Ties of Friendship ( Book 1 of THE TALES OF THREE )

11 - The Downfall of The King

Just as Lily was slipping into the space between sleep and waking, something shot through her, rousing her at once.

An invisible force guided her to the stone doors of the Elvenking's Halls. Slowly, she pushed them open. Nothing but a few stray stars could be seen in the moonless night. Branches cracked eerily, leaves whispering in the wind.

"What are you doing?"

Lily jumped. She whirled around to face Tauriel. What am I doing? "Sorry. I'll go back to sleep." As she caught a last glance at the dark forest, there was a split second where the layer of night fallen over Greenwood lifted a shade.

A line of black shapes was creeping towards them.

Tauriel slammed the doors shut and sprinted through the halls, Lily trying to keep up. "I'll sound the alarm. You-"

A crash resounded.

The entrance had been battered by one blow, and orcs, wargs, goblins, and other fell things of darkness were streaming in like ants out of an anthill.

How is that possible? Lily froze, no idea of where to go. Those doors are magicked. Who could cast such a strong counterspell?

The Elves emerged, their bows bent, shooting arrows into the endless tide. Yet it was as useless as killing one locust in a storm of many.

Lily half regained her senses. As she strung an arrow, she heard Tauriel yell at her, "Go! Go to the highest level and stay there!"

Lily obeyed, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Being attacked by orcs in the forest had been nerve-wracking, but this was worse - this was an actual battle - something she was not prepared for.

She randomly shot her arrow and nocked another. She felt as if she was still half in the dreaming world as she dodged orcs and shot. She had almost reached the top when she felt herself thrown against the wall. Wincing, her vision cleared, and Lily saw the filthy monsters surrounding her.

Thranduil broke through the circle. His hair flew out behind them, his robes swirling around him. Goblin and orc fell, but more came. Like in Tauriel's patrol team, Lily felt stupid, and not only useless, but like a burden.

An orc brandished his knife behind Thranduil. Acting on instinct, Lily shot her last arrow. It struck home.

But at that moment, an orc-shaft came whistling towards Thranduil. He looked up too late, and the arrow smote him in the chest.

Lily gasped and drew her dagger. Unlike Madeline, her skill was with the bow and arrow, and she felt sure she would get disarmed in a matter of minutes, but she would not simply stand there.

She knew, though, that the monsters no longer cared about her - instead, they were focused on the Elven king. Shivers went down her spine as she heard the cruel rumbling of the orcs: Kill. Kill.

"Lainethiel!" The arrow stuck out from Thranduil, but his sword still flashed as quickly as lightning. "Use your-"

Lily understood. As she reached the place she had pinned her brooch, she was knocked backwards. The brooch flew out of her grasp, landing several feet away. An orc lunged towards Lily, and his foot sent the pin skidding towards her. She could just almost reach it with her fingertips. Desperately, Lily flung her dagger at the orc, and by the only stroke of fortune, it hit its target. She threw herself at her brooch, her fingers closing around it.

As if understanding her haste, it grew warm quickly, and Lily pictured the first thing that came to mind - Madeline's bedroom.

Lily found Madeline staring at her.

For a moment, no words could form in her mouth. Then they tumbled out at once. "Greenwood- attacked- get help!"

"What?" As Madeline said it, she understood, and snatched her brooch. Yet it remained cold as ice, and the frigid feeling seeped through her.

"The portal is closed!"

"It can't be!" Lily was painfully aware that each moment she wasted, ten passed in Greenwood, and who knew how many lives were being lost? "What will we-"

For the second time in half an hour, she heard the bang of a door being broken - followed by the screams of Madeline's family.

The two girls, dreading what they'd see, raced down the stairs. Orcs and goblins, baring their teeth, were kicking chairs and smashing vases. Madeline's family cowered under a table, huddled together. And leading the orcs was a too familiar face.

Matthew.

His black blade gleamed.

Racing through the door came Aurora, panting. "I've been following Matthew!" She paused, surprised to see Lily. "There's way more of these things. We can't win - by force."

"The rings!" cried Lily.

The three girls tried to focus. On what? What emotion could they muster? Their minds were barred from each other, and there was no time to reattempt.

"Run! Barricade your room!" Aurora shouted.

Madeline found her dagger slipping from her grip, hitting the hard floor. An orc raised his blade, but another knife ran through him. To her shock, her eyes met that of June, her nine-year-old sister afraid of everything, wielding a kitchen knife.

"I couldn't let you die," June whispered.

With that, the fog over Madeline's mind evaporated. Anger and pride. The downfall of men. Galadriel's voice rang through her head.

The three girls, followed by Madeline's family, bounded up the stairs and shoved all the furniture they could behind the door of her room.

Madeline knew what she had to do.