"Great Eagles are not in the habit of taking passengers," - Calenamath

16th August/Urui T.A 3010, The Elven Halls/ The Woodland Realm, Mirkwood

King Thranduil woke with a start. "Lasseth!" he cried out. Then his mind returned to the present. From his large comfortable bed, he looked about the vast cavern that was his bedchamber. Starlight Lamps hung down among the stalactites from the high ceiling. The light from the lamps made them appear to glisten and glow above him. The sumptuous chamber was silent, despite all the most exquisite furnishings, many from far-flung places. To him, the chamber felt cold and empty. He sat up, leaned over to the side table, and rang the little bell.

At once a brown-haired Elf wearing a green tunic with the King's sigil upon it entered the chamber carrying a bed robe. On seeing the king, he bowed low. "Mae Govannen, my Lord King. I hope your rest was refreshing."

Thranduil rose from the bed and Padir wrapped his bedgown around him. "Alas Padir, I am not refreshed."

"Was it the dream again?"

"It was."

Ever since the battle of Dagorlad at the end of the second age, he had relived the moment he had become king. But it had come at a price. The loss of his father and, more tragically, his beloved wife Lasseth, the mother of his son and only child. But this time, the dream had been different.

As usual, he relived finding his father, King Oropher's body slumped over a mortally wounded Lasseth. He had clearly died trying to defend her. Thranduil had desperately tried to comfort Lasseth, willing her to live for him, their son and the future children they had promised each other. But Lasseth shook her head.

"Three more I promised you and three more you shall have. I swear by The One, no rest in Mandos shall I take. Our son must not walk alone. Till a queen walks again in the Great Green Wood and my oath to you be fulfilled. My Fea shall remain houseless! For your sake and my son's, you must love again."

He had begged and pleaded with her to repent the oath but to no avail. The light from her eyes had departed. But this time as he shook her and begged her to return to him. He heard an eagle's cry far above and the light in Lasseth's eyes returned but for a moment. "Hope comes on Eagle's wings," she whispered. Before the light left her again.

Thranduil's day began like any other. Padir clapped his hands, and several male attendants entered the chamber in the same livery as Padir. Some carrying clothing, others attending to the vacated bed. He then assisted Thranduil as he groomed and dressed for the day. The attendants presented various garments to the king, and he selected what he wished to wear and discarded others. "Any Important news this morning, Padir?" He was not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

The summer had been very uneventful, even the spiders had been little trouble of late. Today he intended to tour his realm with his son and brother, perhaps even camp out under the stars if they so desired. For it would not be long till the first harvest and he would change the adornments on his crown to mark the coming of autumn.

Padir handed Thranduil a scroll."Ah, yes, my Lord King, there is a message from Grimbeorn, Chief of the Beornings."

Thranduil grunted as he broke open the seal and unrolled the scroll. "What is the cantankerous old fool complaining about this time?" he muttered.

But as he read the words, his mood changed. He asked Padir to summon Calenamath and Legolas to his command chamber. Padir exited the bedchamber and Thranduil followed him down a small passage of highly polished stone. A number of doors led off to other chambers. The other end of the passage opened out into a parlour, where the king entertained and relaxed after his daily duties. The chamber was full of comfortable chairs, daybeds and tables, and a small flight of steps led up to a musician's gallery. And wall tapestries depicted scenes from Elven legends.

Thranduil ate the light breakfast that had been prepared for him. When he had finished, Padir returned and informed him that the two princes had arrived. An archway at the other end of the parlour was all that separated it from the command chamber. The chamber was just as large as the parlour. In the centre was a large table with a map of Mirkwood and the surrounding areas carved into it. The heads of various creatures hung on the walls except for one where the king's weapons and armour, were displayed on manikins and racks.

Thranduil dismissed the attendants, then explained the letter to Legolas and Calenamath. "It appears Lord Elrond has mislaid his daughter!"

"Has Lady Arwen gone missing?" replied Calenamath.

