Isildur Read online

  "Now let us hear how each has fared. I will rest now and let the others tell their tales. I will call first upon Elrond Peredhil, known as Halfelven. For those of you who know not of him, he is great among the wise and ancient ones. He is the son of Eärendil the Mariner, the greatest hero of the Elder Days. Elrond dwells in Imladris, a valley far to the north in the western slopes of the Misty Mountains, not far from my father's realm of Arnor. He has long been a friend and a help to us Exiles, for his brother was Elros, the founder of Númenor and of my own line, so he is a living ancestor to me and to many of us here. Welcome, Master Elrond. Please tell us of your journey here."

  Isildur took his seat as Elrond stood, and the Men looked on the Elf with wonder, for he was ancient beyond their knowing, and his father was said to have been set in the sky as the Evening Star by Manwë himself. "We three couriers," began Elrond, "set out from Gorgoroth on the nineteenth day of Víressë. We rode together through the gates of the Morannon, which lay yet in ruin. We passed through the marshes of Dagorlad where so many of our people fell in the seige of the Morannon. We passed through the Brown Lands and crossed Anduin nigh to the Falls of Rauros. There we parted company, and Isildur turned west across the fens of Calenardhon. Gildor and I turned north and followed the west bank of the River to Lothlórien, the Land of the Golden Wood. There we took counsel with Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel and received their pledge to join our cause, as they have now done." Elrond bowed to the Lord and Lady. "Gildor bided there but a short time before turning to the high road over the mountains. For my part, I continued north, travelling the length of the great forest of Taur Galen, called by Men Greenwood the Great, seeking always for friends to fight with us. I found several settlements of Men and sought their aid. I was received well, but all claimed that they could spare us no men, for they were often attacked by orcs and wolves and other fell creatures. Their lives were hard enough, and I did not press them further.

  North of the confluence of the river Gladden, I came across a village of a small people of a race I knew not. To my knowledge they are not recorded in any of the ancient chronicles. They are as small as dwarves and like dwarves live beneath the ground, but with hair on their feet instead of their chins. They too welcomed me to their councils and heard my pleas, but they said they were a peaceful people and knew nothing of the arts of war. My arguments were unavailing, and I passed on.

  I came at length to the realm of Thranduil, King of the Forest Elves, but he too was engaged in repelling frequent raids by orcs. His borders are weak and ill-defined, and he is hard-put to hold the margins of the forest. He has lost many of his Elves in the trackless deeps of the forest, where lurk orcs and great spiders and other dark things. He could spare no more than a score of his green-clad archers. I ranged throughout Rhovanion, but always the story was the same. The few people I met were all engaged in defending their own and could spare none for the 'Westman's War,' as they called it.

  At length I returned to Lothlórien and helped Celeborn and his Elves to clear the foes from their borders as best they could. Then, leaving the realm in good order, we marched south and came at last to Osgiliath, arriving but yestermorn. All told we number nigh to four thousand, each a tried warrior, skilled with bow and spear. We offer our services to you, Isildur."

  "Well said and well done, Master Elrond," said the king. "We had hoped many more would rally to us, but you have done all you could, and we are very grateful to you and the people of Lothlórien, and to you, my Lord and Lady. The Galadrim are welcome allies in these or any times.

  "Now I would have the account of the second courier, Gildor Inglorion of the House of Finrod, aide to king Gil-galad. Gildor, what of your journey?"

  Now Gildor stood and bowed to the king, and he looked very imposing in his blue and gilt armor and his long cape of cloth of gold.

  "My Lords," he began, "many of you have travelled far to attend this council, but I wager that my road has been the longest. Like Master Elrond, I accomplished my task but brought far fewer than we hoped for that day in my king's tent in Gorgoroth.

  "When I left Elrond at Caras Galadon in the Golden Wood, I climbed the Dimrill Stair to Nanduhirion, the high valley where lie the gates to the dwarvish city of Khazad-dûm. For those who do not know of it, there lies under the heart of the Misty Mountains a great underground city of the dwarves, delved by them in the Elder Days. Hall below hall, level below level, the earth is hollowed by their tunneling. At one time the Little People were more friendly with the Elves, and they bored a shaft through to the west side of the mountains to link their city with the land of Celebrimbor in Eregion. They traded with both Eregion and Lothlórien, and all profited thereby.

