The Eyes and Ears of Melkor by Chilled in Hithlum

Chapter 5 The Bargain and The Blunder

As the summer ripened all seemed well with the fortunes of the Two Captains, but Turin flaunted the Dragon-Helm with escalating pride and renamed himself again as Gorthol, the Dread Helm; furthermore he claimed the land between Teiglin and Doriath and called it Dor-Cuarthol.  Turin's overconfidence increased further as Morgoth ordered more troops to withdraw; however enough remained to give the semblance of a field of battle whilst Angband's elite scouts came unseen and surrounded Amon Rudh.  They could not yet descry the secret ways of the mound but reported every movement of Turin and his men to Morgoth and he rejoiced, knowing that his captive overhead grew ever the more fretful.  Hurin despaired when he heard Orc Captains deriding his son's folly, "This man thinks that his exaggerated army will burn the very hand that will crush him" said one; "He thinks only of fighting and does not even know how to maintain his own people, how will he feed them in less bountiful days?" added another, "And what of the Elf, can he not contain this fool's conceit? So much for fair words and ancient lore," said a third, and they all laughed raucously.  Hurin blanched when he heard a fourth unseen voice calmly say "Laugh if you will Captains, but the Great Lord of the North perceives that the power of the High Elves has been instilled into this ‘so-called fool' of yours.  He is minded to bring the son of Hurin to Angband so as to compel him into revealing their secret dwellings, or at the least suffer the same fate as his father."  The Orcs granted deference to the bearer of these words and they laughed no more.  Both Melkor and Hurin knew this to be the voice of Sauron, and at last they understood his intentions since the veiling of his Orb.  Melkor pronounced "If you bring me this gift of penitence, Sauron, I shall reconsider your position in my favour.  Your boldness has earned you temporary command of the field but you shall report EVERYTHING to me!  Do not make me regret this decision!"  The voice of Sauron replied "By your will, Lord."

The days began to shorten and an ill-tended harvest yielded little store; a chill wind blew across Dor-Cuarthol, and those who had homes took to them as Turin's fighting force depleted.  Beleg was kept busy trying to sustain the remnant of Men holed up in the old Orc camps on the outer perimeters of the battle field, while Turin pushed back an everlasting trickle of feint enemy attacks; only Mim from the safety of a high vantage point on Amon Rudh saw the entrenched spies of Angband.  The old Dwarf had already delayed overlong in the gathering of fleshy roots for his winter larder, but now as the fighting reduced he took his chance.  So it was that he set out with his son, Ibun, without telling any other what he knew of the Orc spies.  None now can tell his true motive for this omission but it was certainly true that Mim resented sharing his home with uncouth outlaws and that he hated Beleg, as he did all Elves; but Mim had taken Turin to his heart and shared much with him, yet he shared him jealously with others.  Also strange was the fact that Mim and Ibun knew lay of the land so well, and the places where small folk could easily hide, and yet they fell into the net of the Orcs.  The Petty-Dwarves were set in bonds and led before an Orc captain.

"Sir, we found these two ‘Water Rats' sneaking across the wetlands, you commanded that anyone we caught be brought to you alive" said an Orc guard.

The Captain looked upon the prisoners and said "Sentry, these are no soldiers of Men - kill them!"

"NO... pity us, we are but poor folk scavenging for food" pleaded Mim.

The Captain said coldly "...And of no use to me; Sentry, proceed!"

"WAIT!" cried Mim, "I know of the soldiers that you speak, I know of their hiding places for I am held to ransom by them and I would be rid.   I have already lost one son to them, so you see Great Captain I owe no allegiance to faithless brigands and wicked Elves.  Mayhap we could strike a bargain?"

The Captain laughed, "Ha! Bitter words often speak true," he said "but what is to stop me from squeezing out this information from you, or yours?"

Mim looked darkly on the Captain and said "You know little of the hardihood of Dwarves.  I have the information not my son, but even if you tormented him in my stead our resolve would toughen and you would learn nothing.  I know that many now spy on my domain; so I say to you why not listen to my terms, and why prolong in gaining the favour you would earn in return for my knowledge?"

The Captain considered Mim's statement and said "Speak your terms!"

