XVII OF THE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH

Long had the Council of the North been awaited, and eagerly discussed by Thranduil and by Bard. By the words of Caranthiel did Thranduil come to be persuaded that the Council should be hosted by the Woodland Realm, and when she spoke of this to the emissaries of Bard, they were glad. For Bard wished not to hold the council in Dale, that he might appear impartial to other Men of Wilderland, and if the council grew in size, hosting it might be beyond the reach of Dale.

In preparation for the Council was a great encampment raised in a clearing near Thranduil’s Halls, and its tents were of silk and cloth of gold, and its perimeter was ringed with Elven watch-posts, hidden cunningly among the trees. Halbrech, who was of Esgaroth yet who was a member of Thranduil’s court and in charge of importing all his wine, was sent to procure whatever quantities of wine would be needed, regardless of price. For Thranduil wished all who attended the Council to be treated as an honoured guest.

Yet it was not known in that time, not even by Halbrech himself, that he was in thrall to one of the Nazgul, for the Ghost of the Forest had captured him, and ensorcelled him, and left Halbrech with no memory of what had occurred. Instead, Halbrech only felt an unaccountable sadness which he could not explain, and found himself sometimes waking in a strange location, with no idea how he had gotten there. He thought only that he was beginning to lose control of his mind in his old age.

He had lost his wife some years earlier, yet a daughter, Hanna, was left to him, and it was to her that he now turned, and he trained her that she might replace him, and soon. She knew that something was amiss, even if she knew not what, and greatly did these troubles weigh upon her.

Rightfully worried she was, for in Gondor Halbrech acquired a particularly fine bottle of wine, of an old and most excellent vintage, and he thought to share this with the greatest dignitaries at the final feast of the council. Yet as he returned north, and passed by the shadow of the forest, the Nazgul came for him once more. Unseen it led him into Mirkwood and there he was given a most deadly poison, brewed deep within the pits of Dul Guldur, and with that poison was his finest wine tainted. And once more, Halbrech awoke from his malaise with no idea how he had come to be in the forest, or why he was there, with naught but feelings of misery, and no suspicions as to their true cause.

In the north, many were gladdened by the news of the upcoming council, and long discussion were had as to who was to represent the North. It was decided eventually that six representatives would there be for Man, six for the Eldar, and six of Durin’s folk and lastly the three Istari were each given a seat on the council as well.

Of the Men, the representatives were Bard, Beorn, Geirbald ‘Kinslayer’ of the Outlaws, Ceawin, Ingomer, and the Master of Esgaroth. This was thought to represent all men of the Wilderland, save for the Viglarings, who were at war with the folk of Beorn, and the Eafolc, who wished no part in such matters. When time came for the Council, the Master of Esgaroth wished not to leave his city without anyone to watch over it, and thus he gave his seat to Irminsul, that he might speak for Esgaroth, for Irminsul’s position in that city had grown much in recent years, and he was become the right hand of the Master.

Of the Elves, Thranduil desired to oversee the Council, and act as its patron, rather than be a member of it. For his wisdom, wealth, and the armies he commanded were all great, and he could have dominated the council had he so wished, yet he did not wish so.

And so, Thranduil would be arbiter, speaking rarely, and taking no vote. Instead, seats on the council were given to his kin and trusted advisors, save for one seat, which was given to Duvainiel, who represented the Wayward Elves. The other seats were given to Legolas, Caranthiel, Aerandir who was his captain of the guard, Ormal who was his master smith and Oropher who was his master huntsman and who had been named in honour of his father.

The Dwarven seats were given to Dain, Thorin Stonehelm, Gloin, Balin, Dwalin and Roäc, chief of Ravens.

With all of this being arranged, it came to be time for the guests to arrive and marvel they did when came to the Woodland Realm, for Thranduil had practically erected a city before his halls for the guests to stay in, and all guests were well tended to by Halbrech, who offered them fine libations.

Yet Dain still begrudged his Elven friends a little, and he wished to discover if there were any finer vintages in the cellars of Thranduil’s halls, and to the task of discovering this did he set Ubar, who was eager to do as his king asked. So Ubar found Gandalf, asking about Thranduil’s cellars, and gladly did the Grey Wizard tell the story of how Bilbo came to escape from those cellars, and he described everything with such detail that Ubar was quite sure he could find a way to enter them and retrieve fine wine for Dain. Yet Ubar did not go, for there were many other sights and distractions then, and he thought rather to go after the council was concluded, a decision which unknowingly saved many lives.

