Though the elves and knights had determined what they should do in a single meeting, they required several more days to decide how to go about it.  Finally, they decided that they should openly travel to Barad Lomin and meet with the magistrate.  As the injured party, Starfoot should go.  Keren also and Neldoras and such others as he would choose.  The knights would all go as representatives of the king and prince.  Morfindel himself would have gone but his advisors protested vehemently, and even Orodin, the chief scribe and master of the archives who usually sat in silence during counsels, voiced many reasons why he should not go.  The elf lord raised an eyebrow then laughed, which he had not done in many days, and conceded to their wishes.

    A day was set and preparations made.  They would have put Keren in a cart or palanquin but she suggested she also should ride upon a horse, since it might be best none knew a woman traveled with them.  Lurisa supported Keren in this, offering her mare, Hithmir as Keren’s mount.   Wearing the clothing of her brother, as when she first set out from home, none but the company could tell any but elves, men and a squire rode with them.

    As the sparrow flew, Barad Lomin was some 60 miles from Dor Luin.  The roads and paths, however, made the journey somewhat longer.  The company set out early in the morning, paused a few hours to let the knights and their horses rest and on the evening of the next day they trotted past the old inn, toward the ferry.  All the rafts were on the opposite shore but the elves were not deterred.  Two ran lightly across the rope bridges and brought the ferries across.  Obediently the elven horses embarked and waited as they were hauled to the other side.  The knights rowed across, but the elves ran across the rope bridges and laughed at the knights who toiled, pulling and hauling on the oars and poles.  Keren’s brother suggested that perhaps the elves might speed things up by helping.  Neldoras agreed.  He and Starfoot jumped from the bridge, landing on the deck of a raft with only one knight and took up the oars.  The other elves followed suit.

    On the other side the horses stepped calmly onto the pier and waited.  When all were present on the south river bank, they rode at a brisk canter the remaining miles up the road which wound in switch backs to the crest of the hill where they entered Barad Lomin.  It caused quite a stir when they reined their horses in front of the town hall.  No one had knowingly seen a single elf in many years, yet here were 20 with ten knights and a squire besides.

    The magistrate came out to meet them and apologized that his office and court were too small to contain such a large company.  The only building large enough was the great hearth room of the Ringing Well.  A messenger ran, and returned quickly with news that they were expected at the inn at their leisure.  Tables were set and all who were not needed would be sent out upon their arrival.

    Of the townspeople only the magistrate and the local lawyer were deemed necessary but three others were invited to sit in as witnesses.  Green, Smith and Barber were selected by lot and took seats at the back.

    The first order of business was to hear the purpose for all these elves visiting their town.  Neldoras stated their grievance and Millerson was sent for, but could not be found.

    "Well, this is a fine thank you!" said a voice from the door.  It was Jack.  "Here we have been, toiling for the mill and our kindred come and do not send for us."

    Neldoras laughed.  "We did not wish you to be known just yet.  Come in Jack Frost, for we would hear what you know about Millerson."

    "I know not where he is.  Sam and I have taken turns watching for him, but he hasn’t been seen for several days.  Perhaps Starfoot can find Millerson more easily than any of us," said the young elf.

    Starfoot agreed to guide them to the place where Millerson had tried to waylay him.

While the important town figures held counsel inside the tavern, those outside stood about and talked quietly.  They had watched amazed as the elves stopped their horses in front of the town hall.  The old wine merchant stood with them and followed them to the Ringing Well, watching as the knights and elves entered.  Mr. Barber, the tavern keeper, blocked the entrance, apologetically saying he could not admit any other than those appointed by the magistrate.  Old Vines nodded and turned aside.  Several of the horses could be seen across the way, nosing about the drinking trough outside the tower.  One wore a jeweled head stall which made old Vines think of another elf and horse he had seen.  He walked over to the animal and ran a hand lightly down its shoulder.  The horse turned its head and whickered softly.  The trough was empty.

    "So elven horses thirst also," said the old gentleman.  He called a couple of his grandsons and bade them fetch buckets of water for the horses.  They obeyed gladly and ran back and forth from the well to the trough until the horses had drunk their fill.  Old Vines was delighted to find that the elven horse understood his speech and asked it several questions which the horse answered by tossing its head up and down or from side to side.  Presently the elves and knights came out and the old wine merchant turned to face the elf he had seen as a boy.  A little flustered he stepped back from the horse.

