”
Gwan sighed. “I bet that this world is huge, it would be a thrill to explore it but not without a huge group and a lot of equipment.”
Ravenne had to agree on that.
They walked for what had to be hours, they entered a very long and narrow valley covered with a strange type of coniferous trees, it was beautiful but strange and she could see huge herds of animals by the river. Narriar smiled. “Bhilak and Dhybhyrr, the most common plant eaters here. Peaceful unless disturbed and they taste very good too”
They took a small break to drink and rest before they continued walking, Ravenne felt a little lightheaded and she realized that the air there was different than back home. It was thinner when you got high up in the mountains. They saw some large bear like animals Narriar took them in a wide circle around and Ravenne understood that they were dangerous, then he showed them a huge meadow covered with some thick leaved low plants he told them was used as a sort of vegetable but it had to be cooked first, eating it raw would cause serious constipation. Haldir had to grin hearing that piece of information. Some huge bugs which looked like spiders were scurrying around the forest floor and Ravenne was a bit startled by them until Narriar told her they were completely harmless. They could not even bite and they ate only tree sap. They used to keep some as pets for the children and they could dry the bodies and turn the shells into cups and plates.
Ravenne had to grin, everything there was so very strange. Gwan saw a giant snake that gave him the jitters and Narriar just smiled and told him that these snakes were delicious. Haldir grinned by Gwan’s expression of disbelief. They walked up another valley and Ravenne was stunned to see that the river coming from it was steaming. It had to come from some hot springs and she could smell the sulphur. Narriar explained that there were many volcanic areas in Lithui and some volcanoes too. His people feared those places and did never go to them.
The view they got when they entered the highland area was stunning, the land lay there below them shimmering like a forest covered with frost, shining and almost unreal. Ravenne had never seen such beauty and she could see that Narriar understood what she was thinking and he was a bit proud of his home. They were breathing hard now but Narriar appeared to be unaffected by the height and Ravenne made a grimace, he was able to keep a tempo which would completely drain the strength of all others. The valley they now entered was wide and u shaped and the forest consisted of low and dense bushes with some almost crippled trees among them. It was a naked and almost barren area with a small lake in the middle and some very steep and snow covered peaks surrounding it. Narriar stopped and took a look around, it was spooky to see how his eyes were shining and Ravenne knew that her own probably did the same, just not in the same color. He frowned. “She lives in this area, I just hope she still is alive.”
Haldir sighed and sat down on a rock. “Great, do we go looking?”
Narriar shook his head. “No, we won’t find her if we try, she will have to come to us.”
He threw his head back and shouted something very loud. The echo came back from the mountains and sounded almost like some distant choir. He sat down too and nodded to Gwan. “You should eat a little, it could be some time before she gets here.”
They unpacked the rations they had brought, it was the type of food you get in bags and to prepare it you added water and waited for a moment. Ravenne stared at the bag she had gotten, roast chicken it said with big bold letters but when they had added water, stirred and waited it looked more like an accident than anything else. Gwan took some bites and stuck his tongue out with an expression of disgust. “This chicken must have run into a landmine or something, it is more blown to smithereens than roasted!”
Haldir took a bite of his ration, he whimpered. “Gods, if we have to eat this for many days my stomach will cause me unimaginable agony. This steak is indeed roasted, by a dragon! This is charcoal!”
Ravenne grinned, her food looked like something that had been eaten already, and regurgitated and it smelled almost like it too. She gulped and spilled it behind a rock, she wasn’t that hungry at all. Narriar raised an eyebrow and stared at them with a puzzled expression. “This food was made by humans, and they cannot have taste buds at all.”
Haldir’s explanation was met with a snort from Narriar, he was laughing really hard. Gwan and Haldir did also sacrifice their rations to the wild and whatever creatures out there brave enough to risk their stomachs eating the stuff. Ravenne stared at the skies once more when she suddenly heard a sound and whipped her head around. An elleth stood on a rock and stared at them with strange dark eyes, her gaze was piercing and she looked very peculiar. She was seemingly young but Ravenne could sense that she was extremely ancient, she could very well be as old as this world and Ravenne sensed that this female was very powerful indeed. Narriar bowed very deeply and he appeared to be filled with a deep respect. The female stared at them, she wore a skirt made from an untanned skin of some sort and amulets and other weird objects hang around her neck. She held onto a walking stick decorated with pieces of skin, small skulls and bones. This was really a shaman and Ravenne had a sense of almost fear. She knew that the elleth knew something, something which would forever change everything.
Narriar held his right hand over his heart, he wasn’t speaking and Ravenne knew that he was waiting for the woman to speak first. She sent them a wry grin, jumped down from the rock as agile as a cat and tilted her head, stared at Narriar. “Narriar, son of Habathiar, I know you chief of the dragons.”
He swallowed. “Yes ancient and honored one.”
