Chapter 23:
Laer, Imladris, 2818 T.A.
Sídhiel’s ride was hurried and frantic until she was certain no one was following. She stopped to rest and slid off Naurion, allowing him to drink with her from the small spring. The day was growing late, and she had no idea where she was being taken, but Sídhiel trusted the large stallion and was not afraid. Naurion was worthy of her trust and would care for the child as best he could, but his path was meandering and it took them many miles out of their way. The steed was hoping they would be found.
The pair finally arrived at the series of caves above the cliffs shortly before nightfall. Once she and Naurion were safely ensconced, she pulled some large downed limbs and bushes in front of the cave entrance, hoping to conceal it. Due to the late hour, Sídhiel did not explore the cave further, but could hear dripping water somewhere in the back. The front of the cave was dry with stacks of kindling and firewood as well as mounds of dried moss, leaves, and some old animal pelts. It was fairly comfortable and she was glad that it was large enough for Naurion.
Her pack contained a flint and Sídhiel lit a small fire, watching carefully as the smoke drifted lazily to the rear of the cave, concealing her further. She was tired, and more than a little bit apprehensive. The half-elf was used to being alone and had never been afraid of the dark, instead, loving the nighttime, but this felt different somehow. There was something in the air making her uneasy and Naurion shifted nervously as well. Having no appetite, she merely drank water and gave the horse an apple for his supper. Sídhiel wanted comfort and stood, placing her arms around Naurion’s neck as she stared into the fire.
Sídhiel was half dozing until a strange howling noise in the distance startled her and set her hair on end. She began to tremble and Naurion nudged her with his nose. He would let nothing happen to her. The horse shifted, pushing them both around the fire and then he dropped down to the cave floor, offering his body for comfort. Lulled by his strong heart beat, the exhausted child dropped off into uneasy dreams.
Asfaloth flew through the dark night, his hooves barely skimming the ground. He could feel his master’s fear and knew that they could waste no time. Unfortunately, even Asfaloth could not take the final trail at more than a careful walk. The path wound up the cliffside, its narrowness allowing no room for missed steps. With only the barest crescent moon to light their way, the going was slow. When Glorfindel heard warg howls in the distance, his worst fears were realized, and the journey stretched interminably.
Elrond looked at his distraught friend and decided that he could no longer merely offer his silent support, since that had obviously not improved the situation. “I know you would like me to offer further platitudes, but I can do that no longer. It is obvious that Sídhiel was quite distraught that you were taking her away from here. You can run away if you will, but the child should stay here.”
Erestor was incredulous. Leave Sídhiel? He stammered, “What? I… I will not leave her. She is mine to raise.”
Growing angry, his patience worn thin, Elrond snapped at his friend, “Enough! You cannot handle your own emotions, how do you expect to raise a child? Since you left the healing halls, the situation here has only deteriorated, mostly due to your behavior. It has become untenable and I no longer wish to live like this. Obviously, your ‘solution’ of running to Lothlórien will not suffice for Sídhiel. Would you truly want to force her to leave now when she has only just made this place her home?”
The frustration radiating from Elrond deflated Erestor. He could not argue that his decision had caused Sídhiel to run. If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself. “Aíya, how do I fix it at this late date?” Erestor dropped his head, his dark hair falling like curtains to shield him from prying eyes.
Taking pity on his friend, Elrond moved to sit beside Erestor and pulled him close. “Quit running – from Glorfindel, from your own emotions and needs. Forgive him. Put the past behind you and live in the here and now.”
Never looking up, Erestor replied, his voice a hushed whisper, “I… I have never done that… I do not think I even know how.”
Elrond’s lips quirked in a slight smile. He forced Erestor’s chin up, so their eyes could meet, and was stunned by the turmoil in his friend’s for once open gaze. “That, I believe, is where Sídhiel can help.”
Sídhiel slept fitfully, but Naurion’s heartbeat and warmth kept her cocooned in reverie for as long as possible until the eerie noises crept too close and even the brave stallion could not keep calm. His restlessness woke the child who rubbed at her eyes wondering why there was no light. The fire had died out, leaving only barely glowing embers and the cave was completely dark. She clung tightly to Naurion sensing that something had woken her.
It did not take long before she heard it. A snuffling, growling sound came from the front of the cave. Sídhiel had never felt such terror as horrifying images flooded her mind. She buried her face in Naurion’s coat and tried not to make a sound, but muffled sobs escaped and sharp ears caught the noise.
The child heard the brush at the front of the cave begin to move and she panicked. Standing up, she fled in the opposite direction of the entrance, completely unmindful of where she was going. She just needed to be far away from whatever made those noises! Naurion was instantly on his feet, stamping and pawing the ground, when Sídhiel fled. He was ready to fight for her. Guttural sounds began to accompany the growling and snuffling and the tone quickly rose to a fever pitch. They had been discovered!
The brush and limbs were torn from the cave and dim light revealed two misshapen forms in the cave mouth. Sídhiel could discern only red glowing eyes and yellowed fangs. If that had not been enough to root the child to the spot, the putrid smell that seeped into the cave would have been. She choked back a cry and backed up against the cave wall, hoping they had not spotted her around Naurion’s bulk.
Naurion recognized the loathsome creatures. He and his master had fought their ilk enough times that he was not afraid. Instead the stallion leapt at the creatures, kicking out at them, aiming for their eyes and trying to keep away from their claws and fangs. His back hoof connected with one of the creatures and it fell, stunned, to the ground. Naurion used the distraction to draw them out of the cave, hoping that none had noticed the child. As he leapt over the one that was down, the other jumped onto him, its sharp talons raking his back.
