Under the bleak Angmar sky, the small group, one smaller because Acurith had scouted ahead, had begun to set up camp in Aughaire near the cliffs on the south side of the village. After Eruthaiwen had healed what minor injuries they had accrued on the road, mostly from the great worms in the pass, she set up her own things. Having done that, she turned north, walking directionless around the town. Absentmindedly, she fingered her locket, feeling the small dent it had acquired and trying to think about anything other than the feeling of her skin crawling, a constant effect of this cursed land. Eruthaiwen turned over her locket in her hands, examining the dent that had been made earlier that day. ‘Oh why,’ she thought to herself, ‘did we not take the other road?’ On their way there, they had taken a vermin-infested pass. Either then or during the small amount of trouble they encountered before leaving the North Downs, at some point in all the bustle and hurry, the locket had suffered a little damage, like herself, though she had been mostly protected being mostly unarmed and a healer. Even so, no one could keep track of all the creatures at once.
She rubbed off a bit of dust, likely from whatever offending rock the pendant had collided with. Thankfully, the clasp still worked, and as she opened it, holding it open delicately in her cupped hands, she was dismayed to see that the impact had also cracked the carved stone inside. She ran her finger over the jagged line in the marble. The crack had neatly bisected the word ‘Astan,’ one of the many protective words she had inscribed on the stone’s smooth face. However, the crack did not go all the way through the stone, so it was not completely broken, which was a relief. She closed the locket and clasped it tightly in her hands, vowing again to keep it with her and keep it safe until she could give it to her brother Aulant when she found him again in Valinor.
Hearing a familiar careful gait, she turned to see Acurith walking around, glancing furtively from side to side. The woman noticed her and greeted her. “Well, it was about time you showed up. I was starting to worry.”
Eruthaiwen smiled. “I’m glad you made it safely.
Acurith smiled back. “I hope you didn’t lose any limbs on the way here.” She chuckled a bit nervously and pulled her hood farther over her face.
Eruthaiwen laughed, extending her arms to either side before letting them drop. “Still attached, as you can see.”
“That’s good to know. You’ll need both your arms and your feet here...and in good shape too."
Eruthaiwen nodded slowly, her smile faltering. "Let us hope it stays that way, with all of us. There are some wounds even I cannot heal." Acurith kept looking suspiciously around her, as if trying to hide herself from unwanted eyes. Eruthaiwen followed her gaze, but saw nothing but the hillmen of Aughaire. "Is something wrong?
Acurith looked back at the Elf-maiden with concern "Except that we are in Enemy territory and we must remain vigilant? No."
Eruthaiwen heard a familiar voice approach. "Ah, I see you made it safely from Esteldin." Zargodon strode up and glanced up and smiled fleetingly at Eruthaiwen, meeting her eyes for a second. She smiled back, an unspoken reassurance by each other’s presence passing between them.
Acurith nodded. "Indeed. And you two took your time in getting here."
"It was mostly the pests we encountered on our way, I'm afraid. You, on the other hand, made good speed alone." He waved a hand dismissively. “It was nothing though, nothing that we can't handle. Most of the dangers lie further north.”
Acurith smirked "Let us hope you won't run back home screaming in terror when we leave Aughaire behind."
“We would be poor companions indeed if that were enough to scare us off,” Eruthaiwen chimed in.
Zargodon arched his brow at as a small faint smile. "You underestimate our people."
Acurith huffed, "There are many horrible creatures haunting these lands. Most of them could instill the fear of death even in the stoutest of folk. And I do not speak of orcs and wargs. They are merely the rabble."
Eruthaiwen lowered her gaze. "That I know; it is the men of this country I worry about the most."
The woman shook her head "Nay, the Angmarim will be the least of our troubles. There are others we should try to avoid; Cargul, trolls, fell spirits and...others. I will not speak of them least you lose heart."
Zargodon folded his hands behind his back as he talked. His gaze flowed over the camp, inspecting man, beast and structure: the run down huts and shacks, a desperate struggle for survival. "Yes, you are right, Acurith" he said as his eyes drifted back, meeting her gaze. "The road that leads from here towards the heart of Angmar can only be filled with poison and filth. The darkness calls far stronger near the clouded grounds of Angmar. The taint of the Witch King still seeps from his seat. I can feel it." He said softly, walking down the road, feet falling silently on the ash strewn earth.
Eruthaiwen shuddered at the name of the Cargul. "Aye, those as well. But how could men consort with such beings? The wraiths are terrible in nature, but how terrible must those who work with them be, to have chosen of their free will to works the will of those foul beings? The Cargul are evil by nature, Angmarim who serve them are so by choice."
