Chapter 28
A dark time.
We arrived at the northern mountain hills that shielded the valley from the north at dusk. Thankfully to Imladris geography, the northern approach was defended by a small mountain range that truly had just one path through it. No wider than ten elves could travel there so it was relatively easy to defend. Our first lines were beyond it to defend as many of the trees as possible, but we understood we might not be able to defend them against this attack and would have to fall back to the mountain path. It felt better having Tauriel at her spot at my side. Many elves were busy running around and preparing camp as we arrived and as we rode into the camp and many familiar faces saw us and greeted us Landor came forth. A scout captain we had met many years ago and aided the Dunedain of the former realm of Rhudaur.
"My ladies," he said and greeted us. "I am so happy for your arrival and with reinforcements."
"Well met Landor" we responded as we told our horses to stop and we jumped off them.
"What is the situation captain" Tauriel took charge and asked.
"I've pulled all our forces back from beyond the mountain path. We held for as long as we could, but the Black Numenorians were too many. We lost few. But every loss hurt us dearly" he said and bowed his head. "Calian, Nothril, Aufwen, and Camanor fell covering our retreat… and others as well. But I bear not name them" he said low so few heard it.
"Ohh no…" I let out.
"May the Valar welcome them" Tauriel said lowly to herself bowing her head and we all stood quiet for a moment. At this Landor left us to help set up the base and tents for all the new arrivals. It was still early days and much needed to be prepared for those that held the path when we would rotate the watch. When Tauriel spoke up.
"Let us hit them back, make them suffer as we suffer for our losses!" she then said, anger in her voice.
"How my love? Our forces have pulled back only holding the entrance to the path. We have no information of where they are, now many, if they had reinforcements, if they have fortified their position" I continued.
"I will go, give me ten elves and my ranger training will aid us!" Tauriel said eagerly.
"My love…" I responded with a sad face.
"No my love me, I am a ranger at heart Elwen, I served as such for many years and I see several rangers of Imladris here. Let me go my love. Let me get the information we need and wait for me at the path. We can do it and give the Traitors of the Edain a hard blow to their force."
I hated the idea as I would not be with her. I was no ranger of skill like her and our kin that was with us. I looked at Landor and Idril and both seemed eager for the idea. Or if nothing else, more eager than me.
"Please Elwen, let me do this for my home, for our home… for those we lost," she pleaded and put her hand on my arm.
"Take no risks. If you can't scout their line safely do not do it, return as quickly as you may." I said sternly. "Come back to me my love, that I command you," I said and reached for a kiss and she returned it. She then hurried off to get a ranger's clothing and changed quickly with aid from the healers that had come with us. Not long after she returned and grabbed my hands yet again.
The ranger elves around us needed no order as they had rushed off for more arrows, a bite of food, and a drink of water. Their cloaks covered them well and for the first time in a long, I saw my wife as the ranger I had first seen her as so long ago.
"Should you not rest? We have had a long day" I said worriedly as I felt her cheeks.
"I need none. Not until they are revenged." She said sternly.
"Then go. Give us the signal of a bird we heard long ago if you need our aid my love" I said and gave her another kiss.
"we will my love" she responded to the kiss and looked back at the elves waiting for her.
"with me," she said and set out smiling at me as they ran towards the path.
"May the Valar look over you my love" I said lowly so Idril barely could hear it.
"She's a ranger, my lady, she will be well." Our captain said with a grin on her face and thus they were gone from our view.
Tauriels view.
We ran quickly through the pass and the guards greeted us and moved out of the way, little did we need to let the enemy see us talk to them dressed as we were and we rushed into the woods. Blending in with trees and shades. Darkness was falling over the trees and we moved silently. Rushing along the branches and only slowing down as we came up on the old elven outpost. The very same we had passed when going to Rhudaur to aid the Dunedain.
There we saw our dead in the distance… desecrated as they were. Orcs had come with the Numenorians and they had no honor at all. No respect for the dead… My blood boiled, but I had to keep my head.
"Pegien, Eroch. Up front" I said low so no man could hear, but our elven ears had no troubles as they rushed up to me.
