Mine | By : IdrilsSecret Category: +Third Age > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3170 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2 |
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or places of Lord of the Rings/Tolkien. No money is being made. This is for personal enjoyment only. |
Chapter 9 – The Battle at Dol Guldur
It was morning, and the armies of Lothlórien were gathered and awaiting their orders to march out. Glorfindel had gone with the other commanders to meet with Haldir, head warden of the entire elvish force, and discuss final arrangements for the approach. Erestor stood with the men of his company, checking and rechecking armor, weapons and confidence. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and noticed a messenger weaving his way between the grouped armies, searching for someone in particular. As he approached Erestor, the counselor stopped him, “Can I be of some help?”
The messenger, a young Noldo with brilliantly silver hair and emerald eyes, seemed set on his mission, but stopped to answer Erestor, “I was looking for Lord Glorfindel.” The youth looked Erestor over quickly and relaxed a bit, “You are from Rivendell too?”“Yes, I am chief counselor to Lord Elrond. Why do you ask?”He looked Erestor over carefully and, deciding that the brown haired elf was indeed who he said he was, handed Erestor a note and continued, “I was told to give this to you, should the Lord Glorfindel be unavailable, and so far I have not been able to locate him.”Erestor read the neat scrawl and felt a bit of relief. Lord Elrond was sending some of Imladris’s troops to show his support and to help reinforce the Lórien army. “This is quite good news. I’m sure Lord Glorfindel will be pleased to—”“There is only one problem,” the Noldo interrupted, “Only one has arrived.” The youth stopped and searched the crowd of soldiers, standing on his tip toes, “Oh dear, I’m afraid I lost him in my search for the Captain. Perhaps you know him. He says his name is—”“Lastar?” Erestor called as he looked past the messenger’s shoulder and saw a familiar face amongst the crowd. The dark haired apprentice heard his name and caught sight of Erestor.The messenger turned and motioned towards Lastar, “So you know him then? That is a relief, but I am not sure why he came alone.”Erestor looked at the note again. At first glance, it seemed to be Elrond’s handwriting, but with a more concentrated stare, he saw the discrepancies. Elrond did not write this note. “I think I may know why,” he commented to the messenger. Then he looked up from the letter in his hand, and glared at Lastar with narrowed slits of his hazel eyes.“Erestor, I was hoping I was in time,” Lastar said as he approached.“I still need to speak with Lord Glorfindel,” the messenger said as he looked from one Rivendell elf to the other.“I will relay the message to him when he returns,” Erestor said with his usual authority.“But what of the other troops?” the messenger asked with concern.Erestor glared at Lastar with a stern eye, “Perhaps you would like to explain since I have no doubt that this was your doing.”Lastar turned to the messenger, bowing his head, “I deeply apologize if I have caused any inconvenience. There are no other troops coming. Lord Elrond knows nothing of this. It was all my doing. I urgently needed to speak to Lord Erestor and in order to cross your borders without hindrance, I forged the note and my lord’s signature.”The messenger was flabbergasted, “You know this is a punishable offence.”Erestor intervened at once, “I understand and apologize for this . . .” he paused to glare at Lastar again, then continued with a strong sense of annoyance in his voice, “. . . this nuisance. However, I know this man quite well. In Rivendell he is under my employment. You may leave him here, and I will assume full responsibility for him until the Captain returns from his meeting. Then, we will take matters into our own hands.”The messenger looked deflated and gave in, “Very well,” he said resignedly, and went away.Erestor brought his attention back to Lastar, “Taken to forgery, have you?”Lastar looked quite embarrassed as he came up with an answer, “Have you never signed something for Lord Elrond before?”“You know I have, but with Elrond’s permission, and … might I add … he approved it beforehand. But this, Lastar … what were you thinking?” Erestor reprimanded. He looked at the letter again. Then he waved it in his apprentice’s face, “Sending a few troops, and then only you arrive? Did you not think this would be questioned?”“There was no time once I learned that you had left. I knew the Galadhrim would not let me enter their grounds, so I had to make something up quickly, and Lord Elrond was the best way I knew how,” Lastar argued. He would not give up so easily.Erestor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Why are you here then? Why have you followed me?”