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A liaison in the Great Greenwood	By : Azukiel Category: +Third Age > Het - Male/Female Views: 7953 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any copyright to the Tolkien/ Middle-Earth fandom, nor to any of his canon characters or languages. I do not make any money from this fanfiction. Original characters however, are my property.

Chapter List
- 31
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- 33
The immense sensations Gwendalyn was feeling made her believe that she was in the Undying Lands, overjoyed was she with the feelings the young ellonelicited from her. She imagined that she had to be in Valinor for such bliss was surely impossible to reach in Arda.

Melethril was teasing her with his teeth now, travelling all across her neck and cleavage, stilling his hands at the small of her back. He did not show any intention to proceed further south, at least not then anyway, and she was thankful for it for she could not imagine how she would handle such a bold attempt. He was giving her space to halt his advances or redirect his efforts should she consider what he was doing too much for her innocence.

Taking his face into her hands once again, she smiled up into his violet eyes, drinking in his beauty as he gazed adoringly back down to her.

A blood curdling scream ripped through the body of their little camp like as if a demon had torn open a beast.

Gwendalyn’s eyes widened in horror. “Hiril vuin!” She gasped as a great sense of worry filled her every crevice. Pushing the confused ellon aside, she bolted for the carriage, Melethril catching up to her to take her by her hand as she ran.

The cheerful company around the fire drew their swords and also rushed to the scene of the frightful scream.

Melethril tried to keep Gwendalyn aside to allow the other ellyn to investigate, yet his attempts fell short for she once again pushed past him to reach the carriage first. She flung the door open in such haste she almost ripped it from its hinges.

Adlanniel was sitting on the floor, her eyes widened, glazed and unseeing, her breath rasping in her throat painfully as she babbled incoherently. Her entire being was trembling and her hands were shaking almost violently. She had broken into a cold sweat and it dripped down her pale face like shimmering diamonds. Gwendalyn crouched at her side, taking her lady into a careful and soft embrace. “She is like ice! Get me more blankets!” She demanded of theellyn that were now crowded around the door. Gwendalyn caught Adlanniel’s shivering hands and pressed them to her chest.

“What has happened to you, hiril vuin?” She asked in an almost whisper, fear riddled in her voice. Flashing a desperate look to Melethril who was now standing in the doorway to allow the Lady of Imladris some privacy, Gwendalyn took the only blanket she was able to find and wrapped it around her mistress’ trembling body. “I do not know what to do, Melethril. I…” Gwendalyn’s eyes were at a loss.

“Hush,” He silenced her gently, looking back down at the their lady. “She is coming back to the light.”

“Hiril vuin?” Gwendalyn questioned softly.

Adlanniel’s eyes began to lose their unnatural haze. She blinked once and then twice, like as if a bright light had blinded her, before she took in a deep breath. Looking confused she ran her eyes around the interior of the carriage, stopping at the couple whose eyes were filled with deep concern and fear.

“Gwendalyn,” She murmured, her voice hoarse and dry. “What happened? Why are you so scared?”

“We heard you scream, hiril vuin.”

Adlanniel’s eyes once more glossed over. She could feel the reminiscence of his warm breath upon her cold skin. She could feel the whisper of his hands upon her body. Her entire being craved his soft touch, his silken words, his domination. Why had the claws of desire for what she was forbidden to have dig in so deeply? Her thirst for it was insatiable, like she was trapped in an oasis with no means of nourishment.

“I…I do not know what came over me…” Her unfocussed eyes found the youngellon then, and reality came flooding back.

“I interrupted you. I am terribly sorry for that.”

Melethril smiled warmly as he glanced back up to his young love. “It is nothing that cannot be continued later.” He grinned. “But you, hiril vuin, do you have any recollection of what had just occurred?”

Adlanniel shook her head slowly. However, though her mind was fogged, she was able to recollect everything; every minute, delectable detail.

“Nothing at all?” He asked, his face sympathetic and concerned.

“No, nothing….”

Gwendalyn sent another confused look towards her lover. ’What shall we do?’ She asked with her eyes.

“Keep her warm. I shall tell the others that the Lady had swooned due to effects of her pregnancy and had had a nightmare whilst unconscious, thus why she had screamed. I will warm a little wine to calm her down. Just hold her gently and reassure her.” Melethril gave them both one long sympathetic look before he exited the carriage.

“The wine,” Adlanniel whispered. She shifted on the floor, reaching for the lid again. While doing so, the blanket slipped down her torso, revealing a bruised mark on the nape of her neck. Before anybody was able to see it, she wrapped the blanket around her body for the chill of the night made her shiver. As she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself another ellon appeared in the doorway, holding two grey cotton quilts. Gwendalyn took it from him kindly but positioned herself so that the curious ellon could not see their lady crouching behind her, her hands still shivering and her face still ghostly. Gwendalyn had a deep feeling that her lady had not been entirely honest, yet for what reason she could not quite fathom. Had the supposed nightmare caused her some form of traumatic memory that she did not wish to recall? Had it been something connected to her pregnancy? Yet surely if it were either, she would know about it for she and her lady held no secrets. They knew everything about each other, or so she thought.