She turned around, stared at Haldir and Gwan. “Brave warriors, fine ellyn. I see strength in these two, good, you will need it!”
Her voice was a bit hoarse, a bit strange. She stared at Ravenne and a narrow smile spread across her face, she reached out and touched Ravennes face. She twitched, it felt as if though the female touched far more than just her skin, something reached her very soul and she felt very frightened. “Ah phivanil, how lovely and how unaware of your potential. It will change little one, it will change”
The female cocked her head, those dark eyes were like dark ponds devoid of light and Ravenne senses something akin to hunger in them. It was frightening. “Do not fear the darkness little lioness, you are a part of it but embraced by the light. Sometimes you need a hero but let me tell you all something. You cannot fight true evil without becoming evil, to fight fire become fire, to conquer darkness only darkness will do.”
Ravenne took a deep breath. “What do you mean?”
The elleth chuckled. “That you must remember what and who you are, with what you have been blessed.”
Ravenne shook her head. “I am cursed, not blessed!”
The elleth had an almost wicked grin on her face. “Oh, are you? A curse or a blessing, it all depends on how you choose to view it. Oh yes I know you, you won’t believe me but I do. To survive this you must embrace it all, unleash your inner huntress, forget about being anything but your true self. You were feral child, become feral once more”
Narriar saw that Ravenne was pale, that her lips were shivering and her eyes huge. “Do you know of the threat we are facing? “
The elleth laughed, a low chuckling laughter. “Do I know it? How could I not know of it, the very land is crying out in fear, in anguish. Ah they are the spawn of destruction these ones, reapers of death, destroyers of world.”
Ravenne held her breath. “Would you please tell us more?”
The ancient one sat down, she was smiling again, a dark smile. “Then I must go back, a long time indeed. Back to a time before this world was even born.”
Haldir and Gwan was staring at her with wide eyes and she sent them a slow grin. “Yes, I am that old, I will not bore you with the details of who or what I really am but I have seen worlds come and go, to me time is but a word, a worthless phrase.”
Narriar gasped and Ravenne saw the deep reverence in his eyes. The creature smiled again. “These creatures are the locust of the universe, they travel through space itself and when they arrive they reap all they can until the resources are depleted completely, then they leave for another world and it repeats itself.”
Ravenne had to swallow hard. “How do they travel?”
The elleth raised an elegant arm, drew a line across the skies with her hand. “With eggs, the queen will harvest as much as she can and breed as many of her minions as she possibly can. When the end is near and there is no more food to be found she will prepare to die, by then she has been fed with the best food for months or even years, she is strong and filled with a special kind of eggs. Eggs that can survive in space.”
Ravenne had problems even believing this but she somehow knew it was true. “And then?”
The female cocked an eyebrow. “She will creep out of her hive for the last time and her body will burst in an explosion that will toss the eggs out into space. Her job will be done and the same thing will happen again, in some new unfortunate place.”
Ravenne frowned. “The workers had primitive armor and weapons, and they have visited other worlds than this, both my home and earth.”
The ancient one nodded. “Yes, they may be nothing more than simple brainless brutes but she is not. The queen is cunning phivanil, very cunning. Do not reveal anything about yourself cause she is like a she-dragon, sly! She has great powers and strong magic, do not underestimate her.”
Narriar made a grimace.”Then how do we rid ourselves of this threat?”
The elleth grinned. “I have already told you, Ravenne is the key, the solution. She just have to see it, and see what her gift really is.”
The strange female touched Ravenne’s chin. “You thought yourself cursed child, but you were only waiting for your one, as you already have guesses. That was not the curse you thought you were carrying.”
Ravenne sighed. “Then what? What is my curse for the flesh?”
The female lowered her gaze. “The most terrible and bitter one to carry, so like my own.”
She stood up, grasped her staff. “I have answered your questions, now go and do what you must. There is little time, I hear cries in the wind and I smell blood, her hunger is without boundaries.”
Narriar raised his arm in a pleading motion as if to ask yet another question and the elleth sent him a quick glance. “Yes.”
That was all she said and Narriar stared at her with huge eyes, Ravenne stared at him with confusion and he just shook his head. The elleth disappeared among the shadows and they did not see how her eyes were shining. She had sensed it, seen it. She chuckled, the young one did not know it but the future was already set, she had seen it. She had seen what was to be. Yes, there would be another one, another spiritwalker. The elleth continued to chuckle as she seemed to dissipate into the darkness, it would begin soon enough.
Ravenne felt scared still and Narriar was shivering slightly. Haldir and Gwan got back onto their feet and they looked nervous too. “So, we have to find this hive and kill the queen before she has time to spread that spawn of hers all over the universe? Sounds like fun if you ask me!”
Gwan spat and shook his head in disbelief and Ravenne tried to pull herself together again. She looked down. “It seems as though I am the key to this. “
Haldir smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I am sure that it will go well, we are well prepared and experienced.”
