A/N: Chapter 10! Woohoo! Also, now we get a look at the final piece of the puzzle at the end of this chapter. Everything I introduce in this story is A) for the good of this story but also B) setting up what will be my final story in the Chronicles once we get there. Enjoy!
Dol Amroth
Elboron rode atop his horse carefully as the company made their way down the road to the gates of Dol Amroth. The huge, white gates were still open. The sun was just sinking to their West, and the twilight glow of evening was settling upon the land. Malika had never seen so much grass in one place, ever in her life, as she had this last week. And now she was soon to witness a sight she'd only dreamed of.
"Dismount," Fëalas told her rangers. "Go find the tavern. Have fun for the night."
They grinned widely and did as they were instructed. Fëalas and Elboron dismounted as well, followed by the two Haradrim ladies, followed by their servants. Malika looked around at the city. White paths and white stone walls were decorated with soft cloths and draping flowers of purples and blues. An enormous fountain of swans stood in the entry square, and smaller fountains dotted the streets which wound up and up to the pinnacle, the royal houses.
"Elboron!" came a shout from up ahead. "Lady Fëalas! Tis good to see both of you!"
"Elphir," smiled Elboron to the older man. "It is good to see you, too!"
"And who might these be?" Elphir turned to the Haradrim. He looked on them kindly.
The youngest grinned widely. "I am Malika, daughter of Chief Saleem and Chieftess Jadyra, fifth of their house."
"Well, welcome, Lady Malika, to Dol Amroth." He smiled at the young girl. Turning to Adira he spoke again. "You must be the Lady Adira?"
"Indeed, lord," she bowed her head to the man before her. "Thank you for your hospitality. These are our servants Mahmud and Jamila."
Elphir smiled at all of them and gestured with his arms around him. "Welcome! All of you."
They went inside the main royal house, leaving the stable hands to deal with the horses. Malika and Adira looked around in wonder at the architecture. While it didn't have the beautiful mosaic tiling of their homeland, it still was very impressive in a different way. Jamila and Mahmud, as always, stood back, but they were just as curious as the other two Haradrim.
Elboron led the girls over to a large feasting table where five places were set. As they each sat to eat, Alphros came bounding down the stairs and slipped dramatically into his spot at the table. His father looked at him disapprovingly, but Alphros flashed him a cheeky smile and turned to the other members of the table.
"I am glad you arrived safely," he told them sincerely. "Now we may eat together."
Elphir sat down at a spot across from his son without food and nodded for them to start eating. At first they dined in silence, everyone eager for a real, savory meal. It had been weeks that they had survived on what the rangers could catch and what fruits, breads, and cheeses they had packed. Now they had real, cooked food.
They ate together for about and hour. After this, Elphir had Alphros show the guests to the guest house. Jamila and Mahmud slept in one room of the large guest house, while Malika and Adira shared the first room on the left. Fëalas took the room on the right, and Elboron the second on the left. The Haradrim went to bed quickly, exhausted from the new excitement the day had brought. But Elboron and Fëalas stayed up in the common room where the fireplace blazed brightly.
"I am eager to get home," Elboron sighed. "I miss Lothuial."
Fëalas smiled softly, her face lit with kindness. "I am sure you do. We will be home soon enough. Probably about three, three and a half days."
Elboron nodded. He knew it wouldn't be long, but it had been nearly five months since he'd last been in Minas Tirith, and he missed it greatly. Gone were the days when he lived in Ithilien; Minas Tirith was home now. That was where he had met his beautiful wife, Lothuial. They'd been married three years, and were finally expecting their first child any time now. He yearned to be back, and hoped with all he had that she had yet to give birth.
Fëalas on the other hand was thinking hard about nothing in particular. Sometimes when she had downtime like this, she found her thoughts drifting towards her lost family members. She remembered her mother, Míril, and father, Elrohir. She missed them terribly, and often wondered what they were doing in Valinor. Then her thoughts would drift to darker thoughts… thoughts of Tinneth, her deceased, corrupted sister. The dancing fire reminded her of the explanation she and her siblings had received so many years ago: the Spirit of Fire burned too hot within Tinneth.
Rhûn - Unknown Location
Deep underground in dark passageways and gloom-filled caverns, a group of men and women stood around a fire and an altar. Near the altar stood a man wearing black armor so smooth and otherworldly it looked like a second skin. A hood and veil covered his head and lower face. His companions were dressed similarly, though their armor was a facsimile of leather.
The man spoke to the group, voice deep and rough. "The cursed man managed to raise her, after all."
"It is an abomination to Vultur that she lives again," spoke a woman in the front. "It is time we act once more, Kir!"
