The Family Line Part 114 – The Father of Evil

Part 114 – The Father of Evil

Smoke filled the room of the Inn of the Prancing Pony. Many patrons of the inn smoked their pipes as they loudly laughed and ate to their heart’s desires. They drank too. Many mugs of ale flowed into the room as the lady server brought mugs and mugs of them their drinks. Barlamin too brought many mugs of ale to the patrons as there was an unquenchable thirst for ale in that inn that night.

But aside from that loud talk and continuous flow of ale, there sat some of the Warriors of Eriador. Theomin, Sergee, Estonethiel, and Eleswith sat in one of the smaller, more intimate out from the main dining hall of the inn. They too had much food before them. Waffles filled their plates as well as bacon and all types of pancakes of all sizes, stacked onto a plate.

It was not long before Eotheron came into the room off the side. He was not wearing his dark garb but more of a conservative piece that matched the small rustic feel of the village of Bree. Theomin rose from his chair and pulled another out for Eotheron but Eotheron rose a hand, “No,” he hauted Theomin, “I am alright.” He used pulled out the chair with his left hand and slowly sank into his chair.

“How’s your shoulder?” Sergee asked.

“It is healing,” Eotheron said. “I can move my hand,” he showed as he flexed his finger. “That witch really shocked the life out of my hand. If it was not for Estonethiel and the Bree healer, I doubt my arm would still be working.”

“That is why I asked you all to come here,” Theomin said. “I spoke with that girl in red and I learned a few things from her. First of all, just confirming what Saeredan said, Annuminus has been taken. And it sounds like Gareld, or as she knows him, Kronog, is there as well. As far as Teryndir is concerened, if we cannot find any trace of him here in Breeland, he must have been taken back to Annuminus.”

“There has been no trace of Teryndir anywhere in Breeland,” Sergee said. “The guards and I have showered the whole land of Bree and not a trace of him have we found. Saeredan can confirm our suspicions. That night we took Bree, he saw the drake fly overhead away from Bree. Clutched in its talons he saw a shape. He cannot confirm what he saw clutched in its talons, but I can only guess it was Teryndir.”

“If that is the case, we need to find him,” Theomin said.

“How?” Eleswith asked. “Annuminus is taken. An army is there and much more, by the sound of it.”

“Saeredan said it himself,” Sergee said. “Tis lost to the enemy. Whole armies from Angmar have taken it. An army of orcs from the North Downs have taken it also.”

“And do not forget the drake that took Teryndir,” Eotheron said. “Tis a terrible thing.”

“Can we just surrender Teryndir to the enemy?” Theomin asked. The rest of the company looked at each other and said nothing. Shocked, Theomin tried to continue, “You are seriously considering we do nothing to help Teryndir?”

“Was Teryndir not in league with the enemy?” Eleswith asked. “If it were Sergee or Magla or you, Theomin, I would risk entering that city and finding you. Not for Teryndir. He was too dangerous when he was with us. He is of too little importance to me to save.”

Shocked, Theomin turned to Sergee, “Sergee, is there any chance you can talk some sense into Eleswith?”

“I cannot,” Sergee said. “I agree with her.”

“But he is our brother,” Theomin said. “You were his strongest advocate. We cannot abandon him to that terrible fate in the enemy’s hands. I cared not much for him in Annuminus. He was a difficult obstacle during all that time. But as we have been out here together, he has proven himself time and again that he is a loyal companion and a friend to us all.”

The rest of the company was silent and so Theomin stayed silent. He was frustrated now that none would be willing to rescue Teryndir. He then moved to slightly change the subject. “And what of Annuminus? What shall we do with Annuminus?”

“It was a long shot in the first place,” Sergee said to the surprise of Theomin. “Father knew it, we had no business reclaiming it in the first place. He had that idea to reclaim the city as a little boy. He fulfilled that dream to reclaim it. He knew it would be tough but he did it anyway, despite the advice of the rangers. Why do you think he fought for it after the rangers left? They wanted nothing to do with that city. It was lost to the enemy long ago. Even when we reclaimed it, it was not worth the struggle and the fight we went through to rebuild. In the end, it was all for not.”

“What is this change of heart?” Theomin asked, his heart gutted by his companions’ attitudes towards Teryndir and Annuminus. “Why have you suddenly had mal feelings toward our home in the north?”

“It was never ours,” Sergee said.

“He is right,” Eotheron spoke up. “Let us go home. We have remained here longer than we should have. Home is back in Rohan, back in the Wold. Now that we are done doing everything we can here, it is time to return home.”

Defeated, Theomin sat back in his chair. His long look at nothing lasted for a very long time. He processed what each of his companions said and knew that what they were saying was right. A voice continued to play in his head. The voice of the Lady of the Golden Wood. When he was out, he remembered her voice. He then said aloud, “Great efforts are underway to recover the father of evil.”

The group stared at Theomin with uncertain eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?” asked Eleswith.

“I heard it from a voice of the Elf lady Galadrial while I was dreaming in the cave,” Theomin said. “She said the city needed us. A great force has shown itself in the north. I can only assume the voice meant the army that retook Annuminus. We must do something about it.”

“I believe we shouldn’t,” said Sergee. “When we took it back from the evil forces, we had the backing of the rangers of the north. Many were with us. Many died defending the city after we left. There are far too few to aid us in the victory. If we were to try and retake us, it would only be us five. I am unsure even Magla would aid us.”

“I am not even sure if any of us would aid you in retaking the city,” Eleswith said.

Theomin rose up, “Who among you would help me in retaking the city? Stand and show your support.”

None stood. Only Theomin stood up and for a moment he felt as if his heart was purged out of his chest. “Perhaps it is time to return home,” Eotheron said. “I will follow you home.”

