During the Great March the elves celebrate the defeat of Melkor as they reach Greenwood the great. Orome tells the elves to wait as he searches for a means to pass the towering snow covered mountains. During their time waiting for the Ainur to return a man named Oropher declares he will stay in the forest and make a kingdom. Among those that choose to stay are a couple who have a son in the year before Orome reappears. They name this child Cambrendui and help to build the city that would one day rule over the new land of Mirkwood.
Cambrendui grows up during the peace and spends his time reading. When he is grown up he enters the healer hall to begin his training. He has a talent for healing and the use of herbs to ease pain. Most of his time is spent tending to those who harm themselves in persuit of their craft.
When spiders start to fill the darker areas of the forest Cambrendui shifts to studying the poisons that now intrude the peaceful lands. Along with the rest of the healers he uses the herbs of the forest along with the healing magic to create an antidote. His days are split between healing the craftsman and creating more of the poison cure for the warriors that are battling the spider infestation.
* * *
In 1693 Sauron begins his attack on the cities of Eregion, the elves of Mirkwood and Lothlorien send troops to help fight off the enemy. Among these soldiers Mirkwood sends many healers including Cambrendui. The elves of Eregion fight well but are out matched by the dark lord's army and slowly lose ground over the next four years.
As the elves are pushed back into their last haven within the borders of Eregion the healers work with almost no sleep. The soldiers fight hard and manage to slow the advance of the orc armies but suffer heavy losses.
Cambrendui is moving through the battlefield tending to the slves that have been dragged screaming behind the lines.As he finishes the last one brought to him he hears someone yelling for help ahead and rushes into the depth of the battle. He stops and kneels beside the a man with a broken arm and wraps it before helping him to his feet. As the injured man starts to walk away an orc breaks through the elvish lines and rushes the two. Before it can reach him an armoured woman runs into the orc, as the enemy rolls she jabs her sword into it's neck.
"What are you doing this far forward?" the woman screams at Cambrendui.
"I was doing my job."
"Get back before you get killed you idiot." Another soldier yells for help ahead of the two and Cambrendui runs toward it. "Get back here."
Cambrendui pulls off the man's damaged armour and starts to wrap the deep gash with bandages. A warg jumps over the elves toward the healer and his charge. The female soldier catches up and drives her sword into the warg's side the. The beast turns and tries to claw her, she blocks the attack and brings her sword around to clice through the beast's neck.
"You're going to get yourself killed if you keep acting like this," the woman again yells at Cambrendui.
Cambrendui ignores her and runs off to where he can see many elves lying still. When he gets there he starts to check each body for any signs of life. The sound of a horn fills the air signaling all the troops to retreat. Cambrendui continues to check the bodies around him as the soldiers move past him. The female soldier grabs his shoulder and tries to pull him away.
"Come on we need to go," the woman says as she pulls Cambrendui to his feet. She grabs his hand and pulls him along with the rest of the elves who have started to run toward the forest.
As Cambrendui looks behind him he can see some of the people he was checking start to move as the orcs reach them. He turns away not wanting to see what is going to happen.
* * *
The elf woman who forced Cambrendui to leave the battlefield walks through the streets of Rivendell. She has to keep stepping off the new roads as soldiers march toward the gates to reinforce it against the siege. When she comes to the healers hall she finds Cambrendui moving slowly between the injured.
"I need you to come with me," she says to him.
"I'm busy."
"Wait I never introduced myself before did I? My name is Nidhraniel."
"I'm Cambrendui. What do you need me for?" Cambrendui asks.
"Lord Elrond is looking for a healer to volunteer to help with a new group he's forming."
"I was hoping you'd say something more fun."
"The orcs have started something new," Nidhraniel says. "They have begun to take prisoners and torture them before leaving them alive in the middle of the field. When we are drawn away from the walls to rescue them we are ambushed."
"That's horrible but I'm not going into battle again."
"Why not?"
"All those people I left behind," Cambrendui says "I keep thinking about them being killed. If I had done a better job I could have saved them."
Nidraniel grabs Cambrendui by his hair and pulls him upright, "Listen here you whiny jackass. There was no way anyone could have saved them, if you had stayed you would have just died beside them. Now you are coming with me to join the group. No other healers are crazy or dedicated enough to do this job. There are people that need your help and you are going to volunteer."