Acurith took a deep breath at her words but otherwise remained oddly silent. Eruthaiwen’s eyes were drawn east and slightly north before her mind returned to the present moment when, after few moments passed, Acurith decided to answer the question. "Dark Magic. It can do the unthinkable. These men are usually so deeply rooted in their wretchedness that the presence of the most fell beings could have little effect on them. They could stand before Sauron himself and all they could feel would be awe and veneration." Silence hung in the air as the two elves contemplated what had been said. Acurith looked back at Zargodon "I know not how far you are willing to go...but I strongly suggest we avoid the Rift of Nurz Gashu at all costs."
The conversation continued on, concerning their possible courses, what paths might be best to take, turning from the darkness their discussion had delved into. Zargodon and Acurith had an odd friendship: she would tease him and he in return would poke fun at her. Eruthaiwen smiled; she had not had this kind of comradery in the past. The two jested back and forth back and forth. At one point, Zargodon shook his head with a sigh, though he continued to smile down at Acurith in the manner of their banter. “I know, you do seem eager to spill blood. I, for one, am just happy it's not for the other side."
Acurith grinned teasingly. "Hmm...who knows. If someone grates on my nerves enough." She shook her head. "No...I wouldn't..."
Eruthaiwen chuckled, regaining some of her light-heartedness. "Warn me then, if I do so. I would hate to lose a friend."
Acurith laughed, "Yes, you'll need to decide between Zargodon and Leothross..."
Zargodon glanced over at Eruthaiwen. "I doubt there's much question there."
Eruthaiwen laughed, replying to Acurith’s quip. "Well then I should have lost two, one of them and you as well."
"Mostly I doubt she'd even try. For some reason, I still keep my eyes on her" Zargodon said in jest.
Acurith sighed, the tone becoming more sincere. "Elf, if I was your enemy, you would have known it by now."
Zargodon nodded silently "Yes, I am sure we would have. I do place my trust in you; we all do."
Acurith looked at Zargodon and Eruthaiwen before averting her eyes "I...hope you will feel the same always."
Eruthaiwen looked from Zargodon to Acurith. "And I see no reason why we should not. You have been naught but good to us, and kind to me." She nodded, smiling at Acurith. "Thank you."
Acurith flinched slightly at the maiden's words "I am...glad you believe so." She turned around, heading towards one of the great tents. "I'll be roaming around for a while before going to sleep. See you in the morning."
Eruthaiwen bowed her head to Acurith. "Goodnight then."
Zargodon nodded to Acurith as she walked off before turning to Eruthaiwen. He spoke to her in Sindarin, “Come, we should get something to eat. Are you still fine?” He offered a warm smile.
Her smile in return was weaker, tainted with some sadness. She took his hand, slipping into their native tongue as they spoke. "We are in Angmar. I do not think I can be well, but I will get by."
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. They talked at length by the waterside. The pool remained still, completely undisturbed. Zargodon told her how he wanted to protect her from even the sight of what they were going encounter. He expressed how, at times, he wished they were back in Hookworth. Eruthaiwen stared into the murky liquid at their feet. She felt the same, and was ashamed because she knew it to be a selfish thought. She wanted to help Leothross, wanted to help him regain his past and above all tried to remain hopeful, but she couldn’t escape the constant chill that made her want to turn around, turn south again. She was weak, and she knew it. Only the hand in hers could hold her there, else she would try to drag Leothross back out of this terrible land. She tried to comfort Zargodon, and while he seemed reassured, she couldn’t fool herself into believing her own words of encouragement.
Back where they had set up camp, Zargodon had opted to take a watch. Eruthaiwen settled into to her bedroll, staring up at what seemed to be a perpetually overcast sky. She wondered how anyone here distinguished day from night. As she pondered these thoughts, she drifted off into what she believed would be another dreamless night.
Drip.
There was a new moon; clouds obscured the stars. Even the summer night did not offer warmth as protection from the oppressive darkness.
Eruthaiwen gasped and bolted up from her dream, breathing heavily, practically hyperventilating, with her right hand desperately clasping her locket to her chest and the other around her abdomen grasping at the hem of her robe. She looked around frantically searching for something while her feet pushed at the bedroll and drove her backward until her back came in contact with the stone face of the surrounding cliffs. She quickly brought her left hand up to cover her mouth to silence her gasps. There she sat, alone, calming herself. Finally able to uncover her mouth without her breathing making so much sound, she noticed her hand was wet as were her cheeks, and streams had formed as she lay from her eyes back into her hair. For some time she slowly rocked slightly until she crawled back into her blankets.
She hadn’t recalled any of her dreams upon waking in years. What was that, and why now?
