Short Story Project: The Defense of Lothlorien
Time was an unfair entity. It enveloped Men, Hobbits, Dwarves and all other living creatures. Only the Elves remained withdrawn from it in their immortality. But, all of that could change in a matter of months, Galadriel knew. For hundreds of years she had remained in her woodland realm of Lothlorien, doing her utmost to prevent the rise of Sauron and Mordor. But, strength of arms alone could not defeat Sauron now, she thought. To the East, Sauron's outpost of Dol Guldur belched fumes and lit the sky with smoke and brimstone. Deep in its pits untold legions of Orcs even now prepared to assault Lothlorien.
The only possible way for civilization to prevail was if the One Ring was thrown into the fires of Mount Doom. She had to defend her realm to delay Sauron and prevent his Eye from seeing Frodo and his companions. If Lothlorien fell, Rivendell, Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain in Erebor would face destruction. Sauron's armies would also completely encircle Gondor and Rohan, the last kingdoms of men. She had to stop Lorien from falling.
A scout burst into Caras Galadhon, the main city of Lorien. "My Lady" he cried. "A host of Orcs and trolls is embarking from Dol Guldur." "How many approach?" she questioned. "3,000 Orcs and 700 trolls with light armor" he shouted. "They also carry hundreds of torches." Galadriel's blood ran cold. The Elven complement of warriors in Lorien was only 500. While her confidence in her warriors knew no bounds, even if the Orcs were all completely killed and her warriors suffered no casualities they would still face 700 trolls. The odds were completely against them. Other problems also reared their ugly heads.
If this host was completely destroyed there were many more troops at their enemies disposal. The citadel of Dol Guldur could send horde after horde of troops until the kingdom of Lorien finally fell. Dismissing the scout, she retreated to her private chambers. She walked to the hollow that housed her mirror, an instrument that allowed her to see possible visions of the future and present. It was a small basin of silver and crystal that contained fresh water drawn from the Nimrodel. She focused her gaze on the water and opened her mind to whatever the mirror would show.
Hundreds of fires lit the forests with an inferno of red and black. The trees cried to her for help as thousands of Orcs scrambled into her kingdom burning and pillaging. Her warriors cut them down with all the strength they could muster, but soon they were overrun. Her husband Celeborn, King of Lothlorien was pierced with arrows and she was dragged to the Barad-dur as a captive of Sauron. Rohan and Gondor were surrounded by the Shadow as Rivendell, Mirkwood and
Erebor were conquered. A pall was drawn across the west as all things not of Sauron's creation were uprooted and burned.
Galadriel turned away as the mirror's waters calmed down and became placid. But then a sudden movement caught her eye. The mirror's waters rippled and suddenly began to smoke and singe. The Great Eye of Sauron had turned its gaze upon her. She felt as if she was surrounded by a corona of invisible flame. She writhed in her pain, attempting without success to shrug it off. She could feel the iron will of Sauron trying his utmost to penetrate the veils that protected Lothlorien from Sauron's control.
As she struggled, light glanced off her ring, Nenya the Ring of Water, the protector of all things fair and good. She channeled its power and mantained the veils that protected Lorien. She felt the invisible pressure taper off as Sauron's will departed.
Galadriel began to think. Perhaps if she could use her ring to shield Lothlorien from Sauron's control, she could use it to ward her kingdom against the assaults of Dol Guldur. Galadriel opened her mind and focused her power upon the Ring, bonding with it and focusing her full consciousness upon it. She poured her power forth, using it to build a wall of mist, a barrier that would stop the troops of Dol Guldur. She lay in this state, concentrating for hours on building the wall brick by brick. Finally, she sensed its completion. Now, if Orc troops attempted to enter Lothlorien they would merely walk from one end to the other without entering it. If they fired their weapons, they would also go through the wall, while warriors from inside Lorien could fire their weapons and would have their vision unobstructed. The only way an assault would succeed was if Lorien was attacked from the air, or if all of Sauron's power was focused upon her kingdom. But, she reasoned, with Gondor and Rohan still present, the Dark Lord would not be foolish enough to risk such an endeavor.
Galadriel looked from the balcony of her palace. The armies of Dol Guldur now approached. Dimly, she heard the horns of Lorien calling all warriors to the front, and she watched as the Orcs dragged catapults and began to array their troops in assault formation. She saw the swordsmen exit out of her protective barrier into the front and watched as archers arrayed themselves protectively around the forest. The Orcs cried out in their dreadful tongue and charged into the mist as catapults begin to launch projectiles into her realm. Her warriors drew forth her weapons as Galadriel smiled grimly. The Battle for Lothlorien and Middle Earth had begun.
