"Hilda, wake up," were the words that woke Haldir and he lay there, trying to figure out where he was, "mmmm, Esse, what is it?"
Haldir now opened his eyes wide, sat up quickly and scared the Human girl trying to speak with Hilda. She let out a small scream and jumped back. He just looked at her, then down to Hilda at his side. "You said no one knew of this place."
"Would you calm down, please," she reached up, took him by his ear and tugged him down. He winced and followed his now stretched out earlobe back to the pillow. "Ok, Esse, now what is happening?"
"They have called a council to take place in the next hour." She was staring at Haldir which unnerved him. "You know, you are really pretty, Lord Haldir, especially in such a state of undress, but you can be rather frightening," Esse just smiled at him, as she backed away then, spun around and showed herself out.
He glared still at the door even after she left. Then his eyes shifted to the woman by his side and her giggles, "now tell me about how no one knows about this place."
"Esse knows, we found it together as children. I told her, if anything comes up, to come get us. She wont tell anyone." Hilda pushed at him playfully, "you need to get up."
Her wrist was captured in his hand and she was pulled to him rather roughly. He draped a long leg over her and held her against his bare flesh. She was dainty compared to most elleth. Her body soft and smelled of lilacs mixed with her sweat from the exertions of the hours before. "When we are together on the wall, you must do everything I say, Hilda. To the letter, I know it´s not in you, to obey your mate," he grinned at that, "but in that moment I am your Commander."
"You think I wont be able to tell the difference?" She asked softly. "I think you are a spirited firieth with a wild streak."
She did not argue that. "Fine, now we need to put clothing on and grab something to eat before the meeting." Her naked flesh squirmed against him and for a moment he thought she was doing it on purpose. How her thigh pressed against him in sensitive places and he found himself aroused again.
She stopped, once she realized what had happened and giggled a bit, "I am sorry about that, mmm, do you need a moment?"
"Yes, please," he released her and she slid away from him.
They returned to society and stopped by the kitchen to grab some food. Roast meat, seemed to be on the menu, smelled like poultry to him and he realized just how hungry he actually was, when he was handed a sandwich.
"Sorry, m'love, we missed supper by a few hours, but I managed to get us these," Hilda sounded almost bright and cheery and they watched Brand´s office begin to fill with people. "I will just wait here."
"You are coming with me," Haldir took her by the elbow and led her along. "I'm no Commander, I am just a runner," she protested. "No. You are my Squire, or really my Attendant in this case, so come along."
Hilda did her best to not even be there, as she found a corner on the back to sink into. Brand addressed all those gathered and sighed, "the hoard is on the move." He just came out and told them. "Sooner than expected and they should be here before the dawn."
The room was silent for several moments before Brand spoke again, "I have received word from Erebor. Their spies saw this, too, and they give me their word that the second wind lance will be here along with all the other arrows they have made." He looked to Haldir, "I have ordered that the first wind lance be made ready for you, Lord Haldir."
Haldir nodded and looked around the room, he noted, that King Thorin was not there. "The Elvish line will be ready. Rumil will defer to King Thorin, as he said, he has no problems with the Kings calling this battle. I think, my brother has begun to admire the King as odd as that might sound. Orophin will be commanding the archers after I have engaged the Balrog. I assure you that my brothers are just as skilled as I."
His attention turned to Gimli, his new friend, "Gimli, I would appreciate it, if you were up there with me. You know more about the wind lance than I do. I might need some help. Sorry your axe might not get as wet as you would like."
Everything was a scramble now. Hilda found herself helping get the archers arrows and those charged with rearming them in positions. Haldir stood alone atop the main bell tower. His hand rested on the bow of the wind lance, this mighty, monstrous weapon, created to take down Dragons and other large foes. His aim was more true than Brand's, that is why he found himself in the tower. Though Brand, he felt, would be better suited. He was far more familiar with this weapon.
In the distance the hills moved under the now darkened sky. The moon had fade below the horizon and the stars shone brightly, giving his eyes just enough light to see it. This time there would be no need to hide the mounted soldiers. They would be no surprise. He watched as they began to line up to lead the charge. Behind them, row upon row of mighty Dwarves. This would be a battle to end all battles. Today much would be decided in the north.
