SofiaB – Glad you liked it!
Slshadowfox – Glad you liked the chapter. As for the elvish, I've managed to take some common phrases and pieces of others from the movie scripts. There are also some sources at the Council of Elrond website (won't let me type the actual web address, for some reason) where you can take a course (I didn't have time to take the course, so I'm just making due with what I have). They also have a dictionary that translates from English to Sindarin. I use this a lot. I'm not sure if the order of my words in the sentences are correct, but it sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Besides, I'm hoping that someone reading out there might know more than me and tell me if I need to make corrections.
Legolaslover – Thanks for the advice on Thranduil. I hope I portray him as everyone likes.
A/N – Thranduil is a little creepy in this chapter, in a Hannibal Lector kind of way. But you'll figure out why.
Chapter 17 – The Old Forest Road
Seven days had passed since the procession had left Lothlorien and traveled north through Gladden Fields, over the River Gladden and then across the Anduin River by way of the Old Ford. From there they entered Mirkwood and took the Old Forest Road east.
"There! There!" yelled Glorfindel as he vaulted up on a low branch to avoid the spider that came at him from the bushes. He had long since run out of arrows and had no time to draw his sword.
Both Elladan and Elrohir rushed forward and shot arrows into the creature's body. The spider spun around to face them and Aragorn darted out of the bushes to swing his sword at its massive legs and then delivered the killing blow by burying the sword into its back.
But their job was not finished. Glorfindel jumped to the ground and grabbed spare arrows from Elrohir as the four headed toward camp. They had been searching for branches for fire when the attack came. He imagined there were more spiders lurking around and the camp was probably under attack.
Not far away, in an open glade where they had made camp, elves let fly arrows into the spiders that attacked from the trees around them. Those not armed remained protected in the center. There was no great fear among them, even though the number of spiders was overwhelming.
Aleera was rooted to the spot where she stood with her mother and sister, watching the pandemonium around her. She watched Legolas shooting arrows with precision into the large bodies of the spiders and the shrieking of the dying creatures echoed through the glade.
Legolas felt the blood rushing through his veins like fresh air. He aimed his bow and tracked the moving spider, finally releasing the arrow to bury deep into one of its multiple eyes. The creature shrieked and he sent a second arrow into its parted mandibles. Then with a grin, he rushed over to help Celegmin with a spider moving toward him.
Celegmin was no stranger to spiders. He had dealt with many outside the protected walls of Caras Galadon. He released an arrow into the body of one and dodged out of the way as the creature lashed its fangs at him. Then from the corner of his eye, he saw a whirlwind of green and gold flash passed him. When he looked, he saw Legolas jumping on the spider's bulky body and bury his elven knives deep into the back of its head. Then the Mirkwood elf jumped down from the still body of the creature and gave him a hearty pat on the back before moving onto another kill. If he did not know any better, Celegmin could have sworn the wood elf was enjoying himself.
Legolas went to join Celeborn and Haldir to hold back six spiders trying to get passed them. Having dropped his bow at the other end of camp, he used his knives to slice and dice limbs, heads…anything that came in his path. He buried his knives into their stomachs and kicked them out of the way. It was pure mayhem and he exhilarated in every second of it.
When the attacks ceased, the elves of Rivendell and Lothlorien walked among the carcasses, dragging them into a large pile where they would be burned. Aleera and Arwen did their part by going around and collecting the arrows with the help of some others.
Aragorn stood with Elladan and Elrohir, checking them for injury when Legolas walked up.
"Any injuries?" Legolas asked.
"We are all fine," replied Aragorn, noting the impeccable condition of his friend. Not a scratch on his face, not a wrinkle in his tunic, not a hair out of place. Not even a single drop of spider blood had reached him. He wondered if Legolas had the power to create an invisible shield around himself to prevent anything from touching him.
Legolas was relieved to see that Aragorn and the twins were unharmed. He handed something to Elladan. "Si, garo sen anim," he said with a serious look on his face and walked away. (Here, hold this for me)
Elladan looked down at the black object Legolas had handed to him. It was the severed limb of a spider. Before he had the chance to wonder why the other elf wanted him to hold it, Elladan realized it was a joke and shared a stilted look with Elrohir. Then he tossed the spider leg away in revulsion while Aragorn laughed outloud.
Emlin rode up to the Great Gates of Thranduil's caverns. With him was another horse bearing the weight of a bound Orc. Emlin dismounted and was greeted by his captain, Dagnir. "I have news for the king." He walked to the second horse and unceremoniously dragged the Orc off its back to land hard on the ground. The Orc gave a grunt and shied away from Emlin's hands. "On your feet, Orc."
The Orc glanced around the surrounding area. There were guards at the gates and more standing near the bridge. All hope of escape was lost to him. The elf who had captured him pulled him up by the armor and pushed him forward.
Dagnir led the way through the narrow corridors with Emlin and the Orc behind him. They took him directly to the innermost cells, tossed him inside and slammed the door in his face.
Ruk grumbled to himself as he stared at the small cell they had thrown him in. He knew where he was. Only one surviving elven king lived in caverns and that was the king of Mirkwood. Things were not looking up for him. One minute he was out looking for food and the next he found himself tied and strapped to the saddle of a horse. He was no fool. He knew he would be tortured for information. He would have to endure it and if need be, he would take the information with him to his grave. But in truth he was the most weak-minded in his company, having lied his way to his current rank. If Hurbag had known of his weakness, Ruk would have been killed on the spot.
Several minutes passed before the heavy wooden door slammed open. Ruk whirled around to face a golden-haired figure, tall and formidable. His penetrating clear blue eyes made the Orc shudder where he crouched on the floor. Then the elf that had captured him moved to stand beside the tall one.
