Author's notes: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed the story so far.
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Those You Love
Four Days
by Celebrian
It was nearing the end of the fourth day of the journey to Lothlorien. The sun had began to set over the treetops, causing the sky to turn a radiant violet speckled with magenta. Legolas, Lutheriel, and the four escorts decided that they would stop for the night and continue to their destination tomorrow morning.
"No signs of orcs anywhere. Nor for all the days we've been out here." Elendir, one of the escorts, said as he rolled out the sleeping mats on the cool ground.
"And a good thing too." Another one of the escorts agreed. "By tomorrow afternoon we will be in Lothlorien. I can almost hear the waters of the Nimrodel now." He smiled.
Elendir turned around, looking for the Prince and Princess. "Prince Legolas, the sleeping mats have been laid out for you and your sister!" He called out, into the dim twilight.
Lutheriel and Legolas had wandered a bit father than they were supposed too but the sights of this place were just too wondrous and beautiful. They stood at an edge of a cliff looking out over the grassy plains. Legolas glanced over at his sister, noticing her saddened face. "Lu, is something bothering you?" He asked his sister, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.
"I hate to think that this could all go away." She said keeping her gaze on the beauty of Middle-earth. "I never knew how much beauty this world held..." She whispered as her voice trailed off.
Legolas smiled. "Just think of how beautiful Lothlorien will be." He turned back, looking out over the plains again.
Lutheriel nodded but didn't really hear his words. "And yet a place such as this, is just as evil as it is beautiful." She said turning her head to Legolas.
"I believe there is more good in Middle-earth than there is bad." Her brother said thoughtfully. He truly did believe that with all his heart. "Even with all the orcs, trolls, evil men...the good still out weighs the bad."
Hearing her brother's words made Lutheriel smile, they made her feel safe and at peace. "You always did have a way with words." She grinned. Her grinned slowly turned into a yawn, and she brushed a long strand of her chestnut hair away from her face. "Were my ears deceiving me or did I hear Elendir say that our beds were ready?"
Legolas chuckled. "I think I heard that too." He took his sister's arm in his and the began to walk back to the campsite. "It'll be nice sleeping in a real bed once we get to Lorien. Though I love sleeping out here under the stars...I could do without the roots and rocks sticking in my back."
They reached the campsite and sat down on their mats. Lutheriel removed her boots but Legolas had chosen to keep his on. He reached into his bag and pulled out a shiny silver dagger and tossed it to his sister.
Lutheriel picked up the dagger. "What's this for?" She asked, looking at the Elven crafted weapon.
"Just incase." Legolas replied, as he looked out at the wooded area that was near them. "Even though we are very close to Lorien, we are also near orc territory. The knife is just a precaution...just incase ." He said as he laid back on his mat, placing his hands behind his head.
Lutheriel studied the dagger, hoping that she'd never have to use it. It scared her yet it comforted her to know it was near her. She laid down on her side placing the knife under her pillow. "Goodnight brother." She said as she shut her eyes.
Elendir and one of the other escorts decided to take the first watch for the night. The other two escorts took rest and would replace their companions half way through until morning. "Cold night...." Elendir said quietly as he rubbed his hands together. "If it weren't for those orcs, we could have a fire going."
The other escort nodded. "Warm would be nice...." And that was the last words that were spoken between them. They sat back to back, keeping watch from both directions.
In addition of being a chilly night, it was cloudy, and not a star in the sky could be seen, even the moon was masked by thick clouds. Blackness seemed to envelop everything. And it was quiet and still, not even a chirp from a cricket or a squawk of a night bird. Hours crept on and it was Elendir that broke the silence finally. "It's about time for our watch to be over."
"I was just thinking the same thing. I doubt I could keep my eyes open for a minute more. I'll get the other two up." The other escort whispered, feeling relieved that he could take some rest now. They stood up and began to walk back over to the campsite, which they could barely see in the darkness.
Elendir stopped as something caught his eye. It was moving towards them quickly, it seemed to be a light. A torch . Yes it was a torch. The ground began to tremble under his feet. "Orcs!" He shouted just loud enough for everyone at the camp to hear.
Immediately the escorts got to their feet and drew their weapons. Elendir was correct, it was a band of orcs that was coming their way, and they were closer than they thought
"Blasted things are probably coming back from a raid!" Elendir, said as he drew his sword. "Get the horses!"