"If you're going to keep stroking my hair you should at least give me a kiss."
"Lord Elrond is waiting for us, let's go."
"If you're not up for some fun you shouldn't flirt with me," Cambrendui says.
* * *
The group gathers at the main gate of Rivendell and prepares for their first trip into the field. The soldiers are checking their armour and weapons and Cambrendui is looking at the bag he's carrying.
"You ready?" Nidraniel asks.
"Yeah I have everything I need," Cambrendui says. "What about you?"
"I'm ready to go."
Lord Elrond come sup to the group, "Is everyone prepared?" The entire group says yes and they take their places.
The group moves out the gate and make their ways to the screaming soldiers. They reach the wounded elves without being attacked but as Cambrendui kneels a group of orcs starts to charge.
Elrond and the other soldiers form a line that hold the orcs back as Cambrendui moves from one man to the next. As he bandages each injured soldier Elrond does his best to hold the orc lines away.
When a warg slams into the elf lines an orc slips through and rushes Cambrendui. He jumps back in surprise and grabs the sword of the soldier he was healing. The injured elf brings his good leg out to trip the orc. As the orc falls Cambrendui holds the sword up and the enemy falls impaling itself. Cambrendui shoves the orc to one side shaking.
"You ok?" Nidraniel asks.
"I'm fine just keep the rest off me while I finish this."
When the soldiers have been treated well enough for them to move or be carried the group starts moving backwards. When they are close enough to the gate of rivendell the archers drive the orcs back.
Cambrendui looks around at the soldiers to see that they hadn't lost a single person while saving the others. Elrond proclaims the new group to be a success and orders them to be prepared again if the chance to save more people should arise.
"See you can save people," Nidraniel says.
Cambrendui turns to her and kisses her, "I feel great."
"That's nice but kissing someone without permission is a good way to get hurt."
"I don't care i feel great."
"I'm hungry," Nidraniel says "come on let's get something to eat."
"Are you asking me on a date?"
"Well you seem to be my only choice right now so I suppose I'll take you."
"Save people, get a kiss and get a date. This must be my lucky day."
A few months later a great Numenorien navy lead by Ciryatur lands at Lindon and begins to attack Sauron's forces. The threat of the Numenoriens and elves combined might drives the orcish army out of Eriador and back to Mordor. With the new peace the elves each return to their homes and Lord Elrond establishes Rivendell as a new town.
* * *
Cambrendui spends time in Lothlorien teaching the healers about the poison antidotes the wood elves have created. He and Nidraniel date while he is there and get married at the end of 1731. They have their only child in 1732 a little girl they name Elathriel. By 1735 the three are making their lives moving between Caras Galadhon and the Elven-Kings's Halls and helping whenever they can.
Nidraniel is working as a guard along the southern border and controlling the flow of trade between the new human settlements and the elves. Cambrendui and Elathriel are walking around the forest while they wait for her to finish her patrol.
"Elathriel where did you go?"
"Daddy look what I found," Elathriel says running up to him with a baby lynx in her arms.
"He's really cute but you shouldn't take him away from his mother."
"I want to keep him though."
"That wouldn't be fair. He has a family of his own he needs to get back to," Cambrendui says.
"Ok," Elathriel sets the lynx cub down and it runs off. A mother lynx comes around a tree and picks it up by the neck as she looks a the elves. The lynx turns and runs off.
"Let's go back to town and find some books about animals for you to read."
"Ok daddy."
Elathriel spends her time in Lothlorien making friends with the raven that live on the mountain, eagles that make nests in the trees, and the bear and lynx that hunt under the canopies. While they are in Mirkwood she studies the natural spirits and guardian creatures of the bogs and try to befriend the sabre cats.
As she grows Elathriel gets her mother to teach her about using swords and staves, she has no talent with a bow. In her studies of the animals she learns to use the forces of nature when she's in danger. When she's an adult Elathriel joins her mother when she goes on patrol and learns about combat fist hand. She also spends time with her father learning about healing and curing poison and disease.
* * *
When the war of the last alliance begins all three jon the army and fight alongside men and elves in the battle of Dagorlad. The alliance forces the armies of Sauron back to his fortress in Barad-Dur. The siege continues for five years, in the 3439 of the second age the battle is bloody and is hard fought and the injured are constantly being carried back to the healers.
