Thendryt was being followed. He knew it. Small sounds in the dark, other sharp sounds when he was alone. Which Elf was it? Had to be one from Vanimar.
He looked at the Vanimar Elves. Which one? He needed to know. But how? He left a trail too great to be able to be able to fool the Elf. Unless… He casually glanced out the window of Hrimbarg. The snow was whirling in the blizzard outside. He smiled. Perfect.
Thendryt equipped his gloves. The fur under the plate would be tested, he knew, but he’d endure it. He had endured worse.
Thendryt shut the door behind him as he stepped out of the hall. The snow flew furiously all around him. He wasted no time and headed out of the outpost.
His tracks were covered by the raging storm quickly.
After some time in the deep snow, he reached a chain of large rocks. He examined them, and found a crack in the stone large enough for him to crawl into. There he waited.
An hour passed. He was shielded from the wind, but the cold gnawed at him. Then, he saw her.
It was a tall Elf, blonde. Got you. He thought. What was her name? He’d heard it somewhere… Limiriel. She hadn’t seen him, and his tracks were long gone.
He waited another hour before getting out of the crack. Limiriel was long gone, and for the first time in a long while, he felt alone. Finally.
But Limiriel didn’t have a reason to follow him, he thought, as he made his way back through the thick snow. There had to be someone higher up who wanted to know his every move. One of the higher Elves in Vanimar had him watched. He needed to find out who it was.
He stopped. He’d heard something. He looked around him. The blizzard was getting worse, he could barely see a thing. A shape was crouching in the snow Thendryt spun around and readied his spear.
He could hear some words in the wind, but he didn’t understand them. Either it was Elvish, or the snow made it hard to make out. Or both?
Thendryt lowered himself, all the way to the ground, slowly. If it was an Elf, he most likely had an arrow pointed at him. He needed to evade, and disappear.
Once he reached the snow, he threw himself to the side, creating a large cloud of snow. He heard an arrow fly past him. Thendryt got up and tried to retreat into the mist of the blizzard, but the Elf was quick and followed him. They circled each other, neither knowing exactly where the other were.
Thendryt could hear something that sounded like Elvish in the wind, but dismissed it.
The shape of the Elf came into view, and Thendryt would see the bow. Thendryt threw his spear to his side, hoping it would create a distraction. It didn’t. No choice then. He thought, and charged. He felt the arrow fly into his chest as he threw himself on the Elf.
The two slammed into each other. Thendryt landed on top but the Elf sent him flying to the side. Thendryt saw a dagger, and drew one of his swords.
The Elf’s speed once again surprised him and he barely evaded the first swing on the dagger, he could feel a bit of his hood be pierced.
The Elf went for Thendryt’s right arm, his sword-arm. Thendryt saw it and took his chance. He dropped his sword and closed the distance between the two. He caught the hand with the dagger with his right arm, and grabbed the Elf by the throat with his left. He lifted the Elf and slammed him into the ground, putting his entire weight into it. The Elf gasped for air, but Thendryt focused on the dagger. He tried to get a knee over it, but his armor wouldn’t let him. The Elf was strong and put a considerable effort into getting his weapon free.
Thendryt inhaled.
In one motion, he pushed himself up from the Elf. It was difficult, since he only had one knee in the ground, but it had to do.
As soon as the dagger was free it was swung at Thendryt’s head. It glanced off the shoulder pad, right before Thendryt’s elbow came crashing down into the chest of the Elf. The Elf lost his breath and dropped the knife.
Thendryt grabbed the arrowhead in his chest. It had gone through plate and chainmail, and hadn’t penetrated his flesh very deeply.
Thendryt inhaled and pulled it out. He felt a jolt of pain as the head came loose. He enjoyed it.
Thendryt grabbed the arrow with both hands and pushed it towards the Elf’s head.
The Elf desperately caught blocked him and the arrowhead ended up in the Elf’s shoulder.
“DERI!” The Elf shouted, desperately. He grabbed Thendryt’s hood and pulled it towards him. “An i Belain, DERI!” Thendryt’s cloak gave away and Thendryt came free. He grabbed the Elf’s face over the cloak and punched, hard.