Kir, the leader, nodded quietly, silencing the raucous insistence of the group. "You speak truly, Akilina. And I know we all agree."
Akilina nodded to him. The two were married, and what a power couple they were. Kir, leader of the Coven of the Eagle, was the bearer of the Armor of Vultur. The Coven was an assassin sect of the Order of Vultur, a group of dedicated followers to their eagle god Vultur. Master assassins, the entire Coven was an illegal enterprise in Rhûn.
The Gondorians kept a very sparse but to the point document on the "Cult of Vultur":
A Report on the History and Tendencies of the Cult of Vultur (Rhûn)
Historical Context:
The Cult of Vultur seems to have been born of a unique combination of Orcish and Elvish legends based on the Maia Eonwë. Most every character in Orcish mythology can fit into one of two categories: either they are a terrifying monster that will help you kill all the Elves, or they are a terrifying monster that will kill you and your tribe. Among the second category falls their version of Eonwë, Soronár (roughly Fiery Eagle) the Predator. This character from Orcish folklore is a ruthless and cunning Balrog like creature who leads the Great Eagles in a quest to rid the world of Orcs. He is often portrayed as stealthy and treacherous, in contrast to Orcish legends about of Tulkas and Oromë.
Long ago the people of Rhun seem to have taken up the character of Soronár as a symbol of their resistance against the Orcs and various worshipers of Morgoth. They called him Vultur, The Eagle. It is generally believed that the wise in Rhun understood that he was the same as the Maia the Elves call Eonwë, because a number of their rituals seem rooted in Elvish stories about The Herald of Manwë.
Among those who worshipped Vultur were a group of assassins who have become closely associated with the name of Vultur. It is unclear if they took Vultur as only their symbol or if they actively worship him. Their origins are unknown, and it is unclear whether they have existed continuously since their first appearance or if mercenaries and assassins band together under the name of Vultur whenever Rhun is in grave danger. It is my belief that the truth lies between the two extremes. There seems to be considerable evidence pointing to the existence of a small but extremely capable group of assassins in Rhûn who kill in the name of Vultur, and "The Cult of Vultur" is generally meant to refer to them. Additionally, in time of crisis many rally around the myth of Vultur and attempt (with varying degrees of success) great deeds in his name with no sign of the calculating strategy indicative of the professional assassins.
The age of the cult is unknown, but they were certainly well established by S.A. 2250 in opposition to the alliance between King Khamûl of Rhûn (later second of the Nazgul) and Sauron. Unfortunately their attempted assassination of Khamûl worked to Sauron's advantage: thanks to his ring, Khamul survived a poisoned dagger to the heart, and Khamul used this as an example of Sauron's miraculous power. Despite the Nazgul's best efforts, Khamûl was unable to eliminate the assassins and the Cult of Vultur survived through the Second Age and the Third.
Strategic Analysis:
Throughout The Cult's history they have consistently opposed Sauron and his servants. They destabilized Sauron's armies in Rhun through assassinations of Sauron's priests and generals. There are reports that some number of assassins of their order marched with the armies of Mordor and assassinated their own commanders during the War of The Ring.
The Cult has been fairly quiet during the early years of the Fourth Age. There have been some reports of rangers dressed in black armor protecting travellers from Orc raiders on the roads in Rhûn - actions which locals consistently attribute to the Cult of Vultur.
On a large scale there is little we can do about The Cult. Sauron had millennia and armies of devoted followers, not to mention the Nazgul, and he was unable to eliminate them. It seems unlikely that we can do anything to weaken then beyond rendering them less necessary. If we somehow find ourselves in contact with the Cult's leadership I advise that we present ourselves as potential allies, glad that they are working against our common enemies.
If they determine us to be an enemy, our greatest asset is distance: the Cult has shown little ability to project power beyond the borders of Rhûn. While their assassins are clearly incredibly trained and equipped, they seem inclined to limit their activities to their homeland. Rhûn has fought a number of wars with human societies considerably closer to their homeland than we are and in these cases there are no credible examples of the Cult of Vultur taking offensive action. For the sake of completeness I must mention that there are a few examples of assassinations of Orcish leaders outside of Rhûn, but I do not believe we in Minas Tirith or Dol Amroth need concern ourselves overmuch with the Cult.
The Coven was well aware that the Reunited Kingdom was attempting to keep tabs on them, but they were also confident in their ability to avoid it. Between Kir and Akilina, they were well equipped to constantly train new recruits. But they were going to need all the help they could get if they were to destroy their most recent target.
They would need help to destroy Berúthiel.