The Songs: A Story of East Beleriand by Himring

Chapter 4: Guidance

The Sindar were not as hard to find as night fears had painted them. Indeed, as usual, it was the Sindar who found them, as soon as they had reached the right area—or rather, in this case, a single Sinda.  As they were casting about along the watercourse that ran close by where Maglor’s messenger had encountered the scouts, a young woman appeared almost under their noses, suddenly enough to spook the horses a little. Celvandil spoke swiftly in Quenya to soothe them. The young Sinda stood silent and unflinching, gazing up at Maedhros. She bore a bow and quiver, but she was clearly a forager, not a scout; she had been fishing and carried her catch on a string, fresh and plain to see. The camp must not be very far, then.

‘Greetings,’ said Maedhros, bending forward to speak to her, ‘we come in peace. We are Noldor, from West over the Sea.’ She could see that, probably, but it would not hurt to acknowledge it. The Noldor must have been hearsay to her, until this moment. ‘Your people call me Maedhros.’

He paused. The woman nodded briefly, relaxing her stance just a little, but did not say anything.

‘We have heard there is a renowned healer among you and have come to seek her.’ Maedhros hesitated, then he added apologetically: ‘We are in haste.’

The young Sinda considered this. Then she lifted her arm and pointed.

‘Your camp is this way?’

She nodded and finally spoke: ‘An hour or two. On foot.’

‘Our horses will be faster,’ said Maedhros.

The Sinda nodded, suggesting that he had stated the obvious, and stepped aside, as if encouraging them to proceed without her. Maedhros imagined he could almost see her beginning to fade a little, at the edges, brown-green, about to disappear back into high grass and low bushes. But he was being fanciful.

He half bowed in the saddle: ‘Our heartfelt thanks for your guidance!’

The two Noldor urged their horses in the indicated direction, toward the Sindarin camp.

Chapter End Notes

This bit was posted separately to Tumblr for Legendarium Ladies April 2018.