The Undecided of Earendil
By: Larien
Chapter 14
Loony Kay- Aradhel makes me nervous too. You'll find out in this chapter why our dear ole Thranduil has up and caused chaos in Rivendell. Thanks for the review!
Legolaslover77- Well done, well done. You're guess of Mirkwood being attacked is a very close guess. You'll discover what's got Thranduil's goat in this chapter. Thanks for the reivew, and I hope this was posted fast enough!
Elvnchic9- You are right in saying things are about to get tense. In fact, I promise it. And may I say that your review made me laugh, so thanks.I like how you described Aradhel as a "cheeky idiot." That was quality. Thanks for the review and sorry it wasn't updated quicker, but I wrote it as quickly as I could!
hungry hobbit- I'm glad you like this fic so much! I appreciate hearing it, so thanks a ton for the review!
A/N- Sorry for the horribly long last chapter. But I just keep typing until I get what I need to out (See, before I actually type it, I write down what points need to be made, and then I follow that guideline.) And so far, we're a little behind, so this chapter may also be long. So sorry in advance, but I hope you can all keep up. Also, I love you reviewers! You make me laugh with all your assumptions, and it's worth writing this just to see how many of you guess right. Not to mention, your opinions of people in the story are fantastic. So keep the reviews coming. They really do make my day. I leave you with this: Penguin!
"Father?"
"Legolas." Thranduil replied flatly. His eyes were blazing, and his face was twisted into a forced calm.
"Lord Thranduil." Elrond bowed slightly, Thranduil doing likewise. "To what do I owe this unexpected, but most welcomed, visit?"
"I was just dropping in to make sure the esteemed Lord of Imladris was not hard of hearing nor blind." Thranduil said stiffly, his eyes unmoving where they were fixed upon Elrond's now confused face.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand." Elrond said.
"Orcs, Elrond! Orcs by the hundreds!" He exclaimed. Everyone in the room jumped, including Aradhel who, up to this point, had remained lounging lazily in his chair. "Accumulating somewhere in the north, advancing from the south. Passing west of my woods, east of your fortress. Swarming the Anduin and residing momentarily in the Old Ford. Surly you have taken notice?"
Elrond and Gandalf exchanged worried glances, and Aradhel once again settled comfortably back into the couch.
"It may be the death of me to admit that I have not." Elrond confessed. Thranduil's mouth seemed to drop at these words, his face flushing. "I have not come across any orcs around my boarders, nor within them."
"For many weeks I have watched their progress. Where they come from I cannot say. But continuously they travel the lands, unsupervised, untamed, attacking at will and causing quite a ruckus."
"And now," Thranduil continued, stepping further into the room. "They have attacked my very own people! Elves, Elrond! The ones they fear they have dared to attack! And we were not even in position to attack! My caravan was simply passing through the Old Ford coming on the Old Forest Road, when our eyes beheld the most amazing and terrifying sight. An army of orcs consisting of at least two hundred strong. Resting, as if they were on a long journey. Each biding its time. Orcs, do you hear me? Biding their time. As if they were welcome to do so on such territory. Naturally I, only having a small caravan, did not have enough elves to possibly remove them, nor did I want to try. So we tried passing through peacefully." His face was twisted in anger now, and his fists were clenched at his sides. Elrond remained emotionless, though his posture- the sagging shoulders, the locked knees- too clearly indicated he was devastated by the news. "Peacefully did not come about, as it were. They attacked, taking ten of my men captive. Luckily I escaped with my other eight and made haste to gather arms to retrieve my men."
Elrond again looked to Gandalf who was puzzling over the situation, in which case, he had seized to smoke his pipe. It burned in his hand dully, and Caniel glanced to Aradhel who looked very satisfied, despite the fact that ten elves had just been taken captive. At last Elrond spoke; he had again taken to pacing in front of everyone.