Gimli made his way into the tower now and needed a little help through the hatch. Haldir reached out, helped the Dwarf up and they stood there, looking at each other. "Alright, lad, let me teach you about the wind lance," he said softly and then, like a father teaching his son, the Dwarf began to break down the function of the wind lance. How to reset the bow if needed. All about the string. How to load it the way it was aimed and fired. Haldir at least was a quick study.
Perhaps she had not noticed it at first, but now, now it was very noticeable. The ground was beginning to quiver and she began to notice dirt and small pebbles beginning to fall from the buildings around her. The army was there. Her last command to the runners was, "stay nimble and quick. Keep your feet under you and your ass low. Engage only, if you have to and come back whole."
She climbed to the top of the tower like a flash and looked out to see the dark mass approaching. "Well, at least I do not see the Balrogs yet," she said with a sigh and turned to line up arrows so they could be grabbed quickly by Gimli.
"Not yet, but they are close," Haldir said in a hushed tone. "This all might be for naught though. We will need that second wind lance pretty quickly."
"It is coming, Haldir," Gimli assured him. "Though I would like it sooner than later."
She lay near the foot of the bed and eyed Minogos. She was outside of his reach where she was and she knew it. "Juniper, please! Please, do not be so stubborn on this. It will not end well."
Her eyes hardened as if she was challenged by him. Truth was, she was already feeling the moon´s pull on her. Her coloring had gone to silver and she was getting uncomfortable in her own skin. She crawled back from him and higher into the bed. Then she wedged herself in the corner near the headboard and curled into a small ball.
He sighed, "you are being a brat, Juniper. Elthian would not want you to suffer for one second. If you believe he would, then you misunderstood everything about him." His tone was getting a bit more angry and he was trying to keep himself calm.
Drannor was enjoying a little snack in the form of a rather cute Human lad and a few of their females. Morgoth lounged on his couch and watched his pet playing with his food, until the shift happened and a heaviness began to surround them. Morgoth scowled and looked to his pet, "what is all of this?"
Drannor rolled his eyes and lifted his head from between a pair of rather lovely thighs, to level his gaze on his master, "she is being a brat, master. I had a fear, she might do this. She is refusing the attentions of Minol's son."
This made Morgoth laugh in delight. "Oh, well then," he said between laughs. "You must see to that. You were commanded to make sure, she was comfortable. Even if you have to force it upon her. I shall enjoy these offered delights tonight and you go deal with the rabble."
He was on his feet with the chain stretched as far as he could get it. She lay on the bed, shaking and crying. He feeling it all as her emotions grew thick and heavy in the room. Minogos' pleas were unheard. She was crying loudly and writhing on the sheets. "Juniper, come to me now. Do not torture me like this."
Drannor listened for a moment to the ongoings within his chambers. She was crying, Minogos was now demanding that she come to him and then a very loud, pain filled, "NO!" was the answer.
He pushed the door open so hard, it slammed against the wall and then he slammed it shut. First he saw Minogos, who looked near frantic. "Please, Drannor, help her." The enchanted jewelry she wore, kept most of her power in check and even though she tried very hard to put up a barrier and keep him away, she could not, with the amount of pain she was now in. He growled at her, rushed to the bed and was upon her within seconds. He was not gentle in how he handled her. She did not deserve kindness from him in those moments.
Minogos watched in horror, as Drannor manhandled her. He forced her to sit before him and finally he was able to subdue her a bit with his powerful arms wrapped around her. He whispered into her ear and she continued to fight, but with each whispered word the fight began to leave her, until he could loosen his embrace a bit and rest his hand on top of her head.
They went still like stone, so that even breathing was hardly seen. Minogos finally stepped back and then lowered down, to sit with his back to the wall. "Let's hope this works," he muttered to himself.
She awoke and sat up startled. Her eyes drifted around the room she was in and she had no idea where she was. The bedding under her had the pattern of fire emblazoned upon it and the room was draped in deep shades of gold and orange. Streaks of yellow brightened it up here and there. "This is a dream." Then a wave of pain made her groan and she lay down on the bed to curl on her side.
