Chapter 34
I know they didn't exactly have toilets then but just play along.
"The Uruk-hai who survived the destruction of Mordor have fled to live their own lives. They have banded together and venture across Middle Earth, raping women, murdering men, and pillaging villages. They must be stopped."
Dínendal was right. The Uruk-hai were advancing onto weak villages in which the people could not protect themselves. The ones who had deserted the group and came upon Adette in the forest were the only ones found. No others had been seen in Mirkwood, or anywhere else in Rhovanion for that matter.
"Why should we offer our forces to fight? The Uruk-hai army has not come to Rhovanion." Tathar said selfishly. To this I stood from my chair.
"The army may not have come to Rhovanion, but deserters came into Mirkwood six weeks ago and attacked the princess. Who is to say that more of them will not come through? We were lucky that time to have caught them before someone was seriously injured," I looked down at the table, "but we may not be so fortunate next time."
"So then what do you suggest Prince Legolas? Shall we send out our people to fight?" He questioned. I looked up and began to circle the room towards him.
"Yes that is what I suggest. If we don't stop them now then we may pay for it later."
"We have just come back from war and I highly doubt that we will be enough to fight the Uruk-hai."
"Then we will go to King Aragorn and ask for his help. I know that he will assist us in our time of need."
"And if he doesn't?"
I closed my eyes and folded my hands together behind my back. I stood at the window, looking out over Mirkwood below. I could not imagine the forest being set aflame with war and blood. But it would happen if the Uruk-hai chose to come through.
"Someone must be the first to stand up." I turned to face the table of elves, all looking to me for direction. "Why not us?"
I walked slowly up the stairs, grumbling to myself. Why they did not want to stand with me I did not know. They were being incredibly selfish, thinking of themselves and of Mirkwood when innocent people's lives were being destroyed by the Uruk-hai. Why was I one of the only ones who saw that something needed to be done?
In the six weeks that had passed, the guards had been posted to keep watch over the forest at all times without much of a break. If Uruk-hai did travel into the forest then we needed to be ready. We could not afford any risks.
When I reached the top of the stairs I turned to the left and continued my grumbling. Dínendal and Lenwë were the only ones who stood with me. My father had pulled me aside, promising that if the Uruk-hai had not been disbanded in the next month or so then he would order us to war. But what I feared was that it would be too late.
Celebriän greeted me as I turned the corner towards Adette and I's bedroom.
"Good morning Prince Legolas."
"Good morning Celebriän. Is Adette awake?"
"Yes she is," she frowned, "she is in the bathroom."
I knew what that meant right away and nodded, walking around the chambermaid to continue on my way. God did I bless women for going through what they did when they were pregnant.
When I reached our room I went right to the bathroom door. It was open a crack and I peeked my head in to see Adette collapsed on the ground, her head buried in the toilet bowl. I watched her shoulders heave as she emptied the contents of her stomach once again. I glided to her side, placing a hand on her back and using the other to hold back her hair.
"Thank you." She managed to say before her shoulders heaved once more. I rubbed slow circles into her back until she leaned back from the toilet. She slowly turned her body to face mine. Her face glistened with sweat and dark circles had formed beneath her eyes.
"Le thír deleb dúlinn." I told her, letting her hair drop as I moved my hand against her clammy cheek. I used my fingers to push back her bangs but my hand didn't leave her cheek.
(You look terrible nightingale.)
"Again, thank you." She smiled tiredly at me before getting to her feet. She splashed cold water onto her face and gurgled some before spitting it back out.
"Will you please go to sleep?" I asked softly, moving my hands onto either side of her waist. I leaned down and pressed my forehead to hers. "You aren't sleeping well at night."
"She is afraid of the nightmares. Every time I have one I wake up only to throw up again."
"Perhaps you should see the healers."
"No I am fine." She insisted, pulling back and moving around me. I took her hand and spun her around to face me once again, pulling her close.
"I am worried about you." I whispered.
"Don't be. This is a joyous time Legolas." She leaned up to kiss my cheek quickly before turning and leaving the bathroom.
"Will you sleep for an hour or two? For me dúlinn, for Eruanna?" I asked gently, pulling back the covers. She turned and I could see that she did want to sleep.
"Fine." She pulled off her tunic and leggings quickly and got beneath the covers. I pulled them up over her and tucked her in. I looked down and saw her feet sticking out and so I pulled the blankets a little lower so that they were covered. When I looked back she was already asleep.
"Sleep well Adette." I murmured, kissing her forehead. I then quietly slipped from the room and returned to the lower level.
Dínendal and Lenwë were waiting for me, dressed in their cloaks. The three of us could have been passed off as brothers with our matching blue eyes and green cloaks if it weren't for Lenwë's light brown hair.