The horse’s pained whinny almost caused Sídhiel to run to him when she realized that she was of no aid and would only get her captured, or worse. Praying that the stallion would be fine, she turned to find a better hiding spot farther back in the cave. Suddenly the floor cracked and gave way beneath her. She was launched along a rushing stream of water flowing down a tube in the darkness!
Sídhiel screamed as she fell, but then silence reined as her breath was stolen by the speed at which she was sliding. Being completely in the dark and unable to grab onto anything to stop herself, she had no ability to even cry out when the tube suddenly ended. Flying up, Sídhiel fell, hitting her head, and all consciousness fled.
Naurion bucked and kicked, desperate to dislodge the creature from his back. He ran under a low outcrop of stone and knocked the warg off. Neighing loudly in fear and warning, he shot off toward home and aid.
Himmion’s patrol heard the howls rending the night air and each warrior hurriedly prepared his weapons and armor. Before the captain could give the order to mount up and ride out, Naurion bolted into camp. One of the guards recognized the stallion. “Naurion? What are you doing here? Where’s your master?” He tried to calm the frightened animal but soon enough two wargs stalked into camp. Without their orc riders, they were too stupid to give up the hunt when confronted with a patrol of armed elves. The wargs were quickly taken down.
Naurion was still agitated and would not be calmed. He was trying to get the elves to follow but none paid him any mind. Whinnying in annoyance, he trotted out of the camp and back before the guard took notice. “Captain? I think the stallion is trying to tell us something.”
Himmion looked up from the pyre and finally heeded Naurion’s behavior. “Do you think Master Erestor is out here? And his mount is trying to lead us to him?” The other elf shrugged but did wonder at the horse’s presence without a rider.
They left four elves to watch the camp while the rest followed Naurion.
Asfaloth crested the trail and Glorfindel sighed with relief. The caves were not far and the path was easy and wide from this point onward. He quickly reached the mouth of the cave and almost immediately heard horses coming from the opposite direction. Dismounting, he stood, hand on his hilt, unsure who was approaching. Naurion whinnied and Asfaloth responded, allowing Glorfindel to relax his stance. Himmion rode up and dismounted, quickly explaining what little they knew.
Glorfindel nodded tersely and explained to the guard what had happened. Naurion grew impatient once again and stamped and shook his head in agitation. They were not listening and the child was in danger! The stallion pushed past the guards and walked into the cave mouth, whinnying softly in question. When there was no answer, Naurion backed out and turned toward the golden warrior. He nudged the blond with his nose and snorted when Glorfindel did not move.
Himmion shook his head, “I have no idea what has gotten in to that beast, but he has been behaving this way since he arrived at our camp.”
Glorfindel pursed his lips and his brow creased as he tried to make sense of Naurion’s behavior. Just as he thought he understood him, Naurion moved and butted him with his flank. He looked up at Himmion and shrugged, “I believe he wants us to go into the cave. Maybe Sídhiel is hiding in there?”
The captain responded, “It cannot hurt. We need to find Sídhiel and this is as good a place to start the search as any other.”
The guards lit lanterns and soon Glorfindel had reached the back of the cave. He hissed and knelt when he saw the broken floor. The cave ice had shattered and left a gaping hole where what before had seemed to be solid ground. Looking up at the cave mouth, he called out, “Rope! I need a long coil and hurry!”
Himmion carried a lantern and a roll of hithlain rope and carefully walked toward the Elda. “What is it? What have you found?”
“A passageway. The ground is broken up and the damage looks newly made. I think Sídhiel heard the wargs and ran to the back of the cave, not realizing that she was stepping on a thin crust of ice instead of solid ground. I am going down to see if she fell.”
Nodding in understanding, Himmion efficiently tied one end of the hithlain rope around the base of a short, fat stalagmite. He tugged on it a few times to ensure the knot was secure before handing the coil to Glorfindel. “There you go. That should hold.” He watched as the Elda made a makeshift harness out of the rope. “How long is the drop?”
Glorfindel shook his head, “I know not. I can hear the water sluicing down it, so it must only be a few feet. I hope. Brace yourself against something. I may need your aid to keep from losing my footing.” Once he was sure Himmion was ready, Glorfindel dropped down onto the slippery tube. He almost fell, but managed to regain his footing before he slid far. After he caught his breath, he shouted out, “Slide a lantern down!”
Himmion cut a short length from the tied end of the rope. Using that, he secured the lantern along Glorfindel’s lifeline and loosened the knot, watching as the lantern slid slowly down into the darkness. Soon he was looking down into the Elda’s illuminated face. “Are you ready?”
Glorfindel nodded and turned into the darkness. “Do it slowly.”
Carefully, Himmion began to play out the rope, keeping it running around the stalagmite for tension. The length was long, but he had no idea if there was enough. Caves could be terribly deep, large gashes into the earth. He heard a muffled, “Hold!” from Glorfindel and stopped. Himmion knotted the rope to hold it secure before stepping over to the edge of the hole. “What is it? What have you found?”
Glorfindel had come to the bottom of the wet passage. It plunged into blackness. He raised the lantern and saw nothing, but once he knelt on the edge and held the light over the side, he saw Sídhiel’s crumpled form lying still and silent on the floor of the cave. The drop was not too far for him to jump down, but he would not be able to get her up alone. Glorfindel turned his face up the tube and shouted, “I found her! We need a litter… and ropes! Hurry, Himmion, she’s not moving!”
TBC
Translations:
Laer – summer
Hithlain – n. mist-thread (a substance used by the Elves to make strong ropes)