Disclaimer: LOTR belongs to the creative genius of JRR Tolkien, not me.
Chapter 6. The Prince is Lost
The two scouts Haldir had chosen left on their mission in the early light of dawn. "I think it would be wise for us to proceed on foot from now on," Haldir said, whispering a few elvish words to his mount. The horse nuzzled his shoulder then headed towards the familiar woods of Lothlorien, he stopped a short distance away, neighed as if issuing a command, and the other horses followed his lead. "The terrain ahead is more rugged and we may need to find cover quickly if we happen across our prey," he explained to Legolas.
They had only travelled a few more leagues when the scouts returned. They had found a trail made by a band of about twenty orcs. It lead into an area where there was plenty of caves in which to hide from the sunlight. The elves approached carefully, not getting close enough for the orcs to sense their presence, and waited for sunset. They would mount a surprise attack when the orcs left the cave that night. As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, their keen elvish eyesight watched the creatures as they came out into the moonlight. Haldir raised his hand to signal the attack and the arrows of the fifteen elves each found a target. Legolas felt elated as he saw his arrow hit its mark, and he saw that Elladan and Elrohir were also pleased to see some action. He quickly realised that the battle had only just begun; there were many more orcs than the scouts had estimated. The elves were slightly outnumbered, but were also experts in hand-to-hand combat and soon the enemy was defeated.
"Well done" said Haldir, "judging by the trails, this is not the only band of orcs in the area. Be wary, it is still a long way to Moria." They continued to follow the trail until the moon had waned, and there was only the starlight to guide them. They reached a small hill and made their camp at the top where there were a few trees. Legolas found that he was beginning to miss the rustle of leaves and was pleased that the old oak tree, in which he choose to spend the night, recognised the light of a Wood Elf and whispered to him in a soft voice. The rest of the company settled around the campfire, leaving the twins to take the first guard duty.
The next days were spent in a similar manner, as they followed the orcs further south. They had many small battles and prevailed each time, sustaining no losses and only a few cuts and bruises. Legolas' accuracy with the bow impressed Haldir, as did his prowess with his knives. The sons of Elrond were the better swordsmen however and were often called upon to demonstrate their skills when the group had made camp for the night. In turn, they would often prevail upon Haldir and his warriors to tell them of battles of long ago, and they were always willing to oblige.
"Tell me, Legolas, how are you finding this trip?" asked Elladan one night as they stood watch together.
"I am certainly gaining valuable experience in combat" he said, "fighting out in the open is very different to woodland battles, it requires more concentration and awareness of your surroundings. More stealth is required when approaching the enemy without the camouflage of the trees, and the option to seek refuge in the branches during the battle is not available."
"I think that your newfound skills have been gained none to soon, I heard the others saying that there is rumour of thousands of orcs in the caves within Moria" Elladan whispered, " I think that there is great danger ahead."
The next day the trail lead them into the foothills near the Moria gates, here the pathway narrowed and there were many loose rocks. The ability of the elves to tread lightly prevented enabled them to proceed quickly over the rough terrain. To loose their footing would have meant a fall down the steep sides to the rocks below. They had just made camp for the night when they heard the approach of a large party of orcs. They had senses the presence of the elves and had moved swiftly to attack. This time the numbers were far too great and it was Haldir's party who was forced to retreat as wave upon wave of orcs joined the battle.
Elladan saw that Legolas had been surrounded and was valiantly trying to cut his way through a ring of orcs. To his dismay, he watched helplessly as Legolas slipped on a blood-covered rock and disappeared over the edge of the slope. Haldir had also seen Legolas fall, but was too occupied with trying to stay alive himself to be able to attempt a rescue. The battle was moving ever closer to Lothlorien and Haldir had no choice but to order a retreat to the safe haven of the woods. Immediately they sought refuge in the golden trees and were relieved when the orcs did not venture into the forest. Elladan and Elrohir were worried about Legolas,
"We must go back for him" Elladan insisted but Haldir shook his head.
"Nay, it is too dangerous at present, we will return to search for him at dawn when the orcs return to their caves." The twins were not pleased with the thought of leaving their friend at the mercy of the orcs, but they obeyed Haldir's orders.
As soon as the sun rose, however, they retraced their steps, searching for any sign of Legolas. They came to the base of the slope that he had fallen down, but he was nowhere to be found. They searched most of the day, to no avail, and were finally forced to conclude that head been taken prisoner by the orcs.
" I must send word to Celeborn and Galadriel of our situation, Thranduil will need to be informed of his son's disappearance" he said with great sadness. "I must also inform them that I fear that Moria has fallen and that our numbers are too few to be able to defeat the orcs that are there."
