Part Ninety-Nine
The larger party was perhaps five days on the road and suffering their occasional arguments when they came to a bend in the road as night was falling. Duma gave Snaga's neck a pat and then ran back along the line to find Lain. When they had begun the journey north, Duma had asked Dale who might have a map, since they were now without Kato and his excellent map-reading ability. He had been distraught when Dale had claimed he had no map and would just know the way. Duma spoke to Lain quite often and had learned he had a set of maps and now consulted him frequently on how far they had come and when they would change direction.
This early portion of their journey was defined well by the road, but Lain's maps were made by Sylvan Elves and had much useful information marked on them. The road turned here, because though it had been made by Men in the past for travel to through the extent of their domain, this section had been maintained in recent years by minions of the Dark Lord for their use and led to the place where his gates had stood, which would have been east, thus necessitating the eastern turn. But what it seemed to Duma when he looked at the map was that the road turned away from areas through which it was undesirable to travel.
They were near a haunted place. Some Orcs near the head of the line had already argued about how close they should go to the cursed place, and Loriol had run ahead with some other Elves to see that the violence did not escalate beyond their tolerance and they were not made to go too close to the haunted marshlands. Setsugekka asked Dale and the Grey if they knew, as scholars and Wizards did, that bogs and swamps might naturally expel vapors which could combust and appear strange lights in the dark, which common people believed souls.
"It smells foul with vapors," Dale said, "but it also happens to be cursed."
"We are learned ourselves in the west, but several battles were fought in this place and of them one was more horrible than others. The souls have gone on, but the violence, and desperation here made an impression that remains, as a scar remains on an old wound long after it is healed.
Dale huffed; he knew enough of scars and old wounds.
"It smells foul, that is reason enough," Marduk said to the other Chieftains as the small group and Elven Swords came to them. The five allied Chieftains were gathered together to argue the decision of where they should camp and how close they should move to the swamp. The road curved eastward here, but their destination was north northwest and walking closer to the marshes and the hills beyond, though without entering them, would save time, compared to the suggestion that they skirt far from the marshes.
"Many of my Orcs are Easterners and they know this land," Nergal said, "I am no Easterner, but I can control my own Orcs and know if they are giving me true reports. There is no danger here, so long as none go into the pools or chase after the strange lights."
"Nergal-Chieftain speaks smart enough for me," Ningishzidda said. He was half Easterner and has an imposing appearance, as the blood had mixed to give him westerner height and proportion of limbs with Easterner girth. He was easily twice as broad across the shoulders as any Elf and larger than most other Orcs. His reputation was that he survived more on strength than smarts, but his females were very clever and always near him.
Marduk's Clan, because its surviving members were those who had left the Mines with Nimrod after liberating a group of females that other Chieftains were hording, had more females among them than other Clans, but the other Clans, which had been called by the drums from many areas outside the Mines, had brought all those females that had been spawned in the wild and joined them or taken from the stronghold of the Mines earlier. Ningishzidda's Clan had frequent tests of strength in which the females were wagered, and the particular females of that Clan were quite content with the situation and being passed around to the most fit Orcs, but two of them, Innana and Ereshkigal, had been with Ningishzidda since before he was a Chieftain and it was said among females of all the Clans that they had given him advice that put him in power.
"There are Easterners in my Clan. We are not afraid of the marsh. The dead only take down the weak Orcs."
His pair of females were there, laughing.
"I think the Elves sense bad things," Dog said, "sometimes, not being afraid to do something is not good enough reason to do it. You are not afraid of water, but you do not bathe every day like an Elf."
"I thought I heard a little voice," Inanna said.
"Was it a bug? It must run away or our Chieftain will crush it underfoot next he takes a step," Ereshkigal said.
"We must make camp here while we are yet a distance from the place of the dead or move," Loriol said, being in charge of the group of Elves present. "we do not fear the place, but it is said by Elves who are old enough to know that the battle was so large the bodies were not taken away but buried here. It was the Sorcerous works of the Dark Lord that disturbed the land and made of it a swamp. Perhaps souls have departed to undying lands or whatever happens to Orcs souls if they have them…"
"What does it mean no souls?" Gibil-Chieftain asked loudly.
"Do you mean offense Rori?" Marduk asked.
