As the party approached the Watchers, a growing sense of unease filled Eruthaiwen. Standing before them was almost too much for the kind elf as their very presence seemed to suck the life from the air. She tried to comfort Leothross in his distress but to no avail.
Acurith frowned. "What did you do that the Stones had bothered to remember you? It must have caused great damage to the Enemy..." she continued darkly "...or maybe you were one of...them...and you don't remember it. There is no other explanation. At least none that I could think of."
Leothross considered her words, looking increasingly concerned., "Perhaps? But with such guilt? If it was so great, why that? And... " He steeled himself, and turned back toward the stones, looking to Eruthaiwen, "If I have stood them before, how?"
Mariym shook her head firmly. "No, that's nonsense!" Acurith looked at the distraught man with unusual compassion and understanding at him "Even if so...it's all right! You have changed, you're a different man. Isn't that what matters?"
"That's what I have told myself. I believe it. I think," came Leothross's voice as a dry whisper.
Eruthaiwen placed a comforting hand on his arm, hoping to reassure him. "The man I know is not capable of such evil."
Mariym turned sharply again to Acurith, irritation turning to anger. "Why assume the worst?" She looks to Eruthaiwen and nods a few times, finding her approach more agreeable. Acurith recoiled at the words, looking almost saddened at Eruthaiwen and Mariym's words and turning away as if disheartened.
Leothross glanced first to Eruthaiwen, only able to hold his gaze there a second before looking to Acurith, "But Eruthaiwen, even you do not know all about me..." The elf opened her mouth to object, but Mariym slipped in between her and Leothross, grabbing him by the arms and giving him a good shake as she looks up to him, commanding him, "Stop that!"
Eruthaiwen smiled reassuringly. "But that much I believe to be true. There is no way something like that could produce a person such as yourself.”
Leothross looked down at the girl before him with eyes widened in surprise. When she stopped the shaking, he put his hands on her shoulders. "Is it so outlandish? I must have done many things in my life, would this not be possible? And what about what Acurith said. I have always told you, whether I believed it myself or not, that it was the deeds of the present that define us."
Acurith looked at both Eruthaiwen and Mariym, speaking up again in a low voice. "Would you push him away if that was indeed the case?"
"You put this idea in his head!" The young girl frowned and eyed Acurith accusingly, getting caught up in her emotions.
Eruthaiwen hugged her arms to herself for a few long moments of silence, thinking. Would she? Could she? Her initial reaction to Acurith’s posed question was to absolutely say no, she would not see him differently, she could never reject him. However, something deep inside her revolted at the idea that someone she trusted could once have been an enemy, especially from Angmar. It filled her with dread and despair, but her conscious mind continued to say she would accept him for the man he was now, and continue to do so, based on the friendship they had made. It was who she was, always had been, and always would be: someone who accepted people with open arms.
Acurith huffed with disgust at the two women, "You would, wouldn't you…”
Eruthaiwen averted her eyes, ashamed of her inner reactionary response, ashamed that it had taken her so long to subdue it. It was entirely opposed to how she thought consciously and how she thought she would feel if such a thing were true. Finally, she said, "No, I don't think I could."
Leothross insisted, "Mariym, you know that is not true. Remember when we first met."
Mariym looked to Leothross, seeming to either ignore Acurith, or just not have heard her. "You always doubted such notions.."
“But they were always in my mind. How could they not be?”
Eruthaiwen could find no way to convince him that it was not so, that there was no way that Leothross could have done things as unspeakable cruel as the men of Angmar. However, finally, Zargodon spoke up. “What he was is no concern to us now. What I see now before me is honest and truth. Leothross, regardless of your past, we, you, need to find the truth behind it.”
“The Elf is right, you cannot change your past, but you can indeed control the present and the future.” Acurith’s affirmation with Zargodon surprised Eruthaiwen; for once, the two were in afreement. While Eruthaiwen still longed to put Leothross’s mind to rest concerning his misgivings about his past, those two had said the words he needed.
Zargodon, continued, “The past would be always a shroud in your mind, a constant ghost haunting your nightmares. I know what I speak, my friend; the evenings, silent nights of musings and fretting about what might be. We have come to seek truth.”
Leothross looked up finally, the fear fading from his face, a new determination setting in. “I think you have put into words all that I have been struggling with, Zargodon. I need to know, but, and I hope on the Valar that you are right about this, that the past does not affect my present.”
