XII OF THE OLD FOREST ROAD AND THE FALL OF VALIN

Long had Valin Brandbeard, son of Girin, dreamt of restoring the Old Forest Road to its former glory, and he was joined in that dream by Bofri, son of Bofur, as has been told. Thus, when Bofri sent his raven to all the members of the Fellowship, that they might aid him in the recovery of the Millfort, and of the Roadwarden’s Staff which was believed to lie within, it was Valin who answered most happily. Ubar wished to answer too, and yet his arm had still not fully healed, and so he remained at his forge.

Valin wished to aid Bofri as best as he could, and to that end, he brought Halfdan and Irminsul to the very gates of Erebor. Rare it was for those who were not of Durin’s Folk to come beneath the Misty Mountain, yet they were allowed passage, for Valin vouched for them, bringing them even before Dain.

“My King, for the past few years, I have been travelling Mirkwood with friends of mine. I would like to introduce Irminsul, son of Ulfsar, a man of the Lake. Very sturdy fellow, good fighter, good mind for business too. And this is Halfdan, son of Halfmark, from the mighty city of Dale, similarly good mind, good cunning, and very skilled with a bow. Without them, many times I would not have made my way out of Mirkwood. Would you recognise them as part of my retinue, and recognise the endeavour we are all set to go on, to reclaim the Millfort and the Roadwarden’s Staff, my king, so that our expedition might be proper in your eyes?”

Thus, replied Dain: “I have heard many ideas, Valin. of reclaiming many things that are lost, and those ideas have seemed mad. I thought Thorin mad too when he set out to reclaim Erebor yet reclaimed it he did. You remind me of Thorin now, and I will not begrudge you aid. I recognise your companions and your quest, and I spend with you three of my warriors.”

These warriors were the brothers Iari, Dori, and Ori, the latter two of whom had been given names after their distant cousins, who had been members of the company of Thorin.

While the brothers armed themselves, Halfdan wandered inside Erebor, and saw the majesty of the Dwarven kingdom. He climbed upon tall bridges, and saw the measure of Dwarven stone-cunning, for both deep and beautiful were the mines. He threw a single coin into those pits for luck, and ever after did the men of Dale wonder if that brought good fortune, or ill.

Yet there was no sign of troubles then, and the Fellowship departed confidently, with Dain’s blessing, and the support of his soldiers.

They sailed down the River Running and with but a little effort dispatched the marsh-dwellers who climbed up onto the boat of Irminsul along the way. Yet after they entered Mirkwood, Valin saw their path led them towards forest goblins, and a shaded figure, hooded and cloaked, who spoke to the goblins with a voice of death and around it clung shadows and darkness, for it was of the Nine.

Irminsul acted as their guide, and though he thought at first that this hooded figure boded ill and that it would not be wise to face it, he came to think that it would worse to leave the Old Forest Road and be forced to venture far from their path, into trackless Mirkwood, to avoid these foes. Thus, he advised the Fellowship to attack, and Iari, Dori and Ori were all gladdened at this, for they hated all orc-kind, and thought little of one hooded figure. The Fellowship charged in to battle and were rewarded with misery and death.

With ease were the Forest Goblins dispatched, and yet Mirkwood is treacherous, and greater threats than spears exist under its misshapen and twisted branches. It seemed as if the forest itself conspired against the Fellowship, as rotten trees collapsed, and black mushrooms released foul spores and gases which blinded Valin.

And as this occurred, the Nazgul came with deadly laughter from a mouth unseen. Halfdan bent his bow, and let his arrows fly at it, and yet it still came. The Nazgul was a thing of terror, and the Dwarven brothers were paralysed in their fear when they saw the darkness that clung to it. Valin was blinded, and thus saw not the fell form of a Nazgul at close distance, though still he heard its horrible cry. He was blinded but still knew from which way he had come, and so Valin took Ori by the shoulder and fled from the accursed clearing into which they unwisely entered.

