CHAPER II
TRAITOR IN THE MIDST
Shortly after I had fallen, I awoke to the sound of Elven screams and common chatter. I immediately leaped up but I felt a hand press me down.
"Be still", said the sweet voice. "The blade that the woman threw at you was tipped with poison. I'm not the greatest doctor, but I think the poison was a virus". I ignored the words for a moment, for I knew the voice that was speaking.
"GLORFINDEL!" I exclaimed. I then leaped up and hugged him (in a manly way- not the way two people in love hug) and he got all jumpy.
"The virus is still in your blood, Anganca!" exclaimed Glorfindel.
"Quit being so jumpy", I said. "The virus won't hurt me. Viruses don't hurt Elves."
"That's true", said Glorfindel. I stepped off of the leafy ground and stretched my arms. I looked around the field and saw many elves walking normally, but I also found some screaming in pain as healer did their magic on them.
"What happened?" I asked.
"It was Saleme", said Glorfindel.
"Who?" I asked.
"The Red Witch", said Glorfindel. "She's a Haradrim huntress that works for Sauron in a very intimate way. She must be in charge of all the activity going on in this area."
"I've never heard of her", I said.
"Well, I heard a story about her", said Glorfindel, "But I don't know if it's true or not".
"Just tell me", I said. Glorfindel then told me the story of Saleme that I told you earlier, but I wasn't entirely satisfied. "Do you know what happened to us? In the battle?"
"One of the legends of Saleme is that she has an endless supply of throwing blades", said Glorfindel. "She must've had a blade for each of you".
"How many casualties?"
"I don't know."
"Why are you here? Did you just happen to pass by?"
"Basically. I was riding with a group of Elves on our way back from Rivendell when we saw your unconscious army and Saleme, who was draining the blood from one of your soldiers. She was blabbing about 'draining the blood from a thousand enemies to ensure Sauron's victory. I then carefully aimed a bow at her and fired, and it punctured one of her lungs, I think. Her Haradrim cronies then panicked and carried her, the blood, and as many elf soldier they could spare. The people that are standing up are the survivors".
"This is bad."
"I know. Young Aralokë was the first to wake up. He actually saw me launch the bow at Saleme. One of the Haradrim soldiers was whipping him. I tried to talk to him, but he was silent. He said he had a dark vision and needed to concentrate." I then turned around to see Aralokë, who was sitting under a tree staring at a flower. I felt sorry for that soldier. He had a troubled mind, and always followed his instinct, no matter who paid. I did not know his instinct would save all of Middle-Earth one day.
"Hello", said Duinrama, one of Aralokë's good friends. "Why don't you go grab some food? You should have something to warm your belly".
"WHO'S THERE!" yelled Aralokë. Duinrama jumped up at the outburst and so did our entire camp, for the calm elf just exploded in that simple second. "Oh, Duinrama, I'm so sorry. I just had another vision".
"About what?" asked Duinrama. "First it's the Gondorian Prince, then the Gondorian King. What is it now? The beautiful Gondorian Princess?"
"It was about the Woodmen", said Aralokë.
"The woodmen! Why was it so bad then?"
"They are people too! They live they breathe and they eat just like us! They love like us too. Have you ever thought about that?"
"Sorry. So what happened to the Woodmen?"
"They were attacked by some Haradrim, just like the ones we were ambushed by. And there was a woman. A woman with a blood-red gown. The woodmen had nothing but blow darts and spears. She killed them all. Every single woodman she could get her hand on. She then drained their blood into a large bowl, saying her quest was almost complete."
"That's an awful vision".
"Of course! And that is not the only woodman village! There are whole tribes of them in this world! We have to save them from that woman!"
"Calm down. I'll go tell Anganca". Duinrama then walked over to me with a look of panic on his face. "Anganca, Aralokë...."
"I heard", I told him. "Glorfindel, could you spare another trip to Rivendell".
"Why?" asked Glorfindel.
"I would like you to take all the wounded to Elrond's healing houses", said Anganca.
"But the Elves of Rivendell are leaving Middle-Earth! The only reason I came down here was so that I can fight a little bit more until I am forced to leave! The age of the Elves is over. There is no more room for great heroes from Mirkwood!"
"What about just good Elves from Mirkwood trying to saved their kin? If it's humanly possible for you, please take the wounded and dying to Rivendell and ask whoever's left to heal them. These woods aren't safe for civilians anymore. My army will march down back to Menegroth and bring aid to Thranduil. There is going to be a battle soon. Meanwhile, we are going to aid as many Woodmen camps as we can. Is that okay with you?"
"I'm sure it's possible. I'll give it a try". As Glorfindel walked off, I stood on the tallest hill I found, and within a minute all the Elves were quiet and staring at me".
"We are to march back to Menegroth to prepare for the upcoming battle", I yelled. "However, we are to aid whoever we find in trouble, whether you will have to risk your life or not. BREAK CAMP!" The elves rushed to their tents and began to pack them down, all except for Aralokë, who was staring at me. His cold, icy eyes stared into my eyes and took all the warmth away from my body. It was as if he knew the decision I just took was the cause of our doom.
