Five - The Witch King's Blade

“Ver! Where have you been? Bilbo ran in here worried about you,” Gloin said as soon as I walked through the door. “I’ve been with my brother,” I told him and continued to walk over to my things. 

“Could you tell Bilbo I’m alright?” I asked as I picked up the leather bag. He nodded and walked back over to the others. "What is it?” Alek asked. “I found a chest with mother and father's name on it and some of their belongings were in it," I told him. “What did you find?” he asked. 

“Mother’s bow and quiver and father’s sword,” I said and dug through the bag. 

I grabbed the sword and handed it to Alek “Nik will go mad when he sees this,” He said. “I said the same,” I smiled.

“Verena,” Thorin walked over quickly. “Is everything alright?” I asked as Alek handed me the sword and I put it back. 

“Gandalf has a plan,” He spoke in dwarvish, then stopped and looked at Alek. “He knows, and he can know dwarvish too,” I said and he nodded. 

“He will distract them as we leave. They’ll try to stop us and we can’t let that happen. He will meet us in the mountains then we continue on our way,” He explained. “When do we leave?” I asked. “Before dawn,” 

~~~

“Here,” Alek handed me my bow and swords. “Thank you,” I smiled. Bombur knocked over one of the standing candlesticks, making a loud bang. “What do you think ‘quietly’ means?” Thorin hissed. 

There was a knock on the door. We froze. I nodded to Thorins as I walked over to the door and they watched me silently. I opened it to see Lindir. 

“Princess Verena, there is a meeting and your presence, along with your brother’s, is required," he told me in Elvish and I smiled. “Formalities are unnecessary, friend. My brother is here with us and I will get him," I told him and he smiled and nodded and I closed the door and rushed over to Thorin and Alek. 

“Alek and I have to go. Go without me, I will meet you with Gandalf,” Thorin nodded. Alek and I walked back to the door and I opened it and Lindir turned around and we walked out “Lead the way,”

~~~

The sun was barely risen as Lindir led us up several stairs and we stopped at a platform with a table in the centre. Gandalf sat to the left, Saruman on the right, Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond standing. 

“My niece and nephew are here. Let us begin,” Elrond announced and they turned to look at Alek and I. 

“As you are both Tempests, we’ve decided to include you," Saruman said with a sickly smile. “Well, that was very thoughtful of you,” I said, half sarcastically. 

“Tell me, Gandalf, did you think your schemes would go unnoticed?” Saruman asked. “Unnoticed? No, I’m simply doing what I feel to be right,” Gandalf reasoned. 

“And your involvement in this, Princess Verena?” Saruman asked. “She had nothing to do with the foundation of it. She joined the company for protection,” Gandalf defended me and I nodded to him in thanks. 

“The dragon has long been on your mind,” Galadriel stated. “It is true, my Lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, the dragon could be used to terrible effect," Gandalf shuddered at his own words. 

“The enemy is defeated. Sauron can never regain his full strength,” Saruman sighed. “The Ring was not destroyed. He was not destroyed. He could be gathering allies, reckoning forces, searching for the Ring of Power,” I argued. 

“Or he could truly be gone. For four hundred years, we have lived in peace. A hard won peace,” Elrond pacified. “Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains, they are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road," Gandalf explained. “Hardly a prelude to war,” Elrond reasoned. 

“Always you must meddle. Looking for trouble where none exists,” Saruman said, irritated. “Let him speak,” Galadriel said calmly as she circled the room. 

“There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug, something far more powerful. We can remain blind to it, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness hides over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwood, and…, they s-they say…” he trailed off, not sure if he should continue.

“What do the woodsmen say?” Saruman asked. Gandalf looked at me to continue for him. “They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur. A sorcerer who can... summon the dead,” Alek looked at me in confusion. 

“That’s absurd. No such power exists in this world. Not even a Tempest has ever possessed such abilities. This Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal Man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic,” Saruman dismisses. “We thought so too. But Radagast has seen-” “Radagast? Do not speak to me of Radagast the Brown. He’s a foolish fellow," Saruman stopped me. 