Now Dwarves will not suffer to be held in bonds, so Mim demanded that their chains be released before he would utter another word.  When this was done he began, "You will pay me the weight in iron for each man you catch or slay; save only the Two Captains, their weight shall be paid in gold!  My home and I shall be left unmolested once they are gone!  Oh yes, and more of the Captains; you shall release the man unharmed and the Elf, umm, the Elf will be left behind alive and bound for me to deal with!"  The Captain said "Your demands are steep but I deem that you will not budge, therefore I will have to acquire permission to pay such ransom."   

Thus it was that Sauron would learn the hidden places of Turin's hiding; he repaid Mim's betrayal with his own, for he happily consented to the Dwarf's terms with no aim of honouring them, save one.  In addition Sauron asserted that Ibun must be kept as a retainer in case the bargain failed, here Mim lost heart and tried to undo the contract but he was now trapped by his own greed and treachery.  All this was done in the absence of an Orb because Sauron had previously ordered that all news of prisoners come through him alone; in this way he wanted to put on an open display of his guile in the capture of Turin.  Therefore no word of these events reached the ears of Melkor, and this was the first disobedience of Sauron.  So it was that Sauron removed the fighting Orcs from battle in a manner that gave their opponents delusions of absolute victory.  News of this reached Melkor and he was incensed that his elites appeared as cravens before the eyes of their foes; he demanded that Sauron report to him immediately.

"Why hast thou disobeyed me Sauron, when I freely gave an opportunity to renew again my affection for thee?" asked Melkor.

"My Lord, how have I done you disobedience when all I do is your will?" replied Sauron.

"MY WILL?" roared Melkor "It was my will that you report everything to me, and yet I hear from my captains that you emasculate their prowess and command them to flee like, like Elves.  How is this doing my will?"

"Please Lord, if you would but indulge me..." oozed Sauron "I understood it that your primary wish was the capture of Hurin's son, and with this in mind I have taken the appropriate action.  I took it that because you, in your ultimate wisdom, were using stealth and spies to catch him unawares that I would continue in this trend.  I wholly apologise if I have taken action that offends you or detracts for your supreme plans; but my master you did grant to me control of the field, albeit on temporary basis of course, and since my plans are as yet unripe I did not wish to trouble you with a half-done deed.  I see now why you are disappointed with me and I prostrate myself before your godly compassion," and Sauron spread himself face-down in the dirt.  

Hurin was repulsed by what he had just witnessed and his captor responded in like manner.  "Always you sicken me with this politician's voice, is this how I taught you?  I think not; Get up you worm!" said Melkor, Sauron arose and his smiling mask slid away to reveal a stone-faced criminal.  Melkor continued, "Ah! There you are... Tell me now, in plain words and with nothing hidden, what you have planned and I shall decide whether or not if you can proceed!"   

Sauron spoke, "As you know the insurgents are stationed within the Bare Tor but our, your spies could not discover its passages.  After much study, I am now confident that I know its secrets.  I decided that the best way to assemble our enemies in that place would be to put them in a celebratory mood and this is why I feigned a shameful defeat.  It now appears that I was correct in this because word has reached my ears that Turin plans a victory feast this very night.  Forgive me Lord, but I wanted prove beyond any doubt my obeisance to you with a grand demonstration of the snaring of Turin and the butchery of his men," and he bowed.

Melkor responded, "It seems that Glaurung counselled me faithfully when he told me that you are true to me.  When you knock on my brazen doors with a new dog on a chain, only then will I let you in.  Then we shall discuss how you uncovered the ways of Amon Rudh when my best spies could not.  I am displeased with your methods, Sauron, and your attempts at deception, but now you are revealed to me and the outcome seems good; however, if you fail me this time then you had better run and hide the best you can for I will not hesitate in forging you anew by dragon's breath, is that understood?"

"Completely, Lord"; and when the discourse ended Sauron laughed to himself "Attempts at deception? Ha! I am the Master of Deception," he said, and this was the second disobedience of Sauron.

