SHADOW IN THE TREES
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 8


Brilliant rays of light shone through the drapes of the open windows, sunlight resting upon Thalawen's cheek. The light awoke her. Lifting her head, still groggy from sleep, she assessed what time it must be and got up to get ready for the day.

It was absolutely beautiful in Mirkwood. In the four days she and Arwen had been there she'd walked every inch of it, gazed at every tree that surrounded it, met every Elf that lived within its walls. Glamorous statues of famous Elves were everywhere to be seen and touched, you could almost feel the person's soul trapped within, their warmth traveling from the fingertip that touched its stone, up through the arm and straight into the heart. This was truly a magnificent place to be. Thalawen made a mental note to come back often with Arwen.

Speaking of Arwen, she heard a yawn from the room next to hers and went to investigate.

"Are you up yet?" asked Thalawen as Arwen stifled another yawn. She still had sleep in her half opened eyes. Thalawen had to laugh at the way Arwen looked, hair sticking out every which way, bed sheets strewn across the floor haphazardly. "Rough night?" she asked a slight giggle in her voice.

Arwen just looked drunkenly up at Thalawen and smiled.

Raising an eyebrow at Arwen, Thalawen walked toward the bed. "Right. Get up, Arwen. Its time for breakfast."


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


"Good morning, my lords. Arwen, Thalawen." Landailyn greeted before sitting down acrossed the two ladies, but touched none of the food. The two elderly Elves nodded their own greeting back to her.

"Please," Thalawen begged, "just call me Thala."

Landailyn smiled. "Okay, Thala...morning."

"Good morning, Landy!" Arwen returned aloud and received a bright smile from the captain.

"So," One of them decided to make conversation again after a few moments of silence, except for the clinking of silverware against glass plates. "What are we going to do today?" It was Thalawen who'd asked the question, to Landailyn and, or Arwen, whoever would answer her.

It was Landailyn who did, shrugging. "Whatever we find to do I suppose." She then turned to Thranduil. "Is there anything particular I should need to do as of anytime today, my lord."

He looked up, appeared thoughtful for a time, and then shook his head. "I do not believe so, just do what you have been doing mostly."

She nodded and turned back to smile at her friends. She was free again to spend time with them.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Twilight came, growing dark very slowly and nothing could be heard, but a lone calling voice, a male's voice.

"Captain Windsong!" The man had been running everywhere he could think of, around and in and out of the palace of Mirkwood to find her. Most assuredly she hadn't gone home yet.

At last, there was one more place he could think of.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Thalawen stood twenty feet away from a target, concentrating on her aim. Another arrow sailed to meet almost the very center. "Beat that, Landy!" She joked, moving out of the Elf's way.

The three were at the archery range deeper in the timber behind the palace and were having a contest at who was the better marksman. If Landailyn were anything like Legolas, Thalawen would surely win.

Or so she had thought.

Landailyn pulled an arrow, knocked it, drew, and let go, all in a single motion. The shaft flew to bury itself in the direct middle, causing the Half-Elf's to be slanted at an angle to one side. For a moment, a complete look of surprise graced Thalawen's face and she heard Arwen giggle from behind.

The princess had seen Legolas up against her brothers before and knew Landailyn's skills weren't any different.

Thalawen turned to give her a hard look, but it ended up turning into a wide smile. Arwen smiled back, as Landailyn glanced at her competitor with mock triumph. Arwen was glad the two had become fast friends.

"Alright," Said Thalawen. "Let us see what I can do about that!" She loaded a second, but stopped short when a familiar, urgent voice rang out through the chilled winter air.

"Captain! I have been looking for you everywhere!" It was Teredith and he was actually almost out of breath.

Thalawen turned in the Elf's direction, dropping her bow's aim to the ground.

"What is wrong?" Landailyn asked the question.

He was surprised none of them had realized yet. "Do you not feel it? Something evil is among the wood. We have seen it."

Many things had been on Landailyn's mind particularly lately; she hadn't even noticed the unwanted presence growing within. They were in danger. "Teredith, what is wrong? What have you seen?" She repeated more firmly.

He sighed and spoke quickly. "We did not know of them until they were almost upon us. Earlier today, across the southern branch of the River Running, an army of…something, came in our direction, so we hid until they passed."

She nodded. "Then what?"

"Then as fast as we could, we made our way back to warn everyone. We are not for certain what they are, Captain. And there are so many…"

Fear welled up deep inside of her. They were definitely in danger, all of them. Arwen and Thalawen exchanged looks of slight shock and alarm. They were rarely, if ever attacked in Rivendell.

