Disclaimer - I own nothing Lord of the Rings based except my Ring Wraith
costume that I made for Halloween hehehe!
A/N - Thanks Womba and Boromir's Luv for your great reactions to the last chapter, I am rather proud of it! And I'm sorry I've taken so long to get this next chapter up, I haven't abandoned you, I've not been having much luck in the romance department lately and so wasn't particularly inspired to write for Bagshash and Gorplak, sorry! It's a long story and I won't go into it, I'll just disappear into a fantasy world........
Chapter 12 - The battle lines are drawn
"Look." Bagshash pointed down over Gorplak's shoulder as she leaned against him. "Our enemy has come ashore."
Sure enough Gorplak could see the three boats, tiny but just visible against the grey and yellow shingles of a beach far ahead of them. Of the nine foes Gorplak could see nothing, and she mentioned it to Bagshash.
"Dusk has fallen, they won't move on tonight. They will rest and tomorrow... tomorrow we strike." At his words he felt Gorplak tense in his arms. He planted a kiss on her neck. "Nervous?" He asked.
"Excited." She replied with a smile. "Tomorrow we fight. It's what we've trained for, and what we've waited for." She licked her lips expectantly; Bagshash had the urge to lick them too but was a little too exhausted to move. Behind them the occasional screeching of metal on metal rang out as the rest of the company rehearsed their battle drills, the sound drifting through the trees to Bagshash's secluded spot. He should have been happy; the Orc he loved was in his arms, and his company was in top condition for tomorrow's battle, every commander's dream.
Except that his orders were to make sure that his soldiers were wiped out.
Damn Lurtz. Damn his enemy that had now chosen a battleground. Damn Saruman, the Master, for putting him on this quandary. He could ignore his orders and lead the Company to victory, or he could follow them and watch as he put the troops, HIS troops, to death. His grasp momentarily tightened around Gorplak at the thought, which she didn't fail to notice.
"What is it my love?" She asked, slowly raking a clawed hand down his arm. He closed his eyes as she uttered the words, and he wondered how to answer her; for she too was part of the Company, she too was due to die and that thought chilled him to the bone. He couldn't even bear to think of it for it made his very heartbeat slow and catch in his chest. He answered her question with a question of his own.
"How would you plan tomorrow's battle? He asked slowly. Gorplak was quiet for a few moments as she planned her answer.
"Standard formation; infantry in front, archers behind, archers fire volleys toward the enemy, then the infantry charge and finish them. With so few enemies, hopefully we archers will be able to take them all out and get the glory for a change." She smiled at her analysis, then turned in Bagshash's arms to face him. "Why?" She was disturbed to see he would not meet her gaze.
"And what if I told you that wasn't to be the case?" He asked, still avoiding her eyes.
Gorplak froze, as Bagshash knew she would. She certainly wasn't stupid; she would understand his words. "So what is the plan of attack, sir?"
The moment of truth. The moment that Bagshash would confess the terrible secret he had been hoarding.
"The Company will act as a diversion while Lurtz leads the Uruk-Hai to victory." He paused to see if Gorplak would speak, but she remained silent. "The archery division will make up the front rank and will hold the enemies attention until the infantry charge at the last minute. The Company is to be destroyed, as they are the only evidence that the Uruk-Hai are not all- powerful."
There was silence, broken only by Gorplak's ragged breathing.
"No." She managed to stammer. "You're lying." Bagshash gripped her by the shoulders.
"I wish I were, but I'm not. Those are my orders, as much as I hate them."
"If you hate them so much then don't follow them." Gorplak pleaded. "Lurtz will never know, and a victory is a victory. And what harm can a group of nine do?" She asked.
"They battled the Moria Company and were victorious." Bagshash began, and silenced Gorplak's indignant protest, "And they destroyed the Balrog."
"Then what chance does anyone have in the face of such sorcery?" Gorplak cried. "How can even the Uruk-Hai stop these warriors? How does Lurtz intend to survive?" She flung at him. Bagshash had no answer for her, but another voice did.
"By seeing your miserable kind annihilated like they should have been long ago."
