Chapter Three: Surprise
The day was unique. No one had noticed it.yet.
It was Aethyrelda's birthday. Like many elves, she had forgotten how many years it had been. She didn't really care. She did hope, however, that she might get the day off to spend with Tari, but that did not happen.
There were floors to be scrubbed, mirrors to shine, tens of hundreds of dishes to clean, food to serve, and royalty to dress. Most of all, people to please.
Tári was constantly grieving. She would insist on being one of the first to hear news coming in, although Aethyrelda often heard before her. She was starting to regret ever introducing them.
The truth was, Aethyrelda did not understand. Tári barely knew him. They had known each other for two days. How could she be this depressed over his departure?
Aethyrelda wondered if Legolas even thought about Tári. What did he think of her? A friend? Or something more?
She guessed the later because of the situation Legolas had been in. But now that the arrangement was called off, how would he treat her?
Questions burned in her mind. She was afraid she just ruined her best friend's life. Her good intensions had turned bad. She was scared of what would happen if he did return, scared of if he did not.
~~~
The palace grounds were silent. The moon had risen and everyone had turned in for the night. Aethyrelda grabbed her quiver of arrows and bow and headed out to the palace's private archery field. The grounds were prohibited to all except the prince.
She had been practicing for many weeks now. When the news of the start of the war had been brought, she found her father's bow and started practicing. She did not want to be defenseless if the war came to Mirkwood.
The night was still. There were no creatures in the tress, no familiar sound. In fact, there was no sound at all. The silence burned into her ears until she heard something, a rustling. It almost sounded like.an army of orcs.
Her bow was armed in a flash. They were coming through the depths of the forests where there were no gates. But where were the guards? Surely they could hear this racket!
Her mind raced. Finally, she concluded that she could not take the army alone and they were far enough away she could go and get back if she hurried.
~~~
Aethyrelda rushed into the guard house where there were twenty-three or so guards standing around singing at the top of their lungs and drinking.
She stopped dead in her tracks just inside the door.
"Ah, look here!" One of the guards noticed her. Inspecting her, he continued. "We have been sent a servant by the king! Come, serve us!"
"No, orcs! Orcs are coming!" A few turned to look at her and shook their heads, turning away. The elf who spoke before her made his way towards her. She recognized him as one of the head guards named Valandil.
"That is foolish. Orcs could not have reached here already. No come, obey your orders and serve us." He grabbed her forearm.
"No," she wrenched her arm away, forgetting proper courtesy. "You come." She pushed him through the door and followed him out.
He grabbed her arm just below her shoulder. He grip was so hard Aethyrelda almost screamed in pain. "I will report you for---" He was interrupted when he heard the army. His face turned from anger to fright. "Orcs?"
Pushing her out of the way and into the building, he yelled, "Orcs! All to battle stations!" Immediately everyone ceased their singing and readied themselves.
Valandil turned back to her, grabbing her face he forcefully added, "I will deal with you later!" Aethyrelda felt her jaw cracking under the pressure. He threw her to the ground and turned to join his army.
Shaking off the pain in her broken jaw, she stood and headed off to the archery fields. It had taken too long. They were here.
~~~
Arrows were flying everywhere. Aethyrelda was shooting as fast as she could. She noticed an orc running at full speed toward her. Reaching back for her quiver, her hand searched around for an arrow, but did not retrieve one. She was out.
Her face pales as the orc lunged toward her, sword aiming at her heart. She reacted. Without thinking she found herself in the air. Her foot collided square in his face and knocked him unconscious. She landed and drew his sword. She had never held a sword let alone fight with one.
Another orc appeared next to her and swung his sword at her. She deflected and awkwardly tried for him. Her horrible coordination missed her mark and his sword, but created a deep gash across his chest. He looked down at hit then at her. While he exposed his teeth an narrowed his eyes, she took a step back. He lunged. She ducked and the orc flew over her and into the blade of another of his kind.
Astonished about what had just happened, Aethyrelda fled. She could not take this. Throwing down the sword, she rushed toward the palace, only to be grabbed. Whirling around defenselessly, she recognized Valandil. He fought single handedly, taking out the three orcs surrounding him. Turning to her, she saw the anger and fury in his eyes. They burned into her.
"You truly did not think you could escape this, did you?" In a flash he threw his arm over his shoulder and pierced the heart of the orc behind him. "Amroth!"
A younger guard ran to his aid. Out of the corner of this eye, he stared at Aethyrelda curiously, wondering why she was there.
"Bind her to a tree. Keep her from harm, but do not let her escape. I shall escort her to the palace once the enemy is defeated." Valandil told him as he drove his sword into the gut of another orc.
"Sir?" the guard asked curiously.
"Go!" he roared.
She was grabbed and dragged to a tree. Her shoulder blades absorbed the impact of the tree and her arms were lifted and bound together on a tree branch.
