Chapter Six
How long she had knelt beside the lake, Fin did not know for she had lost all track of time. The moon was high in the sky, it's light casting eerie shadows all around. The breeze blew through bare trees, brushing her skin, causing her to shiver slightly. Her ears picked up a quiet sound above that of the wind. She picked her head up, cocking it to one side to better hear. She reached over her back and pulled off her bow, grateful that she still had it with her. She nocked an arrow and slowly stood. She could hear the sound of light footsteps, off in the distance and growing louder as the seconds ticked by.
She hid herself behind a tree, all senses alert, and waited for whatever it was to come into view. The steps were too loud for an elf, but too quiet for a human, and were definitely not an orc. Suddenly a cloaked and hooded figure came into view. It paused to listen every few steps, and in it's hands it held a long sword. A bow and quiver was slung over it's back and a sheath at its side held a dagger. When the creature was less than twenty feet from her hiding spot, she stepped out and pointed her arrow directly at its heart.
"Come no further," she said.
The figure stopped in mid-step. It did not raise the sword in a defensive or offensive position. Its empty hand was held out as a sign of greeting and to show it held no weapon.
"I mean no harm. Are you from Rivendell?" the creature asked. The voice sounded slightly panicked.
"Aye. What do you want in these woods?"
"I am returning home. I fear I am being followed, though I do not know by whom or by what. Why are you out here so late? Do you not know these woods are dangerous at night? All manner of creature roams these forests."
Fin did not reply. She looked at the creature intently. She studied his apparel carefully. Could it be.?
"Estel?"
He took a step closer and she took a step backward, away from him. Her face, which had been cast in a shadow, was revealed to him in the moonlight.
"Fin?"
Her immediate relief that this was a friend and not a foe only gave way to fear once again. She could not place Estel in the same danger she had already placed Lord Elrond. Why did he have to show up now?
"What are you doing out here? Does my father or brothers know where you are? Fin, it is not safe out here."
He had crossed the distance that lay between them. He placed a hand at her elbow and attempted to turn her around so they could head back to Rivendell. She pulled her arm from his grip and he turned to face her. There was a look of sadness on her face.
"What is it. you are not hurt are you?" Estel was very confused. He could not imagine what Fin was doing out this late at night, and so far from Elrond's house. Something was wrong.
"Nay, I am not hurt. It's.I can't.it's just that." she sputtered, not sure what to tell him.
"Slow down, tell me what is wrong."
Fin took a deep breath.
"I have placed you and your family in danger. I should not be here. I overheard Legolas. His father is very angry. He is angry with your father. It is my fault. I cannot go back. I must leave." She finished in a whisper.
"Fin, you are not making sense. It is dark, and cold. No one would expect you to go anywhere, not now, not for any reason. My father has already welcomed you. He would not turn you out now. We need to go talk to my father. We will get this straightened out."
"Nay, I cannot go back." She took a step away from him.
"Fin."
Estel never got to finish his sentence because a crashing sound to his right and a loud screeching noise suddenly reminded him of why he was creeping silently through the woods. He had been tracking the orcs since just before sunset.
He grabbed Fin's hand and dragged her away from the sound. It was much too close. He did not know how many there were, and he felt it was better to flee that to fight, especially now. He did not wish to place Fin in danger. They had not gotten far when he sensed more that heard the flight of several arrows heading in their direction. He pulled Fin down to the forest floor quickly, then dragged her back up and away. Crouching over, they ran. As they approached the edge of the lake, Estel only hesitated a second before stepping onto the ice.
"No Estel, we will much to exposed here. I do not think the ice is safe, either."
"There is a path, there," he pointed to a spot along the edge where there was a break in the trees. It was at least a quarter league away. "We may be able to lose them there for the orcs will be hesitant to step out on the ice. To trail around the lake will take more time."
It was probably not the best idea, but at the moment, he could not come up with a better one. He would just have to hope they could reach the other side before the orcs could attack again with their arrows.
He pulled her along, turning as they ran and slipped along, to see the orcs emerge from the forest and reach the edge of the lake. As he had stated, the orcs dared not follow them. Several had bows and were firing arrow after arrow at them but none stepped out onto the ice. Fin pulled her arm from Estel's grasp so that she could spin and fire back. She managed to hit one and bring it down, but her footing was precarious and she could not find a steady enough position to make another accurate shot. They were several dozen yards from the edge when she heard the ice crack.
Estel and Fin froze only for a second before continuing on. There were some puddles of water on the ice. Estel's feet slipped out from under him, and he fell. The ice cracked, breaking into several chunks beneath him and he plunged into the freezing water. Fin halted in time to keep from going in with him. She flung her body onto the ice, lying flat and stretching out to try and reach him. This also distributed her weight and kept the ice from breaking further. The water was not too deep here, just to the shoulders, and Estel gripped the edge, trying to pull himself back up. His hands kept slipping and he fell back, nearly going under. She reached him, and locked one hand in his.