TRAITOR IN THE MIDST
Shortly after I had fallen, I awoke to the sound of Elven screams and common chatter. I immediately leaped up but I felt a hand press me down.
"Be still", said the sweet voice. "The blade that the woman threw at you was tipped with poison. I'm not the greatest doctor, but I think the poison was a virus". I ignored the words for a moment, for I knew the voice that was speaking.
"GLORFINDEL!" I exclaimed. I then leaped up and hugged him (in a manly way- not the way two people in love hug) and he got all jumpy.
"The virus is still in your blood, Anganca!" exclaimed Glorfindel.
"Quit being so jumpy", I said. "The virus won't hurt me. Viruses don't hurt Elves."
"That's true", said Glorfindel. I stepped off of the leafy ground and stretched my arms. I looked around the field and saw many elves walking normally, but I also found some screaming in pain as healer did their magic on them.
"What happened?" I asked.
"It was Saleme", said Glorfindel.
"Who?" I asked.
"The Red Witch", said Glorfindel. "She's a Haradrim huntress that works for Sauron in a very intimate way. She must be in charge of all the activity going on in this area."
"I've never heard of her", I said.
"Well, I heard a story about her", said Glorfindel, "But I don't know if it's true or not".
"Just tell me", I said. Glorfindel then told me the story of Saleme that I told you earlier, but I wasn't entirely satisfied. "Do you know what happened to us? In the battle?"
"One of the legends of Saleme is that she has an endless supply of throwing blades", said Glorfindel. "She must've had a blade for each of you".
"How many casualties?"
"I don't know."
"Why are you here? Did you just happen to pass by?"
"Basically. I was riding with a group of Elves on our way back from Rivendell when we saw your unconscious army and Saleme, who was draining the blood from one of your soldiers. She was blabbing about 'draining the blood from a thousand enemies to ensure Sauron's victory. I then carefully aimed a bow at her and fired, and it punctured one of her lungs, I think. Her Haradrim cronies then panicked and carried her, the blood, and as many elf soldier they could spare. The people that are standing up are the survivors".
"This is bad."
"I know. Young Aralokë was the first to wake up. He actually saw me launch the bow at Saleme. One of the Haradrim soldiers was whipping him. I tried to talk to him, but he was silent. He said he had a dark vision and needed to concentrate." I then turned around to see Aralokë, who was sitting under a tree staring at a flower. I felt sorry for that soldier. He had a troubled mind, and always followed his instinct, no matter who paid. I did not know his instinct would save all of Middle-Earth one day.
"Hello", said Duinrama, one of Aralokë's good friends. "Why don't you go grab some food? You should have something to warm your belly".
"WHO'S THERE!" yelled Aralokë. Duinrama jumped up at the outburst and so did our entire camp, for the calm elf just exploded in that simple second. "Oh, Duinrama, I'm so sorry. I just had another vision".
"About what?" asked Duinrama. "First it's the Gondorian Prince, then the Gondorian King. What is it now? The beautiful Gondorian Princess?"
"It was about the Woodmen", said Aralokë.
"The woodmen! Why was it so bad then?"
"They are people too! They live they breathe and they eat just like us! They love like us too. Have you ever thought about that?"
"Sorry. So what happened to the Woodmen?"
"They were attacked by some Haradrim, just like the ones we were ambushed by. And there was a woman. A woman with a blood-red gown. The woodmen had nothing but blow darts and spears. She killed them all. Every single woodman she could get her hand on. She then drained their blood into a large bowl, saying her quest was almost complete."
"That's an awful vision".
"Of course! And that is not the only woodman village! There are whole tribes of them in this world! We have to save them from that woman!"
"Calm down. I'll go tell Anganca". Duinrama then walked over to me with a look of panic on his face. "Anganca, Aralokë...."
"I heard", I told him. "Glorfindel, could you spare another trip to Rivendell".
"Why?" asked Glorfindel.
"I would like you to take all the wounded to Elrond's healing houses", said Anganca.
"But the Elves of Rivendell are leaving Middle-Earth! The only reason I came down here was so that I can fight a little bit more until I am forced to leave! The age of the Elves is over. There is no more room for great heroes from Mirkwood!"
"What about just good Elves from Mirkwood trying to saved their kin? If it's humanly possible for you, please take the wounded and dying to Rivendell and ask whoever's left to heal them. These woods aren't safe for civilians anymore. My army will march down back to Menegroth and bring aid to Thranduil. There is going to be a battle soon. Meanwhile, we are going to aid as many Woodmen camps as we can. Is that okay with you?"
"I'm sure it's possible. I'll give it a try". As Glorfindel walked off, I stood on the tallest hill I found, and within a minute all the Elves were quiet and staring at me".
"We are to march back to Menegroth to prepare for the upcoming battle", I yelled. "However, we are to aid whoever we find in trouble, whether you will have to risk your life or not. BREAK CAMP!" The elves rushed to their tents and began to pack them down, all except for Aralokë, who was staring at me. His cold, icy eyes stared into my eyes and took all the warmth away from my body. It was as if he knew the decision I just took was the cause of our doom.