The Great East Road was surprisingly clear of goblins, and other things as we rode through the deep forests as we headed to Amun Sul, or in the common tongue of Weathertop.
"Goblins aren't well known for wandering in small groups, they are cowards innately Othorion," Arwen spoke softly as we let her horse rest, and she was showing me some tracks in the dirt next to the clear creek that was a run off. From the lake of Midgewater.
The tracks themselves were indeed humanoid. Pressed deeply within the softer sandy soil that was on the edge of the creek's embankment.
"They wander in small groups, only because they refuse to share the food they can hunt with their crude tools and cruel traps." I nodded in understanding.
Arwen gave a small smile before she added. "Correct, goblins and orcs do not farm... They are a blight upon the world Othorion, they take, they steal, and they mutilate all they can get their hands on. Whether it be eldar, man, or the very world itself."
She then placed a hand on my shoulder and, pointing at the tracks she asked. "Tell me, where is this little group of goblins heading?"
I looked at the tracks for a good while... The tracks themselves were well dry which meant that in this loamy soal it had been pressed down for a long while with how the creek itself was running smoothly.
So I followed the tracks for a good bit, following the pointed tips of the goblin's crude metal leather shoes as I focused on the deeper divot of their big toes to pinpoint the direction the leaving goblins were all heading towards.
"If the goblins aren't all doubling back at some point to throw off their trail. They are all heading south, and from here. The only thing I could think of is the low hills of the South Downs. Which also hosts the Barrow Downs." I finished with some distaste.
As the Barrow Down's were the equilvalent of literally Mordor for the western lands beyond the Misty Mountains that were mostly free of Sauron's real influence.
Because they were filled with Barrow Wights, ghosts, and horrors that would possess the bodies of the Dunedains that were once laid to rest over the millennia in that land. And Dunedains were the descendants of the Numenorians which were superhumans to say the least.
Arwen gave me an indulgent pat on the head as she said. "You are correct, Otharion. While the Barrow Down's is a 'haven' for goblins. The area is still hostile to them, so they have to roam far to gather food and water."
More like, it was less of a haven. And more like the area was so innately hostile to life that no humans would bother to clear them out.
Arwen then chuckled and said as her horse approached, clearly having rested and drunk enough water. "Come now, we will rest upon the peak of Amun Sul tonight."
I was then helped onto her divine blessed steed, and we were off with Sergei catching up in the distance, even as he groaned loudly in annoyance as he had to leave a juicy fish behind that he caught.
The rest of the way to Weather Top mostly consisted of Arwen giving me some more herbal lessons between breaks as she pushed her horse to run at a steady speed.
And by the time twilight hit the world, I was eating some lembas bread as the fading sun turned the sky a burnt orange, as I could see so far across the western lands of Middle-earth.
Arwen leaned against the worn-down stone pillar that I was standing next to and she spoke thoughtfully. "We got here just at the right time. The sky is still yet bright, and you can see a great deal of the worlds beauty."
I couldn't help but smile as I asked. "Arwen, what do your elven eyes see?"
Arwen giggled lightly and laid a hand on my shoulder to press against my back slightly as she then pointed with her other hand. "See there Otharion, in the far distance. A whole two-day ride from here is the great city of Bree. The city that connects the Great East Road to the Andorath Road, the Old North Road, and the Old Forest."
Despite how The Lord of the Rings' movie portrayed Bree as a city/town. In reality, it was THE central hub for races of good in western middle earth. As both Rohan, and the lands of Gondor were very much to the south and literally on the other side of the Misty Mountains.
So even from here, a couple of hundred miles away. We could see the smoke rising from hundreds of households within the city of Bree.
But then on the other hand, I focused more on the burnt gold in the sky and mused about my golden blood that tied me to another world.
'Maybe after this trip... I go out on my own into the Lands Between. Well just me and an angry bear who will maul anyone who looks at me weird.' I thought before I felt Arwen's hand on my shoulder tighten just barely before she spoke more seriously.
"And look afar there Otharion, there rider in black. That is one of the Dunedain that patrols these lands. Watching the frontier of what used to be the northern kingdoms."
After that little interlude Arwan and I settled in to fully watch the sun set as we laid atop the ruined tower so we could watch the surroundings under the moon's light.
And with how it was a full moon tonight, we could see fairly well. Well enough to the point that we could past the tree's to see the fires. That hunter's from Bree had setup as they hunted the game rich forests in the area.
"When we reach Bree tommorow... It will be the first time I have seen a Man." I said thoughtfully as human's were just called 'Men' in this world and it truly would be the first time I have seen them.
As unlike Lothlorien and the kingdom of Thranduil. The last homely house in Rivendell didn't actively trade with humans. They traded with hobbits and dwarves more than humans oddly enough.
"Go to sleep Otharion, I have strung lines across the stairs up the tower so I will feel if anyone comes. We have much traveling to do tommorrow." Arwen said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder so that the blanket covering us would fit better and to preserve our body heat without using a fire.
As we weren't stupid hobbits after all... Making a fire in the middle of the night at the top of a singular mountain tower would let literally everyone within a couple hundred miles know exactly where we were.