Celeborn's Nine - Riders of the Night

Authur's note: I promise you will see the end when it comes, but I am enjoying these tales too much. And wait for the twins to get back with their news. We're off on another adventure...if it pleases you. ........................................................................................................................................

Celeborn was riding as hard as he could when the dragon dropped out of the clouds in front of them and waited. The elven horse, blowing and snorting with eyes rolling white, pawed and half reared as Longma climbed down from the dragon's back and ran towards the riders.

"Do you know anything else?" Glorfindel shouted at her.

"We are near, but I fear we may arrive too late. Celestial says the flame in Haldir is fading."

"Then we are wasting time!" Rumil shouted. "Are we going the right way?"

"Yes. Ride hard. I do not want to be there alone with just Tiger," Longma said as she walked back to the dragon. The words weren't out of her mouth good before the elves were spurring their horses past her. Sitting in her place on his back, she said, "Fly Celestial."
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Glrofindel topped the ridge first and sharply reined in his horse. An estate lay before him with a winding road passing between a field of rye. Looking up at the sky, he saw Celesial starting his descent towards it.

"This is it!" he yelled to the others and continued down the slope at a full gallop, drawing his sword as he did.

Celestial's roar as he landed brought everyone on the estate either towards him or away. Longma, sword in hand, jumped off the dragon's shoulder and into the melee. Celestial kept up his roaring which had more of a psychological effect on the men than anything else. They were terrified of him. But Celestial like Tiger was looking for Haldir. Tiger ran towards the main house but was suddenly confronted by Armanea, who was carrying a very wicked long sword.

"I thought you were dead," she hissed and pointed the sword at her.

Tiger took a step backwards, a soft growl rumbling in her throat. This woman needed to go away forever. Armanea struck at her with the sword, but the jinn tiger shaped shifted so quickly Armanea didn't see the tiger claws until they were ripping her throat open. It happened so suddenly she couldn't scream, and then there was that strange woman with the golden tiger eyes standing over her looking down. Armanea tried to say something but only blood bubbled out of her mouth. Then it was over.

Tiger raced into the manor past horrfied women down a hall to a huge wooden door. Yanking it open, she ran down a flight of stairs to a dark place. With only the light at the top of the stairs, Tiger went to one particular cell and forced it open. Master slowly raised his head and the saddest of smiles caressed his lips.

Desperate, she brought out her tiger hand and slashed the ropes that held him to the post. There was no strength in his body and he fell to the floor. Tiger found Celestial's thoughts and told him to get someone to them now! A few minutes later Glorfindel and Master's brothers were tearing into the cell, their faces clearly showing their horror. Glorfindel took off his cloak and wrapped it around Haldir and then picked him up. Haldir hung limp in his arms, and one of his brothers took his head and rested it against Glorfindel's breast. Tiger followed as the brothers made sure there was nothing Glorfindel could run into on his way outside.

Longma, eyeing the men who had just surrendered to them, took a rag off her sword belt and wiped the blood off her Eastern sword. Almost ceremoniously she returned it to its ornate scabbard. Her face only softened when she saw Glorfindel carrying the younger elf out of the manor. Clucking softly, she motioned for Glorfindel to leave him in the cloak but lay him on the soft grass instead of the hard packed dirt.

"Oh, forest child, you bring out the worst in people," she said and turned his chin to the side so she could see his throat. The evil woman had put something on it to prevent it from clotting. "Get me some water." A moment later someone thrust a large mug of water into her hands. She poured the water over his neck and made sure all of the anticoagulent was washed away. She then looked down at his poor beaten body and slowly shook her head. "We need to get him back to Rivendell."

"Go on then," Celeborn told them. "Is there room up there for Glorfindel as well? You'll need his help." Looking at the men, he added, "There are some more things I need to do here."

Celestial chortled and glanced back. He was big enough to carry all of them, but this was his first for four. Giving the anxious humans one more roar for good measure, he circled around a moment like a cat and then leaped skywards.
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Dog looked up as Celestial returned, but no one had time for a small hairy dog, not even Mistress, but he patiently followed anyway. They went to one of the healing houses where they was a large ornate tub for water. It was quickly filled and Haldir was set in it. This was the quickest way to clean his wounds and apply healing liquids, which were simply added to the water.

"Is Master going to be all right?" Tiger asked softly.

"Yes, but he will be weak for a little while."

Tiger slowly nodded her head. "Master needs to stop hurting himself," she said.

Longma smiled, "Yes, I suppose he does."