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The wind turns
to mortality.
Harsh and cold as blades,
he rushes over empty fields
and kills,
what not abides in safety of home.
Crows travel with him
know themselves secure from his power
and sing
with rough voices
the song of withering.
North of Middle-Earth, Unending Wastelands, nigh the border of the realm of the Kraggash, End of the Third Age
The Elf and the slave had made their camp at late night beneath a rock overhang.
Cadhalor regarded the map then. The path that lay in the light of the stars before them, led towards a bright band and back unto the map.
The tracks of hooves of Thangrineth and her steed that they had found were fresh. Half a day at best and they would have caught up with her. The band was nothing else but the border-palisades of the Kraggash.
Inúr sat next to the fire that they had lit in a niche so that the shine was not glowing too far. In the wasteland fire would rather lure monsters in, as that it would repel them. But Cadhalor relied on his instinct, his stallion and his ability with his weapons.
The woman drunk arduously a few sips of water. The slave band that reached from her chin to the lower neck had not been loosened. But she had to remain wake and strong, if he wanted to know more about his rival.
He stood up, came up to her and opened all three buckles, then he threw some of his provisions down before her on the ground. »Eat that«, he ordered.
Inúr gulped down the bites and drank a bit more water that he had poured for her into a rock hollow. Her slave lips would not touch his water-skin.
He sat down to the opposite of her and waited, until she had stilled her hunger. She did not seem like a cloddish barbarian who worked on the fields. The fingers were fine, without folds or rifts, the skin in her face was as white as marble. He concluded from that, that she had to have had a high position among the tribe of Farron. Even now that her attire was torn and her hair out of order, she retained an upright posture.
»What can you tell me about your owner?«, he asked her. It was the first real sentence with which he addressed her since they had left the river.
The woman hinted a bow of her head. »I do not understand your question, milord«, she gave back as an answer.
»What does she like and what doesn't she like? I want to know more about her.«
She hesitated. »You follow her because of a delict, milord?«
Cadhalor shook his head and became moments later aware that she did not see him. »No«, he said hence. Shortly he thought about punishing her for the inappropriate counterquestion, but then he refrained from doing so. It was maybe better when he appeared first friendly to get more knowledge out of her. And she did not belong to him after all. »We wanted to travel together and she left too early. I try to make sense of why she would do so.« Of course, he knew why Thangrineth had been riding off alone, but he first wanted to ask her a few luring questions. What did she know about his rival?
»I cannot give you an answer to that, milord«, Inúr admitted, »for she is not trusting me with her plans. Only when it is about painting I enjoy her trust ...«, she broke off. »That means, I enjoyed it. Until recently. Before the thing with the yellow.«
»Yellow? Don't say Dimgold-yellow.«
»It was that«, she said perplexed.
»Then it is thanks to you that I could not bring the troll to my daughter because your lady intruded the hunt and killed the creature!«, he said growing angry.
Inúr began to shake. »Forgive me, milord«, she stammered in shock. »So I have brought multiple harm through my mistake.« She slid a bit away from him.
Cadhalor had reached out with one hand for the strap of one of the bags to hit her with it. Again he called himself to calm down. »Fate has a strange way to cause balance in the world. I save the slave's life who would have deserve death now also through me. So you are twice indebted to me«, he answered hard. »Tell me of yourself. The tribe Farron has surely lost someone in you who would have gotten a glorious future.«
»I am the sister to the chieftain of the tribe of which they say, they would ward off the barbarian tribes from the east and gather more and more men by each passing day«, she said hesitatingly.
»Astonishing.« Cadhalor drank some of his water. »Then the sight of an Elf was enough to turn your mind around, rob you of your sanity and let go off your lofty life as a chieftain's sister.«
»It was not so lofty, milord«, she answered. »I cannot say for what I reason I fell for milady Thangrineth and her brother Achastelion. Their appearance, the picture that I saw, the recognition to be at the wrong place, the driving to be an artist ...«, it came like a waterfall out of her. »However, it is all the same to me. With that what I do, I am content, milord.«
The Elf raised his eyebrows. She would never be an artist, not after the measure of Elves. And otherwise could only be a barbarian woman so dumb to leave everything behind her. He would not let her feel his perplexion that came with condemnation, however. He had to come into more knowledge about his rival. »With whom did Thangrineth meet?«
»I do not understand ...«
»Her friends in the lands of the Conclave«, he interrupted her harshly. All that took too much time for his taste. Such a conversation he never had to have with a barbarian to get what he wanted to know. »Did she mention names on occasion? Have you listened to conversation by chance?«
»No.«
»I recognize lies, slave! And I punish them usually with death! Do you wish to die, ere you have met your lady again?«, he whispered coldly and made use of his powers to plant fear into her. He was learned in it and could summon it without the need for an invocation. Concentration was enough to him to awake the spell. Instantly he felt the powers rush through him.
