Wanderer

12 - Decisions, Decisions

Earendil

If Erenion were a girl, he would be in fits about the state of his face. There are two enormous blue-black circles on his face, one beneath each eye. It’s obvious he hasn’t slept the night before.

As the council re adjourns, I don’t think Erenion cares about the signs of his fatigue. I hope it instills guilt in every dignitary who contributed to his sleepless night.

“I’m thankful that Sauron appeared when he did, when we were all assembled here. He saved me the trouble of assembling you myself.” Erenion says. “But unfortunately he showed up in the first place.”

The room erupts. No one bothers rising first, the just voice their fears, concerns, ideas, and comments. The noise is overwhelming.

Erenion shouts for order. With his powerful voice, he gets it. “We need to come to a decision here,” he says. “We don’t have time to bicker. I will hear each of you, and then we will come to an agreement as to what is to be done.” He points to the opposite side of the table – just my luck! – and sits down.

 I begin to take notes for the first few speakers, but soon my notes become a list of cowardly thoughts: run, give up, fight, fight, fight, fight and run, give up. I can see Erenion sinking deeper and deeper into his chair. My paper evolves into meaningless scribbles.

The morning wears on. One elf describes a mission in which we storm the Dark One’s castle while he assaults us while the tower is empty. Then we storm the Dark One from the safety of his own castle. I commend his ingenuity and bravery, but it will never work.

Near lunch, Alaytar takes my paper, turns it over, and writes on it. When he passes it back, I pick it up and read it.

 These people are not addressing the question again!

Do tell.

 They’re talking about how to defeat the Dark One.

 We need to be focused on the Silmaril.

What can we do? The only way to protect the Silmaril is to defeat the Dark One and thus protect it from him.

Is it?

 What do you mean?

What if it was physically impossible to give the Dark One the Silmaril?

I don’t think it would matter to him.

Really?

I begin to write an answer, but then Jade stands up to speak. She rises demurely, and says: “I am a she-elf not fully ready for the title of a woman. I do not believe that we should fight. We cannot win, so to fight would be the same as giving up. We must fight with our minds and our intelligence, because in a contest of strength, we cannot hope to win. We are not defeated if we do not make this fight a battle of strength. I do not know how we must proceed, but we must, somehow. Majesty, I am not great, and I cannot devise great strategies. Majesty, please accept my simple words.”

Erenion nods. “I will treasure them, Andúnië – Rána. If only all my subjects possessed your wisdom. Thank you; next.”

 Alaytar, next in line, stands up and addresses Erenion directly. “Majesty, I said this yesterday, in a different world. It is still relevant: we are not addressing the question. The Silmaril is in question, not The Dark One. Whatever decision we make must include the Silmaril if it is not to be a suicide mission.”

 The room is quiet.

I rise, and suddenly, it hits me. I understand what Alaytar’s saying, and I understand what he’s implying. It’s brilliant. If we act now, there is a good chance of success.