"If I truly meant offense you would be in pieces," Loriol said quickly, "it is simply unknown to Elven kind whether Orcs do possess souls. It is argument for another time, my ally. There are dead lain here, and even though we do not fear long-rotten corpses, we must honor them. We cannot step too close to that place. And besides, it reeks of death and decay, I do think even Orcs enjoy such foul odor."
Marduk laughed. He knew that when Elves spoke in common speech for other races to hear and used 'orc' and 'foul' in the same breath it was wordplay.
"The Elves are not the only ones with a little one here, there are some among our Clans," Dog said, "it would be bad if a little one chased lights into the marsh and drown, dead bodies and fay lights or not."
Marduk made his posture serious again. "We will make a camp here, we cannot well escape the odor unless the wind shifts. The little ones should have already been closely watched. As soon as there is any light we will be gone and travel until we are beyond the marshes. Orcs of old days died here also, and we should treat the ground as a breeding pit and not disturb this place."
"So long as we do not skirt far and we do travel far in the coming day," Nergal said. "My Orcs have helmets and cloaks enough to travel by day. I do not fear the Yellow-face."
"I will tell the Elves," Loriol said. He did not think they would like that the Orcs had decided, but Marduk's compromise seemed best. He gave a hand signal for his Elves to follow and ran back along the lines of Orcs to report.
"What did they decide?" Lenaduiniel asked when Loriol slowed.
Loriol stopped and then bowed. "I explained why the place of the dead must be respected and the Orcs agreed, so we will not go any closer tonight. Tomorrow, we will travel skirting its edge only and perhaps press on into the night in favor of having the dead at our west days longer."
Lenaduiniel glanced at the others in authority. Gwindor and Dernder were there and The Grey and also Dale.
"I have no problem with pressing on through the night," Dale said.
"I would make exception to orienting the tents facing west," Dernder suggested.
"It will not matter to those without tents," Leanduiniel said, "and so we would only be sharing their lot by keeping the tents as we normally would, even if it means foul breeze."
"It would smell worse in summer," Dale said.
"There is that to be grateful for," Gwindor said pleasantly.
"I will have the tents pitched," Dernder said and he and Loriol left with the Swords.
Dale started to return to the horses, where Setsugekka and Ugarit were waiting, but Lenaduiniel called after him. "Dale, you know you are welcome to eat with us, if you like. There will be food enough. We all need strength for the journey and you have got as far to go as any."
"You need sleep," Gwindor said quietly, though just loud enough for Dale to hear.
Dale gave a nod. The fact that he and Gwindor had found other lovers had not changed that they understood much about each other. "I've tried," he said, "I'd rather be sleeping."
Dale left then and went to the horses to gather gear they would need to pitch their shelter.
When Dale was turned from him, Gwindor went quickly around groups of Orcs and Elves to find Duma, who was farther behind than Dale or the horses. He pulled Duma aside and spoke to him. "Dale needs to sleep," he said, "I do not care what must be done, whether you must give in to him and stop these arguments we know you have had, or if you must ask Ugarit or Setsugekka if they know a poison or medicine that will make him sleep to slip in his food or if someone must sleep beside him…"
"Sleep beside him?" Duma asked suspiciously.
"I do not suggest Dale must die of pleasure before he will be able to slumber."
Duma smiled, because 'die of pleasure' was further euphemism for the euphemism for what Duma had thought Gwindor was suggesting. "Then what did you mean?"
"That he have one near him as he slept as a guard. He and Tsuki were lovers, but I understand that before that, Dale was able to sleep at night if he believed Tsuki was nearby, awake and on watch. One he trusts must promise to take watch and seem convincing to Dale. I do not know that that will work…"
"It would seem smarter to use a drug from the start, but it would not work a second night. He would suspect the food and wander of to invite creatures to their death."
"I would be suspicious of the meat of any creatures found in this place."
Duma agreed with a nod. "I will try to help Dale feel at ease. I will submit to him if I must. He is my father and Chieftain. Though, I will not like it. He has yet to answer me such that I understand his decisions."
Gwindor smiled and put a hand to Duma's shoulder. "Duma, I have watched the seasons cycle a thousand times and yet I do not understand many decisions my father has made. Sometimes, all one can do is honor one because they are an elder, and accept that they may never understand or even be offered explanation. Sometimes, it is not our place to question, but to trust."
"It seems good advice," Duma said slowly, "And I appreciated your admission, but I have also heard that it is normal and common for sons to rebel against fathers."