Every now and then we would ride out to the edge of the forest to take over positions so that the guards would have a period of rest. We had planned to ride out of Mirkwood and patrol the area, returning at nightfall to guard the outskirts of the forest.
"How is Adette?" Dínendal asked as we exited the castle. Our horses were already waiting for us. We were to ride bareback. I swung myself up onto Herenvardo's back easily.
"The morning sickness is taking a toll on her body. She is exhausted." I pointed to the castle doors with my thumb. "She sleeps as we speak."
"But all is well?" Lenwë asked as we rode out, keeping a steady pace.
"Yes all is well."
"I will be very grateful to the woman who bears my children." Dínendal sighed.
"Do you hope that that lucky woman will be Alassë?" I asked, grinning from ear to ear. I knew that he was sensitive when it came to his love life, which he kept secret from all. Lenwë grinned as well.
"Legolas I-" His words stuck in his throat when we spotted the girl herself. She was walking past us, her green eyes cast downward. She was a very petite girl with small feet and hands. Dínendal looked like a giant compared to her. But despite the height difference, they loved each other more than a lot of couples did. They were just very careful about their displays of affection.
Dínendal watched her with loving eyes until he caught my stare and glared. He then whipped right back around and sent Maethor into a trot ahead of Lenwë and I. We soon followed, joking and laughing. Dínendal fell back to join us.
By midday we had ridden out of Mirkwood. Far off in the east I could see the Misty Mountains rising up over the hills and the tops of trees. Dínendal and Lenwë had dismounted and were sitting cross legged on the ground, snacking on lembas and drinking wine from a canteen. I sat down with them and watched our horses grazing in the distance.
"How are Aragorn and Arwen's wedding plans coming along?" Lenwë asked as he handed me the canteen. I took a small sip before answering.
"They are to be wed in Rivendell in the spring. That way the snow will have cleared and the weather will be nicer to travel in."
"How will you plan to travel? You don't intend to put Adette on a horse do you?" Dínendal drank deeply of the wine and I chuckled. He wiped the reddish-purple trail that trickled down his chin.
"She will ride in a carriage."
"Hopefully they will not be the only couple being married soon." Lenwë hinted innocently.
"Why do you both insist on torturing me?" Dínendal groaned. He laid back, folding his arms behind his head. I laid down on my elbow, still watching the horses. They seemed a bit jittery in my eyes. I wondered if the others noticed.
"Why do you insist on denying your love for Alassë?"
"I don't…I just…"
"Are you afraid of commitment mellon?" I asked, looking instead at him. He turned his head to the side to look at me too.
"No that isn't why." He sat up with a sigh. He frowned, rubbing the middle of his forehead. "I worry about what would happen to Alassë if we were to marry and then I was to be killed. If something happened to her I would die, and I don't know if I could put her through that if something happened to me."
"Dínendal," I smiled, "do you not think that I do not worry about the same thing? All couples have that worry, just ask Lenwë."
"'Tis true Dínendal. Whenever I leave Silmarwen, I worry for her safekeeping. In the back of my mind I always try to remember that I have to return or else she will be left a widow." He played with the grass surrounding him.
For a time we did not speak. I knew that we were all contemplating the seriousness of our conversation. Usually we talked of silly, nonsensical topics and yet this topic was far from those things. We were instead speaking of life and death, love and hardship. Innocence, again, seemed so far away.
When a scream filled the air, we got to our feet with such swiftness that the grass blew with the sudden wind. Dínendal's face grew pale, his eyes wide with horror.
"That was Alassë." He breathed. In an instant he whistled for Maethor, who came galloping towards us. Without waiting for the horse to stop, he mounted Maethor and flew into the trees. Lenwë and I were quick to follow.
The scream had come from the village. We rode quickly, whizzing past the trees and dodging them as we hurried to make it back to Mirkwood sooner rather than later. When we reached the outskirts, I was troubled to see the guards had left their posts. Something was very wrong.
When we came upon Mirkwood I could not believe what I saw. The village was in complete disarray, the bodies of both elves and Uruks lying strewn across the ground. Dark blood and normal colored blood spilled and meshed together in puddles about the carcasses. Swords were clashing and arrows were being released.
I saw Dínendal with Alassë's small body slung over one shoulder while he shot down Uruks who tried to come near him. I quickly pulled out my bow while Lenwë ran to find his wife, and searched for more Uruks to shoot down. Some of them carried crossbows, and fired back.
"Dínendal, take her to safety!" I shouted to him as I rode in front of him to block the arrows. "I will hold them off!"
"Hannon lee Legolas." He whispered. Without another word he disappeared, still carrying Alassë over a shoulder. I faced forward and saw a Uruk chasing a woman, and quickly fired an arrow, shooting him through the throat.
(Thank you Legolas.)
