A/N: *Cough* I'm still here! Sorry it has taken me forever to update these!
Defeat
The young Elf led the way back to their camp, head hanging in despair. How was he to explain to the wounded Gil-galad that they had lost yet another of the many skirmishes? It was the third within days. The Alliance would not stand for much longer if the losses continued to come to thick and fast.
They reached the camp and Elrond gestured the exhausted Elves under his command towards the hundreds of tents strewn over the open plain. 'Take some rest.'
Before he went to his own tent, however, he made his way to the king's. Gil-galad had been struck in the leg with an arrow, and the healers, while allowing him to return to his own tent to recuperate, had insisted that he remain out of battle for a while.
'Ai, Elrond, you have returned!' the king exclaimed, his good humour untainted by his injury.
Elrond shook his head silently before finding his voice. 'I am sorry, my king. Again I have failed you. We were forced to fall back and retreat. Forgive me.'
Gil-galad shook his head, though his own heart was inwardly sinking. 'Do not be, Elrond. We have been here for months. We cannot expect to win every battle we engage in. Such a belief would prove to be our downfall. You have never failed me, nor will you find it easy to do so.'
Elrond nodded reluctantly. 'If you say so, my lord. Nonetheless, the number of those lost is grievous and will be hard to recover from.'
'We will not be defeated, standard-bearer,' the king said stubbornly. 'I will not permit it. Now go to your rest.'