Narriar stared into the darkness and Ravenne had to admire his profile, it looked very regal and proud but there was some sort of unease in his eyes. “Experienced yes, but not with this kind of problem.”
Gwan swallowed and made a grimace. “This is one problem we have to solve at the first attempt. We will have no time to learn. So I suggest that we head back down and see if there is anything new to be learned from the other clans.”
Narriar smiled but Ravenne could see that he still felt worried. She caressed his hand and he gave her a grateful smile. They started walking and Ravenne noticed that the huge star had descended and was almost at the horizon. The shadows were a bit longer and darker and she heard sounds from the woods she hadn’t heard before, they made the hairs stand up at the back of her neck. She shook her head and tried to remain calm but Narriar saw her worry and grinned. “it is just the calls of a herd of Ibhet, they sound terrible but they are tiny cute animals. Fast like lightening and not much meat on them but their furs are so very soft and we use them for our beds.”
Ravenne tried to smile, that those howling screeching sounds came from small cute animals was hard to believe. Narriar grinned again. “If you hear a very sweet and soft whistling song which sounds almost like that of a bird do run, it is probably a Jhibhadi, a very devious and dangerous predator. They are rare but they are lethal, they subdue their victims by hypnotizing them and then they inject them with a poison that makes it dissolve from the inside out. It is a most horrible way to die and we try to kill them if we discover any in our territory.”
Ravenne sighed. “Let me guess, they look pretty?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yes, they are lovely to look at and we use their hide and bones for many things and the jaws are often used as cutting tools. The brain is by the way very valuable, we use it to tan delicate hides.”
Haldir was listening with interest but Gwan was a bit green in his face. Ravenne had to laugh at his expression. They made haste and they returned to the camp when it had become quiet for the night. Some ellyn were standing watch and Narriar spoke a few words with them before he turned to Ravenne. “I have forgotten to ask you if you want to stay in the tents for the night or if you want to be with me, in my hut?”
She giggled. “I haven’t even seen the inside of one of your huts yet. I am curious so yes, I will stay with you.”
He grinned widely. “Good, follow me.”
She went behind him to a hut that looked pretty much like the others, being a chief didn’t mean that he got any better housing than the others. The door was a flap of leather and it was pitch black in there. He turned around. “Wait here, I will find some light.”
She waited and she could hear a lot of action going on inside of the hut, he was obviously tidying up the place beside looking for a source of light. After a short while he opened the door once more, he held a sort of lamp in his hand and he smiled. “Do enter, and feel welcome.”
She bowed down and entered, she discovered that the floor of the hut was far below ground level, a small stair was built from the opening and down to the earth floor and she stared around herself with astonishment. She had imagined something very primitive but the place was cozy and looked inviting. He had some sort of wooden table standing by the wall on one side, it had a simple and yet beautifully carved chairs standing next to it. There were several crates there and they too were carved from wood. Some clothes and weapons hang from a rack and then the inner part of the hut was a bed area and it was rather large. She stared, she had never seen this type of bed arrangement before. It was obvious that they had dug a rather huge and deep hole in the ground, then they had filled it with the nice white sand of a river bed and some huge pelt had been placed on top of it and been attached to the walls and the floor in some manner. It created a sort of pit and within it lay many large soft looking furs that had been stitched together, It looked both comfortable and warm and she realized that with the sand underneath the bedding would shape itself after the bodies sleeping in it, like a modern matrass. Narriar smiled. “This is my home, it isn’t much but at least it is warm and comfortable.”
Ravenne nodded, she felt stiff and tender after the fast march and she struggled with her armor. Narriar came over and started helping her with it, unstrapping it and while he did it he landed small light kisses on her skin as he exposed it. It made her feel so strangely alive once more and she gasped as he removed her last garments and started licking and kissing the back of her neck. He had found her weak spot and he wasn’t going to forget that so easily. He got rid of his own clothes and lifted her up, carried her over to the bed. He gently laid her down among the furs and she was astonished to find out that they were incredibly soft and silky against her skin, it felt like chinchilla fur and she had to squirm against them to really relish in the sensual feeling. Narriar chuckled. “Thought you would like them, sleeping in these furs is like nothing else. “
He kissed her softly but with hunger and she answered it, pulled him over her. Before long they both had forgotten about everything else than their pleasure and the ancient song of their blood.
Ravenne was dozing, the darkness within the hut was almost absolute so she saw little but she didn’t have to. She felt Narriars body close to her own and heard his slow breath, felt his warmth. It was all she needed. She wanted to sleep but had problems with it, there were too many thoughts tormenting her. What had that strange elleth really meant with the words she had said? It was haunting her again and again and she feared to find the truth.