Cadhalor send the fear out that he saw like black wisps spreading from him, like color that unfurled in a glass of water. Unstoppable it rolled forward. Inúr was already in reach. The blackness enfolded her, sipped through her skin and through the band around her head, brought her goosebumps and let her draw sharply breath.
»The fear can kill you, slave«, he whispered with a deep voice. »It acts as I will it.« He increased the spell and she groaned up, held the spot beneath her left breast. »Who are her friends?«
From Inúr's mouth poured names that Cadhalor had heard several times. Good to know who was not on his side. »Describe your lady to me«, he wanted to know. »Her weaknesses, her strengths. What can she do well, what less well?« As reward he let the fear retreat a little.
She drew shaking her legs to her body. »She is a strong warrior who can fight with the spear better than ...« After that followed praising on the combat abilities of Thangrineth that Cadhalor did not interrupt; instead he hung after his own thoughts.
Inúr would only tell him what she wanted to have him know, even if she did so a little smarter now out of fear for death. She would die for her lady, also now, on the spot. Instead of betraying her.
Against his will, he felt a hint of deference for the slave. It had nothing to do with obedience, but with a much deeper feeling that many friends, couples, siblings and relatives shared: Love. It was even as simple as it was indestructible.
It surprised him that the race of Man was capable of that. Especially that it was a foolish and unanswered love. Like a dog looked up to his owner. Cadhalor did not know a single Dark Elf who would seek the near of barbarians. And Thangrineth would be the last in the land of the Conclave who would warm up and call a mortal woman a beloved friend.
Now he wanted to know more about her. How she saw his people. »What do you think about us, the darksome children of Ilúvatar«, he simply fell into her word. »What do they say among the barbarian peoples?« Cadhalor freed her thinking from the fear.
She hesitated and inhaled, took her hand off her chest. »I think I do not count in concern of rating the land of the Conclave. For to me there is no place more fascinating and more beautiful, milord! So many unique things and impossibilities, if one would look upon the buildings and artworks with the eyes of a woman like me.« She was searching about with her hands, took her bag. »Here. I have drawn and painted much as I still could see. If you wish to regard it, milord?« She handed the Dark Elf the knapsack.
Cadhalor took the notebooks in which the slave had banned her observation unto the paper with water colors and coal. They were impressive sketches, not perfect like from the hand of an Dark Elf, but remarkable and anything else than barbaric. »Should you be a spy, then these pictures would be irreplaceable for our enemies«, he said quietly. »I should give them to the flames.«
Inúr reached out protectively with her hand, sought for her bag, but then stopped. »So do it, milord. They are no use to me anymore. And I would never forgive myself if I would do your enemies a favor with them.«
Cadhalor made a motion with his arm and wanted to give the first sheets to the fire - but he could not do it. Instead, he put them into his saddle-bags. »I will store them. Who knows for what you might require them still.«
She nodded to him, her expression displayed thankfulness. »How old are you, milord?«
Cadhalor laughed up in disbelief. »Mind your rank, slave. You are not to ask me anything.«
»Forgive me! I mind it, milord. But I find it fascinating, how old beings can be without that someone could see it«, she explained. »Your voice is, if I may say so, melodic and friendly. I would have liked to see the face of my saviour.« She truly was regretting it, he could hear that by the tone of her voice.