Eruthaiwen smiled, relieved that a conclusion had finally been reached, but it was still tainted with the despair that clung to her spirit near the stones. “If we are to progress, then, we must move forward. You all may do what you think best to overcome the stones, but I will trust myself to the Valar.”
She wanted to be brave for them, to give them hope, especially after their dark musings. Above all, they needed hope in this dark land. Though her entire being told her to run, she clutched her locket, drawing from her brother’s braveness and calling upon the Valar for protection, and stepped toward the stones. When she was a few yards from the edge of the stones, she stopped suddenly, as if her head hit a wall. She flinched as a sudden violent headache exploded, enveloping her mind, telling her to turn back or she would break. She was glad the others could not see her face, but eventually she stepped forward. Instantly, the headache receded, backing away to the corners of her mind.
As she took one laborious step forward, she could smell the scent of grass and wet soil. With the next, she could hear the soft trickling of water. Gradually, the barren ground of Angmar and the overcast sky began to fade, being replaced by another landscape.
Step.
Darkness came over the field.
Step.
Her nightgown fluttered around her legs.
Step.
A figure knelt on the bank.
Step.
The air gained a metallic tang.
Step. Drip.
Suddenly her mind became a whirlwind as tears welled. She spun around to see four figures behind her. Who were they? Did she know them? Couldn’t they see what was happening? They had to help! She opened her mouth to call out to them, ‘Help! Please! I can’t…I just…No!’ but her voice was locked in her throat. A face had frozen it, the face of an elf, a face that arrested her thoughts. Some part of her spirit, the part that wasn’t frightened, crumbling, and alone, reached out to it, cried out to it ‘I’m so sorry, please help me…’ She turned back around, running toward the stream….
Eruthaiwen slowed to a stop on the other side of the watching stones, surprised at the short distance, seemingly crossed in an instant. The hand clutching her locket was shaking, but other than that, she seemed to feel none the effects of the stones. Even so, she felt exhausted, and reaching a nearby hill, sat down to quiet herself and watch the others pass through the stones. Each seemed to struggle in his own way. Leothross, who had followed not long after her, passed beyond their influence, stepping over the threshold. Mariym stuck closely to his side. Zargodon joined her, evidently passing through the next set of stones, outside her field of vision. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, but even so she could tell he was shaken. Only Acurith seemed to have little trouble. She wondered why the stones were so dreaded, what fear men whispered of that drove them to madness. She wondered if the headache was so unbearable for them or if the stones affected her differently as an elf, why it had dissipated so quickly, and now she had covered the distance so quickly. Perhaps it was the Valar’s protection that kept her from harm. Before she realized it, the others were ready to be off again. As they continued through the cratered landscape, she continued to ponder these questions.
Zargodon scanned the landscape constantly. He hid it well, but Eruthaiwen knew him too well to miss his worry. Clearly, he was troubled. The place they decided to rest was a dry crater in the waste, its basin offering to shield them from unfriendly eyes. Setting up camp took little time at all, since there was no fire for fear that it would alert others of their presence. Eruthaiwen didn’t even get out her bedroll, deciding that she wouldn’t sleep at all that night, doing whatever was necessary to keep herself awake, in order to fend off the dreams of the past two nights. Instead, she pulled Seargildin aside, sensing that he would not rest either. The two found a place apart from the others and sat down. She smiled slightly, trying to bring back some of the light and hope they seemed to have lost since crossing the watchers. "What think you of our journey so far? Not quite the grand adventure of tales, hmm?"
Zargodon looked over the desperate lands of Angmar, eyes silently scanning the quiet ominous surroundings. At long last, after a few moments of peace passed between them, he turned and looked at Eruthaiwen. His elven eyes, hazel and usually filled with laughter, searching her as their stillness was broken. "So far? Yes, I've been more scared than I'd like to admit. The forces of Iron Crown loom more powerful than I anticipated. And what we might still find in the times to come..." he sighed. Eventually, he extended a hand and wrap around her. The closeness warmed her to the core more than any fire could, driving away the constant chill that had inhabited her for their entire stay in the far north. "I am still glad you are with me" he said, laying his head against hers. He told her of his anxiety, a feeling she could understand full well. The land itself seemed to want them gone, or perhaps that was her wanting to be gone from it. The unusual headaches and dreams fueled that fear. As they talked, he reluctantly told her that he thought they had been noticed, perhaps even followed, and that he needed to go find out if that was true.
