Phantom of Mirkwood
Chapter 6
The Attack on the Royal House of Thranduil
Everything was set. Every single elf in Mirkwood was ready. In that afternoon King Thranduil and his son kept out of sight - probably discussing about that night - and since practically everyone in Mirkwood was busy with preparations Aragorn found himself able to have a decent rest without Elladan, Elrohir or Legolas trying to get him in trouble with the palace guards. When at last he rose Aragorn walked round through the many glittering halls seeking out any of the prince's friends or any one elf that liked him.
Suddenly the familiar voice of Elladan shouted: "Estel! You're meant to be in bed!"
"I'm free to walk around if I wish." Aragorn answered.
"You remind me of when you were a child. Whenever you were injured you used to believe that you could do whatever you wished. Do you remember the time when you fell out of that tree and broke your leg and after two days you were fed up of resting? What did you do?"
Aragorn sighed. "I sneaked out of my room and ended up breaking my arm and ankle, falling down the stairs."
"See," Elladan explained, "You are injured now. You'll probably fall to the ground and hurt your head and put yourself into a concussion."
"Very funny. I'm not a child anymore."
"You are to us." Elladan replied, "No matter how old you humans get, to us elves you seem like children."
"I know," Aragorn said, "it's annoying, but I am not going back to bed whether you lock me in that room and post a whole group of elven warriors outside the door."
"I wasn't going to send you back to bed," Elladan said, "the Lord Legolas has asked you to meet him in the royal hall in thirty minutes."
"Fine," Aragorn said and leaving Elladan standing in the hall proceeded on his way.
*****
Half an hour later Aragorn found Legolas waiting in the hall. Before the elf prince could speak, Aragorn asked: "Tell me, what's happening?"
Legolas sighed and it seemed to Aragorn that the elf did not wish to tell him what he was about to tell the human.
"We discussed what was the best course of action against the spirit. Father does not like the fact that I am putting myself in danger to protect the rest of the elves in Mirkwood. I told about a thousand times before he finally accepted that the spirit wants me," Legolas said, "And he has ordered that archers to be hidden above, to the side, and outside. You, Aragorn, will be with Elladan and Elrohir keeping a watch out for the spirit. Then you and the elves outside will mount an attack on the spirit; hopefully the commotion should alert us and we will come out to aid you. I'm guessing - or what Lord Elrond said - that the spirit will make a line for me. This will be when half of the elven archers will aim at me - to protect me - and if the spirit comes closer enough to get me they will fire and though I do not know if arrows pierce the spirit; it should hold it off long enough for the rest of the elves to attack. We're hoping this should kill it but I'm very doubtful about all this."
"So am I," Aragorn said, "I do not think that arrows will hurt it. I think swords will."
"Then when we come out to help you I wish for you to join me in the defense. See what it thinks when it sees you alive. It should give it a shock." Legolas commented.
*****
The moon was shining down on Mirkwood, but dark rain clouds rolled over head, and peering from his vantage point Aragorn could hardly see a thing. He hid on the other side of the great gate of Mirkwood, peeing over the top looking into the darkness of the trees. Beside him were Elladan and Elrohir and by their solemn expressions Aragorn knew that the time was nearing.
"It's coming," Elrohir whispered. He pointed out into the darkness.
Aragorn scanned the area and caught just a glimmer of movement moving through the trees. Behind came a thumping noise.
"The spirit has got an army of Orcs!" Elladan exclaimed. "There's over a thousand of them."
"The elves will be able to handle them." Aragorn said.
"No," Elrohir replied, "remember that half of them will protect Legolas. That's only two hundred archers. The rest will fight. Another five hundred warriors are protecting the rest of the city and young elves. Don't you see! The spirit has got that army of Orcs to keep us busy. The Orcs will attack the archers protecting Legolas; giving the spirit time to take him. It will be a battle that I fear we will not be able to win."
Aragorn scrambled to his feet, but before he could run down the steps he was pulled back by Elladan. "No, brother. We have to stay. If we run now then we will lose."
"I'm not running," Aragorn replied, angrily. "I'm going to the defense."
"No!" Elrohir shouted, pulling his younger brother back by the arm.
"Legolas asked me! And I will do what he asks." Aragorn's stare was icy and cold, and the twins regretfully let him go.
"We should be more stubborn." Elrohir commented.
"I thought we drilled obedience into him at a young age." Elladan said, watching the shape of Aragorn disappear from sight.
