Chapter 24 - A Hopeless Cause
"And A Daring Plan"
On the battlefields, the Elves were growing weary. All four Raukos rejoined the battle, and were fiercer and quicker to kill than ever. The archers on the roof were thinning, and the infirmary was flooded. The orcs were advancing quickly, and the line was precariously near to breaking. Legolas knew they would not last much longer at this rate. The aid from Rivendell was still days away. By the time they arrived, the battle would be long over.
Thranduil was in a bind. All his soldiers were either on the field fighting, dead, or in the infirmary with some crippling injury. His resources were exhausted. From amidst the fighting, he saw his son cast a pleading look at him. But what could he do? His mind thought, as best it could in its war driven, weary state, about his options. He could order his soldiers to fall back, evacuate the palace, which the orcs would surely overtake. He could stand strong and see how long his Elves could hold on. There was the slight chance that they could pull through and defeat this army.
It was about this time that something very important was happening. As soon as Jocelyn got well out of range of the battlefield, she broke into a run. The trail the orcs had trodden down to and from the field and camp was easy to follow. She had been running for a very long time when she began to hear voices ahead, and a dim light came into view through the trees. She crept around the back of the tent, as there were two smallish orcs by the front flap. Through the thin tent material, she heard her sister's voice.
"Why do you hold me like some prisoner? I am your guest, you should treat me as such." Leyna said teasingly. Jocelyn furrowed her brow. That did not sound like her sister at all. She was too sweet, too…playful for the situation. Jocelyn lay on her belly on the ground and lifted up the bottom of the tent so she could peer into the spacious area.
Leyna was tied with her back to the large pole in the center of the area. Amarthel was pacing around her. A cot was set in the corner behind Leyna, and a table and chairs were set in the other corner in front of her. Amarthel smiled at her and ran a hand through her hair, down her neck and across her shoulder, down her arm to her hands.
"How do I know you will not run once I untie you?" He asked with a smirk, leaning his lips up to her ear from behind. Jocelyn saw her sister's eyes sparkle with amusement as she smiled a crooked and playful smile. But there was a disgust and underlying hate beneath her façade that only a twin could read. Jocelyn silently welled up with pride for her sister. She was conning him. An 'atta girl!' at the tip of her tongue, she smiled in her mind, and watched on as Leyna exacted her plan.
"You will just have to take my word." Leyna answered Amarthel, as he kissed beneath her ear. She swallowed hard as his kisses traveled around her neck, under her chin, until they found her lips. Leyna breathed in a deep, ragged breath as the despised Elf took her lower lip gently in his teeth. He kissed her mouth, and a white noise resonated in Leyna's ears, as the sickening feeling of binding crept into the pit of her stomach. Amarthel was so close to her. He was inside her and all around her. His tongue danced seductively with hers, over which she seemed to have lost control. Before she slipped into darkness, she felt her body and all her emotions betray her, and she kissed him back.
Unfortunately, Jocelyn had missed this moment of the show in front of her. Had she watched for a few moments longer, she'd have seen her impending mistake. But, she snuck around to the front of the tent to creep behind one orc and slit his throat, stabbing the other before he could make a noise. She lowered him to the ground silently and burst into the tent, sure that her sister had engaged in a fight with her kidnapper already, and was ready to help her defeat him.
But instead, Amarthel was now in front of Leyna, running his hands along her face and in her hair, kissing her feverishly, intensely. Her sister's brows were stitched in some curiosity, as if she herself couldn't understand the spectacle in which she was taking part. Though it was painfully obvious that she did not object to the Elf's ministrations. In fact, she otherwise seemed to enjoy it!
Amarthel's intuition, which had been clouded by the woman under his lips, kicked in, and the proximity of an intruder became glaringly aware to him. He looked to Jocelyn, who stood with her mouth agape in the doorway. His confused expression mirrored her own.
"What is the meaning of this?" He boomed menacingly, drawing his sword from its sheath and standing in front of the real Princess of Mirkwood.
"Release my sister!" Jocelyn commanded, pointing her sword at him. But he just laughed.
"You think you can make demands of me?" He walked around to Leyna and placed the tip of his sword on her chest. "Who are you?"