"You are sure that they were headed this way?" Catching his drift.

He nodded. "I have had others keeping me posted...they are indeed coming here. Come, you should see for yourself!"

She consented, retrieving her arrow. "Please, will you return to the palace and warn Lord Thranduil and Lord Elrond with what information you have heard?"

"Of course." Arwen agreed.

"Thank you. I will come soon with word."

And before Thalawen could object, Landailyn disappeared along with Teredith. She sighed quietly.

"What?" Asked her friend.

"I was going to go with her, see what these things are."

"I have a feeling we will see soon enough."

Thalawen nodded absently.

"Come, let us warn my father and King Thranduil."

She nodded again, also pulling her arrow from the target and followed the princess in the palace's direction. But before putting it in her quiver, she rolled it over and over in her hands. It had not one nick throughout the shaft.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Too intent on their destination they were, to even notice the Elves in the high limbs above them.

Landailyn's eyes grew, it was just as he'd said, there were many. Hundreds. Well, she wanted excitement and now she had it. Perhaps though, it wasn't quite what she had had in mind. "They are definitely Orcs, but in the sunlight?" She didn't understand. They had only ever faced the smaller Orcs, how could they have never met up with these before?

"Has the king been informed by any of us?" She whispered to her right.

"Not yet." Teredith answered, not taking his eyes off the sight below. "I thought you should be the one to do that, since Prince Legolas is not here."

Landailyn bit her bottom lip, looking back down at the foul legion that still poured from the surrounding trees. "Indeed. But we must be quick." She turned her attention back on her companion. "Gather every last man we have and meet before the front entrance of the palace. They will try the gates of course and it appears we'll need all we can to hold them off. I will further inform Lord Thranduil of what the ladies could not tell him and join you soon after."

"Aye Captain, I will see you then. Be careful."

"You too." She nodded, descending silently. Making sure it was safe enough to not be seen. The Orcs had thinned in number, but the risk was still high.

As fast as her long legs could carry her, Landailyn took another path through the forest toward the back of the palace. A hidden gate was there, that only the king, prince, and those who worked there knew about and never required either royal to open. She slipped through and sped around to the front, where she burst through the large double doors of the throne room and Great Assembly Hall.

"My lord!" She called, still running.

Where at a long wooden table sat Thranduil and Elrond and standing beside them were Arwen and Thalawen waiting for her.

"What is it, Landailyn?" The Elf-king asked. "Is what these ladies speak of true?"

"My lords," She bowed slightly and hastily before them. "It is true. An army comes."

Thranduil stared at her a moment longer, then glanced at Elrond and back. "An army of what?" He asked, for the most part sounding calm, but with the ill news Elrond had delivered, he was almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Orcs, Sire, but not your normal everyday Orc, these are much larger in size and well armed and armored by what we have seen."

"How many?" Elrond wanted to know, who already knew of this new Orcish race.

She thought only a second before replying. "Near a thousand, I should say." This didn't change their expressions much and patiently she stood and awaited orders from her king. But not a single word had the chance to be spoken, before another voice reached her ears.

"Captain!" A shorter male Elf stood in the right side of the doorway.

She halfway turned to see him.

"They are nearly upon the gates!"

She gave a nod to acknowledge his information and looked back upon the two lords, fear glinting in her wide eyes.

Thranduil rose from his seat. "Hold them off as long as possible. I will join you soon."

With another nod, she bolted for the outside.

"Where do you think you're going?" Elrond asked the third of his middle children, as she moved to head out with Thalawen.

Arwen frowned. "I'm going to help."

The High-Elf shook his head. He would have said more, but Thalawen quickly addressed him. "My lord, she has been preparing her warrior skills a long time, has she not? And from what I've heard, has taken well care of herself in the past." She smiled at her friend, referring to her run in with the Ringwraiths.

"That's right, Father, please I wish to aid Landailyn and her forces."

Elrond finally nodded, though with much hesitation behind it.

Arwen ran to quickly change and retrieve her sword in her guestroom, while Thalawen, already in the proper garments, waited to go out to battle with her. Elrond and Thranduil did the same, also adding on a few pieces of armor.

The four met back in the Great Hall and away they went to the doors.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Meanwhile outside, Landailyn watched as her men held back the huge stone gates that were being pushed and pounded on. And before they knew it, they broke lose and swung easily open.