»It shall not be granted to you«, he said harshly and stood up. He found that she was permitting herself too much, in which he encouraged her in the end. He drew the buckles of the band around her neck tighter so that she felt that his friendliness had passed. »Lie down. Tomorrow we will meet the Kraggash.«
Inúr sunk down next to the warm flames and spread the horse blanket over her that Cadhalor had given to her. »What I need to tell you, milord«, she began. »It is about Thangrineth.«
Cadhalor turned around to Sardaï who remained calm over the entire time. He would warn them if someone closed in on them. »What is it?« He regarded the stallion who stood with closed lids on the spot. Stiff, unmoving, the perfect statue. »Sardaï?«
The stallion did not move.
Behind him it rustled. Hastily he turned around to the slave who was falling forward; in her right side of her head stuck a tiny arrow.
Kraggash! Cadhalor jumped up and took his bow, the quiver and ducked behind the rock overhang. He concentrated and made use of his spell to send out the black wisps that would extinguish the fire.
Arduously he listened into the darkness, that became brighter and brighter as his eyes got used to the light of the stars.
A quiet giggle, a screeching laughter, then something clashed right next to his ear against the rock. Liquid splashed against his neck, but the poison would not unfurl its potent effect in that way. The projectile of the blastpipe had missed him.
Cadhalor laid an arrow on the string, listened and let his eyes roam. As he saw a child-sized outline, he shot two arrows quickly after one another. Silently the assailant fell and loud, angry cries rose up about him.
Through that sound he could determine where more Kraggash stood and Cadhalor killed another of them even as swiftly as the first. That goes on the account of Thangrineth! She has sent these creatures against me. Why else would they leave their territory?
Cadhalor estimated the number of his enemies on at least thirty. He had to relocate, the overhang would prove as trap.
Ducked he sneaked past the stallion and heard a grinding sound from one of the bushes. One of the Kraggash tried to encircle him.
Cadhalor's silence was in the darkness his greatest weapon. Without that the goblin could make note of him, did he sneak into the thicket and kicked into the creature's thin neck. Something cracked and the Kraggash lay still; he did not have the chance to call out a warning.
The Elf followed a trail that led him straight to a group of three that sat behind a rock, enshrouded by a few trees and held their blastpipe against their lips. To his luck the three aimed into the wrong direction.
Cadhalor raised the bow and shot an arrow straight through the three ugly skulls of the Kraggash that sunk dying and with one another connected to the ground. He grinned. How could they have thought not to find death through him?
A for common ears imperceivable sound warned him. Quick as lightning he drew his knife and turned around, looked up, where the rustling came from: The goblin starred down at him from a tree and blew up his cheeks for the shot with the blastpipe.
The knife flew and struck ... and Cadhalor felt a sting in the left hand. Instantly he was filled with a feeling of numbness, like icy water that fell from a rock into the depth. Even his thoughts froze and a milky veil laid itself before his eyes.
North of Middle-Earth, Realm of the Kraggash, End of the Third Age
Thangrineth woke and held her eye-lids closed for now to listen what was happening in her surroundings.
She lay on her back, the ground was cold. There was a rushing in the distance and she perceived the voices of numerous Kraggash; as their words echoed, she concluded to be in a hall. The air moved, blew around her nose and carried the smell of dampness, moss and iron.
Was that music that she heard? String-instruments, strange melodies, absurd for her ears, frivolous and ridiculous, as if children would play a serious theme false willfully.
At the same time she tried to find out how her condition was. She did not feel anything unusual, neither a prickling nor another sign that would indicate a paralyze. So she opened her eyes and looked around.
The ground was a colorful mosaic that had been arranged in a chaotic way and harbored reflecting little stones. In a certain distance to her stood armed Kraggash that looked at her and smirked. The wall behind them looked not less colorful.
The quiet rushing was now explained as well. It were artificial cascades that in different blurs were pouring from the high ceiling and flooded a small moat. The moat enfolded the mosaic on which Thangrineth and the guards were.
As she turned her head, she saw Inúr next to her. And then Cadhalor got up next to her, shook his head and looked at her. His eyes promised death. Weapons and armor had been taken from them.
»Ah, the Dark Elfies have awoken«, a Kraggash scoffed and it followed many-voiced, high-pitched laughter.
The two Elves looked forward, to the speaker.