The elf maiden suppressed a shiver at the thought of malevolent eyes watching them. She unconsciously clasped tightly at her locket, tensing, and resisted the urge to get up and look around out of fear, though her eyes scanned the landscape in front of them; she didn't want to seem overly anxious as if by trying to bury her own fear she could still the fears of the others. She breathed out slowly. "You will have to forgive me if I still don't like the idea of you going out there alone. It may be safest for everyone, and my mind knows that, but my heart despairs at the thought." Indeed, something gripped her heart, as if an omen.
Zargodon nodded as he pulled her closer, trying to reassure her of his intent. "It is not as if I'll be running headlong, blindly, into danger, Eruthaiwen. I would know what I am doing. I just need to find out what the danger is that threatens us presently." They continued like this, watching the landscape and talking to drive away the silence. Once, though, it fell upon them and she looked up at Seargildin to find him staring at her, his eyes darting between hers. "When all this is done, I am taking you with me away from this all. Perhaps to Celondim and show you the ocean" he whispered.
Eruthaiwen felt at ease as he talked of faraway places, though it was short lived as she was brought back to the present situation, reminded of Angmar and the threat. Still, she nodded and smiled on hopefully as she could. "I will. And when you return, we shall weather this storm for the clear skies beyond."
It wasn’t long before they returned to camp and he told the others where he was going. As his figure receded into the distance, she tried every conceivable way to bring her mind from the place it was inevitably falling into, worrying what could befall Zargodon. Bringing out a quill and parchment, she began to write, hoping that devoting her mind to something else would abate her fears. Sure enough, the letter, which she intended to send on the next ship to Aman, brought her mind to a happier time when she would write to her brother in his position in the Knights of Eriador.
Dear Aulant,
How have you been? What all have you seen? Have you seen the ancient cities of legend or the hill of the Trees? Have you heard the songs of our people unsung on these shores? Have you found joy? I know I cannot receive an answer to my questions before I arrive, but I shall ask them all the same that you may tell me everything upon my arrival.
I told our parents I would not be long in following, but that may not be so. While I long to see that land and you all again, I have a mission of my own now, with the people whose futures you helped to secure. However, even this is not what shall delay me from joining you for so long, that we may go on the journey we dreamed of as children, but when I do eventually come, would you mind if a third person joined us in travelling the blessed lands?
Who knew my own adventures with the Knights of Eriador would be so different from your own? Now I find myself in Angmar, a land devoid of light and life. Those I am traveling with, especially Seargildin and Leothross, need that fiery hope you saw in me. Thankfully, no one has been injured, so my other skills are not required, but I dread to think what could have happened if someone had been in this land with no accomplished healer along. In the same way that I lent you my hope, I wish I could now call on your strength that would not fall.
Let Mother and Father know that I miss them.
May the stars guide your path
Eruthaiwen
With the quill stored neatly, the elf blew lightly on the ink to dry it. Folding it neatly into thirds, she tucked the parcment in with a few of the scrolls she had brought. With nothing else to occupy her mind, she hugged her knees, placing her chin on them, and hummed quietly to herself until what passed for morning in that land came. Leothross was also awake, laying on his side reading, while Acurith was keeping watch. Only Mariym was still asleep, but the girl soon stirred and looked at the sky. A confused expression crossed her face as she glanced around. She muttered softly to herself, “He should have been here by now…” Her eyes darted to Leothross and she quickly scooted over to him, whispering anxiously “Leothross!” Acurith rolled her eyes with Maryim's sudden worrying.
Leothross glanced up at Mariym, lifting himself to his elbow and closing the book. "Hm? Is everything alright?"
Mariym eyed Eruthaiwen cautiously, then looked back to Leothross, attempting to lower her whisper. "Have you seen Zarg?" Eruthaiwen caught the name "Zarg" and unwrapped her arms from around her legs, shifting and listening intently.
Acurith finally bothered to speak up "What's all this fuss about?"
Mariym lifted herself to her feet quickly, and raising her chin in hopes of appearing taller to the more imposing woman. "Zarg is late..." Her voice lost some of its confidence,"…by a couple hours." She glanced between Acurith and Leothross, avoiding Eruthaiwen. "Have either of you seen him?" Leothross winced at the girl’s words, sending a concerned look in Eruthaiwen’s direction.
Eruthaiwen gained a worried expression. She stood up, approaching the group. "Could...could he have lost track of time?"
Acurith raised an eyebrow "And this is a problem because...? He's most likely scouting around."
Leothross nodded, "He mostly likely is just scouting around. I can look around while we get things packed up to leave."
