The Hatred of Sauron

Chapter Five: War is upon you

The wait for Legolas and Tauriel to return was long, especially when waiting with the king who sent me frequent displeased looks. I just stared back at him firmly, I had nothing to do with this escape or the attack. After and hour Legolas returned with Tauriel and an orc held firmly by one of his knives to their throat. Thranduil came down from his throne and stepped towards Legolas.

'What is this horrid creature doing here?' Thranduil asked in disgust. Tauriel stood next to me, which would have been awkward were it not for the concerned look on her face. I heard that last night she was talking to Kili, she had seemed to take a liking to the dwarf. This almost gave me hope that elf/dwarf relations might improve, to resemble the harmony between the elves of Eregion and the dwarves of Moria. But I doubted that, as often mortal relations with elves rarely ended happily.

'I brought him in for questioning, there may yet be more we can find out about these dwarves that Callon has not disclosed' Legolas justified. Thranduil bowed his head to him, 'very well.' Thranduil began to walk around the filth slowly, assessing the spawn of evil in front of us. It struggled in Legolas' grasp, though it would never escape.

'Such is the nature of evil, out there in the vast ignorance of the world infests and spreads, a shadow that grows in the dark, a sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it was, so it ever will be, in  time all foul things come forth,' Thranduil finished. 

'You were tracking the company of thirteen dwarves,' Legolas spoke up, holding the knife ever closer to the orc's neck. 'Why?' he interrogated. The foul creature snarled.

'Not thirteen, not anymore,' it retaliated. 'A young one,' Tauriel turned to him at this, 'a black-haired archer, we stuck him with a Morgul shaft.' I knew Tauriel was trying to hide her concern, but I could see her eyes gave away too much to this orc. 'Poison's in his blood, he'll be choking on it soon,' the orc pronounced, waiting for a reaction from Tauriel, who gave him none. 

'Answer the question filth,' she demanded. I gave it a stern glare to do so as well. But this orc was stubborn, and instead retorted back in Black Speech, which I understood because of the Burden. 

'I do not answer to dogs, She-Elf!' he tried to lunge towards her, but Legolas pressed the knife further into his murky skin, keeping him well restrained. Tauriel flicked her knife out, as if she were ready to kill. Please don't do anything stupid Tauriel, I thought, giving her a warning look and shaking my head slowly. But she only turned away from my face, still seething in anger.

'I would not antagonise her,' Legolas advised. He knew well that Tauriel had a short temper and a firm hand.

'You like killing things orc?' Tauriel asked, the orc licked its lips in anticipation. 'You like death? Then let me give it to you!' she shouted and dove in for the kill, but I could see from the fury on Thranduil's face as he shouted, making her stop instantly.

'Enough! Tauriel, leave! Go now!' he commanded. Clearly Thranduil did not want to deal with the danger-filled and less wise antics of his people, despite the times when he was susceptible to it. Legolas glanced up at Tauriel, who nodded with dignity and strode off. I knew she would not stay put in the halls, she had the determined look that I occasionally held when I angrily defy orders. She was going to find the dwarves. 

Not that I would stop her, she seemed to be better with the dwarves than I, and she could help them. Unlike me, who Gandalf had entrusted them with my guidance through Mirkwood and had failed them. I could not redeem myself so easily now, as the king was already frustrated with me, and I could risk no more errors. 

'I don't care about one dead dwarf, answer the question, you have nothing to fear,' Thranduil said clearly lying. Not that I cared for the orc, they are part of the reason that I have this fell power. 'Tell us what you know and I will set you free,' Thranduil reassured him. The orc breathed out in fury.