Bagshash and Gorplak leapt to their feet in the face of Lurtz's anger. Gorplak immediately went for her daggers, willing to see it buried hilt deep in Lurtz's throat, but Bagshash saw her intention and stilled her wrist.
"What are you doing here?" Bagshash asked. Lurtz just sneered.
"Checking my orders are being carried out, I trust they still are?" It wasn't a question, and certainly wasn't aimed at Gorplak, but in her outrage she was blind to the procedures of rank.
"How can you justify our deaths for your own glory, you elf-lover, you Valar-worshipper, you..." She would have leapt for his throat, but still Bagshash held her back. Lurtz just started at her with distain.
"Get back to your squad." He dismissed her.
"No."
Surprisingly it was Bagshash who answered him. "She'll go when I tell her." Ignoring the warning growl rising from Lurtz's throat, Bagshash pulled Gorplak kicking away from the other Uruk-Hai. "Listen to me." He hissed as she tried to scream more obscenities in Lurtz's direction.
"I can't argue with Lurtz. I can't. At least," he added before she replied with a scathing remark, "At least not in public."
Gorplak was quiet as she glared at Lurtz. Her gaze shifted to Bagshash, and the harshness softened. "I know you'll do the right thing." A ghost of a smile flew across her features, and she lifted her lips to his. He met them with his own and Lurtz and all their enemies were forgotten for a few moments.
"I love you. Remember that." Gorplak whispered against his lips.
"I won't let you down, I promise." Bagshash replied. "I love you too much." Silence fell again as he reclaimed her lips again, trying to memorise every feeling, every texture, every ounce of love she offered to him. She clung to him, passing every bit of strength she could.
"Be careful my love." He whispered, before aloud dismissing her. "Return to your squad, Archer Gorplak."
"Yes sir." Gorplak responded, pulling a crisp salute, then turned and offered the same to Lurtz, before marching away with perfect precision. Bagshash had never been so proud of her.
Lurtz watched the pride on his face. "How very sickening." He muttered.
Bagshash's claws in his throat caught him momentarily off guard. The smell of fresh blood filled the air, then the fierce grip was released.
"If it weren't insubordination, I'd kill you where you stand." Bagshash warned him quietly.
"And I should kill you for being insubordinate and rejecting orders." Lurtz bellowed in response. Bagshash stood his ground.
"I've done everything you've ordered me." He said. "The troops are battle prepared, and the ranks will be in place I assure you."
Lurtz frowned. "They'd better be." He growled. "Or I have no problem with routing out the traitors under my command and will kill them with the same joy as I would the enemy, do you understand me Bagshash?"
"Oh I understand." The unspoken words were as tangible in the air as the smell of the next days battle, and Bagshash found there were more battle lines drawn then just the obvious ones. He little doubted that Lurtz would not hesitate to take him from his command if he dared to interfere, but the fear of death did not hang over him. He would do what he had to; he knew where his loyalties lay.
Lurtz snorted. "I'm returning to the Uruk-Hai. We lie in wait over the next ridge, see you hold the enemy until we strike."
"Very good, sir." Bagshash replied, grudgingly. Lurtz nodded and departed, trying not to show his unease at how easily Bagshash had wounded him. He would have his revenge.
Bagshash watched him go, then turned to survey tomorrow's battlefield. Tomorrow it was then. He should have begun his preparations for battle, but found his thoughts drifting to a certain Archer female who would be tomorrow's front rank, right in the line of fire...
"Here's to tomorrow's victory." Vashlash toasted the group gathered around her, flashing a special smile to Gorplak and Nudlik.
"To bloody swords." Nudlik added.
"And arrows." Gorplak tried to add with a smile. The others were in good spirits, and she couldn't bring them down with her knowledge. She took a deep breath, and reminded herself that the Company would be victorious without or without the Uruk-Hai. She swallowed the fierce drink that was traditional to be shared the night before a battle and tried to rest, but her thoughts kept drifting to a certain Uruk-Hai commander that was sleeping lonely this night. She went to join him, and the night passed quietly enough.
The next day dawned brightly, in spite of the promise of darkness.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
And soon enough the battle will begin. Who will live? Who will die? Also, look out for the return of some Fellowship characters in the next few chapters. Until next time dear reader!