Mariym shook her head. "He told me when he would be back. He's never been late before. I think something happened." Acurith gave Maryim a bored look.
Leothross, trying to appear not too worried, though clearly moving quickly, replaced his book in his pack and began to walk out toward the edge of the crater, holding his staff lightly in his hand. Eruthaiwen twirled her locket in her hands, trying to calm herself. She spoke softly, her voice unable to hide her trepidation. “We…we should go find him. Who knows what he could have run into.”
Mariym put away her things almost as quickly as the elf did her own "I agree with Eruthaiwen. I think we should go find him."
Leothross spoke over his shoulder, "Just hold on. I will look around our area."
Acurith sighed in annoyance "And where do you plan to start? He could be anywhere. And what if he comes back and finds everyone missing? He'll be worried for sure." Mariym held her bow in hand and walked atop the hill to gaze toward Leothross.
Eruthaiwen hesitated. "I...I don't know. I don’t know what we should do." She sighed, dejected.
Mariym turned back to Acurith. "What do you think we should do?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Leothross did not wait to hear what they said, but kept on walking around that back of the nearest vent, expecting to find Zargodon leaning against it, lost in his own world as he was wont.
Acurith rubbed her chin, thinking "Let us assume he got lost...where would he be? Where would he find trouble?"
Mariym unfolded her arms dramatically. "Lost?? Zarg??" She flopped them back down to her side, dismissing the idea as she turned back to find Leothross. Acurith put her hands on her hips in a challenging manner toward the girl, "The answer is simple: anywhere. Yes, our chances to find him are slim."
Eruthaiwen clasped her locket unconsciously, out of habit as it could calm her. "Do we know where he was keeping watch? We could start there. There might be tracks, some sort of trail, I don't know."
Acurith continued to look at Maryim, annoyed "Remember that this is an alien, twisted land. Even I found trouble here."
Mariym narrowed her eyes in return. On Leothross’s return, she hurried over. "Anything?" Eruthaiwen looked up at Leothross hopefully, but he merely shook his head.
"You know that it would take a hunter of as much skill as Zargodon himself to track him down based on a trail. He was always cautious."
Eruthaiwen’s shoulders drooped. Mariym clenched her fists, “I’m going to find him.” Impulsively, she turned and began to walk away. Leotross called out to her, but to no avail. Instead, Acurith grabbed her arm. “Have you lost your senses?”
The girl instinctively jerked her arm away. “And what would you have us do? Stand around here and wait?” She frowned at the woman who frowned back.
Leothross shook his head. “Who said anything about waiting? We just need to stick together.”
Acurith sighed, clearly exasperated. “Look, I understand your worry, but do you know what lurks out there? Do you want to be slaughtered by twisted beasts or ravished to death by orcs and goblins?”
Eruthaiwen was falling deeper into despair. She looked at the others anxiously. “But we have to do something. We have to begin somewhere.”
Acurith nodded in response, a sign that slightly reassured the anxious elf. “Leothross is right. We are going to look for him but we must think things through. This isn’t Breeland.”
Leothross nodded, grateful for the acquiescence. "Alright, first, this is Zargodon we are talking about. It would take a fair bit to keep him. What are the possibilities?"
“Well, there are numerous orc bands around. Assuming he didn’t run into trouble with beasts. I also know of some trolls roaming about, and the goblins of course. He could be anywhere.”
Leothross waved his hand a bit dismissively, "This is Zargodon. Would he really be unable to avoid a troll or something like that? He's too cautious... right?"
Acurith looked lost in thought but answers his question regardless. "Though, Zargodon is an Elf. Quite a rare sight in a land like this. They most likely keep him prisoner for interrogation. Probably on his way to Carn Dum or Barad Gularan.” Eruthaiwen didn’t have to see herself to know she had gone pale as death, and for once she was glad of the overcast skies to hide it. Running through her head were every imaginable scenario, all the things she had been trying not to think about happening to Seargildin, but that one scenario now blazed through the others, filling her with dread. For a time, she was frozen, her daze broken by Acurith’s next words. “Yes, that's most likely it. Elves don't get killed in Angmar. They get imprisoned for questioning or for...sport."
The elf’s breath caught in her throat and she whispered hoarsely and almost inaudibly, “No, please…” She became almost frantic. “We have to get him out of there!” Instinctively, she clung tighter to her locket to prevent herself from shaking. “Oh, please, not there…” she whispers again.
Mariym lifted a curious eyebrow at the distressed elf. “You’ve been there before?”
