The Fairy of Middle Earth

Chapter 142: The Raid

"They are waiting. I do not know any other reason why they have not attacked again." Brand sighed in frustration. "The thing is what are they waiting for?"

Elf, man and dwarf stood together in the meeting. Something that was beginning to feel more normal and natural to Haldir. Strange as that was.

"They are scared." King Thorin Stonehelm boasted, "I say we charge in now and wipe them out. Use the wizard and put him out front. Where is he anyway?"

Haldir sighed and rubbed at his temples. "Lord Thorin, respectfully that would be suicide."

Gimli looked to his new friend then his King. "Cousin," He said gently. Knowing full well he was getting himself worked up. He was a dwarf after all. "I can't believe I am saying this. " Gimli then looked to Haldir and sighed. "I do think it best to listen to the Elf, this time. Scared they might be but dangerous they still are. Even more so."

The King looked angry for a second but he was reasonable. The more he thought about the warning the more he was pulled back into reality. He grunted and nodded to Gimli and let it rest.

"We need spies." Brand said softly. " We need eyes out there. I know we have scouts but they can only get so close. "

Then as if on cue Radagast entered the meeting. "Spies you say?"

Haldir watched Radagast seat himself and perhaps truly studied him for the first time since his return. Gone were the dirty brown robes and the filth. Sat there was an impeccably clean Ishtari clad in a deep blue robe. His absent mindedness seemed to be almost completely gone and in its place was this strange form of focus that showed in his almost ever smiling face. He could have sworn the Wizard was drunk on dwarven spirits though, His nose and cheeks reddened as they were.

"Perhaps I can help on such and endeavor." He seemed over joyed to help in this way.

"How?" Haldir asked.

The Wizard just smiled. "I will show you."

He removed the crystal from the top of his staff. As he released the staff it just stood there upright. It did not titter nor sway. He held the crystal in the palm of his right hand and began to chant lowly. His voice a deep base. The words in Quenya. " Tul a Melloneamin tena amin sii'. Amin yela no' lle. Auta n'e e' olin lasta ar' elea nyara amin ilya"

Haldir began to pick up on some of the words as the chant repeated. "hear me now. I call on you. Go out in secret listen and see tell me all." Haldir whispered. Then he looked around then down. The vermin of the city began to come out of the small cracks between stone. Mouse and rat converged around the wizard until finally one rather large rat crawled up Radagast's leg and settled on the table before him. The wizard lowered his hand and the rat sat in his palm.

The chanting continued as the wizard stared into the eyes the rat. Every backed away accept for Haldir. When King Thorin looked outside he saw more vermin arriving and everyone reacting appropriately and swatting at them. He even saw grown men standing on chairs. "Do not harm them." His voice boomed out from the door way. "Not one single rat or mouse, you hear me? If you do you will answer to the wizard."

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Thurmog had successfully reentered the fortress. He behaved as casually as possible and navigated the corridors without incident. Then again he was also quite sneaky. For an orc who would have sold his mother to get out of trouble he found himself caring for his own kin far more than he thought he did.

He finds himself entering their area but it wasn't until he was almost to his own dwelling that he was noticed. There with his hand pulling the curtain back to his own alcove he was called out by his female. He heard her drop the baskets she was carrying, their contents spilling onto the ground. He turned to see her . Tears in her dark eyes. "Thira." He whispered and he fell into his arms. Her round belly pressing against him, the life within it moving.