A massive swarm of thick dark bodies immediately poured in and began taking down warriors left and right. They had a sole purpose for these actions; they were searching for something, or rather someone. And that someone did not look like any of the blonde Elves they kept encountering in their paths. They had been told there would be more than one that looked like the one they sought. But there were specifics to look for, to make sure they had found them.

The description given: a dark haired she-Elf, dressed as a male warrior and carrying both sword and bow. So far, none of them had spotted any like that particular one.

Until, two of them stepped onto the threshold of the palace entrance.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Landailyn held her own quite well, one of a few reasons why she was a captain. Her bow proved worthy for a short time, until the enemy closed in their distance and it was time to unsheathe her knives.

None in all their long years on Middle-Earth, had ever seen any beasts such as these. No one knew quite what to make of them. They were foul like Orcs, but taller, bigger, stronger, smarter. Unfortunately; bloody hard to take down.

The four newcomers stared at the sight of the raging battle before them.

Thalawen drew her bow and took down all the beasts that she could from her vantage point. But when the battle below became too cluttered to aim at just the Orcs, she strapped her bow back to her body, unsheathed Carafang and stepped into the mass. She had to stay close with Arwen, to protect the princess from harm, but Arwen was doing quite well for herself, as she knew she would.

That is until a particularly large Orc came running up from behind. Thalawen swung her blade and cut its head clean off its neck.

"Thanks for that!" Arwen breathed heavily, before throwing herself back into the fight.

Thalawen turned and spotted Landailyn. She rushed to her side to protect her back, but this was a bad move on her part, for the Uruk-hai found just the one they'd been looking for.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


"Daelys!" Landailyn tried to warn, but simply stood there, frozen in place. Watching in horror as one of the largest of the Orcs by far, appeared behind him and rose its scimitar high into the air, bringing it down hard to sink into the middle of the Elf's back.

His eyes locked with hers and the two stared at one another for a short moment, shock filling both their faces. The Orc then unmercifully pulled out the blade and finally the Elf fell lifelessly to the smooth stone walkway. The horrid beast grinned up at her, baring its foul jagged teeth.

"No!" She screamed, shaking out of the initial shock and ran at it with her drawn knives.

She brought down both of them toward its chest, only to be met with its weapon and parried to her left. Somehow, she was going to make this one pay dearly for the immortal life it had just taken, one she had known all her own longevity.

Another attempt, bringing them back up to the right, she directed one at its throat and for it, her movements were too quick to block and this time had proved perilous.

Thalawen turned her head just in time to see another Uruk-hai fall to the ground and a shining knife being plunged into its neck, with Landailyn's hand tightly gripping its white handle, an expression of fierce anger spread throughout her features, as she heavily held one knee upon its bulky chest.

She watched as dark blood poured from its open mouth and finally jerked the runed blade from the rough dark flesh. She stood from the body, looking behind at her fallen friend, his eyes still wide with the shock that she still felt.

Now it was Thalawen's turn to widen her own pair in horror. "Adel lle!" [Behind you!]

Landailyn glanced over at her and realized the warning was intended for her. She spun around just in time, as another of the huge beasts swung its sword at head level. Landailyn ducked and reached up to hook a knife deeply below its sternum, pulling downward. It threw back its head, roaring in pain, so she took the chance and stood, swiftly killing it by slitting its throat with the other.

She turned back to join Thalawen and thank her for the warning, but the Elf was nowhere to be seen. "Thala!" She called out, scanning the sea of both fair and foul beings.

But her friend did not hear her name, for Thalawen had been sucked back into the madness.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


She tried to fight them off, all of them, but there were just too many now without help by her side. They overpowered her, as skillful a warrior as she was, no one could take out so many by themselves.

Several closed in on all sides, pinning her body to the ground. She fought back with what little strength she still held, even resorting to biting, but nothing was working. They jerked her onto her stomach, bringing her arms behind her and binding her hands, then her ankles together, so it enabled only one to pick her up.

Struggling desperately, she didn't know what else to do, but scream as loud as her usually quiet voice would allow. Her voice carried and echoed through the packed front courtyard. "Arwen! Toror! Landy!" [Arwen! Help! Landy!]

She was carried over the shoulder of an Orc near the end of the pack. His shoulder jabbed into her stomach and the constant bouncing made the blood rush to her head more quickly than it normally would have. The black veil covered her brain much sooner than she would have liked.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


No, this couldn't be happening, this was not what she was truly seeing or hearing. Or was it? Before she knew it, her own voice carried out just as loud. "Thalawen!" Landailyn yelled, almost not dodging another swing at her body.

