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

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

"I was sent there," replied Khamûl, now speaking slightly quieter than usual. No one was around, but it came from habit.
"By who? The Morgul Lord, the Dark Lord?" asked Udu, his face showing a mixture of awe and worry.
"You believe the Dark Lord lives?" said Khamûl quickly and aggresivley.
"I do not know. he was powerful, but you saw what happened," replied Udu. Secretly he had thought the Dark Lord may have survived, but Khamûl's words dismissed that thought.
"The Morgul Lord sent me. I was sent to check for the ash nazg," continued Khamûl. "It was a long and wearisome adventure. I had been there nigh on a year when you found me."
"A year. It would not take that long to scour the Gadden."
"Scour it? Nay Udu, that was but a small part of my mission, which I finished ere the end of the first month."
"Then what? The Gladden is uninhabitable, the nearest occupants are the elves of Greenwood, and they would have realised that Isildur fled with the One," replied Udu, not giving Khamûl a chance too finish his sentence.
"Little do you know Udu. You rarely ventured North, your business was in the South, in Umbar and Harad. Orcs lived in and around the Gladden thousands of them, and they are prone to steal things which they shouldn't. I often ventured North, and was known by the Orc chiefs of that land so the Morgul Lord thought I would be ideal for the mission. But during the War I had changed an so had the Orc Chiefs. It took three months of hard work to regain their trust and respect. I had word sent through the Misty Mountains, and within a month the Chiefs of most of the parties of Orcs and their armies were gathered near the Gladden. Fortunatley most understood the Black Speech so I swiftly recieved the news which I didn't want to hear. No Orcs had recovered the One, but one Chief did have some interesting news. Apparently his father and his archers had shot at Isildur. They say his body just appeared in the water, as it hadn't been there before. He says his father wasn't sure how many hit Isildur, but at least one did. Before a group of Orcs could be sent over to plunder the valuables Isildur was carrying an army of elves from Greenwood attacked them, and all were either killed or fled."
"Well that's is only five months. I presume you searched the shore where Isildur was shot which would not have taken long. Yet you say it took you a year," said Udu, slightly confused.
"Surely you don't think I kept them alive. You know what Orcs are like. Tell them something remotley important and it will spread like a wild fire. Within another year the news would have reached Harad, and possibly from there to Gondor. If that had happened all of Middle-earth would have been hunting for the most powerful object to ever see these shores. Six months of slauhgter and of hunting," replied Khamûl.
"Six months? But I thought that the armies were gathered near the Gladden," answered Udu.
"They did not stay where they were," spat Khamûl. "Orcs are cowards. They only fight if they know that death will come to them if they don't. They fled, noth, east, south and west. And there were hundreds of them, perhaps a thousand even. I had killed all Orcs in the Gladden with a week, but hunting? Nay, Tolvadok and yourself were always more skilled in that department. I relished battles and face to face brawls, not hunting. Few had fled east into the grasp of Thranduil, yet I pursued them first. I did not need Thranduil's kingdom knowing that thre was an Ulari within two days march of their borders. I went quickly, hoping to overtake them before they reached Greenwood the Great and the kingdom of Thranduil. After a fortnight of hunting I returned to the Gladden and headed soth along the Misty Mountains and then North, killing all Orcs camps I came across. I had seen no elves so presumed that I had done well near Greenwood. I then made a loong journey West, until I reached the Greyflood where a strong force had assembled. Fortunatley I had the power of my Ring and after a hard fight returned to the Gladden. It is then that I saw ....." Khamûl broke off short and hissed quietly to Udu.
"What?" said Udu, know using mind speech.
"The Chancellor, but he is not alone. There is a mortal with him aswell."