With a secret mission to marry an elf, Wynne must join Legolas' and Elvenking Thranduil's new quest as a horsekeeper. She begins an adventurous journey, encountering orcs and monsters, friendly uruk-hai, a lady dwarf and many Fellowship heroes - but...
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~ Wynne and the elves struggle to set her free but the orcs are more clever than they thought. ~
14. Elves to the Aid
After some time had passed Wynne began to feel very tired. She had no idea how it could be possible in such a scary and dangerous situation as this one, but somehow she felt her eyelids get heavy and she even drowsed off a few times.
A frantic pounding made her wide awake. Someone was beating on the door she had come in through.
She heard a loud, very angry voice yelling imperiously: "Open up! Open the door this instant or I shall tear it to pieces!"
It was Legolas!
A flood of warmth surged through her. He had found her! In some mysterious way the elves had managed to track her captors all the way here.
The orcs jumped to their feet and growled ugly words in their language, perhaps curses. Lug pulled Wynne up while Burz opened a door behind the sacks and crates that she had not noticed before.
They dragged her into another low passage, similar to the one they had entered through. Meanwhile the pounding increased behind them and loud thuds indicated that the entrance door was being worked on with something heavy.
The passage ended at another round door, very much like the first one. Outside she saw the open grasslands again.
The orcs hauled her out and ran together with her for a few yards, crouching in fear of arrows. But their precaution was unnecessary; the hill was empty when they turned around. The elves must still be at the other side, unaware there was a back door.
It was frustrating to know that help was so close, yet so far away.
Then Wynne noticed the horses nearby and felt a glimmer of new hope. If she could call Vatna to her, she might be able to escape on horseback. But before she could try, strong orc hands grabbed her again.
They didn't lose any time. Lug threw her onto his shoulder and started to run and she had no way of stopping him, not with her hands still tied behind her back.
She got another idea. The elves were near and they had exceptional hearing. "Help! HELP!" she yelled on top of her lungs.
Lug stopped with another curse (presumably) and shook Wynne roughly. "Quiet, woman! I shall..." But he never had time to finish telling her what he would do, for now five elves jumped up from behind the hill, two with swords raised and the other three with drawn bows, metal-tipped arrows pointing straight at the orcs.
"Release her." Thranduil's voice was low and frostier than ice.
Lug and Burz quickly moved close together, hiding behind Wynne like a human shield.