"This is my dream. I am very good at this, Juniper. Even more so than Minol. You were never intimate with him in a dream or otherwise, were you?" Drannor asked as he stood just out of sight beyond the sheer curtains, that draped the bed. "No, never fully intimate, no," her voice came out nearly unhearable.
"I am doing this for you tonight, Juniper, but tomorrow night you will submit to Minogos."
She said nothing and only groaned in answer. "I can be anyone you wish me to be." He slipped past the curtains and crawled onto the bed. His body draped in a caftan of orange and brown. It slid down his shoulders, the more he moved towards her and for the moment she could not move. "I could be Lord Elrond, if you have ever been curious." She looked at him with hazy eyes and for a moment he looked like Elrond, "or, if you have a kinky streak, I could be Legolas." She shook her head, then opened her eyes to focus in on Legolas' face. "No! No tricks like that. Why not just be you?"
She was aware that he was now very close. His body hovered over hers, naked and hot. He looked down at her and grinned, "that is an excellent choice, my dear." She felt strange, almost like she had that night she drank Haldir's wine. Perhaps it was him? Perhaps he was intoxicating. She felt his lips against her flesh, kissing her neck and sucking softly. She moaned and turned to offer more of her flesh to him.
Minogos felt someone lay next to him, the masculine arm that draped over him told him who it was. "Did it work?" He mumbled. "She sleeps in peace, for the time being, but that will not work again." He kissed along Minogos´ shoulder, leaving behind a tingling trail of heat before he moaned against his ear.
Minogos felt the reason Drannor was being so forward against his backside and sighed, "dream sex still doesn't satisfy you?" Drannor pulled his lips away and smirked, "no."
"Just like old times," Minogos yawned now. "You did not complain back then," Drannor said a bit indignantly. "I was not complaining now."
The skies had just started to become grey with the first light of dawn, yet there would be no sunlight on today's spectacle. Thick clouds rolled along and blocked the sun, leaving the world in a murky gloom. Haldir and his companions looked out over the field and the sea of wickedness before them.
The signal flag atop the temple´s spire changed and the calvary began to charge. The Dwarves began to advance and the Elves followed, the archers staying back, some in front of the wall, some behind it and all ready.
Haldir lifted his bow. It was the first time, Hilda had seen it. It was rather long and recurved. The string shimmered as if it were made of gold. He waited now for the call of the archers.
She wished she had Elven eye sight and she could see better. To her, from this distance, it just looked like one giant dark mass that moved in waves. "Use this," he offered her an odd looking cylinder. "A gift from a Wizard," he said and then from one end he pulled it out into a longer and tapered stick. "Now you look through the small end and point the big end towards the battle."
Hilda took the looking glass and looked at him with a bit of doubt, but she did as he asked and ... she lowered it quickly and looked out, then lifted it again. "I can see the battle fairly well now."
"Indeed, the magic of the Istari is wonderous. You will need to use it to help me aim. While I can see great distances, to be this accurate, I will need help. I would rather fell them at a distance. If they are close to the wall we are in danger." Gimli agreed, "indeed, my friend, the further away the better."
The calvary had pulled out and the Dwarves were having their go. They were truly the backbone of this force. Without them to hold those lines back, this battle might be rather quick. They were holding their own at this point. The Orc´s line was still several miles away and the tenacity of these free people was furious. Then slowly things began to shift. The line began to move closer. The calvary was on their third charge and this time they broke it off quickly and began to fall back to the wall.
Mox was in the thick of it and actually having a good time. They were now closing in on the city and how many he lost in his conquest mattered little. There would always be more. The arrow that nicked his ear and now stuck out of the chest of one of his Commanders made him growl and look towards the city. They were now in the range of the archers, which meant, he was in range, too.