She sighed, stared out into the darkness. Up north, it would all end up north, she just knew it. They would win or die and she would not have feared death before but now she did, she had something to loose now, something precious to her. Narriar was sleeping like a child and she had to grin when she thought of the way he made her laugh and squirm and just let go of everything. He was so gentle with her, so tender. It was as if he couldn’t touch her enough, he had caressed every inch of her or so it at least felt. The only strange thing about him she had noticed was that he sometimes would bite her right at the moment of his climax, she guessed that it was a pure reflex and not something he was aware of. She had some nice marks on her neck and shoulders but she didn’t mind. It was a part of the package and she giggled and snuggled against the silky furs. She wondered what her family would say if she survived and they met him, she wondered if they would survive. She swallowed and prayed that the good forces of the world would protect her family, then she slowly was overtaken by her fatigue and fell asleep. Narriar grunted in his sleep and pulled her closer to him, as if to make sure that she really was there and not just some dream.
Nireariel and Astar had been sitting in the great hall for a while when she recovered from her use of the song. Astar had never seen his daughter like this before, there was a strange fire flickering in her eyes and she held her head high. She looked like some warrior queen, like a she-dragon ready to protect her young. She was still tired but determined, if this night brought another attack she would do whatever she could to protect them all. Astarion had returned to his family to rest and Raina was sleeping in Nireariel’s own room while her husband watched over her. Nireariel hoped that they would be strong enough to help her if it was needed. Poicano was joining them, he was visibly nervous and the healer worried that this would be too much for Nireariel. He did not dare to say anything because he knew how stubborn she was but he wanted to be there to avoid that she injured her fea with this. He had been the healer of the court of Thranduil for ages and he wasn’t going to forget about his duties even with monsters clawing at the walls. Far from it although he was more terrified than ever before.
In the middle of the day some new elves had come to the palace and they had brought with them the crate with lights Thranduil had sent. It had been split up into sacks and transported on horseback so it had arrived earlier than anticipated. Nireariel was glad it had, but she did not trust these things. The elves who had hidden within the forest was ok, the trees protected them and they had not been detected. The home of Oropher had been ignored too, it held nothing living now and these monsters didn’t care about dead structures. Nireariel worried about the avorren elves who lived further south near the borders but she knew that they were very capable of hiding. The palace was filled with elves now and there were bedrolls everywhere, even in the throne room. Some children were running around playing and enjoying the excitement of the unusual situation, Nireariel was glad that they didn’t realize the severity of it, that they were in mortal danger. She had sent some warriors out to check the structure and it was unharmed. It was just as strong as it had been and she had taken a deep breath of relief. But another night was close at hand and she wondered if the next attack would be even worse if it came. She prayed that it wouldn’t but she was somehow sure that these monsters wouldn’t back down, they knew there was food there and they wanted it.
When darkness fell she ordered that everybody moved into the structure and that the children returned to the vaults. Astarion was ready to fight once more and Raina was scared but calm. Nireariel was very proud of them and she just wished that Ravenne could be there with them. She just hoped that her daughter was safe, that she wasn’t alone and afraid. Nireariel just sighed when she heard the first calls from the guards. The monsters were appearing again and she closed her eyes and gathered all her strength. She slowly let herself fall into a state of trance and spoke to the roses once more. Astarion and Raina did their part too and this time they allowed their faer to merge so they could coordinate it better and draw strength from each other. The guards shut the hatches and some had placed themselves on top of the structure well out of reach for the monsters, armed with the UV lights. Nireariel thought that these ellyn were very brave but the monsters didn’t have bows and could not reach them as long as the walls were protected by Nireariel and the two others. They heard the first roars outside and all three of them took a deep breath and prepared themselves. They had seen the most efficient methods last night and they would use them again this night. They could just pray that it would be enough.
The convoy out of Tirion was moving slowly through the pass, survivors from the villages had joined them and more had come from the area east of the mountains. When darkness fell there were at least a thousand elves there and it meant that the convoy moved extremely slowly. Thranduil and Oropher was in despair, they could not hope to protect this many, it was impossible. If the monsters came now it would end in utter bloodshed and there were no place to hide. Many were wounded and Thranduil started to fear that most of them would perish before they could reach the woods. Galadriel was close to death now and Celeborn was beside himself with fear and sorrow, Thranduil hadn’t really liked him because of her influence on him, after all she was a noldor and everybody knew that even if they were regarded as a very noble group they were also capable of creating terrible situations just because of their strength of will and determination. Legolas was worried too, they had perhaps four hundred capable soldiers and with all the weapons from the cache in the old armory they could give them all something at least but it would not help them against the monsters.
