Disclaimer: If only Orlando Bloom and Lord of the Rings was mine, but I'm afraid that they're not.
A/N: Thanks to all of my reveiwers on all of my stories. I'm afraid that I might not be able to update for awhile do to a very long vacation to America coming up. But don't worry, I will never abandon you.
Special thanks to my sister Jennifer who proof reads all of my work and is forcing me to write this thank you by placing a knife to my throat.
Hey Chelsea, This chapter is dedicated to you. You have been dying for me to finish this chapter, so here it is.
Chapter 12: The Battle Over Rivendell
The four Elves and one man stood in silence after Arwen left them. The Orcs continued their clamorous march toward the city, and the Soldiers of Rivendell waited with a fearful silence. Terror hung thick in the air as if a dark cloud hovered over the city. Aragorn observed, from behind the wall, the trees shaking violently as the evil flood of demons swept through the forest.
"When they are in range, tell the archers to loose the arrows," Aragorn said to Elrond.
Elrond looked at him with genuine surprise and something else.
"Respect? Appreciation? Some combination of them both?" Aragorn wondered to himself.
Elrond passed this order to the soldiers, himself wondering more about this Ranger.
An hour passed, and still the Elves waited for the Orcs to make the first move. Legolas and the other archers had their arrows fitted to their bows, ready to fire at a moments notice. The distance between the gloomy trees and Legolas was immense, but Aragorn had heard, many times, the praises of his exceptional skill. Although Aragorn also used a bow, his skills were quite distant compared to the Elves.
Elrond turned suddenly to Aragorn, "I am grateful that you are fighting with us"
"There is no need to thank me," Aragorn told him calmly, "for the Elves are a force against evil. I will always be in the service of the light."
Elrond could have been content with this answer, had two questions not been nagging his mind. "Men have not dealt with the trouble of Elves for years; you could have left us to battle with the Orcs on our own. Why have you stayed? I have not exactly been a welcoming host."
"You helped through one of my most dangerous times; I could not call myself a man if I refused to help you. And..." Here he paused, unsure of whether or not to confess this to him, "I love your daughter, with all of my heart."
Elrond looked at him seriously, "I do not want harm to come to her."
"Nor I, for I would die for her."
Elrond knew that what he spoke of was true, he had no doubts that he was not an evil or greedy man, with a heart to claim Gondor for himself. He understood now that he only sought to serve and help others besides himself.
One inquiry still puzzled him. He opened his mouth to ask him, when the Orcs came stomping out to the woods. Their evil minds and hearts set on destroying the Elves.
The second the Orcs burst from the trees, the Elves fired. Legolas and the other archers drew out more arrows as swift as lightning, and fired once more. This continued, but was not able to greatly reduce the mass of the army. The disgusting, evil creatures ran across the bridges as fast as their stout legs could carry them. The black flood washed up to the city and hammered upon the gate. Although the gates were locked and braced, all knew that this would not stop them.
After several head-pounding bangs, one of the gates fell from its hinges and became mere splinters under the feet of Orcs.
Aragorn unsheathed his sword as did Elrond and his sons.
"We must go below and vanquish them one by one." He said grimly.
Legolas fired one more shot from above, and then followed them. The five ran swiftly down the stairs, leaving the assumed security of the city to enter the treacherous battle.
Arrows pierced the sky, killing both Elves and Orcs; swords glimmered in the moonlight, dripping with the crimson blood of elves or the inky black of Orcs. The sound of metal hitting metal filled the air and the smell of blood and death overwhelmed everyone.
Aragorn entered the bloodshed with his sword in his hand, prepared to fight for his friends and his love. An Orc charged at him, his razor like sword stained with Elf blood. Aragorn parried the blow that rained down on him, and swung his sword. Metal met flesh and the monster crumbled to the ground. Aragorn lunged towards a second Orc, and the two were soon locked into an epic battle. No matter how skilled this Orc was, he was no match for this Dunedain. He soon lay dead, black blood spilling from his severed arm.
Legolas fought with the grace of the Elves. His skill of archery was the finest these Orcs ever laid eyes on. For as soon as they spotted the Prince, hoping to make him the next kill, they were dead. He could even fire his bow at short distances, an amazing advantage due to the bow being mainly used for long distance hunting.
He fired steadily at the Orcs surrounding him and his fellow soldiers. His senses suddenly perked up the closeness of another creature. He whipped out an arrow from his quiver and jabbed it into the eye of the sneaky Orc behind him. He noticed that Eldarion was struggling with two Orcs bombarding him from both sides. Legolas noticed a third Orc creeping up behind the Elf, its sword raised to crash down the killing blow. Unfortunately for the Orc, that is as far as it got because an arrow pierced him right between the eyes. Eldarion noticed the dead Orc and nodded thanks to the Prince.
