[astarielle]

As she waited for the crowd to fall silent Astarielle ordered a round of drink for everyone. A great cheer was heard.

"My story begins in Mirkwood, however I shall not start my tales there. As I look around, I see many faces scarred by war and souls broken by love. I'll tell the dtory of a little known battle in Eregion."

Astarielle paused.

"An evil wind blew from the east bringing a cloud of darkness. This shhroud decended upon a small party of elves, of which I was one, who were travelling to Rivendell. In the darkness a shrill wail could be heard, moaning. It talked not in tongues of men nor elves but in a language even I could not decipher, though it did bear a resemblance to elvish. I know now it was the language of Mordor."

A hush had decsended upon the crowd of listeners.

"Beneath the darkness a battle cry was heard and a mass of pointed spears emerged in the distance. I could not judge there distance nor there speed because of the darkness. We seemed surrounded, but how no one knew. The horizon was empty on all sides just a minute before. We had stayed close to the cliff for protection but how could a cliff fail?"

"The enemy were close, but not close enough....................."

Astarielle decided to take a break to the dismay of all. She sat back down next to Hiri.