Melkor gloated on his throne; he was tempted to visit Hurin again to watch the events unfold with him as he did of old at The Fall of the Falas, but pride mastered him and he remained alone.  He gorged upon a platter of unholy meats whilst awaiting the hour and he laughed aloud, imagining Hurin's agony.  The time of Mim's betrayal came and Sauron ensured that the Petty-Dwarf was ever surrounded by Orcs, "Watch that this little snapper does not bite you and abscond, encircle him at all times," he said; but the real reason for this was to obscure Mim from Melkor's view.  Turin's hill-top sentinels espied them too late for they came in stealth and were only revealed on reaching the rocky entrance to Amon Rudh.  The stone walls were too sheer and uneven for their aim as many arrows went astray, injuring none.  The Orcs entered in with great noise and fury and many were slew whilst unprepared for battle.  In the midst of the fray Mim escaped unseen as Turin's chiefs were forced to flee.  There were stairways carved inside the mound that lead out to the summit; and it was here that Turin and Beleg Strongbow, with a lessened host, made their final stand; one by one they were slain or mortally wounded, until at the last The Two Captains remained and the Orcs floored them with heavy nets.  One Orc took four looped iron pins and hammered them into the ground; there Beleg was taken and bound hand and foot and left to struggle, this was the only part of the bargain with Mim that Sauron kept.  Melkor assumed that this done so that Beleg could be tormented later under interrogation and he did not notice the hidden knife wielding Petty-Dwarf revelling in a secret cave mouth.  Hurin tears stung him as he watched his son being set in a steel collared yolk with wrist manacles at each end; Sauron stepped into view and with an overweening grimace and he lead Turin away by a chain.  The Orb bearer led the way as Turin was dragged stumbling down a crooked stairway, and his father witnessed the ruin of ‘The House of Ransom' and Mim's treachery was completed.

That night Hurin did not sleep and throughout the following punishing day he saw Turin driven on in the same fashion under the sting of many lashes.  Now Sauron had already gone on ahead and ordered the host to meet him at the Crossings of Teiglin where he awaited them there at dusk with a pack of Werewolves.  Sauron gave Turin a draft of thick dark-brown liquid to dull his senses and released him from the yolk.  Turin collapsed on the soggy ground with exhaustion and the effects of the fluid; he was unable to break his fall because his arms were so numbed by being held in a fixed position for too long.  Sauron dismissed the main body of Orcs to Hithlum saying "Our road now leads us through Taur-nu-Fuin; this way is better sniffed out by beasts, so I will require eight Scouts and a Whip-Master, oh and of course I will need this Orb.  Go now, in the sure knowledge that you have done a great service to Lord of Angband!"  Turin, still reeling and helpless, was then bound with thick straps onto a two-wheeled A-Frame which would later be harnessed to a sturdy Wolf.  The next morning Sauron mounted a great black horse that had no known name and said "On now to the Pass of Anach and home to Angband!"  Turin's wits began to emerge slowly as he was pulled along through the Eaves of Brethil and he soon recalled his plight; he tugged at his restraints to no avail, "It is no good to thrash about Boy," said an Orc laughing at his side and Turin reluctantly conceded that it was better for him to relax his muscles as much as possible.  It was long past midday by the time they crossed the Ford of Brithiach and Turin was supported by an Orc holding the lower strut of the frame; he welcomed the splashes that came over him from the pure waters of Sirion but when they reached the other side of the ford the Frame-Bearer let go of the strut so that Turin crashed down hard and the Orcs laughed uncontrollably.  Now before the company came into Dimbar they passed under the Crissaegrim and since Turin was bound face upwards he was the only one to see the Eagles of Thorondor wheeling overhead about their eyries in the westering sun.  They halted for the night at the sources of the River Mindeb, which lay before the Pass of Anach, because they wanted to steer clear of Ered Gorgoroth (for that place was even more terrible after dark) and they set up their camp.  Turin's frame was propped against a rock and only his arms were freed whilst he ate and drank greedily; his bonds were reset and he was placed flat on the ground as the unsleeping Wolves circled him throughout the night. Now at last Hurin was able to sleep for he knew that, at least for a little while, his son was at rest.