Sighing inwardly, the young handmaiden hadn’t the courage to press further then, for it was obvious that her lady had been deeply troubled by it.

Gwendalyn thanked the ellyn with a forced smile on her face.

“Let us know if you require anything more” He gave a polite bow. Though he could not help but feel a little disappointment; the thought of a surprise from their lady had excited them. Yet, she was with child, two for that matter and so she could be forgiven for having suddenly fainted due to her exhaustion. ’Perhaps tomorrow…’ He had thought to himself as he rejoined the group that were still standing about, anxious for some knowledge about their lady’s condition.

The handmaiden turned back to Adlanniel to wrap her with the new blankets, but she was already by the second chest, turning its contents out in haste.

“Where is it?” She muttered mindlessly.

“Hiril vuin?” Gwendalyn’s eyes filled with an even deeper concern. “Are you alright?”

“I am.” She answered yet the question had missed her ears completely. “Where is it, Gwendalyn? Where is the wine?”

Gwendalyn blinked nervously, a hint of fright hid behind them due to her lady’s now cold tone of voice. “In the chest with your cloaks, hiril vuin. I had wrapped the flasks with one of them to prevent them from breaking.” She replied cautiously as she placed the blankets on the sofa beside them; it was apparent her lady did not need them anymore.

“They are not there.” Adlanniel narrowed her eyes at her handmaiden.

“Allow me?” Gwendalyn offered as she moved to the correct chest. Opening it, she gently pulled out everything that had been neatly packed inside. Yet it too laid void of any flasks of wine.

“This is not possible…I put them in there personally right after I…” Her voice cut off suddenly.

Adlanniel’s eyes burned into her handmaiden. “Right after you did what?” She pushed.

Gwendalyn’s mind came back in time to recollect the morning previous, right down to every minute detail. “Right after I came back to your quarters, hiril vuin. After the king left. Do you not you remember?”

Surprisingly Adlanniel could not recall all of the previous morning….only the parts where he had mounted her and ridden her, and the times she had begged him for more. Yet of course she would admit neither truth. Her wine, her only means of escape, was missing and she somehow knew that Gwendalyn was hiding something about their whereabouts. Yet why Gwendalyn would do so, she could not understand. Her friend had promised to assist her. What would give her means to betray her trust now of all times?

“Are you sure, Gwendalyn?” She asked almost forcefully.

“I swear, hiril vuin. I did put them there.“ She replied, her voice slightly shaken. "Perhaps one of the guards took them by mistake?” She tried to make one last attempt to sate her mistress but it were to no avail. Adlanniel glared at her with such glacial eyes then, she shrunk back in fear.

“And I am supposed to believe that? You lie, Gwendalyn!” Adlanniel raised her voice angrily but quickly lowered it for she did not want to alert the guards again. “Where is my wine?” She hissed.

Gwendalyn shifted back again slightly, alarmed with her lady’s sudden harshness and aggression. “I…I do not know!” She stammered a protest. “Please, hiril vuin, believe me! I put the flasks in that chest. I do not know who took them!”

“How can you know somebody took them?!” Adlanniel raised her voice again, now obviously uncaring of whom she alerted with her anger. She was furious, her red eyes making her look much more intimidating. If Gwendalyn had played some part in foiling her escape then by the Valar save her from her lady’s impeding wrath. Yet Gwendalyn plucked up all the remaining courage that had been hidden deep within her frightened demeanour and dared to raise her voice in defiance. She wanted to bring her lady back from this hysteria. “Because they are not in the chest I had put them in!” She snapped. “Or do you think they disappeared? Please, hiril vuin. Calm down. You are with child.”

Adlanniel grasped her arm then. “Indeed I am and I am going to lose the father of my children if I do not escape tonight! That wine had been my only means of escape!” Her eyes stung with tears again.

”Hiril vuin, Gwendalyn, is everything alright?“ A cautious voice came from near the door. It was again Melethril who had been waiting for the wine he had prepared to warm over the fire, but had overheard angered voices and was now overly concerned.

"It is quite alright, dear Melethril. You need not worry yourself. But please, if you will, allow us some privacy.” Gwendalyn replied gently. Melethril, gazing concerned up to his new sweetheart, gave a hesitant nod and turned to return to his comrades.

Adlanniel loosened her grip on her handmaiden’s arm, and gazed into her eyes desperately.

“Please, Gwendalyn, I am begging you from the depths of my soul, if you know something, anything, tell me. I promise you that you will not meet punishment.”

The younger elleth averted her gaze once more, frightened. “Punishment not from you, perhaps…” She said in a low voice, yet Adlanniel had heard her. Adlanniel’s eyes widened when she realised what her handmaiden had meant.