A/N - Thanks Womba and Boromir's Luv for your great reactions to the last chapter, I am rather proud of it! And I'm sorry I've taken so long to get this next chapter up, I haven't abandoned you, I've not been having much luck in the romance department lately and so wasn't particularly inspired to write for Bagshash and Gorplak, sorry! It's a long story and I won't go into it, I'll just disappear into a fantasy world........
Chapter 12 - The battle lines are drawn
"Look." Bagshash pointed down over Gorplak's shoulder as she leaned against him. "Our enemy has come ashore."
Sure enough Gorplak could see the three boats, tiny but just visible against the grey and yellow shingles of a beach far ahead of them. Of the nine foes Gorplak could see nothing, and she mentioned it to Bagshash.
"Dusk has fallen, they won't move on tonight. They will rest and tomorrow... tomorrow we strike." At his words he felt Gorplak tense in his arms. He planted a kiss on her neck. "Nervous?" He asked.
"Excited." She replied with a smile. "Tomorrow we fight. It's what we've trained for, and what we've waited for." She licked her lips expectantly; Bagshash had the urge to lick them too but was a little too exhausted to move. Behind them the occasional screeching of metal on metal rang out as the rest of the company rehearsed their battle drills, the sound drifting through the trees to Bagshash's secluded spot. He should have been happy; the Orc he loved was in his arms, and his company was in top condition for tomorrow's battle, every commander's dream.
Except that his orders were to make sure that his soldiers were wiped out.
Damn Lurtz. Damn his enemy that had now chosen a battleground. Damn Saruman, the Master, for putting him on this quandary. He could ignore his orders and lead the Company to victory, or he could follow them and watch as he put the troops, HIS troops, to death. His grasp momentarily tightened around Gorplak at the thought, which she didn't fail to notice.
"What is it my love?" She asked, slowly raking a clawed hand down his arm. He closed his eyes as she uttered the words, and he wondered how to answer her; for she too was part of the Company, she too was due to die and that thought chilled him to the bone. He couldn't even bear to think of it for it made his very heartbeat slow and catch in his chest. He answered her question with a question of his own.
"How would you plan tomorrow's battle? He asked slowly. Gorplak was quiet for a few moments as she planned her answer.
"Standard formation; infantry in front, archers behind, archers fire volleys toward the enemy, then the infantry charge and finish them. With so few enemies, hopefully we archers will be able to take them all out and get the glory for a change." She smiled at her analysis, then turned in Bagshash's arms to face him. "Why?" She was disturbed to see he would not meet her gaze.
"And what if I told you that wasn't to be the case?" He asked, still avoiding her eyes.
Gorplak froze, as Bagshash knew she would. She certainly wasn't stupid; she would understand his words. "So what is the plan of attack, sir?"
The moment of truth. The moment that Bagshash would confess the terrible secret he had been hoarding.
"The Company will act as a diversion while Lurtz leads the Uruk-Hai to victory." He paused to see if Gorplak would speak, but she remained silent. "The archery division will make up the front rank and will hold the enemies attention until the infantry charge at the last minute. The Company is to be destroyed, as they are the only evidence that the Uruk-Hai are not all- powerful."
There was silence, broken only by Gorplak's ragged breathing.
"No." She managed to stammer. "You're lying." Bagshash gripped her by the shoulders.
"I wish I were, but I'm not. Those are my orders, as much as I hate them."
"If you hate them so much then don't follow them." Gorplak pleaded. "Lurtz will never know, and a victory is a victory. And what harm can a group of nine do?" She asked.
"They battled the Moria Company and were victorious." Bagshash began, and silenced Gorplak's indignant protest, "And they destroyed the Balrog."
"Then what chance does anyone have in the face of such sorcery?" Gorplak cried. "How can even the Uruk-Hai stop these warriors? How does Lurtz intend to survive?" She flung at him. Bagshash had no answer for her, but another voice did.
"By seeing your miserable kind annihilated like they should have been long ago."
Bagshash and Gorplak leapt to their feet in the face of Lurtz's anger. Gorplak immediately went for her daggers, willing to see it buried hilt deep in Lurtz's throat, but Bagshash saw her intention and stilled her wrist.
