For a moment, one narrow moment, he felt every wrathful thought he'd ever held bleeding out of him. Through the eyes, through the nose, through every pore on his skin. Children were dancing nearby. A reminder, albeit a disrespectful one, that life went on. He recalled thinking just a moment ago that he wished they wouldn't do such a thing at a funeral. now he almost hoped they never stopped. As if they could stand there, dancing, for all eternity. Just being young put them at an advantage over everyone here. And would they learn the same lessons that their parents had learned? Their uncles, and even complete strangers who might someday meet them?
If he'd learned one thing from Eibhear's death, it was simple - there was no room in this world for idealists.
A second glance over his shoulder revealed the source of the rumors only just arriving. Eiron'aith was a strange fellow, a lord whose family name was from another place, but who seemed wholly dedicated to Astarii. Eibhear had never liked the lord. He rarely confessed to his reasons for disliking someone - but it was a strong reflection of his feelings that Eibhear had even admitted to disliking this fellow. Ilúvatar had met him once, during the campaign in the desert, and the fellow seemed pleased that Ilúvatar would be carrying out the mission personally.
Who were those traitors meant for? It had to be Flaithriaoh. No one had tried to kill him in so long... at least, no one from his own country.
"The army marches north in three days," Ilúvatar said to Flaithriaoh. "It is spring, and the orcs might grow restless. What will you do?"
The implication was clear. He intended to ensure that Flaithriaoh stayed here, and did not engage in any foolishness which could be seen as dangerous or detrimental to his health in any way. Ilúvatar did not think he would ever find out who had sent those elves - between the dunes, among those cascading red cliffs, it was difficult to capture your enemy instead of destroying him - but a touch of caution in this moment was a certainty. Eiron'aith was drawing closer, and he wanted to have such things settled before the High Elf arrived.