“i Aran?” Her gaze became blank and Gwendalyn gave a reluctant nod.

Adlanniel’s eyes lost their light once more as she let her handmaiden go. Mindlessly, she scrubbed her wrist, revealing the second bruise on her body to her handmaiden. “i Aran? Why would he take away the noble gift for my parents?” Her voice sounded wounded. She knew that Gwendalyn also knew that the wine had had a different purpose, yet she had heard another guard pass by the carriage within earshot. Once he had moved away Gwendalyn continued, her eyes now again filled with deep worry.

“Your wrist is bruised, hiril vuin.” Gwendalyn said, avoiding the answer to Adlanniel’s previous question. “Are you sure you do not recollect anything that happened to you?”

Adlanniel burst into tears then for suddenly such a horrible sorrow and despair engulfed her. “Why do we lie to each other, dear Gwendalyn? What happened to us?”

Gwendalyn felt tears spring at her own eyes, yet she had to stay strong. She was used to that now.

She took her mistress into tight embrace. “You can tell me everything, hiril vuin. I would never tell anyone.” Her promise burned in her chest for she had indeed broken that same promise only one day ago.

“Just tell me what you did, Gwendalyn.” Adlanniel looked up to her, her eyes again desperate and severely hurt.

Seeing her lady in such desperation made her emotions overflow. No matter how strong she had been before, the banks of her river had withered and now broken. She too burst into tears.

“Díheno nin, hiril vuin!“ She sobbed helplessly.

"I had been rushing back to your quarters after I had seen aran leaving but he had stopped me suddenly and questioned me about the wine which I had just packed.” Gwendalyn bit her lower lip, not wanting to continue.

“Please, go on. Do not fear.” Adlanniel pushed, yet now more gently.

“He did not believe that they were meant as a gifts for your parents. He…” And then she recalled everything.

Thranduil had stepped closer, leaning himself down to look directly into the young servant’s eyes. “Tell me again, Gwendalyn. Your lady had requested that wine as a gift for her parents?”

She had taken a step back, trying to escape from the king’s intimidating aura. Her hands had been trembling in fear. She had been sure that if she had had the wine with her then, she would certainly have broken the flasks into pieces.

“It is as you said, heruamin. They are to be gifted.”

He had taken another step closer and another, forcing poor Gwendalyn to retreat until she had been trapped between the wall of the palace and the living wall in the form of mighty Elvenking himself. “A noble gift you said?”

“Yes, aran nîn. That is what she said when requesting the wine.” She had squeaked.

“Then why did you take one of the worst sorts of wine that can be found in my cellar?” He had smiled slyly, having known full well that she had taken Dorwinion wine. “You need to pay more attention to your tasks set about you.” He had been trying to measure her reaction, trying to catch her out.

Her eyes had widened. “R-really? I must have been mistaken then. I thought they had been Dorwinion wine, the one you prize above all others.” She had lied.

Thranduil had glowered at her. “I know you are lying to me, Gwendalyn.” He had said coldly. “You will tell me everything now or will a trip to the dungeons loosen your tongue. Which do you choose?”

Gwendalyn had shifted on her feet. She had known that the king could have her severely punished if he so wished it, yet she could not have betrayed her beloved lady, her best friend.

“I swear that I told you the truth, aran nîn. What else do you want me…?” Her voice had had a hint of defiance which had angered the king further.

She had almost squealed as he had taken hold of her chin and had turned her head up almost violently, not having allowed her to finish her sentence.

“I know your dear lady is planning something. Does it include the wine now? Does she plan to get the guards I am sending with you so drunk that she would be able to flee?”

Her eyes had widened in frightened horror. He was furious then. Her lady’s disobedience, though she had not known the details of what, must have indeed been great. “N-no, aran nîn. She does not.”

“Ah, I see. You want to continue our little chat behind bars….” He had mocked her mercilessly. He had clearly been able to see how terrified she was.

“No!” She had cried out, her eyes having filled with tears.

Thranduil had taken her by the arm then and had forced her harder against the wall. His glacial glare had burned deeply into her.

“Please, believe me, aran nîn.” She had begged, sobbing. “I have told you everything I know! Please, let me go, my lady is waiting for me. We have to finish our packing.” Her voice had been desperate and he had known that she would not go against her lady, no matter how he threatened her. So he had let go of her.

“Your lady is incapable of seeing the consequences of her deeds. I care deeply for her safety and well-being, you know that, but if she is unwilling to see it then I am unable to protect her anymore. Go back to her then and take care to not break those flasks. Such delicate and expensive Dorwinion should not end up as the drink of rags.”

She had given him a relieved curtsy, but had stood still rooted to her spot in fear.

“And Gwendalyn…” He had turned to her as he had already begun to leave. “Make sure she does not use too much of those sleeping herbs on my guards. Dorwinion wine increases the effect of Valerium quite significantly.”

