The Silvan (Lord of the Rings-Legolas)[Wattys2016]

Chapter 55: Judgement

The afternoon light was rapidly failing, and candles and torches were lit in the strategy room where the Captains now stood talking quietly, expectantly.

Dinner had been a quick, practical affair, for none of them could wait to get back to the final part of this, extraordinary trial, one none of them would forget, especially Legolas.

Strategy, intuition, forward planning. However good a warrior was, if he did not excel in these skills, he would never earn a command, and that is what they would now put to the test.

"Legolas, step forward," said Huron, making way for him at the massive table around which they all stood. Upon it, sat a map of the entire Greenwood and off to one side, six boxes, each containing differently coloured stones.

"These," said Huron as he dipped his hands into the green stones, are our warriors and these," he pointed to the black ones, "are orcs. Yellow stones are for spiders, grey for shelters, blue for water sources and red for other patrols. Take a good look at the map, Legolas. There is more detail than you may spot at first sight, take your time."

The captains watched him closely as his extraordinary green eyes keenly scanned the forest, the hills and the streams, the caves and the plains, the fortress of Dol Guldur...

"You are here," said Huron, counting out twenty green stones and placing them upon the map. "They are here, and here, he pointed, reaching first for the black and then the yellow stones. "There is a patrol here," he pointed, adding a red stone off to the west. Deploy your warriors," said Huron and then fell silent.

Legolas' eyes narrowed, noting where his own group was, the distance between them and the Western patrol, the enemy numbers, their proximity to civilian areas, water sources, caves in which they could find shelter, or perhaps use as vantage points.

"How many of my elves are archers?"

"Ten."

Picking two green stones from his own group, he put them with the western patrol and then picked five more, replacing them upon the map. Five more were placed separately and then the remaining elves behind them.

"Archers," he pointed, "foot warriors here. Runners to the western patrol, they are close enough to lend aid but that would depend on the time of day?" he asked.

"Morning," said Huron.

"These two groups are close enough that we may box them in here," he pointed. "With luck the western patrol will join this central group here before the enemy is engaged. If they do not arrive, a second decision would be made before engagement," he said confidently, placing one more green stone half-way towards the enemy. A scout here will better inform of their proximity and movement."

Huron's eyes moved from the map to Legolas, and then to the rest of the Captains, but they were silent.

Dunorel stepped forward, swiping the stones away and starting anew. "One patrol here, and another here. An ambush further ahead, here, has a broken patrol with four wounded. How do you get them to safety?"