A few more reviews wouldn't have gone amiss! I only updated because I was a bit bored……plus it has been a week. That is when I roughly update; every week.
Anyway, this chapter carries on with the fire…and you know I mentioned a possible character death? Heehee, read on! No Legolas in this, but he's in the next chapter. This is all Beinlóth and Gwaloth/Laraelia. Please review guys, I need reviews! ^_^
~Lainfaer~
Morgaine of Ithil- That is such a cool name by the way! I know; I'm very kind like that! *grins cheekily* Thanks for your review, and I do believe you area new reader! Yay! ^_^
lillyrose1- Thank you very much! ^_^
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Chapter 10: The Last Chance.
Aronuel watched helplessly as Beinlóth ran into the ever-impending darkness. He looked around. It was Orcs that were attacking Milathon. He had to get out of there. He ran back into the house, and down into the cellar.
"What took you so long?" Terena demanded as he shut the trap door.
"She's gone now. She says she
forgives you for everything."
"Forgives us? Why, what did we ever do to her?" Alonia asked.
"For treating her the way you did. She has a kind heart, unlike you two."
They looked away, unable to respond to that comment.
****
Beinlóth ran on, dodging all the screaming men and women. It was the middle of the night, and so many people were still in their nightclothes. She saw many dead bodies lying all around her, both human and Orc. She took a knife from one of her fallen neighbours to protect herself.
Mothers were carrying their sobbing children, screaming themselves, and trying to hide. Their husbands were trying desperately to look after them, but Beinlóth paid no heed to them. She had to find Laraelia.
She reached her house, and was horrified to find it burning. She looked round, but could see no signs of the old woman. She walked towards it, but had to turn away because of the incredible heat that radiated out.
"Laraelia!" she screamed. "Gwaloth!"
"Beinlóth!" a voice answered through the smoke. Beinlóth turned round, and before she knew what was happening, she was hoisted up onto a horse. She looked round at her rider.
"Gwaloth," she sighed, smiling.
The Elf-maiden smiled back. "I had to escape out of the fire as an Elf, else I would be dead by now. Come on, we have to get out of here." She turned her horse around, and galloped out towards the gates.
But there were hundreds of Orcs around, not letting anyone out. They pulled up in front of the scouts, and looked at them. The orcs leered back, licking their lips disgustingly.
Beinlóth had her knife, and Gwaloth had a quiver and bow. She drew an arrow and fixed it to the string. "Let us go," she said quietly, dangerously.
The Orcs just laughed at them. She tensed the string a bit more, and let it fly. It hit the Captain square in the forehead. He keeled over, dead.
The others just looked at the Elves in front of them. Gwaloth fired another arrow. "Let us through!" she yelled, as another fell down with an arrow protruding form his neck.
Then the Orcs charged. Beinlóth and Gwaloth used their knives, hacking down as many as possible. Only then, did Beinlóth realise they were actually riding Kayla. She patted her quickly as she stood on many of their attackers.
As soon as a reasonably clear path was made, Kayla galloped on, neatly running over any remaining Orcs. They got through the gate, and kept going. They had to get as far away from Milathon as possible.
The way the Orcs had entered Milathon was clear. They seemed to get pleasure from destroying nature. The path they had taken was still smouldering from their fires. They reached a clearing, about two miles away from the burning village, and there, they stopped.
Beinlóth jumped neatly down off Kayla, and waited for Gwaloth to join her. But Gwaloth didn't move. Kayla just stood, swishing her tail, and shaking her head to get rid of the soot that coated her mane.
"Gwaloth?" Beinlóth asked. "Come on, we're safe now."
Gwaloth looked down at her
niece, and smiled. "Yes, you're safe now Beinlóth." Her voice was strained, as
if she was in a lot of pain. Beinlóth frowned. "Gwaloth, what's wrong?"