Five steps infront of them sat a Kraggash, dressed in an attire that would have honored any barbarian fool. Pattern and color were changing in wild chaos and on the head with the white, straggly hair sat a crown of yellowish gold on which bells and clamps of silver hung. His face was plump, a dandy beard stood around chin and mouth. The black skin emphasized the colorful clothes so strongly that it appeared as if they were the ruler and not the one who wore them.
The king sat on a throne that was shaped like a holding hand, thumb and little finger made the arms, the remaining fingers the back. He was flanked by two almost even as colorful dressed goblins who seemed to be his advisors, if goblins had anything like that. Thangrineth skewed up her face in utter disgust.
»You are lucky«, Cadhalor said to her. »I thought it would be thanks to you that I was caught, but now I see that you fared not better.«
»What is Inúr doing here?«, Thangrineth replied. »Who allowed you to steal my slave?«
»You impolite bastards!«, called the goblin to the king's left and spit into their direction. »Be silent and listen to the great Munugash!«
The king laughed cackling. »Right so. The Dark Elves are not even tactful. First one of them kills my prized troll and then the other slays my soldiers.«
Thangrineth would have liked to exchange more words with Cadhalor, but the mission for the Conclave had its priority. Now it was about coming alive and unharmed from this interrogation and to travel further to the North-east. »The creature was being put against me. I have simply defended myself, great Munugash«, she replied and straightened up her back. Cadhalor did the same.
»Who asked of you that you are supposed to stab it down? Do you have an idea how long it takes to train a troll like that?«, jangled the king at her and sounded as shrill as the other Kraggash. »Seven moons! SEVEN! And I did not even count in the time to make the extract that would turn its claws poisonous.«
Cadhalor kept silent and waited; shortly he looked at Inúr, who still lay passed out on the floor. She seemed to live, what relieved him. The sister of the chieftain of the Farron could be of use to him.
»What do you wish as repayment, great Munugash?« Thangrineth had already realized where the king was leading this.
The big eyes grew narrow. »I find it strange that two knife-ears and a woman are in my realm. Are you supposed to spy or what have your leaders tasked you with?« The Kraggash about him screeched and laughed. »Tell the truth!«
»Send a greeting to you and ask for your newest poisons«, Thangrineth lied immediately and quite convincing. »The renown of the alchemists is still great and ...«, she broke off as Munugash raised his arms.
»We have not brought any potions to the Conclave and their brood in a long time. We have ceased to trade. No one is supposed to get their hands on our poisons and such it will remain«, he was disclaiming and the Kraggash were clapping. »You have come for naught and even dealt damage to my people. Hence I order you three the following: You travel to the north-west border of my realm where you will find the fortress of the Galran Unuk. Break into his home and find my favorite crown as well as a parchment that he guilefully stole from me.«
Thangrineth was trying hard to not lose her temper. Henchman of a Kraggash! Such services she would not even give to Inúr. Still, they probably would not manage without completing the task, »How can I recognize them?«
»That«, answered Munugash giggling, »you will need to ask the Galran Unuk yourself. And when you have received both tokens you will cut off his head!« He jumped up and stood in pose before his throne, what appeared utterly ridiculous in the eyes of the Elves. »I want to see his head before the tips of my boots. If you can bring me these three things, so I will forgive you the death of my troll as well as that of my soldiers.« Munugash raised his arms and the Kraggash cheered, screeched and clapped that the sound was thrown off from the halls and even outdid the rushing of the cascades.
Thangrineth did not think about doing the king a favor for but a single moment. As soon as they had left this hall, their way would carry them to the north-east. The time was not their ally.
Inúr groaned quietly and raised herself ineptly up. She kept quiet and listened, her expression seemed disturbed and fearful.
Munugash came down the stairs and stood one step before the Elves. He had to lay his head back into his neck to look up to them. The crown slipped, quickly he caught it before it would fall from his head. »I know what you think, Dark Elfy«, he said and put his hands at his sides. He nodded and a tiny arrow shot forth, penetrated the skin of Thangrineth's neck. The spot where it had struck burned shortly.
Cadhalor also got a projectile to feel, only the slave was being spared. Inúr came with some effort unto her legs, sought about and reached around Cadhalor's arm. He freed himself off her and hissed that she should remain quiet.