"I have also heard that," Gwindor admitted, "Still, I think there is an age when one can come to understand their parent. Perhaps that age is not until one is a parent themselves and becomes filled with regret for all the worry they caused a mother or father in their youth, but I am not certain, because I have yet to truly reach this age of understanding of which I have heard."
"I will try to help Dale, Gwindor; you are a good friend to him to come to me and speak of the matter as you have." Duma then awkwardly put his hand to Gwindor's shoulder and leaned weight into it before they both parted. Gwindor returned quickly as he had come to his wife and sister, where they were pitching tents.
Duma went to find his Clan. They were usually easily found in the crowd by the presence of horses and Dale's red hair. Dale, Jareth and Ugarit were all working to tarps, poles and cord. The poles they carried were salvaged Rómendar short spears, which could be coupled by a metal brace in battle to make a double-headed spear, which could function as a long spear or a staff. The technology of the bronze couplings had intrigued the Elves and Orcs since their finding and it had occurred to Elves that the couplings could be used to form tall tent poles of short pieces. Thought, Dale's shelters used none of the couplings, only the spears and were low to the ground to better reserve warmth and blend into the landscape.
Setsugekka was near the others, retrieving bedding and cookware from the luggage on their horses. Duma approached and went to lift a stake. "What did you have to discuss with Gwindor?" Dale asked sharply.
"Am I not permitted to speak to him? He was our traveling companion longer than the others here have been."
Dale said nothing, but gave Duma such a look that said he did not believe Duma. It was true. If it had been Lenaduiniel, Dale would not have asked, but Duma and Gwindor had never been very friendly and familiar.
"I will tell you later," Duma said.
"We can manage the shelters. You tend the horses today."
Duma did not respond or complain. He went about the tasks of removing various equipage, brushing coats, replacing the horse blankets and then filling feedbags from the grain they carried with them in sacks. Traveling with horses in winter required carrying fodder of some sort, but before leaving the Silver Wood, they had divided the various gear their former traveling party had gathered, among the remaining members; with four horses, their luggage was manageable, because they had refused most gear that had not already been their own possession or something belonging to Tsuki. The horses the three other Elves had ridden had been returned to Beryl and left the Wood with other riders.
They had three similar tarp shelters. One was for Duma and Ugarit to share. The second was for Dale and sometimes Setsugekka shared it with him, and other nights Jareth. Dale would ask Setsugekka if she was to sleep on her own or not, and how she answered would determine the order Dale gave to his Orc.
Tonight it was to be Setsugekka with Dale.
The shelters were up and Dale said that he would help Setsugekka make their supper and it would consist of stores or things they had collected earlier in the day, rather than hunt and forage near the haunted place.
"I want to go make some trades and hear information from the Orcs," Ugarit told Duma. Usually, if she said this, Duma immediately said he would go with her. Neither asked the other's permission to act and neither invited the other to accompany them, but they would always go together and learn what they could from other Orcs, make trades, and keep up Clan reputation. Keeping up Clan reputation was common activity in places where various Clans of Orcs met. It was necessary to have tests of strength or smartness, exhibitions of body modification that proved tolerance to pain and things they had skill to make, and stories of deeds that seemed to show the Orc was smart or strong or in some other way advantageous to know.
"I want to go with you, but I need to talk to Dale."
Ugarit said nothing for a while. She was surprised Duma had not immediately offered to go with her. She remembered how Dale had questioned Duma about Gwindor and Ugarit knew also about the arguments Dale and Duma had. "Jareth can go."
He could. Dale had not ordered Jareth to do anything else. Jareth only went into the Orc quarters of the camp when he was with Dale or Setsugekka. "Jareth, you go with Ugarit so no Orc from our Clan will go alone to represent us, but first, change from that Elven butler outfit."
Jareth did not look at Dale, but he waited to see if Dale would challenge Duma's order. He did not. This meant of course that Dale was acknowledging Duma's right to give orders to Jareth, or that he was weak, and no one believed he was weak.
"I will find clothes," Ugarit said. "We can trade these garments for others maybe. Dale is handy with a needle."
A second did not pass before Dale and Duma spoke. "You can change there," Duma said, gesturing to under the cover of the shelter.
"Ugarit has proven advantageous to the Clan in her work with needles. I am not opposed to doing mending if I have the time, for it is true I am skilled, but Ugarit could show you how it is done. A proper valet should be able to do mending."
