The Family Line Part 35 – Amar Calad

Part 35 – Amar Calad

The night was governed in strange dreams and thought of being overly gorged in food. Many times Theomin had awoke during the night with stomach pains. Eating so much lambas was a horrible idea. His thoughts also drifted toward Bragga and his little lynx friend, which took him away from the pain of the filling lambas. Halfway through the night, he finally found a restful sleep.

Theomin awoke to something hitting on his bottom. He looked to see what it was. Garbert had been using his foot to tap Theomin awake. “It is morning, Theomin. Do you need to get yourself ready?” Before Thrombin could say anything, Garbert shooshed him, Afanen is still asleep.”

He felt terrible. The night was not as resful as he usually had. Even those nights he slept on the ground were more restful than the night before. “It is okay, I am ready,” he said rising up off the floor. His body felt heavier than usual while he struggled to maintain his balance. “I need a drink of something,” Theomin said, groggy still.

Garbert reached for a small wooden cup. Next to the cups was a gourd of water. He poured the water which Theomin quickly grabbed and drank it all in less than a second. It was not a great taste as the flavor of fish marred it. Nevertheless, it was a drink that washed down the heavy feeling of the lambas he ate the night before.

Soon, both Theomin and Garbert were making their way from the small fishing cottage. It was a cool morning. Fog hung all around in the moist air, wetting Theomin’s tunic, making it slick. It dampened his hair as it felt wetter and wetter. Even his beard had little beads of dew forming on it. They crossed a small river that was not deep at all and climbed a hill very nearby. A clear path had been carved in the hillside as they scaled it.

Theomin felt exhausted from the climb. He was so used to Bragga doing all the work that he was not used to the workout. He reached half way and stopped, exhailing quickly and putting his hands down on his knees. “Wait, Garbert,” Theomin said exhausted. “I am winded.”

Garbert was confused. “Haven’t you traveled all the way from Rohan?”

Theomin quickly nodded, “On horseback.” He rose up, “I hope I will not need to continue on foot. This hike is killing me.”

“Well,” Garbert started, “there are other things here that might kill you. Bears, lizards, poisones frogs, trolls, angery deer, bats, boars, tree people…”

“Okay, Garbert. Enough of that.” He shook his head, “Let us continue on.”

They continued up the hill and finally came to a small clearing near the peak of the hill. There a small ruin sat at the edge of the hill. It looked overgrown but still stable. It was much more over grown than those ruins of Eregion. It was two stories, maybe used as an outpost of sorts. Garissoning it were elves. Some walked about, busy guarding their outpost. Others sat by the fire preparing food. Others sat at the edge of the outpost, cleaning and grooming horses, which included Bragga. Releaved, Theomin ran to Bragga. The elves, starteld, looked to Theomin and drew their swords. They then saw Garbert and stood down.

Theomin hugged Bragga tightly as the others looked on. One of the elves who was grooming Bragga spoke up first, “We found her running away, irate by the looks of it. She must have come across a Troll.”

“They did,” Garbert spoke first. “It almost tore down our little cottage had it not been for you.”

“Do not thank me, Garbert. Candelleth is our eyes and ears out here. Her keen eye caught everything,” the elf looked at Theomin, “Including your friend here.” Another elf brought the little lynx to Theomin. It looked greatful to finally be with him. Once placed down, it ran to Theomin and curled itself around his leg. “We named him Aches. Fear. But we are uncertain if he is afraid or if we should have the fear,” the elf jested. “I believe Candelleth would like to have a few words with you, traveler.” The elf pointed to a lone female elf standing at the other side of the ruins. Her gaze was set out on a steep cliff.

Theomin approached the lone elf, who only stood there. Without turning back she softly and sweetly said, “So, you are the traveler named Theomin.”

Taken back, Theomin asked, “How do you know my name?”

“A good friend from Lothlorien came and told us you were traveling north. Sylderan was his name. Does that name sound familiar?”

“Yes it does,” Theomin thought of the time being caught up in the half-orc attack. “He was most generous with his knowledge and protection. I wanted to talk more with him but he left too early in the morning.”

The elf looked down at Theomin’s feet with gladness. “And it looks like you have your friend back.”

“Yes, he is. He was lost there for a while.”

“He was with close to your other friend whome is being groomed. She was a fistey one but us elves have our ways of calming creatures.” Garbert came from behind Theomin. “Ah, Garbert. I see you have been busy with your unwelcome guest.”

Garbert smiled, “Yes I have. But he’s nothing but good company.” Garbert then nudged Theomin. He then whispered, “Hey, show her your necklace.”

Theomin looked at Garbert, “Why would I do that?”

“She knows a lot of things. Maybe she knows where your necklace came from.”

“I already know. From the Easterlings.”

