The Eastern Woman

Wargs of Gundabad

"It's approaching."

Legolas watched a distant point on the horizon. "You were right."

"Is it alone?" asked Goneril.

"Yes. It's an explorer. Others will come." confirmed the Elf.

"Kill it. And do it quickly, before it comes too close to the people of Rohan. If they see it, they will panick." she ordered.

Goneril and Legolas had climbed the highest hill in that dry and frozen valley. The warrior girl could recognize the howls of the Wargs, which were very different from those of the common wolves. One could be eliminated with relative ease, but a dozen... it would have been much more difficult. They were strong, ferocious and always hungry animals. If they had attacked the people of Théoden, they would have slaughter all.

"Don't give me orders." Legolas answered, without even looking at her. From the icy inflection of his voice, his contempt was evident.

"As proud as your father." retorted Goneril. She had never met Thranduil, but the rumors about his temper were recurrent. Apart from having banished his more experienced Healer without much compliment, over the years he had repeatedly given orders to close the borders of Greenwood, in a sort of solemn isolation from the rest of the world. The reputation of Icy King was absolutely appropriate.

"What do you know of my father? Nothing. Don't talk about him, therefore." retorted the Elf. "And it will be better for you to stay away from me."

Goneril approached him. "You threat to kill me? Do it now, then: it is the perfect occasion, the others are far away, they will not see you. Then, you could tell everyone that it was an Orc." It seemed like she utterly enjoyed provoking him.

Legolas continued to scrutinize the landscape. The esplanade in front of them looked like a desert of yellowish and dry grass. The sky, however, was clear and blue, almost as if Eru had wanted to bless that exodus with a bright day.

The Elf's finest hearing suggested him that the Warg was coming. Those beasts were bred in Gundabad, that ancient stronghold at the border with Angmar, the northern kingdom in which his mother had died two millennia before.

"Don't challenge my patience." muttered the Prince of Eryn Galen.

"You won't kill me. You could not. Elves are not murderers. I, on the other hand, would know exactly how to deal with someone like me." the woman smiled.

"Then kill yourself, and free this world from your presence." Legolas added.

"I don't think I can give you this satisfaction. My time has not yet arrived, dear Prince." she answered, then she saw the Warg: there was a small Orc on its back.
"It's coming ... what's that idiot doing ?!" She exclaimed. She had noticed Gamling approaching on horseback, he was passing under the hill where Legolas and she were standing. Another soldier accompanied him.

"Retreat, you cretins!" she tried to scream, but it was too late: the wolf jumped and bit the neck of a horse. Gamling was thrown from the saddle and fell ruinously on his back, the other soldier's fate was far worse: the beast tore off half his face with a bite. Legolas prepared the arrow and aimed straight at the animal's jaw. In a flash he jumped off the cliff and killed the Orc, with a precise cut under his neck.

"Thanks for the help." he growled at Goneril, who had been watching the scene from above.

"You did it splendidly by yourself, I think. We have to warn the others."  she answered.

"They are already coming with the horses. And those monsters, too."  said the Elf, pointing at a dozen approaching Orcs and Wargs.

Aragorn, Théoden, and another group of Rohan's soldiers arrived on horses.  One of them led Aldair by the bridle and, as soon as it saw its master, it gallopped faster to reach her.  Goneril jumped on the saddle.