Chapter 4
A Mirkwood Battle
Estel felt waves of fear pelt him. The elves were without hope now and so was he. There was little chance he could take on all the orcs on his own. He couldn't let the company fall into the hands of the enemy so easily though, especially Legolas.
His mind was rocking with ideas. They all seemed either impossible or too slow. He heard one of the elves scream and winced. He peeked over the shrub to see Legolas on the ground. He was slowly getting up on his hands and knees when an orc with a black spear kicked him down again. His eyes widened with shock as Legolas tried to get up once more. The spear was hovering above his back.
'Leave him alone!' Estel cried as he burst from the bush. He drew his sword and sped towards the band of orcs who were yelping in surprise. Estel raised his sword and sliced the side of the first orc he came to. Cries of surprise and anger erupted all around him as he was engulfed by the blistered raw arms of the orcs. He slashed violently, not thinking of strategy or defense. Anger flared in his head and he felt a wave of energy pulse through him into the heart of his foes. He found himself yelling words he had heard in legends and stories. 'Elbereth! Gilthoniel! Elbereth!' The hands retreated, severed and bleeding.
A strange sensation suddenly filled his stomach. It was a flare of pain at first, then a burning numbness. Warm and cool, hot and cold. He cried out in shock and fear to see a spear in his upper pelvis. He lost control of himself and fell to the ground. His sword fell from his hand and flares of pain rocked his bone marrows. Warm blood seeped through the cracks between flesh and metal. He gasped for air.
'Estel!' cried Legolas, standing and running to his side. The orcs pressed in around them, laughing with hate and malice. Legolas picked up the human and stood, staring around him. He glared at every last one of them, staring them down with his hazel orbs. Anger and hatred flared in his heart and he a surge of vigor as Estel had. Everything seemed hopeless.
'Amin delotha lle*!' he cried. The orcs laughed harder. Silence fell when a sickening gurgle sounded out from the back of the crowd.
'Legolas!' over the crowd of orcs the prince elf could see Mirkwood elves appearing all around from the trees. They shot arrows and felled the orcs. Legolas watched in joy and relief as the orcs were slain all around him. The accuracy of the Mirkwood elves was deadly and he didn't fear of any stray arrows.
Orcs tried to run but were shot down before they reached the trees. Legolas ran over to two elves who he knew. Gildaen and Anlamras were two captains of the recruits of Mirkwood. They were twin brothers and reminded Legolas very much of Elrond's twin boys with their black hair and humorous attitude. They were the ones who had taught Legolas the art of archery. The carefully took Estel into their arms and cradled the man as though he were a newborn infant.
'Mani marte**?' asked Gildaen as Anlamras examined the human's wound. Legolas could hear the scream of the last orc falling.
'Orcs followed us! I triggered their pursuit and they evidently caught up with the company while Estel and I were left behind. Estel fell behind and I ran into them. They were about to kill us all when Estel appeared. I found him surrounded by Orcs with a spear in his stomach. Then you arrived, by the sea and stars!'
'The wound is not severe.' reported Anlamras. 'But we should hurry. There is no telling the grade of internal injuries.' Legolas nodded and looked behind him. There were three injured elves, one who couldn't walk, and one dead.
'How will we transport the injured?' he asked. Gildaen looked over Legolas's shoulder.
'We can only help them along. The fort is no more then two miles from here. Do you know why they were in the forest?'
'The orcs?' asked Legolas, pulling his gaze away from the injured. 'I suspect they followed us from the high pass. They're probably sent from somewhere, but who knows where?'
'We may worry about such things later.' responded Gildaen. 'We must treat the wounded and remember the deceased.'
Legolas helped the elves build a stretcher from vines and two fallen logs. They made it like a hammock and secured the vines from one log to the other. When they finished they made two more and placed the elf who couldn't walk and Estel on their own. When they came to the dead elf Legolas recognized him as the debater at the bottom of the High Pass. He carefully shut his green eyes and placed his right hand over his heart in respect. He felt very little emotion.
After the elves were prepared to make the hour-long journey, Gildaen and Anlamras walked beside Estel and the other helpless elf to treat their wounds. The spear in Estel's stomach was cut and tossed aside. The orcs had been piled and burned. They left them behind and could smell the odor for the whole trek. Estel was in and out of the whole situation. He would moan and say words that meant nothing to the elves. Legolas gently covered his mouth when he started to speak about Arwen. The elves noticed and smirked.
The last part of the journey was to climb a rocky rise. The elves found it simple enough but a human would choose to go around it. There was little difficulty with the stretchers and they managed to accomplish the task. When they reached the peak the fort was built right there.
It was a fort such as in the south in Rohan in which wood posts would be set close together nor of the kind in Gondor where stones would be plastered together in high walls. The fort was a grand circle of thick trees with branches stretched out for maybe two hundred meters. The roots were entangled like walls and grew in knots that created a pattern of arches. The trees were higher then any others around them and the whole thing took up over a whole mile in a circle. The sight awed the Rivendell elves and made the Legolas grin in pride.
They made their way towards the fort that would be their home for the next few weeks.
.
.
*, I hate you!