"Must I always rescue you from the water, my friend?" she asked with a slight smile.
He looked up at her and smiled back, but she could see his teeth were chattering. His hair was wet and the water streamed down his face. He pushed it back away from his eyes and looked over her at the orcs on the shore.
She looked back over her shoulder quickly and saw that the orcs were still there. Rising to her knees, she used her bodies weight as leverage to try and pull Estel out. Another arrow sped past, just missing Estel.
"Quickly, Estel!" Her voice was sounding a bit panicked.
Suddenly she felt a searing pain in her upper back as an arrow from an orc bow hit her in the shoulder. A groan escaped her lips as she fell forward slightly, knocking Estel back in. He looked at her and saw the pain in her eyes as she tried frantically to reach back and grab at the arrow that was protruding from just below her left shoulder blade. She held onto to Estel hand, her grip getting so fierce that it hurt. Estel grabbed at the front of her cloak, and pulling hard and kicking off from the bottom, hauled himself from the hole.
He looked back at the orcs on the bank. Their numbers were less and he feared that some had made their way along the edge to cut off their escape onto the path. He pulled Fin to her feet, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her around the hole in the ice. A few more cracking sounds could be heard, but no more breaks in the ice appeared. They had to make it to the bank before the orcs. He grabbed his sword and her bow off the ice where they had been dropped before he had fallen into the lake, and made for the bank.
His clothes were dripping wet, and already beginning to freeze in the winter air. His teeth chattered and his body shivered. But he had no time to think of the cold. Gripping his sword tightly in one hand, and the belt of Fin's tunic with the other, they finally reached the trees.
Fin was stumbling along beside him, the pain increasing as her body was jarred. She felt a fire burning through her from the wound, and was sure that the arrow had been poisoned. Her vision was blurry and her head felt dizzy.
"Come, quickly. They will be here soon."
He had turned to speak to her just as a large orc pushed it's way through the brush. Estel turned in time to see it, but was not in time to defend himself. The orc swung at him with a metal gloved hand, striking him on the side of the face. Estel's head whipped to the side. He instinctively raised his sword as the orc brought his own cruel blade down in an arcing stroke. Metal clanged and sparks flew in the darkness.
Estel lost his grip on Fin, and she fell to her knees, unable to help him. She watched as they fought, Estel's movements were too slow from the cold that was seeping through his body and from the heaviness of his wet clothing. Again the orc swung at his head with his hand, this time catching Estel near the mouth, splitting his lip and bloodying his nose. Estel fell to his knees, and the orc kicked him hard in the side. Pain flashed through his middle and he dropped his sword as he reached down to keep from falling face first to the ground. He quickly yanked the dagger from his boot, and flung it at the beast that towered over him, it's sword held high, preparing to deal one last blow. The dagger caught the orc in the throat and it fell over, dead before it reached the ground.
Estel grabbed his sword quickly and sheathed it, then took his dagger from the felled orc. His vision was swimming from the concussion he had suffered when the orc had struck him, and his body was seizing up with cold. He paused for a second, listening, and he could hear the approach of the other orcs not far off.
He stood on unsteady feet, and pulled Fin up. She blinked back the darkness that was threatening and followed doggedly along behind him as he made for a low branch that hung just off the path to the right. Stiffly, he lifted and pushed Fin into the tree; she grasped onto the branch and clung desperately to it, trying her best to aid him. He was just about to climb up after her when two more orcs burst through the trees.
Swiftly he pulled his sword out once more and met the first orcs high arcing swing with a strong defensive block. Instinct was kicking in as his head was spinning in pain. A cold sweat beaded on his brow and his vision blurred as he went through the motions of defending himself. His own clumsy moves were still more than a match for the orcs. He swung his blade down and to the side, neatly slicing the first orc through the middle. The second orc eyed him warily, taking in his haggard appearance. Estel stood, feet spread, slightly hunched over in pain, his breath coming quickly as he tried to steady himself. The second orc launched it's own attack, running at Estel, it's blade held high over it's head.
The momentum of the orc's attack propelled Estel backward into the truck of the tree. His body slammed into it with a loud thud, pain once again exploded in his head. The orc had backed off a few steps and watched as Estel tried to blink the darkness out of his head. He still held his sword in a defensive position though he had not the strength left to block any more attacks. Just as the orc was about to deal the final blow a small knife buried itself in the orcs throat. Estel looked up in shock as he heard the gurgling of the orcs last breath and then watched as the orc fell over, dead. Estel looked up to see Fin smiling weakly at him, her hand still extended from having just thrown the knife. All at once, his strength faded and he slid down the trunk of the tree into unconsciousness.
