Eruwen (Part 1 & 2)

Journey to the Mountains

"I fear that the expedition has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The mystery of the Morgul Blade must be solved. Something unseen is moving hidden from our sight, it does not want to show itself, not yet," Galadriel spoke up, "but it is gaining strength every day."

I nodded.

"Will you follow them?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Be careful."

I dressed in full gear, assumed a more human form again, and headed for the stables. Feon waited excitedly for me to saddle him before he took off, spreading his wings and flying up into the clouds.

Gandalf was surely leading them through the mountain pass. I hoped he had chosen a safe route, as many paths were impossible to traverse due to the orcs that had taken up residence in the mountains.

I didn't understand how my father could be indifferent to such facts - though... I wasn't really surprised. He had behaved exactly as I expected, but it still annoyed me.

I'd been annoyed from the moment he spoke, and we hadn't seen each other in sixty years. He hasn't changed at all. He didn't want to compromise his comfort or his mind in any way. Yes, I wouldn't have been too thrilled if someone had threatened war either, but I would have taken it seriously. 

On the other hand, he was serious when I gave up the throne. He didn't stop with the lectures about how it was stupid because it was expected of me, as the firstborn offspring, etc. Or how he complained about Radagast but refused to accept me among the patrons of Middle-earth.

It was night when I approached the high mountains, and it was raining. What I wasn't happy about were the orcs I saw. The Riders of the Wargs, led by Azog - he was a pale orc who rode a white Warg. He had decapitated Thorin's grandfather when the dwarves were trying to recapture Moria after Erebor was taken by a dragon.

Moria was first inhabited by dwarves before the orcs came and drove them out. The dwarves wandered to the Lonely Mountain, where they founded the kingdom of Erebor. They began to prosper, with halls of gold, diamonds and rubies everywhere. They prospered until the dragon appeared.