"Yes lady, what do you command" they said eagerly.
"We need to know the size of their camp, how many warriors are left of their kin, if they have prisoners. If there are any advantages, we can push to slow their advance. You two take the right and left flanks, I will go down the middle"
Both looked at me and nodded.
"Yes lady Tauriel" and as soon as they had said it both were off. The rest I ordered to stay behind as Pegien and Eroch each took the flanks of the camp I wanted to see the center myself and ordered the rest to stay behind.
Dawen disagreed strongly, yet she did not outrank me and I made her and the other elves stay behind to cover us if need be. To end the discussion, I made my move.
I moved from tree to tree, using them for the best cover I could. Lightly I moved between the branches and my bow was firmly in hand with a few arrows ready. Their guards were disciplined for the race of men, yet they had nothing over the elves. As they talked in a language I did not understand I slowly walked over them in the trees, that was until I saw their mouths. Bleeding, their lips ripped apart by the very language they spoke. It did sound evil enough to do so.
I stayed at that spot for some time and got to look the camp over. Few had stayed as if they were waiting for an attack by our force to drive them back, or maybe an ambush. I could not understand it as I saw several of their dead, more than our own, and still, it was not fortified in any manner. I decided to move further in and still stay in the trees. Many of the enemy were sleeping or resting. Some even drink that nasty drink. Grog or what the orcs called it.
Just when I was about to jump over to the next tree I felt a coldness in my bones. I knew to the core of my being what it was and for elves that had not felt it before it would be paralyzing. Pegien… Eroch… I must find them.
The further in I moved the colder I felt. Just feeling it made me unsettled, but I could move past it as I had felt it before with Elwen long ago.
Two hooded figures then came out of the main building in the scout camp. As if they were looking for something they had not yet found. A man walked up to them and they moved away. Now there was no doubt in my mind. If not the one, it would be his own leading the assault.
That was when I saw them on the ground much closer than before… Calian, Nothril… their bodies are broken… hacked to parts hard to recognize… How could they… why could they show no respect for the dead… they had won over them… could that not be enough? Those animals… Even if it was an ambush I could not let it happen… But I needed Elwen… I can't handle two clothed in black alone…
As she had said I would stay my blood and use our signal. Of a little bird we had long ago had visited us in our window box. It had a distinct voice only we truly knew…. But as I made the sound it was like the camp woke up. Like they knew no bird could stand them. Like this was a signal for war… and they were not wrong.
To my surprise, they moved off towards the center of camp where I sat above in the trees. That is when I saw her… Pegien… In the hands of a Hillman no less… a crude blade to her throat. Cuts and bruises over her face and a great wound on her leg.
"My lord. My lord. See what we caught sneaking by the bodies. As you said the elf scum would come for their dead"
The clothed figures came out of the shades and with hissed voices responded.
"Yes, they are predictable. But only one… we expected more… many more… but this one will do. Our captain would love this prize…."
"I will not go to him… I will NOT" Pegien cried.
"Ohh thee will go to he we serve, that you will serve," the hissed voices said and blades were drawn from a seethe on their belts.
"Morgul blade…" I said to myself lowly. Pegien then looked at me, she must have heard me speak. Saying no to me. As if she could read my mind… she had heard me… she knew me.
"Now you become one with us and will come to his service….." they lifted the blades and I could not take it. No more of my kin would fall this day! Pegien closed her eyes and waited for the strikes to come. That motion broke me as I put my arrows and bow away and pulled my knives from the seethes on my back and I dropped down, landing in front of them and blocking both blows. A screech filled the air and the Hillman dropped Pegien and moved back reaching for his weapon.
"Who are thee to interfere!" the voices said and hissed at me.
I did not respond to them and I felt more and more men, orcs and foul creatures came around me. Pegien tried to stand up but the wound in her leg prevented her from doing so.
"why did you do this, you should have left me" she begged from my feet, as she lay there.
Mumbles in the dark tongue came and went and it all died down slowly.
"Answer she elf! Who are thee to stand before us so? Why do thee not flee!"
