I know that this is super short, but here it is. I should have put it on
the end of the last chapter, but I have just finished this. Now I will
have to leave you hanging for a time so I can work on the next section
(Hopefully in a few days). Elenath sila erin le!
Egla Ash dropped to his knees, exhaustion eating through him. Lumbule had pushed them hard and soon they would reach the edge of Mirkwood Forest. They were near Gael Dor, his beautiful Glimmering Place. He glanced south, imagining his home as it must look now in the growing twilight of his second day of captivity. He closed his eyes calling up the scents of sun warmed grass and elusive flowers, the evening calls of the birds as they spoke sleepily to one another.
"Aewen aerlinn danna o menel
An lutha nin lhewig ah taur gell."
[Birds' song falls from heaven
To enchant my ear with sublime joy.]
He smiled, breathing in the scents of Mirkwood at dusk.
"Shut up, traitor!" The Orc called Snagar growled, striking at Egla Ash with his foot. "Dirty Elf language! Why doesn't your tongue burn with it!" He spat curses in the Black Speech.
Egla Ash stifled a moan. They were nearly there. His blue eyes lifted to the sky. The first stars of the night were appearing.
"Aronoded aglar." [Endless glory.]
Could he live without the stars?
He lowered his head as Lumbule strode toward him bearing a flask. He thrust it into Egla Ash's mouth, the liquid fire burned down his throat, giving him strength to continue.
"Dalblung and that Elf are sure slow about getting here." Snagar said, glancing back in the direction they had come from.
"He'll be here, have no doubt. Now let's move."
Egla Ash was yanked to his feet once more and they trotted on heading northwest.
Where was Legolas? Could Dalblung truly have captured him single handedly? Egla Ash doubted it. But if Legolas was free, where was he? Or was he perhaps dead?
He shook his head to free it from such thoughts of despair. No, he smiled to himself. I will have hope, though I might feel no hope. The stars are still shining.
Gar estel annan i elenth sila. [Have hope as long as the stars shine.]
Legolas had caught up with the Orcs soon after they had begun to move again. He could smell them and hear their vile speech and jests as they ran ever on toward Emyn Mor Esgal. He dashed silently into the woods running along side them, easing ahead of them. He knew a place where he could come on them unawares and he soon left them behind. He had dared a glimpse at his friend. Egla Ash looked tired, but fit enough. This heartened the Elf. But just as his thoughts had turned to relief a sound filled the woods, echoing on the floor of the forest. His heart nearly stopped. His steps faltered and he barely had time to dive to the forest floor beneath a fallen tree when a group of Orcs came running through the woods.
There were about twenty of them, their eyes glowing in the darkening night, as they ran. They were each heavily armed and some carried sacks containing supplies for a long journey. Legolas stared at them in consternation and growing unease. What was happening? After the group had passed, he crept from behind the tree and followed them at a discreet distance. It would not do for that many Orcs to become aware of him.
He didn't have to follow them far. They had met up with the smaller group heading north.
"Lumbule! We have news from the Shriekers. We are to go south."
Lumbule stared at the speaker, an evil grin spreading over his face and Legolas, who was crouched many feet away, shuddered. Who were the Shriekers?
"South?" Lumbule queried, turning to stare at Egla Ash, who was looking at them, horror on his face. "Did they say why?"
The Orc shrugged and looked at the traitor Orc, his own face hideous with delight.
"They are very interested in this one. Perhaps they wish to make an Orc of him yet."
Foul laughter filled the air of Mirkwood and its prince crouched lower still, his fingers digging into the rich soil of the earth beneath him. He shook his head, numb with disbelief and distress. What was he to do now?
"Let us move out then. Leave someone here to tell Dalblung of our change of plans." Lumbule turned to Egla Ash. "Well," he drawled. " You have escaped our punishment, but I think that perhaps this is better than any of our devices. Let's move!" He called, his shrill voice assaulting the very air. "To Dol Guldur."
Egla Ash dropped to his knees, exhaustion eating through him. Lumbule had pushed them hard and soon they would reach the edge of Mirkwood Forest. They were near Gael Dor, his beautiful Glimmering Place. He glanced south, imagining his home as it must look now in the growing twilight of his second day of captivity. He closed his eyes calling up the scents of sun warmed grass and elusive flowers, the evening calls of the birds as they spoke sleepily to one another.
"Aewen aerlinn danna o menel
An lutha nin lhewig ah taur gell."
[Birds' song falls from heaven
To enchant my ear with sublime joy.]
He smiled, breathing in the scents of Mirkwood at dusk.
"Shut up, traitor!" The Orc called Snagar growled, striking at Egla Ash with his foot. "Dirty Elf language! Why doesn't your tongue burn with it!" He spat curses in the Black Speech.
Egla Ash stifled a moan. They were nearly there. His blue eyes lifted to the sky. The first stars of the night were appearing.
"Aronoded aglar." [Endless glory.]
Could he live without the stars?
He lowered his head as Lumbule strode toward him bearing a flask. He thrust it into Egla Ash's mouth, the liquid fire burned down his throat, giving him strength to continue.
"Dalblung and that Elf are sure slow about getting here." Snagar said, glancing back in the direction they had come from.
"He'll be here, have no doubt. Now let's move."
Egla Ash was yanked to his feet once more and they trotted on heading northwest.
Where was Legolas? Could Dalblung truly have captured him single handedly? Egla Ash doubted it. But if Legolas was free, where was he? Or was he perhaps dead?
He shook his head to free it from such thoughts of despair. No, he smiled to himself. I will have hope, though I might feel no hope. The stars are still shining.
Gar estel annan i elenth sila. [Have hope as long as the stars shine.]
Legolas had caught up with the Orcs soon after they had begun to move again. He could smell them and hear their vile speech and jests as they ran ever on toward Emyn Mor Esgal. He dashed silently into the woods running along side them, easing ahead of them. He knew a place where he could come on them unawares and he soon left them behind. He had dared a glimpse at his friend. Egla Ash looked tired, but fit enough. This heartened the Elf. But just as his thoughts had turned to relief a sound filled the woods, echoing on the floor of the forest. His heart nearly stopped. His steps faltered and he barely had time to dive to the forest floor beneath a fallen tree when a group of Orcs came running through the woods.
There were about twenty of them, their eyes glowing in the darkening night, as they ran. They were each heavily armed and some carried sacks containing supplies for a long journey. Legolas stared at them in consternation and growing unease. What was happening? After the group had passed, he crept from behind the tree and followed them at a discreet distance. It would not do for that many Orcs to become aware of him.
He didn't have to follow them far. They had met up with the smaller group heading north.
"Lumbule! We have news from the Shriekers. We are to go south."
Lumbule stared at the speaker, an evil grin spreading over his face and Legolas, who was crouched many feet away, shuddered. Who were the Shriekers?
"South?" Lumbule queried, turning to stare at Egla Ash, who was looking at them, horror on his face. "Did they say why?"
The Orc shrugged and looked at the traitor Orc, his own face hideous with delight.
"They are very interested in this one. Perhaps they wish to make an Orc of him yet."
Foul laughter filled the air of Mirkwood and its prince crouched lower still, his fingers digging into the rich soil of the earth beneath him. He shook his head, numb with disbelief and distress. What was he to do now?
"Let us move out then. Leave someone here to tell Dalblung of our change of plans." Lumbule turned to Egla Ash. "Well," he drawled. " You have escaped our punishment, but I think that perhaps this is better than any of our devices. Let's move!" He called, his shrill voice assaulting the very air. "To Dol Guldur."