More secrets would Gandalf reveal to members of the Fellowship then, for Caranthiel found him and asked after the Lamps of Amon Lanc, for she knew then that one of those lamps was the Lamp of Balthi and hung even then in Woodmen-Town. Gandalf would not give a straight answer but spoke in riddles and of things that might have occurred on an adventure of, as he put it, an old man of some minor fame. He said that perhaps if the aforementioned old man had discovered an ancient lamp, he might have thought it gift it to the Woodmen, that it might protect them rather than let it hang deep within the halls of a King who needed not its protection.

Caranthiel knew of what he spoke and cautioned that if a certain King who would consider that lamp to be his property discovered the lamp’s true nature, he would be wroth indeed, and so agreed that for the moment it would be for the best if no one else was told of this. And thus, for the first time did Caranthiel withhold a secret from her king.

Beyond such stories, many great festivities were held at that meeting too, with archery contests, barrel racing, and a grand melee. Ubar and Irminsul fought in that melee, and while at first Ubar managed to hide himself cunningly amidst the other combatants, he was defeated by Elstan, first captain of Dale, who struck him with great force with his shield and trod him to the ground. Irminsul fought against Dwalin son of Fundin, greatest of Dain’s warriors, and many times was he struck by Dwalins’ great axe. Blunt it was, as was the weapons all who fought in that melee, yet Irminsul still felt the sting of it below his armour. Fought well he did, such that even Dwalin respected his skill, yet he could see there would be no victory, and yielded honourably, that he might not be injured ere the council began. The combatants had fought fiercely, and yet with honour as well, such that none bear grudge against his fellow competitors.

Not all preferred to fight on the melee field; some instead preferred to wage battle with words, such as Caranthiel. She sought out Dain and challenged to him a high-stakes riddling contest, which intrigued him greatly.

She wagered her bow Pennaeth, which had once been strung with mithril by the Dwarf-smith Gamil Zirak in Nogrod against the gems of Laslagen which Dain still owned. Greatly did Dain’s heart desire that mithril string, yet he had heard tell from Ubar of Ormal, with his mithril hammer and jeweller’s anvil, and he longed to see those more.

Thus, he agreed to wager the gems of Lasgalen, though if he won, not only would she gift him her bow, she would intercede with Ormal on his behalf.

Confident was Dain, for riddling was beloved by the Dwarves, and he had heard, answered, and asked many riddles in his time. Yet he was not prepared for the riddle Caranthiel asked, which was as follows:

“We are stars carrying the names of ‘leaves of green’, We glimmered long in the caves under trees, To shine on the neck of a beloved queen, A constellation to be made by craftsmen in halls by sun unseen, But our light brings darkness to hearts, And greed and pride all intention thwarts, So we never shone of the neck of one he loved most, Now to the living she is forever lost, And we were left to shimmer under a sky of stone, Until a dragon descended from his golden throne, After war to be a gift of peace, Promise of goodwill and friendship’s seeds, But none knew that a few stars had fallen, Under the first fire by a man’s hand stolen, Shimmering in the echoes of a well, Until some discovered where they dwell, Then we were split once more, To not bring repetition of Menegroth’s lore, And though we were promised twice, We remained unreturned, peace’s bitter price.”

Greatly did this surprise Dain, and all the Dwarves, for clear it was that Caranthiel meant the Gems of Lasgalen, which had once been the property of Thranduil’s wife, though much trouble followed them, as has been told elsewhere.

Dain knew the answer, and yet he knew too that he could not speak it without bringing great shame upon himself, and so he refused to answer, countering with a question of his own: “The greatest king of all am I, for I ruled not once but seven times. Who am I?” When Caranthiel merely countered that Dain must answer her question first, for she had been the first to ask, Dain still would not answer her and asked that instead they compete for best of three, though Caranthiel would not agree to this either: “I heard Dwarves are proud of their unchanging minds, so surely you would not change the terms of this contest now?”

Dain knew he was doubly defeated, and handed over the gems, though he demanded that he still be allowed into the Woodland Realm to see the mithril hammer and jeweller’s anvil of Ormal, for which Caranthiel would intercede with Ormal and with her king on Dain’s behalf. It is said that Ormal allowed Dain to use his hammer and anvil, and that in that moment, all care for the gems of Lasgalen and his loss in the riddling contest left Dain’s mind forever.