  "But then Sauron's hordes swept out of the east and Eregion was attacked. Then the dwarves shut their gates and refused to have any part of the fight. Eregion was destroyed and Celebrimbor slain, but at last the forces of evil were driven out again by the Elves of Lindon. Still, the gates of Khazad-dûm have remained closed for many centuries. The dwarves resent us Elves, blaming Celebrimbor for bringing Sauron's wrath down on us all. They do not love us, but they are not an evil folk, and they hate Sauron, remembering his destruction of their northern cities in the Elder Days. We had not much hope of their aid, but thought it worth the attempt.

  "I went therefore to their East Gate in Nanduhirion and sought an audience with their lord. They would not suffer me to enter, but after much debate their king came to the Gate. He was taller than most of his race, and his long white beard hung to his feet. 'I am Durin,' said he, 'the fourth of that name. For long we have sought only to be left in peace. What do the Big People want of us now?'

  "'I am Gildor Inglorion of Lindon,' I said. 'I met your father once while visiting in Eregion. I honor his name and his son. Our people were friends in those happier times.'

  "'Those times are gone,' he said gruffly, 'and so is my father, no thanks to Elvish meddling in arts that did not concern them. Our gates are shut to you and to all Big Folk. We have no need of you and your troubles.'

  "'My lord Durin,' I said, 'it was not Celebrimbor but Sauron who brought about the destruction of Eregion and the wars that followed. And Sauron yet rules in his Dark Tower. We seek to throw him down, but we are hard pressed. The Khazad are renowned warriors. We have need of your strength, lest he have the victory at last. Would you see us all enslaved?'

  "'What care I for the Big Folk?' Durin replied disdainfully. 'Let them fight amongst themselves. Our gates are strong, we have all that we need. We shall wait safely in our homes for the storm to pass, as we have for over seventeen centuries. We are safe from Sauron here.'

  "'Have you forgotten the lessons of Belegost and Nogrod? Were they not mighty cities of your people, hewn deep into the living stone of the Ered Luin? Did they not have strong gates? Yet Morgoth and his servant Sauron crushed them as you would crack a bone to suck out the marrow. Many dwarves died in the Lost Cities. Would you again crouch in your holes and await the wrath of Sauron?'

  "Then Durin's dark eyes flashed. 'Aye,' he said. 'Many died in the Lost Cities. They will never be forgotten. But it was the Elves who started that war by meddling in forbidden arts and setting themselves against Melkor the Vala. Our fathers sided with you in that war, and for their pains their cities were destroyed and their people slain. We learned our hard lesson, but you Elves evidently did not. Celebrimbor again sought to practice the forbidden arts and has brought evil down on our heads again. But Sauron stalks Elves and Men, he has no quarrel with us Khazad as long as we take no part in your war. If we stir him not, we shall be left in peace.'

  "'And if he does not leave you in peace?' I said. 'Once he has defeated us, he will surely come against Khazad-dûm, for he cannot tolerate free people.'

  "'If he comes, we shall fight him. But we shall fight for our own people and our own homes. We have no desire to fight in far-off lands, dying so that Elves may live. Begone, Gildor of Lindon, you will find no help here!' And with that he went back in and t
he gates were closed.

  "And so I turned away and climbed the long stairs over the high pass of Caradhras. Though it was then early Lótessë, there was still much snow on the sheltered northern slopes, and the passage was difficult. I hurried down then, past the West Gate of Khazad-dûm, where once throngs of people of all races passed in and out. The door is sealed now, and even the inscription, a gift of Celebrimbor, is fading.

  "I followed the ancient highway beside the swift river Sirannon to the empty moors and rank meadows that were once the fair lawns of Eregion. I pondered much as I travelled those lonely leagues through what had once been a happy and prosperous land. Eregion had been built after the fall of Morgoth and it alone of the lands of Eriador was untainted by his evil. Those Noldor returning from the war in the north came to this land and ordered a fair realm. I thought of the destruction of Eregion; of the murder of Celebrimbor and his family; of the rift with the dwarves; and always my thoughts returned to the same agent — Sauron.