How long she had knelt beside the lake, Fin did not know for she had lost all track of time. The moon was high in the sky, it's light casting eerie shadows all around. The breeze blew through bare trees, brushing her skin, causing her to shiver slightly. Her ears picked up a quiet sound above that of the wind. She picked her head up, cocking it to one side to better hear. She reached over her back and pulled off her bow, grateful that she still had it with her. She nocked an arrow and slowly stood. She could hear the sound of light footsteps, off in the distance and growing louder as the seconds ticked by.
She hid herself behind a tree, all senses alert, and waited for whatever it was to come into view. The steps were too loud for an elf, but too quiet for a human, and were definitely not an orc. Suddenly a cloaked and hooded figure came into view. It paused to listen every few steps, and in it's hands it held a long sword. A bow and quiver was slung over it's back and a sheath at its side held a dagger. When the creature was less than twenty feet from her hiding spot, she stepped out and pointed her arrow directly at its heart.
"Come no further," she said.
The figure stopped in mid-step. It did not raise the sword in a defensive or offensive position. Its empty hand was held out as a sign of greeting and to show it held no weapon.
"I mean no harm. Are you from Rivendell?" the creature asked. The voice sounded slightly panicked.
"Aye. What do you want in these woods?"
"I am returning home. I fear I am being followed, though I do not know by whom or by what. Why are you out here so late? Do you not know these woods are dangerous at night? All manner of creature roams these forests."
Fin did not reply. She looked at the creature intently. She studied his apparel carefully. Could it be.?
"Estel?"
He took a step closer and she took a step backward, away from him. Her face, which had been cast in a shadow, was revealed to him in the moonlight.
"Fin?"
Her immediate relief that this was a friend and not a foe only gave way to fear once again. She could not place Estel in the same danger she had already placed Lord Elrond. Why did he have to show up now?
"What are you doing out here? Does my father or brothers know where you are? Fin, it is not safe out here."
He had crossed the distance that lay between them. He placed a hand at her elbow and attempted to turn her around so they could head back to Rivendell. She pulled her arm from his grip and he turned to face her. There was a look of sadness on her face.
"What is it. you are not hurt are you?" Estel was very confused. He could not imagine what Fin was doing out this late at night, and so far from Elrond's house. Something was wrong.
"Nay, I am not hurt. It's.I can't.it's just that." she sputtered, not sure what to tell him.
"Slow down, tell me what is wrong."
Fin took a deep breath.
"I have placed you and your family in danger. I should not be here. I overheard Legolas. His father is very angry. He is angry with your father. It is my fault. I cannot go back. I must leave." She finished in a whisper.
"Fin, you are not making sense. It is dark, and cold. No one would expect you to go anywhere, not now, not for any reason. My father has already welcomed you. He would not turn you out now. We need to go talk to my father. We will get this straightened out."
"Nay, I cannot go back." She took a step away from him.
"Fin."
Estel never got to finish his sentence because a crashing sound to his right and a loud screeching noise suddenly reminded him of why he was creeping silently through the woods. He had been tracking the orcs since just before sunset.
He grabbed Fin's hand and dragged her away from the sound. It was much too close. He did not know how many there were, and he felt it was better to flee that to fight, especially now. He did not wish to place Fin in danger. They had not gotten far when he sensed more that heard the flight of several arrows heading in their direction. He pulled Fin down to the forest floor quickly, then dragged her back up and away. Crouching over, they ran. As they approached the edge of the lake, Estel only hesitated a second before stepping onto the ice.
"No Estel, we will much to exposed here. I do not think the ice is safe, either."
"There is a path, there," he pointed to a spot along the edge where there was a break in the trees. It was at least a quarter league away. "We may be able to lose them there for the orcs will be hesitant to step out on the ice. To trail around the lake will take more time."
It was probably not the best idea, but at the moment, he could not come up with a better one. He would just have to hope they could reach the other side before the orcs could attack again with their arrows.
He pulled her along, turning as they ran and slipped along, to see the orcs emerge from the forest and reach the edge of the lake. As he had stated, the orcs dared not follow them. Several had bows and were firing arrow after arrow at them but none stepped out onto the ice. Fin pulled her arm from Estel's grasp so that she could spin and fire back. She managed to hit one and bring it down, but her footing was precarious and she could not find a steady enough position to make another accurate shot. They were several dozen yards from the edge when she heard the ice crack.
Estel and Fin froze only for a second before continuing on. There were some puddles of water on the ice. Estel's feet slipped out from under him, and he fell. The ice cracked, breaking into several chunks beneath him and he plunged into the freezing water. Fin halted in time to keep from going in with him. She flung her body onto the ice, lying flat and stretching out to try and reach him. This also distributed her weight and kept the ice from breaking further. The water was not too deep here, just to the shoulders, and Estel gripped the edge, trying to pull himself back up. His hands kept slipping and he fell back, nearly going under. She reached him, and locked one hand in his.
