[Lumiel]

Sickened by what she and Finewen had found as well as by the disturbing findings of the others, Lumiel's mind for the first time felt a true whisper of fear. All around her, she could feel the echo of the screams, though they had long fallen silent. This manse was throbbing with the hate and anguish felt so violently by those imprisoned here. While she had never felt true fear like this before, though it was a mere wisp in her mind, she knew it could grow and overtake her whole being if she did not control it. Taking a few deep breaths, she repeated a short elvish prayer in her head and remembered the words and heart of her father. Her fear passed and she sighed. As the two women approached the encampment, she heard an arrow whistle through the air and heard the sickening gurgle as Boris, their prisoner, died. Instinctively turning towards the source of the trouble, she saw a dark shadow of a man outlined on the top of a hill. She was too far away to hope to catch him, but some of the others ran to try to catch him. With hurried footsteps, she made her way towards Eswen and Falco. She and Finewen described what they had found and showed them the stamp and papers with the strange seal. Then Falco spoke.

"So this skull and snake keep showing up, eh?" Falco said. "It's as if somebody's got it in his head that he's the new dark lord or some such."

Lumiel stopped as his words percolated through her head and she paled visibly at the thought. Though she did not look to Finewen who stood beside her, she could tell that the woman was as distraught as she at such an idea. Falco had obviously no idea why what he had said had so disturbed the three women.

"Someone styles himself a new dark lord, you said," Eswen remarked. Her eyes were slitted, watching him. "Do you know something, or were you thinking aloud?"

It had not crossed Lumiel's mind that someone may be trying to fill the void left by Sauron and Saruman, yet as it entered her thoughts it chilled her to the core. She had not been in any of the battles of the One Ring, she had not known what it was like to live in fear of death and worse under the rule of the Lord of the Ring. But she knew enough of it to know that another dark ruler could not be allowed to arise. As all of this flickered through her mind, the others returned empty-handed and she gave a recount of their findings.

Thoronmir announced his decision for them to follow the horsemen and Lumiel hurried to her steed, gripping the reins as they gave chase. Unfortunately, they had already lost precious time and with the hobbits among their party, they were slowed. As much as she had come to enjoy their company and as valuable as they were to their journey, it was beginning to seem more and more likely that they would be a burden.

As they went, the paths of their quarry diverged and a warning bell sounded loudly in her head. Yet what could they do except continue the chase? The sun was nearing its resting place and Thoronmir called them to a halt.

"I do not like this," Thoronmir said. "We are in their land, I wager, and our enemies could be anywhere."

As he spoke, brigands arose on all sides except behind them, sixty strong at least. "Gorby! Anson! Falco! Get in the middle!" she cried to the hobbits without thinking. As stout a people as they were and with brave hearts, they were still the most vulnerable of their group and she would not let harm come to them if she could help it. She backed closer to the hobbits and drew her sword. It glittered silver with blood red from the setting sun and her hair echoed its sentiment as the last rays of the sun picked up and embellished the fiery glints in her earthen hair. Her dark blue eyes were like a warm sea set into a tempest by the dark arches of her eyebrows set like unmoveable stone on her brow. She would prevail.