New Dawn

Chapter 6

I've been advised against writing this letter by those who have your safety in mind. However, I cannot ignore the information that had come to light. Some would argue that enlightening you in this dangerous knowledge will only burgeon the descent of darkness on you, but the darkness will come for you whether we tell you or not.

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L E G O L A S

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I gazed out through the bare trees, feeling the cool breeze ruffle my hair. A storm would be upon the mountains soon, the forest sang of it. I didn't let my mind wander too much, instead, my ears sifted through the sounds of the forest and the chatter of the trees in search of anything out of place. Centuries of being in the Guard of my birthplace, keeping vigilant in the crook of a tree, made it easy to slip into the mindset of a sentinel. The action was no different here. Except that maybe the trees didn't sing quite the same.

"We've new information from Dever," Aragorn stated calmly, jolting me out of my reverie. His eyes softened as he met my gaze, offering a small smile of comfort. After nine years, I was tired of those expressions. But I knew he was only trying to help. "After you've read the report, I'd like your input on what next to do with his movements."

I nodded, wondering what was in the letter. Aragorn almost never came exclusively to me to ask for input, usually it was with a room full of the Western Hope's leaders.  "Any news on the twins?"

A soft smile formed on Aragorn's face, brightening his previously grim countenance. Elladan and Elrohir could always make Aragorn come out of his brooding, no matter how exasperated they made him. It was a brotherly love that reached deeper than blood that he shared with them, I could see it in the way they interacted and in the way they talked about each other.

"None. I assume they're still gallivanting around the lower reaches of the mountains."

I shook my head, returning my gaze out to the forest as if I could see the two brothers. "The men down there are going to have a terrible time adjusting to their tricks."

Aragorn laughed. "Indeed."

After a moment of light silence, he handed me a parchment, showing signs of having been folded and unfolded many times.  Aragorn bit his cheek—something was different about this report. "Dever seems to have found himself near the reaches of your home."

   That wasn't it. There was something else.

I took hold of the letter, holding it taut in the late afternoon breeze. The trees surrounding the cave opening in the side of the mountain did little to stop the onslaught of Manwe's breath.

It disconcerted me that the trees no longer sang of joy and gladness, instead they called out to my straining fea in warning. Although no visible darkness seemed to have laid its agony on Yavanna's creation, something dark whispered at the roots. I could see nor hear the beasts, but I knew what lurked under the trees' canopy.

"There are uur rauko near."

Aragorn nodded, "I'll speak with the guards." He paused, then locked his gray eyes onto mine and I steeled myself for whatever he was about to say. "Lumornel is mentioned in the letter, mellon."

   Then, after laying his hand on my shoulder, he left me to scan the contents of the report as he went to warn the guards.

    At the mere mention of her name, my fea twisted sharply, the pain so deep and penetrating that I clutched at my chest. It wasn't the pain of a warrior's wound, no, it was something more complete and profound. The pain was deep inside and it reached across the whole of my being. Like everything I was, am, and will be had been doused in stinging acid. It was accompanied by a yearning so strong, the want for food of a starving man did not compare.

    The agony of my fea wasn't simply pain, it was a yearning so strong for the one I lost that I could hardly breathe. There wasn't anything in this world that I wanted more than to have her by my side.

   Even though we didn't share a bond akin to that of a married pair, our fea still knew each other. Perhaps not intimately, but enough that they both wanted to. I could barely imagine the pain if we had been maritally bonded.

And even after nine years, the grief still did not want to fade.

    I ripped open the letter, desperate for any tidbit of her I could find.

    I read through Dever's report twice, scanning through the lines and decoding the cryptic code the Rangers had created.

    Alagosson, after not having been spotted for two years, was hiding in a safe house. All this time searching for the snake and he was hiding like a coward. It didn't matter though, he could hide if he wants. The Western Hope would tear down his empire around him and replace it with peace. Each careful movement of our forces would build up to the moment Lumornel's dream became a reality. I won't rest until it's fulfilled, so that her fea can rest in peace.

    Dever went on to reveal the exact location of the safe house, everything inside and its orc numbers, including how he thinks the creation was built, and every interaction.

    Gwaraith. Alagosson was interested in her. I clenched my fist, the nails threatening to bite into my skin. Of course, we kept tabs on the rumored living-Lumornel. We heard of 'her' acts of violence. We had sent a scout to search for the imposter as rumors grew, and I had stupidly held hope but found nothing. I had considered searching myself, yet I knew I was needed here. I couldn't afford a distraction, I just had to hope Elbereth guided us.

    But if Alagosson was searching for Gwaraith, then the Western Hope had to double its efforts in finding the criminal.

    Aragorn rested his hand on my forearm. "We must retreat inside before the uur rauko reach us."

    I nodded, still eyeing the line describing Gwaraith. Violent, yet with soft winter hair and vibrant green eyes. No matter the appearance, that wasn't my Lumornel. She would never hurt innocents, not willingly.

   I forced myself to rip my eyes from the page and thrusted the letter back to Aragorn. I met his concerned brown eyes.

    "Dever should be placed in Calambel, so he can begin hunting for Gwaraith. If Alagosson wants her, then we must have her. I won't allow him to be a step ahead of us."

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Alright. So. Sorry for the short chapter. But hey, y'all got some Leggy. Even tho it's a sad, but determined Leggy.

Anyways... any MCR fans? Well... I learned, after all these years, that Gerard Way is still making music even tho the band broke up. I'm SHOOK. Been listening to his music all weekend. Help.

Thoughts on the chapter??

And btw, thank you to all you lovely readers for, uh, reading New Dawn. It means the world to me that there are actually people interested in the story I'm telling. Can't believe I've made it this far in Lumornel's story.

Novaer!