"Sorry about his, Milady." She heard the guard whisper. The last thing she remembered was being speechless by being called 'Milady' when she turned just in time to see his fish slam into her nose.
~~~
She awoke as the sky was beginning to light up. She tasted blood and her nose and jaw were numb with pain.
The battle continued around her, but there were fewer than last she remembered.
Swinging herself up on the branch she was bound to, she walked to the end and released herself from the tree. Her hands were still tied, but she was now free to walk.
Looking at the battle around her, she decided that she was best off in the tress, unseen. Aethyrelda climbed the tree and walked the branches. She leaped from tree to tree until she was far enough away to travel on land.
Her feet hit the ground and she sighed in relief only to shriek when she once again felt the grip on her arm.
"Failed again did you? Your plans are not as successful as you think them to be. I must tell you, you are most clever, but not enough for me." Although she did not need to see his face to know who he was, she turned toward the hiss in her ear. Valandil's eyes did not hold as much fury as the night before, but they were still cold. "The enemy is retreating. We may return now." She pushed her forward, not removing his grip from her upper arm.
~~~
She was thrown face down on the floor of the throne room. Valandil knelt down briefly before standing and addressing the king.
"My Lord, I request your servant be punished for her wrongful duties."
"Continue."
Valandil told the tale of the night before. The king sat and listened contently. Aethyrelda crept to her knees, her forehead still to the floor, listening. She knew she could not object anything, even if it was a lie. Surprisingly though, Valandil told no lies.
"Is this true?" King Thranduil asked her.
"Yes, My Lord."
"You may leave now, Valandil. Thank you."
He bowed again before leaving.
"Sit up, child, so I may see your face." Slowly, Aethyrelda sat up, still on her knees, and looked up at the king. She knew she must look horrible. "You are Aethyrelda are you not?" She looked at the floor. The king took that as a yes. "Many have been trying to dismiss you for some time. For your constant tardiness and your disappearing during important tasks. I am afraid that this is it. I have no choice, but to send you away. I have put this off as long as I could hoping you could change, but that doesn't look apparent. I am sorry, my child."
She felt his eyes leave her and go to the guards in the back of the room. "Aerandir! Show her to the gates."
~~~
Her face hit the dirt and burst in pain. Her nose and chin were swollen from the breaks.
She heard the guard walk away. She laid there for a few moments, then got up and sat under a large oak and cried.
~~~
The day was unique. No one had noticed it.yet.
It was Aethyrelda's birthday. Like many elves, she had forgotten how many years it had been. She didn't really care. She did hope, however, that she might get the day off to spend with Tari, but that did not happen.
There were floors to be scrubbed, mirrors to shine, tens of hundreds of dishes to clean, food to serve, and royalty to dress. Most of all, people to please.
Tári was constantly grieving. She would insist on being one of the first to hear news coming in, although Aethyrelda often heard before her. She was starting to regret ever introducing them.
The truth was, Aethyrelda did not understand. Tári barely knew him. They had known each other for two days. How could she be this depressed over his departure?
Aethyrelda wondered if Legolas even thought about Tári. What did he think of her? A friend? Or something more?
She guessed the later because of the situation Legolas had been in. But now that the arrangement was called off, how would he treat her?
Questions burned in her mind. She was afraid she just ruined her best friend's life. Her good intensions had turned bad. She was scared of what would happen if he did return, scared of if he did not.
~~~
The palace grounds were silent. The moon had risen and everyone had turned in for the night. Aethyrelda grabbed her quiver of arrows and bow and headed out to the palace's private archery field. The grounds were prohibited to all except the prince.
She had been practicing for many weeks now. When the news of the start of the war had been brought, she found her father's bow and started practicing. She did not want to be defenseless if the war came to Mirkwood.
The night was still. There were no creatures in the tress, no familiar sound. In fact, there was no sound at all. The silence burned into her ears until she heard something, a rustling. It almost sounded like.an army of orcs.
Her bow was armed in a flash. They were coming through the depths of the forests where there were no gates. But where were the guards? Surely they could hear this racket!
Her mind raced. Finally, she concluded that she could not take the army alone and they were far enough away she could go and get back if she hurried.
~~~
Aethyrelda rushed into the guard house where there were twenty-three or so guards standing around singing at the top of their lungs and drinking.
She stopped dead in her tracks just inside the door.
"Ah, look here!" One of the guards noticed her. Inspecting her, he continued. "We have been sent a servant by the king! Come, serve us!"
"No, orcs! Orcs are coming!" A few turned to look at her and shook their heads, turning away. The elf who spoke before her made his way towards her. She recognized him as one of the head guards named Valandil.
"That is foolish. Orcs could not have reached here already. No come, obey your orders and serve us." He grabbed her forearm.