Gwendalyn had continued to stand there for a long time more, her jaw agape. Had he just read her mind?

"And so you see, hiril vuin,” Gwendalyn began after her detailed recount of what had occurred, “Aran Thranduil pulled the thoughts straight from the depths of my mind. I was not aware he had such a gift.” Looking down once more, the young elleth began to wring her hands together. “After he had parted those words to me I had assumed he would allow you to go through with your plan. Obviously he had been thinking otherwise…..”

Adlanniel’s eyes became dark. “Obviously…he did it to spite me.” She hissed through gritted teeth.

“I’m sure he did it because he does care for you greatly…” Gwendalyn tried to make light of the situation, yet to no avail. Adlanniel glared at her angrily.

“Whose side are you on Gwendalyn?” She snapped. “You KNEW the reasons as to why I planned this! Does it sit well with you that the prince or even the king himself could be slain?”

“N…no, hiril vuin, I just…” But the words were choked from her as tears again began to well in her eyes. Seeing her young handmaiden so helpless made her take pity on the younger elleth. Adlanniel then moved forward to wrap her arms around her friend, remorseful for her harsh tone previously.

“Goheno nin, Gwendalyn. I should not have spoken to you in such a manner. My behaviour was inexcusable. Please forgive me.” Her words were soft and gentle then as she too felt tears trickle down her cheeks once more. Yet she could not help but feel such a horrible frustration and anxiety within. The king, with his hidden gift, had outwitted her once more. She understood his reasons for sending her away, she had mulled over it for a long time, yet why could he not understand the guilt and suffering she would inevitably feel if one of them were to die, especially if she could have prevented it? She knew how much the king had suffered after the deaths of his father and his wife, yet he was willing to allow her to experience the same? Even if it were for the sake of the elflings growing within her, she would not be able to bear it. She felt that she had not strength enough to withstand such pain.

“No, hiril vuin, you do not need to apologise. I understand your feeling….”

“Tiro!” Adlanniel screamed suddenly as she saw a tall, dark, looming creature in her peripheral vision. It appeared to grow from nothing as it suddenly appeared in the doorway, its eyes yellow, its skin as dark as the middle of the night, its blackened fangs sharp and dangerous. As Adlanniel’s eyes met with the devilish stare she was able to infer intelligence within them; much more dangerous than the double-axe it was holding in its claws. It came for Gwendalyn as she was sitting near the door, and it took her by her long, auburn hair before it dragged her out of the carriage like as if she were a rag doll. Holding her down with one hand, it raised the axe high above its head, prepared to decapitate her with one fell strike. Gwendalyn shut her eyes tightly as to not see her inevitable end.

Adlanniel was stunned by the view the carriage door allowed her to see. The view before her was just like the last time….so much hate and death made the air suffocating. Would she lose another that was close to her? Would her beloved friend Gwendalyn meet the same fate her brother had trying to protect her? The creature she saw had dragged her handmaiden from her grasp like she had weighed no more than a feather. Though she moved herself swiftly out of the carriage, she was not fast enough to do anything to save her friend as she ran towards her. Adlanniel tried to open her mouth to scream in a vain attempt to distract the creature, yet all air from within her lungs seemed to be choked from her. All she could do was watch helplessly as the huge double-axe raised above the head of the beast; blood rushing in her ears deafened her. Just before the deadly weapon could fall down and decapitate the youngelleth, an arrow penetrated the creature’s forearm. Thick blood spurted out in a black gush, splattering down Gwendalyn’s face and hair. Then, Adlanniel’s ears began to hear again. The guards were shouting at each other, the eldest of them giving orders to regroup at the carriage and protect both ellith. One of them was rushing to them already having thrown his bow aside and drawn his sword.

“Gwendalyn, hiril vuin, drego!” He shouted as he prepared himself to lunge at the monster. Adlanniel recognised his voice, it was Melethril who was trying to save his sweetheart from certain death.

The beast focused its infuriated glare on him then as it effortlessly snapped off the elven arrow sticking out of its forearm. “You will pay for that, lul gijak-ishi!” It stepped over the motionless body of the young handmaiden, tossing the broken arrow aside. “I will drink your blood from my helmet before dawn!” It growled at the reckless ellon in a deathly voice. Yet Melethril stood his ground, unwavering and only fearing for the lives of the ellith in his charge, especially of that of his new affection, Gwendalyn.

“Súlon gwanna nîf gín, ulunn!“ Melethril shouted back at it. "Come and take it from me then!” He then prepared for the tough battle that would inevitably ensue.

Adlanniel raced to her stunned handmaiden who was cowering in the dirt. “Gwendalyn, take hold of yourself!” She called desperately, shaking the younger elleth almost violently.

The handmaiden’s eyes were wide open but unseeing. The horror was written in her face, and air was barely filling her lungs. “Am I still alive?” She whispered hoarsely as she tried to sit with her lady’s help.