This time I responded with a chant the lady Celebrian had showed me and Elwen, the same she had used the night we came over the shadow going to talk to the Arnorians about the patrol routes.
"I call thee star of Earendil. I call thee to aid me, in this dark place light will show me the way and the way of my kin!" I cried out the stars that were now up lit up the area around me and Pegien.
"ELF WITCH!" the hissed voices called out and the evil creatures and their other servants yielded back.
"KILL THE WITCH KILL HER!" the hissed voices cried out and they came for me and Pegien. Yet their servants did not dare to do so if only my roués could hold them at bay long enough. All I could do was block, move out of the way, and protect Pegien. I saw them now for what they were. Faded men of the Edain. Greed had ruined them even if it brought them wealth for a time. Now forever servants of the nameless one. One with a clothed head and the other with a helmet of the east….
I knew now that Elwen had been right… she was always right…. Pegien tried to move back as I was forced to move backward. The servants of the enemy moved away from the light I had created. When some of the black Numenorians got their courage back and charged me I could no longer hold my ground as I had. I did cut them down easily enough. But then the wraith pushed their advantage and soon Pegien cried out.
"My lady we are trapped; we cannot move further back…" hope faded in her voice as I turned quickly to see the stone wall of the building the wraiths had come out of. Pegien could not climb with her wounded leg, nor could I carry her away… Little orcs pushed their chances at that moment and shot out from between the wraiths and as I killed them I felt the cold steel of their swords cut my upper left arm and right hand.
"Ahhhhhaaaaaa….." I cried and stumbled some. Regaining my composure and reading my blades yet again.
"My LADY" Pegien cried out. "Leave me here lady, please save yourself. I am lost, you can still get away."
"NO, we have lost too many today as is" I responded gathered myself, and handed her my bow. "Take out those that come for me, I will defend you Pegien," I said determined to hold for as long as I could.
It seemed like a never-ending task and the wraith wanted me more than Pegien after she had called me lady. She let arrow after arrow fly and they found their mark and I felt it in the way their blades came at me. First, it was to kill me, now it was to capture me… Pegien let the last arrow fly into the largest Numenorian there and he fell with it in his head. The hissing voices started to laugh and came harder at me. Swinging their blades until I got to my knee from their blows.
"The lord of Morgul calls thee, come now and we will let her live!" they hissed and I knew they talked about Pegien… I also knew it was a lie… mercy was never given to our kin. If we could be used, we would be. If not, we died. The nameless lord hated us more than any other race and was determined to destroy us. Lord Elrond and my wife had thought me so from ages that had passed. Ney I would not give in.
"The lord of the iron crown can go back where he came from. He will not have me, he will not have my warrior, he will not have my HOME!" I cried out.
The laughing got louder and more determined. As if they thought they would win this day and if they were to win I would make it as costly as I could.
"So thee choose death she elf. Let us give it to thee." They cried and their decayed swords rose for the last few blows…
I readied my knives yet again and stood up. I would not fall on my knee if this was my time and as the blows were to come they stopped… as if they felt something or something called at them.
"RELEASE ARROWS" a familiar voice cried and a volley of arrows flew into the ranks of Angmar. Cutting down several lines as another volley came and another. Cries followed and their lines got crashed into by angry elves and the angriest of them all was my love.
"Elwen!" I cried. She leads the charge herself and cuts her way through the line with Idril not far behind leading our guard.
Earlier when Tauriel left
As soon as they were off I and Idril went to the wounded and talked to them. Looked over their treatment and aided the healers all we could. Few were badly injured, but enough to have them out of the fight for a few days. Many were eager to speak to me and thanked me for bringing aid and reinforcements as quickly as I did. Well, I did inform them that Tauriel deserved the praise too, and when I informed them she was out with the rangers the wounded seemed to take to her even more than the elves of Imladris already had. In the end, my chest was full of pride for the mate I had.
"Take rest now, long will this siege last and we will need all your strength for the years to come," I said to the wounded as one spoke up.
"Will it last so long my lady? Will we be able to defeat them?" He said in a shaky voice.
