To Live Again: Waiting Between Worlds {Lord of the Rings Fanfiction}

The Fall

SouthWestern Greenwood - Fortress of Amon Lanc

Legolas notched an arrow and drew back his bow, his briefly narrowed eyes widened as his vision was satisfied with his target, and with a twinge of movement the arrow was released and flung itself straight into the throat of an approaching orc.

Without pausing he notched another arrow and stealthily crept behind the trunk of a fallen tree - its width almost the height of Legolas. The tide of battle had changed and coincidentally that made sneaking away that much harder for the Prince.

As shafts of bright sunlight cut through the canopy of trees - like blades of blinding light slicing through the suffocating darkness - Legolas knew his sister had achieved victory with the sickly shadow that darkened the way of the attacking orc shaman. No longer able to hide or use concealment magic the orc commanders, having seemingly decided that favour had left them, threw themselves and their vile minions into a full scale strike before the shadow of Amon Lanc. What worried Legolas now, more than ever, was the state of his Naneth, for if the orc believed they had lost their grip on victory would they simply dispose of the bait, and if they did that then his father really was in a snare.

Every second was wasting precious time as he ducked, dodged, and repelled as many of the massing attacks as he could. He had to reach the fortress, and he was pretty certain the river that ran into it would be his best chance.

Legolas had slipped out of Aradan's notice only moments before and he could still hear the King's hand calling frantically for him, but he didn't have the time allowed to explain his actions, so he simply hoped he could ask forgiveness later. The warriors had a handle of the battle, it was too wild and badly organised to ever succeed in the favour of the orc shaman, but then again that did not mean that they could not cause a mighty slew of destruction. Even the haphazard battle created a distraction and a headache for the far superior elves, they would never get close enough to the old fortress to aid their King in time..

And that was why Legolas knew it had to be him.

He was quick as lightening as he darted along riverbank, only having to knock down a handful of infantry orc on his way to one of the old river gates that led into the fortress. He angled his way through the broken bars, and as quiet as a little mouse, he made his way through the crumbling ruins. He hadn't the slightest notion where he was going but he hoped his intuition would kick in, or he'd pick up the sounds of a struggle...or, if luck should have it...a couple of idiot orc bumbling along a dark corridor would give him all the information he needed!

With a delighted smirk Legolas slid to a halt behind a decaying pillar and set an arrow on his target. The two orcs were bickering in their disgusting language, fighting over scraps of mouldy bread, and their shrieking protests were certainly the most irritating sounds he had ever had the displeasure of listening to. So, it really was a relief when he let his arrow fly into the eye socket of the most squawky of the duo.

The orc went rigid and collapsed perfectly on his stunned companioned, who predictably started squealing like a pig when he realised he was now trapped under the smelly carcass. The kill was so brilliantly timed that Legolas practically skipped from his hiding place with a smug grin on his youthful features - he rather enjoyed that one.

Coming to stand above the shrieking orc Legolas felt his earlier buzz dissipate as he snatched an arrow out of his quiver and drove it into the flailing orc's knee, firmly keeping him grounded. The beast glared indignantly at the elf and spat in-between his deafening yowls. Legolas, having had enough of the ear splitting sound, choked the orc off with his boot to the throat.

"Shut it," he hissed pointing an arrow at his head, the orc immediately stilled. "I can't have your friends following your squeals, although, I presume that you have no friends in the vicinity since they are all fighting in a battle that you are clearly avoiding." Legolas rolled his eyes at the cowardice of these wretched beasts, they really were the most vile abominations.