Chapter Eight submitted 7-5-07.

Another semi-short chapter here. I'm sorry for the shortness again. However, the chapters don't seem to get much longer until about chapter ten. Im naer, mellyn-nin! However, without any further ado, here's chapter eight of Pillar of Strength!

Summary: When disaster strikes, Legolas is saved by an ancient warrior who is supposed to be long dead. Rated PG-13 for violence, blood, and action.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, the Silmarillion, or any related characters or works. They belong to Mister J.R.R. Tolkien.


PILLAR OF STRENGTH.
Book One in the IAUR MIN Series.
By GundamWingFanatic90.


CHAPTER 8.

Two long days had passed since Legolas and Halrana had set out from the palace. They had arrived back at the battleground late that evening, and had stayed there for the night. The next day they had searched around, finding nothing. That brought them to the present time, when Legolas finally asked the trees if they had seen where the orcs had gone. The flora had pointed the two elves in the correct direction, and now they were riding along the increasingly visible trail on their way to rescue the twins whilst the sun began its slow ascent into the eastern sky.

Suddenly they heard voices from up ahead, and the crack of what sounded like a whip. The sound echoed three more times, and then fell away. A harsh voice met the pair's ears, and they recognized that it was that of an orc.

"They won' talk!" it fumed. "No mat'er 'ow much we whip 'em, they don' talk! Bloody elves!" Legolas stiffened in righteous fury as he deduced that his friends were the ones being referred to, but a calming hand on his upper arm stilled him from acting foolishly.

"Stay your hand, penneth," whispered the elder elf, bringing the horses to a halt. "You'll do them no good if you attack before we can be sure to defeat them." He cast a sidelong glance at the prince. "Even if we must resort to dishonorable action against these fell beasts, we will get your friends out of here, alive." With Legolas' irate nod, they returned their attention to the orcs before them as they began to march out.


The day had dawned slowly, the wait nearly unbearable for Legolas, who wanted nothing more than to charge in and rescue his best friends. However, Halrana made sure that the prince did nothing of the sort, instead restraining him until daylight, when the orcs sought shelter from the sun by camping amongst the thickest of the shadows under the trees.

It was then that the elves struck.

The orcan guard keeping watch found a hand over its mouth and a knife slitting its throat before it knew what was happening. Its dying gurgle went unnoticed by its companions.

From there on it was fairly easy going. Legolas and Halrana crept from orc to orc, killing each of them silently. Finally, Legolas slit the throat of the last of the orcs, and strode over to where the twins were lashed with their broken and bloodied backs to the rough trunk of a tree. Deftly he took his white knife and, whilst Halrana kept watch for any orcs that may have gone hunting or other, cut the ropes that bound his friends.

Elladan was the first to fall into Legolas' waiting arms, and Elrohir slumped over against his friend's shoulder soon after. Both were still naked from the waist up, the bleeding welts that striped their backs clearly visible. The prince gently laid them out across the ground and tapped their cheeks, attempting to get them to open their eyes.

"Dan, Ro, wake up!" he murmured. "You've got to open your eyes! It is not safe here!" But both of the half-elves were deeply rooted in oblivion. Trying to get a reaction from them was as trying to speak to stone. A hand landing lightly on his shoulder had Legolas looking up worriedly into Halrana's stormy-grey gaze.

"We must go," said the older elf. "It is not safe to tend your friends here, and I have not the supplies I would need to treat their wounds. We must make for the halls of your father with all haste, penneth." Gingerly, he bent down and scooped Elladan into his strong arms, raven hair glinting in the cool winter sunlight. However, his eyes were darting about, on high alert for any sort of attack. Legolas saw the stoniness of a hardened warrior in those granite orbs, the way the apprentice healer's muscles were taut with caution, like a cat ready to pounce. The prince wasted no more time in picking Elrohir up and following the other conscious elf, racing back the way they had come.


As I said, another short chapter. I hope that it met your expectations despite the lacking length.

Penneth - Roughly 'young one'.
They won' talk! No mat'er 'ow much we whip 'em, they don' talk! Bloody elves! - Translation from orc-accent speech: 'They will not talk! No matter how much we whip them, they do not talk! Bloody elves!'

Ah, the poor twins! They're going to feel that one in the morning! But thank you to all of you who reviewed chapter seven: Anoriel of Gondor, Calenlass Greenleaf1, Spiritfire88, and Ellfine. Your reviews were very much appreciated, even if I didn't get back to you. It's been a really busy week, and we literally had NO internet from last Friday to Monday, and I didn't have the chance to go online until recently. Im naer, mellyn-nin!

As always, your input is very much appreciated and desired. I shall try to make the chapters longer sooner! Next chapter will be posted 7-12-07. Until then, navaer!

-Fanatic