"Archers!" He cried as rows upon rows of brutal Orcish arrows were lifted high. The Elvish arrows, loosed first, now rained down upon them, but it was followed immediately by a volley of their own. Much to his dismay from the back of the line came a horrid whirling sound and he watched as his arrows were eaten halfway in the air. "Keep em busy boys," Mox growled and motioned for something to move forward. Trolls of all kinds ran forward, they were heavily armored and those that moved with them were as well. They carried great shields of iron and on their backs were machines of war, catapults and artillery, that would bring fire to the city and terror to its defenders.
Haldir began to aim for these creatures. As did those that lined the wall, but their arrows could not take down so many. Soon fire and death were raining down on the city and there were teams of youngsters, tasked with helping put out fires. Such realities were sad in times of war.
"Tangado haid! Leithio i philinn!" Haldir heard his brother´s voice rise and call out the command. Now the archers behind the wall began to fire their arrows. The sky darkened with them and the whizzing sound of them was great. Many Orcs began to fall, but the Troll remained, as did those that loaded their weapons and fired them.
A voice echoed through the air. A chanting voice who's fury rose with each word. An ancient language spoken, an ancient spell was weaved and the clouds above grew heavy with rain and the sky darkened even more. Hilda saw just below them the pointed blue had of the Wizard, his arms outstretched and in his hand his staff. The crystal in the end glowed brightly and the chanting continued. A violent storm brew quickly and lightening brought thunders piercing booms. Rain started with just a few drops and turned to a torrential downpour. The fires in Dale were put out and their fiery weapons extinguished.
Radagast called on the weather to help them and the Arda responded. With the fires gone, even in the rain the spirits of the fighters were lifted, and they rallied once again and began to push the army back. They slogged through the muck of the battle field, until the Orcs retreat and all the free people screamed in victory as the first wave of this battle ended.
Then in the distance a red glow shone even through the grey of the rain. The first glimpse of the horror that was to come. The shouts and screams of celebration faded and now all was silent, but for the sound of the rain that began to slow. The roar that came on the breeze chilled all that heard it. Hilda leaned against Haldir's side and exhaled a deeply held breath.
He lowered his bow and watched the glow become brighter. Gimli stared sadly out at the glow and gritted his teeth. "This is not my first Balrog to face," he said softly. "Yes, I am filled with fear and that fear pisses me off!" He slammed the flat of his axe against the turret´s wall and began to scream. "Come on, you slag! Come on and face us for we are your doom! Come on! Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!"
Gimli's enthusiasm began to rub off on the army of the free peoples. The Dwarves began to chant loudly and wave their arms in the air to menace the Orcs. "Baruk Khazâd! Baruk Khazâd!" Their feet began to pound into the wet earth and their cries grew louder. "Khazâd ai-mênu!" They then began to chant and the men that were on the wall began to pound their feet against the stone and cry out and lift their fists to the air and such a noise was raised that it drowned out the thunder.
Hilda had to wipe the lens of her looking glass dry. She held it up to look out and she saw for the first time what a Balrog looked like. She lowered the looking glass and stood there slack jawed and struggling to breathe.
"I have a friend who is off in the east right now. He is fighting the evils there. Long ago, the first Dark Lord began his conquest of middle earth and he toppled many Kingdoms, yet there was one, he could not even find. It was hidden away and very few outside of those who lived there knew, how to get to it. Yet the Dark Lord found out where it was through torture and trickery. My friend defended his home till the end and then he protected those running for their lives to escape their doom. A Balrog came upon them and my friend turned and faced this most foul Demon from Angband. He slew the Balrog after a great battle, but as the Balrog fell into a chasm it managed to grab his hair and pull him down with him. Then after thousands of years passed he returned to middle earth. He told me, the best way to survive killing a Balrog is to kill it from a distance," Haldir chuckled and looked to Hilda.
"Good thing we have distance on our side for now then." She had to know though and asked "If he died, how is it that he came back?"
"I will explain all of that after you become my wife," he grinned. She scowled.,"fancy time to be worried about that."
"Gimli, go find out about the wind lance," Haldir looked to the Dwarf, who nodded and grumbled, "Aye, I am beginning to worry on that myself." With a little help he made his way down the hatch.