**, What happened?
A Mirkwood Battle
Estel felt waves of fear pelt him. The elves were without hope now and so was he. There was little chance he could take on all the orcs on his own. He couldn't let the company fall into the hands of the enemy so easily though, especially Legolas.
His mind was rocking with ideas. They all seemed either impossible or too slow. He heard one of the elves scream and winced. He peeked over the shrub to see Legolas on the ground. He was slowly getting up on his hands and knees when an orc with a black spear kicked him down again. His eyes widened with shock as Legolas tried to get up once more. The spear was hovering above his back.
'Leave him alone!' Estel cried as he burst from the bush. He drew his sword and sped towards the band of orcs who were yelping in surprise. Estel raised his sword and sliced the side of the first orc he came to. Cries of surprise and anger erupted all around him as he was engulfed by the blistered raw arms of the orcs. He slashed violently, not thinking of strategy or defense. Anger flared in his head and he felt a wave of energy pulse through him into the heart of his foes. He found himself yelling words he had heard in legends and stories. 'Elbereth! Gilthoniel! Elbereth!' The hands retreated, severed and bleeding.
A strange sensation suddenly filled his stomach. It was a flare of pain at first, then a burning numbness. Warm and cool, hot and cold. He cried out in shock and fear to see a spear in his upper pelvis. He lost control of himself and fell to the ground. His sword fell from his hand and flares of pain rocked his bone marrows. Warm blood seeped through the cracks between flesh and metal. He gasped for air.
'Estel!' cried Legolas, standing and running to his side. The orcs pressed in around them, laughing with hate and malice. Legolas picked up the human and stood, staring around him. He glared at every last one of them, staring them down with his hazel orbs. Anger and hatred flared in his heart and he a surge of vigor as Estel had. Everything seemed hopeless.
'Amin delotha lle*!' he cried. The orcs laughed harder. Silence fell when a sickening gurgle sounded out from the back of the crowd.
'Legolas!' over the crowd of orcs the prince elf could see Mirkwood elves appearing all around from the trees. They shot arrows and felled the orcs. Legolas watched in joy and relief as the orcs were slain all around him. The accuracy of the Mirkwood elves was deadly and he didn't fear of any stray arrows.
Orcs tried to run but were shot down before they reached the trees. Legolas ran over to two elves who he knew. Gildaen and Anlamras were two captains of the recruits of Mirkwood. They were twin brothers and reminded Legolas very much of Elrond's twin boys with their black hair and humorous attitude. They were the ones who had taught Legolas the art of archery. The carefully took Estel into their arms and cradled the man as though he were a newborn infant.
'Mani marte**?' asked Gildaen as Anlamras examined the human's wound. Legolas could hear the scream of the last orc falling.
'Orcs followed us! I triggered their pursuit and they evidently caught up with the company while Estel and I were left behind. Estel fell behind and I ran into them. They were about to kill us all when Estel appeared. I found him surrounded by Orcs with a spear in his stomach. Then you arrived, by the sea and stars!'
'The wound is not severe.' reported Anlamras. 'But we should hurry. There is no telling the grade of internal injuries.' Legolas nodded and looked behind him. There were three injured elves, one who couldn't walk, and one dead.
'How will we transport the injured?' he asked. Gildaen looked over Legolas's shoulder.
'We can only help them along. The fort is no more then two miles from here. Do you know why they were in the forest?'
'The orcs?' asked Legolas, pulling his gaze away from the injured. 'I suspect they followed us from the high pass. They're probably sent from somewhere, but who knows where?'
'We may worry about such things later.' responded Gildaen. 'We must treat the wounded and remember the deceased.'
Legolas helped the elves build a stretcher from vines and two fallen logs. They made it like a hammock and secured the vines from one log to the other. When they finished they made two more and placed the elf who couldn't walk and Estel on their own. When they came to the dead elf Legolas recognized him as the debater at the bottom of the High Pass. He carefully shut his green eyes and placed his right hand over his heart in respect. He felt very little emotion.
After the elves were prepared to make the hour-long journey, Gildaen and Anlamras walked beside Estel and the other helpless elf to treat their wounds. The spear in Estel's stomach was cut and tossed aside. The orcs had been piled and burned. They left them behind and could smell the odor for the whole trek. Estel was in and out of the whole situation. He would moan and say words that meant nothing to the elves. Legolas gently covered his mouth when he started to speak about Arwen. The elves noticed and smirked.
The last part of the journey was to climb a rocky rise. The elves found it simple enough but a human would choose to go around it. There was little difficulty with the stretchers and they managed to accomplish the task. When they reached the peak the fort was built right there.
It was a fort such as in the south in Rohan in which wood posts would be set close together nor of the kind in Gondor where stones would be plastered together in high walls. The fort was a grand circle of thick trees with branches stretched out for maybe two hundred meters. The roots were entangled like walls and grew in knots that created a pattern of arches. The trees were higher then any others around them and the whole thing took up over a whole mile in a circle. The sight awed the Rivendell elves and made the Legolas grin in pride.
They made their way towards the fort that would be their home for the next few weeks.
.
.
*, I hate you!
**, What happened?