  "I thought of the people of Lindon and Lothlórien, of Gondor and Arnor, and even those of Khazad-dûm, with the long hand of Sauron stretched forth to destroy them. I spurred my horse ever faster, and at length reached Tharbad, where the Royal Road between Gondor and Arnor spans the River Gwathlo.

  "Once it was a fair town of Men, the southernmost of Arnor, but I found it nearly deserted, with burned buildings and ruined farms giving evidence to acts of war. The few folk I found there told of a Corsair raid but a few weeks before. They were taken completely unaware, for Tharbad is over a hundred leagues from the sea. It must have taken the Corsairs a week of hard rowing to reach the town. Never before had they struck so far from the coasts, and none knew why they should suddenly sack a city never famous for its wealth.

  "It occurred to me that the city's value was more likely to be its strategic location at the crossing of the largest road and the longest navigable river into the heart of Eriador. But surely, I thought, Umbar could not be contemplating an invasion of the North lands. But what if Sauron were thinking of such a stroke? Might he not first send his Corsair allies to destroy Tharbad and sever both the road and the river? Or worse yet, if he had somehow learned of our errand, he might have thought this a way to thwart our plans and perhaps even waylay me. If so, they struck too soon to take me. But they had done their master's work well. The survivors were frightened and disheartened and too busy rebuilding their town to listen to my talk of riding away to a distant war. I rode north alone.

  "Now I travelled more quickly, for I was on the Royal Road which runs from Annúminas in Arnor through the Gap of Calenardhon even here to Osgiliath. I crossed the desolate Red Hills country and came at last to the broad Baranduin. Crossing safely on the small ferry there, I entered a fair green country of rolling downs and gentle air. It is a pleasant land with fertile soil, but only lightly tilled by the few men who dwell there. It is but a quiet corner of Arthedain, as the westernmost regions of Arnor are coming to be called.

  Passing through this land with all speed, I saw away in the west the three towers of the Emyn Beraid looming high against the sky and knew I was nearing home at last. Gaining strength from the sight, I hurried thence and ascended the hills to stand at the foot of the towers, the tallest in all of Middle-earth. Of the three, the westernmost, called Elosterion, is the highest. I broke my journey there an hour so that I could climb the tower and view once again, through the Stone of Elendil, the vision of Elvenhome afar off across the sea. I had hoped perhaps even to see Varda Starkindler, as sometimes others have reported, standing upon the summit of Oiolossë and gazing into the east, as if waiting for us Exiles to return. But the peak was hidden in clouds and the view but hazy. I thanked the Guardian of the Stone and descended, turning again to the west.

  "From Emyn Beraid the road drops down in long looping coils to the valley of the Lhûn. Rounding the last turn, I saw at last before me the high stone ramparts of the Havens of Mithlond. I was greeted warmly at the gate and admitted at once to Lord Cirdan's chambers, where he sat with a Sindarin Elf I did not know. Cirdan rose in surprise when I entered.

  "'Gildor Inglorion!' he said, 'long has it been since you rode away with the king. Greetings and welcome home. This has been a week for meeting old friends returned from long journeys. This is Amroth, a Sindarin lord from lands far to the east.'

  "'Honor to you, Lord Amroth,' I said. 'I have heard your name. Did you not once live in the Golden Wood, nigh to the Lady Galadriel?'

  "'Indeed yes,' he replied. 'I dwelt long there, though for some yén now I have wandered alone in far lands, even to the Uttermost North. Much have I seen and learned, but when I returned again to the lands of our kindred, news of the war was on every lip. And so I came here to offer my services to my friend Cirdan.'

  "'You have come at an opportune moment then,' I said, 'for I am come to seek aid for our king.' And I told them then of our mission. Cirdan immediately called his captains and lieutenants together and bade them set about readying the ships as speedily as possible. Amroth and I travelled throughout Lindon and the neighboring lands, gathering volunteers for the armada. In three weeks, warriors and supplies were pouring into Mithlond and the ships were being loaded.

