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

The Watch

"Come on, everyone up," Círeth nudged the sleeping forms of her friends. "We need to get moving soon."

Elfwine yawned and stretched as he sat up. He and his sister were in charge of breakfast. Together he and Edeva handed out berries and bread for everyone. As they ate, they talked with one another in high spirits, eager for this journey to continue. Only Eldarion and Elboron sat silently. Elboron gave his friend a nudge and a nod.

Eldarion stood and cleared his throat. "Friends. I feel it my duty to let you know of the potential danger we are heading into."

Everyone grew quiet. Aderthon looked at him in concern from where he sat next to his sisters. Edeva glanced from Elfwine to Eldarion, while Barahir and Finduilas just looked at their brother Elboron suspiciously.

The prince continued. "Before we left, my father told me he had looked in the Palantír. He saw a darkness growing in the North, he he fears Tinneth's disappearance is but the beginning."

They were all of somber mood now. What had started as a quest for information and adventure into the brave new world of the North was now potentially a quest of danger and deadly conflict.

"My father would have told you himself, but he did not wish to worry our parents." Eldarion glanced sidelong at Elboron. "I decided it best we know, though."

"Indeed," Edeva agreed.

"We best be off," Barahir said, looking at the sky. "It is late morning already."

They all mounted their horses. Greymane was the most eager to be off, tossing his head so his dark mane cascaded down his silvery-grey flank. He pranced about with an amused Elfwine on his back.

"Greymane wants to run!" Aderthon laughed, gesturing to the eager horse. "Shall we?"

The fellowship took off at a gallop, riding along the base of the mountains. They had to stop to rest the horses periodically, but they made good time. When they stopped for the evening, it had started raining. There was no cover to be found.

"I hate this," Elfwine muttered in irritation as the rain picked up.

Greymane tossed his head as if in agreement with his rider. Círeth murmured her own complaints as they halted at last. The ground sunk beneath their feet as they dismounted.

"Dinner will be without a fire tonight," Aderthon sighed.

They ate bread and cheese for dinner. Wrapped in their cloaks to keep out the rain, they sat mostly in silence for awhile until at last Eldarion looked at the dark, cloudy sky and shook his head.

"Fëalas, Elboron. Take first watch please," Eldarion instructed. "Wake Aderthon and Círeth at midnight. You two will wake me and Edeva."

And so they went to sleep. Fëalas settled herself beside her pack against a boulder and wrapped her cloak tight. She surveyed the area around her and glanced at the sleeping forms of her friends.

Elboron came over and sat beside her, wrapped in his own large blue cloak. He took some time to look for any threats before he leaned against the large boulder.

"You're worried about your sister," Elboron commented after several minutes of silence. "I can tell."

Fëalas gave a sigh. "Indeed. My sister may have severed ties with Tinneth, but I certainly have not."

He nodded. "I am worried about the North. What doom lies for us there in wait?"

"First we have to get there." Fëalas frowned but looked at Elboron fondly.

"I wish I could say all will be fine," he nodded in return. "But I cannot."

Fëalas flashed him a small smile. Her deep red hair was drenched and stuck to her face, but she only had attention for Elboron. His rich brown hair was also flattened against his face and cheeks and he looked altogether stunning in her eyes.

As far as she knew, only her sister knew of her adoration for Elboron. But Elboron was aware of it as well. He smiled inwardly to himself as she looked at him lovingly. She certainly was beautiful, but he did not love her like that.

They sat in silence for most of the shift. When eventually midnight came, and it was time to wake Aderthon and Círeth, Fëalas and Elboron went their separate ways and tried to get comfortable despite the constant rain.

Aderthon and Círeth took up their spots at the boulder and said nothing, until at last Aderthon broke the silence.

He began. "I know you hold no love for Tinneth-"

"-None." Círeth glared straight ahead.

With a sigh, her brother went on. "But perhaps she has learned something while away in the North."

"Learned what? Obedience? Never. Respect? Never. Love? Impossible." Círeth clenched her fists. "She has always lacked the ability to love."

"That is untrue, Cír." Aderthon shook his head at her. "She was never a happy child, but she loved us once. And I think perhaps she still does, deep down."

In the rain, he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. How could he ever get his younger sisters to reconcile? Círeth, whether she wanted to admit it or not, was just as stubborn as Tinneth. She had a short temper, too, though Tinneth got the worst of that trait.

"She will have to earn my love," Círeth hissed beneath her cloak, trying the best she could to hide from the rain.

Her brother sighed and nodded. He supposed that was the best he would get out of his sister. But then he smiled.

"Do you remember how much Tinneth loved the rain?" His smile grew larger.

Círeth didn't respond.

"I used to take her out to play in the courtyard of the Tower with you and Fëalas, but only she would ever like to get wet." Aderthon sighed. "She would laugh and laugh as the rain hit her face and cheeks."

"I just remember her splashing my face and putting mud on my clothes," Círeth responded bitterly.

With a sigh, Aderthon went back to watching the rainy skies in silence. He knew Tinneth was good. He only hoped she was still alive.

When at last they woke Edeva and Eldarion, it was but four or five hours until sunrise. The rain had reduced to a light drizzle but the ground was soaking wet and muddy. Edeva and Eldarion sat atop the boulder despite the exposure it caused in order to flee the soppy ground.

"Edeva," Eldarion began after an hour of silence. "How will your parents react at sending you and your brother North?"

Edeva shrugged as she twirled a small throwing axe. "Honestly? I do not know."

"You would forbid Elfwine from going, would you not?" Eldarion sighed.

She shrugged and then nodded. "Yes. I would. He is but sixteen, Eldarion. He is not ready."

"I think he would learn a lot on this quest," he admitted to her. "And his fighting is top notch for a boy his age."

"For a boy his age, Yes. But he still has much to learn," she objected immediately, pointing out the flaw in the prince's argument.

"It will be up to your mother and father, I suppose." Eldarion frowned but then his face brightened as he saw the clouds passing at last and the sun beginning to rise. Under his breath he whispered, "Utúlie'n aurë."

That is, "the day has come".