"I'm hurt, Beinlóth. Seriously hurt. I'm not going to last much longer. Help me
down, gently." Beinlóth helped her down, and then saw the knife embedded in her
abdomen. She gasped, and carefully lay her down. She knelt beside her.
"Please don't leave me Gwaloth," she begged, tears starting to form. "I still need you."
"I have done all I can for
you hénnin, (my child). Be careful in these woods. They are dangerous. Legolas
will find you, I promise. He will come back for you, and you shall return to
Mirkwood."
"But you are the only family I have left. I'll be alone."
"He will look after you. Give this to him." She handed Beinlóth her quiver and
bow. "He'll know where to look. Amin mela lle hénnin."
"What does that mean?"
"I love you my child." She smiled weakly, and reached up to stroke Beinlóths'
cheek. "My task is done. We will see each other again, one day. Your parents
would be proud of you. Go now, I'll be ok. Kayla will look after you." Her hand
fell to her side, and her eyes shut.
"Gwaloth no!" Beinlóth cried, cupping Gwaloths' face in her freezing hands. But there was no response. The tears did fall then, and she let them. Never before had she encountered death, and she found it hurt.
Kayla trotted over to her,
and nuzzled Gwaloths' still body. When she did not get an answer, she turned to
Beinlóth. She nuzzled her side, and Beinlóth looked up the bay mare. "You will
help, won't you Kayla?"
The horse nodded, as if understanding her. Beinlóth smiled, and got to her
feet, drying her eyes. "We had better hide her, or bury her. But I do not have
a spade. Let's just hide her really well." She hid Gwaloth under a large bush
on one side of the clearing. She covered her with leaves, and then took her
cloak. "I hope you don't mind Gwaloth, but I really need it," she explained.
She strapped the quiver to her back, and took Gwaloths' scabbard for her knife.
The other, she hid in her boot. She held the bow firmly in her left hand, then
said farewell to Gwaloth for the last time.
"Thank you, for everything," she said softly, her head bowed. "I'll always remember you. Amin mela lle." She placed one last kiss on her cold forehead, then mounted Kayla. When she was sure that Gwaloth could not be seen, she galloped off, not knowing where she was heading.
She knew that, in time, she would have to find somewhere to get food. There was no way she would be able to get back to Milathon yet, and even when all the Orcs were gone, she knew they would most likely have either taken the food for themselves, or ruined it all. But she would try anyway.
She let Kayla go wherever she wished. She knew the horse could sense any danger, and would not lead her anywhere that was dangerous. She was stil in shock, and her senses weren't up to their usual standard of accuracy.
//I wonder what happened to Aronuel, Terena, and Alonia. Did they get found?//
She soon noticed that Kayla was leading her back towards Milathon. "Kayla, where are we going?" she asked.
The horse just snorted and carried on.
Beinlóth soon knew why they were going back the way they had come. They reached the stream that served the village, and here, were all the others horses. Lesei trotted up to greet her sister and nuzzled her affectionately. Beinlóth slid down off of Kaylas' back, and walked over to the stream. She splashed her face, and drank some. The smoke, plus her recent crying, had parched her throat, and she felt slightly dehydrated.
The horses formed a protective circle around their new mistress. She smiled at them all. "Thank you."
Aronuel had always had one stallion, for breeding, and he trotted up to Beinlóth. He lay down beside her, and she stroked his mane. "Good boy Hilatin." He nuzzled her, then got to his feet.
She too, stood up, and looked round at them. "Well, I guess it's just us now." She mounted Hilatin, to give Kayla a rest, and they set off together, the girl, and her faithful steeds.
Ok, I killed Gwaloth/Laraelia! SORRY!!!! I couldn't exactly kill Beinlóth could I? Not really. Chapter 11 coming very soon… (if I get enough reviews.)
Tell you what, I'll make a deal. Once I get…6 reviews for this chapter, I'll update. Deal? Excellent…
^_^
~Lainfaer~