    "I hope I have not been presumptuous, but the horses were thirsty."

    "Not at all.  You have put us in your debt," said Neldoras, then looked closely at Vines.  "Was it you I saw, or one of close kin?"

    "You remember!  I was the boy.  The old man was my grandfather.  He loved to hear elvish singing.  All my life I have hoped to see you again and perchance to ask what errand sent you out on that twilit evening.  Perhaps you have other business but it would please me if you and your elves at arms might sample my wines before you return to your realm.

    "That would please me also," said the elf and bowed to the man.  He then mounted his horse, as did the others and rode away south, all but one who sat astride his horse looking at Old Vines and smiling.

    "Do you not recognize me?" he asked presently and the voice was strangely familiar.  "Oh come now, old friend Vines.  Can you not recognized the voice of the daughter of your old friend Woodman?"

    "Well!" laughed Old Vines.  "A rumor spread that you were held hostage by elves.  I see I was correct in thinking you in their care, rather than their captive."

    "So it is.  I go to visit my family but hope to visit with Reina soon."

    "Be off then," laughed Old Vines and waved her away.  "We shall hear all your tale before we allow you to run away with the elves again."

    She waved to him and spoke to her horse who set off at a comfortable single-foot.

The group rode the short miles to the marker where they were met by Sam who heard them coming.  Neldoras commanded all to conceal themselves and he with a few others would proceed to the shack.

    They were gone perhaps an hour when a cry arose from the midst of the woods, followed by a thrashing and crashing.  A goblin ran out and met a score of drawn swords and pointed arrows.

    "Slay it not!" shouted the captain, who followed in swift pursuit of the creature.  "Perhaps it will answer a question when put to it."

    The goblin froze at this unexpected statement.  "Well, perhaps I will," it said.

    "Where is Millerson?" demanded Neldoras.

    "Oh, easily said.  I will take you to him, if..."

    "If what?"

    "You promise to release me."

    "I will not bandy promises with the faithless likes of you," said Neldoras, pointing his sword at the goblin.  "Either you will lead us to him or I will slay you now!"

    The creature snarled and leaped away.  He fled no farther than a few yards before the elven archers struck him down.  Having caught sight of other goblins in the woods, the elves left the body where it lay and sprang after them.  Five more they caught and slew that day but Millerson they found not.  A guard was set to watch the shack where Millerson was known to meet the goblins and the rest ranged over the country, not willing to permit the goblins to retain a stronghold in the region.  They came upon the ravine and searched it for signs of habitation.  Many there were to be found for the goblins were overconfident in the country folk's aversion to the place.  A concealed entrance to a cave they found also and again set a watch, hidden in the trees.

    "My heart misgives," said Starfoot, "for I fear what was done to Millerson's father and uncle may occur again."

    "As do I," said Neldoras and calling all save the watch they raced back to Barad Lomin.

Keren had gazed longingly toward her father's house as they passed it and now she galloped back, her elven horse sensing the reason for her desire to hurry.  At the gate, the horse leaped over and bore her to the door where she swung down to meet Morwen as she came out.  They squealed and laughed and wept, hugging each other tightly.  Even her normally gruff father shed his grim demeanor and drew her into the house where they insisted she tell her tale while a nephew ran to fetch the rest of the family.  When all were gathered she was compelled to start over but none minded who heard twice for many things were added which had been left out of the tale in brief.

    Outside, Lurisa’s horse looked on brightly, then trotted to the meadow where Woodman's own horses stood watching and listening.  There the beasts visited after their own manner and exchanged such news as they would, then set to grazing, flicking their ears this way and that, for even tame farm horses are ever alert for any wild thing which may approach.

    Now, anyone who has worked with horses knows they are not the most intelligent of animals.  The horses of the elves, however, are different.  They are long lived and have equally long memory and are most concerned with the welfare of their rider.  Woodman's farm horses were no more or less flighty than was normal and reacted quite naturally to the scent of approaching goblins.  They lifted their heads, snorted and ran.  But the elf horse had been commanded by her mistress to guard Keren as she would her own foal, so she lunged for the house, calling wildly as she went, pawing at the door.  Woodman was afraid of the elven creature, thinking it had gone mad but Keren recognized the horse's distress and went to see what was wrong.  The horse jumped and snorted, dodging here and there, throwing her head as horses do.

