The Family Line Part 48 – No Going Around

Part 48 – No Going Around

“I miss Aches,” Theomin admitted as they traveled northward up the hill. It had been a slow slog up the slope as the scenery started to change through the evening they traveled. Instead of a more flat grassland hills rose on either side of the path as pinetrees started sprouting up on the sides of the path and on the hills. The weather was becoming cooler and the pines in the trees gave off a distinct odor that transported Theomin back to his home in the Wold. Along with his home, though, it also reminded him of the smells of the Trollshaws after Theomin saved Aches. “I hope he is in a good place. I know not what happened to him while we were in the Bree prison. Have you any idea?”

“None,” said Eleswith. “My memories of what happened before the Bree prison feel too distant. We were there for maybe five days but it felt like an eternity. I’m sure it was the same for you.”

Theomin fell silent. He could not believe he could endure so much pain for such a long period of time. His body ached horribly, but as some of the aches subsided, a continuous pain stood out as a constant reminder of the beatings. It was a pain in his left chest as if a rib had been fractured. He remembered being repeatedly kicked in the ribs by Gerald night after night. The horrible kicks must have broken something. The pain made it tough to breathe sometimes. Other times he put off the pain and breathing became easier. In times of silence, though, when there was only wind in the trees and quiet breathing, it was tough not to think of the pain. “It is tough for me too,” he finally said. “For a while, I could not remember why I traveled all this way. For the first day or two I just cursed being in the prison. After that, I just wanted to die. I hoped that death would release me from this pain and give me the freedom that I had yearned for.”

Eleswith remembered, from the night before, that Theomin did not give up. “Before the elf rescued us, you faught back. I remember that you tried to escape.”

“That is true,” Theomin said.

“Then you weren’t resigned to give up. You were willing to fight on and free yourself from prison.”

“I know not whether it was a dream or a vision I had. I saw a friend who was long since dead. He told me to eat to keep up my strength. He convinced me to keep trying and not to give up. That I had to fight to free myself. So I did that. But it was all for not. Thanncen saved us and now…” he paused, saddened by the possible thought of losing the elf, “now he is gone.”

They approached the summit of the sloped path. On either side of the path were tall steep hills that rose up another couple hundred feet. Not far futher on the path, down the other side of the slope, was the gate of some kind of community. The gatehouse itself was fashioned with two spires on either side of the open gate while a wall was constructed on both sides spanning all the way up to the two flanking hills. Dirty and dingy were they, as if caked with much debris and dust throughout many years, not pristine like some of the houses of Bree. And unlike Bree, lanterns fashioned the outer portion of the town along with what looked like a guard house that sat on the west side of the gatehouse. No modest house was it, as its stone foundation and strong wooden supports that ran along cemented masonry were much more of a guardhouse than Theomin had ever seen in any city he had visited. It looked much like a house of Bree. In fact, much of the fence and the gate itself looked as if it was ran by the same people as Bree. This fact frightened Theomin.

He pulled back Bragga and started back down the path. “Where are you going, Theomin?” asked Eleswith. “Did you not see that town ahead?”

Theomin pulled back on the reigns. “I will not go through there. I have no doubt Gerald has already warned them about us. He may be there already.”

“Well I know not how to go around. These cliffs here are too tall,” she said looking around at the towering cliffs. “Also, it is late. I will not sleep on the side of the road nor will I come any closer to Bree.”

“I share your feelings,” Theomin said, frustrated. “I will not stay on the side of the road and you know I will not return to Bree. We have to backtrack to find a path around. The hills were not so tall further back. We will have to try back there.”

The two backtracked down the hill for a ways until atlast, there was a break in the hills just east of the road. There was no path leading up to it nor through it but it was the only hope for the two to travel as far off the road as they could. Theomin pushed Bragga to continue but Eleswith had to warn Theomin, “How do you know what’s over there?”