“Indeed you are, though I do not know for how much longer if we do not escape. Stand up, now!” Adlanniel was already dragging her towards the nervous, whinnying horses. “We must flee!” She continued as she pulled her friend along.

The painful scream of her beloved bought the young maid’s mind back to the light. The guards were fighting those huge monsters, however as it appeared, even though the elves had both numbers and skills on their side, those beasts were much more physically powerful.

Melethril fought off the attack of the axe but he had been wounded, for crimson blood flowed from the cut on his upper left arm. He was trying to entice the beast to follow him far from the ellith, shouting curses at it in both common speech and Sindarin. He wielded his short sword and the light armour that was typically worn by archers, and thus he was faster and more nimble than his more heavily clad brethren. Such deftness on his part allowed him to escape the impacts of the heavy double-axe that came bearing down at him again and again. Standing against such a big and ferocious enemy, it was his only chance to survive; to exhaust the beast by avoiding its swings and then inflict some form of fatal blow. Yet Melethril felt a sudden despair deep within his fighting heart for it seemed his hits were useless as the beast did not waver or slow in its efforts.

Other ellyn were fighting for their lives with much lesser luck. Two of the guardsmen were dead already; one of them cruelly beheaded and the other with his chest ripped wide open, his innards spilt upon his lifeless corpse. Their deaths made the number of fighting warriors and beasts equal then.

Melethril fought off another attack and spun around the beast to be at its back. Using his Elven agility he leapt up onto the beast then, using his entire force to drive his short sword deep into monster’s neck and then lower into its chest. The beast howled as a wounded wolf but did not fall to the ground as Melethril had anticipated. Instead it reached behind its back and grabbing the elven warrior by the neck, it tossed him over its shoulder to the ground in front of it, slamming the ellon’s chest with a heavy iron boot.

Gwendalyn screamed, seeing her beloved be tossed about as a puppet, yet Adlanniel continued to drag her to the horses.

A couple of the panicked stallions managed to free themselves of their bonds and galloped away from the battlefield. The two ellith had to dodge from the hooves of the crazed steeds.

Melethril lost his breath yet managed to roll out of the path of the axe as it was aimed to remove his head. Losing his sword in the process, he pulled out the dagger from his boot as he stood, the pain in his chest forcing him to breath hard. Clutching his chest then with his free hand, he knew that something was broken. Yet he could not allow the enemy that loomed before him know how much pain he was in then. And so he glowered angrily at the beast “You made my tunic dirty,” He hissed through clenched teeth. “You will pay for that.” He returned the beast its own words.

He allowed the beast to make the first move. It bolted for him, throwing the axe away, its hands thirsty for elven blood. As it reached for the ellon’s head, Melethril dodged and lowered himself, sliding under the beast’s right arm to once more be at its back. Melethril took hold of its shoulder and rotating himself around he drove the dagger’s blade deeply into its thick neck. The creature shoved its elbow back, trying to get the elf away yet Melethril held firm and dragged the monster to the ground with him. With a flick of his wrist, he twisted the blade around the beast’s throat as he ripped it through the flesh to the bone. With one loud crack he snapped the creature’s spine.

Gwendalyn had watched as Melethril had dragging the beast to the ground with him, the beast crushing him under its massive body as he did so. The body of the beast had then gone limp, blood flooding from the deep wound on the back of its neck.

“Melethril…” Gwendalyn breathed as she pulled herself from her lady’s hands to run towards her sweetheart.

“Gwendalyn, no!”

The young handmaiden lost her balance as Adlanniel still held firmly onto her elbow and she fell to her knees. Her legs entangled with the long skirts she was wearing, she was unable to stand and proceed towards her young love. She turned to her side to free her legs when suddenly Adlanniel fell down next to her, an arrow protruding from her upper arm. Adlanniel had cried out in pain as she fell, clutching the light wooden shaft as he own blood began to trickle down her pale skin.

“Hiril vuin!” Gwendalyn cried in horror, tearing her skirts to free herself.

“Worry not, Gwendalyn.” Adlanniel said, her voice covered with pain. “It is nothing. It is not a morgul shaft therefore it is not life threatening.”

Gwendalyn pulled herself closer to her lady, her eyes focused on the arrow. “How can you be so sure, hiril vuin?”

“The arrowhead has not hit the bone. It is embedded deep within my muscle. It is painful but it will not put my life in danger.” The tone of Adlanniel’s voice was calm and patient as if she was explaining the basics of healing to an apprentice. She clenched her teeth as Gwendalyn took hold of her arm. “Do not try to pull it out Gwendalyn, just break the wood above the skin. It will cause me pain but it must be done. Please, do it now!”

