Chapter Four
T.A. July 2905
Brina's POV
We had been following the orc tracks for what seemed like forever. I felt like screaming for the whole world to hear. "Forget the stupid orcs." but figured that wouldn't go over well. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't notice the others had stopped in front of me until I ran into my brother's back. My brother turned around to look at me but didn't speak. Something told me to speak quietly. "Sorry for running into you gwador nin I was lost in my thoughts. Why have we stopped?" I spoke in a hushed whisper.
"It's alright tithen gwathel just be more careful next time and to answer your question. Orcs are nearby." my brother whispered just as quietly.
I felt a chill run down my spine and double checked that I had my weapons even though I knew I had them. It was something I did when I was nervous.
I looked ahead of my brother to find Elladan and Elrohir were no longer ahead of us.
"How close are the orcs and where are the twins?"
"Not far and the twins went ahead to scout ahead." my brother answered.
I looked into my brother's eyes. He hesitated a moment before speaking again.
"Stay near me tithen gwathel no matter what happens."
I just nodded my head. Outwardly I looked calm but inside my mind was in turmoil. "No matter what stay near my brother and protect him." I kept telling myself.
A hand on my shoulder jolted me out of my thoughts. "Don't worry tithen gwathel everything will be alright," he spoke trying to encouraging me.
I gave him a small smile. I should have known my brother would be able to pick up on my mood. My smile quickly faded when the twins suddenly reappeared in front of us. They didn't look like the friends I knew their eyes were hard and cold filled with a barely concealed rage. It took everything within me not to take a step back from them.
My brother noticed my change in behavior turned to face the twins but his hand remained on my shoulder as if offering silent comfort. "What news mellon nin."
"The orcs are a quarter of a mile ahead of us," Elladan said. "The orc pack has split into three different groups heading in different directions. The group ahead of us is the smallest with about twelve orcs."
"We must not delay. Let's attack them now." Elrohir said impatiently.
"I want to attack too Elrohir but we must use caution." my brother warned ever the voice of reason. "Do the orcs know we are here?"
"No, the orcs haven't caught our scent," Elladan answered just as impatient as his twin but knowing that Arathorn spoke the truth.
"Have the orcs stopped or are they moving?" my brother asked trying to gather all the facts before launching an attack.
"The orcs are stopped in a clearing," Elrohir answered him this time. "What does it matter? Let's just attack."
I felt an angry retort come to my lips but before I could speak my brother answered in a calm manner.
"It matters mellon nin we are outnumbered three to one. I want to form a sound attack plan that will keep us all safe as possible. I know you are angry and feel the need to kill these orcs. Please don't let your anger endanger us all mellon nin."
At my brother's words, the twins shared a look before turning back with a nod of acceptance.
"Good. Elladan, Elrohir you take to the right while Brina and I take the left. Any questions?"
When my brother received nods stating the negative.
"Let's hunt some orc." my brother said.
With those words, we set out quietly making the quarter mile trek to where the orcs had stopped. The walk took far less time than I would have liked. As we neared the clearing harsh orc voices could be heard up ahead. Silently my brother signaled all of us to our places. Elladan and Elrohir disappeared to the right like ghosts. My brother and I moved as quickly and quietly as we could to the left.
As we reached our position we could finally see into the clearing where the orcs were. As I looked there were twelve orcs arguing over something that we couldn't make out.
I looked to my brother. "Perfect time to attack." I mouthed to him.
He mouthed back. "Yes, it is but stay near me."
We both grabbed our bows readying an arrow.
I aimed for a particularly nasty looking orc with evil seeping out of every pore of its body. I waited for a second before releasing my arrow. At the same time, my brother and the twins released their arrows as well.
My arrow found its mark in the neck of the orc. The orc let out a gurgling sound before falling down dead. Three other orcs fell as well from the arrows of my brother and the twins.
For a heartbeat, nothing moved in the clearing as the orcs seemed to stunned by the fall of their comrades but the orcs recovered quickly letting out a roar of rage. Trying to find out where the arrows had come from. "The odds are better now just two to one but we are still outnumbered." I thought to myself.
The twins burst from the trees with a battle cry and the thirst for battle in their eyes. Mowing down two orcs before they knew what hit them. The orc captain gave a hurried order in the black speech. The order seemed to be an attack order as the six remaining orcs swarmed the twins.
I made to move into the clearing but my brother threw out his arm to block me. "Wait tithen gwathel," he whispered.
I turned with an inquiring look trying to figure out why we weren't in the clearing as well.
My brother turned to face me and seeing my look answered my unasked question. "The reason we are waiting tithen gwathel is that we still have the element of surprise if the twins need help we can help them but right now they are doing fine without us."
As my brother finished speaking we both turned back to look at the clearing in the short time my brother had been talking the twins had killed four of the six remaining orcs now only two remained. The two remaining orcs charged with a snarl only to be met with the gleaming swords of the twins that promised death to their foes.