“I do not know what is over there. It is a better choice than what is in that town. I am hoping this is a way around the town.” Bragga slowly trotted off the path up between two taller and steeper hills. Over the slope they went to a grass laden space between the hills which continued further north between two other hills. Theomin pushed Bragga slowly northward between the two hills. While in the grass laden space between the hills, there was a sound coming from the north. A constant rumbling it was that never let up. “What is that?” Theomin had to ask.

“I don’t know,” Eleswith answered.

They traveled further north and just before them was carved out of the rock an enormous gorge. East of the gorge was the source of the rumbling. A very tall waterfall thundered on with as it flowed down into the gorge much as it had done for thousands of years, cutting its path through the chasm, carving the gorge deeper and deeper year after year. Further down the gorge, connecting the south side to the north side was a long expance of a bridge.

“The only way over there is through that town,” Eleswith sadly said. “What do you suggest we do?”

Theomin looked at the gorge before them, hoping to find some way they could avoid the town while continuing north. The deep gorge was too steep and too far down. There was no way they could cross the gorge by any other means than using the great bridge connected to the small town. “That has to be the North Downs over there,” Theomin pointed to the other side of the gorge. He sighed as he continued, “but the only way we can make it over there is to use that bridge.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

“That town is not doubt crawling with people who can jail us and take us back to Bree.” Theomin’s stomach started to turn in nots thinking about what could happen if they were captured. He grumbled, “Bragga is too big. She will be seen from far away. I will have to get off and find a way around on foot.”

“Why not me?” Eleswith asked.

Theomin thought for a moment. He trusted himself more than he trusted her but did not want to admit that to her. “I just need to do this. I feel I have more at stake than you do.”

“So be it, Theomin,” said Eleswith. She dismounted and stood by Bragga as Theomin dismounted and headed toward the town. She stroked Bragga’s mane while she watched Theomin try and sneek into the town.

Soon, Theomin smelled the unmistakable stench of smoke. The town was also quieter than he expected. Though it was late at night, he knew there should have still been the sounds of the continuous bantar of a normal town. Even above the constant roar of the nearby falls.

Theomin snuck around the outside of the town. Every now and again there was a way to see into the town, but not a single person was there. Not even one guard could be seen walking through town. “There has to be somebody here,” Theomin thought to himself as he snuck closer to the bridge. Ultimatly, there was no way to reach the bridge without entering the town. He quietly used a path that entered the town and snuck in but still saw no one. Instead, about the town were nothing but buildings burnt do the ground or damaged beyond repair. Carts had been overturned and destroyed. Bodies of dead soldiers were littered throughout the grounds, all dead and white and cold. Theomin wandered the dead town, wondering the whole while what happened to the town and its people. He looked at the bridge. It was free of any guard or person manning it. He started to return to Eleswith and Bragga when a noise came from inside the town, catching his attention. It sounded like some movement, maybe an animal or at worst, Gerald. A sudden terror filled his being, worrying it might be Gerald. He started to back away while his heart pounded as fear gripped his body. Without notice, he kicked a rock while backing up. From the dark, a ways away, a dark shape he thought was just a burnt log suddenly started to move. It mophed into the figure of a person and started to approach him. Without a weapon he was defenceless. As the dark shape closed in, Theomin panted and wanted to scream but no sound was coming out. He then tripped on something and fell onto his back. He crawled away as quick as possible but the figure was too fast for him to move away.

“Mae govannen, traveler,” it said with such a beauty as if he was singing. That was no sound a foul creature would make at all. It was an elf.

Theomin gave an enormous sigh of releaf. He was half scared to death by the elf. “You frightened me for a good moment or two,” Theomin said, finding his breath.

The elf held out his hand to help Theomin to his feet. Theomin happily took it and was hoised up easily. “What is a man of the north doing in such a dead place?” he asked. “And why are there terrible wounds upon your face? Are you of Trestlebridge?”

Theomin did not want to share what happened in Bree for fear that Gerald had already spoken to the elf. “I was injured by brigands a while back,” Theomin had to lie. “I am traveling up to the north to find some farms here in the North Downs.”