The Elf went still for a moment. Thendryt relaxed slightly and crawled off him.
The Elf gasped for air. He slowly sat up, only to find Thendryt’s sword under his chin.
Thendryt moved the Elf’s head up, so he could finally see who it was. Dolthafaer, Head of the Arrow. Great. Thendryt’s brought his left hand to his chest. The wound wasn’t too deep. He looked at the blood on his fingers, then back at Dolthafaer.
“Fool.” Dolthafaer said, finally shifting to Westron.
“You shot first.” Thendryt replied, and sheathed his sword.
“I warned you. The Elf growled. “Elf-friend indeed.”
“So that’s what you said.”
“Had I shot to kill, this would have gone very differently, Thendryt of the Warband.” Dolthafaer placed a hand on his shoulder.
“And had I not been content with striking you…” Thendryt snatched his cloak from Dolth’s grasp.
“Khalis will hear of this, Thendryt. Elisbeth. They will know how their Elf-friend responds to the sound of our tongue on the wind.”
“If you were able to intimidate me, Elf, none of us would be bleeding.” Thendryt fastened his cloak.
“You might not fear pain, nor death. But what of exile, I wonder?” Dolth said, and took a step closer.
Thendryt glared at him. You dare threaten me, Elf?
“Lose yourself in the Hithaeglir.” Dolth said. “It might go better for you.”
Thendryt slowly took a couple of steps towards Dolth, bringing them face to face. Thendryt let out a low, dark, chucke.
“Run along now, little Elf. Tell the others how you lost to the Man and don't want to see him anymore. Run to your superiors and explain to them how the Man spared you and you want him exiled from the company.” Thendryt tilted his head, slightly.
“You're even a high ranked Elf, aren't you? Head of the Arrow, now I remember. Go and cry in the lap of your Lord, if you so wish.” Thendryt’s eyed narrowed. “But I doubt it. And I doubt you'd be rid of me that easily, Elf.”
“You think my pride so fragile?” Dolthafaer said. “I have been bested by better than you. I have bested better than you. It will take more than the taunting of a Child of Man to keep me from warning your dear Elisabeth that her dog has broken free from its leash.”
You want to continue to play the threatening game? Very well. Thendryt thought.
“How would you explain the arrow-wound in my chest?” Thendryt said, with a hint of innocence in his voice. Dolthafaer blinked. “Here I was, just outside the walls. And all of a sudden, an arrow hits me in my chest.” Thendryt brought a hand up to his wound. “I knew you Elves never liked me, but trying to murder me?” Thendryt’s voice went cold, dark. “That's harsh, even for you. I doubt my Tûr would see kindly to that.”
“You think they will take your word over mine in this?” Dolthafaer said, his voice as low as Thendryt’s. “Are you, Thendryt, so far beyond repoarch in the eyes of your Tûr?”
“Are you willing to find out, Dolthafaer? We are here to save the precious Wood-Elves, after all. Every delay might mean their end.” Thendryt smiled under his mask. “Is that a burden you're willing to carry?” Got you, Elf.
“You are a damned snake, Thendryt.”
“Thank you.” Thendryt met Dolth’s eyes. “Think carefully about threatening me next time.”
“You wonder why some of my kind are loathe to trust yours? It is this. To trust in one such as you is to trust a viper not to bite. Elisbeth is a careless fool to keep you so close.”
“I can be quite charming whenever Elves aren't firing arrows into me.” Thendryt replied.
“We will leave the Hithaeglir someday, Thendryt. Our mission will end. The Warband and I will part ways. And then they will learn of this.” A dark smile formed on Dothafaer’s face. “You will be watched. Tread carefully.”
“You mean the tall female?” Thendryt said, casually tilting his head. Was it Dolthafaer that had sent her after him?
Dolthafaer went still, and silent.
“She has a name.”
“I’m sure she had.” You knew, at the very least.
“And keen eyes.”
“And I am sure the next one will as well. I do hope the next one has more luck.” Thendryt started walking away from Dolthafaer. “Choose well, Lord of the Arrows.”
He knew. But he might not have been the one who gave the order. Thendryt thought.