The Nazgul breathed his Black Breath upon Irminsul, and even invaded the very sanctuary of his mind, compelling him then into its dark bidding. Halfdan lifted Irminsul to his feet ere he left to see to his own safety, though he knew not then that Irminsul was now a servant of the Enemy, and in that time the Nazgul took Iari by the hair and severed his head from his body. Irminsul arrived then, attempting first to distract the Nazgul with cunning words, yet found his tongue fixed and no words came forth. He made one last try to resist the Nazgul’s will, aiming to lift Dori and carry him away to safety. Yet his hands were lead and he could do nothing but leave. Thus was Dori left to a cruel fate.

The Fellowship arrived at the agreed upon meeting place along the Old Forest Road, and though there was yet no sign of Bofri, Beren was there, for he too had received a raven from Bofri and had answered the call for aid.

Beren had had little difficulties in coming to that place, avoiding spiders and other foul things with stealth on his journey. Soon after setting out, he had come upon Amaswinta, who was cousin to Amaleoda of the Black Tarn, and Amaswinta told him then she had gone north to aid Beorn in the struggle against Viglund and his folk, who had just seized the gate to the Elf- path. Yet when she had arrived, it was already too late and Viglund had driven off Beorn and fortified the gate.

She yet bore wounds the Viglundings had given her, and Beren tended to them. Troubled he was by this news from the north, and he vowed to visit the Black Tarn, for Amaswinta told him of Amaleoda’s need for aid.

Tales of Amaleoda will be told, to the tale of the Old Forest Road we must return now.

Whatever troubles Beren had heard on the road, he was told now of what had befallen his Fellowship and these woes would be enough to tear the heart from any man. Yet sorrows were still to befall them, and their troubles would not relent.

For when they rose on the morrow, Valin found the heads of Iari and Dori at his feet, left there in twisted mockery by a foe who could pass unclad and unseen and who sought to drive them to woe. For the Nazgul knew they sought the Roadwarden’s Staff and wished to prevent their regaining it by any means. It was a close matter, for debate was held over the remains of their fallen Dwarven allies. The Fellowship discussed where they should bury them, with suggestions that they be buried right there by the Old Forest Road, or in the Mountains of Mirkwood, or that perhaps the Fellowship leave Mirkwood entirely to bury the remains.

Irminsul spoke thus: “It would be well not to bury them here. Bofri can afford to wait a few days.”

Valin replied: “Let them be buried at the Millfort, for which they died.”

“That is a poor idea Valin. We do not know what is at the Millfort. I simply recommend against burying there. Better that we take them back to their people.”

“Then let us bury them here by the side of the road, where travellers travel, that they might see their sacrifice was not in vain.”

Beren at first had offered to remain behind, that the others of the Fellowship might take the Dwarves’ remains out from under the trees, but he heard the wisdom in Valin’s suggestion: “If we bury them here by the roadside, then when the road is restored, their kin may make homage to their burial sites.”

So it was decided, and Valin dug the grave. Ori emerged from his tent, and paid tribute to his brothers together with Valin.

Yet when it was time to come to the Millfort, Irminsul spoke to dissuade Bofri and the Fellowship, seeding doubt in their minds as to whether the Millfort could even be found, or what dangers might dwell there now, or how many more lives would need to be given to reclaim the fort.

Though his words were driven by the Nazgul’s foul commands, there was yet truth in it, for they found the fort, and the fearsome beast that had made its home there: Tauler, son of Shelob, the most dread and fearsome hunter in all of Mirkwood.

Tauler was sleeping at that time, lying on top of the fort, and Beren made to pass underneath the spider by means of his great stealth. He would have passed alone, and yet Irminsul would brook this plan not, and he strode forth with little stealth, but with much guile. Valin saw this and made attempt to seize him and halt his progress, and it was this clamour that woke Tauler.