“Ah, the farms of the Kingsfell no doubt,” the elf replied. “I know them well for they are the only working farms of the North Downs.”

“Can take us there?” Theomin asked, excited to finally hear a guide could bring them to their destination.

“I can take you and the companion there, yes.”

“How did you know I had a companion?” Theomin asked, worried to the point of paranoia.

“You said, ‘us.’ I was assuming you were referring to another traveling with you. Worry not, traveler. I am not your enemy.”

Theomin gave a sigh of releaf. “I am sorry. I am just a little jumpy of late.”

“Well, I can see you do not bare any weapon on you. That is ill advised here in the North Downs. Orcs abound in dark places. Fierce apparitions plague the fields of Fornost. Evil wargs and deadly spiders mass just east of here. Things have gone ill here of late. This town of Trestlebrige was once a shining example of the greatness of men in the north. A buslting town it was that bridged the gap between the lands of the north and those of the south. It was a proud town that expanded very quickly. Months ago, orcs multiplied in the valley of Nan Watheren. They threatened to sack the town of Trestlebridge until the rangers and a few other guards helped defend the town. They set up barackades on the Trestlespan and galliently faught off the orc invasion. In the end, a few guards were lost but the town was not. Great deeds were done that night.”

“Why is the town dead now?”

“Orcs have again multiplied in the deep gorges of Nan Watheren. The rangers have departed this land and the strength of the men of Trestlebridge was too weak to stop the invading orcs. Alas, the orcs were too great for the guards of Trestlebridge. Nellie Boskins, a leader of this town, took it upon herself to lead a last group of townsmen through the west gate to safety while the guards of the town barracaded the gate.” The elf looked down in sadness, “those guards that remained were cut down by the orcs that invaded the town. None survived the slaughter. The elves of Meluinen were too late to aid the town as our forces were too few and were slowed down by the orcs that occupied the valley of Nan Watheren. A few of our forces were also killed on our way here.”

“I am sorry to hear that, master elf,” Theomin said. His tone was low in reverence.

“Please, call me Feredir,” the elf said as he place a hand on his chest. “And what is your name, traveler.”

With some trepidation, Theomin wanted to give another name but was too tired to think of anything else, “I am Theomin.”

“Theomin?” Feredir said with surprise in his voice. “That sounds like a name from the great kingdom of the horse lords, Rohan.”

“You are right,” Theomin answered in a slight reluctance. “I come from the Wold in Rohan.”

“You have traveled a great distance then, Theomin of the Wold. A great distance.” The elf paused for a moment with a curious look upon his face. “Much too great a distance, traveler, to only be searching for farms in the north.”

“Again,” Theomin started, “you are right. If you would like to come with me, I can explain what I am doing here. I will also introduce you to my traveling companion.”

With no qualms, the elf went along with Theomin as Theomin told Feredir all about why he came to the north. He explained about the tower and the map he found. He told about his journey through Rohan and the meeting with the Grey Company. The only thing he excluded from the conversation was about Amar Calad, his emerald and gold necklace. He tried to keep that a secret, at least for the moment.

“That sounds like quite the adventure you had, man of Rohan,” said, impressed with such a tale. “I know not of that which you seek. I too am, in a way, new here. I hail from the forest of Mirkwood. I and a few others, were soldiers of Thranduils. For many long years we stayed in the deeps of Mirkwood. Lord Thranduil had no trust for dwarves; or in some ways men. It was not until a group of thirteen dwarves came to our kingdom that things were set in motion to dispel all the mistrust Lord Thranduil had in dwarves, though there are still some issues some have in them, myself included. The people of Esgoroth were valiant in the Battle of the Five Armies. Especially Bard the Bowman. Now Brand is the king of Dale and a great leader he is but I find they are a little too trusting in dwarves and elves for their own goods.”

Theomin gave a slight chuckle as he had heard that before, “I suppose you are right, master elf.”

