Her eyes were deep blue. A slim, tall figure clad in fine cloth and leather. Straight, long brown hair were coming down from the top of her head, resting just below her chest. Her lips had a fine, light scarlet color, but she would not open them. She was simply staring.
Angelnarth rolled the bandage a couple of times more around his arm. "Le suilon, hirril." he welcomed the maiden, while tending to his wound. The inquisitive elf stepped closer. She seemed nervous. "I..no..speak..good..Westron.You..message..to me?". She took a deep breath."Or in Sindarin, if you prefer." Angelnarth replied fluently in her mother tongue. "I come here on behalf of Iaurmenel Alkawen.", he continued.
The maiden sighed deeply in relief, and replied: "That is comforting to know. I am Tetheril, Harbinger of king Thranduil, of the Woodland Realm.". The Dunadan stood to his feet. "Angelnarth Naurmeril, servant of Imladris and lady Alkawen. An honor.". Tetheril simply nodded at him, offering him what seemed to be a small object wreathed well in fur. "This is for the lady", she said, "Deliver the message along with it: The Spear had the brooch. The Son is near now, twenty five others in his company. Their quarry is Iaurmenel." Angelnarth nodded back firmly."By the honor that guides me, i shall deliver the message and what comes with it, even at the cost of my own life.", he said out loud. "You are a curious mortal, Angelnarth. The warders say you reached the river south of Thinglad with an army of orcs and a pack of wargs assailing you, and yet you had the courage to turn and face them in battle. And you traveled all the way from Imladris before that..impressive, for a man."
Angelnarth pondered for a few moments. "Anyhow..", the lady continued, "the old passage beneath the Misty Mountains is opened again by the dwarves. You could travel through there, they say it is safe. I have never crossed the gate of these mountais myself, though. I cannot know for sure..the decision is yours to make."
A grief expression was formed on Angelnarth's face. "The Gap..", he lisped. "The Gap of Rohan is lost. The lands around river Isen are overwhelmed with enemies as we speak. I shall travel through the shadow of the mountain...the south passage is lost."
"I could accompany you, if you so wish, all the way through Lothlorien to the old mines entrance.", she replied, trying to comfort the wary man somehow. "I could actually use the company" Angelnarth said, "A sword alone is a poor company for a long road."
"Then gather your strength., and meet me at the north gate by midday. We ride swiftly". And by noon, the pair was ready to depart for the Golden Wood. Tetheril led the way, and Angelnarth followed closely behind of her. They rode swiftly for a couple of hours, and then they saw it. Mallorn Trees, taller than the greatest towers that men have ever raised. Golden leafs on their top, shining under the sun like a million bright stars in the clear, summer sky. The city of Caras Galadhon, the last marvel of elven nature on these lands was ahead. Tetheril hailed the Sindar watchers by raising her arm, and kept riding forward.
They passed beyond the entrace of the city and kept riding along Celebrant river, to the west end of the forest. They crossed the point where Nimrodel and Celebrant met, and kept riding west. Tetheril suddenly stopped. She turned to Angelnarth, and pointed out something to the south of their location. "See, Angelnarth. There lie orc camps. Even here, in the capital of Eldar greatness, evil has come this far. They shall all meet my sword one day. I swear it, by all that is sacred.". Her words sounded valiant, yet bitterness was in them. She kicked her horse and followed the river further.
Soon enough, the pair reached a lake, in which the river was coming from. "Mirrormere, this lake is called. We can rest here for a while..", lady Tetheril said, and came down from her horse. She gathered a few pieces of wood and dry twigs, and started a fire.
Angelnarth walked up the hill where they came from, and once he was atop, he took another view of the Golden Wood that was now behind them. He stood there for a few moments, his eyes fixed on the golden trees, as little lanterns were being lit across their long branches. The sun was setting. Tetheril raised her eyes and glanced to the mortal, as he was raising his arm, his hand making a motion the way people do when they wipe a tear from their face. He then turned, a faint smile on his face. His blue eyes had a discreet pink color in them.
"Everything well?", the elf asked. Angelnarth answered in a mellow, tranquil tone "All is well. May the Valar allow me to lay my eyes on such beauty again, before the end of my days.". The lady offered him a faint smile, full of compassion. "They say...that you mortals envy the immortality of my kind. Is that true?". Angelnarth tried to form a smile, but it seemed impossible this time. "Some do..", he said softly. "Do you?", the lady answered back almost immediately. The Dunadan fixed his eyes on the waterfalls, in the distance. "Long life...short life. Does it make a difference? If you find a worthy purpose, and serve it until the end of your days..you will go to the other life happy. Might be a half century or several millennia. I wish i had more time, sometimes..more life to accomplish more."
"Have you found your purpose, then?", Tetheril continued. "I..I thought i had, for a long time. I know not anymore. Sometimes the right thing to do feels so very wrong at the same time...and our own desires become twisted. We must be on our way, hirril.."
"Indeed.", the elf agreed and saddled her horse again. It was almost dark, when they reached the entrance to the old mines of Moria. "This is the furthest i can go. Here, have these..". The lady then passed him a small sack. "These are precious stones. Give them to the dwarves, should you have any problems letting you pass through. I never wish to pass these gates of stone..only darkness lies beyond them. I will, should my king ever ask me to. Go with the blessings of the Valar and my people. Good luck, Angelnarth."
"I thank you, Tetheril of Greenwood. I was happy to meet you in these dark times. I will give your regards to the Lady. Namarie..".
He said and slowly walked towards the gigantic stone entrance of the Mines. Tetheril stood there, watching him climbing the stairs, until his presence was lost into the darkness of the mountain.