Time was an unfair entity. It enveloped Men, Hobbits, Dwarves and all other living creatures. Only the Elves remained withdrawn from it in their immortality. But, all of that could change in a matter of months, Galadriel knew. For hundreds of years she had remained in her woodland realm of Lothlorien, doing her utmost to prevent the rise of Sauron and Mordor. But, strength of arms alone could not defeat Sauron now, she thought. To the East, Sauron's outpost of Dol Guldur belched fumes and lit the sky with smoke and brimstone. Deep in its pits untold legions of Orcs even now prepared to assault Lothlorien.
The only possible way for civilization to prevail was if the One Ring was thrown into the fires of Mount Doom. She had to defend her realm to delay Sauron and prevent his Eye from seeing Frodo and his companions. If Lothlorien fell, Rivendell, Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain in Erebor would face destruction. Sauron's armies would also completely encircle Gondor and Rohan, the last kingdoms of men. She had to stop Lorien from falling.
A scout burst into Caras Galadhon, the main city of Lorien. "My Lady" he cried. "A host of Orcs and trolls is embarking from Dol Guldur." "How many approach?" she questioned. "3,000 Orcs and 700 trolls with light armor" he shouted. "They also carry hundreds of torches." Galadriel's blood ran cold. The Elven complement of warriors in Lorien was only 500. While her confidence in her warriors knew no bounds, even if the Orcs were all completely killed and her warriors suffered no casualities they would still face 700 trolls. The odds were completely against them. Other problems also reared their ugly heads.
If this host was completely destroyed there were many more troops at their enemies disposal. The citadel of Dol Guldur could send horde after horde of troops until the kingdom of Lorien finally fell. Dismissing the scout, she retreated to her private chambers. She walked to the hollow that housed her mirror, an instrument that allowed her to see possible visions of the future and present. It was a small basin of silver and crystal that contained fresh water drawn from the Nimrodel. She focused her gaze on the water and opened her mind to whatever the mirror would show.
Hundreds of fires lit the forests with an inferno of red and black. The trees cried to her for help as thousands of Orcs scrambled into her kingdom burning and pillaging. Her warriors cut them down with all the strength they could muster, but soon they were overrun. Her husband Celeborn, King of Lothlorien was pierced with arrows and she was dragged to the Barad-dur as a captive of Sauron. Rohan and Gondor were surrounded by the Shadow as Rivendell, Mirkwood and
Erebor were conquered. A pall was drawn across the west as all things not of Sauron's creation were uprooted and burned.
Galadriel turned away as the mirror's waters calmed down and became placid. But then a sudden movement caught her eye. The mirror's waters rippled and suddenly began to smoke and singe. The Great Eye of Sauron had turned its gaze upon her. She felt as if she was surrounded by a corona of invisible flame. She writhed in her pain, attempting without success to shrug it off. She could feel the iron will of Sauron trying his utmost to penetrate the veils that protected Lothlorien from Sauron's control.
As she struggled, light glanced off her ring, Nenya the Ring of Water, the protector of all things fair and good. She channeled its power and mantained the veils that protected Lorien. She felt the invisible pressure taper off as Sauron's will departed.
Galadriel began to think. Perhaps if she could use her ring to shield Lothlorien from Sauron's control, she could use it to ward her kingdom against the assaults of Dol Guldur. Galadriel opened her mind and focused her power upon the Ring, bonding with it and focusing her full consciousness upon it. She poured her power forth, using it to build a wall of mist, a barrier that would stop the troops of Dol Guldur. She lay in this state, concentrating for hours on building the wall brick by brick. Finally, she sensed its completion. Now, if Orc troops attempted to enter Lothlorien they would merely walk from one end to the other without entering it. If they fired their weapons, they would also go through the wall, while warriors from inside Lorien could fire their weapons and would have their vision unobstructed. The only way an assault would succeed was if Lorien was attacked from the air, or if all of Sauron's power was focused upon her kingdom. But, she reasoned, with Gondor and Rohan still present, the Dark Lord would not be foolish enough to risk such an endeavor.
Galadriel looked from the balcony of her palace. The armies of Dol Guldur now approached. Dimly, she heard the horns of Lorien calling all warriors to the front, and she watched as the Orcs dragged catapults and began to array their troops in assault formation. She saw the swordsmen exit out of her protective barrier into the front and watched as archers arrayed themselves protectively around the forest. The Orcs cried out in their dreadful tongue and charged into the mist as catapults begin to launch projectiles into her realm. Her warriors drew forth her weapons as Galadriel smiled grimly. The Battle for Lothlorien and Middle Earth had begun.