I rode Herenvardo through the village, shooting down Uruks who were attempting to assault the females or harm the children. The men seemed to be taking care of themselves well enough, although some were dead on the ground. When I was nearly out of the village I saw something that made my blood turn cold. The castle was on fire – and my wife and father were inside.
I kicked the horse and bolted towards the castle. I could see that Uruks were making their way inside and I could only guess that there were more of them already inside of the walls. My eyebrows furrowed as I dismounted Herenvardo, replacing my bow to my back. I instead pulled out my knives, twisting them around in my fingers before storming inside. They were going to die painfully.
Once inside I immediately drove one knife through and Uruk's stomach, making him cry out in agony as he fell to the floor. The doors to the throne room burst open as the Uruk cried out, and I could see my father and men inside. I raced in and saw that there was much blood being shed inside.
My father plunged his sword into a Uruk's chest and twisted it while reaching out with his dagger to tear a hole in another's neck. He pulled both blades out at once and caught my eyes. He made his way across the room towards me.
"Legolas, en úr pelio bo en caw land. Save as many as you can and flee to Minas Tirith to ask aid of Aragorn."
(Legolas, the fire spread on the top level.)
"Adar le baur nin." I argued.
(Father you need me.)
"Do as I say Legolas, and do not disobey me." He said sternly, whirling around to behead a Uruk that was approaching. He then turned back and touched my shoulder. "Be careful."
I nodded and exited the throne room to go and retrieve Adette. Smoke was beginning to fill the bottom level, and I knew that soon it would be engulfed in flames. Without another hesitation I headed for the stairs but saw a familiar face coming down.
"Adette!" I called to her, rushing forward. She held her dagger, the blade dripping with blood. Her face was stained with soot and ash but other than that she looked perfectly fine. I grabbed her hand in mine and quickly got us back out into fresh air. She breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with air.
"We will stay and fight," she turned to me, "right Legolas?"
"My father has other plans for us." I muttered, seeing two Uruks taunting horses in the stables. The carriage was in the stables as well. "Stay here."
Knives ready, I snuck up on both of the Uruks. I dug my knives deep into the back of the first, dark blood running out of the wounds and staining my boots and leggings. He fell forward as the other turned and came at me with its sword. In a second I pulled my bow and an arrow imbedded itself into his left eye. As he fell back I heard another thud and turned to see that Adette had slayed a Uruk that had been behind me.
"Come, we must hurry." I said, taking her hand once more. I led her to the carriage and helped her into it. Once she was safely tucked inside I whistled for Herenvardo, who came immediately. I had him hitched up to the carriage in seconds and mounted him.
I clung tightly to the reigns as I led him through the village. I pulled out my bow and shot another Uruk dead that was taunting a man lying on the ground, unable to fight back against it. When the carriage jerked, I turned to see a Uruk climbing inside. Before I could bring Herenvardo to a stop, Adette had thrown him out, his throat slit.
I looked around me, seeing the village being torn to pieces. There was hardly any movement at all. The Uruks who had been in the village were all dead, but most of the people were dead too. Tears formed in my eyes as I forced myself to look away as I continued to ride out. The stench of death filled my nose and I nearly gagged.
When we had ridden deeper into the forest I brought Herenvardo to a stop. I dismounted him and climbed inside of the carriage and welcomed a crying Adette. I didn't want to tell her but the swell of her belly was just beginning to show, although with her hand over top of it I was sure she knew. I sat beside her, taking her into my arms.
"Shh, calm down my love. Shh." I whispered soothingly. Her tears soaked my shoulder and chest while mine dropped silently into her hair. I held her closer to calm her down, hoping she would regulate her uneven breathing if she felt safe. "Please calm down dúlinn."
"Legolas…I'm sorry." She said, pulling back to look at me. Her cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes red and puffy. I pushed her hair back and continued to hold her. I knew not why she apologized and so I ignored it.
"Are you alright? You aren't hurt are you?" I asked gently, looking her over myself. When she didn't answer I brushed her hand way and placed my hand over top of her belly. When I felt the baby against my hand I pulled it away and wiped her tears.
"Did you hear me?" She asked in a broken voice.
"What are you sorry for dúlinn? You did nothing."
"Here I am crying when you are in more pain then I am. If you want to cry I will hold you instead Legolas. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She sobbed, her shoulders trembling.
"Adette you need to breathe sweetheart." I held her face in my hands, brushing beneath her eyes with my thumbs. "You are tired and you are upset."
"Legolas-"
"Hush now. We are riding to Minas Tirith and as long as I am here you are safe." I leaned forward and captured her lips for a moment. It was more for my comfort then for hers. "Now relax and try to get some sleep."
I then stripped off my cloak and rolled it into a ball upon which Adette laid her head. I then took clasped her own cloak closed and made sure that she was comfortable before returning to Herenvardo. Once I had mounted him and began to ride, I let my tears fall again and I made no attempt to stop them.