Here, our tale turns once more to Bregur. After the enemy took control of Fornost Erain, what remained of the Betrayer was brought to the fortress city. His serpent helm, breastplate and greaves were returned to him, and over them were draped the red robes of the Cargûl. His pauldrons and gauntlets were then placed atop the robes, securing them in place. When he re-emerged, the soldiers of the enemy knew not who he was, only that he was once a knight of Arthedain from his helm. The Orcs named him Gûlbujar, which the men of Carn Dûm translated as ‘Wraith-knight.’
While Bregur was being garbed, Amarthiel led the armies of Angmar forth from Fornost and sacked Minas Vrûn, slaying its lord and forcing King Arvedui on the run. She did not stop there and continued south, taking the village of Pontgar. Due to the mayor’s injury, the people of that village were not able to organise and evacuate in time. Either swayed by the words of the Angmarim spies or hoping to preserve their own lives, some of the villagers told the enemy of Thorneth and her companions who passed through on the way south.
A messenger swiftly delivered this news back to Fornost and the Witch-king guessed at the Company’s purpose, as it was clear to him that they were no simple refugees. Aiming to shock Thorneth with the familiar appearance of her brother’s armour, he dispatched the wraith of Bregur. His newest servant was given one of the Witch-king’s own black steeds and command over a small force of warg riders to hunt down the two Dúnedain and the Elf.
The Wraith-knight and his warband travelled south-east across the Ettenmoors. Riding with great haste, they came to the woods of Rhudaur (which are called the Trollshaws today) before the Fellowship of Last Hope. Knowing that Thorneth and her Company would cross the River Loudwater at the Ford of Bruinen, Gûlbujar had his Orcs and wargs lie in ambush amidst the trees nearby.
When the Company neared the Ford, one of the wargs spotted them and howled. At once, the Orc riders streamed out from the trees. However, they had been expecting only two Men and an Elf with a single steed between them based on the information given by the villagers of Pontgar. With the entire Company mounted and escorted by Gelilthor and her Elves, the fight was far more even than Gûlbujar anticipated.
Prior to the riders exchanging blows, arrows were first unleashed from both sides. Imrathien shot dead a large Orc who seemed to be a leader but the enemy did not lose their cohesion, for their true commander had not yet revealed himself. In turn, Dínendír’s horse was hit by an Orc arrow and collapsed. The Guardsman managed to leap off his steed and roll away, preventing himself from being pinned beneath.
Dismounted, Dínendír stood at a distinct disadvantage in the cavalry battle raging around him. A warg and its rider recognised this and charged right for him. Before they could reach him, the wolf Metharafel came to her companion’s defence, pouncing the warg from the side and knocking both mount and rider to the ground. While the wolf tangled with the warg, Dínendír slew the Orc with his blades. Soon, Metharafel was able to get the better of her opponent as well.
These two were not the only foes to see the Guardsman as an easy kill. A second warg coming at Dínendír was struck by one of Thorneth’s arrows and the Guard once again finished off the Orc rider on the ground. Though he was safe for the moment, Thorneth did not fancy Dínendír’s chances on foot and seized the moment to ride in and hoist him atop Caranhelf with her.
“Now we are even,” the Ranger commented, referring to when the Guardsman had saved her before the Gates of Fornost by pulling her onto Caranhelf as he escaped the city atop the red mare.
Upon Caranhelf’s back, Dínendír cut down another Orc rider while Thorneth slew the warg he was riding with her blade Dagúl. It was then that Gûlbujar revealed himself, charging at the pair on his black stallion. As the Witch-king had hoped, Thorneth was stunned at the sight of the wraith wearing her brother’s armour. Fortunately, her loyal steed had a will of her own and pulled aside just in time to avoid the Wraith-knight’s lance.
Gelilthor also witnessed the wraith’s entrance and rode towards him, seeing as he was the greatest threat among the enemies. Before Gûlbujar could circle around for another strike at Caranhelf and her riders, the Elf was upon him. The Wraith-knight and his steed were swift and managed to evade the brunt of the blow. Gelilthor’s spear Astoreg only glanced off a pauldron, causing no hurt to the wraith beneath it.
Gûlbujar spun his stallion around and turned his focus to Gelilthor. The Wraith-knight struck true but his lance shattered upon the Eagle-shield of Wrath, unable to penetrate the masterwork of the Elven warrior-smith. Though no harm befell Gelilthor, the force of the blow was enough to knock her off her steed. The wraith drew his sword, ready to ride in again and finish the Elf.
By then, Thorneth had composed herself and urged Caranhelf back into the fighting. They rushed to Gelilthor’s aid and both Thorneth and Dínendír swung their blades for the Wraith-knight as their horses passed one another. With only one weapon, Gûlbujar chose to fend off Dagúl as the blade of Westernesse could end him. This allowed Dínendír’s sword to slash across the wraith’s arm. The injury caused to the unnatural being was insignificant, but it was enough to make Gûlbujar drop his blade.
Disarmed and seeing that his forces were floundering around him, Gûlbujar withdrew. Shrieking with frustration, the Wraith-knight fled with his two uninjured wargs, leaving a few dismounted Orcs to die. Thorneth urged Caranhelf on and they began to give chase when Dínendír spoke from behind her, saying, “We should not pursue the enemy.”
“I will give the Betrayer a final death and redeem the good name of my family,” Thorneth avowed.
“He may lead us into a trap and he certainly is leading us further from our destination!” the Guardsman argued. “You can redeem your family’s name by doing as the King bid us, and we are to call for aid from Rivendell!”
Reminded of the haste of their mission, Thorneth bid Caranhelf to turn back around. They abandoned the pursuit and returned to the site of the skirmish. There, they saw that Metharafel and the Elves had slain the remaining Orcs. Only one other Elf aside from Gelilthor and Imrathien survived though, and he was wounded. Imrathien took him upon her horse while Gelilthor fetched her own steed and found another that had bolted off during the fighting, which was given to Dínendír.
Now mounted once again, the Company quickly covered the remaining distance to the Ford of Bruinen, past which no danger awaited them under the vigil of Lord Elrond.