Munugash fell into a joyful tantrum with his foot; the bells on his crown were ringing. He was devilishly excited. »That is a very slow effecting poison. It will kill you within the passing of a moon and I think I do not need to tell you that only I possess the antidote.« He giggled, bit of thrill into his own fist and hopped back to his throne. »Away with you!« He made a shooing motion.
Thangrineth felt hatred rise in her and she felt how her blood rushed faster through her veins, a sure sign that the blue of her eyes was being indoctrinated by the black veil again and the radiant color was dimmed. These nether, inferior things, whose power only relied on poison-making, who hardly were able to do anything else, who painted their fortification like stupid toys for barbarian children, deserved death! All of them! Why lead a war when they could just burn out the entire wart-covered misshapen goblin population? The thought let her calm down a little and she could repressed the wrath that would have demanded her to kill Munugash immediately.
She looked over to Cadhalor. Full of satisfaction did she see how his eyes had darkened as well. At least in that matter reigned unison between them.
Munugash laughed shrill, pointed with a finger at them. »Look! Look how angry they are, the everywhere feared Dark Elves!«, he screeched joyfully. »Gulled and defeated by Munugash, ruler of the Kraggash!«
All the goblins fell into his laughter that meant an additional insult for Thangrineth. And she feared that Cadhalor could no longer hold his hate back - or did not want to. »Be still«, she whispered to him in their own tongue. »I have a plan how we make them all pay once we have completed our quest.«
A dark-violet fruit came flying from somewhere and hit Inúr before the chest who screamed up in shock. It was the beginning of a hail of fruit and remains of old food that went down on the three.
Thangrineth took one of her belts and laid it around Inúr's neck; so she led her out to the exit. Cadhalor walked next to her and tried to keep his pride which was no easy thing to do given the insults that they had to take. But against poison and being outnumbered by one to one-hundred also he was powerless.
They stepped out of the hall, where two even uglier Kraggash threw down their weapons and armor before their feet. »Here, Dark Elfies. Your stuff«, one of them muttered. »That way, to the North-west. You will see what the Galran Unuk has built.«
The Elves took up their armor and weapons silently. In the meanwhile came a dozen guards up to them, pointing the poisonous tips of their spears against them and led them to the exit.
Thangrineth saw that the building had been hewn from a free-standing hill. It had been given the form of a badly shaped goblin-head, whose eyes were pointing to the East. The rock they had painted black and adorned with green, blue and yellow runes without that they would have made any sort of sense. Around them stood small huts that were even as colorful as the attire of the Kraggash.
»A single bad dream«, Cadhalor murmured and went off to a well to clean his clothes from the dirt. He formed his hands to a bowl and poured the water over his head. For a moment he remained so. »Thank you«, he said to Thangrineth.
»I had to hold you back«, Thangrineth answered and cleaned herself as well. Inúr stood two steps behind her and waited for the permission to wash herself as well. »Otherwise we would not left that den alive. The quest.«
»The quest«, Cadhalor repeated meaningful and stroked the water off his slim cheeks.
»You are angry that I have left early. Let me explain.« Thangrineth stepped away from the well and permitted the slave to use the water. »It was a lapse.«
»A lapse?«
»I think, I misunderstood you as you called out to me when we would leave. So I stood at our point of meeting, no Cadhalor to be seen and so I began my journey. I thought that you wanted to trick me.« She smiled at him placating. »Until I remembered what you really had said.«
Cadhalor huffed. »Certainly there would have been no possibility to stop on the way and wait for me or to turn around and ride so we would meet?«
»It wasn't safe enough to me.« She examined her spear. The thin blades were slightly bend, not to be perceived by a mortal eye, but not broken or torn in any way. »We could have missed one another.« She ordered Inúr to clean her armor. »Fate has brought us together again. But I have not understood why you have kidnapped my slave.«
»Your excuse is so bad that I should feel insulted for how stupid you take me. You wanted to be at the being before I would«, Cadhalor incisively replied. »A thief and kidnapper I am surely not: I found your slave on your trail. She secretively followed you to redeem her mistake with the Dimgold-yellow. She got lost and I took her with me.«
»Did you?«, Thangrineth asked astounded and turned towards the woman.