Of old Sauron fled to Taur-nu-Fuin after his defeat to Huan and Luthien, and there he hid until Melkor discovered his location and summoned him to Angband to await judgement.  At that time Sauron had left much behind which he wanted to recover; so now in the dead of night, Sauron called his chief Werewolf to him and said "We go tonight to our old abode in the dark forest for we have much to prepare, I leave it to you to tell your sentinels where to meet us."  The Wolf Chief asked "What of the prisoner, should we not bring him along?"  But Sauron was in haste and he did not want an extra burden, and so when his will was done they vanished from the camp; this was the third disobedience of Sauron.  It also proved to be a grave error because Sauron had already dismissed the ranking Orcs to Hithlum and the pack that he abandoned at the camp were now leaderless and unruly.  Hence it transpired that the Orcs and Wolves fought amongst themselves; the Orb was knocked aside in the scuffle and it rolled into a burlap sack thus concealing their deeds, in the end they went on a looting rampage and did not rejoin Sauron, and consequentially Melkor assumed that Sauron was plotting against him.  After a week of waiting Sauron was in fright and he sought for the wayward Orcs, they were met on the way to his residence with much plunder and more captives.  Sauron demanded to know all that had passed in his absence, and when it was revealed that these captives were escaped thralls and he saw a chance at redemption; he declared that all should feign that they were ambushed by crazed Elves and in the melee the Orb was lost, but the strength of the agents of Melkor overcame them.  "Say that they scattered but we hunted them down, one by one, and we brought their treasures in tribute to Melkor," said Sauron, and he insisted that the Orb now be destroyed but none could find it; "If the Orb be truly lost then this deception is too good to fail," he said, and he ordered extra lashes to drive on the captives as they proceeded with all speed to Angband. 

Storm clouds started to gather as they came along the north road that led out of the burnt forest to the high slopes of Taur-nu-Fuin.  The Orcs made camp for the night in a sheltered dirt basin on the marches of Anfauglith, and in celebration they began drinking riotously.  The high peaks of Thangorodhrim could be seen afar off from their site and Sauron's heart was stirred; he left the revellers for what would be a moment and climbed onto a boulder to get a better look, this led him to a high ridge and a clearer view.  Darkness fell and a wave of pride roused him further as he strode on towards his destiny, he began to laugh and a distant peel of thunder sounded a reply.  He stood then with his head back and with outstretched arms in the charged air as though challenging the approaching tempest; and eventually he heard the clatter of rainfall on his breastplate, slow at first but rapidly increasing and soon becoming torrential.  Thunder and lightning and wind crashed about him and he laughed ever the harder.  The storm reached its height and Sauron cried out loud, "Here I am Melkor, I return to you triumphant and thou shall know my worth.  I have withstood your wrath and now I come to claim my deserved honour and glory from thee. Thou shall not deny me and obeisance will be mine, for I am Sauron the Deceiver and the one true heir to your cruel might and majesty."  A lightning bolt struck his breastplate with a heavy boom and raw electricity shot out from his limbs and head as he screamed in exaltation.  When the torrent abated his smouldering form yet remained motionless in the same position until at last he crumpled to the ground.  He awoke at first light and pulled himself up from the damp earth, and as he caught sight of the jagged pinnacles of Angband he said "I am already forged anew."  He looked back towards the encampment and a dread took him for he did not realise until now how far out he came to meet the storm.  

Sauron sped back to the ridge and his anxiety turned to desolation as looked down on the boulder, for spread upon it was the carcass of his chief Werewolf with an arrow through its neck.  He climbed down and inspected the arrow and knew to be that of Beleg Strongbow, the famed archer of Doriath, and he understood his error.  He cupped his head and rubbed his eyebrows with flattened palms not wanting to look upon the scene that now awaited him, but fate finally caught up with Sauron that day.  He turned around delirious and inadvertently kicked another dead Wolf and he recognised the bearer of Turin; panic-stricken he looked towards the tree where the Orcs bound Turin the previous night and saw only an empty bark with knives stuck in it, with broken fetters hanging limp from a branch and chains strewn about its roots.  He saw the remainder of his Wolves scattered and lay in like fashion to the first; and he saw impressions of footprints divided in many directions, some Orkish and some Elven, and deep within him he tasted true betrayal and failure.  But fate had not yet finished with him, for at the very last an intense beam of sunlight dazzled his eye as it reflected from the Orb which had rolled out from the burlap sack at some point during the night.  Thus it was that Sauron took to flight and he enters no more into this tale; it is told by The Wise that he fled far beyond the Eastern Mountains and came not again into Middle-Earth until the aftermath of the War of Wrath when in the end he did obeisance to the Herald of Manwe.