I turned and looked at Lady Galadriel and she looked at me as well. “Something troubles you, darling. What is it?” She asked in my mind. “Radagast gave Gandalf something he found in Dol Guldur. Ask him to show us,” I asked her and she nodded and looked at Gandalf and a moment later, Gandalf held out the sword Radagast gave him wrapped in cloth. “What is that?” Elrond asks. 

“A relic of Mordor,” Galadriel answered as Elrond unwrapped it and showed us the sword. “A Morgul blade,” Alek stated. “Made for the Witch-King of Angmar, and buried with him,” Galadriel said in horror. 

“When Angmar fell, the Men of the North took his body, and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him, in a tomb so dark it would never come to light,” Galadriel finished. 

“This is not possible. A powerful spell lies upon those tombs, they cannot be opened," Alek exclaimed. “What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar’s grave?” Saruman asked “I have none,” Gandalf answered him. 

“There is none. A single Orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen, a dagger from a by-gone age has been found, and a Human sorcerer who calls himself the Necromancer has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. The question of this dwarvish company however, troubles me deeply,” 

I stopped listening to whatever he had to say about the Dwarves. I’ve heard enough of his voice for today and maybe even the rest of my eternal life. 

I only came back from my thoughts when I heard Lindir’s voice. “My Lord Elrond. The Dwarves, they’re gone,"

~~~

After Lindir told us they left, we dismissed the meeting. I went back to the room with my things in it and packed what I had left, which wasn’t much. I went to see Alek before I found Gandalf and set off after the Dwarves. 

I knocked on his door and sighed. After a minute, Alek opened it and let me in. “I just wanted to say goodbye and give you this,” I held the bag of our parent’s things and he slowly took it. 

“Our family can’t know you saw me here but I want you to take it. It’s everything I found in the chest from the cave. If something happens and I have it, then it only remains a memory between the two of us. Wait until I return to show everyone, but if I die-” He cut me off by hugging me tightly. 

“Don’t speak like that. You are the strongest Tempest. You always have been. Stronger than Nik, Cleos, even our father. If you can’t do it, it should then be deemed impossible,” I didn’t say anything. 

“You should take father’s sword,” He turned to the bag and searched for the weapon. “What? No! I couldn’t. That sword is rightfully Nik’s,” He pulled out mother’s quiver and bow. 

“Then take mother’s bow. It would be fitting for you to take them. You’re her oldest daughter,” he pressed. I sighed and took the quiver, attaching my swords’ sheaths to the sides and mixed my arrows with hers. 

“Tell Cleos you saw me. He was the only one I told before I left and it would bring him some peace,” I asked “Of course,” he nodded 

~~~

“Verena, come sit. We have much to discuss,” Elrond waved me over and I sat next to him on a balcony. “What is it, Uncle?” I asked and he looked at me. “You plan to continue with the Dwarves, don’t you?” he asked and I nodded. 

“I’ve gone with them this far, there’s no reason I shouldn’t continue,” I told him. “May I ask why you want to go with them?” He asked. “They’ve been friends to me for a long time, and I can keep them from starting fights that are unnecessary. It would save time and make for less bloodshed,” I explained. 

“I can not say that going with them is wise. But, your presence and opinions will sway the company’s choices,” He told me. “So you aren’t going to try to stop me?” I asked and he laughed. “If you are anything like your mother, it would be in vain,” he said and I smiled. 

“Can I ask something of you?” I asked and he nodded for me to continue. “Can Penrose stay here until I return for her? This road won’t be an easy one and bringing her along might slow us down,” I requested. “Of course,” he chuckled.

“And another thing?” I asked. “Of course,” He said. “Please don’t tell Nik,” I asked worriedly. He chuckled again and stood. I stood with him and he turned to me. “I will not tell your brother,” He assured. I hugged him one last time and he hugged me back. “Be safe Verena,”

~~~

“Gandalf, should we start after them? They left hours ago. It'll take a while for us to catch up,” I ask and he turns to me. 

“Yes, I think that would be wise,” Gandalf said as if his mind was somewhere else “Are you alright? You don’t seem yourself,” I asked “Why of course I am. Come, we have a ways to travel,"