15. Suppose I was the inventor of Middle Earth, I would write my stories as J.R.R. Tolkien, now would I? I write my story as ievandie, so it is not hard to figure it out, now is it?
This chapter contains a large number of completely naked elfwarriors so...
read on!
...he wants to know!
The hills of the Emyn Muil are covered with a variety of deciduous trees like oaks, cherries and ashes. Under which there is an abundance of wild flowers. You'll find cowslip, wood anemone, bluebells and many more there. It is where deers and rabbits find a place to hide. On the south side of these hills the land slopes down to the Nindalf, or Wetwang, as it is called in the common speech. There you'll find little pools and streams bordered by reed, sedge and meadowsweet. In the pools the water soldier grows so thick that it makes complete floating carpets. An occasionally birch or alder will stand out against the horizon that on clear days is in the east framed by the shapes of the Ephel Dúath, the Mountains of Shadow that bordered Mordor.
Between these two biotopes there is a transition-land of grassy plains and little streams. There are beautiful wooded banks with dogwood and blueberries, hazel and maple. This fairy tail landscape was rudely disturbed by sounds of bathing and washing elves.
Since they entered the Emyn Muil the warriors of Legolas' company had had no opportunity to clean themselves in clear water. On the other hand they had, and had taken, all the opportunities to get themselves dirty, sweaty and covered with orcblood and mud. This change of washing away all that was eagerly welcomed. And so in the sunshine of the early morning about twelve completely naked elfwarriors found themselves splashing around in the cool but clear water. Suddenly a horse jumped over the wooded banks on the opposite site of the little stream. On its back was a very dirty creature. Its armour, with helmet, was a mix. It consisted of orc, elf and man armourcomponents and was barely visible because of mud and branches that stuck to it. The rider led its horse half way down the stream and then, with a big splash, it just dropped off.
The elves startled. They rushed out of the water, gathering their arms. When the creature surfaced again, it was facing twelve arrows aimed at him. Now that some of the dirt came off, the elves could see the strange mixture of the armour better. The helm with two slightly curved peaks was definitely Easterling, as were the peaked shoulderplates. Covering the breast was a layered leather orc-tunic. The lower armplates and, even more conspicuous, the shield and sword that were hanging from the horses saddle, were distinctly Uruk-hai. To complete the jumble, just above the waterline the beginning of a lower-body protecting plate of the high elfs was visible around the hips.
However even more confusing then the coverings were the actions of this freak. The warrior just cast one look over their arms and naked bodies and laughed out loud! It began taking pieces of the armour of its body, cleaning them in the water and throwing them to the banks. Taking absolutely no notice of the armed elves!
"Hey you! I don't know what you are, but if you do not want to become a practice target, leave now" Rovalhon commanded the creature. It stopped its actions, moved its still helmed head from right to left along the line of archers and stopped to face Rovalhon. "I only want to use the water. It is not yours, is it?" and with that it started peeling itself again.
"Toltho i Caun" [Fetch the captain] Rovalhon whispered to one of them. The others silently filled the gap in the line and one elf disappeared quickly into the wooded banks. After only five minutes he reappeared with a moist, clean and clad Legolas. He only got out of the water just before the stranger had appeared.
Out in the water the rider was still cleaning armour, stripping himself. Without turning from it, Rovalhon gave a frustrated account about the man not stopping or saying his name. The strange warrior was now stripped and wore nothing more but a brownish, torn tunic. On the left upper arm a dirty and blooded bandage could be seen. It pulled the helmet from its head and started rinsing that, its face was dark with mud and in the hairs were clots of blood or mud or...
"Deri nad!" [Remain thing (aimed at it)] Rovalhon called out. The bows were once more aimed, almost to the brink of firing, at the intruder. Who, at that moment threw its helmet to the shore, and with a snort of pleasure started plunging its head into the stream. The water around it coloured brown and reddish from all the mud. The stranger splattered about tossing its face from left to right, now and again emerging to take a breath. The sight was not encouraging: streams of red, brown and yellow were pouring down from its long hair.
"Shall I shoot it Milord? What do you think?" Rovalhon called in the common tongue to Legolas. He was hoping that this would convince the creature that they meant business. Yet, it just plunged on.
Legolas looked at the dunging creature and then at Rovalhon. He was about to say something when the creature emerged again, tossing her wet hair through the air to her back. The water was running down her face, down her neck, over her breast and into the open tunic, she looked cold but very fresh and was glinting with water and with a voice that retrained laughter she said: "Your lord does not want to think, he wants to know!"
A/N: OOOOOH YES!!!!!
13 September 2003: changed some verbs into the present tense.
