Of Wraiths and Kings, and Friends and Rings (Calling All Nazgul)

[Valandil]

Between times of very deep sleep when he would snore more loudly and deeply than usual, Valandil tossed and turned in his lighter sleep, muttering, "Earndis.... Aiweniel...."

Suddenly, he jumped up with a start, "EAIWERIANDIELS!!"

He was awake now, sitting up, breathing hard, clutching the covers up against himself. He soon recovered though. 'It was just a dream then... such a dream!'

He relaxed and sat back against the headboard and his eyes looked about the room. It was still dark, but a touch of gray lightened the sky out his window. He saw the familiar sights of his bed chamber - and the outer garments he had removed and folded neatly, stacked on a chair. Over the back of the chair hung... the sword!

Valandil bolted up from bed and was at the chair right away, but then paused for a moment to look the sword over. He reached out slowly, picked up the belt to which it was strapped and sat at the edge of his bed. He held it by the sheath, pommel up, then placed a hand on the hilts and pulled the sheath down to observe the entire sword. Marvelous workmanship! And it gleamed in what little light there was in the room. Finally, he placed both hands on the pommel and directed his thoughts toward it.

'Well,' he heard in his mind, 'you're back now... and we are alone, are we not? No longer among enemies. Who are you now?'

'We are alone, but I knew of no enemies from before. I am Valandil, youngest son of Isildur. My father... and my elder brothers... are gone. I am King, and you, my father's sword, have come to me.'

'Valandil? The small child we left in Imladris?' There was a pause. 'I was called by your father Ithilmegil... The Moon Sword. And 582 moons it has been since he laid me aside. We were fresh from battle once more, and I felt renewed... striking Orc flesh again, drawing Orc blood... after 22 moons of peace, it was like the 93 moons of war all over again! But... he set me aside and I never felt his hand again. I felt him in you though, the moment you touched me.'

There was an awkward silence. Finally Valandil asked, puzzled, 'What of these 'enemies' you sensed about us before? What do you know of them? How certain were you?'

'There is no doubt. I have smote them before, and we counted them as we struck them... never do I forget a foe, especially a foe so fey. Yet you have escaped them? Charmed must you be, more than your father even?'

'I knew not that I was ever in peril. You cautioned me of something else... when I was to take a drink and start the evening.' Valandil paused once more, trying to make sense of his suspicions. 'After draining the cup, I found a gem... a topaz, at the bottom. Was there evil in that?'

Was the sword laughing? 'No... no evil in that, except perhaps to thwart another. Certain gems can diminish the effects of magic potions... or augment them...'

'...most notably a love potion. You, my new master... seem to have fallen for the oldest trick in the book!' thought the sword and then Valandil was certain that the sword chuckled.

'What can I do?' asked Valandil.

'Well... (and the sword seemed to do the mental equivalent of clearing its throat) I know something of these things. Someone may have worked mischief with that cup. You were not poisoned, or you would be dead. So whatever other effects were planned - we can perhaps amend. Take me to whatever serves you for a laboratory, or a kitchen around here and I will instruct you in making a proper concoction. It will be unpleasant, but you must allow it to do its work. Once you are purged, you can further halt the effects by consuming great quantities of water and of wine. But still... you may not be totally out of the woods, kid. Come now, let's go.'

'One thing more though,' continued the sword. 'One of those enemies from moons gone by... has been in this very chamber... not very long ago... less than a moon.'

Valandil put on a housecoat against the chill air and carried his sword to the kitchen. If Mahtaliel was truly an Elf of Eregion, and if she had anything to do with the topaz... was there some struggle going on among the Elves over him? Well... he could sort that out later.

'What a RUBE!' thought the sword. 'Now this is going to be fun!'