The Return

A Letter

     {}«Legolas' POV»{}

Arrows whistle through the air. Screams of fear echo in the air around me as elves rush to and fro in an attempt to flee.

Word had come of yet another Orc pack coming from the south-west. This one is the largest to have crossed our borders. One hundred had attempted to cross.

They attacked during the early hours of morning. Those on patrol were able to kill half of them on sight. But seventy-five broke through and are now raising havoc on a village west of my adar's halls, burning, and killing everything in their sight.

I continue to shoot beside several archers under my command. We are positioned in the trees. This gave us the ability to see, but left us vulnerable to any Orc archers.

I turn as a cry is uttered from one of the ellyn beside me. He falls to the earth and I look for the shooter. I spot him and I draw back another arrow. The Orc's aim was not in our direction now though, it is at my friend and captain: Thaladir. He had taken his ellyn around to the west side, whilst I stayed on the east side.

Aiming my arrow at the Orc, I exhale and release the string. True to its mark, the arrow drives itself into the Orc's skull. He releases but his shot is a poor one. It flies through the air, landing harmlessly in the trees.

Only a few are left now, so I discard my bow and unsheathe the long white knife I carry on my hip. Making my way down the street, I behead the first Orc that comes within reach. The second receives my blade through its chest, it gasps for breath as blood drips from its mouth. I rip my sword from its wretched body and it falls face first onto the leaf covered ground.

The remaining Orcs start to retreat only to meet their end when the archers that remained in the trees let their arrows fly. Ten of them drop dead on impact while three others stagger on a few feet before meeting the ground.

I hurry to where I saw the ellon fall out of the tree. He landed on his back, the arrow shaft sticking out his abdomen. Two others are already there, applying pressure to the wound. I curse under my breath at the blood that soaked his leather armor.

I turn around, surveying the area. Orc corpses litter the ground. The warriors that aren't caring for the wounded have already started gathering the bodies and piling then outside the village to burn.

<><><><><><><><>

It's evening before I return home. Adar is sitting in his chair in front of the roaring fire, reading several papers in his hands. He doesn't look up until I sit down on the couch across from him and pour a glass of wine. I take a sip before breaking the silence. "Seventy-five made it through this time."

He sighs and sets his papers aside. "Casualties?"

"Fifteen. We arrived at the same time the Orcs did and were able to kill most of them before they made it into the village."

He nods as he stares at the flickering flames. "What of your warriors?"

"In that we were more fortunate. Only two were injured and they are expected to recover."

He looks up at me. "And how do you fare ion nin?"

"I am well adar," I reassure him. "Though I am worried, their numbers seem to be growing."

"Indeed," he answers and hands the papers he was reading to me. "According to this letter, Gondor has also been experiencing these raids. King Elessar wishes to meet to discuss this matter as we seem to be the only two realms under this new threat."