A/N: Really sorry that it took so long to post this chapter. I have been busy and was away for the weekend, but I am back now! Hope it will be worth your wait. Enjoy! Don't forget to review and vote in my poll on my page, please.
Nienna heard the release of the arrow from the bow and turned to see what had happened. To her horror she saw Eärendur clutching Haldir with the arrow in his back.
"Eärendur, No!" Nienna screamed frantically. She noticed the grey haired ellon in the window notching another arrow. In anger she fired a shot at him, it stuck in the window pane to the side of him. He quickly glanced in the direction the arrow had come from before he retreated back into the estate. The elves around her were still fighting with the orcs who had made it onto the wall. She looked around trying to find Orophin. She saw him at the top of the steps killing any Orc that tried to climb them.
"Orophin, Orophin!" she shouted. He turned to look at her.
"Please we need to get down there, Eärendur has been wounded. He needs my care!" Nienna pleaded with him. He nodded.
"Everyone with me, we need to fight our way to the others" he ordered to the other elves. They killed any Orc left on the wall before making their way down to Haldir's group. Orophin and Rumil led the way, also desperate to get to their brother.
Haldir looked down at the ellon who lay on top of him and lifted him up slowly to place him on the floor on his side so he wouldn't break the arrow and to ease his pain.
"Eärendur, why? Why would you throw away your life to protect me?" Haldir asked him. Eärendur gritted his teeth from the pain due to the arrow in his back, as he slowly lifted his head to look up at Haldir.
"Because if you died now, Lillieth would never forgive me. Plus I'm actually starting to like you. I can see how much you love her" He replied before slumping his head back to the ground.
"Just stay with me Eärendur; I will get you a healer. You can't die here, I will not let you." Haldir said frantically to the ellon who had just saved his life. Eärendur chuckled slightly.
"Even you cannot command death, March Warden".
Orophin and Rumil's group had fought their way to the centre. The elves in their group reinforced their surrounded comrades together they fought off the Orcs while Nienna made her way to Eärendur's side.
"Haldir what happened?" she asked him, tears streaming from her eyes.
"He saved my life. He threw himself in front of the arrow, please you have to help him" he replied. She nodded then tended to him. Haldir regrouped with his brothers and suggested they try and break through so they could make their way to the building. He wanted his brothers to stay behind and help make a stand on the steps of the main building. They nodded and both grabbed Eärendur ready to move him to safety so Nienna could help him. Haldir turned to Teren.
"I would like you to accompany me inside the building to retrieve Lillieth, the others can hold outside. First we have to make it to the steps before the main building." Haldir asked Teren.
"I will come with you. We can get the others to help us fight our way through" Teren replied. Haldir nodded and clapped Teren on the shoulder before moving to the centre of the circle again.
"Push forward towards the estate; we need to get to the door" Haldir ordered his troops.
They all nodded and fought the orcs towards the steps of the building. When they had made it through the crowd of Orcs and to the top of the steps, Haldir ordered his troops to break the circle and form two lines at the top of the stairs. Swordsmen in front archers behind. They quickly and efficiently deployed this formation. Eärendur was placed safely behind the two lines with Nienna tending to him.
"Orophin, Rumil you need to hold them here. I am going inside with Teren" Haldir ordered, they nodded to their brother in response and began giving out orders of their own to the troops.
Haldir and Teren made their way through the door and into the corridor where they were met by the Uruk Hai captain who stood guard. He was in full armour except for a helmet. He also held a shield and sword out ready to meet them and he snarled in their direction bearing his sharp teeth as they approached.
"I don't have time for this" Haldir said angrily.
"Then find another way around, I will take care of him" Teren replied calmly. Haldir nodded and made his way down a corridor to his left. Teren held his sword out in front of him and stared down the creature before him.
"I thought your kind were all dead?" Teren asked the Uruk Hai.
"Not all, and soon to be reborn" he replied.
"I doubt that somehow in fact I'll make sure of it . You see I was there at the Hornburg, and I consider it an honour to extinguish the last of your disgusting race." Teren said, his gaze fixed on the Uruk Hai.
"Come and try little elf" the Uruk Hai snarled banging his sword against his shield.
The Uruk lunged at Teren bringing his sword down heavily at the elf. Teren blocked the strike and struck back only to meet the uruk's shield, his sword was flung away. The Uruk roared and attacked again, this time Teren dodged the blow and bought his elbow into the Uruk's face sending him staggering back. Teren took this opportunity to pull a spear that was hanging on display on a nearby wall and flung it at his foe. The spear pierced his shield and barely missed Sagrûrz's arm. With the spear impaled on his shield it was useless so Sagrûrz abandoned it and looked up at the elf in front of him.
"HA! Not bad elf I see I'll actually have to try in this fight. Not like many of your kin at the Hornburg, you actually have some skill" the Uruk roared.
"I was thinking the same of you. Most of your kin were witless animals that I slaughtered" Teren replied with a smirk.
"Tell me your name so I know who's life I ended today." The Uruk chuckled.