»Yes, milady.« She stopped wiping her hands dry on her dress and bowed deeply. »Should your life be in danger, I would give mine instantly to protect you.«
It amused her to hear what she had taken unto herself. She knew about the foolish feelings for her, which she called a certain bond of love and admiration instead of mere reverie. But a march of this length and this danger she would not have thought the slave to be able to overcome. Inúr proved herself to be strong.
»Look at that, Cadhalor«, she called out. »My slave follows me into the wildest, most dangerous regions far away from our home. Blind!«
»And would lie drowned in the reeds, if I would not have saved her«, ended her rival her exclamation with a great portion of glee. »You would have lost a very brave and devoted slave.«
Inúr thanked him with a light bow.
»How gracious of you.« Thangrineth looked forward again. »A real loss it would not have been. Did you have your fun with her, as thanks?« She leaned unto her spear and wanted to see how her companion would reply or react to that.
»I am always loyal to my wife and furthermore: As pretty and nice she may be, she is a barbarian woman and a slave. Your slave. That are three insurmountable reasons to touch her.«
Thangrineth smiled mildly. »I know some of your Star-friends who with their slaves ...«
»That has nothing to do with our task, Thangrineth«, Cadhalor interrupted her reprimanding.
Thangrineth continued to needle him. »I thought it was a custom among the Stars to enjoy what is cheap rubbish. The reason for that is most likely that they find no Elvish women as weak part of our people.«
Cadhalor did not do her the favor to react to that indignation. »What did you mean as you spoke of a plan of how to make Munugash pay?«
»You will see that as soon as we are on our way back.« Thangrineth saw that a stallion was led along the street by two Kraggash. They carried two long iron poles with hooks on them that grasped into the reins. With that trick they held their distance to the deadly teeth of the steed. »What a creature!«, it escaped over her lips in recognition. »Now, that I can see him to the first time with my own eyes, I admit: That is the most magnificent Dark Elvish steed that I have seen in all my life. No wonder that you caught up with me so quickly. Where did you get him?«
»From a deceased friend. A gift.« More Cadhalor did not reveal, but he appeared relieved. Maybe he had estimated that the Kraggash would have killed the beast. »Where is your mount?«
»It died during the fight with the troll.« Thangrineth put the spear together and adjusted the two pieces.
»Then you will need to walk«, Cadhalor decided not without some satisfaction in his voice. »Sardaï recognizes no one except me. Two riders, that will not work.«
The black-skinned Kraggash loosened the hooks and gave the stallion free, who trotted gladly towards his master.
Cadhalor laid a hand on the nostrils, with the other he stroked over the broad neck where he saw bloody streaks shimmer through the black fur. The Kraggash must have fought viciously with the steed.
»Ho! You there!« Thangrineth walked up to the surprised looking Kraggash. »Get me a horse, order by Munugash!« She pointed at Sardaï. »It should be of that size, if there is something as big at all in your realm.«
The Kraggash held the poles half against her, looked at each other and hurried off.
»Does that mean yes or no?«, Cadhalor inquired and checked the saddle-bags, the bow, the arrows. Then he swung himself up into the saddle of his steed.
Thangrineth received a wet, but clean armor from Inúr. »I do think that they will give me a horse, so that I can get to the Galran Unuk. And that faster than I would be on foot. That pig on the throne would have no interest if we would die after half the way there.«
Cadhalor stroked with his fingers over the spot where the arrow with the death-bringing poison had struck him. Obviously he was aware that his immortality had been set an end. But he did not want to think any longer about that and looked at the slave who had stepped into the background again and waited for orders. »Does she know what a Galran Unuk is?«
»She does not need to know. She would not see him anyway.« Thangrineth fastened the straps that held her armor and laughed meanly. Then she hurried to check on her own bags. The Kraggash had left her everything that she had brought.
»There comes your mount«, Cadhalor said and pointed forward.
Thangrineth saw the thing what they offered her in all seriousness: It seemed to be an absurd mix of donkey and ox, two crippled, askew standing horns protruded from the crooked skull, the skin was covered with bright brown fur and solitary black spots. The back was long enough that she and Inúr would fit. »Never«, she whispered trembling and saw herself again being ridiculed.
Cadhalor sat in the saddle, laid a hand on the hip and said relishing: »For the quest.«