Then, a shadow fell upon the crouching ellith. “Look at what we have here, Mûglûk.” The first beast said in the common tongue. Both creature’s were taller and far brawnier than the average ellon. The one that had spoken was holding another double-axe, the other held a gigantic jagged sword. Their skin was blackened, and deathly white stains traced around their yellow eyes. They had no armour besides the helms on their heads, yet their chests were covered in something that could be considered a tabard were it not covered in a thick layer of blood.

“Perhaps we should take these whores to our master, Ûgakûga.” The second creature said, licking his lips as he did so. “He would be thankful for two new play things.”

“Hiril vuin…” Gwendalyn whispered, shifting herself in front of her lady.

Yet the beast with the sword noticed her movement and laughed. “Do you think a wretched zan kurv like yourself could stop us? I will make you scream, lul gijak-ishi.” He pointed the blood-covered blade at her. “And after I am done with you, you will beg for more.”

The beast reached out its gruesome hand to take her by the scruff of her neck when it stopped suddenly, an annoyed expression crossing his face. Cringing, what sounded like a sigh escaped its scarred lips as it turned around. In his back, there was an axe.

The beast known as Ûgakûga pulled the offending axe out of his companion with one swift movement, it making a horrible crack as it was torn from flesh. His companion fell down motionless. Ûgakûga kept the second axe in his free hand.

“These elflings…” He hissed, flashing his own infuriated look at the ellon that was now standing before him.

“Do not know when they are defeated.”

Melethril was covered in the obsidian blood of the creature from his head down to his torso. His left arm was clearly wounded, hanging limp by his side. In his right hand he continued to hold his short sword.

“I wonder if your friend would say the same,” Melethril teased. “We should ask him, don’t you think? Oh wait, he is dead!” Melethril grinned, pointing his sword down at the corpse and then back up at the living monster. “And you shall be the next!”

“Stop antagonising the beast and kill it already!” Adlanniel shouted at him. She had snapped the arrow protruding from her arm and was wrapping a length of cloth torn from her dress around it.

“It will be my pleasure,” Melethril answered and with his limp hand he threw his dagger at the beast. The blade penetrated the left eye, although he had been aiming for the right. Yet it did not matter for it still had the same effect.

The beast roared in pain and pulled the dagger out, throwing one of the axes it was holding aside as it did so. Melethril had been waiting for that exact moment for he knew he could not fight a dual-axe wielder with only his short sword to defend him. The beast realised its mistake too late.

Melethril attacked the beast first, taking it off-guard. It lost its balance as it tried to dodge the sharp elven blade. It roared in frustration then, swinging the remaining axe blindly around itself. “I will kill you, vermin!” Yet its threat was hollow. The fatal blow came unexpectedly. The beast whimpered as the axe it had discarded previously found its way to its throat, beheading it in the process.

Gwendalyn threw the axe to the ground in disgust, her breath fast and shallow. “Stinky filth!” She hissed.

“Guren glassui, melin.” Melethril raised his eyebrows in awe. “I had never dared to think that you were so dangerous.” He chuckled, then cringing as he held his crushed chest. His face then turned serious and sullen. “You need to go now whilst the attention is drawn from us. Take a steed and flee as fast as possible.”

Both ellith glanced back at the rest of the company. Another three beasts were dead but four were still attacking the surviving guards.

“You are wounded, hiril vuin.” Melethril moved to help her but Adlanniel stopped him. “I am well aware of that but you are needed elsewhere.”

“He is wounded too,” Gwendalyn remarked, touching his left upper arm. “I should…”

“There is no time for that.” He cut her off as he reached for her hand and pulled her towards the steeds that were left behind.

“Head back to the palace and tell the remaining guards of what has happened here. Do not stop.“ He then turned to face Adlanniel.

"Can you ride a horse, hiril vuin, in your current state? The arrowhead is still in your flesh and you are with child….”

She gave him a wry smile. “Do we have a choice?”

He nodded simply. “Gwendalyn, my dear,” He took her into tight embrace. She trembled in his arms, afraid for what would become her sweet, new love. “You do not need to fear about me or my brothers. It is our duty to keep you and our lady safe.” He said gently as he nuzzled his nose against her ear. Her eyes filled with tears and she began to sob against his blood stained attire.

“Those are words of a farewell. Please, promise me that you will not get yourself killed.” She gazed up into his eyes then.

He smiled back down at her, love filling his tender heart. “I Promise.” He kissed her deeply and intently. As Aldanniel watched on, she wished that Legolas or even her king were there to kiss her and tell her all would be right.

“Gwao hi.” Melethril whispered softly to Gwendalyn, yet Adlanniel was sure she had heard the gentle voice of the king whisper those words into her ear.

Adlanniel mounted one of the steeds with Melethril’s assistance for her arm then was aching dreadfully. She thought that perhaps having it cut from her body would be less painful, yet she had to bear it for the sake of her unborn children and for the sake of herself and her young handmaiden that was in her charge.

“Gwendalyn.” She held out her strong hand and pulled her handmaiden to sit behind her.

“Hold on to me tightly and try not to let yourself fall.”