Oropher meant that the monsters would come for the convoy and Thranduil agreed, it was just a matter of time. They had to do something to protect them but what? In the pass there were no places to hide and they were basically sitting ducks. Thranduil saw the children who were being carried by their parents, most of them were traumatized, having seen things someone of their tender age never should have had to witness and his heart was bleeding for them. They had to save these innocent lives, but how? Thranduil ordered the wounded to be placed onto the horses for faster transport and it was done but they could not leave the rest of the convoy behind, abandon them all to a terrible faith. He had no idea of how things were back east now, if anyone was alive at all. He knew that Elrond and his family probably were in Valmar by now and he suspected that the big cities were overcrowded with refugees. The situation had to be absolutely terrible and he remembered days of old when the situation had been dire. But back then they had known their enemy, they had been aware of his strength and will and they knew that they could beat him. This enemy defied logics, it was like some mindless force of nature and Thranduil felt a deep despair. How could they really hope to fight something like this? Were they mad? But he refused to just give up and be killed like some worthless animal.
The convoy did make a lot of noise and he didn’t hear at first when one of the guards came running yelling like crazy. Thranduil didn’t notice the ellon before he almost stumbled over a rock and stopped in front of him, the elf’s eyes were wide and he was gasping. “My liege, I spoke with a local shepherd, there is a cave in the mountains up ahead, It is not large but it can hold this convoy, and it can be easily defended too.”
Thranduil felt his heart skip a beat, he spun around. “Quick, show me, there is no time to spare”
The ellon gasped and ran again and Thranduil followed him. He was glad he only wore a short tunic and not his usual layered coats, it would have been a nightmare to run in those. They ran up a narrow path made by the herds of sheep and goats and it was steep and winding but it could be used. It ran along the foot of the mountain and he saw the cave all of a sudden. It lay in the mountainside and it was perhaps fifty meters up from the ground underneath it. A ladder had been made up to it and the opening wasn’t that large but he saw that at least five ellyn could stand shoulder to shoulder there. Above the dark opening the mountainside leaned outwards in an overhang that protected it from above and Thranduil knew that this was the solution. He turned around and waved his arm to the front riders. “Get everybody up here, now!”
It became a chaos, but everybody understood what they had to do and so the warriors helped the families and the weak ones up the path. The ladder was rather solid and could take many at once and since elves are agile by nature getting everybody up and into the cave went fast and easy. There was a sense of slight panic but before long only those who were on horseback was left and Thranduil saw that Oropher nodded to him. The wounded had to get to New Greenwood fast and they would have to ride hard now. The warriors who chose to stay at the cave were armed with bows and UV lights and the ladder was pulled up. The monsters could not walk through rocks and the cave opening was too high of the ground for them to reach.
Legolas had gotten his horse back and so had Thranduil and Oropher. They had managed to get steeds for some warriors who were escorting the wounded and Thranduil turned around and addressed them. “Do not stop for anything, prove that you are brave warriors, knights of Eldamar. Let nothing steal your courage, ride for salvation and life”
The ellyn just nodded. They had gotten the armors they had found in Tirion and Legolas had strapped his own on now. Thranduil found it weird to see his son clad in the armor of an ancient time but it looked good. He had to think that his son could have made a great leader had things been different. Vegylion was among the warriors and he looked eager and ready to fight, Thranduil had given him command of a third of the group and Vegylion had appreciated that. They had about a hundred wounded elves who had to get to New Greenwood fast, the ones with lesser injuries were in the cave, they could be treated there by the healers of Tirion but those close to dying could not wait any longer. The remains of the convoy started moving and this time at a gallop. They would push their horses to their very limit but there was no other option. Some sat up on the horses holding those who were unconscious or too weak to ride alone and Thranduil saw that Celeborn was holding Galadriel in his arms, he looked terrible and Thranduil just prayed that they wouldn’t be delayed. The road through the pass was wide and good and they made good speed. The ones riding in front were carrying torches and the thunder of hooves made the ground shake. They had reached the end of the pass when they saw motion up ahead, it was a group of monsters of perhaps thirty and they were obviously waiting for them. Legolas screamed an order and the archers rode to the front of the convoy, they had smeared oil onto some arrows and fired burning missiles at the monsters. Thranduil knew that they only had one shot at this, they had to win. The archers felled quite a few which was remarkable knowing that they fired from a moving horse. Thranduil drew his sword, felt a bitter taste of fear in his mouth but he could not hesitate. A shock attack was their best strategy now and they had to make use of their horses and their speed. The swords men rode to the front and spurred their mounts, they didn’t have spears or lances and it was a pity because with such weapons they could have done much damage. Instead they had to rely on their swords and that meant getting close up to the beasts.
The monsters were roaring and waving their clubs and Oropher shouted an order. The riders at the back of the line of warriors turned their flashlights on and aimed them at the monsters. The beasts screamed on pain, smoke rose from their skin and the first line of riders hit them like a war hammer. They all had trained horses and the animals just ran straight into the line of beasts and knocked them over. The huge creatures weren’t that agile and lost balance rather easily. Then the next line came with swords and Thranduil was among them. He swung the dragons tooth against a hideously looking thing and ran the blade straight through the mouth of the beast so the end came out through its neck. Then he jerked the blade back and spurred his horse for another attack. There was screaming and roaring the whinnying from terrified horses, Oropher was fighting like a madman and he cut throats and limbs like some crazy reaper. Thranduil had never seen his father like this before, not even at the Dagorlad.