“I know why you came, and it was not to aid Lothlórien. It’s because of that dream you told me about, the one about the Witch-king and Dol Guldur. You came for Glorfindel, and I can’t help but think it was my fault.”Erestor glanced around where he stood. Some of the elves closest to him were eyeing the Rivendell pair, so he took Lastar by the arm and led him away from the crowd to a place with fewer ears to listen to their conversation. When he was satisfied that they had enough privacy, he began again, “You wasted your time coming here. Glorfindel knows about the dream. And I find it hard to believe that you would risk everything to come here just for that. You must have known that I would tell Glorfindel everything about the visions, and I have. He knows of my concern, and I have made it clear that I am going with him to Dol Guldur. I don’t know what you thought you would accomplish by coming here, but if it has anything to do with your feelings for me—”Lastar interrupted, “It’s more than that, Erestor. I’ve had time to think about it all … everything from Mithrandir’s fall, to Glorfindel’s reason for coming to Lórien, and all that you told me about your dream, and—” He stopped to catch his breath. “I believe it is a trap, not just for Glorfindel, but for you too.”“For me?” Erestor said confused, “Why me? I am of no importance to the enemy.”“Don’t you find it suspicious that you were given this dream, this vision? If the enemy was set on trapping Glorfindel, why allow anyone a glimpse of their plans,” Lastar justified, “You know the Nazgûl have a great fear of Glorfindel’s powers. I think they mean to weaken him first, strike at his heart.”Erestor’s mind began to decipher things, but he was reluctant, “Who’s to say that the enemy implanted the vision? Perhaps it came from the Valar to show me what will come to pass if I do nothing.”“All I am asking is that you do not follow Glorfindel into battle. You have warned him, that should be enough,” Lastar pleaded.“No, I cannot do that. I must go with him. I have seen things he has not, and I know what signs to look for,” Erestor answered, his voice rising in anger. He did not like Lastar being here or interfering with his plans.Lastar was becoming desperate for Erestor to listen. He took the counselor by the shoulders and shook him, “Erestor, please, listen to me. You mustn’t go!”Erestor pushed him away, “Do not speak to me like this. Who are you to tell me what to do?”Lastar stumbled when Erestor shoved him, but he recovered his balance quickly and stepped back towards his mentor, eyes bright with determination, “I am a friend. I am someone who cares what happens to you, and if Glorfindel cared, he would not allow you to go with him. But his mind is set on war, and he only thinks of himself … just like he always does.” Lastar threw away any caution, and cupped his hands to the sides of Erestor’s face, “And because no matter what you say, no matter what you do or how many times you push me away, my feelings will not change. I love you Erestor, and if something should happen to you, I will surely fade.”Erestor had hoped that they were past this, but he should have known better. Love had struck at Lastar’s heart, and that was not an easy thing to ignore. Hadn’t he done the same thing by coming to Lórien to find Glorfindel and try to change his mind? But Glorfindel would not alter his course for him, no more than Erestor would alter his for Lastar. The young apprentice need not risk his life though, not for someone who could not return those feelings of admiration.He took Lastar’s hands and lowered them from his face, released him and stepped away, slowly shaking his head from side to side, “Do not tell me these things. You know my feelings can never mirror yours. My heart belongs to Glorfindel and only him. What you seek from me I cannot give you.”“Why? Why do you give yourself to him? Why do you give him every part of your being when he only gives you a portion of himself? I am the only one who can see how he uses you. It is not love, Erestor, it is a convenience to him. He gives only when it benefits him. Glorfindel is not your salvation. He is your disease, and if you follow him to Dol Guldur, you will die.”Simply turning the young ellon away was not enough. Erestor would have to get tough. He would have to break an unrequited heart, and it tore at his soul to have to do it. The kindness in his face molded into anger and disappointment. He stretched himself upwards, feeling that he was towering over Lastar, and laid it out plainly for him to see. “You listen to me, and you listen well. You have made a mistake by coming here. Nothing you say about Glorfindel will change my feelings for him. Your feelings for me have blinded you to everything else. So let me make myself perfectly clear, Lastar. I do not love you, nor will I ever.” Erestor looked away, and saw that the troops were beginning to organize. The Captains must have returned with their marching orders. They would leave soon. “Find the strength to move on from this, for nothing will ever come from it. Go home, Lastar. Go back to Imladris, and think about what has happened here and what I have said.”“No, I will not go, and if you are determined to march with the armies, then I am going with you,” Lastar demanded as though he hadn’t heard a single word Erestor had said.Erestor shook his head. So it had come down to this. He hated the thought, but there was only one thing left to do. Looking past Lastar, he saw one of Lothlórien’s wardens passing by. “You leave me with no choice,” he said as he motioned to the warden. The elf approached, but Lastar did not turn to look. His eyes remained locked on Erestor.