Gwendalyn’s breath hitched in her chest as she nodded. She looked back down to her sweetheart then, her expression helpless. Would she ever be able to lay eyes on him again? Would she ever feel him embrace her again?

“Noro lim.” Melethril whispered into the stallion’s ear. “And do not waiver until you have our ladies in safety.”

The steed, whinnying loudly as if it had understood its masters words, reared up on its hind legs before setting off at such a pace, Gwendalyn had to grasp onto her lady’s waist to prevent herself from flying off the back.

Whilst galloping away from the battlefield, the steed passed by the fighting group of elves and beasts. One of the beasts noticed their escape and threw a knife after them, hitting Gwendalyn’s calf. She yelped at the sharp pain yet theellith did not slow to tend to the wound, nor were the able to in such a predicament.

Melethril followed them with his eyes. Having watched his beloved get hurt, his heart filled with a new heat, a hate so deep he felt that nothing could make him waver now. Despite the pain still biting him from his own wounds, he reached down and picked up a nearby bow and quiver and aiming at the offending beast he let the arrow fly. It pierced the beast straight through the temple, killing it instantly. As it slumped to the ground, the Elven guard it had been battling with turned in the direction of the arrow, giving Melethril a quick nod of appreciation for the assistance.

Melethril then looked down at the dead beast he had just slain.

“No one is allowed to touch the lady Gwendalyn, bar me!” He hissed.

*****************************************************************************************

A white film of salted sweat had began to form on the bay stallion’s flanks as it flew with haste through the denseness of the surrounding Greenwood.

It kept up its speed for as long as it was physically able, for it had understood its master’s desperate plea. Even though none of those horrid beasts had followed them, the horse would not stop without being commanded to do so. Adlanniel held tightly on to the stallion’s mane, the throbbing pain in her arm being flooded out by other anxious thoughts. Gwendalyn’s grip around her waist was weakening, a sign that her strength was waning. Even Adlanniel felt her strength draining, perhaps due to the loss of blood that was still seeping out of her wound. Yet they could not stop to tend to themselves, not yet, not until they were a safe distance away.

Suddenly Adlanniel felt the grip her maiden had around her loosen. Adlanniel had to take hold of Gwendalyn’s arms tightly as not to let her fall.

“Hold on for but a little while longer, Gwendalyn.” Adlanniel called back desperately as she held her maid’s arms closely to her body. Their strength was ebbing away quickly, the cold of the night biting at their skin, and she did not know for how much longer either of them could hold on. A dull pain had began to form deep within her stomach, a sign that the gwanûn too were affected by their mother’s dwindling strength. “Please…hold on…” She begged them within her mind. Within what seemed like an hour they came upon a small stream which swerved its way along the moon lit Elven road. The horse came to an abrupt halt as Adlanniel tugged tightly at its mane to do so. Knowing that its riders were badly hurt, the stallion slowly lowered itself to the ground to allow them to slip off his back easily. Adlanniel swung her leg over the horse’s neck to dismount first, before she assisted her handmaiden. The young elleth cried out in pain as she landed on her wounded leg and Adlanniel quickly swung the maid’s arm over her shoulders for support. Slowly, they limped their way to the small stream, the stallion following closely behind them, before they slumped down by the muddy bank. The moon shone through a break in the thick canopy above, allowing them just enough light to see the damage that had been wrought upon their bodies. Gwendalyn’s leg was caked with her blood and the moonlight only sought to accentuate the paleness she had become due to the loss of blood. Adlanniel continued to rip long swathes of cloth from her dress whilst Gwendalyn sat beside her, numbed to the core.

“Melethril….” Her voice squeaked in a sob, her eyes stinging with the flood of tears she had shed. “Do not despair, my dear Gwendalyn…” Adlanniel tried to calm her as she dipped one make-shift bandage into the cool water to wash away the filth around her maid’s wound. “He is still alive, I am sure of it. He will come back to you.”

“How can you be so sure?” Gwendalyn replied, her voice almost biting. Yet Adlanniel took no surprise for the younger elleth was grieving.

“We can never be sure, my dear. I do not even know if the prince or the king live yet deep in my heart I know they do. You just have to have faith.”

Gwendaly let out a doleful smile as she looked back down to the cold mud beneath her.

“There. This should stem the blood flow.” Adlanniel gave a faint smile as she tightened the knot of the binding around her maid’s leg.

“W…what were they? Those uluun, those hideous monsters that set upon us?” She stammered her eyes wide, begging for an answer.

“By the stinking breath of Annatar I have no damned idea.” She spat at the memory of them.

“I have never seen such monstrosities, nor have I have ever heard of such beasts. Where they have spawned from is beyond my knowledge.”

She began to clean her own wound. “Allow me.” Gwendalyn then offered. “How is the pain?” She then asked calmly. “Nothing I can not bear.” Adlanniel replied, her voice low. In honest truth her arm felt like it had been set aflame.