Eruthaiwen blinked, shaken from whatever thoughts held her, and shook her head at Mariym. “No, but…I just…” she thought for a moment. What was it about Barad Gularan? Had she read about it somewhere? She closed her eyes and shook her head again. “I don’t know.” Her heart began to sink
Leothross raised both hands, motioning in time with his words. "Slow down. Slow down. First of all, we don't know that he is there. He would have had to been captured first. And... I mean, c'mon. It's Zargodon, Seargilidin." He added a little dejectedly, as if ashamed to admit even the possibility of his capture. “Where would that have even happened?”
Acurith sighed at the old man's words "Zargodon is not some sort of Maia. He could have gone into trouble easily. Do not underestimate the servants of the Enemy."
That did nothing to help the now lone elf of the group, her hope draining away fast. Eruthaiwen looked at her feet, unable to meet anyone’s gaze. “I wish I could believe the best, Leothross, but my heart tells me there are things worse than death in Angmar.” She took a deep breath, trying to regain hope. "Perhaps, though…perhaps he simply cannot get back to us. Maybe he is stuck somewhere and unable to leave because of the enemy."
Leothross shakes his head, "Still. This doesn't answer my question. If he did indeed get captured, there will be some evidence of it. Otherwise," He nodded to Eruthaiwen, "There are other things that could have happened to him, and we will just be walking off without him to go infiltrate an Angmarim stronghold."
Acurith looked incredulously at her companions. "Are you really considering going to Barad Gularan? Might as well try to breach the Black Gate. Wraiths guard its halls. And Leothross is right, we cannot know for sure where he is."
Leothross regarded Acurith as if he was unsure whether she was asking the question seriously. But he nodded at her agreement. "So, where could such a thing have happened? If it did."
Acurith shifted uneasily at the situation, astounded at the others. "Like I said, there are some orc camps around. I believe he could have fallen to them if outnumbered. Beasts probably would have been no match for him."
Leothross nodded sharply, "Right then. We should start scouting around there." He moved to fetch his bags and things from where he lay earlier.
Mariym took a couple steps toward Acurith. “Where is the closest of the camps?”
“Do you remember which way he went scouting?”
“It was that way,” she said, nodding in the direction.
“But what if he returns?” asked Eruthaiwen. Suddenly, her face brightened with an idea as she went to her bags, taking out a parchment and a piece of writing charcoal. Quickly, she scrawled out a note in elvish, so that no orc could make it out if they found it, detailing where they were going and why. She smiled at the group. “There, now whe- if he returns, he will know exactly where we have gone.”
Acurith huffed. “Well, let’s get going then!” Leothross approached, holding his pack, affirming with confidence, “Yes, lets.” The group mounted their horses, Eruthaiwen towing Zargodon’s, and followed Acurith in the direction of the nearest orc camp. The only entrance to the fenced encampment was the slope that ran between two hills, one tall enough to form a cliff. From inside, the sounds of filth, their clinking armor and clashing weapons, their grunts and growls, assailed her ears. But amid that, she could faintly make out another sound. She tried to decipher it, isolating it from the others, but her thoughts were interrupted.
"Do you know how many of them there are in there?"
Acurith looked back at Mariym, replying, “Not too many, but enough to keep us entertained.” A smirk crossed her face. “I haven’t attended an interrogation in a long time. I’m sure on of these boys will volunteer to my…charms.” Eruthaiwen shivered at the word, its sly tone augmented by the cruel smile. Mariym looked shocked, paling a bit. “What if we just scout the camp?”
Acurith raised an eyebrow "What is this? Mercy for orcs? I am disappointed!"
Leothross, on the other hand, seemed to appreciate Mariym's idea, "If we can learn enough from that, I would much prefer that way. As long as we are quick enough."
Acurith huffed in indignation "Fine! Have it your way then. We can just scout ahead and allow these ruthless orcs to prey on more innocents. That's fine."
Mariym turned back to face Acurith and the others, a defiant look about her. She folds her arms and grins at Acurith's remark. "I'm alright with infiltrating!"
Eruthaiwen looked up at the walls of the camp. She closed her eyes for a time, listening for that sound again, then fixed Acurith with a determined expression. "Whatever helps us find Seargildin." Acurith nodded an affirmative, regaining the glint in her eye. "Perhaps we can get our hand on an orc who's willing to speak...or not. I'll /make/ him speak!"
Eruthaiwen looked at the ground with a blank expression. "Whatever you have to do, find him, please."