After this, the council began in earnest, the initial stages of the council being held in the open, on a raised platform amidst the camp. Of the Fellowship, it was Ubar who was the first to speak, and he spoke of the restoration of the Old Forest Road, for he wished to see the road renewed such that it would run through Mirkwood, and even to the Iron Hills, that trade might run freely throughout the North.

All agreed this was a laudable goal, yet there was concern as to how it was to be done, and who would undertake such a task. Irminsul spoke of those who lived in Mirkwood and closest to the Forest Road, that it would be most wise if they were to lead such efforts.

As this was discussed, an unexpected guest arrived. Valter had come, dressed in crimson scarlet and adorned with a helmet fashioned in the style of a dragon, and he spoke thus: “I will aid with the clearing of the forest. I am Ingold, son of Ingomer, and I have many men. We live within the forest, and we would gladly aid with the restoration of the road.”

Yet the Fellowship trusted him not, and Caranthiel spoke out against him: “And where was Valter when the goblins attacked Mountain Hall, or Black Tarn? And where was Valter when the Nazgul gathered an army, or when spiders held their Parliaments? Where have you been all of those times the Woodmen suffered?”

Valter replied thus: “My name is Ingold, and I was seeing to the safety of my own settlement.”

Irminsul followed: “You reside in the South of Mirkwood do you not? You sit at the very doorstep of the Hill of Sorcery, and an army of Forest Goblins was scattered close to your land not two years ago and yet you suggest to send men to rebuild the road? That seems most unwise. It is a noble thing, to look after the safety of your own settlement, and I pray you continue to look towards its safety for many years to come.”

Valter looked at his father then, and asked if he had nothing to say, yet Ingomer only hung his head. Once more rebuked, Valter stormed away, returning to Amon Bauglir.

This was not to prove the end of accusations at that council, for Ceawin rose and asked that his claim to the Kingdom of Rhovanion be recognised. Bard wished to support him, for he saw a man, once common, but raised up to be king as a kindred spirit. Irminsul trusted Ceawin not yet saw nothing to be gained by antagonising him needlessly, and thus said nothing. Ubar however, would not hold his tongue, and said to all that Ceawin was possessed by one of the kings of old, and asked his former friend to be himself and not do the will of others. Ceawin was a member of the Council, and to accuse a member of the Council thus was a grave thing. Thranduil spoke for the first time then, but to chastise Ubar. “What would you know of such a matter? My own emissary, Caranthiel, has journeyed with you many times. If Ceawin was possessed as you claim, would she not have forewarned me? Unless you have proof, I would not have this council disturbed by needless gossip, that is not how alliances are made.” Yet Caranthiel could not speak to any such possession, for she knew not what occurred, and if he had been possessed, or if he had changed merely because the weight of a crown weighed heavy upon his head. So was the Council resumed, Ubar told by Thranduil to silence himself, and was Ceawin’s claim to a kingship recognised.

The matter of the Viglarings was too discussed, and at first Beorn urged for peace. He would act, he said, if Viglar provoked him again, and yet he did not wish to go to war and see further death. Caranthiel and Irminsul spoke, and they urged for action, for Viglar and his followers had slain Beorn’s men, and taken his land, and continued to hold slaves. The end of the death would only come when Viglar was defeated, they said.

Beorn saw there was some wisdom in those words, and would oppose them no further, though he wished it to be known that he had spoken against war. Ingomer was friend to Beorn, and heard his words, and so he was unwilling to send any Woodmen to battle, which left the Elves, who would happily rain arrows upon the Viglarings, though they would not leave the safety of their forest to do so, and so it was agreed that the Viglarings would be fought with stealth from the trees.

The cutting of timber too was discussed, and thanks to the wise words of Irminsul was agreement reached, with timber to be cut only by the Elves and the Woodmen, though the prices of such wood would be kept low, and in return, the Elves would be guaranteed good terms and first choice on any fine goods which came from the East. Trade deals were also made between the Bardings and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, that the Bardings might build more from stone and less with wood.

There was but one last supplicant to the Council, Frar, who came to ask for aid in securing the Greydelves. He needed an army, he said, and had come to find people who would lend him soldiers, yet none wished to aid him at that time, and even Dain urged caution.

Irminsul bid Frar come seek him out in Esgaroth, and discuss such matters there, though he would commit to nothing, and cautioned that the peoples of the North had to look to their own borders and had not the strength to send an army. Bitterness was in Frar’s heart, for he had again been denied both the soldiers and coin he needed, though he held on to hope that Irminsul would aid him one day.

