User blog:High Prince Imrahil/Adventures of Prince Imrahil part 5 - The Great Council

Sorry about how short and boring this chapter is, but these events had to be established, and I couldn't fit it in to the next story. Anyways, here you go!

So says Heredil son of Eldecar in the Second Age of the Sun.

So it was that dawn finally broke upon the Halls of Gandalf. Avari cavalry rode down the routing orcs, and everywere our troops were victorius! I stood up upon the crumbling wall and raised my sword to the air:

"Victory!" I shouted "We have victory! For Dwarf, Elf, and man, we have VICTORY!!"

It was at this moment that Warpig, chief general of Thorin rode to me upon a boar, stopping with a grunt at the foot of the wall.

"Herendil!" he shouted "Thorin needs you at once! Do not tarry, it is urgent!"

I lept off of the wall, heedless of the height, and landed upon the ground without injury. Stepping onto the back of Warpig's boar, we rode to the gates where we were let in without question. Dismounting, Warpig gestured towards a small room at the end of the hall. I walked in warily, still not knowing what was so urgent. In the room I saw Thorin kneeling upon the ground, and beside him was the body of Gandalf. Gandalf was covered in scars, and into his stomache was a deep knife wound.

"He died defending me." said Thorin grimly "I was alone and unaided in a tide of foes. He ventured in to rescue me, but he was stopped by our dark foe. I shall have my revenge one day!"

I stopped and kneeled at Gandalf's side.

"Farewell! I said "May you be safe and sound in the halls of your fathers."

But even as I spoke, the body shifted: he still lived! Thorin lept back with amazment as Gandalf spoke with a broken voice, stopping every few words to gasp for breath.

"Thank you!" said Gandalf "It is because of you that these halls still stand, Herendil! May your legecy never be forgoten in the hearts of my people! I go back to Valinor now, and I shall tell Mevans of all your mighty deeds! Yet this gift I leave you: take my staff! It wil aid you in your many adventures. Farewell, Middle-Earth!"

and with that he faided into death. Picking up his notched staff I held it with reverence.

"There will be a time to grief, but it is not now!" I said "We must plan for war: scouts report that the enemy is already amassing fresh forces!"

"Grim tidings!" I said "It appears as if the realm of Ningolfin in Greenwood the Great is already under assault. Allies have been sent from Khazad-dum, but they are not enough: Ningolfin needs our help."

"Then let's go!" said Thorin "If we need to assist our allies, why tarry?"

"Because" I said "our scouts also report that a large force of Haradrim are coming at us to strike from the south. The Dark Lord Grevious, though He has not declared war openly, will no doubt soon be sending orcs out from Mordor, thus striking from the South-West. And even more grim tidings: A large force of Imperial Rhunic warriors has crossed the Red Mountains a little ways to the South. It appears as if they will strike Dorwinion, but it is completely possible that they will turn South towards Thorin's halls, while he is away. We are being assaulted from every angle and direction. Gentlmen, what do we do?"

"Well" said Sinthionel the Wise, who had been silent and thoughtful until now "Are stregth is not in numbers: it is in valor. There are some among us here that are worth more then five thousand men-at-arms. I suggest that we send Herendil, Thorin, and Ithlion to Ningolfin's aid. These are great heros among us and they will, no doubt, turn the tide. The rest of us will stay here until the Haradrim strike, hopefuly gaining a victory. What say you all?"

"I would not" said Thorin "leave my halls undefended: her walls, though great and thick, are undermanned, thus it is possible for The Enemy to take them. But once they are his, he has no doubt, the forces necessary to make the city untakable: a bitter loss to all dwarves.

"True" said Sinthionel "but, as they say in Numenor, much must be risked in war. We simply don't have the forces to defend both these halls and the Iron City. It would be folly to-"

"Folly?!" inturrupted Thorin, now and red with anger "Would you think it folly if Caras Sant was falling, the city in which you dwell?? Nay! You would reinforce it at once! Fikhîb-dûm is my home, and I will suffer no enemy to live there! Ready the troops Warpig, we leave at once!"

"Yes, sir!" said Warpig, heedless of Sinthionel's rage

"Fool!" shouted Sinthionel "We must keep together if we hope to win this war! I am the leader here, and I will tell you when to go and when to stay: I am a Vala, a sevent of the almighty Mevans!"

"Well, "almighty vala"" said Gandalaphant "You can leave my kingdom! Thorin has a right to protect his own city!"

now all were standing, and the council had fallen apart. All were yelling angrily.

"Is this what I risked my life for?" cried Ithlion "A bunch of angry dwarves, slinging insults? I am withdrawing my troops!"

"You are all traitors!" said Sinthionel, who had now passed from sanity and clear thinking "Traitors to Mevans, and traitors to our cause!"

"Traitors to Mevans?!" said Thorin hotly "or traitors to you?? Dictator of the East!"

At this moment Sinthionel made a move for his sword, and Thorin picked up a mighty battle axe. Warpig and Gandalaphant stepped to Thorin's aid with their weapons drawn.

"Take this wizard away!" shouted Gandalaphant "Lock him in the dungeon!"

Thorin kicked the sword away from Sinth's reach and, with Warpig, dragged him out of the room. Ithlion simply sat in his chair, watching sadly as the Allience of the East collapsed.

"All is not lost!" I said "There is still hope: I will go to Ningolfin's aid, even if nobody rides with me. Will you help me, Ithlion?"

"Of course!" he said "I will ride with you."

Now Thorin and Warpig returned, after locking Sinthionel away.

"Friend!" I said to Thorin "This is madness! We cannot win any kind of battle without his eagles!"

"As they say in Numenor," said Thorin coldly "much must be risked in war."

And he walked out of the war room with Warpig and Gandalaphant. The allience of the East had collapsed, and the fate of Dorwinion, the Avari Kingdoms, the Oroconi Kingdoms, the Woodland Realm, and all the free people of Middle-Earth depended upon rebuilding that council.