"My lord Aradhel, meet King Thranduil of the Mirkwood realm. Thranduil, Lord Aradhel of the North." Thranduil finally tore his eyes away from the pacing elf to look to the human who merely nodded where he was respectfully. "Aradhel has just come to me as well, informing me of the same situation. Only that his news is of being attacked by orcs, who are massing in the northern lands." He stopped momentarily to look at the King. "I was just about to dispatch a spy party to check the situation at the Old Ford."
"No need, they will have moved on by now." Thranduil barked. "Send your troops north of the Old Ford. There they can meet them head-on, and retrieve my men."
"I said I was sending a party, m'lord. Not an army." Elrond corrected simply.
"But an army they will meet." Thranduil's voice was cold and harsh. His words were like a bitter wind whipping around, stinging your skin and causing your eyes to water. Caniel thought momentarily that the likeness she saw in him and Legolas was little now that she heard the King. Legolas was gentler and easier to listen too. Thranduil was harsh and bold. "It is an army unforgiving and hasty to fight. Send warriors, Elrond, and stop them from stealing any more lives. You have reasonable cause."
There was a moment that Elrond pondered this then said to Legolas quite suddenly, "Send for my sons. And Glorfindel as well. Make haste!"
Legolas hurried out the door, avoiding his father's cold glare as he brushed past and then the room was once again left in silence. Elrond sipped a goblet of water, and Gandalf had taken to studying the young prince Aradhel. Caniel guessed he was trying to read into his mind, but by the twisted look of concentration and mild frustration on his face, he was having difficulty. Aradhel had his head propped by one hand, his other hand swung over the couch. His sister was fiddling with a ruby on her finger. They couldn't look more out of place. After all, they were the only ones in the room who didn't seemed fazed by the events taking place, and they both looked mildly distracted; Rodwen with her ring, and Aradhel with Caniel, who averted her gaze to Thranduil who was starring emptily at the floor.
At long last, Legolas returned with the twins Elladan and Elrohir, but no Glorfindel.
"My lord Elrond," Legolas said quickly. "More troubling news has reached my ears. These two were just on the way to inform you when I intercepted them. Balrant, the man under house arrest, has escaped."
"Escaped?" Gandalf sputtered in a surprised gasp.
"Well, that is what we presume." Elladan said bowing slightly to the room.
"What do you mean my son?" Elrond asked.
"It's curious, but his dwelling shows sign of struggle." Elladan shrugged.
"You think he might have been taken, not of his own will?" Caniel asked incredulously.
The twins nodded at this, and Elrond looking positively baffled. As did everyone else; everyone, that is, but Aradhel who just looked amused.
"Perhaps the old bloke did it himself, to make you think he had been taken. When in reality, he was in fact just escaping." Aradhel suggested timidly.
"That's a lot of trouble to go through when he could just as easily left it." Elrond grumbled, rubbing his forehead, as if to extract every thought and sort it out on the table.
"Well, if he thought a kidnap would deter you from looking for him…" Aradhel let the sentence hang.
"We will look either way." Elrond said sternly. "Elrohir, find Glorfindel and send him to look for Balrant. Also find another swift warrior to search whichever entrance Glorfindel does not. Elladan, will you- we are wasting time, yes I know!" He snapped at Thranduil who tapped his foot impatiently and had started to raise a remark. "Elladan, assemble a party of no less then fifty riders. Warriors, I should say. Have them armed and with horse and ready for departure as soon as possible. Legolas," He wheeled on the other elf as Elladan and Elrohir left the building. "Find Aragorn. You two, along with the twins and Caniel- yes Caniel, and you," He said before she could question it. "Will head the party towards the Old Ford. I suggest taking them from behind, seeing as though we have not the numbers to meet them head on and we want to get away with as little damage to ourselves as possible."
Legolas nodded dashed once again from the room. Elrond finally turned to his sister, who had stood in anticipation. "Caniel, I do not agree to sending you, but since Glorfindel is busied otherwise…" She made to argue with him, but he held his hand in silence. "I want you, though you are leading as well, to obey any and every command issued from the others. They are more trained in the field then you are. Also, relay this message to them once you are assembled as I may have difficulty finding everyone; tell them that they are to secure a release of as many of the prisoners as is possible. If they can get away with the prisoners without having to face the entire army, the better. If it comes to fight or flee, flee. Got it?"