“What seems to be the problem?” the warden asked, looking Lastar over carefully.Lastar’s eyes softened and he pleaded one last time, “Please, Erestor.”Erestor stepped away from his apprentice to speak to the warden. He still held the note in his hand, glanced at it, closed his eyes and sighed, “I request that this man be taken into custody. He is here on false pretenses.”“Have you any evidence?” the warden inquired.Erestor handed him the letter, “I am chief advisor to Lord Elrond and this was not written by his hand. This ellon has falsely identified himself to your guards, breeched the borders unlawfully, and insists on marching with the armies. He is not a soldier, and I fear he will only bring harm to himself or others.” Erestor’s voice was somber.“Erestor, don’t do this,” Lastar whispered one last time.“Please take him, and if at all possible, arrange for him to be escorted back to Rivendell. A message will be sent on ahead to notify Lord Elrond, and his punishment will be dealt accordingly,” Erestor told the warden.The warden nodded, stepped forward and took Lastar’s arm, “Come with me.”Lastar did not resist, but his eyes did not leave Erestor. However, Erestor would not look at him. He turned away from his apprentice and started back to join his company, but he stopped and called over his shoulder to Lastar, “When you get back to Imladris, you should find new employment. You no longer work in the libraries, and are relieved of your duties there.” Without another look back, Erestor disappeared into the crowd of soldiers.By the time Erestor returned, Glorfindel was there amongst his men. The elf lord hadn’t seen Lastar. The warden had taken him away before anyone had noticed. Still, Glorfindel could tell something had happened by the frown on Erestor’s face. “Are you alright?”“Fine,” Erestor answered as he mentally shook himself back to the present. He hated what he had to do, but it was for Lastar’s own good. He could not let him stay and fight. Lastar would surely die, and though Erestor was upset with him, he did not wish anything to happen to him. “Do we have our orders?” Erestor asked, clearing his mind of the uncomfortable scene with his apprentice.“Yes, we are leaving shortly, just as soon as everyone takes formation.” Glorfindel paused and studied Erestor’s face, “What is it, meldanya? Something has upset you. I can see it in your eyes.”Erestor forced a smile, “It is nothing. I’m just anxious to be on our way.”“Likewise,” Glorfindel said, returning a reassuring smile of his own, “It won’t be long. Come, gather with the men. We go to battle soon.”* * *It was a grueling journey through the Rhovanion, with fell creatures around every tree, hill and boulder. Ravens, snakes and wolves, they made it a harrowing experience, but the worst of them all were the spiders. They moved with precise deadliness, silent stealthy beasts armed with venom filled fangs. Erestor had even seen one capture an elf with its web, hoist him into a tree and disappear with its victim. The soldier was never seen again. After that, they doubled their guard, keeping a set of eyes on the canopy as well as the forest floor. But loss of life was kept at a minimum, and the Lothlórien armies plowed their way through the dark southern forest. Now they were close enough that they could see the broken towers rising up through the fog and clouds that hovered ominously above the hill where Dol Guldur stood.Erestor felt a shard of ice pierce his spine as he gazed upon this place. So real it seemed now, and no longer a dream that he could wake from. He’d been here before, in this exact spot, but from the safety of his sleepy mind. Here it was, the fortress looming above its barren hill, the surrounding area a wasteland of dead trees, ash and rock. Evil had dwelled here for so long that the land had been devastated to a point where it seemed nothing would grow again.“We must keep our heads about us,” said an elf soldier close to Erestor, “There are things here that can invade our minds if we let them. Keep good thoughts close at hand. Think of home, friends and family, loved ones … anything that might ward off the evil.”At the mention of loved ones, Erestor glanced up ahead to where Glorfindel conferred with other army captains. It was difficult to hide his feelings, though outwardly he held his composure. Inside, his gut tightened, and his heart felt like it pulsed in his throat. This land, this place, it raised his anxiety. No good would come from any of this. What was worse was Glorfindel’s ignorance. Even with Erestor’s warnings, he still felt like the elf lord did not take it seriously. Fin was focused on battle strategies and orders. He had a job to do, and he would do it to perfection. If there was a threat to him or his men, he would take it on when he came face to face with it.As they approached, Erestor wondered about the fortress. It must have been a wondrous place at one time. It had once been the capital for the Silvan elves. Then it was known as Amon Lanc or Bald Hill. The hill rose up out of the forest like a lookout tower, a perfect place for the Silvans. But Sauron slowly moved his forces into the southern forest and the Silvan elves departed north. The fortress was ruined now. Evil was so deeply imbedded into the hill and the surrounding land that it could never be rebuilt, even with the best intensions.The forest floor gave way to a deteriorated cobblestone road. The remnants of dead pines lined the drive, like decrepit skeletons forced to stand at attention. The armies halted as though stepping on the stones would warn the enemy of their approach. Erestor thought that it was too late. Something surely knew they were here.Glorfindel came to Erestor’s side, and they both gazed ahead to the great fortress with its multiple towers. They looked like claws reaching for the sky, ready to snatch up anyone who dared to enter.