The chanting continued, even as the ground began to tremble again. Haldir took his place behind the wind lance and began to get it loaded. The black arrows were large and heavy. The Wizard having enchanted the metal they were made from. He hoped this would work. "Ok, help me get my shot." The Dwarves had come up with an inventive way to aim, using something like a sextant for navigation. She could lean over with the looking glass and tell him, how to line the shot. "Up just a little and to the right and stop. That's it, Haldir."
He fired the wind lance and felt the power of the straps it used as they snapped back on either side of his head. She was watching the shot and it flew wide left. Then pierced through four Trolls, that had been lined up behind.
"OHHHH! UHHHH! You didn't hit it, but you took out several Trolls with one shot. It looks to be pulling left," Hilda said and saw him adjusting. She once again leaned over and began to help him line up. "Ok, let's do better this time." This was all a learning experience for them. Haldir was realizing he was having a very hard time aiming from this distance.
"It will be here soon," Gimli said as Haldir was aiming for his shot. "I hope so, because this is hard to aim from this far away. So far I have managed to kill a few Trolls."
"Ok, remember it´s pulling left and I'm going to say, at this distance it´s pulling left about fifteen feet at least." He fired again and this time the arrow flew over his shoulder and disappeared behind it.
"A little high," she smiled and looked to him, "but much closer."
The ground troops were now advancing and coming into contact with the Orc army again. The Elves had engaged again, too, now mixing in with the Dwarves just trying to do as much damage as they could, until the Balrog arrived.
"The flags were shifting now over head. Different commands given to different places. The trebuchet began to spring to life. The sound of wheels being cranked and ropes being pulled tight were heard all around and Haldir was handed another black arrow. The weapon was loaded and Hilda was once more guiding him. They were much closer now and she could see the details of this beast´s chest and the red glowing veins that crossed over it.
This time the arrow hit. It hit towards the left shoulder, but pierced the chest none the less. He screamed in rage and staggered back. It looked like fire poured from the wound. It´s mate pulled the arrow free, but as it did it seemed as if the arrow hurt it from simply touching it.
"You hit it, Haldir, but it did not kill it. It´s wounded!"
"Is it healing up?" He asked and leaned forward to peer through the looking glass. "It's not healing up. It's going to take more than one hit."
Gimli was loading the wind lance and Haldir was adjusting gears and lining his shot again. Hilda looked through the glass and gasped, "it´s mate is charging." Haldir swept the wind lance to the right and lined up the bright glowing spot in the sight. Hilda looked and leaned back out of the way. "You´re good." The straps snapped once again and she lifted the looking glass. The arrow hit the charging Balrog almost square in the chest, dropping it down, but it, too, rose up, bleeding his fire and pulling the arrow free.
The first one shot began to charge now, too, but it was running in a pattern he could not keep up with. A trebuchet was loosed and a large piece of stone was hurdled towards it. Now it stopped and much to their horror it struck the stone with its axe and cleaved the stone in two.
Haldir felt his spine tingle when he heard an eagle´s cry. He turned and looked overhead to see Gwaihir above and as he circled around, Haldir could see the wind lance upon his back. At first Haldir thought this to be joke, but then he realized this was serious. This was the second wind lance and it was mounted to the back of an eagle.
"Gimli, I will need to hear this story when we are done." Gimli nodded, "Aye, me too."
Haldir turned to Hilda, grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her in. He kissed her roughly, then grinned as he backed away. He held her gaze and called out below, "Brand, get up here! " He just couldn't look away from her as she began to look more and more worried. "I love you," he said, then turned, leaped from the turret and found the eagle´s back.
"It has been a very long time, Lord Gwaihir," Haldir spoke to the eagle as he found, there were even straps for himself on this deck, so he would not fall off. "I see, they have you mixed up with us rabble again." He was strapping himself in and looking over this very bad idea and trying to figure it out.
Gwaihir was laughing as he began to soar higher over the battle and out of danger for the moment. "They? I was not commanded to come. All Manwe did was tell me about the need and I chose to come. For I hear this will be final for the one so filled with malcontent. If we lose it´s over whether we fight or not and I choose to fight."
"What did they tell you about this weapon my friend?"
