Chapter Seven
Sitting around a fire later that night, all were laughing happily while Legolas recounted adventures he had had with Estel.
"He really tended Oliphaunts?" Haldir managed to get out his question between fits of laughter.
"There was even this one temperamental old bull that took a shining to him." Legolas finished, his eyes flashing with mirth. Legolas gazed at his friends, satisfaction glowing from him. His gaze brought him to his beloved whom he kissed then settled back against his pack. Relaxed and content. Haldir started telling of an adventure he had when he was only a few hundred years old when Legolas met Belil's eyes. She was looking at Nilmandra with a look he fully understood. He knew and it worried him a little. These two had a bond as strong as his and Strider's. Shaking off the heavy mood, Legolas joined in the merriment.
If they had not been so close the borders of Rivendell, they would have been more alert. As it was, senses were relaxed and the mood was light. None of the elves noticed the horses become slightly agitated until it was too late. Legolas suddenly tensed aware that something evil was near. Second after he became alert, Haldir reached for his bow. That is what saved him from injury as an arrow, meant for his heard, whooshed by and landed harmlessly in the trees behind them. With the amazing speed and agility that only elves possessed, all four were standing with arrows knocked and ready.
Nilmandra, catching sight of movement across the stream, let loose an arrow. While her bowstring was still humming, the others let released their volley of arrows. Each one flying straight and true. Arrows flying in quick succession, the foursome backed into the safety of the trees, heading for the horses which had already entered the protective realm of the forest.
Gaining the invisibility of the woods, they spun around and ran lightly through the foliage. Splitting up in different directions to make it harder for the orcs to track them, proved a grave error for Haldir and Nilmandra.
Each elf ran for about ten minutes, easily outdistancing the horrid creatures. The horses had not shown themselves, and Haldir caught a glimpse of Nilmandra through the trees.
"Nilmandra!" He hissed. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. "The others went in the direction of Rivendell." He stated thought he did not need to. "We should circle around and get back also." He did not need to waste his breath saying that either, but he was a captain, a natural leader. They started off, jogging lightly, making nary a sound. Haldir felt something press his ankle and a mere second later a net of thick ropes fell on the two elves. They didn't have any time to grab their blades before a pack of orcs were upon them.
~ ~ ~ ~ Legolas and Belil had run nonstop and reached the gates of Rivendell only slightly out of breath. One of the guards at the gate bid them halt and suddenly recognized the two elves. Without waiting for the prince, as he noticed they were minus two elves, he sent an underling to wake Estel.
"What happened, my Prince?" he asked
"Attacked by orcs." Belil spat. She hated the creatures and with good reason
"I will tell all later, mellon, but now, we must hurry to Estel." Legolas wasted no more time, but grabbed Belil's hand and together they raced to Estel's chambers.
"Orcs? This far into Imladris borders?" Estel raged. "We must tell ada." Aragorn said as he strode to the chamber door. He paused, "You two get some rest." He commanded before he quit the room. Belil collapsed on the bed as Legolas sprawled his lean form in the largest chair in the room.
~ ~ ~ ~
They had had no time to draw their swords before their weapons were taken from them. Even free of their lethal blades, they took down a good number of their captors, only failed to kill them as they had no weapon. Soon their hands were mercilessly bound and they were roughly pushed to move; in the opposite direction of home.
Nilmandra hoped Legolas and Belil had made it to Rivendell. At least the two she loved most in middle earth would be safe. She glanced at the stony face of the warrior next to her. Her spirit sister would be lost, for she would be losing so much. But in her heart, Nilmandra knew that Legolas would not let any harm come to Belil.
They walked for hours, long enough for the light of the sun to peek over the treetops. Haldir was quiet the whole time, occasionally glancing longingly up at the trees. When they saw the mouth of the cave, the orcs finally got a reaction out of their captives. All elves had a fear of holes in the ground, and these two were no exception.
"No!" Haldir shouted his voice so natural at commanding that the orcs actually paused. "Tie us to a tree, but do not make us go in there." He continued his voice softer with shame that he had shown weakness.
"Get them in there now!" came the rough, guttural voice of an orc. Obviously the one in command and the elves were unceremoniously shoved into the cave. At least it was roomier than it looked from the outside. Upon entering, both elves realized it was an abandoned dwarf mine. But that didn't make in any less of a hole in the ground.
They were forced to walk deeper into the tunnel, and finally came upon a large room. Haldir and Nilmandra were forced to lay against the wall farthest from the exit. Two orcs were posted to watch them, and the elves were told only one thing."Now we wait for the master." The orc in charge stated, grinning in anticipation.
