[Earendil Halfelven]

"You know," Turthôl said. This was going to be the first time he ever spoke about this to anyone except Rangar. "I've been having my own flashbacks."

"Is that what has been bothering you?" Wren asked.

"Yeah. It happened three years ago," he said. "I was a member of an elite scouting group that was a part of the Gondorian army. King Elessar had assigned us a mission to scout out Eregion and ultimately Moria itself. He and the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain were planning on retaking Moria, and to re-establish trade routes. The dwarves wanted to begin re-mining the mithril there, and with the help of Gondor, they would be able to."

"So, our job was to observe Eregion and Moria. You know, observe the organization of the orcs there, so that way the dwarf army, with support of Gondor, would be able to plan the best way of attack. We were able to scout Eregion-it was clear of any dangers. But Moria...my company was able to find the caved in entrance that the Fellowship of the Ring had taken. King Elessar told us were it was that they had entered Moria, and the danger of the Watcher in the Water. We killed it, and cleared the caved-in entrance, but before we had even entered, we were attacked that night."

"It was a man in our company, named Sartir, that had betrayed us. I don't know how it was that he was able to make a deal with the orcs, but he had, and for a bag of Moria silver, he betrayed me and my men to their deaths. Five of us, including me, were the only survivors, and we were captured. I was wounded in the leg by Sartir's arrow. We were taken into Moria, and tortured. My companions died, but I escaped after their deaths. I still bear the scars of that torture. You can't imagine..."

"I don't know how long it took me to escape but I did. I came out somewhere on another side of the mountain, but I made my way back to Gondor. The attack was canceled until a better analysis could be made of the orc forces their. I retired from the army. It took me a year, but I finally found him. I killed him. I was wanted for his murder in Dol Amroth. I still may be a wanted man. After that, I made my way back north. Since then..."

That was it. He had told his story to her. Now she knew why he was the way he was.

"For some reason, this journey has brought back those memories. It has made me a little "out of it."

"What if your still wanted in Gondor? You might be captured while we're..." Wren began.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. We have more important things to worry about..."

"Rangar!" someone cried out.

Turthôl and Wren stood up. Something was happening...