abnormal tragedy

Chapter 15: moria

"This is no mine. This is a tomb." Boromir concluded as the Fellowship walked further into Moria. Falling into step with Aragorn, Rowan wrapped an arm around his. "This place is so creepy, why did the dwarves even want to stay here?" She questioned looking around. Her brother laughed,  "No idea." Then Aragorn stopped when he walked into a room with a white tombstone. The room was covered with dead bodies or what was left of them. Dwarves.

"The Dwarves... they were clearly... intercepted."

"By whom?" asked Rowan, her voice slightly wavering. Legolas pulled a crude arrow out of a skeleton and examines it, Rowan moves closer and studies the arrow tip as well.. "Orcs" She and Legolas says at the same time. Legolas nods and pulls out an arrow from his quizer and immediately stands in front of Rowan.

That orcs were responsible for the carnage before them had been obvious to Rowan the moment they had stumbled upon the camp. The broad gashes in the bodies were distinct, made by the unevenly serrated blades favoured by the orcs of Dol Guldur. And the footprints in the marshland suggested a chaotic attack from all sides, matching the orcs' preferred tactic of overwhelming force over tactical assault. See! Rowan's ranger skills were perfectly fine!

Whether it was the sight of senseless death, or Aragorn's irritatingly superior knowledge of Rhovanion, or his smug face that did it, but something inside Rowan suddenly snapped and she found herself spoiling for a fight. "Great – orcs. Of course we were going to encounter orcs this close to Dol Guldur. Whose stupid idea was it to come this way?" she turned on her brother, "oh that's right - yours."

Aragorn looked briefly taken aback by the accusation but soon rallied himself to face down his sister's rage. "Well it's not like we had a plethora of better options. What would you have done? Between the trolls of Ettenmoore, Moria, Saruman in the South and orcs in Anduin, I'm going to go with Orcs! At least we'd be in the green, pleasant lands of Anduin, not trying to pick our way across treacherous mountaintops." Aragorn shouted back at Rowan. "Ah yes - because there's nothing I like more than admiring a picturesque vista while being bludgeoned to death by orcs."

"As a ranger, surely you yourself are talented at bludgeoning. I'm beginning to wonder what ranger talents you do possess. Or perhaps you simply call yourself a ranger to excuse your sartorial choices and lack of apparent personal grooming." Aragorn spat at her making Rowan move backwards fighting back tears. "I don't bludgeon... I stab them to death!" Rowan shouted before turning to face the strange noise which she heard.

From the edge of the tomb, Aragorn looked concerned by Rowan's sudden silence and stepped towards her. "Someone is coming," Rowan finally announced, her nose scrunched in consternation, as if annoyed that someone had had the audacity to interrupt her while she was opinionating.

"Who?" asked Aragorn with evident concern. "I don't know," she snapped, "their footfalls are loud and clumsy; they are not elves or dwarves."

"Orcs or men?!" he demanded, her own concern growing "You're the so called ranger! You tell me!" Aragorn's patience was gone, "from which direction do they approach?!" Rowan indicated to the door, the rage draining from her face to make way for her growing fear. Rowan and Aragorn stepped forward to face whatever was advancing, drawing their swords. Behind the two rangers, was Legolas with his bow, Gimli with his axe and Boromir yet again looking after the hobbits.

Rowan could see the arrow shake in the Legolas's hands – shit.

"Rowan! Take the Hobbits and go to the back of the chamber! Stay behind Gandalf!" Aragorn shouted. "No! I want to fight! You can use my help," Rowan yelled angrily. She wasn't going to stand helpless at the sidelines again. Not this time. There wasn't anytime for anyone to argue as the rumble came quietly at first then crescendoed into a mighty crash as the orcs burst through the tomb doors. Metal clashed with metal as Rowan and Aragorn surged forward to face the enemy. From him safe distance, Legolas sent arrows methodically flying towards the orcs as they emerged from their obscurity among the reeds.