Cambrendui is moving as quickly as he can from one injured soldier to the next. He has been going with only an hour of sleep a night.
Another person is brought in and the people carrying them yell, "This one needs help now."
Cambrendui stands and runs over to see Nidraniel badly injured and whispers. "Oh no."
"Looks like I finally got a break," Nidraniel says quietly before coughing up blood bubbles.
"Shut up and let me help you."
"At least you're where you belong this time and not running around the battlefield."
"Don't worry when I'm done I'll take your place in the fight," Cambrendui says.
"Has Elathriel been brought here?"
"No so far she's fine."
"Good tell her I love her," Nidraniel says.
"Tell her yourself."
"I love you Cambrendui," Nidraniel's eyes close and she breathes out for the last time.
"No no no," Cambrendui wraps his arms around his wife and pulls her against him as he starts to cry. When the other healers try to move her body out of the way Cambrendui swings his arm at them.
After an hour Elathriel comes into the room with a raven on her staff and a lynx behind her. "Dad you have to let her go."
"Elathriel, your mother..."
"I know dad, but you have to let her go."
Cambrendui sets Nidraniel down and says flatly, "She wanted you to know she loves you."
Elathriel wraps her arms around her father, "I know."
"I don't think I can stay here. I need to leave."
"I understand."
"What about you?" Cambrendui asks.
Elathriel looks at the raven and lynx that followed her, "I can't abandon my friends. Besides I really want to kill more orcs for what they did to mom."
"Take care of yourself and don't get reckless."
"They've got my back."
Cambrendui gives his daughter a hug before standing and walking toward the black gates. He leaves the battle behind and moves to the west considering traveling to the undying lands. When he reaches the golden forest of Lothlorien and remembers the times he enjoyed with his wife. He chooses to stay in middle earth. He continues west and travels through the red horn pass into Eregion. He walks through the broken lands and into rivendell remembering the days when he and Nidraniel first met.
When word that the dark lord has fallen and the war is over reaches him he travels back to Lothlorien and finds his daughter. The two mourn their loss and comfort each other.
After a century Cambrendui grows bored of the simple life he has and starts to roam middle earth. He travels to every corner with no goal or purpose and meets people of every land and people.
* * *
Cambrendui continues his travels through the third age helping those he finds in need. He spends his time exploring the wild lands and learning about the people. He seeks out the stories lost to history and studies the ruins that remain of the lost kingdoms.
He finds himself at on the steps of Thorin's Hall in the spring of 2973 of the third age and takes a deep breath of the chill air. As he climbs the last step he finds a dwarf child painting on the wall of the greenhouse. Cambrendui walks up, his curiosity getting the better of him, to see what is being written. What he finds are old dwarf runes proclaiming how great the child is along with a name whose characters are distorted and unreadable.
"Don't you get in trouble when they catch you doing that?" Cambrendui asks the child.
The dwarf kid turns and throws the bucket of paint at him before running down the hill and toward the Silver Deep Mines. The great gates of the dwarven stronghold open and several soldiers come out. When the soldiers see a strange elf, covered in paint and staring at graffiti, standing in the snow they come over to him.
"This likely doesn't look good but I can explain," Cambrendui says with a smile.
"Don't worry we know who did this," one of the dwarves says. "Kids been causing trouble constantly. We just have to figure out what do do with him."
"What about his parents?"
"They both died in an mine collapse. We should just ship the brat off to Gondamon and make them deal with him. Now he runs around blowing things up and painting stuff."
"What is the child's name?" Cambrendui asks.
"Why?"
"I can't read that signature."
"His name is Wisti. Now if you'll excuse us we need to wash this off."
"Of course please excuse me."
* * *
A few days later while walking through the hall he spots Wisti as he steals a chisel and hammer. He follows the child to an uninhabited corner and grabs the hand holding the hammer.
"You seem to enjoy getting in trouble," Cambrendui says.
"What does it matter," Wisti says "they all ignore me. They don't care about me know that my parents are dead."
"I wanted to ask you about your signature, I don't recognize the runes."
"I made them myself. Only I know my real name."
"Would you be willing to share that name?" Cambrendui asks.
"No, you don't deserve to know it."
