Stood within the bustle of preparations Morrandir listened to the eerie silence as few people dared to speak.
There were only murmurs in the air, whispers in the wind.
From what he could figure out, those around him were the more . . . less experienced warriors, to put it politely.
The young and the old, any man fit to stand and wield a weapon, were being fitted with armour and handed a weapon of sorts.
They were being signed up to fight a war that should never have occurred.
Letting his ears listen to the Ranger beside him Morrandir couldn't help but agree with what was said.
"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."
Gimli pitched in, "Most have seen too many winters." Some of the older men around them stared as the four stood.
"Or too few," Legolas muttered as his eyes caught those of a frightened boy. "Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes."
The murmurs from before disappeared.
Noticing this Legolas switched to Elvish knowing two of the three he spoke to would understand him.
"Boe a hûn . . . neled herain dan caer menig!" (And they should be . . . three hundred against ten thousand)
Giving Legolas a sharp disapproving glare Aragorn defended the people around him. "Si beriathar hýn. Amar nâ ned Edoras." (They have more hope of defending themselves here than in Edoras.)
Legolas glanced at the Wanderer beside him to see if he would part with some words of wisdom. But taking in Morrandir's more occupied expression as his brows furrowed in concentration he carried on.
"Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú- . . . ortheri. Natha daged aen!" (Aragorn, we are warriors. They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die.)
Angered by the pessimism Aragorn unknowingly switched back to the language of Man. "Then I shall die as one of them!"
Morrandir returned to the moment right before him at the more volumized words. He watched Aragorn leave the group, Gimli stopping Legolas from going after the Ranger.
"A lost man is found." Morrandir mutters, Legolas only catching it.
It took the group an hour until they were in the same room again. Aragorn had been keeping himself occupied by spreading hope and courage in the youngest of the soldiers, something Morrandir watched him do from a distance away.
The Elven Prince and Royal Ranger mended their differences as Gimli finally put on the chain mail and armour left for him.
Morrandir stood beside the dwarf as he grumbled, soon turning his head to the other occupants of the room as he dropped the end of the dress length metal scales.
Making a louder comment Gimli caught the attention of the other two, the group chuckling at the dwarf's misfortune. His shorter stature and the chain mail forged for a Man created a humorous sight.
Legolas watched Morrandir's ears twitch, clearly the younger of them could hear something he couldn't. And knowing Morrandir he could probably see something no one else had yet seen.
Before Legolas could question him a horn resonated through the evening's air, drawing everyone's attention as the voices around them fell silent.
"That is no orc horn," Legolas spoke up, the four leaving the armoury to find out what approached.
YOU ARE READING
The Night's Wanderer
FanfictionIt was very rare for The Council of the Night to intervene with the affairs of those of Middle Earth. Last time they did so was when a war of immense proportions was foretold, so they had sent their Wanderer out to the root of the cause. And now, wi...