Caniel nodded.
"Absurd!" Thranduil roared. "The orcs will follow them back here! Where we are not armed, not prepared!"
"Ah, but they will not!" Gandalf smiled. "Orcs fear the dwelling of Rivendell, or they would be passing through the High Pass to get to the north. No, they will not follow so closely."
"Now make haste, Caniel, and assemble with the others. You have proper armor I presume?" Elrond said, looking firmly at Caniel who again nodded.
"Then go. And may the Valar be with us all." He sighed, slumping into the nearest chair, looking utterly exhausted and worn.
Caniel nodded her respects and hurried to her dwelling. Along her way, many recognizable warriors were running through the corridors, arousing others who were quickly applying the glimmering armor that made Rivendell look alive with walking crystals. Changing into a camouflaged tan tunic and pants, and strapping durable, but horribly strong leather armor around her, she equipped her fine daggers and grabbed a bow and quiver full of gold arrows before rushing out the door to join the men. Gathered at the far east entrance of Rivendell, Caniel found her horse, Aníron, equipped in matching brown leather, and kicking at the ground eagerly.
Tightening the straps, just to be sure, Caniel then climbed upon the horse and stroked her neck reassuringly.
"Be patient, mellon nîn. It will be soon."
The horse grunted, but stood remarkably stiller, and Caniel made to secure her hair in a braid before nudging her horse through the mass of soldiers all readying themselves around the entrance gate. She scanned the tops of the glimmering silver, gold, and green helmets, and amidst the arrows and quivers, swords and daggers, looking for a head she knew would not conceal itself in a helmet. Soon enough she spotted Aragorn conversing to a group of elves, situating them in ranks and made her way forward.
"Aragorn!" She yelled, over the noise, which consisted of extreme chatter of elves, shuffling of metal and leather, and neighing of anxious horses. "Elrond sends a message for the heads of rank!"
And she replayed his message, which he promised to tell the others, should he find them first. Caniel was hardly surprised to see him in minimal armor; his ranger clothing being much more flexible, not to mention, easier to ride in. Smiling to herself, she turned her horse and spotted a blonde head that, even though almost every elf there could've been blonde, she knew belonged to Legolas. Moving closer, she saw he was strapping a bulging quiver full of arrows onto his back, his black stallion stilling at the sight of Caniel.
After replaying the message to him, instead of returning to his readying, he moved closer to her and beckoned her to lean down, so as to hear him.
"I know you can fight, Caniel." He said at length, looking at her squarely. "And I know this might be as easy as catching a fish. But the fact remains that we are facing an army of armed and aggressive orcs. Things could get dangerous out there."
She studied his firm features for a moment. "I know." Was all she could bring herself to say, though inside, her heart raced and her flesh had warmed at his concern.
"I-I know you know." He stammered; apparently that was not what he had expected to hear. "I just don't want you getting hurt. So stick close and… and, just don't do anything rash okay?"
Instead of being insulted, Caniel only straightened on her horse, smiling mischievously. "I'm only as rash as the next head of ranks." She remarked.
Legolas shared the grin, causing her to once again, feel her pulse race and face warm, but before he could see it, she had turned at the sound of Elladan and Elrohir's voices, who were now also preparing ranks.
Once the message had been relayed and the ranks assembled, the army of about fifty elves started out of Rivendell and into the High Pass at a steady trot. Legolas had made sure his rank was left of Caniel's, while Aragorn rode to her right, leading the largest of the ranks. Rattling metal broke the undisturbed silence of the mountains, as they trotted pass walls of solid rock, from which only a few creatures, small in size, scuttled away at their presence. After a while, Caniel and Legolas had started chatting in hushed voices, even though they were not the only ones. Surprise was not an issue, as of yet, and most of the "army" was enjoying the scenery and discussing as to what lay ahead.