Legolas did also kill his fair share and Vegylion was laughing while he crushed some heads with a huge Warhammer he had brought from Tirion. The weapon proved to very efficient and after a while the monsters were dead. Thranduil shook the strange sensation of dreaming out of his head, he had killed at least five monsters and the sword had indeed been like the tooth of a dragon, it had pierced even the flesh of these beasts with ease. None were wounded but they had lost three horses, fortunately they had some reserve animals and could ride on. Thranduil just hoped that they wouldn’t encounter any more groups of beasts. It would be just too much.
The road from the pass did split up down in the foothills and they took the path leading south towards the forests of Orome. It was still several days ride if you held a normal tempo but he hoped that they could reach New Greenwood in just two days if they rode really hard. It would be too late for some but he crossed his fingers still, they could perhaps save most of them.
At the palace Nireariel and the two others were engaged in a fight of their own. This time the monsters were not only workers but also warriors and those were bigger and far more terrible. They had few weak spots but Nireariel had discovered that they were rather slow. They did not move fast enough to get out of the way when the living forest around the palace moved in for the kill. The best way to get rid of the huge warrior beasts was simply to toss them up in the air and let gravity do the rest. They were heavy so it was like crushing an insect. Nireariel and Astarion knew how to control their powers this night, how to save their strength and use it efficiently. Raina spoke to the forests around the palace and her powers awakened the entire area, and it spread out like rings in water. The forest became more aware, more alive. It became as the forests of old, able to defend itself and rather hostile against any enemies. The attack was also interrupted by the use of the lights, it burned them and blinded them and seemed to frighten them more than anything else. When the first light of day appeared the remaining monsters were trapped there and they ran into the forest seeking shelter but found only death. The trees would grasp them, embrace them and squeeze them to death. Others were ripped apart or thrown into ponds and rivers where they sank like lumps of lead.
Nireariel and the two others weren’t as tired this time as the time before, they were conscious and now they knew how to beat the beasts. They could only hope that they didn’t bring something new they couldn’t anticipate. Nireariel was carried off to rest by Poicano and Astarion helped Raina back to bed. She was pale and shivering and he knew that his sister wasn’t as strong as she pretended to be. Her last miscarriage had drained her strength and he was very worried for her. He thought about the things Ravenne had said, perhaps this indeed was a last remnant of the curse Raina should have carried, but then what about him? He wasn’t having any sorts of problems at all. The fortuneteller had said that his life would be easy, without great sorrows. Maybe it really was something biological that was the problem, then perhaps it could be healed in time. Astar had often said that if Haldanare had been there she would perhaps been able to solve the problem, but she hadn’t been re-embodied yet. Neither had Thranduil’s first wife, perhaps she would prefer not to meet him again, ever.
The daylight was a blessing but it revealed how the surroundings looked, the ground was covered with body parts and greenish goo, it looked terrible but it could be sorted out. Astar was really worried, this had to be stopped. They could not continue like this every night, sooner or later their defenses would fail somehow and that would be the end. He knew that Ravenne was in Lithui now and he closed his eyes and thought of his granddaughter. She was such a fierce spirit and something about her reminded him of his Haldanare, her fire was just as wild and untamed as Ravenne’s but she had gone too far and become broken. He just prayed that Ravenne wouldn’t have to make the same mistake as Haldanare had. He stood watching the grotesque sight outside the doors and noticed that Cunarin came walking, he looked down and was slightly pale. Astar knew that the others disliked Thranduil’s brother and he had understood why but he was a very experienced ellon, he had seen a lot during his long life and he knew that there always is more to people than what meets the eye. He had sensed that Cunarin in some ways was a very tortured soul and watching the interactions between the dark haired ellon and the younger blond Caladem had told Astar a few truths. He had never seen the two of them together when Meldariel was present and it spoke volumes.
It was also apparent that Thranduil knew of this, he had seen that before their king left but Cunarin’s mother was oblivious to the relationship. Now on the other hand something had happened and Cunarin looked both scared and relieved at once. He sat down on a bench just inside of the doors and wiped away some tears from his eyes, he shuddered and sighed. Astar shrugged, walked over and Cunarin tensed up, looked as if he wished he was miles away. Astar sent the ellon a friendly glance. “You look distraught, what’s the matter?”
Cunarin was shaking, he closed his eyes. “Naneth, she…she has found out that I and Caladem..,”
Astar tilted his head to the side. “And she didn’t before?”
Cunarin shook his head. “No, Thran wanted me to tell her and I was going to, I swear I was but I wanted to wait until this calamity is over, if it ever ends. “
Astar petted him on his shoulder, he did indeed look a lot like a darker version of his brother. “Did someone tell her?”