An ear splitting howl filled the air, making everybody look up. Fifty Warg riders charged through the mangled gate, feasting upon the flesh of the Rivendell Elves. Aragorn raced over to aid the Elves soon to be trapped under the ferocious jaws of the Death Wolves. He swung his sword coming in contact with the brutish face. The Warg let out a sharp cry as it came face to face with death. The Orc riding this wolf tumbled to the ground; it never saw the silver sword as it severed its head from its body.
Aragorn felt the hot breath of a Warg burning his neck; he knew that he would not have any time to stop this beast from making him a meal. Instead of feasting on his flesh, the Warg howled a cry of pain. Aragorn saw an arrow embedded into its fur, he looked up and spotted Legolas jumping down from the wall behind him. "Hannon Le." He said as his friend came beside him.
Legolas looked up to the side seeing two short figures moving in a blundering manner away from the battle.
"Come," he said gesturing towards the retreating Orcs, "They are moving into the city."
Aragorn ran with the Prince. They moved up the stairs and into the city, clinging to the side of a wall. Neither of them dared to look down at the drop below them.
They could hear the sound the Orc's clinking armor and garbled muttering as they ran. "Must find... Rivendell must be destroyed...He probably hid them under the city."
"They are talking about the women and children." Legolas whispered to Aragorn.
Aragorn's hand touched his sword hilt; these vile creatures were not going to kill Arwen.
The two hugged the wall, looking down they saw that they were almost on top of the Orcs. Aragorn looked at the Prince and pulled out his sword. Legolas nodded and took out his long delicate blade. With a yell they jumped from the wall and landed an inch in front of the Orcs. Aragorn slashed his sword swiftly and the Orc fell to the ground. Legolas, with grace and swiftness, took down his monster with ease as well.
"We must return to the battle." Aragorn called to the Elf as he hurried back to the blood reeked courtyard.
Bodies littered the crimson- stained ground. The Wargs lay dead, arrows protruding from their brutish bodies. Legolas and Aragorn separated, Legolas moved towards the outer wall, while Aragorn aided those on the inner wall. The Ranger saw Elrond was also there, his shimmering sword slashing the lives out of many Orcs. Elrond failed to notice the Orc sneaking behind him, an arrow raised to take the life out of the Elf lord. When Elrond turned and noticed the Orc, it was about to loose its arrow. Aragorn whipped out a knife and flung straight into the Orc's stony heart. Elrond stood dazed at how closely he almost lost his life. Aragorn rushed over and retrieved his knife; he glanced over at the Elf lord.
"I'm fine," Elrond assured him. He then moved deeper into the battle.
Legolas was busy firing arrows at every Orc spilling into the gate. He looked up when he heard the sound of moving wood and rope.
"Catapults!" He warned his companions at the sight of the massive boulder moving machines.
The Orcs seemed to laugh as they placed a large rock onto the launch. With the push of a lever, the huge stone was hurdled into the city and took a great chunk of a wall.
Aragorn stood on the lower wall and felt the wall give way at his feet. He knew that he might not survive this fall, and a thought flickered in his mind. He saw Arwen in all of her radiance smiling at him. He wondered if she would know that his last thought was of her. The ground rushed up to him, and all turned into blackness.
The Rivendell woman sat in a large chamber in the heart of their city. The red earth walls depicted paintings of victory to encourage the poor souls who waited inside. Arwen sat huddled to her self. Her back was against the wall and her knees were hugged to her chest. She could hear the loud booms of the boulders hitting targets, and the aguish cries of the victims of death. All around her, the sound of weeping filled her ears. She did not cry, not yet. In her heart though, she felt a hole that was draining her hope. She had known from the beginning that something terrible would happen to one of her loved ones in the battle. She feared that death may come to one of her five men fighting for the city. Her heart seemed to sink deeper into her chest, and she knew that it had begun. The worst had not yet come, but it soon would. It was like the first patters of rain before the storm. She brought her knees closer to her chest, and she prayed silently that the battle would soon end.
The Elves were furiously trying to push the Orcs back, and with their effort, they slightly succeeded. Some of the creatures backed up to the outer wall, but the Elves were still outnumbered. The catapults continued to throw the boulders and bringing down more of the buildings and walls. Legolas leapt onto the inner wall and spotted one of the catapults. He slipped an arrow from his quiver and fired. The rope on the machine snapped and the catapult became a useless pile of wood. Elladen ran over to the next catapult and attacked the Orcs defending it; while his brother sliced through the ropes and destroying a second one. Soon all three machines were broken, and the Orcs once again spilled through the gate.