Beren and Valin ran into the trees, yet Halfdan stood but still in terror. Of all of them, only Irminsul did not wish to run, for he had a twisted purpose forced onto him, and he produced a great opal, the stench of Smaug yet upon it.

Tauler hungered for this gem, and when Irminsul laid it down as an offering, it thought of naught but the gem and consumed it while Irminsul passed freely into the tower. After a moment, Bofri followed too, surprised at Irminsul’s cunning, and that the other Companions had not followed Irminsul, and passed the feasting spider.

Bofri found the Roadwarden’s staff with the fort, well hidden with ancient Dwarven spells, and he rejoiced. Yet his joy turned to fear as he came to finally realise that darkness lay upon Irminsul’s mind and was troubled by Irminsul’s words. “We have suffered much tragedy for that staff. Perhaps it would be better if we left it here. People aren’t meant to be in this place. We should never have come here.” Bofri understood not what had happened to his friend and thought only that he must find his other companions.

He found Halfdan swiftly but found him still to be rooted still in terror. His feet pounded the defiled forest floor as he ran, and it was a time ere Beren and Valin found him. He told them all he had seen, though he understood those sights not, and they returned then to the Millfort, and to Halfdan.

Valin remained with Halfdan, while Beren and Bofri crept past Tauler. The spider feasted still, yet much of the gem had been consumed, and that feast was soon to come to an end.

Beren and Bofri came upon Irminsul, who held the staff as if he meant to break it. Beren lifted his sword and struck Irminsul with the broad flat of the blade, such that he fell unconscious, and could be carried away safely, while Bofri reclaimed the staff.

Outside the fort, Valin hoisted Halfdan onto his shoulders, and it was at this time that Tauler was done with his meal and desired another. Valin ran yet his feet could not carry him fast enough, and the child of Shelob gained ground.

Beren and Bofri made for a different direction, and so escaped the fort while Tauler chased Valin.

Halfdan would still not rouse himself from his stupor even as Tauler came almost upon them. Valin would not leave his companion to death, and so he gave his own life for a brother in arms. He put Halfdan down, and running made great cries and taunts to Tauler, so that Tauler followed him and attacked Halfdan not.

Battle was joined, and Valin struck with Markhul, and with his trusty mattock, yet it came to naught and Valin fell before the great beak and the many stomping legs of savage Tauler.

It was Beren who found Halfdan and then recovered Valin’s corpse. At the sight of Valin dead, Irminsul collapsed, and wept in despair for what he had done.

Sunshadow had fell dreams at that time, and as the Fellowship emerged from the murk in the gloaming, the River-maiden was there, and heavy did the burdens lie on her heart, for what had happened to her husband, and to her husband’s friend. The tears of Sunshadow and of Irminsul mingled and became as one, and the fish and all the creatures that live by the waterway’s banks felt the River-maiden’s sorrow, and they joined the Fellowship’s boat as it sailed back to Dale.

Halfdan had befriended the ravens of Ravenhill ere he had answered Bofri’s summons, and he asked a raven then to bring word to Dain of what had occurred. And so it happened that the King of Erebor too felt great sorrow, and he came to Dale with a gleaming retinue of Dwarven soldiers to salute the Fellowship at the docks, as the Fellowship sang in honour of their fallen comrade.

Valin was buried in Erebor and given the highest honours. Great indeed was his funeral, for Halfdan put almost everything he had towards that memorial, so that he was left with but one copper piece. He brought that copper piece into the mines of Erebor, and threw it into the pits, as a last goodbye. It is said that upon a time, travellers in the Dalelands and the Marches would see in the distance a lone man, wandering, and seemingly burdened with great sorrow, and that this was how Halfdan, son of Halfmark, passed the rest of his days.

Sorrow such as was felt then in Erebor had not been felt since the Battle of Five Armies, and the passing of Thorin, and ever after was the Millfort known as Valingathol in Valin’s memory.