"No, the little Dúnadan, Lady Anberenien, has absconded from Imladris. The Temple of Mordor later took her captive."

"Anberenien? Beren's child. Why would she run away from Imladris?" asked Legolas.

"That is irrelevant for now. If the temple has her, she is in great danger," said Calenamath.

"That is no longer the case. Lord Glorfindel tracked them down. But he and the Beornings were set upon by Orcs. She was last seen being taken off the mountain by a Great Eagle flying eastwards. The Beornings have asked me to send scouts to help in the search to find out what has become of her," said Thranduil.

"I am willing to go. Beren was a friend. I will take my scouts and join the search," said Legolas.

"No, Legolas. Calenamath knows the terrain better. I would like you to increase the guard on our borders. In case this incident leads to more attempts to enter our realm. Calenamath, if you find this wayward girl alive, ensure she is returned to her father."

"You do not think the Eagle would have killed her?"

"I find that highly unlikely. But wherever it set her down, she will be vulnerable to whatever creatures roam there," said Calenamath.

"Agreed Calenamath. Let us hope this business can be dealt with swiftly!" replied Thranduil. He dismissed them, then made his way to the throne room to attend to the business of the day.

-----------------------------------------------------------

20th August/Urui T.A 3010, The Woodland Realm, Mirkwood

Anberenien trudged along the ancient Elven path, growing more disorientated with every step. At first, she had followed the Hare until it had vanished into the shadows. When she looked back, hoping to retrace her steps. The dark and twisted trees appeared to have closed in and she could not see the way back. The meagre rations she had found on the mountain had quickly run out and when she tried to forage, there was nothing safe to eat. Growing evermore weak and confused, in her muddled mind. Anberenien had the feeling she was being watched and thought she could hear strange whispers around her.

"Come to us, little girl, we won't hurt you."

"She is too thin. We won't get much out of her."

Giant Spiders, like the ones Bilbo told me of. If I fall they will eat me, I must keep going...

Just as she felt her legs were about to buckle under her. Anberenien saw an unearthly light, like a beacon in the darkness. Despite knowing she should keep to the path, Anberenien followed the heavenly glow. Staggering through the bushes, she came upon a strange sight. A white doe stood before her, its bright clear eyes looking at Anberenien in her distressed state with compassion and sympathy. Anberenien felt compelled to reach out and touch the Doe, its fur so soft and light she was unsure if it was real or a figment of her imagination.

The Doe moved slowly through the undergrowth, turning every so often as if urging her to follow. Anberenien felt a strange sensation as if she had crossed some magical barrier and all the trees looked different. Unlike the contorted blackened trees of Mirkwood, these grew tall and strong and the air was fresh and wholesome. Most of the trees were beeches with Oak, Ash and Thorn trees dotted about. Anberenien breathed in the fresh, clean air and felt a little better.

The Doe was waiting patiently for her. Anberenien continued to follow it until they reached a small bubbling spring with cool clear water. The Doe began to drink, compelling Anberenien to do the same. She cupped the cool refreshing water into her mouth, it moistened her dry cracked lips and refreshed her parched throat. Anberenien took out her empty bottle and filled it before replacing it in her pack.

She looked up to see that the Doe was still watching her. It stood next to a bramble bush full of berries. Blackberries were not Anberenien's favourite food. But starvation drove her to stuff her face with as many berries as would stop the gnawing pain in her stomach. Berry juice stained her lips and hands. When she had eaten her fill, Anberenien looked up again to thank the Doe. But it had already disappeared. Her relief at finding refreshment soon gave way to weariness, so she rested on a nearby mossy bank.

Later, she awoke to the sound of thumping. Her blurred vision could just make out a brown hare, close by thumping on the ground. As her eyes came into focus, a sound behind her awakened her dulled senses. A sound she knew all too well. "Orcs! I had hoped to see the last of them," she muttered. Crouching low behind the blackberry bush, she unsheathed her blades, ready to take them on if she was discovered. Three Orcs stalked the undergrowth. They were larger than the ones on the mountain and each had a white handprint on its chest. As she watched them, the hate she felt for the creatures was overwhelming.