Cunarin shook his head. “No, that would have been bad enough, no, she caught us, red handed so to speak, behind a closet in one of the storage rooms. I have never been so embarrassed in my life!”
Astar sighed. “Darn, I guess that is a bit awkward yes. Did she take it well or did she blow a fuse?”
Cunarin blushed. “She took it very well, she had had her suspicions she told me, even when I was just a lad. I never got in trouble with the ellith you know, as the other young ellyn did. But she didn’t know the truth about me and Caladem. I killed someone Astar, to keep our relationship secret, and furthermore, I allowed myself to get killed to be reunited with Caladem when he was murdered by the orcs. That I died almost broke her heart back then and I had to tell her everything now, I mean, we might die! I didn’t want to keep secrets any more, that part of it she didn’t respond to nicely”
Astar made a grimace. “I can understand that yes.”
Cunarin sighed and hid his face in his hands. “I don’t think she will talk to me ever again, but at least the cat’s out of the bag. She knows what a complete jerk I have been.”
Astar felt a need to roll his eyes but he didn’t. “Cunarin, you were young, heck, you still are young. She will come around eventually and forgive you. Don’t worry, just wait and see. You are her son, she will forgive you eventually.”
Cunarin sent him a pale grin. “Thank you for those words, I hope you are right. If we survive this I pray that she will be able to open her heart to me again.”
Astar got on his feet again. “She will, and we will make it, I am sure of it.”
The younger ellon just gave him a faint grin and sighed once more. “I pray you are right.”
The group of riders had encountered a small group of monsters while on the road but they had been easy to fight off, they had been few and they seemed confused. The convoy had made it down to the forests now and the familiar forest paths felt like a welcoming embrace now. Thranduil had gotten a weird sensation when they reached the very forest itself, it was as if it was more alert than before, more awake. It was a strange sensation and he didn’t really understand it. They rested for a short while by a small lake to let the horses drink and recuperate a bit before the next part of the journey. They had lost two of the wounded elves on the way, a young girl with a bad gash in her belly and an ellon who had lost his left arm. They had been left, they could not spend time on burials now, the forest would reclaim their bodies and perhaps that was just as good a funeral as a pyre. The horses were still strong but they were starting to feel the pressure. Thranduil just prayed that they would make it back by the next day. Several were in a very bad state. Galadriel was still alive and it was a miracle, it could be that some of the magic of her ring still existed within her. Celeborn was a terrible sight now and Thranduil suspected that he in fact used his own energy to keep her alive, that could be fatal also for him and he had to admit that he really hadn’t understood the depth of the love between those two before. It was apparent that they really relied upon each other, he could just pray that they would make it back in time.
Nireariel was resting and Astarion was with his wife and children, Morilinde was watching over Raina, her husband was busy helping with the shores that still had to be done there and Raina was more tired than she wanted to admit. She wasn’t used to use her powers like this and Morilinde was suspecting that something was eating away at her, and it was more apparent now because of the dire situation. Morilinde wasn’t a blood relative, she was just married to Raina’s half brother and they hadn’t really spoken that much. Morilinde was a child of the woods, she had spent most of her life running around hunting, wearing only leather and sleeping in the bushes. Raina was a princess, she had been pampered her entire life and she had barely ever faced misery and grief. Morilinde did pity her, Raina was so gentle and soft, she had no real strength and Morilinde did of course know of Raina’s main problem.
Raina sat in a chair and she was pale and shivering. Raina poured her a cup of wine and Raina accepted gracefully. She drank it all and gasped, put the cup down with trembling hands. Morilinde sat down next to her and threw a glance filled with sympathy towards the elleth. “You are scared right?”
Raina nodded. “Yes, terrified. I am afraid I’m not strong enough for this, for anything really.”
Morilinde sighed. “I think you are very strong Raina, you just haven’t seen it yet. You have suffered so many disappointments and yet you have hope, that is strength!”
Raina whimpered. “Oh Valar, I just want what the others have, my own family, my own child but I am being denied that joy over and over again, and there is no explanation to why! It just…it just ends!”
Morilinde didn’t know the details about Raina’s problem, she turned around in her chair. “Tell me, what does really happen? Has your mother tried to help?”
Raina nodded, she felt uncomfortable telling anyone about this but Morilinde was someone she hadn’t really discussed this with before, perhaps she could see the problem differently. “Yes, and she hasn’t been able to do anything about it. But everything is fine until I reach the sixth month and then I suddenly loose the baby.”
Morilinde frowned. “Just like that? Your pregnancy just ends?”
Raina sighed, she hid her face in her hands, felt like crying once more. “Yes, I normally just wake up in the middle of the night and I just know it, the life and soul I could feel in there is gone!”
