Sorry, I tried to get this up after I got home, but ff.net is at it again and I can't log in…
Chapter 35--Landing On Foreign Soil
The war ships were finally in sight of Xandir and headed toward it. Aragorn had decided to attack at the dock, hoping that there would be no war ships to block them. Neither Legolas nor Jaisia had seen any so it seemed like a worthwhile gamble to take. It worked perfectly; obviously no one had considered a sea attack. The ships were able to dock and the armies poured into the city.
Screaming townsfolk scattered for the safety of their homes as soldiers rushed into the battle. There was no order or discipline. It was all chaos and steel. Men fell and blood slicked the stones made footing treacherous.
The tangle soon separated friend from friend. Legolas used his bow until he couldn't any longer then drew his daggers, plunging into the fray. He'd lost Jaisia, Aragorn and Gimli in the tangle. All he could do was hope they would survive the battle.
No one truly knows what a true battle between armies is like--there is no order, no sense. There's no room for fancy sword play. The two armies simply collide and start hacking. After a while you're exhausted, hoarse from shouting and thirsty. The dead litter the ground under your feet and all you can think about is not tripping over them.
Legolas hissed in pain as a blade gashed his arm from behind, but he was fighting two other men and couldn't turn. He heard a heavy thud behind him then a sword thrust over his shoulder, plunging into one of his opponent's throat. Legolas killed the other then glanced over his shoulder, expecting to see Jaisia, Kai or Aragorn, but instead he saw Tyon.
The Centaur nodded grimly at Legolas then turned and returned to the battle without a word.
Legolas saw his father ahead of him, fending off three enemies skillfully, but Legolas could see something Thranduil couldn't. A Xandir soldier brought up a crossbow and aimed at his father's back. "NO!!" Legolas screamed. He threw his dagger at the crossbow man.
Jaisia kicked a soldier in the face and stabbed another through the heart. She was panting for breath and bleeding from a multitude of wounds, but she was determined to keep fighting. It was then she felt a surge of fear. It was Legolas! She kept fighting, knowing she would never find him in this crowd. ( Hold on, little brother! ) she said.
In that terrible instant time seemed to slow to a crawl. Legolas screamed in rage as an enemy soldier stumbled into the dagger's path and it went into his eye. He fell and the crossbow man fired.
Thranduil jerked in agony as the bolt sank between his shoulder blades. His sword fell from his hand then he crumpled to the ground, motionless.
"FATHER!! NO!!" Legolas shouted. He fought his way toward his father then fell to his knees at his side. Gently, he turned Thranduil onto his back, but it was no use--the King of Mirkwood was dead. A primal scream of rage and grief tore free from Legolas' throat. Everything around him was forgotten in his pain at his father's death. A noise above him returned Legolas' attention to the fight. He looked up, cursing himself for his lapse.
A soldier loomed over him, grinning as his sword swept down towards his skull for a killing blow and Legolas had no way or time to block it. He braced himself to join his father.
ARRGHHH!!!! What a cliffhanger, huh? I am the queen of cliffhangers! Grovel at my feet--No? All right I'll settle for a review, thanks!!