"Must I always rescue you from the water, my friend?" she asked with a slight smile.
He looked up at her and smiled back, but she could see his teeth were chattering. His hair was wet and the water streamed down his face. He pushed it back away from his eyes and looked over her at the orcs on the shore.
She looked back over her shoulder quickly and saw that the orcs were still there. Rising to her knees, she used her bodies weight as leverage to try and pull Estel out. Another arrow sped past, just missing Estel.
"Quickly, Estel!" Her voice was sounding a bit panicked.
Suddenly she felt a searing pain in her upper back as an arrow from an orc bow hit her in the shoulder. A groan escaped her lips as she fell forward slightly, knocking Estel back in. He looked at her and saw the pain in her eyes as she tried frantically to reach back and grab at the arrow that was protruding from just below her left shoulder blade. She held onto to Estel hand, her grip getting so fierce that it hurt. Estel grabbed at the front of her cloak, and pulling hard and kicking off from the bottom, hauled himself from the hole.
He looked back at the orcs on the bank. Their numbers were less and he feared that some had made their way along the edge to cut off their escape onto the path. He pulled Fin to her feet, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her around the hole in the ice. A few more cracking sounds could be heard, but no more breaks in the ice appeared. They had to make it to the bank before the orcs. He grabbed his sword and her bow off the ice where they had been dropped before he had fallen into the lake, and made for the bank.
His clothes were dripping wet, and already beginning to freeze in the winter air. His teeth chattered and his body shivered. But he had no time to think of the cold. Gripping his sword tightly in one hand, and the belt of Fin's tunic with the other, they finally reached the trees.
Fin was stumbling along beside him, the pain increasing as her body was jarred. She felt a fire burning through her from the wound, and was sure that the arrow had been poisoned. Her vision was blurry and her head felt dizzy.
"Come, quickly. They will be here soon."
He had turned to speak to her just as a large orc pushed it's way through the brush. Estel turned in time to see it, but was not in time to defend himself. The orc swung at him with a metal gloved hand, striking him on the side of the face. Estel's head whipped to the side. He instinctively raised his sword as the orc brought his own cruel blade down in an arcing stroke. Metal clanged and sparks flew in the darkness.
Estel lost his grip on Fin, and she fell to her knees, unable to help him. She watched as they fought, Estel's movements were too slow from the cold that was seeping through his body and from the heaviness of his wet clothing. Again the orc swung at his head with his hand, this time catching Estel near the mouth, splitting his lip and bloodying his nose. Estel fell to his knees, and the orc kicked him hard in the side. Pain flashed through his middle and he dropped his sword as he reached down to keep from falling face first to the ground. He quickly yanked the dagger from his boot, and flung it at the beast that towered over him, it's sword held high, preparing to deal one last blow. The dagger caught the orc in the throat and it fell over, dead before it reached the ground.
Estel grabbed his sword quickly and sheathed it, then took his dagger from the felled orc. His vision was swimming from the concussion he had suffered when the orc had struck him, and his body was seizing up with cold. He paused for a second, listening, and he could hear the approach of the other orcs not far off.
He stood on unsteady feet, and pulled Fin up. She blinked back the darkness that was threatening and followed doggedly along behind him as he made for a low branch that hung just off the path to the right. Stiffly, he lifted and pushed Fin into the tree; she grasped onto the branch and clung desperately to it, trying her best to aid him. He was just about to climb up after her when two more orcs burst through the trees.
Swiftly he pulled his sword out once more and met the first orcs high arcing swing with a strong defensive block. Instinct was kicking in as his head was spinning in pain. A cold sweat beaded on his brow and his vision blurred as he went through the motions of defending himself. His own clumsy moves were still more than a match for the orcs. He swung his blade down and to the side, neatly slicing the first orc through the middle. The second orc eyed him warily, taking in his haggard appearance. Estel stood, feet spread, slightly hunched over in pain, his breath coming quickly as he tried to steady himself. The second orc launched it's own attack, running at Estel, it's blade held high over it's head.
The momentum of the orc's attack propelled Estel backward into the truck of the tree. His body slammed into it with a loud thud, pain once again exploded in his head. The orc had backed off a few steps and watched as Estel tried to blink the darkness out of his head. He still held his sword in a defensive position though he had not the strength left to block any more attacks. Just as the orc was about to deal the final blow a small knife buried itself in the orcs throat. Estel looked up in shock as he heard the gurgling of the orcs last breath and then watched as the orc fell over, dead. Estel looked up to see Fin smiling weakly at him, her hand still extended from having just thrown the knife. All at once, his strength faded and he slid down the trunk of the tree into unconsciousness.