Theomin thought for a while. Perhaps it was time to return home. He rose up and began to leave.

“Where are you going?” Eleswith asked.

“I need to speak with someone,” Theomin said. He left it like that and exited the inn. He walked down the path of the street of Bree. Rain was pouring over every part. Heavy it was and trenched he was becoming. It was too heavy but it was just a little inconvenience to the thought he had in his mind. He thought back on the cave they were in and the many dreams he had while he was unconscious. He thought back on the voice he heard. The voice of Galadrial of the Golden Wood. He remembered the name, “The Father of Evil.” His mind was a blank as to what that meant. As he wandered the street he ended up where he wanted to go. At the foot of the prison.

He walked inside and looked at the door of Lily’s prison cell. There she was, as if she was expecting him to walk in. He walked over to her and stared into her eyes. “What is the father of evil?”

Lily’s face turned from a welcoming look to one of fear. Her face turned white as she receded to the bed to sit down. “He is the whole reason behind the rise of Sauron,” she said. “Sauron was not always the dark lord. He was only a lieutenant of an even stronger and more malicious being, Melkor, whom we all know today as Morgoth. He is the father of evil, if ever there was one.” A curiosity came to her. “Why would you ask of such a terrible thing?”

Theomin sighed. He did not want to reveal his dream but felt no way he could hide the details if he wanted answers from Lily. “A dream I had. A voice saying ‘The Father of Evil is trying to be recovered. But that cannot happen. Such an evil creature was destroyed long ago.”

“No,” Lily regretfully said, “such a being has not been destroyed. At the end of the War of Wrath, the Valar sent him to the void. But he cannot be recovered. Only those lieutenants who served with him would know the way to recover him. For all I know, Sauron is the only lieutenant left. But if such a being is to be brought to Middle Earth, we are all in great peril for if he is brought to this world, all lands will fall to the wrath of Morgoth.”

Theomin felt grateful but fearful at the same time. He knew of Sauron’s fate but could not tell Lily. At least not yet. But he knew of another lieutenant of Morgoth. The being that he encountered in the cave beneath the tower of Aman Sul. If that creature, that he awoke, was to escape, it would know how to capture Morgoth from the void. He felt sick, a vale of fear slipped into his head.

“What is it?” Lily asked.

“I cannot explain,” he said. “Not yet. I need to speak with a ranger. Only then can I know truly how in peril we truly are.”

He left the prison and walked up the lane toward the northern exit of Bree. The mud had collected on the bottom of his His slow walk felt too slow as he knew the whole realm of Eriador would be in jeopardy if Morgoth was to rise again. He walked quicker but still felt his slow pace was too slow. As he approached the Prancing Pony, he asked for a horse to ride out of the north gate. The horse master was very much willing to lend him a horse and soon he was riding out of the gate and up the northern path toward Saeredan’s cabin.

Not long did it take him before he reached it, but it was much too slow considering how in peril he felt the land might be in. There, at the front of the cabin, Saeredan awaited. “Good evening, sir,” Saeredan said. “Glad to see you out and about so freely.”

“I have need of your memory,” Theomin insisted without hesitation. “When you witnessed the retaking of Annuminus, did you see any other army other than those from Angmarim and orcs?”

He looked about and thought for a while. “I cannot recollect any army other than those of men and orcs retaking the city.” Theomin sighed a large relief until Saeredan spoke up again, “but scouts now speak otherwise.”

With haste, Theomin insisted, “Tell me.”

“Strange winged creatures they mentioned, have flown into the city. Not that drake like we saw before. These are smaller, almost like men but taller and seemed to wear the rags of women. Such creatures we have seen before and resemble creatures called the Morroval that my other scouts have reported from Angmar.”

Theomin’s heart sunk. “Such creatures we encountered elsewhere. In the caverns beneath the tower of Aman Sul, I encountered such a creature. An army of Morgoth she said they were. I am afraid that such a creature can summon Morgoth from the void he was sent to.”

“No one can summon Morgoth,” Saeredan said. “He was sent to the void by the Valar.”

“I know you want to believe that, but I fear otherwise,” Theomin said. He then told Saeredan of the voice of Galadrial and the warning she gave of retrieving ‘The Father of Evil.”

“If that was the case,” Saeredan said, “we are all in grave paril.”

“Can you travel to the strongholds and secret hideouts of the remaining rangers. We may need their help if we were to stop this from happening.”

“I will,” Saeredan said.

“I the mean time I will need to inform my friends. They care not to believe me but if I can convince them, they may want to help.”

Theomin ran to his horse and dashed off toward Bree. He pushed his horse hard toward the inn where he last saw his friends. He ran inside and into the room where they had been eating. Only Sergee and Estonethiel remained as they were finishing off their meal. “What is it now?” he asked seemingly annoyed.

“Find the others,” Theomin said. “We need to meet at the Bree prison.”

“For what, may I ask?” Sergee asked.

“Just find them. I have news that I wish to share,” Theomin

Theomin ran to find others. Sergee looked at Estonethiel, “I don’t feel we need to hurry,” but Estonethiel looked with a worried face.

“I feel he needs us,” Estonethiel said. “He seems as though he is truly frightened.”

“He only needs to rest,” Sergee said. “This can wait,” he continued to eat.

She placed her hand on Sergee’s fork-bearing hand and lowered it. “This cannot wait.”

It was finally nighttime and the rest of the party met just outside the prison. Eleswith, Sergee, Eotheron, Estonethiel and Magla all converged on the prison as Theomin waited just outside the door of the prison and Sergee finally asked, “What is this about, Theomin?”

Theomin looked at Sergee with a knowing and fearful face.