Princess of Arnor - The King's Regent (Under Edit)

Chapter Ten: Deliverance! (under Edit)

"You're late!" said the Uruk-Hai guard at the fortress gates. 

"A group of Elven spies waylaid us, and two of our company have gone to serve Melkor in the void. We kept one alive for questioning; the rest are slain," replied the priest, leading his companions. A She-Elf bound and blindfolded struggled with two priests as the company passed through the entrance to the outer courtyard.

The Uruk-Hai and his fellow century eyed the empty bird cages. "You managed to release the messages then? The high priestess will be most pleased."

"They are on their way to the correct destination," replied the priest. And great gates closed. 

"Is it me or was there something different about those priests," said the other guard. 

"Of course they are strange, they are humans," replied the first guard.

"They seemed a little taller to me and walked funny."

"Rubbish! It's just those funny cloaks that make them different. Not that I can tell anything about them with their faces covered. Now stop worrying about them and get back to work."

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The gates to the outer courtyard closed with a dull thud. No, going back now, not that Calenamath had any intention of doing so. The plan was to find The tower Thorwen was in and get her out. But attracting as little attention as possible in a fortress full of Orcs, goblins and Morgoth worshipers was not going to be easy. They slipped behind a group of Orcs who where watching a prisoner being tied to a whipping post. No doubt to enjoy the spectacle of the poor wretches suffering. 

The prisoner was an old man, little more than skin and bones. His brown rags barely covered him. A shiver ran through Calenamath as he recognised the prisoner. "Radagast, no!" he whispered into his scarf. Thorwen had been right when she had suspected he might well be a prisoner in Dol Guldur.  Now the both of them were at his mercy. As if sensing his thoughts, Haldir caught his eye and nodded. But there was nothing they could do for him at the present. Not without exposing themselves.

Two more Uruk-Hai Guards stood at the Gates of the main fortress building. It was an imposing building, with high ancient walls oozing with evil. Two towers sat at the top of the fortress, their silhouettes making them appear like two giant spears against the angry skies above. 

Suddenly, he heard the shutters open in one of the towers. Glancing upwards, he heard the cries of a young woman in distress. "Don't hurt him!"  Bregwen looked blindly in the direction of the voice. They both knew it was Thorwen. The Uruk-Hai grunted and waved them through into an oppressively dark chamber. 

The air hung with the pungent scent of evil but the chamber was otherwise empty. From outside they could hear the Orc's cheering with every whiplash. It made Calenamath's blood run cold to think what poor Radagast was enduring. "Where is everyone?" asked Haldir. His keen eyes glinting in the darkness.  

"Watching the spectacle I shouldn't wonder," replied Calenamath bitterly.

Picking up a nearby torch from the wall, he noticed steps going downwards at the back of the chamber and a door he suspected led to the tower where Nuta was holding Thorwen. "The holding cells must be on the lower levels." 

He led the company down the steep flight of slippery steps. At the bottom was a guardroom leading to a long corridor lined with cell doors. Two Uruk-Hai were seated at a table. They looked up at what they thought was a group of priests and their prisoner. Grumbling when Calenamath ordered them to open a cell. Haldir escorted Bregwen behind them, leaving the other Elves beside the seated guard. Loosening her bonds while the other guard fumbled with the keys.