They finally came to Eleswith who was sitting at the edge of the cliff throwing rocks down into the gorge, obviously bored out her mind. As they approached she stood up. “It’s about time, Theomin. Where have you been?”

“I met up with this elf in the town,” said Theomin happily.

“And what of the town? Can we cross the bridge without being seen?” she asked.

“We can definatly cross with no problems. The town is deserted,” Theomin said.

“But if I may suggest something,” the elf rang out. “Stay in the town for the night. The night is dark and the road may be too treacherous. Without weapons you are easy prey for marauding orcs. Here in the North Downs, the nights belong to the orcs.”

“Do you have a home here?” Eleswith asked.

“In fact I do. It is just up the road here, near the west gate of the town,” said the elf. “I will show you the way if you do not mind.”

“Lead on, Feredir,” said Theomin. The three decended the hill and crossed through town past the burnt down buildings and bonfires that had been smote for a long time. The cobblestone ground was wet with the moisture of the night. Fog had set in on the town and the moon was valed. “Where do we leave my horse?” asked Theomin.

“There is a stable not far from here. I will stable her next to my horse,” the elf said.

Theomin and Eleswith exchanged glances. They knew that was not a good idea. It was a good bet the guards of Bree knew what Bragga looked like and being stabled out in the open would allow them to know of their location. “That will not work, Feredir,” Theomin said in an apologetic tone. “I was not completely honest with you when I said brigands attacked me.”

The elf looked upon Theomin with surprise, “What does that mean? Who did you run across?”

Again, Theomin stole a glance at Eleswith, looking for her approval. She gave the go ahead but only with a reluctant gesture of go ahead.

“Here it goes,” he said as he gave off a huge sigh, “My partner and I were in the Bree prison.” Feredir took a step back and grabbed the hilt of his sword, “Wait, wait, allow me to explain.”

“You are the two he warned me about,” the elf said.

“Who warned you?” Eleswith asked with an unmasked fear.

“The mayor’s son warned me about you.”

“I knew it,” Eleswith threw her hands up in the air. She quickly mounted Bragga and summoned Theomin to join.

“But wait,” Feredir continued, “I also know he is quick to anger. He has a rage in him I did not see in his brother or his father.”

Eleswith looked at the elf surprised. “You knew his brother?”

“Yes, I did. A big strong man was he, like his brother. But unlike his brother he was kind in heart and fare to all he knew. As great as his will was, he was equally strong at heart. The last I heard of him was helping some of the Eglain in the Lone Lands.” At that, Eleswith looked at the elf with confusion.

“Then did you know he was killed?” Theomin asked.

“I heard rumors but did not know it was true. Is that why you were in the Bree prison?”

Eleswith snapped out of her daze she had been in for a moment, “Aye,” Eleswith said dismounting from Bragga. “And we were broken out of that prison because an elf knew it was not us who did it,” she told the elf.

“Ah,” Feredir said gratefully, “An elf. What was this elf’s name?”

Theomin looked down and spoke up, “Thanncen, and we think he might have been killed.”

The mouth of the elf dropped. Sadness poured in on the elf’s face at the news of Thanncen’s fate. “You know this? You saw his death?”

“We did not see it but he and Saeradan forced us to leave. There was a stand off between the guards of Bree, Thanncen and Saeradan. Since they did not follow us we can only suspect they were killed by the guards.”

“Tis a sad day indeed if we lost a great ranger and a great elf. Do you know what Thanncen means in sinderan?” Both Theomin and Eleswith shook their heads. “It means Truth Seeker. He knew the truth but I would wager Gerald Tenderlarch did not want the truth to be set free.” He looked at Bragga, “I will stable your horse in a much more secure stable that only a few know. I doubt Gerald Tenderlarch would know of this place. You two go inside and stay comfortable. I will return soon. And worry not, you have an ally in me.” With that, the elf took Bragga away as Eleswith and Theomin entered the house of Feredir.

I want to give a shout out to Leandir from Rangers of the West on Gladden. Thank you for playing the part of Feredir.