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

Lost Lore and Trinkets

"Hoom, hum," Treebeard trumpeted, looking over the fellowship with his large, caring eyes so full of depth and memory. "And which lords and ladies?"

Eldarion stepped forward. "I am Eldarion, son of Aragorn."

Treebeard raised his large bushy eyebrows in surprise. "Are you now? Hmm. Interesting."

Eldarion went on to introduce his companions. As he went through each companion, Treebeard's expression slowly grew to one of wonder and curiosity.

"Well this certainly is unexpected." The ent nodded slowly. "Hm. Yes. Very unexpected."

"It is a honor to meet you, Lord Treebeard," Aderthon bowed low to the ancient ent.

Treebeard tilted his head a tiny bit, for he was not very bendable, and looked at Aderthon slowly and silently for a long while. The fellowship felt slightly uncomfortable under the strong and unwavering gaze of the old ent. But at last Treebeard laughed.

"Is it? Well then, I suppose King Aragorn raised his children and their friends to honor the wild, to honor nature. Good! Good!" Treebeard laughed again. "Come! Follow me. Quickbeam, you may leave us now."

The younger ent nodded and strode off back to his post among his favorite Rowan trees. Meanwhile, Treebeard led the fellowship closer to the Tower of Orthanc. Just as they approached the tower, the ent took them to the right. There they came across a pool fed by a small offshoot of the Isen. Treebeard motioned for them to sit near it upon the stones as he stood in the pool itself.

"This is the Treegarth. It has become my most frequented Hall," Treebeard explained. "You are most welcome here."

"Thank you, Lord," Eldarion bowed.

Treebeard laughed long. "Lord? Nay. I am just Treebeard. Well, that is what you should call me."

They looked at him in confusion. He smiled.

"My entish name is much too long for you hasty folk to pronounce." Treebeard closed his eyes and raised his arms as if stretching and remained still for many minutes.

Elfwine began to wonder whether he had fallen asleep. Similar thoughts were running through the majority of the company's minds. Eventually even Eldarion began shuffling his feet. But at last, the old ent opened his big, deeply wise eyes once more.

"Now then," Treebeard nodded. "Tell me why you are here, young ones."

They all turned to Eldarion and nodded. As leader of the company, it would be up to him to decide what to share.

"Many weeks ago, my father received a message from the north." Eldarion began at the very beginning. "It said that my cousin, daughter of Miril and Elrohir, Tinneth, had gone missing."

With a pause, he continued. "We waited to see if any more news was to come, but nothing came. My father decided we should head North for he also suspects something deeply sinister is forming up there."

Treebeard nodded and blinked his eyes. "Well that is news indeed. The lady Tinneth has gone missing?"

"You knew her?" Aderthon asked in surprise.

Treebeard shook his head. "I did not 'know' her. That would be a hasty claim indeed. I have spoken to her a few times. Whenever she would pass by on her way to Gondor. She was a troubled child."

Círeth snorted and rolled her eyes, whispering under her breath. "That's the understatement of the Fourth Age."

"Why does Lord Aragorn not use his Palantír to communicate north?" Treebeard mused a few minutes later after silence.

Eldarion hesitated. "The other Palantír, which was housed in Annuminas, was stolen several years ago. Communication has been crippled since then."

Treebeard nodded. He looked up at the sky.

"It is already late, my friends. We do not have man food here, but we have drafts which should tide you over." He reached down and filled a bowl with water that seemed to glow pale green before offering it to the fellowship.

Eldarion took the first sip. After a drink. He passed it to Aderthon who passed it along further. Once all had drunk of the ent draft, Treebeard told them that they were welcome to remain for the night.

Eldarion smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Treebeard. We will gladly take you up on your offer."

Now - Angmar - Carn Dûm

Halion paced in his chambers. Back and forth he went, his black leather boots clomping on the floor. His piercing amber eyes darted here and there as he looked around his room. The bed was ornate, but he didn't care about that. The real treasures were far smaller.

The books were the first of many wonderful things. There were books of forbidden knowledge of spells and sorcery, books of enchanting and smithing, books of lore that told accounts of the high days of Angmar. Then there were the genealogies. Mostly pertaining to secret knowledge he had managed to gather from tortured Dunedain, they told of the remaining Fëanorian bloodline, Tinneth's bloodline. It traced her back all eight generations to Caranthir the Dark, son of Fëanor son of Finwë.

When he first got wind of her troubled life in Gondor and her flight to the Dunedain of Arnor, he hadn't been able to believe his luck. A Fëanorian, one intent on fleeing her family. But also a Fëanorian who lusted for power and recognition. It was a match made by the Valar themselves.

Well, that isn't true. He laughed to himself. The Valar certainly wouldn't approve of my course of action.

He looked over at his other treasures. On his desk was the ring of power he had found. Likely forged by the smiths in Eregion during the Second Age, it did little but turn him invisible. Yet he enjoyed playing around with it.

Then there was the Palantír. His most prized possession, the Palantír he currently held was limited in power and scope, but did allow him to watch over the doings of his nearby foes, and, if he ever needed to, was able to communicate with the stone of Minas Tirith that Aragorn held.

Forged by Fëanor himself, the Palantír were priceless relics of days long since passed. He wondered often if Tinneth would be able to better control it than he, as a descendant of Lord Fëanor.

A knock at the door interrupted him.

"Come!" Halion ordered, turning towardw the door.

It creaked open and in walked Tinneth. She undid her cloak and smiled. He looked at her in questioning. She nodded.

"They agreed."