"I don't trust him." Legolas said flatly. "He's a lying scoundrel and he's up to no good."
"That's bold." Caniel mused, eyeing the elf during their discussion of Aradhel. "His intentions seem fair enough, it's just his mannerism."
"His intentions, though they may be true, are backed by more then he is saying." Legolas said.
"What mean you?"
"The lost realm of Arnor has been deserted for a long time, as I'm sure you know. But I heard many years ago that wild men had settled there to form a colony. Their intentions were not clear, but it soon became evident that they did not fair well with elves, though they took great interest in half-bloods, mutants, trolls, and other evils."
Caniel hardened with his last statement. "I'm glad to see we "half-bloods" are considered among such an esteemed group."
Legolas looked at her. "I didn't put you in a group, Caniel. I was simply saying, those are the people they have taken great interest in. In fact, according to them anyway, they are breeding a city free of prejudice where anyone can live without pressure of being different, and be at peace with others who are just the same at heart, but different in being."
"That doesn't sound so bad." Caniel retorted, still angered at the earlier statement. "Perhaps the elves should take a note out of their book."
"It's not a bad thing." Legolas assured. "Unless the government has other intentions."
"How so?"
"The elves have had suspicion that the higher men of these colonies, the royalty and such, do not like the elves so much, as many of them are of Nûmenor decent and have been raised to be bitter at the elves and the Valar for taking away their land."
"But what can they do?" Caniel asked
Legolas shrugged. "I'm sure they could try to take out the elves, though that's foolish, and I would wager nearly impossible. But there is some speculation that they may try sailing to Valinor themselves. To start take-over there."
"Impossible!" Caniel almost laughed at the thought. "They would invoke the gods over such a foolish little thing?"
Legolas again shrugged. "Like I said, this is mostly rumor and speculation. Indeed the odds seem impossible that that would ever happen, and how they would do it is beyond any guess of mine." He got stern again. "But the point is, they're always up to something. They have slaughtered many villages simply because they loose trust in their alliance. Or the village failed to do what was requested of them. Or because they simply feel threatened."
Caniel didn't think these seemed like horrible reasons for taking over a city, unless of course, they actually did slaughter them. In which case, she was appalled that the elves had ever even considered an alliance.
"He seemed interested enough in you too, by any means." Legolas grumbled, snapping Caniel out of her trance.
"He was being polite with that compliment." She said nonchalantly.
"His stare wasn't polite. Didn't you notice?" He asked.
"No, I guess I didn't." She lied.
"Well, he was staring. A lot." Legolas said. "And frankly I don't like-"
He stopped suddenly, his face flushing ever so slightly in the evening sun.
"You don't what?" Caniel pushed.
"I don't think that it is a smart idea to ogle over the Lord of Imladris' sister when trying to make an allegiance. Especially when the lord is not fond of you." He lied, watching to see if she believed it.
Truthfully, he had felt very unnerved at the prospect that someone appeared as enthralled with her beauty as he did. But he couldn't tell her that. He couldn't say how taken aback, yet mesmerized by her earlier dress he had been. Nor could he be blunt and say that Aradhel had been fixedly staring at her exposed cleavage through out the entire discussion. No, she would be appalled that he had even been thinking about it. More precisely, dwelling on it, picturing it over and over again, ever since he had found her lying on Sírdhem's floor.
Caniel apparently bought it, but not happily, for a frown flashed momentarily across her lips, but then was replaced by an amused grin.
"Seeing as though you were paying so much attention, surely then you noticed Rodwen's eyes upon you?" She said coolly, watching his eyes flicker uncertainty. "I would have thought they had burned a hole through you, with the intensity she was emitting it."
Legolas only shrugged. "I noticed."
He said nothing more, and Caniel wondered if perhaps he hadn't minded Rodwen's eyes on him. After all, she was very beautiful. Not the brightest it appeared, but attractive, and flirtatious. Why wouldn't he like her? Any man who had an eye for beauty would. This thought continued to probe Caniel's mind, launching them into silence the rest of the journey.