Morilinde stared at the elleth with concern in her eyes, her people were avari, dark elves. They had never seen the light of the trees and they hadn’t really wanted to leave middle earth behind but they had to. The Valar had called them to sail and they had, very reluctantly. But their customs and beliefs had been closer bound to the forests and life itself than those of many other tribes. Her tribes shamans could see what others could not and Morilinde’s mother had been one of them. Morilinde had inherited some of her gifts, she could perhaps try to see if there was a special reason why Raina’s children all died before full term. She took a deep breath, Raina would have to trust her completely before she did this because it meant that Morilinde would see things Raina perhaps didn’t want any others to know anything about. She grasped Raina’s hand and tried to smile but the smile was a stiff one. “Raina, I may be able to help, I may be able to find out why this is happening to you. My mother had some powers and I have inherited some of them but before I do anything, there is something you need to know about me and your half brother!”
Raina stared at Morilinde with wide eyes, she had great respect for the shamans of the wood people, they had the ability to let their souls leave the body and join with the body of an animal or see what was going on elsewhere. “Yes?”
Her voice was trembling and Morilinde sighed and gathered her strength. “Can you promise me to keep a secret? This you cannot reveal to anyone, it is a secret between me and my husband and we have guarded it fiercely. But if I chose to help you it is possible that you will see things about me since you have your own powers, that is why I have to tell you now, it is the honest thing to do.”
Raina could see that this was something which was very serious and she felt a bit humbled by the fact that Morilinde was willing to trust her like this. “I swear by my very fêa”
Morilinde nodded. “I believe you, then listen up, and know that I know how you feel because I too have suffered such a loss.”
Raina gasped and stared at the red haired elleth with huge eyes. “You too have lost a child?”
Morilinde nodded, her eyes clouded by grief. “Yes, we haven’t told anyone, because it is such a terrible story. But the truth is not what you think it is, we have told everyone that Legolas saved me from some danger and that we fell in love back in Ithilien and that it was just a normal romance. It wasn’t Raina, it was a most terrible affair and I do still suffer because of it.”
Raina just stared, she didn’t really know what to say. “Ah, explain?”
Morilinde closed her eyes. “My tribe came to Ithilien on our way to the grey havens, we had lived in hiding for millennia, nobody knew of your existence. Our customs were very strict and different but Legolas allowed us to stay in Ithilien for a while, to learn and adapt to the presence of other elves. It was then it happened, the thing that would change my life forever.”
Raina swallowed, she didn’t have to be a psychic to see that this was something very painful indeed. Morilinde made a grimace. “I loved children, adored them, so I was the one who was in charge of watching over the young ones while the rest of the tribe was out hunting. Then one evening I did a mistake, I wasn’t alert, I was distracted and three children managed to sneak away from our group.”
Raina gasped. “They died?!”
Morilinde nodded. “They died, in a most gruesome manner, and it was my fault for not keeping an eye on them. The tribe demanded that I was punished, and I was so heart broken and filled with guilt and shame I was ready to accept it.”
Raina held her breath. “Then what happened?”
Morilinde took a deep breath. “Legolas saved me, by doing something almost unthinkable. I cannot describe this custom but to my tribe I was dead from that moment on, I had lost everything, my name, my family, I wasn’t existing and I never had. I was his slave, a plaything. But he loved me and he managed to heal my soul and we discovered that we were bonded, that we were meant to be together.”
Morilinde sighed, pulled her legs up and Raina had to admire her remarkable agility. “Then what happened?”
The red haired elleth closed her eyes with a sad grin on her lips. “I became with child, and I was so happy. The Valar had forgiven me I was sure, too bad that others hadn’t.”
Raina was puzzled. “What?”
Morilinde shrugged. “To my tribe I was dead and gone, my debt paid in full. But the mother of one of the children had gone mad with grief. She disregarded the customs of our tribe and poisoned my food, I nearly died and the child died in me, I did barely make it and only because Legolas loved me so dearly. I fed of his energy to stay alive and ever since then we have shared a bond that is tighter than normal between spouses. We haven’t told anyone, it still hurts too much to speak about it.”
Raina felt tears filling up her eyes. “Oh gods, that is terrible. How far along were you?”
Morilinde smiled, a very sad smile. “I was just two weeks away from my due day, the baby could have survived if he hadn’t been poisoned. “
Raina grasped Morilinde’s hand, squeezed it tightly. “I am so sorry to hear that, it makes my problem seem almost insignificant. But I trust you, I want you to try and help me!”
Morilinde nodded and there was a soft light in her eyes, a light of tenderness and compassion. “Great, then let us sit down on the floor and I will see what the spirits will show me.”
Raina took a deep breath to strengthen herself. “Yes, lets go, let’s see if the spirits are willing to give me some much needed answers. “
They both sat down and Morilinde surrendered to the powers she had inherited, come what may, she would not quit until she had the answers they were seeking.
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In a land of shadows