“Come, we must not linger here any longer.” She said as she stood and moved over to the stallion who had been nibbling on tufts of weed. “Allow us to move on in haste.”

The stallion, tossing its head in an apparent agreement, went down onto its knees once more.

They continued to flee throughout the night, the chill of the freezing midnight air biting at their faces. Yet they could not delay. Any moment lost felt like a lifetime, a lifetime away from those they loved most. They rode until the the light of the morning sun began to break through the reddening leaves, it casting a haunting auburn glow upon their paled skin. A few more hours passed before they finally reached the crossroads. Continuing East would take them to the camp, taking the road North would return them to the safety of the palace. Again Adlanniel willed the stallion to a halt, dismounting swiftly before her maiden could question her motive.

“Hiril vuin?” Gwendalyn questioned, worry and confusion riddled in her expression.

“Gwendalyn, you must continue on to the palace and alert the guards there as Melethril ordered you to.” She said, her tone straight-forward and her expression serious. Gwendalyn’s eyes paled at hearing his name. The image of him charging back into battle as they fled haunted her memories.

“I believe he had intended for you to come as well, lady Adlanniel.” Gwendalyn replied.

“You know that I can not. Our paths now must part, as the road here so implies.”

“But it is too dangerous for you to travel alone! There are a great manner of wild things in this forest that would and could do you harm.” Gwendalyn tried to protest.

“No more harm that would be done to me if I were to let the life of my beloved slip through my fingers.” Adlanniel replied solemnly as she traced her fingers along the stallion’s neck, it turning its head to nuzzle her shoulder softly.

“I will not argue with you further on this. You know my reasoning and you had supported me.”

“Indeed, but I had intended to accompany you…”

“And yet now our circumstances have changed.”

“At least take the horse and allow me to go on foot…”

“No Gwendalyn. You must alert the remaining palace guards as soon as possible. If Melethril has survived, he will need to return to the palace for healing. He will not survive his wounds travelling without assistance.”

Gwendalyn lowered her head then at those words for she knew them to be true.

“Besides, the gwanûn growing within are feeling discomfort on horseback. I will be able to traverse much quicker through the thickness of the forest as well if I remain on foot.”

“But you have no water, no nourishment to keep going…” Gwendalyn made one last attempt to persuade her lady.

“The love I hold for my prince will be nourishment enough. Go now, for you will see your love again.”

Tears of conflicting agony trickled down her cheeks. She did not want to abandon her lady, yet she knew that the palace had to be alerted at all costs for it was also her only chance to see he love again if he had indeed survived.

“Harthon gerithach raid gelin a chwest adel thraw lín.” Gwendalyn looked down to her mistress with sad eyes.

“Harthon gerithach raid gelin a melthin.” Adlanniel replied as she smiled reassuringly back up at her. “We will see each other again, my friend. Keep your faith. We shall all be together again soon. Now ride swiftly and do not look back.”

And without waiting for a reply, she slapped the stallion sharply on its rump and it took off down the road.

“May the Valar protect you, sweet maiden.” Adlanniel whispered as she watched them gallop into the distance. Stroking her stomach gently to calm thegwanûn that had once again become restless, she turned to face the looming denseness of the trees ahead of her. As she looked back down to the road, she could see the hundreds of hoof and foot prints that scarred the dirt. The king and his army were already well ahead of her. Indeed, she would have to make it to them on her own.
Elvish (Sindarin) - English
ellon =Elven male
Valinor= Very similar to heaven. Valinor is the home of the Valar, spirits that often take humanoid form, sometimes called “gods” by the Men of Middle Earth. Other residents of Valinor include the related but less powerful spirits, the Maiar and many Elves; Elves being permitted to sail there whenever they choose.
Arda= The world of Middle-Earth.
hiril vuin =My lady
ellyn =plural for ellon
Imladris= Rivendell
Valar= as above, spirits considered gods to the mortals and immortals alike living in middle earth.
elleth =Elven maiden (female)
i aran = the king
Díheno nin =Forgive me (when placing yourself below the level of the person you are speaking to)
heruamin =my lord
aran nîn =My king
Goheno nin=I am sorry
Tiro!= Watch out!
ellith =plural for elleth
drego!= Flee from here!
Súlon gwanna nîf gín, ulunn! =A big wind pours out of your mouth, monster! (Basically saying that you’re full of shit.)
Guren glassui,melin = Thank you from my heart, love
Gwao hi= Leave now
Noro lim= Ride fast
gwanûn =twins
Harthon gerithach raid gelin a chwest adel thraw lín= I hope you will have green paths and a breeze behind you.
Harthon gerithach raid gelin a melthin. =I hope you will have a green and golden path.
Black Speech - English
Lul Gijak-Ishi! =“Flowers in the Blood” (interchangeably “Elf” or “Pussy”)
zan kurv= Elf whore
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A liaison in the Great Greenwood