A sudden blast of light- bright and golden. The orc stumbled backwards as if burned and a scream tore out of its throat.
Erenien shot open her eyes, still expecting the flare of pain. They beheld the light as her confused brain tried to figure out what was happening. Soft curls of light emanated from her crossed arms, which by instinct had come up to shield her from the blow, forming a glowing sphere around her.
The light worked through her body, healing every scratch and cut and bruise. It clothed her in a familiar set of golden armour atop a chainmail of mithril. The ivory cloth of her cloak was emblazoned with the insignia of a golden sun, just like the golden breastplate. Upon her waist hung Anoriel's sword, hilt similarly embossed with the sun. Her hands came up to touch the unfamiliar weight of the crown at her brow and she remembered her mother's words.
The sphere of light slowly faded. Those around her snapped out of their stupefied state and the battle resumed. Her sword rang clearly as it was unsheathed, singing of the defiance of the firstborn* against the armies of darkness and of battles bravely fought since the beginning of history.
The orc chief finally dragged himself up after some effort. She waited for him to stand, adjusting the grip on the hilt of her sword.
"Witch," he muttered while her lips twitched into a feral grin in reply.
"I should have killed you," he croaked, as he bent down to take his sword.
"You should have."
She lunged forward. Her opponent couldn't match her agility with the new energy flowing through her. With one last swing of her sword, she disarmed him and brought him to his knees.
"For my family...," saying this, she plunged it into his chest and pulled it back while thick, black liquid sprayed on her sides and seeped into the ground.
When at last he stilled, she glanced up at Thranduil, who watched her with awe and gave a triumphant smile. Head held high, she walked into the dying embers of the battle, and fell in line beside her father. Thranduil caught her in a quick embrace, in a moment spared because of the guards around the king. Together they resumed fighting, as their swords sang in unison for the upcoming victory. It didn't take much time before the enemy fled with the last of their strength.
***
A worried nudge to her mind. She extricated herself from the embraces of her father and brother and spun on her heels to meet the worried glance of Feren in a far corner of the battleground.
Laerdil!
With one quick nod to her father, she ran to the group of friends encircling a rock. As they made way for her, she saw Laerdil sitting on the ground, leaning against the rock. There was a growing stain of scarlet on his leather armour.
"Why didn't you take him to the healers?" Erenien cried out to her friends.
"I asked them not to, Erenien." Laerdil mumbled.
"Why?" she croaked, bending her knees to sit in front of him.
"I thought that if I was taken, I might not see you again."
"I am right here. Now come, we need to bring you to healers. " She stood up, taking his arm in hers. That was when his head suddenly dropped down.
"Laero! Can you hear me? "Laero..."
A beloved voice was urgently calling him. His eyes lost focus now and then, and his lips stubbornly refused to obey the command of his mind. A warm rain poured down from her eyes to splatter on his armour. One desperate plea came out of her quivering lips as she raised his knuckles to meet them.
YOU ARE READING
The Eternal Starlight
Fanfiction"I cannot raise a child!" Thranduil said aghast. "What she needs is a mother and a father- a proper family," he sighed. "Maybe she has found them in you..." It was said that after the death of his Queen, the Elven king became bitter and cold. Everyo...