"I am a warrior of Mirkwood, and I will kill you if you do not release my sister!" Jocelyn shouted, and Leyna looked at her. Her green eyes were devoid of any emotion, and Jocelyn furrowed her brow at this, not quite comprehending what it meant.
"My dear, I doubt you will take any action as long as I have your sister in my custody." Amarthel stated superiorly, confidently. Jocelyn swallowed hard. Amarthel's white eyes blazed as they stared into Jocelyn's.
"What is your name?"
"Jocelyn Merenfaer." She answered immediately, but blinked quickly and repositioned herself in a battle stance. Amarthel touched his blade to hers and a mischievous smile slid across his lips as he decided to entertain himself for a while. He engaged a swordfight, and they danced around the tent for a while. Clashing the metals of their swords, exchanging glances. Jocelyn was angry, but Amarthel was just amused. He knew he could kill her at any moment he wanted to.
Jocelyn fought her way over to her sister, and as she deflected one of his attacks, she sliced her sister's bonds.
"Leyna grab a sword, help me!" Jocelyn called and returned her attention to Amarthel, whom she thought would be delivering another attack. But he was smiling at her sister, who was smiling wickedly back at him. Jocelyn furrowed her brow and took the risk of glancing over her shoulder to her sister.
Leyna took a sword that was leaning against the table and watched it as she swung it around her. She paused to send a glare at her sister, then attacked. Jocelyn deflected as best she could in her confusion, when Amarthel decided to enter the imbalanced fight. Jocelyn clashed with her sister's sword, as well as Amarthel's, while putting together the eventsof the past few moments, and those that led up to it.
Amarthel's sword ripped through the cloth on her arm, and she felt the warm blood seeping into the material around it. With all the little energy she had left, Jocelyn attacked the evil Elf. She pushed his sword forcefully away, and he stumbled back into the table. Quickly, Jocelyn spoke to her sister.
"Leyna snap out of it! I'm your sister! He is the enemy!"
But Leyna justthrust her sword at her. So, Jocelyn, distressed and angry, really retaliated. She deflected Leyna's sword and swung madly with all her might, slashing her cheek. Amarthel struck from the side, and Jocelyn defended herself from him as Leyna clutched her face and looked at the blood on her hand. She seemed shocked for a moment, but then started wailing madly as if weeping over the body of a loved one and coughing, gasping for air as if she had been strangled. Jocelyn was stepping to help her when Amarthel struck from beside her, over the head with the hilt of his sword, and she swayed where she stood, and stumbled backward. She landed on her back on the ground, and blinked the spots from her vision. She saw Amarthel loom over her.
Amarthel knelt beside Jocelyn, his cold hands grasping her neck tightly. He lowered his lips near to hers, so close she could feel the warmth emanate from him, and then he paused. An underlying nausea churned in her stomach, and yet she did not move to defend herself. She felt again, with a supersensitive acuteness, the honey sweet breath of the vile man so near to her, on her lips. Amarthel leaned gently in closer, until his warm, moist lips barely touched her trembling ones. Then, he breathed in. Jocelyn felt a shock run through to every nerve in her body. Like being splashed with a bucket of ice water after just leaving the sauna. The life was draining from every corner of her body. This was not how it was supposed to end for her. Awakened by the shock of pain, a new resoluteness came to her mind. With every last ounce of strength she had, fueled by the sudden surge of courage and stubbornness, she pulled her knees to her chest and released them into Amarthel's groin.
He fell back from her and moaned, clutching himself and gasping for air. But suddenly, he sprang up and looked angrily down at her.
"I've had enough of you! Leyna, kill her!" Amarthel boomed, as Leyna had just regained herself and sidled up next to him. She pointed her sword at her sister's neck, and Jocelyn looked fearfully up at her. Leyna's eyes sparkled with some unidentifiable emotion. Was that zeal, excitement? She licked her lips before speaking back to Amarthel.
"I think I would rather not." Even as she was saying the words, she spun and drove her blade through his abdomen. His white eyes widened, and his mouth gaped. Leyna shoved the blade into him until it hit upon the hilt. Her lip curled back in a snarl as she glared closely into Amarthel's white eyes one last time. She took a step back with a satisfied, angry expression. Amarthel shut his mouth and swallowed hard. He grimaced and took the hilt, slowly drawing the metal from his body with a sickening gurgling sound. The sword fell with a dull clatter to the ground and he looked at his wound. The twins stood back, waiting to see what he would do next. He looked up at them for an instant, then turned tail and ran out the tent flap, into the dark night.