"What are you doing here?" Bagshash asked. Lurtz just sneered.
"Checking my orders are being carried out, I trust they still are?" It wasn't a question, and certainly wasn't aimed at Gorplak, but in her outrage she was blind to the procedures of rank.
"How can you justify our deaths for your own glory, you elf-lover, you Valar-worshipper, you..." She would have leapt for his throat, but still Bagshash held her back. Lurtz just started at her with distain.
"Get back to your squad." He dismissed her.
"No."
Surprisingly it was Bagshash who answered him. "She'll go when I tell her." Ignoring the warning growl rising from Lurtz's throat, Bagshash pulled Gorplak kicking away from the other Uruk-Hai. "Listen to me." He hissed as she tried to scream more obscenities in Lurtz's direction.
"I can't argue with Lurtz. I can't. At least," he added before she replied with a scathing remark, "At least not in public."
Gorplak was quiet as she glared at Lurtz. Her gaze shifted to Bagshash, and the harshness softened. "I know you'll do the right thing." A ghost of a smile flew across her features, and she lifted her lips to his. He met them with his own and Lurtz and all their enemies were forgotten for a few moments.
"I love you. Remember that." Gorplak whispered against his lips.
"I won't let you down, I promise." Bagshash replied. "I love you too much." Silence fell again as he reclaimed her lips again, trying to memorise every feeling, every texture, every ounce of love she offered to him. She clung to him, passing every bit of strength she could.
"Be careful my love." He whispered, before aloud dismissing her. "Return to your squad, Archer Gorplak."
"Yes sir." Gorplak responded, pulling a crisp salute, then turned and offered the same to Lurtz, before marching away with perfect precision. Bagshash had never been so proud of her.
Lurtz watched the pride on his face. "How very sickening." He muttered.
Bagshash's claws in his throat caught him momentarily off guard. The smell of fresh blood filled the air, then the fierce grip was released.
"If it weren't insubordination, I'd kill you where you stand." Bagshash warned him quietly.
"And I should kill you for being insubordinate and rejecting orders." Lurtz bellowed in response. Bagshash stood his ground.
"I've done everything you've ordered me." He said. "The troops are battle prepared, and the ranks will be in place I assure you."
Lurtz frowned. "They'd better be." He growled. "Or I have no problem with routing out the traitors under my command and will kill them with the same joy as I would the enemy, do you understand me Bagshash?"
"Oh I understand." The unspoken words were as tangible in the air as the smell of the next days battle, and Bagshash found there were more battle lines drawn then just the obvious ones. He little doubted that Lurtz would not hesitate to take him from his command if he dared to interfere, but the fear of death did not hang over him. He would do what he had to; he knew where his loyalties lay.
Lurtz snorted. "I'm returning to the Uruk-Hai. We lie in wait over the next ridge, see you hold the enemy until we strike."
"Very good, sir." Bagshash replied, grudgingly. Lurtz nodded and departed, trying not to show his unease at how easily Bagshash had wounded him. He would have his revenge.
Bagshash watched him go, then turned to survey tomorrow's battlefield. Tomorrow it was then. He should have begun his preparations for battle, but found his thoughts drifting to a certain Archer female who would be tomorrow's front rank, right in the line of fire...
"Here's to tomorrow's victory." Vashlash toasted the group gathered around her, flashing a special smile to Gorplak and Nudlik.
"To bloody swords." Nudlik added.
"And arrows." Gorplak tried to add with a smile. The others were in good spirits, and she couldn't bring them down with her knowledge. She took a deep breath, and reminded herself that the Company would be victorious without or without the Uruk-Hai. She swallowed the fierce drink that was traditional to be shared the night before a battle and tried to rest, but her thoughts kept drifting to a certain Uruk-Hai commander that was sleeping lonely this night. She went to join him, and the night passed quietly enough.
The next day dawned brightly, in spite of the promise of darkness.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
And soon enough the battle will begin. Who will live? Who will die? Also, look out for the return of some Fellowship characters in the next few chapters. Until next time dear reader!