Duma quickly switched to Elven and said to Dale, "Orcs do not have valets, only Elven nobles. Orcs have pets and warriors and those it is advantageous to keep fed!"
"If I were fully an Orc I would whip you now for insolence. You cut up the whip. Jareth is mine. He is my valet and butler if I say he is so. He is no pet or slave. I give him food and board, do I not? And clothes to wear? And time to seek his own pleasure?"
"Fine! But if we go with him among other Orcs we are going to say he is an Orc in our Clan of low status. If he had been a strong Chieftain, Tashmetum might be alive!"
Dale shook his head slowly. "Let go of that. Let the anger pass, Duma. Trust that I know just what that feels like. Do not go into it again. You will not like yourself. Jareth is my Orc. He may have failed as a Chieftain, but all Orcs and Elves I have asked agree, if they speak the truth, that Jareth became Chieftain through series of field promotions and was a very skilled warrior. Never bring his status into question such that you or Ugarit must test your strength against him. He had the honor and intelligence to know he should submit and he submitted. Allow him to serve us, but do not treat him like a dog. You may give him orders, but I will not have the other Orcs think that Ugarit may command him."
"If he touched her I would kill him."
"There will be no need to test strength if there is never a challenge. Now, speak so they can understand and then you and I will go into the marshes. We need to speak privately, do we not?"
Duma was still for a moment, wondering about the marshes and then made a nod. "Dale-Chieftain commands that Jareth and Ugarit go speak and trade with the other Orcs, as I said. Jareth, Ugarit is a Precious One of our Clan and you must protect her and never challenge her. If you or any other has difference with Ugarit, you must bring the matter before me. She is my wife. A difference with her is a difference with me. Ugarit, Jareth is Dale-Chieftain's Orc and he has allowed me to send Jareth to protect you and assist you. Do not command or challenge him. Please allow him to protect you if you are in need. He will act under my and Dale's orders, and you need not feel in debt to Jareth if he must protect you. We are not in debt to Jareth."
Ugarit looked only at Dale then. "I say Jareth should not go among the Orcs in these clothes you dress him in."
"I agree, when going among Orcs Jareth may change his attire," Dale said.
Soon Duma and Dale departed into the marsh. They walked quickly over the cold ground, north, toward the behaunted place. Duma was wary of entering, especially as the ground beneath turned from cold ground covered lightly in snow to slush and ice-crusted pools. Eleven bodies were able to stand above the marsh, but this did not mean it was comforting to do so.
Dale felt no fear. He had certainly been in places where dead lay, and not only ancient barrows. He had done his share of burials, whether in the form of hiding bodies, feeding a breeding pit, or honoring fallen allies. If there had been evil here during the Dark Lord's reign, he felt no trace of it. This place was possessed of something else besides that taint. The Grey was correct in saying that there was something remaining here. Dale could sense the emotions of a great battle, and he knew such emotions well enough to recognize them.
"Do not spite a fellow soldier," Dale whispered in Vale Elven, "be at peace."
"I do not like it here. It feels like the very swamp is angry and hates that I yet breathe. It would drown me if I let it."
"You are mortal, but you have an Elf's sense of such things. We saw signs of that before, though. What do we have to speak of, Duma? Is it regarding your conversation with Gwindor."
"Gwindor is not my friend, but he is a good friend to you, Dale. He is concerned for you, and I am also. I am greatly concerned for myself! I do not wish to argue with you any more. You are Chieftain and my father and I do not truly wish to challenge you."
Dale laughed. "You would have to be Chieftain if you did."
"Only if I was victorious."
"But…I used to think that I would win, because I know my skills, but now I see. I understand that I could not kill you, even if it mean ruining Clan reputation and defying all Orc customs I have pretended to keep. I know that I have gone so far to threaten your death. I have struck you. I regret it all now."
"You are seeming strange."
Dale shrugged and turned to regard Duma fully. He gazed into his eyes. "When I threw myself between you and the Sea I understood. The pain was unlike any I had ever felt before, and I was left twisted inside and ill for weeks…"
"I am sorry."
"I never regretted it. You do not have to be sorry. Do you understand? I did not really think about taking the pain for you. I just did it. But afterward, I had time to think on it. I understood that regret did not touch my thoughts, because I fully accept that you are my child, and Duma, I love you. So, I could never allow myself to be responsible for your death if I had any way to prevent it. If you believed it necessary to challenge me as a Chieftain, I would not be able to allow myself victory. I would have to die."