Candelleth looked at Theomin. “Easterlings? Let me set my eyes upon it.” She glided her hand over to Theomin, holding it out. Theomin reached inside a pocket and pulled out the emerald stone with golden leaves. Candelleth looked on it with eyes of rememberance, holding a hand to her mouth in surprise. “This is no necklace of Easterlings. Its name is Amar Calad, Earth Light. It has very special properties enchanted upon it by the great elf smiths of Eregion in the time before Eregion fell.” She looked upon the necklace with fondness as if memories poured in, “Only three of these were forged. One was given to a young child given to elves in the hiddin valley of Imladres. The other is hidden somewhere north but its exact location I know not.” Again, she gazed upon the necklace, “The final one was lost on its way to the fortress city of Minus Tirith, along with a band of but a few Dunadain and elves.” The elf looked at Theomin. “At the Fords of Bruinen the Dunadain and elves met Mithrandir, who carried a child bearing Amar Calad. The company exchanged the child bearing the necklace in Imladres. They departed the elf refuge but never reached Minus Tirith, so said the son of the Steward of Gondor. We all felt it lost.” Candelleth emparted the necklace back to Theomin. “Now all of the misplaced pieces of the puzzle have been found. Sylderan informed me of your travels from Rohan.”

“That is correct.” He said, finding it difficult to take in all that was said.

“If this quest is in the nature I believe it is, then I feel in my heart that this stone found its way to you because you are that very same child Mithrandir bore so many years ago.”

“It found its way?” Theomin could not believe that a simple trinket could find its way to him.

“I did say it has special properties. Amar Calad has an enchantment upon it that is unlike many other stones in this world.” She looked up at the morning sun still hiddin behind the fog laden valley. “Your time here must end. I wish to speak more with you but the Trollshaws are a dangerous place for travelers at night. Trolls find their way out of their caves at twilight. Great hosts of them. If you want to make your way out of here on time, now would be the time to depart from here.”

Theomin, stunned by the revelations that continued to come, walked away half believing what the elf lady had said. He then realized his rudeness and turned. “Thank you, Candalleth, for your guidance.”

She stayed quiet but just as Theomin turned to leave she turned, “If you must speak with Mithrandir about Amar Calad you will not find him. Yet there is another you may speak with. Another of the Istari may be able to aid you. Radagast the Brown has been seen about in the lands of Eriador. I know not where he is but I know he prefers the company of nature above all others. If you find him, he may help. But I must give you fair warning. Not long ago scouts spied a servent of evil. They dared not say the name of the creature haunting the forest but I am all but convinced what it is. What it is doing here I am afraid I do not know. Watch the road. Listen to the wind; listen to your feelings. They will serve you well on your journey.”

“Thank you.” Theomin said and departed with Garbert.

“Do you believe everything she said?” Garbert had to know.

“I am not sure. If what she is saying is true, I was to travel to Minus Tirith.” He stopped. “Has she ever been wrong about anything?”

Garbert gave a smirk and a smile. “I have not known her to speak half-truths or lies. If she speaks of it, she knows it to be true.”

“That is what I thought.” Theomin answered, afraid and overwhelmed. “I only wanted to find my family and get to know my family line. Not be caught up in something like this.”

Garbert looked at Theomin, “But this is who you are now. You can’t choose your family anymore than you can choose the sun to rise in the morning or fall at night. It just is.” They reached Bragga. Theomin hopped on to his horse and Garbert gave Theomin a good pat on the leg. “I wish you luck. You are a fine man.”

“Thank you Garbert. When I return home, you will be a welcome stop. Of course with only one bight of that lambas,” Theomin patted his stomach in jest.

“Keep your heading north and once you reach the fords of Bruinen, you will turn west.”

He left the ruins of the elven outpost. It was still morning and the fog began to clear up as soon as he reached the river again. Trees still lined the river, the leaves had already turned firey red as if autumn was approaching. He climbed a steep hill and then down the hill, finally reaching the Ford of Bruinen and finding a well used path west. On the other side of the river crossing the path continued up a steep incline. To the west it continued along into the woods of the Trollshaws. He took the path west.

Through the morning the path wound around woods and hills with the occasional old ruin on the north side of the road. Theomin’s thoughts raced at the thought of the child Candelleth was speaking of. “Was that me?” continued to race through his thoughts, dominating them almost to the point of obsession and worry. Much like the path, his thoughts were winding around, twisting and turning in confussion, not wanting what she said to be true but almost half hoping it was. “Why was I going to Minus Tirith?” he obsessed. “Who are those others who bore the necklaces?” another thought came.

He had not realized that though all the confussing babble that he brought on to himself the sun had already started setting. He snapped out of his confussion when he noticed his little lynx friend start to become nervous again. Bragga too was becoming more agitated than usual. The woods started to become darker.

Theomin quickened the pace of Bragga. He was not sure how long he was going to continue along the path or how far the woods extended. He just knew he had to get out of those woods before the trolls found him. Loud thumping sounds started coming from both sides of the path. Growling followed as Theomin pushed Bragga as fast as she could go.

Finally not far away was a glimmer of hope. A white bridge was in the distance. Its ruined work and crumbling sculptures of rock and rails told shades of its old age. A single star adorned the bottom of the rock sculptures on either side of the bridge. Theomin looked at the star and remembered the cloth from childhood. “I have come home.” He then looked back and that was the end of the forest. He made it out of the Trollshaws.