Part of Leyna wanted to go out after him and make sure he was dead. But, he had a large slice through his abdomen, she was pretty sure he wouldn't survive. She turned and helped her sister stand.
"Leyna what happened?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. I was pretending to be under his spell, trying to get him to untie me so I could fight him. But he kissed me and I just went cold as ice." Leyna explained, containing a sob of horror.
"It doesn't matter. He'll probably die in the forest. Can you walk?" Jocelyn asked hurriedly.
"Yes, my ankle doesn't hurt that bad."
"Okay, the army needs as much help as they can get. Let's go." She commanded resiliently.
The twins, with their arms around each others' shoulders, leaned on one another and walked quickly back to the backyard battle.
They stood behind the chaos of the fighting, watching for a moment, gathering their strength and courage.
"You're sure you're okay to fight with that ankle?" Jocelyn asked.
"Yes. For my city, I am." Leyna replied intensely, her sister's fervor seeping through their bond into her, as she stared at the carnage in front of her.
"So let's go." Jocelyn shrugged, as if going to war was no big thing at all. She and her sister gave one last look at each other before running out into the mass of moving, fighting beings. Every now and then, the twins would look up to the sky to see the Raukos diving down to helpless Elves on the field. Jocelyn assumed they would die with their sire, Amarthel but they kept on killing, and the orcs did not relent, either.
The soldiers who were wary enough in their exhausted and fighting concentrated state could realize how hopeless their fight was. The orcs were powerful, and had seemingly endless strength and skill. And the Raukos were killing machines. They dove down to kill an Elf, and flew back up to the sky to circle around once, picking out their prey, and they'd dive down again.
But still the soldiers fought. And many trials would pass before they'd be allowed to rest. Many relief's and miseries would fall upon them before it would be over.
IsilAri - Thanks tons! I love hearing that. Lol. I actually have written some original fiction and posted it on fiction press dot com under the alter ego screen name 'LiveStrong'. But my original fics are far less developed than my fanfics. Probably because I have such great fanfic reviewers! Don't worry, I will continue Family matters til the bitter end. Shutup your name is Jocelyn!? That is the coolest thing ever! Lol.
Ms. Unknown, Nessa
Orlando's Hot Chick - -laughs nervously, pulling on collar- About that picture…I know I've promised it to you for like, a long time, but my computer isn't letting me attach things to my emails right now. Hope you understand. The moment I'm able, you'll get it.
Artria - lol you know just how to boost my confidence, Artria, darling. Snow did melt fast here, too, but then it snowed again today…blah. Hate it. Hope I don't get in a wreck tomorrow morning! My friends are fine and thank you for the hyperness you sent. Though they seriously doubted the merit of the word 'hyperness'.
-Austin B. and Artria's Mother watch Artria sob on the carpet- Austin B. pushes glasses upon bridge of nose, taking notes on clipboard, in white jacket-
Austin B.: When did this crazy behavior begin, Mrs. Artria?
Artria's Mother: Oh, years ago, when she became obsessed with the Lord of the Rings nonsense.
Austin B.: Ah, I see, I see. Another LOTR case. There have been many since the movies' release. Especially concerning the 'Legolas' character, played by Orlando Bloom. I just can't understand it. -shakes head sadly-
Artria's Mother: Oh, Austin, can't you do something to help her?
Austin B.: Fear not, Mrs. Artria, I know a remedy. -claps hands, a flurry of Elvish healers and Gandalf buzz around a stunned Artria--they leave, the scene the same as before, but for Artria's hair is mussed-
Artria's Mother: Who were they and what did that accomplish?
Austin B.: My team of magicians, and now Artria will not remember anything after she became crazy with LOTR. She will be just as she was before she developed the obsession.
Artria's Mother: That's terrible!She won't remember anythingthat's happened in the past years!
Austin B.: -shrugs, holds out hand for payment-
Artria's Mother: -glowers at her-
-Austin B.