"How do you think that would be for me? Having to kill you?"
Dale smiled slightly, perhaps a bit mischievously. "I think it would hurt you to do it, which is good. I think, you are close to understanding."
"Gwindor said that sometimes we do not understand why our father's choose as they do but must follow their wishes all the same, because they are older and wise and it is good to honor elders. I am…frustrated by not understanding you and your plans for us to go into the mines, but I am willing to trust that you have some understanding beyond mine and that you would not send me if you thought I would die there. I do not want to argue anymore."
"Your points were not without merit, Duma. You are smart. It may be true that if I went into the mines that I could do something good, for myself, or others. I might do many things. I might sacrifice my life for you, or become a greater Chieftain than I am now or confront old fears. But, if I went, you would be there only as my Orc. So, even though I hear and understand your arguments, I must not allow myself to go, in order that you may achieve the most good there for yourself and others while free of any real or perceived influence from me. I do not mean to give up on life, but if is true that though I am very young for an Elf, I am ancient among Orcs. I have done and seen more than most of those you will meet. I do not feel my future is among Orcs. Associated forever with Orcs on account on my past, but not necessarily among them. But you are always going to be what you are. I believe it is important that you do not cut yourself off from Elves or Orcs. If you do not go, you will be in danger of cutting yourself off from them. You must go, not I. Even if it is true I could help you there, it is better you lead those of my Clan through the mines. It is better you see that place again and know that you never have to be Elf Scream the pet again."
"I'm afraid."
"You probably should be."
"Dale, I am very frightened of going back there. I am afraid for Ugarit."
"You will not go alone. I told you, Jareth will go with you, and he is a much better warrior than he is Chieftain. You were trained in archery by the very princess of Wood Elves who are legendary in their archery skills. Lenaduiniel tutored you in diplomacy as well. You learned so much, Duma! All of Beryl's stories are not merely entertainment for nights around the campfire or hearth. They give examples of how ancient heroes overcame their hardships and made themselves legends. You know them well enough to quote them back to any Elf who does not understand the hidden morals and lessons within them, and so you must understand all Beryl attempted to teach you. You can nearly disarm Tsuki or I with knives against swords, and most Orcs are lesser skilled than he or I with such weapons. I am not sending you unprepared. Be afraid, but do not let the fear stop you."
"So many bad things can happen there…Dale, there are so many of them. I was a pet among them!"
"I know."
"Yes. I should not forget. You were a pet once."
"Oh yes, was I, and would you now imagine any Orc able to make me a pet? The very name Death-shadow is used to frighten lowly ranked Orcs through the north and in the east they say 'Orc-killer'."
"I will go. If you have been loosing sleep because I argued with you or worried you, you do not have to. Before we left, you slept often."
"I was recovering from illness."
"Is it that you no longer dream of him?"
Dale did not answer.
"Gwindor said that you trusted Tsuki very much when you trained as Rangers. He said that before you were lovers you were able to sleep at night if you believed Tsuki was on watch, because you trusted him. Do you trust me so much less? Even now, when you say you consider me truly your son and love me?"
"I trust you."
"You have not been sleeping. Trust me, Dale, or I will have Ugarit make a potion to put you to sleep."
"That is why…!"
"I do not wish to argue," Duma said flatly. "You would do the same if it were me. You had Laurel give me medicines when you thought it was for my good. I will watch while you sleep and you may watch when I sleep."
Soon they returned to the camp. Setsugekka sat with the Grey speaking of Wizardry and politics in the east sharing broth in pressed Wizard cups. Lain, Arë and Alqua were nearby, seated on a blanket spread on the ground and close enough to share bodily warmth as they drank steaming beverages from potter-spun bowls. Others were away laboring over the meal that would be their supper.
Lain invited Dale and Duma to sit with them; Duma accepted and sat near Arë, while Dale went on and crouched near Setsugekka's burner and pot to have broth. Alqua offered some of the herbal infusion she had prepared to Duma, but he drank from his flask instead.
"Why were you in the marshes?" Lain whispered.
"Dale and I had things to discuss."
"Were they private matters?" Alqua asked.
"I decided that I will go into the mines and not argue with Dale anymore. He is my Chieftain and Father and has years more experience than I have. He was correct to decide as he did."