"No! Thala!"

She heard another voice somewhere among the noise of the battle. One she soon recognized as Arwen's. Landailyn spotted her still near the entrance and saw that Lord Elrond was not letting her advance to the captured Elf. So, it was up to her.

She couldn't get through the gates at the moment; it was as if they were being guarded so that none were let out. The Orcs slowly retreated through them and escaped with their victim.

Eyes darting quickly, she tried to find something that would aid her and soon they landed upon just the thing. In the direction of the second only tree in the courtyard, she tore through the multitude of friend and foe. Taking out what Orcs she could on the way.

Unfortunately, a few had noticed what she'd planned after answering to their prisoner's calls. And the dark haired Elf was not to be rescued. With cries they charged after the girl, their weapons held high.

Landailyn wasn't even aware they were after her, until one had a ferocious hold on the ankle of her right boot. Pulling with all its weight, she nearly lost her grip on the branch she clutched, but managed to continue to hang on for dear life, shaking her leg and trying to kick it in the face with her other foot.

Finally, she was forced to let go with one hand and reach behind for a knife. Just long enough, a quick lick of the sharp edge was all it took to make the Orc jerk away and roar in anger at its cut hand. As fast as she could, she climbed level with the stone wall.

The rest of the group growled at the Elf and redirected their position. They knew just what to do.

At the tree's top, she walked crouched out onto the longest branch. The jump was still some feet, but she was certain she would make it. She had to.

During this, Arwen watched in full hope that Landailyn succeeded in her plan. Praying she would not have to see another of her friends fall into the hands of these tremendous foul creatures.

With her long legs, Landailyn leapt easily to the top of the gates' surrounding wall. The ledge wasn't all that wide, maybe a foot, but this didn't matter to the Elf, it was the Orcs waiting below that worried her. Ahead, she could still see the ones that had Thalawen, marching below the thinning leaves. Somehow, she must get to her friend.

A few feet farther than the last, where the forest began, a taller tree was directly in front of the spot she stood. She could still hear the grunting and growling of the Orcs below, but did not look down. Her mind concentrating on what was to be done. Her leap was made and she grabbed the branch tightly, so as not to fall to the group beneath her. Then she made another leap and another.

But there were so many Orcs still left, how would she ever hope to get Thalawen back by herself in this mess? She just couldn't and she had to face it. If she jumped down into it all, she knew none would hesitate a second in killing her to stop her or get her out of the way. So how would that help?

Frustrated more than ever, she simply watched from her position as the ones carrying her friend disappeared from sight, breaking into a run as the rest still at the palace retreated behind them.

Soon, the soldiers that had moved with her, surrounding each tree, left one after the other to follow the larger creatures and she was left to herself and her failure.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


"Landailyn," She heard someone say, while sitting alone outside the palace front. Darkness covered Middle-Earth another night, but she had no idea how long it had been since the attack and the shocking sights she'd been forced to witness.

"Landy," This time it came more forcefully.

"What?" She jerked her head up from her hand to see the young princess kneeling in front of her.

"What is wrong?" But it seemed she already knew the answer she would receive. The Elf had lost a number of men today, some she figured upon were her friends. Like the one she herself had lost, in a fight that could not have been won. They had just not been prepared.

"I'm so sorry about your sister."

Arwen looked down. "I'm worried and afraid for her. Nothing like this has ever happened before." She answered the truth.

Landailyn just stared past her into the night and began muttering in Elvish. "I am sorry I could not have saved her."

Arwen gazed up into glassy mournful eyes. "I could never blame you for this." She replied in the same tongue.

Landailyn didn't say anything for a time; she wasn't so sure that it wasn't her fault, even if she had tried.

"Arwen," She started, trying to be optimistic and make her feel at least a little better, if not just trying to be so for herself. "Try not to think of the possibilities. We will get her back, away from them and safely within our presence. If it is the last thing I do, I will help you."

The princess felt a smile, one both happy and sad tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Thank you. This will certainly take some convincing on my father's part, you know." This earned her a chuckle from Landailyn that completed the tugging smile.

She rose, offering a hand to help up her friend. "Come on, Landy, let me tend your wounds." She referred to a few small bleeding cuts above the Elf's temple.

She was about ready to tell Arwen they were nothing and they had worst things to worry about, but knew it would do no good. So, she took her hand and the two went inside.


TBC …