Two Orcs were busy hunting for more Elven blood, when one of them spotted a crumbled body in the rubble. He beckoned to his companion, and they inspected the body.
"He's alive," One of them stated raising his sword to strike the killing blow.
"Wait!" His companion warned then brushed aside the forms hair. "He's a man," he said astonished to discover that the figure did not have the pointed ears of an Elf.
"Well, what's a man doing in an Elf city?" One of them asked gruffly.
"How should I know?" His friend said, "But he must be of importance. We should take him to General Zilfor."
With that the two Orcs each grabbed one of the man's arms and dragged him away from the battle.
Arwen felt a deep sinking feeling, and she knew that it had happened. Her heart began to thud against her ribs, and her palms moistened. What had happened? She was anxious to find out. She looked up, and the walls of the chamber seemed to close around her; taking every breath of air from her lungs. The paintings upon the wall no longer uplifted her sorrows, but mocked at her. A cruel laugh seemed to ring in the air. She felt like a caged animal trying desperately to escape her prison. A temptation leered at her, beckoning for her to open the door. But the sound of the battle still hammered from above, and Arwen knew that she would only endanger the lives of her people than helping her loved one. She once again waited; her mind telling her heart to end its pleas.
The battle raged on, seeming endless. Orcs streamed into the gate, forcing the Elves to retreat. The five hundred soldiers were now reduced to one hundred. All of them knew that this battle would soon be over, and that Rivendell would be wiped of the face of Middle earth. Elrond watched as his men grew more and more tired; he looked up towards the Valar and prayed a silent prayer. It would take a miracle for this battle to be a victory. The blast of a horn shook the air, and all creatures looked up. A lone rider in bronze armor sat upon a grey horse.
"Ada!" Legolas said at the sight of the rider.
Mirkwood had come to aid their kin. King Thranduil and his army charged into the wounded city, slaying Orcs as they rode past.
Now the soldiers found strength once again, and began to turn the tide of this battle.
"Thranduil," Elrond called to his friend, "You have come."
"I would never abandon you my friend," Thranduil said to him smiling, "Let us finish this battle and give the Orcs a reminder not the have dealings with the Elves."
The two fought earnestly, and the battle continued now with hope.
The Orcs eventually gave in a full retreat, leaving Rivendell, and victory, to the Elves.
Arwen fought her own battle, the fight against her mind and her strong heart. For she was still trapped in the chamber; still waiting to learn of her loved ones. Her ears no longer heard the horrifying sounds of death. She felt that peace had again entered her home. Her heart swiftly claimed victory, and Arwen gave into the temptations. There were no guards protecting the door, so she walked over and moved to unlatch it.
"No my lady!" a woman cried, but she ignored the plea.
She had to know what happened. The heavy wooden door creaked open, and Arwen raced up several flights of stairs.
The smell of blood filled her senses as she neared the outside. She saw the bodies of her people and Orcs strewn on the ground covered in blood. Many crawled on the ground, mortally wounded. Nothing could cease their dying pleas. Arwen moved through the battle in horror at the sight of so much death.
She neared a gap in the wall where it appeared a boulder had crushed the defense. Rubble was scattered over the ground.
"Aragorn!" She called her love's name hoping for an answer, but none came.
It was then she noticed the sword buried under the rocks. She lifted it from the debris and, as tears threatened her eyes, saw the footprints and drag marks etched in the earth.
"No!" She cried as she sank to her knees, "No." She sobbed bitterly, knowing now what her fears had been.
The sword lay on her lap, stained with the blood of Orcs. The blood soaked into her gown, but she did not care. She felt as if her heart had been torn out and stabbed bitterly a hundred times. All she felt around her was misery.
A warm hand rested on her shoulder, "Arwen," her father gently whispered.
She turned to him, "They –they have taken Aragorn," She sobbed and buried her head into his chest.
Elrond gently rocked his daughter; knowing full well the pain she was going through. She felt alone without her love beside her. Aragorn had always been there when she needed him, but know when she needed him most, he could not comfort her.
"We have to find him Ada," She vowed, " Please, we must go after him."
Elrond looked at his daughter, and saw the grief in her eyes that he had been through when his beloved wife had left him. "I will hold a council. That will decide Aragorn's fate."
knew that that was the best he could do for now.
"I will find him, I swear it." She vowed to herself.
She hoped that Aragorn would have the strength to fight for his own survival. In her heart, she knew he did.
Alright Chelsea you got your chapter, now I want your reviews. REVIEW NOW!!