"And Dale will not be going?"
"Yes. Dale will continue with Lady Lenaduiniel and the others to the Green Wood."
"We will go with you," Alqua said plainly.
"I do not really think it is a good idea," Duma said, suddenly feeling anxious again. "I am convinced I may have a chance of surviving, but to have you go…"
"We would not be the only Elves," Alqua said. "Or the only females."
"Or the only young," Lain added.
Arë said, "It may be useful to you to have the Orcs witness that Elves may willingly accompany you who are not Warriors ordered to give escort or prisoners. They will understand the advantage in making friends of Elves."
"Ugarit will not like it. She will worry for you females especially and feel obligated to protect you."
"Ugarit is a special person, Duma. She is a full-blooded Orc and my sister and I are full-blooded Elves descended from a noble line who have gone to dwell in the Wood and have seen close Elven friends greatly abused by Orc kind in our lives, yet we consider Ugarit also a close friend. She did not have advantage of half-Elven blood to ease our fears as you did. We saw that she was one who was young and intelligent and able to feel pained or slighted or oppressed, and able to feel happy or compassionate. Arë and I are not so young as you. We will go and protect Ugarit."
"Why you protect her?" Duma asked. "You are Elves entering an Orc stronghold."
"We will be Elves, but we will have Death-shadow Clan and Marduk's Clan and many Elven Swords interested in keeping us allies, and perhaps we have won over the other four Chieftains as well. Ugarit is smart and strong and has many trophies and tokens of strength and allegiance on her, and so I do note fear her physical safety, as even if one tried to take or harm her, you would be sure to give her aid, even without us there, but she is even younger than you, and last she was in the mines, she was only a little one and kept corralled like an animal with other female Orcs by a group of old Chieftains allied only in hoarding the Precious things for themselves and their own use."
Duma nodded. He had not told these things to Elves, but he believed this tale of treatment of the females within the mines was true and now understood Ugarit herself must have explained it to Alqua. "You wish to protect her spirit, her feelings."
"Yes."
"I understand, then if it is your own decision and choice as free and full-grown Elves, I will not argue your coming along. I will do my best to look after you inside the mines and be a guide."
"Full-grown?" Lain asked, "Is that an attempt to leave me behind?"
Duma shrugged. "You were old enough to wed yourself to Loriol, when most of your age and gender would have though to share pleasure for a time until they grew and met their love. You cannot rightly be a child."
"And I am older than Dale."
"Yes, but since you wed yourself to Loriol, I do not think I can against him that you should go where I have heard him forbid you going."
"But we are kin."
"Does it matter?" Duma asked.
"It might," Alqua said.
"Tigh has said he remembers that the Treeweavers and the Treetappers were closer kin than merely being both of the Vale Elves, because one who was wife to a Treetapper only a two generations before was born a Treeweaver."
"But our families must have both taken spouses from many other Vale Elf houses or be inbred."
"The Vale Elves that remained Vale Elves and lived in your valley were not very large in number," Alqua said, "They were all close. Even being Vale Elves makes you certain to be cousins."
"But Tigh's story would show that he and Lain are first cousins to Dale. Certainly they knew him well in childhood to recognize him after all these years and changes in his appearance. Though you are half Orc, you are a close cousin to Lain and though Loriol's wishes should be strongly considered, it would not be as proper for him to deny Lain accompanying a cousin on a journey as it would be for Loriol to deny Lain accompanying strange Orc on a journey," Arë explained.
"And besides, since Dale is not going, and the Swords are considered as soldiers in this, it would be improper for Alqua and Arë to go with you without some other Elf to play role of protector, even if only in name, as they are what Orcs call Precious."
They were unwed female Elves. Together they each insured that the other was not alone with a male, but it was more seemly among Elves that they be accompanied by a male who could protect them from outsiders.
"Ugarit and Loriol might complain," Duma said, "But I will not argue it any more. Perhaps it will be better for Loriol if Lain is near. He might fear for Lain to the point of distraction, but without Lain, he might be moved to cry over dead bodies again, or worse, being vastly outnumbered by Orcs. I do not think you will enjoy the mines. They were made by Dwarves and Orcs and there is no sunlight or stars to see. The air would seem stale and foul to Elves for certain."
"We are all willing to go, and to live or die by our decision,"
Alqua said firmly.