"We will Gordhion son of Glavrolion. We will be at victory. But long will we be kept in Imladris for the servants of the enemy are many and careless. But we are few in numbers compared to them, but much stronger in spirit and body. Your Ada fought with my Ada in the great battles of the former age of this world and now we will stand up against evil as they did. Together!" I said proudly and moved over to him. His arm was cut, an arrow had hit him in the shoulder and a nasty gash on his leg.
"My lady…" he said stopping himself.
"I just want to look at your wounds Gordhion," I said and looked them over. All quite shallow. But he should not strain himself more than need be for a few days at least.
"You are too kind, my lady. The healers already saw to me and said I will be well" he responded the moment he could gather himself.
"I still like to see myself. My Ada trained me in the healing arts too and if I can aid my elves I will. No matter what" I said grabbing his arm as he reached for me.
"You do me honor lady," he said with a smile.
"No Gordhion. You do me honor fighting bravely at the front lines of our defense. First time in a battle was it?" I asked as I held his arm.
"Yes my lady, it was. I thought training was hard. But now I see why. They came at us with such hate. Such anger…"
"it is what they do, they try to scare us and disrupt us. Break our lines and cut us off from each other as they know it's our strength" I said smiling at him. "You are skilled far beyond them so they try everything to disrupt us. But they will fail for we fight for what is good in this world. What's worth fighting for. The elf on your left and right along the line and the valley behind you."
At that, he bowed his head to me and held my hand hard.
"I will be ready for when you call for me my lady!" he said firmly.
"I know you will. Now rest, sleep if you can. It will aid your healing" I said as I stood up and walked around the other wounded. Some had deep cuts, stab wounds, and arrow wounds. A healer looked at me and motioned for me to come over.
"My lady… we have two elves gravely injured. I do not think they will make it, but may you look to them. Lord Elrond has praised your skills in healing. Maybe you can aid them as we cannot."
I looked up and I knew him from long ago the healer who asked for my aid. It was Arondor. An elf that had aided Ada and Nana in healing me and cared for Nana as she sat by my bed. Not knowing if I would live or die.
"Of course. Show me the way Arondor. Tell me their names." I said and followed him.
"One is named Deldir. A young warrior who asked to fight just two hundred years ago.. the other is Celair. His mentor, my lady."
"and of their wounds" I asked.
"Deldir is gravely wounded, my lady. His front is mostly ruined, his torso opened up. We managed to stop the bleeding… but he is just weakening. Celair was struck by a black arrow. I think it was poisoned when they went for Deldir to save him… Deldir held the enemy at bay single-handedly"
"Arondor, do you have the arrow still? I would like to see it myself" I asked as I stopped him before we went into the tent with the two wounded elves. They had been laid on their own to get quiet and rest.
"I will go and look, my lady. I only know it was removed." He said and moved back the way we came and left me alone outside the tent. I took a deep breath and moved slowly inside.
It was a sad sight that met me. Deldir fought for life and Celair tried to comfort him. I could see the blood-stained bandages all over the chest of Deldir and Celair noticed me and bowed his head as much as he could. Sweat all over his forehead. He was clearly hit by something strong to make such a warrior struggle so.
"My lady…" he said with great effort.
I just lifted my hand for him to rest and I sat down on my knees beside them both. Their beds fairly close to each other so both could be worked on at the same time.
"Shhh, save your strength Celair." I responded.
"Deldir, see. Lady Elwen has come to see us." He spoke with enthusiasm in his voice.
I wasted no time and looked under the bandages. His wounds were deep and wide. It seemed a healer had tried to sew the wounds shut. But it was a long chance to try. His body was so weak. His fea fighting with all it had. I could feel it and I am sure Celair could as well.
"Deldir, hear my voice warrior of the Noldorin," I said and grabbed a wet cloth and cleaned his forehead.
"M…..M….M…. my… My laaady…" he managed to say with great struggle.
"I heard you fought bravely today. Holding the enemy back as your mentor got the elves of your troop back." I spoke softly as I kept washing his face.
"I… I t…t…t.r..i..e.d" He responded so lowly.
"You did so" Celair added. "You held them back for us."
