A/N: Hey again guys, You'll be pleased to know that this chapter is up. Really hope you like it and please please review!
I do not own any of Tolkien's work or characters, only my own.
Eärendur was shaking the snow had continued to fall all night and there was now no trail to follow. But he was from these woods. If his memory served him correctly, there was an abandoned estate in a clearing not too far away. This seemed like the perfect place to look first. Eärendur heard a shout behind him and realised it was Haldir.
"How far away are we?" An impatient Haldir asked him.
"I don't know, you'll just have to bear with me. It's hard to navigate in the snow" He replied.
"That is not good enough. You assured me you could find this place, that you could find where he had taken her" Haldir snapped in reply. That was it for Eärendur, he turned to face the March Warden.
"I am sick and tired of your attitude. We all want to find Lillieth, not just you. We are trying our best but I can't make this journey go any faster just because the great March Warden wants it to" he snapped back. Haldir clenched his fists but Nienna placed her hand on his shoulder and glared at Eärendur.
"Stop arguing, it won't help us find Lillieth any quicker. Lillieth wouldn't want you at each other's throats. You're acting like children" Nienna scorned at them. Eärendur scoffed and walked off in a sulk while Haldir nodded to Nienna.
"Right, come on let's move out again." Haldir ordered to his company.
Lillieth sat there slumped against the wall her hands still shackled. She was tired, hungry, thirsty and cold. He clothes in tatters from the journey and the actions of Galdrith. All the energy had drained from her, she was losing hope of being rescued. Maybe Galdrith was right, maybe Haldir wasn't coming, maybe he just felt sorry for her and that is why he was so nice to her. She mentally cursed herself, that is how he wants her to think, to turn her against her friends. He then entered the room holding a goblet and a piece of bread.
"Eat" he ordered as he put the bread to her mouth. She took a small bite and realised it was stale and it was slightly covered in mould. She spat it out.
"Not to your taste, my lady?" he said, patronising her.
"Many things here are not to my taste." She spat.
"I can offer you some better food in return for something." He said a sly grin appearing on his face.
"And what would that be?" she asked in disgrace.
"A kiss, my lady." He said as her leant in to kiss her. It looked like she was going to comply but when he neared her she spat in his face. He growled then picked up the goblet of water he was going to give to her and poured it out in front of her and throws the goblet at her hitting her in the chest.
"You're doing this to yourself. If you would be a little compliant, you would get better treatment" he said to her, wiping his face with a cloth.
"I'd rather be tortured than kiss you" she snapped at him.
"That could be arranged." He smiled as he stroked her face before grabbing it and slamming her head into the wall behind her, knocking her out. He smiled and left the room.
Haldir and his company approached the edge of the tree line and the abandoned estate came into view. Contrary to what Eärendur had said it was not abandoned, orcs patrolled the walls. They knew that this had to be where Lillieth was.
"I am going in, I am going to find that scum and kill him" Haldir stated.
"Are you an idiot? You will get slaughtered. What about the rest of us. We didn't come here for a holiday, we came to fight. We need a plan." Eärendur said as he placed a hand on Haldir's chest to hold him back. Haldir bowed his head and growled in frustration but he knew he was right.
Teren walked forward to speak with Haldir and Eärendur.
"I'd like to propose a plan. I suggest a few climb the walls, and open the gates under the cover of night which should be in a few hours." Teren suggested.
"And how do you plan us to do that?" Rumil questioned him.
"I have rope in my bag, you can climb the walls with it. Once inside we split into two teams. Team 1 stays on the wall to cover the others who will go into the middle of the estate. We will make our way to the main building taking out any orcs that get in our way." Teren explained.
"You forget we have no idea how many orcs are in there" Eärendur stated.
"Yes but that is a risk we will have to take. These elves were handpicked, they are the best in Lórien and they have Haldir to lead them. They will be a match for any rabble of orcs in the estate" Teren replied.
"Fine I agree, we will do this plan of yours, Teren" Eärendur said to him.
"Orophin and Rumil can lead 10, including Nienna to the wall who can cover us. I will lead the rest into the courtyard including Eärendur and Teren." They all agreed to this plan and settled down to wait for dark.
Darkness fell upon the forest and it was suggested they make their way to the estate. Orophin and Rumil went forward, they were the best climbers. They took Teren's elven rope with them so they could climb the wall. They approached the wall and threw It over a crenulation before climbing.
There was an Orc on the wall with his back to Rumil as he climbed over the wall. He quickly silenced him with his dagger before pulling Orophin onto the wall with him. They made their way down to the ground so that they could open the gate. When it opened the others quickly approached the gate. When they walked through the gate Haldir met up with his brothers.
"Any trouble?" Haldir asked them.
"Just one Orc on the wall. These sentries wouldn't notice us even if Orophin relieved himself on their heads" Rumil joked. A screech came from the other side of the wall, an Orc had noticed their presence. Nienna fired an arrow to silence him but it was too late other Orcs were now screeching in response.
"Do you always speak too soon, Rumil?" Eärendur said sarcastically. Rumil just shrugged it off.
"We haven't got time for this, split up into your teams. They are coming" Haldir ordered.
Orophin and Rumil drew their bows and lead their team including Nienna to the top of the wall. They immediately started to fire at the orcs taking down any they saw. Haldir lead his team closer to the estate, dispatching any orcs that came near them. Teren was like a blur of white and blue, his movements were fluid, he seemed to take care of any foe that came near him effortlessly. Eärendur drew his sword and dagger and followed closely behind Haldir with the other elves in their team. They had made it near to the entrance of the estate's main building when they seemed to be swarmed by orcs in all directions. Haldir's team grouped together and formed a circle to fight the enemies all around them.
"Well they are awake now." Eärendur said ducking under and orcs swing, before opening its chest with his blade.
"You think with all the things going on right now, remarks like that would be last thing on your mind" Haldir said while decapitating another orc.
Galdrith stormed into the room where Lillieth was chained against the wall and kicked the goblet that was in front of her from the previous time he was here. She stirred at her lousy state to look up at Galdrith.
"It seems as though your knight in shining armour is here." He snarled.
"I…..told…you…..he…..would come" she managed to let the words escape from her mouth. As the blood dripped down her face from the wound he had inflicted on her earlier.
"Then I should go greet him." Galdrith said as he pulled the bow from off his shoulder before heading out of the room. He met Sagrûrz in the corridor, he was heading outside to join the fight.
"I need you to guard this corridor, do not let anyone pass. Do you understand me" Galdrith ordered him.
"Yes, my lord." He replied taking up his place in the corridor near the entrance of the estate.
Galdrith climbed the stairs inside to go to one of the front windows.
The fight in the courtyard had intensified. Three of Haldir's company had fallen, they were still hard pressed even with support from the walls there were too many orcs. Haldir then noticed the arrows had stopped he saw that a few orcs had made their way onto the wall and were stopping the other group from firing. He carried on fighting swinging left and right, killing as many orcs as he could. He thought he heard somebody call his name but he ignored it to carry on fighting. It was then his elf ears picked up on something. A bow being drawn close by, and not from the direction of the wall. He looked towards the estate to see an ellon with grey hair release an arrow in his direction, it happened too quickly for him to react. He then felt an impact in his chest and he fell towards the floor. He couldn't feel any pain, which he thought was odd. He looked down and horrified by what he saw. The arrow was there but wasn't in him. It was sticking in the back of an ellon, who must have flung himself as Haldir to protect him. To his horror he knew who it was.
"Eärendur!" he cried out.