Unspoken ( A Legolas Love Story )

2.11: Marital Discord

"So this is what marriage does to you...." Elladan remarked drily, as he shook his head. The Rangers had arrived to the left of the hillside and were drawn up short by the sight that met their eyes.

Four enormous trolls, each as brutish and burly as the next, were all bellowing at the top of their lungs and shoving one another in their haste to chase after the source of their consternation; two figures, one petite and dark, the other tall and fair, both running for their lives. The ground shook fit to waken the dead.

"I think they decided to start the fight without us..."

"Fools," muttered Strider.

Are they ... arguing? Asked Elrohir in disbelief.

"It would appear so... as I said, marriage..."

"The ravine!" yelled Strider, as he realized the direction they were headed. Elladan saw Legolas and Wren jump into shallow mouth of it, arm in arm.

The trolls lumbered in after them, the steep walls of narrow ravine rising fast along the length of it, easily reaching thirty feet in height. It was a slim chasm, a tight fit for such monstrous creatures. No doubt it would be an even tighter fit for whatever the trolls were chasing, once they got it cornered at the southern end. For inevitably that was what would happen... Elladan could see that the ravine tapered into a dead end as it wound down the hill, likely the unfortunate consequence of a colossal landslide.

The rangers rushed after the stampeding trolls and followed them along each of the cliff faces and rocky ledges that lined the ravine on either sides.

"Well, they have certainly made it easy for us." Beringil shouted, an arrow already notched to his bowstring. "I say we take advantage of a good shot while we have it."

"The sooner the better," said Elladan tersely, as Beringil headed to the opposite side of the chasm.

Taking up a position on the rim of the ravine, Elladan had an all too clear view of what was going on below. The four trolls,  each tall as they were wide, the height of almost three men, were forced to move in single file as they chased the pair. Legolas and Wren had gained some space between them on the flat ground but were now rapidly approaching the dead end of the ravine.

"Aim for the upper body and head!" Yelled Strider.

"Fire!" Beringil gave the order, drawing back the fletching of his arrow to his ear before sighting and releasing.

Arrows pelted down like rain on the trolls from either side. Trolls have thick hide and the four brutes were more angered than hurt from the first volley. Elladan and Elrohir both carried shortbows, but those lacked the draw weight necessary to really do any damage on such beasts. As the rangers continued, firing at will now, the trolls roared with fury and began to thrash, shaking great clods of dirt and stone from the walls of the ravine; the two elves were forced to watch helplessly.

"They are going to be crushed," yelled Elrohir.

"I have lost sight of them," responded Elladan, as he felt the breath die in his lungs. He strained to see through the pandemonium and cloud of dust the trolls were kicking up as they were slowly pelted with arrows.

One of the trolls gave a great wheezing heave, and suddenly collapsed as his leg gave way and Elladan caught sight of flash of steel and darting silver-haired elf in the mayhem on the ravine floor, and then lost sight of Legolas as the elf prince spun under another troll.

"They have turned back, they are in the melee" Elladan yelled to his brother , catching sight of Wren duck between two trolls, both her knives moving swiftly.