"So did I. Obviously meeting Legolas has an effect on him. Neither of them cares for the rules." Elrohir said. "And neither did we, when we were young."
"I know. It's probably a family trait. Father had it. His twin had it. Every of his twins descendants had it and Aragorn is a descendent of father's twin. As I say it's a family trait. It goes for all elves and men. Especially of Elros's line."
"I agree with you," Elrohir said. "We should really keep an eye on him."
*****
When the Orcs converged upon the gates of Mirkwood the elves put up a strong defense and to make things go to plan every elf began shouting and screaming words of help and encouragement to each other. Within five minutes of the first wave of Orcs, the prince and his remaining guards, along with Elrond and Aragorn emerged from the palace brandishing their weapons and leapt into the fray.
Aragorn remained close to Legolas, while Elrond joined his sons.
Within the first fifteen minutes of the battle there had been no casualties for the elves and about fifty of the Orcs had been killed. From his point on the top of the wall Elladan could see that there were about another three waves of seventy Orcs to be dealt with and with the spirit commanding their actions it seemed impossible to win against them, though the elves did have the advantage.
Legolas and Aragorn stayed near the palace watching the commotion and defending themselves when it was needed. The other elven warriors had encircled the two of them and were protecting them from any of the Orcs that came there way.
High above in the air Oronar was circling watching his battle. His evil eyes spotted the elf prince and the human. When he saw the human anger cursed through him. Its impossible! How could that little worm be alive? I dealt with him! But there was nothing he could do.
Signaling to a company of twenty Orcs he pointed to the elves circling the elf and human. The Orcs rushed off towards their targets battling each; giving Oronar and another ten Orcs time to slip past the warriors and attack.
Aragorn was the first to spot the spirit approaching and he nudged Legolas and the two waited patiently for Oronar to make his attack. Aragorn drew his sword from his sheath and Legolas notched an arrow in his elven bow.
The ten Orcs headed towards Aragorn driving him away from his friend, leaving the spirit free to attack Legolas. Aragorn fought desperately with the Orcs, but they kept pummeling him preventing him from fighting back. He stole a glance at Legolas who was edging back towards the palace shooting arrows at the spirit that was intent on killing him.
The spirit was advancing slowly towards Legolas. Each arrow he had fired at the spirit had proved worthless. Five arrows were protruding from the spirit's chest but to no avail nothing seemed to bring down this foe.
"You cannot kill me." the spirit said, "I've killed many elves in my time in this world. None of them have ever been able to kill me. And I will not end with you, prince of Mirkwood."
"Maybe but at least I'll go down fighting!" Legolas snarled, running forward and pulling one of his hunting knives from its sheath. He lashed out at the spirit but Oronar avoided he thrash and grabbed hold of the prince's shoulders and threw him across the land. Legolas landed by the side of a tree. Quickly he climbed up into the branches and seeing the spirit below jumped from the branch and pushed the spirit to the side.
Legolas retrieved his knife that had been flung from his hand. The spirit was upon him lashing out at him with its withered hands. Legolas rolled away and shouted to Aragorn.
Aragorn had at last dispatched the Orcs and hearing his friend's shout twisted quickly and killed the remaining Orc. Turning back to Legolas Aragorn ran forward and leapt at the spirit, sending it flying from his friend.
The two friends were quickly joined by Elladan and Elrohir who had seen them from the wall and against Elrond's wishes had left their post and gone to help their brother.
Oronar angry that he was failing in his attempt to get the prince shouted to all the Orcs in the vicinity of Mirkwood. At once a horde of Orcs approached the defenders and converged upon them.
With the distraction of the Orcs Oronar was given free access to Legolas again, but as before the human valiantly defended him, as did the other two elves. Now that most of the Orcs had joined this battle the elves had also come to and because of this new development it was harder for Oronar to get near the prince, but he began sweeping through the elves grabbing hold of a few and making them weak for the Orcs to kill easier.
Oronar lunged at Legolas grabbing hold of his shoulders and digging his claws into the flesh of the elf.
This had happened in a flash of light and neither Aragorn or the twins were aware of the danger Legolas was now in. They only became aware when the prince shouted: "STRIDER!"
Seeing his friend withering in the spirits grip Aragorn grabbed his sword tightly in his hand and rushed forward. With a great swing he dug his sword into the spirits unprotected back. A flash of light and neither Legolas or Aragorn knew no more.
TBC....
Next Chapter will be up very soon.