Isildur

shall once more sit in the high seat of Minas Ithil.'

'Such is our wish also, my king,' said Barathor. 'Nothing would gladden our hearts more than to see you restored to your own and the fields of Ithilien swept clean of the foul orcs. They are a sore trial to us. Our villages near the river are often raided by roving bands of orcs from South Ithilien, but they have done their foul deeds and crawled back to their holes before we can come against them.

'It is maddening,' exclaimed Duitirith. 'We could stop them if we could man all the old guard posts along the banks of Anduin as of old. But we dare not spare the men from the fleet. We are caught between two evils and cannot turn all our forces against either. Those blackguard Corsairs of Umbar sail forth each year to harry our fishing villages and ships. We never know where they're going to strike next. They have pillaged and murdered in dozens of our smaller ports over the years. Our ships patrol the coast, but it is rare that we get sight of them and rarer still that we can lay alongside them. The Corsairs sail smaller ships, no more than two hundred men in each, but they are well-handled and devilish fast. We chase them, but they lay closer to the wind than our ships. It drives us mad, watching them sail away, knowing they are carrying our people into slavery.

'Every year the Corsairs grow more powerful and more bold. Their attack last year was on a settlement in the Ethir Anduin, not twenty leagues from here. Some there are who whisper that they might even attempt an attack on Pelargir herself, though I myself believe they would not be so foolish. Still, they could be at sea even as we speak.'

'They are indeed,' said Isildur suddenly. 'It is most certain.'

Heleth blanched and gripped the hand of her husband, and the guests glimpsed for a moment the great fear with which the Pelargrim share their lives.

'We have had no reports of pirates off the coasts this half year or more,' protested Barathor.

'I have seen them with my own eyes,' replied Isildur, 'and within the month past has this blade been crossed with those of Umbar.'

'Alas,' cried Heleth. 'Full oft do the black sails ghost through our nightmares. But it is chilling indeed to know they sail again in reality.'

Barathor looked close at Isildur. 'It would seem there are tales and tales here. If the Corsairs are abroad again I would know all you can tell me.'

'Aye, there is a tale indeed, though it is not a pleasant one. Know you that we have marched around the whole of the Ered Nimrais, seeking allies for our struggle with the Dark Lord. But we crossed all of Calenardhon with little aid to us, and we grew discouraged. When we came unto Anglond it was at peace and many there were eager to ride with us to the relief of Ithilien. But the very day we arrived, the Pirates of Umbar fell upon the city and we were besieged there. They came in many long ships and they put the fields and the farms to the torch, until the sky was darkened with the reek. The folk of the country flew to arms and most reached the safety of the walls, but those caught in the fields or on the roads, the old and the lame, were hacked down like wheat before our eyes.' Heleth hid her face in her hands.

'Two weeks were we besieged there, while all about us bands of pirates pillaged the land, taking all they could bear off and despoiling the rest. Again and again they drove against the walls, but we held firm, and in the end they withdrew and sailed away to the south.'

'They remained in siege for two weeks?' exclaimed Barathor. 'They have grown bold indeed. They usually strike quickly and are gone in a few hours. It is not like them to lay a siege against a strongly held town.'

'Aye,' agreed Ohtar, 'the people of Anglond were not prepared for so strong an assault. There was but little rejoicing when they sailed at last, for many had died and the spring crops were destroyed, the livestock slain. We fear they will have a hard time of it when winter comes. We tarried with them until the dead were buried and the defenses repaired, but when we left that sad place, few indeed of the brave knights of Anglond marched with us. Many were needed to rebuild the town and the farms, others to toil in the fields to gather what might be gained before autumn, and still more mouldered beneath the great down and tall menhir before the gates of the city.'

'This is grave news indeed,' mourned Barathor. 'The people of Anglond are our friends and allies, and we have good trade with them in safer times. May they find peace.' He was silent for a moment, but then he looked again at Isildur.

'But you say you received little help from Calenardhon? What of the brave lords of the vast grasslands? Did they not rally to you?'

Isildur shook his head. 'The plains of Calenardhon are vast indeed, but few people live there. The only town of any size is at the great citadel of Angrenost in the southern end of the Mountains of Mist. The army of Gondor has long maintained a garrison there, for it is a wild and strange country, bordered as it is by the wild lands of Dunland and the mysterious Forest of Fangorn. The mountains have always been dangerous, but they have become much more so of late. Trolls and orcs and huge wolves roam those dark forests, and it is even said that the trees walk in the deep reaches of Fangorn. Of this we cannot swear, but the orcs are real enough, for we spied several roaming bands in the brief time we were there. The garrison was already undermanned since the muster for the war in the east, and they could spare but few. Still, threescore volunteered to join us, and they have proven fierce warriors and horsemen without equal.'

Duitirith struck his fist down on the table. 'A curse on all the servants of evil! They thwart us on every side. And were there no others to aid you in all the northern provinces?'

Isildur shook his head sadly. 'No. We had hoped for a thousand or more, and as many from Anglond, but it was not to be.'

'Then all the host we see with you now is from the southlands?' asked Duitirith. 'Still, I should have thought more would have risen to you.'

'The worst is not yet told,' said Isildur. Heleth raised her eyes to him, and he could see that tears already brimmed there. 'I am sorry, lady, to be the bearer of such ill tidings, but we live in evil times.'

'Tell us all, Sire,' said Barathor.

'After leaving Anglond we marched toward Ethir Lefnui in Anfalas. But on the way we met the remnants of the people of that city. The Corsairs have sacked Lefnui and destroyed it utterly.' Heleth gave a wail of grief and all nearby gasped in dismay.

'There were no more than thirty survivors all told. The rest were slain. The city was pulled down to ruin. There was no longer any point in journeying there. And so we pressed on through the highlands and crossed the river Lefnui near its source, not at its mouth as we had intended. A week of hard travelling brought us to the banks of the Morthond. There we struck the road which follows the river up from Ringlond, away down on the coast. Turning north, we passed through the great Blackroot Gorge with the river roaring and foaming far below, and emerged at last into the high valley of Erech. There indeed my chief hope lay, for the Eredrim are a strong nation and already sworn to our aid.

'We met there with their lord Romach and I called them to fulfill their oath. But they had taken evil counsel and they refused me in despite of their word. For their minds had been turned against us by an emissary from Umbar.'

'The cursed Black Pirates again,' cried Duitirith, leaping to his feet. 'They have ever conspired against us and harassed our ports and shipping. I urge you again, father. Let us sail against them and drive them forever from the sea!' Several of the younger knights shouted their agreement.

Barathor shook his head. 'We dare not. Not yet. They are mighty indeed, and we are sorely weakened by the war. It is all we can do to keep them from our shores.'

'They are the tools of the Dark Lord,' said Isildur. 'They work his will, thinking in their vanity that they will rule beside him when we are destroyed. They are but poor pawns to be swept from the board when he has no more use for them. We must first unite to strike down Sauron, then gladly will I take ship with you against Umbar.'

But Barathor's brow was knitted with concern. 'Yet now it seems we have yet another enemy at our door. The Eredrim are many and fierce in battle, and Romach a clever and experienced commander. If they marched against us, we could be hard-pressed to hold the bridge against them.'

'I do not believe that the Eredrim will assail you,' said Isildur. 'They have refused us their aid, it is true, but I doubt that they would take up arms against us. Romach hopes to hide in his fastnesses beneath the mountains until the war is over, then seek the favor of the victor. But they swore allegiance to me many years ago and they shall not so easily evade their duty. Romach has chosen to wait in the mountains and not come down. But he shall