19-18 days till the battle
Thranduil POV
A horn blew in the distance and I saw Shiva's eyes narrow. She jumped back down the stairs and pushed through the confused and frightened crowd towards me.
"Gather your arms and those of your armies for those are orc horns. We can hope that they come on peaceful terms but they are orcs." Shiva said as she came up beside me.
"Meet you at the front gate." I said. It wasn't a question. She nodded and went back into the crowd. Priorities I thought One: Legolas, Two: Shiva, Three: My people and everyone else in the throng who had come to celebrate my son's birthday and we can check off Shiva because she has herself controlled. Legolas can come with me. So next we address the people. Here goes nothing.
"My people and my friends from distant lands I would ask you to return CALMLY" I paused to let that word sink in then continued. "To your homes and to the places you are staying. If I need anything else from you I will let you know. I would also ask that you let anyone and everyone that you come across to go to their homes. Thank you." I sighed as the crowd began to disperse through the doors. When they opened and closed I heard the patter of rain outside which matched the mood of the events that were playing out. Then I remembered, Legolas. He was in the corner of the hall hugging his new pets neck.
"Listen to me." I said kneeling down to his height. "I want you to take your elk and go up to your room. Lock the door and stay with your nanny." He nodded and led the elk up the stairs and around the corner. I followed until I reached my room and exchanged my robes for armor. I grabbed my sword and red hooded cloak and ran towards the front gate.
Shiva POV
I wore a black leather tunic that acted as armor and my bow and scimitars were slung over my back. I walked briskly through the pounding rain knowing that if I tried to run I would fall flat on my face and that would not do at all. Thranduil already stood on the battlements above the front gate. I climbed the stairs to join him.
"Any sightings yet?" I asked.
"No, but I have scouts searching through the woods and they have seen no sign of them ." Thranduil answered. Then as if on cue a small orc party of about fifty orcs marched out of the woods.
"I just remembered, I'm supposed to be dead." I said. Thranduil rolled his eyes. I looked back towards the orcs and saw that Xenox was leading them. To an unpracticed eye it would look like an attacking group but I knew in the way they carried their weapons and the way they walked.
"Shiva are they going to attack?"
"No they are not but I don't know what they want. I'll ask."
"You're insane." Thranduil muttered.
"Xenox what do you wish." I yelled in black speech.
"Ghost queen you have once again come back from the dead." Xenox answered in black speech as well.
"Answer my question orc." I hissed.
"We have come to tell you that we accept your proposition and we will see you in battle in 19 days."
"18 now." I said in elvish and indeed the sun was coming up behind us warming the back of my neck.
I'm very sorry about not updating. I went on a week long trip and wasn't able to take my computer. Thanks for reading.