"No," she wrenched her arm away, forgetting proper courtesy. "You come." She pushed him through the door and followed him out.
He grabbed her arm just below her shoulder. He grip was so hard Aethyrelda almost screamed in pain. "I will report you for---" He was interrupted when he heard the army. His face turned from anger to fright. "Orcs?"
Pushing her out of the way and into the building, he yelled, "Orcs! All to battle stations!" Immediately everyone ceased their singing and readied themselves.
Valandil turned back to her, grabbing her face he forcefully added, "I will deal with you later!" Aethyrelda felt her jaw cracking under the pressure. He threw her to the ground and turned to join his army.
Shaking off the pain in her broken jaw, she stood and headed off to the archery fields. It had taken too long. They were here.
~~~
Arrows were flying everywhere. Aethyrelda was shooting as fast as she could. She noticed an orc running at full speed toward her. Reaching back for her quiver, her hand searched around for an arrow, but did not retrieve one. She was out.
Her face pales as the orc lunged toward her, sword aiming at her heart. She reacted. Without thinking she found herself in the air. Her foot collided square in his face and knocked him unconscious. She landed and drew his sword. She had never held a sword let alone fight with one.
Another orc appeared next to her and swung his sword at her. She deflected and awkwardly tried for him. Her horrible coordination missed her mark and his sword, but created a deep gash across his chest. He looked down at hit then at her. While he exposed his teeth an narrowed his eyes, she took a step back. He lunged. She ducked and the orc flew over her and into the blade of another of his kind.
Astonished about what had just happened, Aethyrelda fled. She could not take this. Throwing down the sword, she rushed toward the palace, only to be grabbed. Whirling around defenselessly, she recognized Valandil. He fought single handedly, taking out the three orcs surrounding him. Turning to her, she saw the anger and fury in his eyes. They burned into her.
"You truly did not think you could escape this, did you?" In a flash he threw his arm over his shoulder and pierced the heart of the orc behind him. "Amroth!"
A younger guard ran to his aid. Out of the corner of this eye, he stared at Aethyrelda curiously, wondering why she was there.
"Bind her to a tree. Keep her from harm, but do not let her escape. I shall escort her to the palace once the enemy is defeated." Valandil told him as he drove his sword into the gut of another orc.
"Sir?" the guard asked curiously.
"Go!" he roared.
She was grabbed and dragged to a tree. Her shoulder blades absorbed the impact of the tree and her arms were lifted and bound together on a tree branch.
"Sorry about his, Milady." She heard the guard whisper. The last thing she remembered was being speechless by being called 'Milady' when she turned just in time to see his fish slam into her nose.
~~~
She awoke as the sky was beginning to light up. She tasted blood and her nose and jaw were numb with pain.
The battle continued around her, but there were fewer than last she remembered.
Swinging herself up on the branch she was bound to, she walked to the end and released herself from the tree. Her hands were still tied, but she was now free to walk.
Looking at the battle around her, she decided that she was best off in the tress, unseen. Aethyrelda climbed the tree and walked the branches. She leaped from tree to tree until she was far enough away to travel on land.
Her feet hit the ground and she sighed in relief only to shriek when she once again felt the grip on her arm.
"Failed again did you? Your plans are not as successful as you think them to be. I must tell you, you are most clever, but not enough for me." Although she did not need to see his face to know who he was, she turned toward the hiss in her ear. Valandil's eyes did not hold as much fury as the night before, but they were still cold. "The enemy is retreating. We may return now." She pushed her forward, not removing his grip from her upper arm.
~~~
She was thrown face down on the floor of the throne room. Valandil knelt down briefly before standing and addressing the king.
"My Lord, I request your servant be punished for her wrongful duties."
"Continue."
Valandil told the tale of the night before. The king sat and listened contently. Aethyrelda crept to her knees, her forehead still to the floor, listening. She knew she could not object anything, even if it was a lie. Surprisingly though, Valandil told no lies.
"Is this true?" King Thranduil asked her.
"Yes, My Lord."
"You may leave now, Valandil. Thank you."
He bowed again before leaving.
"Sit up, child, so I may see your face." Slowly, Aethyrelda sat up, still on her knees, and looked up at the king. She knew she must look horrible. "You are Aethyrelda are you not?" She looked at the floor. The king took that as a yes. "Many have been trying to dismiss you for some time. For your constant tardiness and your disappearing during important tasks. I am afraid that this is it. I have no choice, but to send you away. I have put this off as long as I could hoping you could change, but that doesn't look apparent. I am sorry, my child."
She felt his eyes leave her and go to the guards in the back of the room. "Aerandir! Show her to the gates."
~~~
Her face hit the dirt and burst in pain. Her nose and chin were swollen from the breaks.
She heard the guard walk away. She laid there for a few moments, then got up and sat under a large oak and cried.
~~~