[Child of the 7th Age]

The trees watched in silence as the Easterlings retreated towards their original encampment, which lay about a mile to the west beyond the meeting place. Once the procession had cleared a nearby ridge so that Brethil and the other huorn could no longer see them, the men reached for their whips and brands, locking the chains on Peachblossom and herding her into the caravan. Arriving at the campsite, most of the soldiers stowed their gear and stretched out on the forest floor with its cover of matted pine needles, rapidly falling asleep and dreaming of the riches they hoped to acquire from their raids. Only a few scant hours remained till dawn. At that point, Azunal planned to rouse the men to join with the trees and begin their joint trek of pillage towards the south and west.

Despite the late hour, Azunal and Saelonia were still awake, seated on a fallen log at the edge of the encampment as they peered at a large map of Gondor that was spread out on the ground. Most of their conversation was hushed, carried out only in whispers, but, every so often, they raised their voices and bickered over this strategy or that. Directly in back of the firepit, not more than a foot or so to the left, stood the trailer with the imprisoned Entwife.

"Watch your voice!" growled Saelonia. "That walking fruit salad may awaken."

Heedless of the need for silence, Azunel threw back his head and roared, his bellows of laughter echoing through the tangled brush. "No. No chance of that. She is bound in chains with great burns across her leafy brow. My men had themselves a bit of sport so that she dropped to the ground unconscious. We can talk without fear."

Saelonia relaxed her posture and observed, "The army should be here in short order. The Khan and his son called up the troops before we left. By now they should already be at the eastern rim of the Ashen Mountains, north of Mordor. We still have friends there who will aid us in our journey to Gondor."

Azunal grunted his approval, "We will not tarry long with our raids. Only ravage and burn to strike fear into the countryside and then swing towards the east to the meeting point where we join forces with the Khan.

"And where might that place be?" Salonia quietly probed, eager to have this important piece of information that might be put to later use.

Without thinking, Azunal casually noted, "The marshlands that lie north and west of Minas Tirith. At a point called the Wetwang or the Nindalf. A wet land near the base of the Rauros Falls, just off the Anduin River. A spot that is desolate and largely unguarded. Our army may gather there in silence with no one in Gondor suspecting that the enemy sits on her very doorstep. It is a brilliant plan. As long as no advance warning is given to these weak men of Gondor, we can not help but conquor. Our forces will sweep down from the north and strike a mighty blow against the city of Minas Tirith."

Saelonia smiled triumphantly as she revelled in the overall simplicity of this plan. Only a wise or reckless ruler would be rash enough to place his own army within sight of his enemy's back door. The Khan was a bit of both.

The troops would approach under the shelter of the mountains of Mordor and then sweep down across the Dead Marshes where no living thing dwelled, finally arriving at the Wetwang. Since the path would be bare and desolate, there was an excellent chance they would make it to the river without the King ever learning of their approach.

The eyes of the men of Gondor were ever fixed on Isengard and Rohan or the lower reaches of the Anduin. They would not think to keep guard on this wasteland at their back. But it was from here that the culminating attack would come.

"And you Lady? What will you do now?" Azunal queried.

"I will come with you as you begin your trek. But after a few days, my path lies elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?" The single word was spoken in a tone that carried an overwhelming sense of mistrust.

"Aye."

"Of what do you speak?"

She shrugged her shoulders and idly laughed, "I do not know. We will wait and see."

Azunal was not content with this answer, but knew better than to ask for more. With that exchange, the two Easterlings withdrew from the parlay and went their separate ways for the night.

[ September 06, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]