As the sun rose in the morning over the camp Ariel was exhausted. The last
of the band of orcs had been overthrown and the soldiers set about clearing
the camp. Ariel looked about and saw many dead, dying and injured. She
shivered at the sight of the orcs even in daylight. Slowly she walked back
to her tent, though what she saw made her very upset.
Lying, in front of the tent Ariel shared with Amren, there was a body. It was the body of a young soldier who had for a very short period of time had been her friend. She saw that he had a grievous wound to his stomach as she fell to her knees beside him. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she did not even bother to brush them away.
Mardon too, was surveying the remains of the battle. The enemy had had the upper hand this time, attacking when all save the watchmen were sleeping. He picked a helmet up from the ground and examined it. Sure enough, it was marked with a red cross - the mark of Herumor. He dropped it to the ground hoping that King Éomer would send aid and soon.
He walked through the campsite trying to assess the damage. As he walked he saw a young soldier kneeling over another body. He paused and watched the young soldier for a moment. The soldier looked up briefly and Mardon looked directly into his grey eyes and for some reason he was reminded of Ariel.
He had seen her in the afternoon not long after the council had been held. She looked upset about something. Her brother leaving perhaps he had thought as he watched her for a moment, captivated by her beauty. She had looked over in his direction and he saw that her grey eyes were full of sadness. She had then turned and disappeared from view.
Now, as he watched, Legolas stooped to pluck a couple of undamaged arrows from the ground. He placed them in his quiver and walked over to the young soldier. He knelt down beside him and spoke with him for a while before standing. He helped the soldier to his feet and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.
"Mardon," Galimir said from behind and he turned. "Look," Galimir pointed towards the north-east at a large company of horses and riders, and further back a large band of dwarves followed. "Rohan and Gimli's folk have sent aid at last, alas, if only they had come last night perhaps our fortunes may have been different," He said, shading his eyes to see the approaching riders clearer. "But we still would have been unprepared for the attack," Mardon told him as they walked to the edge of the campsite to greet the Rohirrim.
"Rohan, you are a more than welcome sight," Eldarion greeted the man who rode forward. "I apologise that we could not have come any earlier. It seems as if you could have used our help," The man said. "I am Elfwine son of Éomer," He said and Eldarion introduced himself. "It is good to meet you," Elfwine dismounted and shook his hand. "We met an errand rider of Gondor along the way. He says he has an important message for you."
Lying, in front of the tent Ariel shared with Amren, there was a body. It was the body of a young soldier who had for a very short period of time had been her friend. She saw that he had a grievous wound to his stomach as she fell to her knees beside him. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she did not even bother to brush them away.
Mardon too, was surveying the remains of the battle. The enemy had had the upper hand this time, attacking when all save the watchmen were sleeping. He picked a helmet up from the ground and examined it. Sure enough, it was marked with a red cross - the mark of Herumor. He dropped it to the ground hoping that King Éomer would send aid and soon.
He walked through the campsite trying to assess the damage. As he walked he saw a young soldier kneeling over another body. He paused and watched the young soldier for a moment. The soldier looked up briefly and Mardon looked directly into his grey eyes and for some reason he was reminded of Ariel.
He had seen her in the afternoon not long after the council had been held. She looked upset about something. Her brother leaving perhaps he had thought as he watched her for a moment, captivated by her beauty. She had looked over in his direction and he saw that her grey eyes were full of sadness. She had then turned and disappeared from view.
Now, as he watched, Legolas stooped to pluck a couple of undamaged arrows from the ground. He placed them in his quiver and walked over to the young soldier. He knelt down beside him and spoke with him for a while before standing. He helped the soldier to his feet and placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.
"Mardon," Galimir said from behind and he turned. "Look," Galimir pointed towards the north-east at a large company of horses and riders, and further back a large band of dwarves followed. "Rohan and Gimli's folk have sent aid at last, alas, if only they had come last night perhaps our fortunes may have been different," He said, shading his eyes to see the approaching riders clearer. "But we still would have been unprepared for the attack," Mardon told him as they walked to the edge of the campsite to greet the Rohirrim.
"Rohan, you are a more than welcome sight," Eldarion greeted the man who rode forward. "I apologise that we could not have come any earlier. It seems as if you could have used our help," The man said. "I am Elfwine son of Éomer," He said and Eldarion introduced himself. "It is good to meet you," Elfwine dismounted and shook his hand. "We met an errand rider of Gondor along the way. He says he has an important message for you."