Chapter 6. The Prince is Lost
The two scouts Haldir had chosen left on their mission in the early light of dawn. "I think it would be wise for us to proceed on foot from now on," Haldir said, whispering a few elvish words to his mount. The horse nuzzled his shoulder then headed towards the familiar woods of Lothlorien, he stopped a short distance away, neighed as if issuing a command, and the other horses followed his lead. "The terrain ahead is more rugged and we may need to find cover quickly if we happen across our prey," he explained to Legolas.
They had only travelled a few more leagues when the scouts returned. They had found a trail made by a band of about twenty orcs. It lead into an area where there was plenty of caves in which to hide from the sunlight. The elves approached carefully, not getting close enough for the orcs to sense their presence, and waited for sunset. They would mount a surprise attack when the orcs left the cave that night. As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, their keen elvish eyesight watched the creatures as they came out into the moonlight. Haldir raised his hand to signal the attack and the arrows of the fifteen elves each found a target. Legolas felt elated as he saw his arrow hit its mark, and he saw that Elladan and Elrohir were also pleased to see some action. He quickly realised that the battle had only just begun; there were many more orcs than the scouts had estimated. The elves were slightly outnumbered, but were also experts in hand-to-hand combat and soon the enemy was defeated.
"Well done" said Haldir, "judging by the trails, this is not the only band of orcs in the area. Be wary, it is still a long way to Moria." They continued to follow the trail until the moon had waned, and there was only the starlight to guide them. They reached a small hill and made their camp at the top where there were a few trees. Legolas found that he was beginning to miss the rustle of leaves and was pleased that the old oak tree, in which he choose to spend the night, recognised the light of a Wood Elf and whispered to him in a soft voice. The rest of the company settled around the campfire, leaving the twins to take the first guard duty.
The next days were spent in a similar manner, as they followed the orcs further south. They had many small battles and prevailed each time, sustaining no losses and only a few cuts and bruises. Legolas' accuracy with the bow impressed Haldir, as did his prowess with his knives. The sons of Elrond were the better swordsmen however and were often called upon to demonstrate their skills when the group had made camp for the night. In turn, they would often prevail upon Haldir and his warriors to tell them of battles of long ago, and they were always willing to oblige.
"Tell me, Legolas, how are you finding this trip?" asked Elladan one night as they stood watch together.
"I am certainly gaining valuable experience in combat" he said, "fighting out in the open is very different to woodland battles, it requires more concentration and awareness of your surroundings. More stealth is required when approaching the enemy without the camouflage of the trees, and the option to seek refuge in the branches during the battle is not available."
"I think that your newfound skills have been gained none to soon, I heard the others saying that there is rumour of thousands of orcs in the caves within Moria" Elladan whispered, " I think that there is great danger ahead."
The next day the trail lead them into the foothills near the Moria gates, here the pathway narrowed and there were many loose rocks. The ability of the elves to tread lightly prevented enabled them to proceed quickly over the rough terrain. To loose their footing would have meant a fall down the steep sides to the rocks below. They had just made camp for the night when they heard the approach of a large party of orcs. They had senses the presence of the elves and had moved swiftly to attack. This time the numbers were far too great and it was Haldir's party who was forced to retreat as wave upon wave of orcs joined the battle.
Elladan saw that Legolas had been surrounded and was valiantly trying to cut his way through a ring of orcs. To his dismay, he watched helplessly as Legolas slipped on a blood-covered rock and disappeared over the edge of the slope. Haldir had also seen Legolas fall, but was too occupied with trying to stay alive himself to be able to attempt a rescue. The battle was moving ever closer to Lothlorien and Haldir had no choice but to order a retreat to the safe haven of the woods. Immediately they sought refuge in the golden trees and were relieved when the orcs did not venture into the forest. Elladan and Elrohir were worried about Legolas,
"We must go back for him" Elladan insisted but Haldir shook his head.
"Nay, it is too dangerous at present, we will return to search for him at dawn when the orcs return to their caves." The twins were not pleased with the thought of leaving their friend at the mercy of the orcs, but they obeyed Haldir's orders.
As soon as the sun rose, however, they retraced their steps, searching for any sign of Legolas. They came to the base of the slope that he had fallen down, but he was nowhere to be found. They searched most of the day, to no avail, and were finally forced to conclude that head been taken prisoner by the orcs.
" I must send word to Celeborn and Galadriel of our situation, Thranduil will need to be informed of his son's disappearance" he said with great sadness. "I must also inform them that I fear that Moria has fallen and that our numbers are too few to be able to defeat the orcs that are there."