Leídan Aznawar of Khand

They left the hills range travelling east bound to pass over the first northern arm of the Malduin, and then rode in almost a straight line toward the south keeping the two large hills at their left side, and passed then the southern arm of the Malduin. They came into a rather dry land, which stretched to the southwest into a savannah. It was about a day’s ride to reach the third river Carnen, that westbound ended into the Malduin. The passed it in the night miles east and avoiding so the city of Imlad Carnen. Leídan and Neida entered the land of the east march, where nothing grew or lived. They followed the hills at their left side, leading their Azumehda through nearly desert land. The last mountains of the Ered Duath seemed also closer by and spread unconscious their shadows over this land. The hills ended with cliffs to a flat desert land in the southwest and western direction. Quick sands were innumerable there, hidden and unexpected. It was impossible to crisscross that land from northwest, straight to the southwest. Two times a sandstorm surprised brother and sister and they sought shelter between the rocks with their Azumehda. Leídan’s and Neida’s shagur protected them now again the whirling sands. They sat next their Azumehda who laid flat on the ground as well, their heads also covered with large cloths. The animals knew where it was all for.

It was evening when the storm began to lay down. Leídan was stiff from sitting on the ground and keeping all the cloths in place against the harsh winds. Though protected between the rocks against the winds, a lot of sand had been blows into the rock formation, and had half buried him and Neida and their Azumehda. Grim and tired Leídan shook the robes loose and moved the sand away from him. His Azumeh arose and shook herself free of the sand. Neida had taken off her shehada and shagur, and shook as well all clothes out of the sand. Wonder well the sand had not gotten into her normal clothing as her hair, eyes or mouth. She had been hidden behind Leídan with her Azumeh, and her riding wonder had neither suffered much from the storm. Leídan climbed the rock where they had hid behind and wandered toward the end that faced into the western direction. He had an excellent view over the sand dune land that stretched for endless miles out for him. The sun had gone down and coloured the sky from red to deep purple and soon it would be dark. The sky had cleared fully and he could see the northern star already clear against the sky. In the wide area, he saw no living soul. He turned around to see over the nearby hills that stuck out the sand.

The night was cold and dry. Leídan and Neida knew nothing else really; it was the same in their ancestral lands. The desert was cold by night and hot by day. The white peoples from the north would not feel comfortable with the large difference in temperatures. This time they had no watercourse nearby, so they had to preserve the water they had. Neida knew a method to distract water damp from the cold air and in the morning, they had quite much, which they could drink. They would have to follow the hills range toward the east and to the south, continuing through the sand. There was no green around here, and no watercourse be found. Their Azumehda didn’t get anything to drink. After the morning soon, they went on journeying to the east the wind returned strong and changed the sand dunes again. Neida rode this time front and concentrated on the position of the sun and in the evening on the stars. During the midday when the sun stood on the highest point bro and sis rested in the shadows of the rocks. It had become simply too hot to travel, even for their Azumehda. The desert laws were different from in the north of Harendor, near the Emyn Laer hills, where the climate was mild to more mediterranean.

Between the hills and rocks, they discovered an ancient ruin of what once, long ago, a city or a fort. A little stood still, just a few walls, but most was loose stones spread everywhere, and eaten by the storm winds of the desert. Usual with these ancient settlements a course to water still existed. Their Azumehda knew automatically where it was and thus Neida and Leídan allowed them to find their own way to the water. It was hidden in a secret cave, and it was an underground lake. Both jumped there on the ground and all four drank from the heaven waters. Neida filled their water bottles and water sacks. After having been drinking Leídan took up the task to guard the entrance to the cave in case neighbouring people found it they were here. He had no idea if they would be seen as friends or as enemies. Drinking from each other’s watercourses was a risk as most belonged to some tribe. But Leídan’s knowledge didn’t go so far he knew it is in this region. It was cool in the cave.

When the night came and nobody appear from the outside that they had been seen entering this land, Neida and Leídan made a fire deeper in the cave so they had light. Neida cooked water to wash clothes and Leídan helped to wring them out and spread them out to dry on the rocks. After the wash, they had a simple dinner and then they settled down for the night. Neida slept tight, but Leídan light, because he felt not quite safe. Both awoke soon the sun came up and light appear in the entrance of the cave. There was no danger, no living soul. And Leídan soon he was ready with dinner and refreshing himself, he took a torch with him and began to explore the cave. He left his sister with the camp. Soon he had make a turn in the cave, a corner to the right he found a large chamber where more ruins were, probably belonging to the ruined city outside. This was in a better state, as it had not suffered by the sand storms of the desert. Yet as Leídan tried an ancient street and peeked in the first house of just three chambers, he saw that there was nothing anymore. No furniture, no wood or doors, or remains from pots, pans, clothes or even humans. It must have been inhabited at least before the Dark Lord settled in the land of Mordor. Perhaps it had been a settlement to some tribe now forgotten. Or to a people who died out in time? On one of the walls, Leídan discovered ancient drawings. He studied the archaic drawings of men and women in marriage scenes, men on the hunt with spears and stone knives, figures of women and children, drawings of what must have been gods and divine animals. Neida came also looking with a torch in her hand, and she studied as well the drawings. Except for the drawings on the wall, there was nothing left what could indicate who had lived here?