The Lands of the Horse-Lords
And so did the small company make their way beyond the Ford of Isen and through the lands of Rohan. Their senses were subjected to the stench of dead flesh where the men of Rohan had done battle with the Urch as they travelled. They knew there was conflict in the southern lands for news of this had travelled to Imladris in the past months, and was why they had been sent southward. They expected to see signs of skirmishes but not signs of larger conflicts.
They caught sight of the great walls of Helms Deep now scarred also with the signs of recent battle, and its great wall had a huge breech where something had ripped the great stones asunder. Who or what had caused this was unknown to them.
Their journey did bring them to the White Mountains, and their map from the Lord of the Hidden Vale showed a doorway hidden within the rock face. As they stood before this doorway the Lady Elisbeth did speak once more the words that had been told to her by Lord Elrond.
“The menfolk in the company must have their eyes and ears covered less they run in fear at the visage inside the mountain”.
At this stage she turned to Khalis and locked her gaze upon his own.
“My friend you must trust to our friendship. Today is not going to be a test of your martial skill but a challenge upon the very essence of who you are. You will want to raise your shield and sweep your eldritch blade at that which will come before us, but you must hold from doing so. For to do so will be our undoing”
The two rangers were assisted in covering up their eyes and ears by the two elves. The Lady Elisbeth did have some woollen lined bindings for the task which she produced from her satchel. No doubt given to her before they had left Imladris.
Guiding the two menfolk forward the elves stepped up to the doorway and Elisbeth did speak once more.
“Trust to your heritage and our cause, walk always ahead and stop for nothing until you feel the warmth of the sun once more upon your skin”
With that the company enter the pathways under the mountain, the sun falling away behind them. The two elves guided the rangers forward at a good pace with the odd word spoken in Sindarin by the Lady Elisbeth by way of encouragement. They followed the trail forward looking around from time to time, their elven eyes picking out ancient structures at the periphery.
After some time beyond reckoning the small group emerged on the other side, the warmth of the sun banishing the chilled essence of the under-mountain.
“Something was wrong” spoke the Lady Elisbeth. “Did you not sense it? Why did Lord Elrond go to such a depth in making sure we were prepared for the journey under the mountain when all that was there are ancient ruins and a sense of something long departed? Lord Elrond spoke of a presence there, but there was none.”
Lord Khalis smiled as he helped removed the bindings covering the two rangers’ eyes and ears. “I am just glad the passage was an easy one. From what you said my martial skills would have been no use to us there and that did not sit well with me mylady”
She gave Khalis a gentle smile and laid a reassuring hand upon his left shoulder letting the warmth of the sun remind her she walked once more among the living. She kept her innermost thoughts though to herself. Something had happened, something they did not know of and she did not like not knowing.
