Disclaimer: Too lazy to write that I don't own Lord of the Rings again… read page 1
With neither call nor signal, the thirty- one elven guard stopped, straining once more to for the repeat of the sound. For the ten days of their journey to Red Horn Pass, sounds had been following, though seldom did they ring for the first seven days. Faint they were now but still sounded of harsh tones and uncouth language.
In irritation, Celebrian turned back her horse to the back of the party, planning to be followed by sounds no more. But her path now was forced blocked by her guard Nirthen, son of Malbung, son of the guilty one.
"Listen no more for the sounds, my lady, and seek them not. For the silence is pressing me onward with great haste and great haste shall be met or red shall the next dawn be, for blood has stained the western sea."
"Haste and a great silence," replied Celebrian, turning back to the front of the party," for this silence isn't right. It seems to chill me through my marrow."
Signaling a continuation their journey, Nirthen raised his hand. But the party suddenly rang with a sharp snap from the woods on their left. Immediately six scouts, wielding blinding white knives, jumped from horseback and sprang through the branches as deer in a well-known wood. Now Nirthen faced his horse at Celebrian's rear guard, fearing a great attack should come from their backs. All the party now had bows taught and few with knives drawn. Only Celebrian at this time unshielded her sword, Angarauko, the iron demon. Skilled smiths had created all the swords for the kin of their master Elrond, yet in Celebrian's they took amazing pride, for the weapon seemed to respect its master and fly as the emotion of the wielder. Should such a fey mood take one, the sword would never stop staining till earth collapsed under it. They said that it was made to remember the spear Aeglos of Gil- galad, since the white blade was never stained with the blood of its victims.
Strange indeed it was thought of elven maidens to wield such weapons since they had since been used more by the race of man. But fate it had seemed to have her wield it since she did so with amazing grace that it near sang in battles. Even as Celebrian looked at it, lost in its own lore, the scouts called out from the woods.
"Nirthen!" they called
"What did you find? Is the route still clear?" he called back
"Nay, my lord, come and see, then let us ride."
Swiftly entering the wood, Nirthen saw the other scouts, two of which were now bending over four fallen bodies. Coming closer, he saw they were once the bodies of Orcs, but now had been beheaded and cut crudely in many ways. Now they seemed to no longer bare resemblance.
"Ride! Ride now to your lands! To Lothlorien! The Orcs are upon the mountain pass! Ride!" he shouted while running with the remaining scouts back to where the horses stood. Leaping upon his horse, it reigned in terror for now it smelled the approach of the Orcs from all the sides, closing in on them. But Nirthen forced them onward, raising his hand to call the party on with him.
Suddenly from the right, a single Orc appeared before them, his bow drawn with deadly aim. But the elven guards were now on guard and shot him with skill before his shot could aim properly. So fey it flew past his target of Celebrian and instead into Nirthen's raised hand, pinning it with its black feathered shaft.
"Ride!" He now bellowed to the rest. Straining against the pain, Nirthen pulled the deadly arrow from his hand. Now he could clearly see the forms of many great beasts and swarms of Orcs encircling him. His last order had been carried out and the party now was swiftly leading Celebrian away from the clearing to the pass.
Celebrian now looked over her shoulder to see Nirthen, blood streaming down his fore arm and fire springing from his sword, turned now to face the oncoming Orcs. He swiftly unshielded his sword and brandished in front of the Orcs. Indeed now the Orcs doubted their lives in the face of a great and terrible Elf lord.
But before Celebrian could charge to his side, the leader of the mountain Orcs crashed through the trees with even more soldiers. Yelling in mixing and clashed tones, he charged Nirthen with his followers close at his heels.
"Aure entuluva! Ride" he cried with his fatal last words as he too rode toward the leader, flames jumping from both helm and sword.
Folly it seemed to Celebrian for his safety but she was a kin to Elrond and no coward had she yet beseeched to. Raising her sword and fell voice, great but terrible as a storm, she called the host to her. To fight.
But the Orcs came upon them from all sides now and broke their way through the guard. Many were slain to protect their lady but still did the hilt of a sword come upon her. To the ground she fell, her eyes closing before the dawning of the red dawn.