As those discussions drew to a close, Halbrech and his daughter Hanna came to each dignitary, offering wine. Irminsul took Hanna to a side, for he was concerned about Halbrech, who had a grim air about him and had spoken of how he needed to see that Hanna was ready to take over his position when he was gone.

Hanna spoke of the long journey she and her father had taken ere the Council began to procure wine. They had crossed the Misty Mountains, and gone as far west as the Shire, where Hanna had been delighted to see the Hobbits, and as far south as Gondor. She thought that this journey had sapped her father of his strength in his old age, for she knew not else how to explain his recent moods. Irminisul was troubled, and he offered to speak to Halbrech in case there was more to be discovered.

Meanwhile, Ubar sought out Gandalf, and discussed with him the matter of Ceawin, for troubled he was that Ceawin still sat on the Council. Gandalf told him then that the master of his order, Saruman, would possess the power to drive out a ghost if Ceawin was indeed possessed and if the ghost had not driven out his fëa from his body.

For the houseless oft attempted to deceive the living into surrendering control to them, and the houseless could not drive out the fëa until the host had given up. He cautioned too that to drive out the ghost by force would certainly draw the attention of the Eye and should only be done in dire need. Instead, by acts of kindness they might hope to reach Ceawin and so help him to reject the ghost which had invaded his body. Ubar heard this and despaired that he had made things worse, for he had achieved naught but to antagonise Ceawin.

It was at that time that Irminsul found Halbrech, who still held fears he could neither understand nor describe. He held an ill foreboding that the guests would not pleased with the conclusion of the festivities, and that he might not be able to remain as Thranduil’s wine merchant for much longer, and he tried to put these fears down simply to his advanced age and to the pressure of having to supply so much fine wine for all the great and the good of the land.

Irminsul reassured him that he was indeed one of the finest merchants he knew, and that he could not have done better, yet greatly was he troubled when Halbrech revealed that his memory had been failing him in recent years, and that often, especially when he was alone and near the forest, time would pass, and he would have no memory of what had occurred. He told of how when he was returning from his expedition to Gondor, and passed by the south of the forest, a blackness came over him for some time, and upon hearing this Irminsul knew that it was not just the failings of old age.

He brought Halbrech at once to Thranduil and spoke of his suspicions that a Nazgul had dominated his mind. Hearing this, Caranthiel went to the cellars to compare something Halbrech was known to have written to the records of the Woodland Realm that they had found many years ago in Dol Guldur and found that the handwriting matched. There could be no doubt now that Halbrech had been ensorcelled and compelled into the service of a Nazgul.

Thranduil at once ordered the wine to be recalled and replaced with older wines that had been in the cellars since ere Halbrech had made his great expedition. Caranthiel found Saruman and brought him to the halls and to Halbrech, and there Saruman asked to be left alone to question him, for who knew if the Nazgul could be watching through Halbrech’s eyes. Thranduil left his own throne room unwillingly, yet all else were eager to give the White Wizard the space he asked for.

None now know what occurred between Saruman and Halbrech, yet when it was done, Saruman said that he had destroyed the Nazgul’s hold on Halbrech’s mind and discovered where the tainted wine was held. One bottle of exceptionally fine wine from Gondor had been laced with the deadliest of poisons from Dol Guldur, and it had been intended for the Council. The wine was locked away, Halbrech was cared for by Hanna and by Elven healers, and the Council continued. All of the members of the Council assembled in a private chamber within Thranduil’s Halls, and none were present save for full members of that council, except for Ubar, for Gandalf has insisted on having his own personal cup bearer, ostensibly because of recent events and the untrustworthiness of wine.

Thanks to the wise words of Irminsul and of Caranthiel it was agreed that the Council of the North would officially recognise the Fellowship of Mirkwood, and that the Fellowship would answer to the Council. This was to be done in great secrecy, that none outside of the Council might know of this, and that the actions of the Fellowship might be hidden from the enemy.

All members of the Council would need to give aid if a member of the Fellowship asked for it, and membership of the Fellowship would be proven by means of a raven sigil. Irminsul was to be leader of the Fellowship, and future leaders would be elected by members of the Fellowship.

In return for these promises of help, the Fellowship too promised to aid the members of the Council; Duvainiel made them swear to protect the Ancient Oak, Ingomer had them swear to protect the Black Tarn, and Saruman bade them to bring any artefacts of elder days that they might find for his inspection.

This all being agreed, a contract of great length was written and signed, and the Fellowship became well prepared and well organised to combat the Shadow.