Authors notes: Thank you for all the reviews.
OO
The orc skittered along the dimly lit passage like a frightened animal. Despite being a creature of darkness, the evil that encompassed this place was smothering. The air reeked with terror and part of that came from the orc itself. He had been ordered by his commander to report the loss of two Nazgul, there was a distinctly high possibility that he would not leave this place alive. He came to an imposing door at the end of the passageway. The doors opened, grinding along the floor with a groan.
"Enter." A soft voice hissed and the orc stepped forward cautiously peering into the shadows in an attempt to find the owner of the voice.
"Speak."
Drawing in a deep breath and standing to its full height the orc tried to appear unafraid.
"Two Nazgul have fallen."
"Do you think that we are unable to sense their loss?" the voice asked. The orc looked around; it seemed the voice was coming from everywhere at once.
"There are three horsemen." The orc continued.
"So one of the royal family has awoken the pure ones? That is interesting but foolish." The voice laughed and the orc shivered.
"Go and wake him." The voice commanded and the orc froze hoping against all hope that he had heard incorrectly.
"I do not like to repeat myself. Wake him for we have some elves to catch!"
The orc couldn't decide whether he or the elves that had the unfortunate luck to meet his master were the most unlucky ones. His master was capable of horrific acts of torture, the elves would suffer terribly he knew that for certain.
OO
"Right...let me get this straight." Aeolian said in an incredulous tone of voice. "You want me to gather together all the surviving elves for a battle?"
"Yes." Gandalf stated.
"And how do you expect me to do that? Fly high above the forest and direct them here?"
"Sometimes I think that Middle Earth would be better off if your father decided not to have children, you are far too much like him. Sarcasm is not the way forward." The wizard lectured.
"Well amid all the sarcasm was a perfectly valid question, one that affects every one of us. We have no way of finding all those within the forest and gathering them here in time for this battle of yours."
"Battle of mine?"
"Yes for it seems you and Lord Elrond have decided that the best course of action is to march in and attack Dol Guldur."
"Circumstances have forced our hand. The appearance of the horsemen has given us a slight advantage, we must use this now."
"Fine but that still leaves us with the same problem."
"I have it all in hand the eagles will help." Aeolian's face turned an interesting shade of purple.
"Why did you not just say that?"
"Because you never gave me the opportunity. You need to ready your elves Aeolian for the battle will not be easily won."
"When is there ever an easy battle?" Thranduil asked joining his eldest son. The elf king walked gingerly, his injuries still paining him.
"Father you should not be moving." Aeolian protested moving to support his father. Thranduil waved him off.
"I somehow doubt the enemy are going to allow me to just sit and rest. Bedsides I have had worse, I was not reserved in my youth."
"You are hardly old my friend." Gandalf said with a soft smile.
"No but today I am feeling my age." Thranduil and Gandalf chuckled.
"Elrond wishes to talk to us with Eomer, Gimli and Aragorn. Strategy I think." Thranduil continued.
"Other than screaming insults and killing the other side?" Aeolian asked.
"Other than that." Thranduil said.
The trio headed over to where the other three were sat. Eomer was clutching his head and looked very much in pain.
"We need to work to our strengths." Elrond said as they all settled on the ground.
"Eomer your horsemen should be on the flanks where they could move quickly without having to move through the ranks. Aeolian your archers should be in the trees, so the cover will protect you, for as you well claim wood elves cannot be found in the trees." Elrond said emphasising his words with hand gestures.
"We will be at the front!" Gimli announced.
"No." Elrond stated and prepared himself for the dwarf's immediate outburst, he was not disappointed.
"What? We deserve to be at the front." He shouted angrily.
"We need the front to look weak. Dwarfs do not look weak." Elrond tried to calm him.
"What do you mean?" Aragorn asked.
"It's a plan of Legolas's. Many years ago a war party of Mirkwood and Rivendell warriors' faced a force much greater than their own. They were in serious trouble but Legolas came up with a plan, counting on the arrogance of the orcs. The orcs charged the front of the group which Legolas had anticipated. He had placed the weakest of the warriors at the front; they were swiftly overcome and fell back. The orcs in their overconfidence followed determined to kill them all. The elves continued to fall back past the flanks; as soon as this happened they turned and regrouped. The orcs startled by this tried to fall back but the flanks had enclosed them from the rear trapping them between the two flanks with no chance to fall back. They were decimated. I intend to do the same thing."
"Ha!" Gimli exclaimed making the others jump. "I knew there must have been something between his pointed ears apart from trees and the like."
Aragorn chuckled.
"Legolas is an excellent warrior and strategist. Very devious as well." Aeolian smiled and he looked towards his brother. The three pure ones were halted a short distance from the gathered warriors, Aeolian's smile faded.
"What about them?" he asked.
"They will do as they please, which is part of the problem." Gandalf stated.
"What happens when the battle has ended?" Eomer asked finally looking up at the group.
"We drink until we can no longer stand." Gimli said optimistically.
"No I mean to them." Eomer indicated the horsemen. "When the battle is over what happens to them?"
Gandalf and Elrond looked at each other.
"It depends on if we win or lose." Gandalf said trying to put off the inevitable truth.
"What happens to them if we win?" Thranduil demanded. "What will happen to my son?"
"Legolas has bound himself to them."
"I know that answer my question." Thranduil snapped his eyes flashing in fury.
"They are the only ones who cannot defeat Sauron but for Sauron to be defeated the purest of beings must make the ultimate sacrifice."
"No!" Aeolian whispered. "The ultimate sacrifice! Why would they have to die?"
"Because the wizard that created them was in league with darkness. He wanted to destroy the royal family of Mirkwood and then take over the forest for himself. Fortunately he was killed many years ago, unfortunately the power remained. That was why it was hidden and why we tried to stop Legolas. Legolas however did not care; he knew what could be asked of him."
"I should have destroyed it." Thranduil said his voice choked with emotion. "I did this. This is my fault."
"No." Gandalf said. "This past year has been full of mistakes and with each mistake the situation spiralled further out of control. Legolas has suffered for our mistakes but he still cares for us, for this forest. He has made this ultimate sacrifice to save this forest and us. Instead of mourning his fate we should stand tall and fight."
Thranduil gave him a cold look.
"That is easy for you to say for you have no children. I will not allow my son to die. Come Aeolian we have work to do." The elves got up and moved towards the group of archers preparing their bows and arrows.
"We should have destroyed it." Elrond said. Gandalf shook his head.
"If we had destroyed it there would have been no way to win this. Legolas will save this forest but almost certainly will not survive. It is a terrible situation but if the loss of one saves hundreds how can we stop it, even if he is a very dear friend"
OO