At last they emerged from the mountains and started a steady gallop towards the north in the direction the orcs were supposedly headed. And after only a few minutes of pushing their horses through the prairie, during which Legolas continuously glanced to the east towards Mirkwood, as if expecting something to come emerging out at any minute. At last, Legolas halted his rank, and the other heads did as well.
"Do you see them?" Aragorn asked quietly, straining to look.
"Yes." Legolas answered. "They are headed indeed due North, but not at an alarming rate."
"They seem to be taking their time." Elladan agreed. "You'd think they'd be in a little bit of a hurry, after all, they do have captives."
Aragorn smiled. "All the better for us."
He turned to the army and shouted orders. "Take them at a run. Find the captives and then move out. We don't want to take on the entire army if we don't need to. So get the captives and if it comes down to fight or flee, flee back to Rivendell."
There were nods and murmur of agreement, and then Aragorn turned back around. "Shall we?"
Legolas smiled. "After you."
Their horses started off at a rumbling gallop towards the unsuspecting orcs. When they had closed nearly all the gap between them, so that Aragorn and Caniel could now see them clearly as well, the last ranks of orcs turned at the distant thunder and sent out a warning call. Soon there were battle cries, horns sounding, and the shuffle of many orcs as they turned to defend themselves. The head of ranks, who were mounted on top of vicious wargs, turned from the front and were riding hard to meet the horses at the back. Taking a deep breath and readying one blade in her free hand, Caniel felt the rush as the elves plunged their horses into the mass of orcs.
Blades and spears, arrows and shields, were being flung around her as she swung her blade violently at an attacking orc, catching its throat. Another orc from the left made to drive his sword into her leg, but she parried it before trusting the blade deep into his chest where the armor divided. Shouts pierced the calm of the prairie as elves and orcs battled it out. Looking up from another orc she had cut, her insides froze at the number of remaining orcs that were advancing quickly. Turning her horse she saw Legolas in a fierce battle with a warg rider, who was maneuvering his vicious beast in circles around Legolas' frustrated stallion. Aragorn had abandoned his horse and was chopping up orcs left and right on the ground, blood leaking from his sword and hands.
Kicking an orc out of the way, he continuously yelled, "Find the captives!"
Caniel turned again and started scanning the crowd for any sight of elf captives. Drawing her bow, she used five arrows, each hitting their target, which had been orcs ganging up on Aragorn. Another orc launched itself at her, and she shot yet another arrow into the center of its forehead. Then she saw them, the elves being ushered by a ban of about ten orcs towards the north, on the opposite side of all the fighting.
"The captives are headed north by ten orcs!" She yelled to Aragorn, who nodded and proceeded to send out more orders.
She turned her horse amidst the fighting, kicking an orc out of the way and headed in the direction of the captives along with a few other elves, including Legolas who had heard her warning.
As she approached, the crowd of orcs got denser and her pace started to slow as she tried to push through them. But her blade was now weighed with blood as her attacks continued on, and her horse stopped, kicking and shoving oncoming orcs out of the way. The other elves, some of which had abandoned their horses now as well, were also struggling through the dense orcs. Legolas' blades moved wickedly fast, slicing three orcs on each side with each swing. He didn't even hold his reigns now, and pulled his other blade free, causing mass damage among his attackers, who now showed more reluctance to move in on him.
"Caniel!" Legolas yelled over the screams and clashing, "This way!"
He had made his way to her and had started at a gallop through a small opening in the masses, which were now preoccupied with more elves that had made their way through. She followed closely, occasionally striking an orc out of the way, when at last they reached the back where only a few orcs remained. Ahead, the captives were still being bustled by the group of orcs, and Legolas took off after them. Nudging Aníron faster, she caught up and soon had struck the first orc with the tip of her blade as it sunk deep into his back. Legolas went to the front where he took out the leader. Their odds seemed easy until Caniel saw that more orcs had abandoned the fight to get the captives, and the warg riders were now approaching with deadly speed.
