3 | COUNSELS TAKEN

The sun rose against a red sky. As Aderthon stared out over the city, the flowering White Tree behind him some fifty feet back, he tried to push all foreboding from his thoughts. Aragorn would deliver his decision soon enough. Until then, the waiting caused a pounding in the base of his skull and a tightness in his chest that Aderthon could not rid himself of.

His right hand sat on Galmegil's pommel. The smoothness of the mithril sat cool against his skin. He tried to close his eyes, but the darkness that engulfed him when he did made him even more uneasy. Even the breeze that blew his brown hair across his face did little to cool his anxiety.

The sounds of heavy booted feet on the stone behind him pulled Aderthon away from his musings. He turned, and found the weathered face of his second in command highlighted by the sunrise. Aglaron, who hailed originally from Dol Amroth's Swan Knights, wore his sword at his side and red cloak across his back. He'd seen many winters, being a contemporary of Lord Bergil who commanded the Northern garrisons, but could still beat any fresh-faced warrior that the Reunited Kingdom put forth.

"My lord." His low, gravelly voice wasn't unpleasant to Aderthon as he came closer. "Staring off at the horizon will not ease your struggles."

Aderthon gave a half snort. "No. It won't. But I have little else to do with my time right now."

"You've got your sword, and I have mine."

"Indeed, that's true."

Turning away from the Pelennor Fields, Aderthon allowed himself a small smile. He moved away from the edge. Unsheathing Galmegil, he couldn't help but marvel at the dawn's light reflecting off the blade. Hope stirred in his chest, a tiny flame, but there all the same. His mother had wielded this sword in the face of all despair, more than once.

He glanced up. Aglaron watched him, falling into a practiced stance. Aderthon copied him.

"Are you ready, old man?" he joked.

Aglaron just scoffed. "Always."

"Good."

Their blades danced in the morning sun. Neither had the mastery, each equally skilled in his own right. As sweat built up on his brow, Aderthon smiled. They moved apart for a moment to rest.

"Are you going east, my lord?" Aglaron asked. "Word travels fast in Minas Anor."

"Indeed it does. Like the walls have ears," Aderthon muttered.

Aglaron gave a short huff. "It was that way even when I was a boy. The day King Elessar healed Lord Faramir, half the town knew by evening. Whispered words that the king had returned floated down every street and back alley. Bergil insisted it to be true," he added. "I was skeptical. I missed the Havens, and feared the return of the king would somehow cause my life to change for the worse."

Aderthon laughed. He shook his head. "I would hope it hasn't, though war has not disappeared under his reign."

"Nay, it has not. But it never will. There will always be things in this world worth protecting with our lives." Aglaron stood up straighter. "If you go East, I will accompany you."

"Aglaron." Aderthon wasn't sure what to say. There were few besides his own sisters and cousins that he trusted as much as his captain standing before him. "I cannot ask that of you."

It was Aglaron's turn to laugh. "I know you well, Aderthon. I've known you since you were just training to fight for the king. I've also known Prince Eldarion. So I know you two well enough to know that even if King Elessar forbids you to leave, you will go, and he will follow. Two is not enough to pursue the destruction of that ring." He gestured in the general direction of Mordor. "Even the halflings were four, and their company nine."

Aderthon stayed silent. The wind blew through what hair wasn't stuck to his sweaty, reddened face. He didn't know what to say at first. But as Aglaron didn't retrack his request, he just sighed. "If we go searching for Utumno without the leave of the King, you could be tried for treason if we return."

"I trust King Elessar, and I believe he will give you leave," Aglaron insisted. "But still, my request remains the same. I am already growing old. To die protecting my prince and my general would be a good death, whether out in the wilds, or here in Minas Anor."

"Aderthon! What are you doing?" Eldarion's voice broke through the otherwise quiet air. He rushed down the walkway. "We are to meet with my father within the hour."

Turning from his cousin back to Aglaron, he paused. Then he nodded. "I would be honored to have you join us." He turned back to Eldarion. "Calm down. I won't be late."

As he joined them, Eldarion just shook his head in exasperation, mouth set in a thin line. He said nothing more to Aderthon. Instead he just turned to Aglaron and bid him a good morning.

"To you as well, Prince Eldarion." He sheathed his sword. "I will not keep you."

Eldarion shook his head. "You are fine, Aglaron. It is my foolish cousin who needs reminding of the time. You're filthy."

"And I shall remain filthy," Aderthon said, laughing. "I have to train the Red Company after this council, and there is no point in bathing twice." He turned back to Aglaron. "Come on. King Elessar awaits us."

Though he seemed puzzled, Eldarion didn't question Aderthon's words as Aglaron went to walk to Aderthon's left. Their red cloaks with silver trees of the Reunited Kingdom billowed behind them. The three men reached the doors to the Tower of Ecthelion as one and Eldarion nodded to the Citadel Guard on duty to open the doors.

