Caladna rolled her eyes at Clay and Teahesto and at their insistence that she stay put while they heroically sally forth to rescue Cutch. She changed the subject. “What precisely are you hoping to find in Imladris?”, she asked the Elf.
“Information concerning Dunedain history, marriages, specifically involving Elves”, Teahesto replied. “I have a hunch that there may be a connection between the mysterious tragedy concerning Crane’s parents and his being targeted for assassination.”
Caladna tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, then offered, “Well, we do have some scrolls on that subject. Unfortunately, they are in an Elvish tongue, and I am not so proficient. You should be able to interpret them, yes?”
Teahesto nodded, and then asked, "Why would this library have them?”
Caladna shrugged. “I believe Master Willow said they are copies made at the behest of the Dunedain Chieftain, perhaps as a safeguard for their history.” She led them into the library proper and to a stack of scroll filled shelves along the back wall. “These are arranged chronologically left to right and top to bottom...”
Teahesto nodded and they began sifting through the scrolls for the period of time around Cutch’s birth. Clay watched them for a moment, then folded his arms and, with chagrin, asked, “What would you like me to do? Make tea?”
Teahesto and Caladna turned to him and in unison and answered, “Yes”.
Finally, well into the afternoon, Teahesto found what he believed were the clues he sought, and as he scanned the scrolls before him, he summarized their information aloud.
“Gilmorwen was a Sindarin Elf-maid who married the head of a minor house of the Dunedain of the North. They had one son, Elenyon. Because of her race and role in a minor house, she became a trusted counsel through her husband. Her downfall started with her belief that the Dunedain should begin a campaign to restore a kingdom for them to rule. They were not of a mind to do so. During the subsequent Fell Winter, her husband died, which intensified her insistence that the Dunedain must expand their territories. The confrontation came to a head when, out of frustration, Gilmorwen proclaimed them cowards for their refusal to take what she thought should be theirs for the sake of their people. Her son, thirteen, also thought she was wrong and she abandoned him to the Dunedain, telling them all to never seek her or speak her name again, for if she returned, she would be their enemy. Elenyon grew to man-hood, ashamed of his mother and doubtful of himself, but honorable. He faded from the Dunedain story when he is about thirty.”
Teahesto stopped to sift through other scrolls dated near the same time as the ones he’d been perusing. Shaking his head, he looked up at Clay and Caladna. “No other male elf is mentioned that can’t be accounted for. Likely Elenyon is Cutch’s father, and he married in secret out of some sort of shame....”
Caladna continued the train of thought. “...and that might indicate that this Gilmorwen is the secret enemy? Why would she do all this?”
Clay poured them all the last of the pot of tea. “Could she be insane from grief?”
Teahesto frowned at that. “Unlikely, but perhaps. The Sindarin can have a rather volatile temperament. But all this is conjecture. Without any more proof than this, we are not really any closer to the truth. Fortunately, however, if these are complete copies of what I would have found in Imladris, then I have been saved a useless journey.” The Elf stood and stretched muscles stiffened by a long day of mundane investigation. “So, perhaps we should proceed to Wildwood now, Cob, and see what distracting mischief we might do, and what other clues we may find.”
In less than an hour, Teahesto and an armed and armored Clay rode out the West Gate of Bree. Rounding north where the Greenway and East Road crossed, they continued at a gallop to take advantage of the waning daylight and hopefully arrive at Thornley’s before night fall. Both riders leaned into the wind as their mounts gathered speed. Suddenly, Teahesto looked up into the western sky and reined up his horse. Clay did the same, confusion on his face as he vainly tried to see what had caught the Elf’s attention. His focus finally narrowed on a small speck in the reddening sky and a faint screeching call.
Teahesto brought two fingers to his lips, and with a sharp exhale emitted a loud high-pitched whistle in response. “We have news, my friend.” The elf wheeled his horse around back to the crossroads and raced west over the bridged stream, Clay in close pursuit. Teahesto led them to a copse of trees to the right of the road, and both riders dismounted, Teahesto waving at the winged creature descending towards them.
Clay’s eyes widened as the eagle swept in to light on a branch. His jaw hung slack as the great bird spoke. “Greetings again, CaptainElf. Who is this BearMan with thee?”
“This is Claywick Cob, Windwalker, a friend of Cutch Crane. We were on our way to the Wildwood to assist him. Do you have news of him?”
The bird examined Clay thoughtfully. “Your kind is known to me, Cutch-Brother, but never have I seen it mixed with Man.” Turning his attention to Teahesto, Windwalker answered, “Aye, he is on his way to the Hobbit-Lodge you know as Adso’s. He is injured and afoot, and although I cannot carry him, I carry his words to Cutch-Brother, and another in Bree, to find him at the Hobbit-Lodge.”
Clay shook disbelief of talking eagles from his mind, anxiously asking, “Injured? In what way? How badly?”.
Windwalker turned back to Clay. "His right eye is sadly ruined, and he has burns and cuts most unnatural. He makes his way from the Edain-Place called Ost Barandor. His journey will be most arduous. LadyRedElf would surely wish you to find him with haste.”
“Cob. Go back to Bree and bring Caladna to Adso’s”, Teahesto instructed. “I will backtrack to Ost Barandor from the hobbit camp and seek out Crane.” He silently looked at the eagle.
“I would assist thee in thy search, CaptainElf”, Windwalker offered, “and then I must away to LadyRedElf with her beloved’s response.”
Teahesto smiled at the eagle. “I was hoping you would offer and we are happy to accept your keen eyes in this.”
With no need for further words, the two riders split up, Clay racing to Bree, Teahesto to Adso’s with Windwalker soaring above.