I watched the twins as they made quick work of the orcs. Their fighting style was graceful and deadly. If the twins hadn't been on a battlefield I could have sworn they were dancing. My thoughts were cut short as the twins decapitated their opponents. As I looked into their eyes I couldn't help but shiver at the dark emotions swirling in their eyes it made me want to turn and run from them.
My brother made his way to the twins but I found I couldn't move from my spot. I could hear my brother speaking to the twins.
"Good work Elladan, Elrohir let's burn the orcs corpses." The twins nodded in silent agreement. "Tithen gwathel why don't you go get some water there is a stream not far from here."
I felt gratitude well up within me. My brother knew I was not ready to face the twins yet especially after watching the gruesome battle. "Right away gwador nin," I spoke with a calmness I didn't feel. I turned making my way back into the trees it wasn't long before I heard the gurgling of a stream and headed for it.
Arathorn's POV
As I finished speaking with the twins I turned to see my sister still standing where I had left her. Her face seemed blank and calm. I knew differently though inside she was in turmoil over what she had just seen. I was used to the twins being like this when we hunted orcs but she wasn't. I knew she wasn't ready to face the twins yet so I gave her an excuse to go off by herself to sort out her thoughts.
I watched her make her way back into the trees before turning to help the twins gather the orcs in a pile so we could burn them. I watched the fire lick threw the pile of corpses greedily before turning and walking away from the horrible stench.
I noticed the twins were looking around the clearing as if looking for someone.
"Where is Brina?" Elladan finally asked me.
"They must not have heard me tell Brina to go find some water." I thought to myself before answering Elladan's question. "I sent her to get water from a nearby stream."
The twins shared a confused look before Elrohir spoke. "Why would you send Brina to get water?"
I let out a sigh hoping I wouldn't have to explain this to them but it looks like I was going to have to. "She needed some time to herself," I said hoping to skirt the issue.
"Is she alright? She has been acting strange around us for a while." Elladan asked.
"She is fine mellon nin she is just not used to seeing you both like this. I think you both have scared her." I told them. "You forget I am used to the way you act when we go orc hunting but this is her first time on an orc hunt with you."
The twins shared a stunned look before guilt took its place. "We didn't mean to scare Brina. We will apologize to her when she gets back." Elrohir whispered.
"I know you didn't mellon nin," I said encouragingly with a hand on their shoulders. "I will go check on her."
The only response I got was a nod of the head from them before moving off in the direction my sister had headed.
Brina's POV
I neared the stream watching the water peacefully flow by trying to soak up some of the peace. For my mind was in turmoil trying to reconcile the friends I knew with the cold warriors I had seen. I sat down by a tree leaning my back against its rough bark. I closed my eyes with a sigh. "What am I going to do?" I asked myself. My thoughts were interrupted when I felt my brother's presence beside me.
"Are you alright tithen gwathel?"
"No gwador nin but I will be in time," I responded as silence settled around us.
"The twins are worried about you they were asking where you were. I filled them in on the situation." my brother's voice broke the quiet around us.
My eyes flew open as I turned to look at my brother to stunned to speak a word.
My brother noticed my face rushed to speak. "They would like to apologize to you. They feel bad for scaring you and for forgetting this is your first time on an orc hunt with them."
I remained silent as my brother finished speaking before standing and turning to look at my brother. His face seemed unsure in the face of my silence. I decided he had suffered in silence long enough. "Let's not keep them waiting then," I said as I held out my hand with a bright smile.
My brother returned the smile as he took my hand. "Yes lets tithen gwathel."
I still felt hesitation as we made our way back to the clearing where the twins were located. I noticed the horrible stench from the burning orc corpses first as we entered the clearing.
"That smells horrible," I said loudly as I wrinkled my nose at the smell.
"It certainly does tithen gwathel I have been doing this for many years and I still am not used to the smell." my brother replied.
"You are such an encouragement gwador nin," I said sarcastically. A snort of laughter drew my attention to the twins as they laughed at our banter. "They seem more like themselves." I thought as I looked at them.
I couldn't find any words to say feeling suddenly nervous around my friends. I found I couldn't look them in the eyes.
I didn't notice the look the twins shared before making their way over to me.
"Brina." Elladan's voice called my name.
I looked up to find the twins standing right in front of me. I looked between the two silently.
"We would like to apologize for scaring you. We forgot you had never been out on an orc hunt with us." Elrohir spoke next.
"Will you forgive us?" Elladan picked up where his twin left off.
"Of course I forgive you both. It is just hard to reconcile the friends I know with the warriors I just saw. It frightens me." I spoke honestly.
Without a word, the twins pulled me into a hug. I felt much of my worries and fears slip away at that moment. We stayed like that for a while before I pulled back to look into their faces.
"Thank you for forgiving us mellon nin," Elrohir whispered.
"Anytime my friends," I replied before turning around to find my brother smiling at all of us. I smiled back at him. "How about hunting down the rest of these orcs so we can go home?"
The twins looked stunned by my words for a moment before nodding their heads in agreement. I looked at my brother to find him nodding his head as well. "Let's go hunt some orc because I am ready to go home."
My brother and the twins laughed at my words but couldn't help silently agreeing with me as we set out to track down the rest of the orcs.