Aderthon wasn't surprised in the least to find Círeth and Elboron already there beside Aragorn and Queen Arwen. Círeth had a frown on her face, arms across her chest, and red hair in a braid down her back. Elboron looked nearly as frustrated though less angry. They all looked up as the trio's footsteps began to echo through the marble hall.

"I have made a decision." Aragorn spoke softly, glancing from Aderthon to Eldarion, and then to Aglaron who bowed. "Though my heart is troubled by it." He took a deep breath, exchanging uneasy glances with Queen Arwen before turning back to Aderthon. "I will give Eglanor what he asks, and you make take him as a guide, should he know the way to Utumno as we suspect. Eldarion may go with you, for I know he would follow anyway. But three is not enough to travel to the far East."

"I will go, King Elessar, if you will permit me," Aglaron said, wasting no time. "It would be an honor to protect your son and nephew."

Aragorn nodded. "Your offer is appreciated, and accepted."

"I will go as well," Círeth added.

Aderthon immediately protested, the same time as Aragorn. He would not see his sister put in danger for his own decisions. Eldarion shouldn't even have been going, had he had a say in the matter.

But she wouldn't hear more. "I will not sit idly by as another sibling of mine faces imminent danger. You can keep me here no more than you can keep Eldarion." She turned directly to Aragorn. "If you forbid me this quest, I shall go alone, by paths known only to my Rangers, none of whom would betray my trust to those you'd send after me."

Aragorn pursed his lips. But he nodded. "Very well. Though I am not happy about this." He sighed.

Two quick knocks on the double doors stopped their discussion. Aderthon turned from glaring at Círeth to the entrance and was not surprised to find a member of the Citadel Guard guiding Eglanor towards them. The elf kept his head high.

"You have decided, then?" He asked, coming to stand before them.

Aragorn frowned, but gave him a single, curt nod. He took a sheet of paper that Elboron, who had thus far remained quiet, held out for him. He handed it to the elf. "A pardon, as promised."

Eglanor smiled wide. "Splendid. Then let's get down to business." He turned to Aderthon on his right and pointed to the ring. "As you've already guessed, I'm sure, there is only one place still in Middle Earth where that trinket can be destroyed. The fire mountain lies dormant, Angband is sunk beneath the waves, which means only Utumno's forges remain."

"Does it remain?" Elboron asked.

Eglanor nodded. "The Valar were strong and effective in their assault, but hardly thorough. Their overconfidence was their undoing in those years, but it seems that will be to your advantage now. Utumno's deepest reaches were untouched once Melkor was captured."

"Morgoth," Aderthon corrected him. "My House named him that, and that he shall remain."

Eglanor glared. "Indeed, now he is Morgoth. But he was Melkor at the time, Fëanorion."

Aderthon went to deliver a biting insult, but Aragorn stopped him. He bit his cheek. Upon Aragorn's insistence, he let the elf continue on with his explanation.

"There are elves in the East, named Avari in the tongues of the elves here in the West. They are primitive, more primitive even than Men here." Eglanor made a face. "But still, gathering knowledge is a pastime of mine, so I spent many a year in the areas around Utumno learning what I could. I know paths that can get us to the fortress in relative safety."

Aderthon felt a wave of relief wash over him like waves at the beaches near Dol Amroth. They had guessed rightly, then. Eglanor knew where to find Utumno. And what more than that, he was prepared to guide them. "I will follow you to the East."

"Good. And I assume the Prince will be going as well?" Eglanor smirked. "you two are inseparable, do not appear so surprised that I guessed as much."

Aderthon couldn't help glaring as Círeth told him she would be going as well. She shouldn't be going. She should be here, where she could be safe, and where he could not be responsible for another sister's death. But he also knew her threat to the king and to himself had been no bluff. Her rangers loved her, and he had no doubt they would aid her in a quest to go East with them.

"Aglaron will go as well," Aderthon told Eglanor. Be gestured to the man beside him. "He is one of my most trusted warriors and has sworn to see this through."

"Lovely." Eglanor nodded then, and turned back to Aragorn and Arwen. "Anyone else?"

Arwen let her gaze linger on him, frown deepening. But she deferred to her husband. Aragorn shook his head. "I will think about it. For now, rest, and enjoy the hospitality of Minas Anor."

"I will, thank you."

"Elboron, see him out."

"Of course, my lord."

Aderthon watched Eglanor leading Elboron back down the hall, past the Citadel Guards, until he disappeared behind closing doors. They would have to set off soon. Already the year had started to wane, and he had no interest in crossing the Orocarni in the winter. He sighed, then turned back to Aragorn.

"The Red Company has training soon. I thank you, again, for allowing this."

"I promised your parents many years ago that I would protect you, and this decision must reflect that. To keep you here without hope of severing your tie to that ring is more dangerous than giving you a chance to free yourself."

Aderthon nodded.

"You can thank me by all of you coming back alive," Aragorn added.

Sharing a glance between Círeth and Eldarion, Aderthon took a deep breath. They would certainly try.