"He is second in command," stated Emlin.
Thranduil studied the filthy Orc, noting the sparse clothing, but recognizing the armor as one in command. He stepped into the cell, fighting the urge to recoil from the stench that emanated from this creature. He had fought against Orcs for thousands of years. But never had he been in such tight quarters with one.
Dagnir and Emlin quickly grabbed the Orc and forced him up against the wall. The Orc fought them furiously as they attempted to chain his wrists and ankles tightly to the wall so he could not move.
"Do what you must, but you will never get anything out of me," Ruk spat out, trying to mask his fear.
Thranduil stood in front of the Orc. "You will tell me everything, Orc. With your last dying breath."
Dagnir pulled an elven dagger from his belt and walked up behind Thranduil, handing the dagger to him.
Thranduil held the dagger up in front of the Orc, turning it slowly so that the reflection from the torch on the wall caught its curved silver blade. "I have not had the pleasure of skinning an Orc before." He sensed the Orc's fear and decided to play on it to his advantage, repulsed as he was at his next statement. "Nor have I had the chance to taste the flesh of one."
Dagnir and Emlin exchanged surprised expressions, but they remained silent behind Thranduil, wondering where their king was going with his topic.
Ruk stared at the glittering dagger in the elven king's hand. Elves did not feed on Orc flesh. He was convinced the elven king lied to frighten him, but his feeble certainty was based loosely on things he had heard about elves, not personal experience.
Thranduil moved the blade to the Orc's chest and drew a thin line of blood between the creature's breastbone. "I will cut out your heart and have it served to me in a stew for the evening meal. Perhaps with mushrooms, carrots and potatoes. And just a hint of sweetener."
Ruk let out a terrified howl that surprised everyone in the cell including himself and he soiled the ground beneath his feet. No matter how hard he tried to keep silent, the words tumbled from his mouth with a will of their own. "We march with the Kozari to attack Mirkwood!" he said before he could stop himself. He hated himself for being weak, for showing fear before these elves.
"Kozari? Who are they?" asked Thranduil, threatening with the blade again.
"They are the people from the north, beyond the desert. King Hurrnäd commands the army of Kozari and Hurbag commands the Orcs. Together they march from the Lonely Mountain in six days."
"I know Hurbag, my lord. He has eluded us many times," said Dagnir.
"Why does the ruler of Kozari from beyond the northern desert march against Mirkwood?" asked Thranduil.
Ruk figured there was no sense in keeping secret anything further. The Kozari and Orc force would annihilate the elves of these woods, whether they had advance warning or not. "Your son stole something of value from him and then disfigured the Kozari queen's face."
Thranduil turned to Dagnir and Emlin with a frown.
"He lies, my lord," said Dagnir. "The prince would never harm a woman and he finds no value in trinkets."
"Not a trinket. A she-elf. "
Thranduil moved closer to the Orc and nearly brought himself nose to nose with the foul creature. "Why would an elf maid be in the possession of these Kozari?"
"She was given to Hurbag and he traded her to the Kozari king. Your son stole her from him. But the king is far more angered by what your son did to the queen. He delivered a blow so hard to the queen's nose, that it just about sank into her skull." Ruk sneered and started to laugh. "I'm thinking he probably enjoyed smashing her face like that."
"My son finds no pleasure in violence against women, Orc!"
"Hurrnäd seeks vengeance against your son and he will get it. Your pathetic elf army will be no match for the force that marches upon you, king of Mirkwood. You will be but a distant memory while Hurbag takes command of this region and makes his home in your own caverns."
In anger, Thranduil buried the dagger into the Orc's side and twisted it, relishing in the blood-curdling screams that came out of his mouth. Then with clenched teeth, he handed the bloody dagger back to Dagnir. "Throw this stinking creature into the woods. Let the spiders finish him off." Thranduil stormed out of the cell, his thoughts running rampant. This was by the far the worst thing Legolas had ever done, and there had been many careless happenings in and around Mirkwood caused by the elven prince.
Dagnir followed Thranduil while Emlin took care of taking the Orc down from the wall. "My lord, I find the Orc's words troubling. Prince Legolas must have good reason to do what he did."
"I will not judge my son by the words of a cowardly Orc. I will hear the words from Legolas's own mouth when he arrives."
"But we do not know when he will be coming. The last we heard, he went to Rivendell."
"My son is close." Thranduil worried about the sort of trouble Legolas had brought upon Mirkwood and he strongly hoped there indeed was a good reason for it.
Upon reaching River Celduin two days later, Legolas led them north along the outskirts of the forest for ease of travel and to avoid any further spider attacks.
"How much longer before we arrive, Legolas?" asked Aleera from where she sat near the fire of their camp on the ninth night.
"We will arrive by midday tomorrow."
She watched the light of the fire reflecting on his face and knew the look of worry on it. "What is it?"
Legolas looked up at her, sensing that she was concerned over his troubled heart. "I worry what my father will say when I introduce you to him." He had not thought about it much until they began to get closer to his home.
"He will no doubt be upset the way my father was when he learned of our bonding."
"Aleera, please do not be mad, but I cannot tell him upon our arrival."
"Why not?" she asked with a frown.
"He will be overwhelmed when he sees the arrival of Glorfindel and Celeborn, as well as forty Rivendell and Lothlorien elven warriors. He will want an explanation. In the shadow of telling him of the impending attack on Mirkwood, as well as the reason behind it, to also tell him of our bonding would be a mistake. I must tell him alone."
Aleera reached for his hand. "I understand. You need not explain yourself. I will follow your lead in whatever manner you chose and I will inform my family of this. They will also understand."
"Hannon le," he said as he pulled her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and together they watched the fire in silence, well aware of the many eyes on them. (thank you)