Gwaedh [Legolas Love Story] - COMPLETED

Prologue

"We are not enough! They outnumber us by four to one!"

"We have had worst odds before, and they will have advantage and endanger our families if they reach the village," the father claims "Gather your armours and as many weapons as you can, we fight them by the Forest Gate." 

The men nodded and tightened or dressed their armours, most of them baring the Gondorian tree on their chest. Elarinya approached "Father..."

"Ela, you need to stay here, help and protect your mother and sister. We will hold them away from here, but if any escapes I know you can deal with them." 

Elarinya nodded worriedly and suddenly hugged her father, who kissed her hair. Her mother walked closer to them "Dear Ela, go help your sister bandage the wounds. I'll be back there soon." 

Elarinya nodds once more and walks to the improvised infirmary. Looking back, she sees her parents hugging and kissing goodbye, her mother holding his hand before he mounts his horse and rides south. 

"Father will be fine, right?" her sister looks worriedly at her.

Ela smiles "He is the best warrior of our village. And I will protect you too, Athelas, I promise. And, look at this, you are doing an incredible job with those bandages!" 

Their mother soon arrives and helps the girls treating the wounded, smiling proudly at her children. Elarinya helps more on the logistics and bringing materials, as Athelas is far better at healing than her, even though she is younger. The name must have blessed her. 

It is afternoon when a pack of orcs reaches the village. Only around fourty, but most of the men have left for the battle south. Elarinya grabs her bow and starts shooting from the distance, taking down five. The villagers panicking and crossing her vision only difficult her aim, and soon the orcs are at a closer range. Elarinya locks the bow on her back, retrieves the sword from her sheath and starts fighting them, slicing and trespassing them as they got on their way. 

Shortly after, although time runs faster with the adrenaline of the fight, Athelas' yell alerts Elarinya. The girl grunts and kills the orc facing her, then turns around and notices her sister with a dagger on her hand, crying and screaming, an orc advancing on her. Elarinya shouts her name and picks her bow again, shooting the orc. As soon as the orc falls on the ground, Athelas runs towards the infirmary. Their mother lies on the entrance, blood stains her torso. 

Elarinya covers her mouth and drops to her knees by the side of her sister, the young teenager crying loudly and shaking vigorously their mother's dead body. Elarinya cries and hugs her sister, loses track of time, doesn't know if there are more orcs attacking. All she wants is to hold her dear sister against her chest and let all evil far away.  

An old man approaches and touches her shoulder "Elarinya, go get your father." 

Elarinya looks at her sister and then at the man "I shouldn't leave..."

"No," Athelas says quietly, wiping her tears "Please, go and bring him back here."

"I will protect her, don't worry," the man assures "there are no more orcs."

Elarinya nods and gets up, kissing her sister's forehead "I will be back with father as soon as I can."

Elarinya mounts the only horse left and rides towards the Forest Gate. She has just lost her mother, her father doesn't know he has lost the love of his life. How has she failed to protect her own mother? Almost lost her sister too if it wasn't for her scream. Elarinya wipes the tears and focuses on riding. 

Elarinya and Thranduil arrive on the battlefield at the same time. Bodies of orcs, elves and men cover the ground. The girl and the Elven King are the only two who stand on their feet. 

"No, no, no..." Elarinya dismounts her horse and runs towards the bodies, yelling "Father! Father!" 

Thranduil too steps out of the Forest Gate and walks between the bodies of his own people. He follows sadly the desperate girl, who reminds him of when he searched for his son's body among the dead of the Battle of the Five Armies, decades ago. He misses him terribly. 

Thranduil's worries for his son drop as he hears the muffled scream of the girl, who falls to her knees in front of a man. She cries and shakes him softly "Father? Father, please..." she touches his neck and feels no pulse. Desperately, she remembers the healing magic of elves and looks at the king "Can you do something? Please."

Thranduil kneels on the other side of her father's body and places his hand over his forehead. There is no feeling back. He looks at the girl and answers softly "I am sorry." 

The girl cries in agony, and it reminds him of Legolas when he lost his mother, the day Thranduil wondered if he would fade had it not been for the love of his son. Human hearts are stronger than the elven though, and Thranduil ponders on what he should do or say in front of such pure suffering. He has no time, as far away a few orcs approach. Thranduil raises, walks towards them and soon they are decapitated. When the king turns back, the girl is dragging her father's body towards her horse. His own cold heart fills with sadness at the scene.

Elarinya manages to place her father over the horse and rides. She had promised her sister she would return with him. That same night, the sisters bury their parents.

_______

Notes:

According to the books, while the ring was being destroyed, the elves of Lothlorien and the elves of Mirkwood, led by Celeborn and Thranduil, joined forces to destroy the orcs of Dol Guldur (the "birthplace" of The Necromancer - and ressurection of Sauron - as it is represented in The Hobbit movies). This battle is told to have happened between 28th march and 6th april of 3019, the same time the prologue is written. 

I hope you have enjoyed Elarinya's presentation! More is to come, now after the war. Don't forget to vote and comment!