"It is smaller and made to be fired close. I will do my best to get us in close and not get us killed. The rest is up to you."
Brand and Hilda were getting the hang of the wind lance. He pierced the chest of the first one again, then reloaded and with minor adjustments was able to fire once more. Missing his next shot he was forced to go after its mate again, it recovering a bit and charging forth.
The mighty eagle swooped in and while Haldir's arrow missed the Balrog now had something to engage . He cracked it's whip and nearly hit Gwaihir. "I can not aim when you are pumping your wings. I need to be able to aim and fire as you glide."
"I will need to come in from high, diving down fast and quick."
"Alright, let´s do it."
She watched as the eagle began to rise again and left her sight. Brand was aiming again and she turned to help. She heard a rattling sound as she helped him adjust, she ignored it and then it got more intense. Her eyes shifted towards the sound and it was the red arrow in her quiver. It shook and vibrated until she stepped closer and as she reached out she saw herself aiming the arrow and loosing it. Brand fired again and now he pierced the beast in the middle of the chest. It tipped forward and the sharp head of the arrow was driven into the ground.
The Balrog screamed and roared in it´s agony. Impaled and now stuck to the ground it pushed itself up and pulled the arrow clean through its body and a torrent of fire spilled from it. It fell forward, lying still. "Did I kill it?" Brand asked breathlessly and looked down.
"INCOMING!"
He heard someone scream and looked up just in time to see a boulder coming towards them. He ducked and pulled Hilda with him as the boulder hits the top of the tower and knocking the roof off. Rocks and wood rained down on them. Hilda poked her head up once the calamity eased and saw the Balrog pick up another boulder and ready to throw it.
Haldir suddenly swooped down on the back of the Great Eagle and fired at the Balrog. The arrow stuck in the ground at its feet and they were back high in the air before the Balrog could react. The shaking continued and she reached out and grabbed her quiver and the bow. "Gimli, take over, I have something I need to do."
With that she ran for the edge of the turret and jumped from it. They heard her feet meeting the roof below and knew she was gone. They looked to each other as a rock hit the wall below and pushed the rubble away.
She ran towards the northern wall. Towards Erebor and where the Dwarves had their goats. The goats were being saddled and yoked, ready to be sent out when the Balrog fell. She ran right through them. The goat keepers and the goat riders. "Excuse me, I am so sorry," she said as she ran past them. "I just need to borrow this goat for a bit." She leaped on the freshly saddled back of a goat and held on for dear life as she turned it towards the mountains and ran at full speed for them.
She heard the eagle coming in and looked just in time to see Haldir's arrow hit the Balrog in the shoulder. This time the whip met its target, but managed to singe the feathers of the mighty eagle.
Now she skirted the battle. The goat able to climb along the edge of the mountain and negotiate its way up far quicker and better than she ever could. For the moment she was not even a concern to the Balrog, though the Orcs took pop shots at her and thankfully they had managed to miss.
The Balrog was attacking the ground around it, burning Elfs, Dwarfs, Humans and Orcs alike. Where ever its whip touched, burned. On a flat ledge, just big enough for her to stand steady on, she stopped the goat and it waited a little below for her. She pulled the red arrow from the quiver and looked at it, "alright. You want me to fire you. I will! I just hope you are worth the trouble." The arrow nocked she drew the bow. "Please, be true," she whispered and held her breath. The shot taken she watched as the arrow pierced the chest of the Balrog and a stream of fire spilled forth. The arrow coming out its back she held her hand up. "Return to me." The arrow turned and picked up speed on the way back. It pierced the Balrog between its shoulders and came from its chest. The arrow returned to her hand.
She had to duck away and dropped down on the goat´s back. It carried her up and down dodging arrows, until she found another place to stop. She nocked the arrow again and took aim, loosing it a second before the Balrog spun around and sent its whip hurdling towards her. The goat saved her by knocking her down, catching her below and bouncing up along the near sheer wall of the mountain. The arrow passed through the neck of the Balrog. Her hand lifted into the air it turned around and came back the way it came and pierced it once more.
