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...
As usual during a battle, Wynne stayed on Vatna and called the other horses back to her. The elves were lining up, the bowmen a bit behind and the swordsmen in the front, preparing to meet the approaching brute. Soon the zinging of arrows made the air hum.
The troll was huge, at least twice the height of the elves, with arms like tree trunks and sharp, protruding tusks. Its roar when it spotted them made the horses go almost mad with fright, and both Nugu, Sidra and the children fell off their rearing steeds.
Wynne dismounted, tears of fear pricking her eyes. She had to let the animals run away alone this time; she just couldn't leave the uruk-hai family – or Legolas.
The children cried in pain and fright but there was no time to check on them now.
"We must back away!" She tried to pull Sidra with her but the woman wouldn't budge. She was staring at the approaching troll with wide eyes, her face a mask of dread.
"We were too late," she whispered.
Galion, Thranduil and the troll met almost soundlessly. It had no armor and its only weapon was a sharpened, spearlike stick, yet the elves' swords connected with its skin seemingly without affecting it in the least. The monster didn't even flinch when Galion stabbed its belly or when Thranduil's twin swords flicked thin cuts over its drooling snout. Arrow after arrow buried themselves deep into its rough hide, making it vaguely resemble a monstrous pin cushion.
"They will manage. They will beat it." Nugu's petrified face mirrored Sidra's. He had picked up the youngest boy in his arms while the elder clung to his mother's legs. "Let's run away."
"Yes, we can't stay this close," Wynne agreed, but it was like talking to a wall. Why would she not come?
The troll was too close, its howls deafening. With the fight only yards away this was no safe place.
"See how fast they are, Thranduil is a whirlwind with his swords." Nugu tried to drag his wife with him. "Come, we must leave."
"Wait." She brushed his hand off.
Black blood trickled down the beast's sides now and its roars changed pitch, like it had begun to feel pain. Was it going down? It was so impossibly big and strong. But yes! It was actually moving backwards! The elves followed it, winning more ground.
The troll came under a slight overhang on top of which grew a twisted oak. Behind it was a passage of sorts, maybe it was trying to crawl back into its hole?