"I…i…i…I Fa…fa…fail…failed….. y…y…ou… la…lady…"
Deldir said and tears fell from his eyes. I think in that moment his fea knew what was to happen. His body was truly broken and no amount of healing I could do would save him. I put the wet blood stained cloth back in the water bowl and grabbed his hand leaning over him.
"Listen to me Deldir. You have not failed me. Or Celair here. You have made us proud and the glory of this day is all yours. Many did you save holding the enemy at bay to the great cost of your own." He tried to speak back to me, but at this point, he was too weak for it. I felt the strength of his hand failing him. "Listen to me warrior of the Noldorin. This body may die today and you will be on a new journey, a journey many will have to take before this war is over. But it is not a journey of fear, of sadness, or of loss. The grey rain curtain of this world will roll back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you will see it.
"What will he see my lady" Celair spoke for his friend.
"White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise," I responded and leaned over Deldir. Kissing his forehead and then we heard it. A gasp of the end of a life. His grip failed utterly and for the first time, I felt a fea leave an elf in front of me… Mandos had come and taken him to his halls and I could not help myself, but to weep... I wept so for him even though I did not know him he was of my kin, of my valley and his loss came hard on me.
Celair cried heavily too now and I let go of Deldir's hand and lay it over him. Bowing my head to him and covered his wounds as best as I could.
"We will meet him again when we arrive either in Mandos halls ourselves or when we sail to the lands evergreen," I said as I looked at Celair.
He was in a state worse than me, but I had to focus on him now… his wound was not great, but what it was had taken hold. He was sweating greatly and a great fever was over him. Only in humans had I seen illness like this as elves never got sick… unless poison as it had to be.
"Am I to go to the halls of Mandos to my lady?" Celair asked me as he caught me looking at his forehead.
I reached for the bandages over his arrow wound and pulled it aside to see better.
"Not if I can help it. I am sorry I could not aid him, but his wounds were…." Celair cut me off as he nodded.
"I know… my lady… he was…" tears ran down his cheeks as he tried to speak. But he couldn't get himself to say it, but we both knew.
The tent covers then rolled aside and Arondor stepped in with a cloth-covered item in his hand. He saw that Deldir had now passed and bowed his head to him.
"May the Valar be with him on his journey" he said and bowed his head before turning to me.
"Here my lady, this is what was pulled out of Celair's shoulder" and he handed me an item of which made my hands feel cold as I got closer to it. A feeling elves never truly got. And it radiated of it when I held it. Slowly pulling the cloth aside the point came forth… Dark as night it was and few makings were on it. Small barely in view… but they said enough.
"Arondor. Get me Athalas and get it to me quickly and with warm water. Also, warn the captains. Wraiths are coming from the north!" I said sternly. He did not move at first. "NOW ARONDOR!" I cried and he rushed out of the tent. My worries for Tauriel came back as I now knew what evil was out there, but I had a job to do first for the elf in front of me.
Celair looked at me with a worried stare.
"My lady?" he asked shaking and gasping as the poison was in his body.
"You were struck by a Morgul arrow Celair.." I said as I reached for the cool water in the pot beside him.
His face was both worried and sickly when I told him. But he didn't seem to fully lose hope.
"I will heal you," I said as I got a wet cloth on his forehead and undid the bandages and he layed flat for me, just looking at his friend's body.
"I am sorry" he said as he looked over at him.
"We all are" I added and felt his wound.
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhsssssss" Celair gasped, yet didn't tell me to stop. He was a warrior to the core and it showed.
The wound looked clean for what it was worth and the arrowhead didn't seem like it was damaged, but I knew I would send him back to Imladris even after treating him for Ada to look over the wound as well.
Celair was quiet now except for gasps, worries, and sadness over his friend. I could not blame him. The loss affected us all hard and he had trained him for years.
Arondor then came back with Athalas and warm water as he set it beside me and got on the other side of Celair to aid me.
"The captains have been told, my lady. I have also sent out healers to get more Athalas from the valley and sent a rider to the western border to tell the Lord twins." He stated simply.