"So far, nothing. It's been a waste of time. How are we supposed to find anything in this forest?" said one.

"Our orders were to find the Eagle's passenger and bring them to the Master," said another.

"Well, there is nothing here. We should move on before the Elves get wind of us," said the third.

Anberenien could not contain herself any longer. Despite her weakened state, vengeance overcame prudence. The sudden appearance of the strange hooded figure took the Orcs by surprise at first. Then they spied the pin badge and laughed. "I've never seen a Ranger so short," said the first. Anberenien remained silent.

"Cat got your tongue?" said the second.

"Let's teach this runt of a ranger a lesson he'll never forget," said the third.

She drove one of her blades through the chest of the first Orc. It looked at her with surprise before sliding off her blade and falling to the ground, dead. Anberenien showed neither pity nor remorse for the life she had taken. The second Orc fought more fiercely. But just when Anberenien thought she had bested him, pain ripped through her left shoulder and she fell to her knees.

"Got him, the little runt," called the third Orc. Anberenien glanced at her shoulder and saw the end of an arrow sticking out of it. She grasped her blades tighter, breathing deeply through her nostrils to maintain her composure as she tried to control the pain. "That arrow is poisoned, Runt, but if you drop those weapons and surrender, I will give you the cure."

Now they had made her angry. She sheathed her blades and lifted her head so that the Orcs could see her silver eyes beneath the hood. At first, they laughed, thinking she had surrendered. But as they approached Anberenien to apprehend her, the ground trembled beneath their feet and they looked at each other with confusion. But an approaching company of Elves heard their blood-curdling screams.

-----------------------------------------------------

Calenamath and Legolas rode swiftly through the forest, their keen eyes scanning the undergrowth. After two days of riding without rest, Calenamath and his company of scouts were about to separate from Legolas's company. However, they were met by a border scout with news that a Great Eagle had been spotted at the Forest Gate. It had dropped off a mysterious passenger, then swiftly taken off.

"Do you think it was the missing girl?" asked Legolas.

"It is entirely possible, Great Eagles are not in the habit of taking passengers. But why leave her here?" replied Calenamath. The blast from a horn caught their attention, and they hastened to its location.

A couple of scouts who had gone on ahead alerted them of their findings. "There are bodies, my Lords, three Orcs and a Ranger slumped against a tree. But the Orc's bodies are like nothing we have seen before!" said one of them.

Calenamath and Legolas accompanied the scouts and went to investigate. Both were shocked as they reached the scene. There were the bodies of three large Orcs, well, mostly. One body was intact, apart from a mortal wound in the chest. The other two appeared to be stuck in the ground up to their waists, blood oozing out of the surrounding soil. Legolas looked at his uncle in disbelief. "It looks as if the very ground has swallowed them. But how could such a thing have happened?"

"I have never seen anything like it before," replied Calenamath.

Their attention turned to the ranger's body. It was slumped against the tree, the hood of its cloak covering its face. As they approached, Legolas noticed an arrow had gone through the shoulder and was unsure if it was embedded in the tree or not. The star pin clearly defined the body as a Dunadan Ranger, but what would one be doing this far east? Calenamath was sure he had come from Imladris. Perhaps he had been a messenger from Lord Elrond. If he had been the eagle's passenger, the Orcs had intercepted him before he could reach the Wood Elves.

Legolas shook his head sadly. "It seems we are too late to help him. A little short for a ranger, though, his clothes barely fit him. Still, he was brave to take out three Orcs as he passed."

"Your father will be very displeased at discovering more intrusions in our realm. Still, we should give this fellow a decent burial. I shall search him for any messages. We can inform Lord Elrond upon our return." Calenamath kneeled beside the body and placed his hand on its shoulder. Suddenly, a short blade on the end of a thin bruised arm shot out towards him. Calenamath stood back in amazement and Legolas drew his bow.