    "What...?" Keren began but an arrow from a goblin bow striking the wall by her head answered before her question was uttered.  "Go!  Get the captain if you can!" she ordered the horse in the elven tongue.  The horse tossed her mane once again and with a few jumping leaps sped across the yard, over the gate and was galloping at top speed toward town.

    Keren shut the door and latched it.  "You still have the sword, bow and arrows you used in the Kings service," she called to her father.

    Without a word he nodded and went to fetch them from a storage room.  He gave them to two of his sons.  He took his hunting bow from its hook, handed it the third of his sons and sent the daughters-in-law looking for anything else which could serve as weapons.

    Uttering horrible screams and cruel laughter the goblins were upon them, chopping at the door with their axes.  The children wailed in their mothers’ arms but Keren gave a kitchen knife to each of her sisters-in-law, telling them to defend themselves if they could.  Two of her brothers set themselves at the ready, back to back, arrows aimed at the front and back doors.  Her other younger brother took up his father’s sword.  As the goblin axes chopped, they waited.

    Keren and her father, conferring on what else they could do, took all the lard they could find from the pantry and put it in a pot on the fire.  It had only begun to bubble when the back door gave way and a goblin rushed in, swinging its ax and laughing.

Neldoras, the knights and other men of the town met the elf horse in the center of town and knew immediately what was wrong.  With urgent shouts, they were away in an instant.  As they rode, the sound of women screaming and goblin laughter reached their ears, enraging them beyond measure.  The knights were grim of face and stern but at the same time wondered at the elves, for they reacted to the noise as if their own were under attack, for the screams and cries awoke memories within each elf of a sister, a daughter, an elf woman who had been dear to them, taken by goblins long ago and never seen again.

    They came upon the goblins as they were dragging Keren from the house.  She fought like a wild thing against the two who held her.  The others had grouped the rest of her family against the house and made ready to slay them.  With a shout the elves were upon them.  Having no time to turn and fight, five goblins fell dead from arrows.  The rest scattered but did not go far.  Two more were slain as they ran and three turned at bay and fought but were brought down by Brogan and Neldoras.  Two more remained, those dragging Keren away but Argus and Starfoot loosed timely arrows and felled them.  Keren fell with them but struggled to her feet quickly and ran to where her father was leaning against the house.

    "Here are three more," called Brogan as he entered the house, slipping and sliding across the floor.  Two had died from arrows and one from a sword thrust, but each clutched at his face with a horrible grimace.  The floor was littered with pots and cups and bowls, slippery with hot oil.

    The elves outside tended the injuries of Keren’s family while Keren prepared healthful draughts that could be made quickly.

    "Our tale is now twenty," said Brogan, "but Millerson is still missing."

    "Let him be missing," said Woodman, angrily.  "It was he who commanded the goblins and to him those monsters would have dragged my daughter, after they forced her to watch them slay us.  If I see him, I'll kill him myself, or let him be rent in pieces by his own goblins!"

    "It matters not," said the magistrate.  "We’ll find him, but now that I have seen goblins with my own eyes, I say let us rout them out!  Pursue until there are no more goblins in our midst.  Perhaps in this we shall find Millerson as well."

    All the towns people who had joined the fight agreed.  Forming companies, they returned to the ravine and scoured it, searching in every cave, recess, pit and trench.  They posted a permanent watch over all the area between Millbank and Fieldbrook, enlisting the inhabitants of those two villages, who had been too afraid to do anything but lock their door and stay inside after dusk.  Now that Barad Lomin was up in arms, they followed suit. 

    The knights, together with Neldoras, drafted a report to King Malvegil in Fornost and to the prince of Cardolan, telling them of the events of that night and warning them of goblins in their midst which were most likely the cause of so much of the unexplained pillage and mischief in their lands.  When the message was written, copied three times and sealed by the magistrate, the town lawyer, Neldoras, Starfoot and Brogan set off to deliver it, riding swiftly into the night.