Return to the North [ Lord of the Rings x Silmarillion ]

Revenge is Calling

Two Months Ago - Arnor

Tinneth wandered through the forests, covered in bruises and cuts. Halion had made sure of that.

"Tinneth!" cried a woman as she spotted the bruised and battered lost Ranger. "Tinneth is back!"

Tinneth smiled lightly and nodded. The small company of Dunedain rushed around her and asked her millions of questions every second. But she didn't respond with words. She responded in blood.

Drawing her steel swords she swung them forward and decapitated a ranger who stood nearby. The others gasped and scrambled away from her in fear and disgust and confusion.

"Tinneth!"

A ranger rushed her but she spun back and forth between opponents like a pendulum. Left and right she struck deep into their flesh. She sliced a leg off here, an arm there. Each time someone came at her, she blocked and parried and landed deadly blows. Her skill at duel wielding blades was unparalleled.

Back and forth she went, left and right. She caught a woman in the throat and the blood spurted onto her clothes and into her mouth. It tasted like iron. Tinneth kicked a man back and drove her left sword into his chest while simultaneously slicing through another man's arm with her right blade.

The remaining few rangers tried to run. But she would have none of that. She threw her two knives at two of the three that fled, killing them instantly. She allowed the third to flee and as he looked back she smiled.

"Run, coward. Let everyone know that Tinneth is home," she called.

She heard a moan and a small voice by her feet. Turning to look, she saw the woman who had initially greeted her.

She pleaded. "Why?"

"You think you know pain?" snarled Tinneth, kneeling beside the dying woman. "I have shown you the pain I suffer each day. This will bring my parents and siblings to me, and they will learn to suffer as well."

Standing up, she took her blood stained swords and plunged them deep into the woman's chest. Looking around her, she counted the bodies. Thirteen lay there, blood covered bodies splayed out at unnatural angles. The forest floor was covered in sticky scarlet blood as it oozed from the victim's bodies.

Tinneth smiled. She kicked over the body of one of her ranger companions and stared into his unseeing eyes. She saw in them pain, and she resonated with it. She fed off it.

This would draw her family out to her. This would grant her vengeance. And until then, she had a job to do. Halion wanted her to kill as many rangers as she could before she returned to Angmar. He instructed her to meet him at the ancient fortress of Carn Dûm and that from there he would have further instructions.

Life was good. For once, she was able to use her anger, her emotion. For once she didn't feel underappreciated. For once she knew she was fulfilling her destiny.

Revenge was calling.

Now - Gondor

Noon the next day rolled around and the small company was antsy. Packed and ready to depart, they met again in the throne room and said their farewells. Aragorn and Miril walked them down the stables.

"Find your sister," Miril told Aderthon. "Keep her safe."

"Of course," Aderthon nodded to his mother. "No harm will come to her as long as I have anything to say about that."

Miril smiled at her eldest child and felt a tear fall down her cheek. "Your father and I are so proud of you. You've become such an honorable man."

"Just like you two," he replied with a bow of his head.

Meanwhile, Aragorn was speaking to his own son.

"Eldarion. Keep yourselves ready for anything. The path between here and the North Kingdom should be clear. Avoid Dunland, for it is still populated by evil men." Aragorn placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You are a wise leader. I know you know this."

Eldarion chuckled. "Yes, Father, I do know. But it does not hurt to hear it again."

Aragorn nodded, his face falling into an expression of seriousness. "You are in charge, now. You are ready for this, I know. There is something happening in the North bigger than the disappearance of your cousin. I do not know what, but something big grows there."

Eldarion bowed his head. "Fear not, Father. I will get news back to you somehow."

"Stop first at Edoras and Helm's Deep. Then head north through Moria. It should be fine, for an expedition of dwarves has begun taking it back." Aragorn sighed. "Find Gimli in Aglarond. He may have some suggestions for you."

His son nodded. "We will be fine, Father. Do not fret."

"I know." Aragorn gave a small smile. "But you are my son. I will always worry no matter how old you get."

"I know," he smiled back to his father. "Take care of Mother, and Amdirien and Estelwen."

Aragorn laughed. "Of course. Now, get going."

Eldarion hopped up onto his steed and shouted to the others. "Everyone up! Time we were off."

"For the Reunited Kingdom!" Aderthon shouted with a smile, drawing his sword and lifting it high.

The others laughed as they all mounted their own horses. Fёalas and Cireth strapped their bows on their backs. Elfwine pushed a jumpy and excited Greymane out into the open. Edeva smiled at her teenage brother's enthusiasm as she too led her steed onward.

"Good luck. May the Valar be with you," Aragorn nodded and waved as Eldarion ordered them forward.

As the children of the heroes of the War of the Ring went out from Minas Tirith, Miril stood beside her foster uncle.

"What more do you know that you're not telling us," she asked without emotion. "You're hiding something."

"Just as I told Eldarion. I looked in the Palantir. A darkness is regaining a foothold in the North. And I fear Tinneth's disappearance is just the beginning," he told her with a sigh as they watched the men and women ride down the street and out of view.