Haldir came in once more and was surprised to find the Balrog injured so much. He aimed and fired hitting its through its stomach. Now from the goats back she took aim one more time. Haldir sweeping around, saw her golden hair and watched, as she aimed an arrow at the Balrog. "Gwaihir, look!" Now as he circled, they watched as she fired the arrow and struck the Balrog. Then a large black arrow flew past them and struck the beast in the head. Brand and Gimli looked worse for wear and bleeding down their faces. Their final shot was the perfect one and Hilda's arrow burst from its chest on its return to the golden haired woman astride a goat.
There were cheers from the city as the Balrogs fell, but this was by no means the end. Orcs were climbing the mountainside now. They were getting close to her and she placed her special arrow in the quiver and drew others. The goat carried her and she shot as many Orcs as she could. They were trying to escape, but were being flanked.
Gwaihir turned and flew fast towards the woman and the goat. The beats of his wings sent many Orcs falling to their deaths. Yet the goat was sure footed and did not sway. "Haldir, I can not get them both."
"Jump, Hilda! Trust me and JUMP!" Haldir yelled at her. She lifted her foot, pushed it against the stone wall and pushed herself from the goat´s back. The goat captured in the eagle´s claws she watched as she began to fall. Her eyes closed then and she felt herself hit something firm but then she began to slide. Her eyes opened wide and she was beginning to cling to feathers.
"Hilda, hold on!" Haldir loosened the straps and reached out for herr, taking her wrist in his hand, he held onto her, until Gwaihir could get them higher and to safety. Finally he pulled her to him as the eagle leveled out and slipped his strap around her as well. They were silent for several minutes, even Gwaihir was quiet.
"Well, it seems like there is more to you than I thought," Haldir said softly. "Talk to my arrow. It was the one that wanted to be fired."
Haldir would get to the bottom of this mysterious arrow later, now Gwaihir was lowering down out of the clouds. They could see the devastation now. The Orcs in retreat and the field below them covered in the dead. Mud and muck speckled with fires from the burning blood of the Balrogs. Their losses were great and any sense of jubilance over the death of the Demons was gone.
"Find your courage and your strength, Hilda, tomorrow they will attack again."
Tauriel woke up suddenly. She sat up and looked beside her, but Jeven was not there. She felt hot and the air within the hut seemed heavy. Grumbling she got to her feet and staggered towards the door. She pulled the curtain back and felt the cool of the breeze. Towards the center of the village she could see a bright glow. The moon was beginning to sink in the nightsky so she knew the hour was late.
Curious she became and quietly forward she moved and found it odd that she came across none. Not even a guard moved. She stopped at the edge of the light and saw everyone gathered around a fire. Around the fire several of the Priestess lay on their backs. Then there before the fire sat the Orthae J'nesst, with her was Jeven. She held his head and their foreheads touched.
Tauriel became fascinated with this. It was as she had seen Juniper and Ryu do in the past. Then the Orthae J'nesst rose up and moved to the first in the circle, lowered down and they touched heads. Tauriel watched as eventually every one of them had done this. They were collectively sharing the experience. Jeven was teaching them about all he had seen and learned.
The process was repeated a few times. All of it done while there was a gentle song being hummed and all of it was some what relaxing to watch. She sat down and leaned against one of the near by huts, listening and watching their shadows dance against the back drop of the village. Eventually Tauriel fell asleep, listening to the song and her dreams were filled with things she didn't understand. A strange garden with an elaborate hut whose walls opened up and one could look out on the spring that flowed outside.
There were billowing linen curtains and trees in strange shapes. Images in gold filigree that decorated the posts and green grass and a bed in the center of the hut big enough for many people. There was someone there in that garden, she kept thinking, she would get a glimpse of them and then like smoke they were gone. She began to follow a pebbled path around the spring and deeper into this beautiful place.
There they were again. She hurried to the bend in the path and peered around the thick trunk of a large pine tree to see, no one.
She felt a hand on her shoulder rocking her gently. She muttered something and then felt herself being lifted up. She was cradled in Jeven's arms and being carried back towards their hut. He said nothing, but when she sleepily peeked up she saw him smiling.