Elaenar and Lúthian sat in the mess hall into the late hours of the night, long after most had retired and gone to bed. They sat together in quiet anxiety, murmuring to each other occasionally and making small talk. When Lúthian judged it was time, he looked into his friend's eyes and asked, "Ready?"
Elaenar nodded solemnly. Lúthian sat up, "Come this way,".
Elaenar and Lúthian stole into the armoury, trying to keep quiet as they gathered as much as they felt was necessary.
"Here, look at this." Lúthian said. He presented Elaenar with a small dagger, or so it seemed. With one hand on the handle and another on the blade, Lúthian twisted and pulled, showing Elenar how the blade contracted and doubled in length.
"I made these while you were sleeping today. They're small when collapsed, which is an advantage for smuggling them in."
"Perfect!" Elaenar said. "Well done, Lúthian." He said, admiring the ingenuity and cleverness of his friend. It was an ingenious tool for their rescue mission, but the most crucial tool for executing this plan was sitting in his prison cell; and even though he and Lúthian were wholly committed to their mission at this point, Elaenar still had deep anxieties about the orc's reliability.
Elaenar entered the orc's cell and found him cowering in the corner, looking just as terrified as the last time he had seen him. Those sickly yellow eyes were fixated on the elf with fear and dread. Elaenar stood tall, trying to make himself as imposing and menacing as possible.
"We're going tonight to Lug-Gülguh; keep quiet and obey me in everything that I say. And don't you dare try to run away from us. Remember the promise I made to you, what I'll do to you if you betray me. You would do well to remember my promise, you little demon."
"You're my demon." the orc shot back, in a defiant whisper under his breath.
It was a rare moment of defiance for the orc prisoner. The retort left Elaenar speechless for a moment; he smoldered before saying:
"Yes, I suppose I am." And with that the elf roughly grabbed the orc and pulled him up to his feet, yanking him along.
The three of them exited the fortress as quietly as possible; Elaenar and Lúthian were heavily armed with swords, daggers, and their bows strung over their backs. The three of them trekked in the darkness for hours; Elaenar's cruel grip was firm on Snaga's arm the entire way, pulling and yanking him along. It felt like an infinite journey before they finally arrived along the edge of the woods; the orc-held stronghold, great and imposing, awaited them in the distance.
"Now listen closely, there is a small, gated storm drain. The gate is broken, you will pry it open and crawl through it into the courtyard. The prison cells are in the north tower. If anyone questions you, you will say that you are following orders to bring water to the prisoners. There's a lock-pick and two daggers in this bucket. You'll deliver those items and this message to them."
Elaenar said to the orc, holding up a folded piece of paper.
"And don't you dare betray us, Snaga. Your ilk won't take kindly to you if they discover that you were taken captive by elves. They'll reason it was you who gave away secrets to the enemy; how else would we have known where to ambush them a fortnight ago? And even if they were merciful to you, and even if they didn't torture you, it wouldn't matter. We'll have this fortress sacked by tomorrow whether or not you bring us back our two comrades. Do you understand what you're to do, Snaga?"
"I'll only do it if you promise to let me go." Snaga said, quivering.
"I am not bargaining with you, Snaga!" Elaenar seethed, pushing him by his shoulders back against a tree. He pulled out a dagger and held it against Snaga's throat.
"I am commanding you, under pain of death, to do exactly as I tell you to do. We have enough men and elves to take this fortress twice over; the only reason why we haven't stormed this fortress and killed your entire lot already is to preserve the lives of our two comrades that you took prisoner. Mark my words, Snaga: if you don't return with those two elves alive we won't hesitate to descend on this fortress. And when we do, we'll kill every last orc inside, and your death will be the worst death of them all. Do you understand me, orc?"
"Yes, master." Snaga said, shaking violently.
"Good then," Elaenar hissed, grabbing the orc by his shoulders and turning him to face the castle.
"The gated drain is along the western wall. Lay low and try not to be seen. Remember that orc I killed, Snaga? The one I showed you? If any thoughts come into your mind about abandoning your mission, think about that orc and imagine what I'd gladly do to you if you betray me. Now go!"
The elf gave his orc prisoner a shove on his back; pushing him forward. Snaga took a few steps forward before looking back behind himself. Elaenar took the bow off his back and cocked an arrow; he raised the bow only slightly off the ground: it was a clear and deadly threat. With heart pounding and no other choice but to go forward, Snaga headed toward the fortress.