Legolas and Lutheriel were now on their feet. Legolas had drawn his bow and Lutheriel gripped the dagger her brother had given to her. Her eyes were full of fear, never in her life had she seen an orc. Now she could hear their foul voice in the air and could almost imagine what they looked like.
"We need to ride out." The escort said as he went to the horses. "Prince Legolas!" He called out as he untied one of the horses and quickly brought the him over to the Prince to mount up on.
Legolas hopped up, looking at his sister as she waited for her horse. "It's going to be alright, Lu." He said in his most comforting voice.
The escort hurried back to the horses and started to untie another one for the Princess. The remaining horses reared up when they heard the cries of the orcs. The ropes snapped and the horses began to race off into the night. The escort tried to grab a hold of one before they all got away, but the horse trampled him, knocking him to the ground. Now the company was stranded, horseless, except for the one that Legolas had, and left to face an unknown number of orcs.
Elendir ran quickly over to Legolas. "Hurry Prince. Take your sister and leave while you still can." He said just as an arrow sped past through the air and just missed him.
"I refuse to leave you behind!" Legolas said sternly. "There is no way that you all will surv-"
"Prince I beg of you! Take your sister and make for the woods of Lothlorien!" Elendir shouted. He spun around when the sound of clanking steel and the clashing of swords was heard. The orcs were now face to face with the other escorts.
"Legolas!!" Lutheriel cried out. "Help me!!" She had been backed up against a tree and an orc was no more than an inch way from her. Snarling and growling in her face. Lutheriel lifted her dagger at the orc, but he batted it out of her hand. It fell to the ground. The orc snarled and breathed heavily on her, making Lutheriel press her back up against the tree tighter.
"Help your sister! I'll try to fend them off in the front." Elendir said as he ran to his companions who were battling it out with a horde of orcs.
Legolas looked in the direction of his sister's cry an d drew an arrow from his quiver. With phenomenal accuracy he shot the orc in the back of the head and then rode swiftly to his sister, pulling her up on the horse with him.
Lutheriel buried her head into her brother's back, her heart was racing a mile a minute, and her body shook with fear. "Legolas, we can't leave Elendir and the others behind." She said slightly sobbing. Even though she wanted to leave more than anything, she knew that she could not leave the escorts behind. They weren't just escorts but also friends.
"I know." Legolas said as he drew another arrow and shot another orc down. The odds were not looking good though. The group of orcs was a lot larger than Legolas had expected and there was no way that the six of them could defeat them all.
Elendir spun around. "Ride out you fools!" He cried in anger, looking at the Prince. He began to open his mouth to speak again but his face froze and then twisted in pain. A long spear had been pushed through his back and was poking out of his chest. Elendir fell to the ground, revealing a growling orc behind him.
Legolas cried out, drawing his bowstring back and shooting the orc dead. He looked around and saw that two other of the escorts had fallen in battle already. Arrows began to zip towards Legolas and his sister. Yet he refused to leave the last escort to stand alone against twenty orcs. The Prince spotted the escort going head to head against a creature that was nearly twice his weight. "Findor!" The Prince called out, but before he even had the chance to pull his bowstring back, Findor was struck down by a barrage of orc arrows. Legolas screamed angered that all of this happened.
"Legolas..." Lutheriel cried, gripping tightly to her brother, never once did she remove her head from her brother's back. It was bad enough she could hear the fighting. She knew that the escorts had fallen, she did not want to see their bodies.
Legolas breathed heavily and then leaned forward to his horse. "Noro lim..." He whispered. The horse turned around and started to gallop off. Arrows still flew past them and the orcs began to chase after the horse, "Noro lim..." Legolas repeated to the horse. The horse picked up more speed and in a matter of mere moments the orcs gave up the chase and went back to pillage anything the dead Elven escorts had on them.
Lutheriel cried softly, her heart still racing. "They aren't going to follow are they?" She asked, finally removing her head from her brother's back, but still keeping her arms wrapped tightly around him.
"No. I doubt they will." Legolas told his sister, his voice filled with grief and sorrow. They rode on for a few hours in silence both of them grieving for the fallen. The golden sunlight began to rise over the top of the trees. Morning had finally come. Legolas stopped the horse in front of a great forest. The trees were like any other that he had ever seen. Lutheriel gazed at them, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Lothlorien." He whispered.
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Elvish translations:
Noro lim- Ride hard
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