Sitting around a fire later that night, all were laughing happily while Legolas recounted adventures he had had with Estel.
"He really tended Oliphaunts?" Haldir managed to get out his question between fits of laughter.
"There was even this one temperamental old bull that took a shining to him." Legolas finished, his eyes flashing with mirth. Legolas gazed at his friends, satisfaction glowing from him. His gaze brought him to his beloved whom he kissed then settled back against his pack. Relaxed and content. Haldir started telling of an adventure he had when he was only a few hundred years old when Legolas met Belil's eyes. She was looking at Nilmandra with a look he fully understood. He knew and it worried him a little. These two had a bond as strong as his and Strider's. Shaking off the heavy mood, Legolas joined in the merriment.
If they had not been so close the borders of Rivendell, they would have been more alert. As it was, senses were relaxed and the mood was light. None of the elves noticed the horses become slightly agitated until it was too late. Legolas suddenly tensed aware that something evil was near. Second after he became alert, Haldir reached for his bow. That is what saved him from injury as an arrow, meant for his heard, whooshed by and landed harmlessly in the trees behind them. With the amazing speed and agility that only elves possessed, all four were standing with arrows knocked and ready.
Nilmandra, catching sight of movement across the stream, let loose an arrow. While her bowstring was still humming, the others let released their volley of arrows. Each one flying straight and true. Arrows flying in quick succession, the foursome backed into the safety of the trees, heading for the horses which had already entered the protective realm of the forest.
Gaining the invisibility of the woods, they spun around and ran lightly through the foliage. Splitting up in different directions to make it harder for the orcs to track them, proved a grave error for Haldir and Nilmandra.
Each elf ran for about ten minutes, easily outdistancing the horrid creatures. The horses had not shown themselves, and Haldir caught a glimpse of Nilmandra through the trees.
"Nilmandra!" He hissed. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. "The others went in the direction of Rivendell." He stated thought he did not need to. "We should circle around and get back also." He did not need to waste his breath saying that either, but he was a captain, a natural leader. They started off, jogging lightly, making nary a sound. Haldir felt something press his ankle and a mere second later a net of thick ropes fell on the two elves. They didn't have any time to grab their blades before a pack of orcs were upon them.
~ ~ ~ ~ Legolas and Belil had run nonstop and reached the gates of Rivendell only slightly out of breath. One of the guards at the gate bid them halt and suddenly recognized the two elves. Without waiting for the prince, as he noticed they were minus two elves, he sent an underling to wake Estel.
"What happened, my Prince?" he asked
"Attacked by orcs." Belil spat. She hated the creatures and with good reason
"I will tell all later, mellon, but now, we must hurry to Estel." Legolas wasted no more time, but grabbed Belil's hand and together they raced to Estel's chambers.
"Orcs? This far into Imladris borders?" Estel raged. "We must tell ada." Aragorn said as he strode to the chamber door. He paused, "You two get some rest." He commanded before he quit the room. Belil collapsed on the bed as Legolas sprawled his lean form in the largest chair in the room.
~ ~ ~ ~
They had had no time to draw their swords before their weapons were taken from them. Even free of their lethal blades, they took down a good number of their captors, only failed to kill them as they had no weapon. Soon their hands were mercilessly bound and they were roughly pushed to move; in the opposite direction of home.
Nilmandra hoped Legolas and Belil had made it to Rivendell. At least the two she loved most in middle earth would be safe. She glanced at the stony face of the warrior next to her. Her spirit sister would be lost, for she would be losing so much. But in her heart, Nilmandra knew that Legolas would not let any harm come to Belil.
They walked for hours, long enough for the light of the sun to peek over the treetops. Haldir was quiet the whole time, occasionally glancing longingly up at the trees. When they saw the mouth of the cave, the orcs finally got a reaction out of their captives. All elves had a fear of holes in the ground, and these two were no exception.
"No!" Haldir shouted his voice so natural at commanding that the orcs actually paused. "Tie us to a tree, but do not make us go in there." He continued his voice softer with shame that he had shown weakness.
"Get them in there now!" came the rough, guttural voice of an orc. Obviously the one in command and the elves were unceremoniously shoved into the cave. At least it was roomier than it looked from the outside. Upon entering, both elves realized it was an abandoned dwarf mine. But that didn't make in any less of a hole in the ground.
They were forced to walk deeper into the tunnel, and finally came upon a large room. Haldir and Nilmandra were forced to lay against the wall farthest from the exit. Two orcs were posted to watch them, and the elves were told only one thing."Now we wait for the master." The orc in charge stated, grinning in anticipation.