"My name is Teren of Lórien and yours monster?" Teren replied
"Sagrûrz, now come I grow tired of talking" he shouted before again lunging at Teren swinging his blade. Teren moved backwards expertly blocking every strike, the only problem was being in the tight corridor. His movement was restricted and the Uruk's brute strength had the advantage. Teren was knocked off guard by Sagrûrz's armoured fist slamming in to his face. This knocked him against the wall. The Uruk then tried to end the fight by trying to slash Teren's head but he ducked under the strike. They turned again to face each other. Sagrûrz attacked again forcing Teren to block down low, this is when Teren made his move. He bought his fist down on the Uruk's wrist no doubt breaking it. Sagrûrz howled in pain and dropped his blade before Teren brought up his own sword separating the Uruk's head from his shoulders as a spray of black blood covered him. Sagrûrz's head rolled to the floor.
Teren looked down at his armour now covered in the black blood.
"White really wasn't a good choice" he joked before moving down the corridor to catch up with Haldir.
~~~~~~~
Haldir was consumed with rage, the fact that his beloved was taken from him and now that Eärendur may have died for him. He had to admit that even though they didn't like each other at first, he was starting to grow fond of him. He needed to find Lillieth; he hoped that she was ok. He ran up the corridor where some orcs were patrolling, he decapitated them easily making his way further. He then heard a gentle sobbing coming from one of the rooms, this he knew was Lillieth. He located the room and tried to open the door, to his dismay it was locked.
"I am here Meleth nîn" Haldir said softly through the wood of the door. Lillieth barely had strength to move so she could not reply. This worried Haldir, he hoped she was ok. If anything happened to her it would send Haldir over the edge. It was then that Galdrith walked up behind Haldir before he turned around to see the tainted ellon.
"So, here is the great March warden of Lórien. Nothing special I see, impressive to have defeated my orcs but you will not enter that room" Galdrith said with in an arrogant tone.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that" Haldir said trying to grasp Galdrith around the throat, but Galdrith slammed his head against the wall. Haldir dropped his sword and Galdrith kicked it away from his before bringing his knee into Galdrith's stomach. Haldir cried out in pain.
"What does she see in you? You have nothing on me" Galdrith asked him.
"I treat her like she deserves to be" Haldir spat back.
"All elliths are poison. I am treating her like they all should be" Galdrith uttered back. This infuriated Haldir and he swung his fist into Galdrith's jaw, this made blood drip from his mouth.
"You are the one that is poison" Haldir shouted before slamming him into the door of the room where Lillieth was shackled, breaking the wood into pieces. Galdrith landed on the floor in front of Lillieth. Haldir looked at her in shock. She was shackled to the wall like a slave, her skin pale and all colour lost from her cheeks. Her face was stained with blood and her clothes were in tatters. This left her skin exposed which was covered in bruises. Haldir felt like crying seeing his betrothed that way but he had Galdrith to deal with. He launched his foot into his stomach making Galdrith scream out in pain. In reply to this Haldir kicked Galdrith's shoulder forcing him onto his back before bringing his foot down hard onto his face. Blood dripped from his nose, Haldir had surely broken it. It gave him pleasure to see his faced stained with blood the way Lillieth's appeared to be. He then picked him up by the throat slamming him into the wall causing a wound to open on the back of his head like he had inflicted upon Lillieth.
"You will pay for this!." Haldir roared bringing his fist into Galdrith's face. Haldir then heard the slightest whisper behind him.
"Haldir…." Lillieth moaned. He then ran over to where Lillieth was shackled leaving Galdrith in a blood soaked heap behind him.
"I am here Meleth Nîn, do not worry" Haldir said while stroking her face softly. Lillieth was still drowsy but managed to open her eyes fully to see him crouching before her.
"You really are here" she smiled. Haldir smiled in return before her eyes widened in shock.
"Haldir!" She screamed. Haldir then felt a searing pain in his shoulder, Galdrith had dragged himself over to them and plunged his dagger into him.
"Do not touch my property, March Warden. She is mine and will remain so." Galdrith spat while twisting the dagger slightly in Haldir's shoulder. He screamed out in pain before he managed to bring his elbow up to meet Galdrith's face. Galdrith fell backwards, releasing his dagger. Haldir was on his hands and knees in front of Lillieth. He was again filled with hate and rage for the ellon and this made him forget momentarily about the pain. He reached up and pulled the dagger from his shoulder before turning on Galdrith who had started to crawl out of the room. He was out in the hall when Haldir again kicked him in the side before picking him up by the throat placing his arm around his neck, the dagger in his hand.
"This is for her and Eärendur. She is not your property, she is not yours, nor will she ever. I love her and I will treat her right." Haldir said before he bought the dagger across Galdrith's throat, slitting his throat. Galdrith gargled as blood poured out of his throat and mouth. He stumbled towards one of the large windows in the hallway, turning once more to see Haldir as he leaned against it. There wasn't an ounce of pity in Haldir's eyes as he looked upon the elf whose life was draining from him.
"I hope the Valar tear your soul apart" Haldir hissed before kicking him in the chest sending him flying through the window, falling to the ground below. He walked back towards the room where Lillieth was to find Teren walking towards him. Teren looked over at the March Wardens appearance.
"So what did I miss?" Teren asked.
"I paid him no mercy. It is the Valar who must act now" Haldir replied before placing his hand on Teren's shoulder.