  "Since the time of the council was so nigh, Cirdan gave me the service of his cog Varda, the fastest vessel in the fleet, so that I might sail ahead and assure those awaiting us in the south that relief was near. And so, after a swift and uneventful passage, we came at last to Pelargir and were met on the quays by none other than Isildur himself. Two days later we rode here to Osgiliath. And so the tale of a long journey is told but in a few moments."

  So saying, Gildor resumed his seat. Isildur rose.

  "Your journey was indeed long and weary, my friend, but you have succeeded well, perhaps better than you had thought. And your labors at Khazad-dûm were not wholly in vain, for as you see, there are representatives of the Khazad at this council. I present to you Frár of Khazad-dûm." The leader of the Dwarves stood up and bowed low to the company.

  "Frár, son of Flói, at your service," he said in his deep voice. "Master Gildor, I would apologize for the greeting you received from my Lord Durin at our gate. Much has happened over the years to strain the friendship that once obtained between our peoples. We have suffered much, and many blame our troubles on the Elves. But some of us do not, and we would see the old wounds healed at last. All the Khazad hate Sauron and his accursed orcs. And we have lived always on good terms with the Men of Gondor.

  "After you left us, we had many debates among ourselves. I and some of my friends urged Durin to reconsider and send a strong force to your council. But as you know he is not one to turn his tunnel when once it is begun. In the end he agreed to let us call for volunteers and allowed me to lead them to Osgiliath. He insisted, however, that we not march under the banner of Khazad-dûm, and that we serve the king of Gondor, rather than any Elven lord. We have three hundred stout Khazad warriors ready to do as you bid, Isildur."

  "Your help is most welcome, Frár, and we honor you for your courage and your friendship. If you can cut through lines of orcs as well as you cut through stone, you will be mighty allies, no matter your numbers.I would be honored and grateful if you would march with me under my personal standard, if that would suit you. "

  Frár's bushy eyebrows went up in surprise. He swept off his hat and bowed low to the king. "Isildur Elendilson," he said, "we should be greatly honored to fight under your royal standard. Our axes are yours to command." He returned to his seat looking very pleased.

  Isildur turned and smiled at Amroth. "And besides Frár, Gildor has brought us Amroth, famed in song and legend as a mighty warrior and explorer of far lands. Welcome, Lord Amroth. Your feats of arms are renowned among the Men of the South."

  Amroth had to laugh at that. "Are they indeed? But so are the Southlands famed in the North. But not enough, I find. For in sooth I say I have seen no mortal land more fair than your provinces of Belfalas and Anfalas. Happy are those that live with
the towering Ered Nimrais at their backs and the southern sea spread before their feet."

  Isildur smiled. "Fair spoken, Lord Amroth, and welcome to hear even in these times. Would you could see Gondor in peace, with the people working their fields and the land yielding its fruits. If the war should indeed fall to us, we would be most honored if you would visit us in Belfalas. I say unto you that if you wish, I will grant you land in Belfalas that you might dwell in sight of the sea."

  Amroth bowed. "That I should be very pleased to do, my Lord. You are most gracious."

  "Now," said Isildur. "You have heard the tales of the other couriers. It is time for my tale. It is a story of frustrations and disappointments, for at every step were our plans thwarted by the enemy.

  "I went first to the great iron-bound valley of Angrenost, where is the northernmost fortress of Gondor, the mighty tower of Orthanc. We had hoped to recruit the greater part of the garrison there. But when I spoke with their commander, he told me of frequent repeated raids by orcs from the dark and mysterious forests that ring the valley on three sides. The orcs have often given trouble in the past, but only in small parties attacking a lonely farmhouse or hunters' camp. But of late they have come in ever greater numbers and accompanied by dire wolves of immense size. The orcs ride upon the wolves, and the wolves are clearly intelligent, at least as intelligent as the orcs, for they speak among themselves and to the orcs. Each attack is bolder and in greater numbers. Just the month before we came there, a company of twenty armed horsemen, seasoned soldiers of Gondor, was attacked in the narrows not far from the gates of Angrenost. They fought their way to the fortress, but not before losing six men.