Three days had passed and Hirgonui Curugirion gave us the news that there was as of yet no words from Culir, it worried me greatly that he had not heard anything from him. Hirgonui reassured me that there was nothing to worry about, he told me I should have faith in him, but most importantly he told me that I should believe in myself. I did not quite understand that sentiment. Surely it could be that if I were more confident I would view others the same way. I looked at Istuir and decided not to debate this.
Hirgonui also gave us news that there were no further signs of movements in Lone-lands. However, he wanted us to patrol the lands closest to us. The days of peace and harmony were now over and we had to secure our own lands first and foremost. All this happened because of the assault we had in Lone-lands and the map I found weeks ago. I still had this urge to find answers, to hunt for the tribe we found in Lone-lands and that orc-commander that still haunted my dreams at night. Hirgonui stated that it was not the right time to go back to Lone-lands again. I can understand that he is concerned for our lands and our duty was still to patrol our borders. He pointed on the map and I followed his movement alongside the river Lhûn. We were to take boats upstream to a place called Nen Emyn, a place west of Evendim Hills. Hirgonui charged Alfiriel to command the company this time and he wanted Ephendir and myself to join with our banners, we would then meet up and be aided by an elf-warden called Sulaer.
Istuir was given a diplomatic task in to head to Gondamon, and liaise with the Dwarrow folk, a diplomatic task, yes a diplomatic task. Hirgonui gave a diplomatic task to Istuir. I could not help smiling inside. I was not very proud when I felt this satisfaction, of joy, it was surely not a good kind of joy. I was still a little hurt by Istuir, when he held me outside the meeting we had by the Last bridge, where he claimed me to not be in the right state of mind to join this meeting. This time he was the outsider, the one that should do something different from holding his spear and javelin. I imagined I saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. Istuir is not someone that expresses emotions so well, so is really hard to tell what he felt about this. He obeyed and he left in haste. I shared a moment with Alfiriel, she was smiling when I looked at her eyes. She knew what I was going through my mind and she knew I probably felt a tiny touch of victory ensued. She is an elleth like me, we have a deeper understanding of emotions and feelings which sometimes can grow deeper and in many layers that ellons do not understand and share.
We separated with a quick Farewell to Hirgonui Curugirion and Cirdamir and some others. We made sure our banners were ready and we travelled down towards the docks. We prepared the boats and started to row up the stream of the river. For a few moons and suns we did so.
The two next days we met Sulaer by a camp next to the docks, and we shared briefly news and tactics before we started our patrol alongside the river Nen Emyn.
The forest and flora reminded me a lot of Lindon. Green trees with falling leaf's and morning dew on the grass which had this special glow because of the sun. The relaxing melody of the river-stream eased my heart for a moment.
Alfiriel started to move forward in front with her Wardens and Sulaer, Ephendir and I followed in a formation after her command. The trees were standing close together and it was not easy to see much ahead as the view was not as present as we wish it to be. With each careful step we took, we had to listen very carefully for any sound any cracks in branches, or any footsteps. Alfiriel's skills is that she is careful when she moves forward, it feels like she is sliding ahead and carefully move from right and left to cover a large area as efficient as possible. There was no sound from us even so we had twelve wardens in each banner. "Halt" she said silently. She pointed at a ruin to the right. Dark moving shadows at the foot of the ruin, which she commanded us to investigate furthermore. We divided ourselves into two groups and as Sulaer and I progressed ahead, Ephendir and Alfiriel was flanking the ruin at the left. She was right, when I narrowed my eyes I saw them again, orc's fouler and even more ragged as the one we saw in Lone-lands.
They had archer's, and their arrows were hitting trees and flew over our heads. Their archery skill was not the best and did not concern us further, but we had to make haste! So we entered the ruin's in full speed, and Alfiriel, Sulaer went in from each side and with horrid screams and guttural voices the fight was already on. Alfiriel lifted her hand, so I repeated her movements with my hands, and my archers raised their bows and started to fire. I was scanning the area left to right in case we were flanked back someplace, but it seemed safe. The orc screams and war-cries were silenced. We won the first assault. There was no time to investigate the orc's and their ragged armour. I saw Afliriel quickly circled around the pile of orcs, probably for memorizing and to see if there was something worth remembering.
I turned my head, and there I saw it again... Flashback of a faint memory I had in Lone-lands. Behind the green trees I saw a lonely orc mounted on a warg running from side to side. My heart sank and I felt my blood pulsing faster. I quickly yelled out to the others in a desperate manner, but they were already far ahead and did not hear, they were already charging another raiding group of orcs which surprisingly were running in our direction. I turned my head as I moved forward, the warg-rider was gone, it had vanished, was it just imagination? It couldn't be.
I was running from trees to trees and every time I ran I fired off an arrow and when I was safe behind a tree I was prepared another arrow. I heard Alfiriel's voice "Halt". The second assault was over. We had defeated the running orc's and so far this area was safe.
We followed the river back to the camp in a column. I was walking last with my banner and now and then looking over my shoulder. Dark whispers were filling my head, voices from further north, voices of agony and pain. A whisper calling my name... "Hallothel, help us". I closed my eyes and let myself be guided by the footsteps I heard in front of me, but I truly wanted to turn. I decided not to tell them about the warg-rider I saw. Surely it was imagined and probably just the fear of seeing it again. I did not want to tell them about the whispering either in fear of not being believed in. We had a meeting again discussing further tactics, movements and this time I was allowed to join the discussion and I did not debate the decision anymore.
That night I could not rest, when the other's were meditating and discussing and preparing their equipment for next day. I sneaked out in the woods underneath the moon wrapped in red alarming clouds.