"Good, thank you Arondor." I reached for the Athalas, crushed it in my hands, and got half of it into the water for a drink and to wash the wound with it. The other half I started to chew and mash together. It was the quickest way to make a mash of it to have under the new bandage he would need. Arondor had not seen this treatment before as he was curious and comforted Celair that I was the daughter of the lord and he had taught all his children how to perform great feats of healing. I was thankful for him keeping Celair busy so didn't have to. My thoughts were on my wife, yet I knew she would be well if she didn't do anything rash.
The water made the Athalas send a sweet smell into the tent. Like it was cleaning it and helping with all our sadness too. I got a goblet and filled it. Handed it to Arondor. "Let it cool some, then have him drink all of it. It will aid him well." Arondor just nodded and held it as he took the cloth off his head got it into some fresh cool water and relay it on his head.
The mash I had been chewing I lay on a plate for later and took a new cloth to wash the wound with the Athalas water. "This might hurt. But it has to be done" I said and I got nods back. He gasped hard and moved while I washed it. I then got a new bandage ready before I put the paste on the wound and pushed it deep inside as I could with my little finger.
Celair screamed hard, but little choice did I have and he passed out from it. We hurried on and bandaged him up. "May the grace of our kin and the lords of the west bring you back to us. Warrior of the Noldorin. Walk to the light and do not let the darkness take you. Hear my voice as I command you to return." Arondor gave me a look and bowed his head. Celair was now asleep from the spell.
"He was lucky you had come, my lady. If not, I do not think he would have made the trip to Imladris" he said looking worriedly at the elf in the bed. "He still might not, but I think he will. Order his return to Imladris. He will need rest and I want my Ada to look over his wound. If more needs to be done, he will know it." I said firmly and stood up. My armor felt heavy for the first time and I knew it was not. Just what war represented and what we had to sacrifice to keep our home and Middle Earth safe.
"It will be done, my lady," he said and grabbed a sheet over Celair and I left them be. Not even able to stand up outside the tent I saw Idril moving quickly towards me.
"What has happened Idril?" I asked as I could read her as an open book after all these years.
"A ranger has returned, my lady," she said and stopped herself.
"What is it?!" I said feeling a lump in my throat.
"He is waiting on you my lady" she responded and turned as we ran towards the main tent of the camp. Yet she did not come in with me and moved off towards the back of the camp.
There stood Landor and Eroch. Not speaking a word even seeing the blood on my hands.
"Report, why have you returned alone!" I said sternly at the ranger.
He bowed his head and looked at me.
"Yes, my lady." He responded and told us about the travel to the now-enemy camp. How it was mostly unchanged, supplies had been moved up and he didn't know how it happened. But Pegien had been captured he also mentioned the black-hooded leaders of the enemy.
"Then I saw her my lady. Lady Tauriel had drawn her blades and jumped down. Blocking the enemies trying to attack Pegien…" he stopped himself and looked at me. "I wanted to aid her, but I could not. They are too many my lady…" at that I had heard more than enough.
"IDRIL." I cried out and rushed out of the tent to find the company assembled. Landor and Eroch are following me.
"Good, well done my friend," I said before I turned. "Well done to Eroch, now Landor. Take all the archers you have and place them on the mountainsides for support fire. My company will go and get my wife and Pegien." With that, they bowed and were off as I turned back to Idril.
"We are ready my lady" she simply stated and we moved out towards the path.
The warriors placed there had not moved into the woods and knew little of what was happening. But they had heard the clash of swords or blades of nothing else. I saw their eagerness as we passed, but did not order them to come.
We all fanned out as we moved into the trees and stayed at ground level. Swords and spears in front and archers behind. Thankfully the fight in camp had left the area around the camp empty and none seemed to notice us. I could hear the cries of Tauriel and she was fighting.
"Arrows at the ready" I whispered down the line and deadly silent the elves drew their bows and waited for the command.
As soon as they were ready I felt the feeling in my heart and moved elves armed with swords and spears closer, leaving a decent amount of them to protect our archers. We would take them off guard and I was ready for a fight. Seeing elves hurt, die, and now my wife in danger. No that would not stand with me.