As another orc fell at her blade, Caniel turned just in time to hear Legolas yell her name and a large brown creature knocked her off her horse. Hitting the ground hard, she yelled out, but seeing the teeth of the warg bearing down on her and the weight of it crushing her, she managed to bring around her blade and dig it into its neck. It yelped, sending spit flying into her face, and its claws brushed her chest, where luckily, the armor kept them from doing any damage. The rider, though, jumped off the dying warg and ran towards Caniel, who scrambled to her feet.
With a piercing yell, he launched at her, his long spear acting as both a weapon and a shield as he thrust it at her continuously and blocked her aggressive swings. At last, Caniel abandoned the swings, and used the blunt of her blade, hooking him in the face where blood started to issue from his nose and teeth. He only smiled and attacked even harder. She swung around, blocking the thrusts, which came very close to slitting her throat as she ducked one, side-stepping him to the back. But he was quick and with a quick fake to the right, he swung around left and caught his spear with her upper arm, slicing it deep. She let out a yell as blood poured down her numb arm, her left blade hitting the ground with a thud. The orc said something in a weird language before smiling sinisterly and launching himself at Caniel once again. Though in extreme pain, she twirled to the right, grabbing his spear, which he had thrust, in her unhurt arm, and pulled it from his grasp, and then sunk it deep into his back.
After watching him fall to the ground, and retrieving her blades, Caniel belted one, and then ran to the remaining few orcs who were still guarding their captives. She threw the blade hitting her target and while she ran to retrieve it, an orc ran at her, but was stopped as an arrow hit him in the face. Turning, Caniel saw Legolas with his bow drawn nod slightly, and then continue on firing at the remaining guards. As she retrieved her blade, something nudged her shoulder, causing her to spin, ready to again attack. Relieve flooded her as she faced Aníron, who had remained unhurt. But instead of climbing it herself, she pulled one of the elves from the diminished circle of orcs and told him to mount it. He pulled along another elf, and after nodding thanks, they ran back to Rivendell as Caniel had instructed. The rest of the orc army was running towards the fight, which had now moved around the captives. The elves, which still road horses, were grabbing up fellow elves and captives and galloping away from the scene. Caniel managed to kill a few more orcs, to ensure that the remaining two captives were picked up. At last she saw Aragorn swing himself behind an elf rider, yelling "Retreat!" to the remaining elven ranks. Pulling her blade from the neck of an orc, Caniel had turned to find an elf rider, when she saw a rather large orc bring his axe towards her head. With a yelp, she dodged it and ran a couple steps as more orcs swung at her.
Then quite suddenly, someone grabbed her around the waist and she was hoisted into the air. Quite shaken, her first thought was that the large orc had grabbed her, but when she found herself galloping away from the orcs on a black stallion, she realized it was an elf that had grabbed her and they were leaving the bloody aftermath. Her hazy eyes scanned the scene as they road; many orcs lay dead and trampled and to her delight, she did not see any dead elves. But her eyes continued to grow hazy and her head started to spin. Looking to her arm, which had no feeling left whatsoever, she squirmed at the sight of immense blood still pouring onto her hand and fleeing the horse as they road fast back through the High Pass.
"Caniel, can you wrap that?" A voice behind her asked. The voice seemed distant and gentle. "You're loosing a lot of blood."
She felt herself nod and she looked half-heartedly around for something to wrap it with, but with her half-conscious looking and the numbness that had caused her sight to become very impaired, she heard herself mumble, "I have…I have nothing."
But then the one of the arms that had been around her hold the reins pulled back, causing her to almost slide off the left side. Out of the corner of her eyes, she thought she saw the elf tear one of his sleeves and hand her the green fabric, which she took and wrapped tightly over the wound.
"That should sustain until we get back. Are you feeling okay?" He asked, replacing his arm around her to secure her to the horse.
But she couldn't answer. For at that moment her vision blacked out, and as her head sagged backward, resting on the shoulder of the elf who, in her mind she thought she heard grumble, "Hold on, mellon nín. We're almost there."