Cambrendui smiles, "Alright. How would you like to come with me and learn some more about language."
"You think you can teach me something?"
"Even if I can't I can take you to a great library, as long as you promise not to destroy it."
"Where," Wisti asks "the hall only has a small library and it's mostly minign information."
"There is the city of Celondim south of us but I was thinking more of the kingdom of Lindon to the north."
"They'd let me look through their libraries?"
"The libraries are always open to those seeking knowledge," Cambrendui says. "It has been a long time since I've had a child around, I'm looking forward to traveling with you."
"I really don't want to travel with you but I do want to visit the library."
"Before we leave you should probably give the tools back."
"Fine I'll be right back."
The two start on the trip to Lindon they stop for the first night in the Refuge of Edhelion. Cambrendui takes this time to bandage a few burns he finds on Wisti's arm. The trip is peaceful and Cambrendui takes the time to teach the child how to tend to wounds.
* * *
The two find a place to live in Lindon though many of the elves avoid the two. Wisti grows up readign constantly in the library and disappearing during the evenings. A month after Wisti turns seventeen Elathriel comes to visit and stays with the two for a while. One night Wisti is brought home by a group of elves that push him in the door and make him fall down.
"What do you think you're doing?" Cambrendui demands as Elathriel kneels beside Wisti.
"It's bad enough you bring him here but then you let it run wild," one of the elves says. "He was blowing stuff up."
"Did anyone get hurt?"
"Well... no."
"Did he damage any property?" Cambrendui asks.
"No but..."
"Then what gives you the right to assault him?"
The look on the elves face gets hard and he takes a step forward only to hear a low growl as a sabre-cat comes around the corner. "I would be careful if I were you," Elathriel says.
The elves turn and leave without another word and Cambrendui turns to Wisti, "Are you ok?"
"What's their problem?"
"The elves of Lindon have never liked outsiders."
"What dad's trying to say is they're all arrogant, self righteous pricks," Elathriel says.
"I was trying to find a more diplomatic way of answering him," Cambrendui says to his daughter.
"If they don't want me here I can just leave," Wisti says.
"If you want to go we'll leave first thing tomorrow."
"I'm going on my own it's time I find out how to take care of myself."
"Are you sure about that?" Elathriel asks. "I don't know much about dwarves but you seem kind of small."
"This is the size all dwarves are," Wisti shouts.
"If you're all that small how do you get anything done," Elathriel asks smirking.
"At least the dwarves have muscle, how do people as weak as you get any real work done?"
"We don't bother with massive structures we just build shelves. They do a remarkable job of keeping things out of dwarf hands. You should know you've had to get a few books from the library."
"I can use a step stool to reach what's too high," Wisti says. "What can you do to make up for being so weak?"
"I have friends that are tougher than you."
"Oh yes isn't that the elf way, get someone else to do the hard work for you."
"Only the elves of Lindon and a few of the more royal elves," Cambrendui says. "I for one do all my own work."
"Yeah but you're strange," Wisti says.
"Why would you say that to your father?"
"He's right," Elathriel says "why do you think none of my pets want to spend time with you."
"They all love me don't you Diaval?
"Dad leave the raven alone."
"I'm not putting up with you two idiots anymore," Wisti says. "I'm sure we'll meet again in the future, at least if the two of you continue to travel like you have."
"We'll keep our eyes out for you," Elathriel says "if you ever find yourself in trouble just tell a raven and I'll come running."
"You can always ask me for help if you need it," Cambrendui says "but I'm going to leave here now. These elves are starting to bother me too."
"I'll see you whenever we meet up," Wisti says as he turns for the door. "By the way my name, the one I sign with my mark, is Soloblast." Soloblast closes the door and walks off into the night.
"His name is Soloblast," Cambrendui says grinning.
"Yes I heard," Elathriel says.
"I wonder if that means he's going to go blow something up."
* * *
Cambrendui takes time traveling south until he reaches the Refuge of Edhelion in 3015 of the third age. After spending three years living in peace he starts to feel uneasy and rumours reach his ears. He travels south to the city of Celondim and finds out the evil creatures have started to ove again. A new shadow looms over Mt. Doom far to the east and the wizards have started to move. Cambrendui decides to take up the mantle of healer once more to combat any remnants of the dark lord's army and keep as many of the good people of the world alive.