"RELEASE ARROWS" I cried loudly and a volley flew over our heads and into the enemy line, cutting them down as two more volleys came and cut down even more of them. That is when I could not hold myself back and charged without giving a command. Idril thankfully did and with my sword drawn we clashed into the ranks of a confused enemy that was sure they had everything in hand. Not many times in my life had I been so happy to hear my wife cry out.
"ELWEN" and the robed figures in front of her turned towards me and yielded from me. As if they could not stand me and I saw them for what they were weak men who too easily accepted the gift of Sauron the deceiver.
A fire I felt in me like I had not felt before. I charged them hard and they were now defending themselves for all they were worth. I knew I could not kill them, but I would disrupt their plans and force them back. A horn blew and several orcs and men joined the fight behind me, but I was taken up with fighting the wrights. Tauriel helped Pegien out of where towards two warriors in the back and returned to me.
Together we pushed them hard back and in the end, they started to falter and cry out, their cries were more desperate now and men and orcs came to aid them. Several of our elves were getting wounded as the element of surprise was over, more and more of the enemy joined the fight and we got the bodies of our dead. With that we let ourselves get pushed back towards the path and I let out a cry for arrows and not long after they hit into the second and third lines of the enemy and they stopped coming for us. Fear struck them as they knew our archers were even more deadly than our swords and the black clothed captains did not follow them into battle. Slowly we moved back and I gave Tauriel an oswane comment.
"You are a fool, my love, jumping down in front of them like that, but I understand why!"
"I could not let her die, my love, I was able to save her so I did. Do not act as you would have done differently." She responded.
"Ney I think I would have done the same, but I still fear for you when you were not at my side"
To that, she turned and smiled at me as we slowly broke formation and sent our company back to camp. The guards blocked the gap again now with barricades and archers were now constantly at watch.
Finally, I could hug her again and feel her in my arms. She yanked back a little as I saw her wounds and with a hurried tone in my voice, I sent for bandages and Athalas to be safe.
"Tauriel…" I said and sent her a look.
"There were several and I was alone. I think I did quite well due to the odds." She responded with a cheeky look.
"You did. Still, they could have killed you" I shot back.
"But they did not and they fear you so either way I deem I am safe for I do not wish us to be separated again" she responded with a smile.
"We better not be when we meet them again!" I said and tied the knot on the bandage HARD.
"Aich.. she cried out and gave me a look.
Several of our company talked behind us about what they had seen, enough so that Landor came to us.
"They talk of horrid enemies now dressed in black. That made their bone shiver" he said and gave us a look.
"Hopefully it's not a new enemy, just another old one that has returned." He asked and gave me a look for it to be confirmed.
"Yes Landor… it was two of nine." I simply responded looking towards the path. "We must prepare for what is to come!" Tauriel added. The moon was now up high and night would soon start to fade as we decided to go to our tent.
There to our amazement, we found Estelwen arranging our clothes, bed, armor stands, and more. With a small tent for herself and two other servants beside ours.
"Estelwen" we cried out in joy.
"My ladies" she returned the smile and bowed her head a little. Clothed in the travel clothes we had made for her.
"You did not have to come…" I started to say and her finger came up quickly.
"I am your maid my ladies and I am to serve you and so will I until released of that task!" she commented strongly.
"Now let us get you out of that armor and washed. Blood and bedsheets do not go well together" she said and gave us a smile before two servants came to us from behind and started to aid undressing us. It did not take them long as they were both very proficient at it as we stood there in just our underclothes and Estelwen nodded for us to follow her. We did and behind our tent was a tub set up with covers all around it for our privacy. She then helped us both out of the last clothing we had on and I could see Tauriel's wounds better as the bandages had been removed, I was to give it a look, but we got both made to get into the tub.
Food was brought by the other two servants and Tauriel with her big green eyes looked at me and said with a smile on her face.
"I needed this now and you my love" as I felt her body on mine under the water and her warm lips kissing mine.
"So do I my love so do I" I responded and kissed her back.
With so we ate our food and the servants along with Estelwen washed us and got us ready for bed. We had both had a long day and now we would have our first good rest in a long time, no matter what evil had happened this day.