“Is this what you saw, Erestor?” Glorfindel asked.He was surprised Fin asked about his vision, but he nodded, “Yes, this is how it started at least. Then, I was swept inside quickly.”“Where, do you remember?”Erestor tried to remember how it was he entered the castle. He pointed to what looked like a secondary level, “There, I think, where you see that dark place in the wall. It is an entrance I believe, but once inside, the halls twist and turn, and they fork off in every direction. It will be very difficult to navigate, I’m afraid.”“Yes, I know,” said Glorfindel, “We have a map, a layout of the interior, but it is centuries old, and as you can see, much has changed.” He gestured towards statues that looked like they had once been stone columns, but now were carved into the likeness of the Nazgûl. “There is no telling what we will find inside.”“You do not mean to enter the fortress, do you?” Erestor asked.Glorfindel gave an agitated sigh, “It is not up to me. Haldir has handed down our orders. We are to fight outside the walls. That is, of course, if the orc armies come out to meet us.”“You do not agree with the marchwarden,” Erestor stated rather than asked.“There are a lot of things that we don’t see eye to eye on, but I am not in charge here. Haldir is.”Erestor could hear the contempt in Glorfindel’s voice, “I’m afraid I must agree with Haldir in this case. We do not know what to expect inside the castle. The orcs will be at an advantage.”“We may not be completely in the dark,” Glorfindel admitted with a curl of his mouth in a deceptive smile.“What do you mean?” Erestor asked curiously.Glorfindel glanced around to make sure no one was listening, “I sent scouts ahead, two days past.”“You’ve what?” Erestor said louder than he’d meant. He dropped his voice back to a whisper, “You do realize that you have just sent some of your men to their deaths.”“They are Lórien’s best, stealthy and quick. Do not fret, meldanya, they will return. I have confidence in them, or I would not have sent them.” As if on cue, two elves came forward and stood at the edge of the crowd, their faces stark and their breath short. Glorfindel nodded to them, then excused himself from Erestor.Meanwhile, Erestor was called up by his men. Something was happening. All of the armies were taking formation. Banners were being raised and weapons drawn. There was movement inside the fog that kept the base of Dol Guldur hidden from plain view. Dark shapes converged then separated, but any sound was muffled by the thick grey mist. Still, every elf knew what it was. Sauron’s armies had been sent forth.Glorfindel appeared out of nowhere, it seemed. Erestor turned his head and took in the sight that stood at his side. Even at this desperate hour, Glorfindel was beautifully decorated in his silver armor, his long hair cascading down his back, loose and unbound, unlike the usual braids that the warriors wore. His brilliant blue eyes were the only thing that held any color. Everything else was drawn in shades of grey and black. For one brief moment, Erestor wondered if this was the last time he would see his lover like this, strong and sufficient, bold, wise and deadly. He could see what it was that frightened the Nazgûl. Glorfindel held some ancient power instilled upon him by the Valar, as though part of them lived through him and gave him his brilliance. He must shine like the sun, blinding those who cower from its brightness, Erestor thought. But where the enemy shrunk back from Fin’s light, Erestor bathed in it and absorbed it, allowing it to fill him with that undeniable sense of immortality, and the knowledge that he would live to see the sun again.Glorfindel stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed on the fog, “This is it, Erestor. This is the real battle.” He shut his eyes as his head turned towards Erestor. When they opened, they burned for his lover and nothing else. “Stay safe, meldanya.” Then he bent his head to Erestor’s ear and whispered, “I love you.”Erestor tilted his head so that they were looking within each other’s eyes. Not caring who saw them, they kissed, lips and tongues slowly caressing, tasting, memorizing. When they separated, Glorfindel touched the side of Erestor’s face, his gloved finger tracing the counselor’s jaw. “Mine,” he whispered, and he was off to rally his men.Erestor stayed at the front of the gathered men, but off to the outer edge of the company. From here on out, he was a soldier, fighting for his life, as well as those around him, but one eye would always be on Glorfindel, especially if they entered the fortress. Parts of the vision were becoming reality, the scenery was all too familiar. And somewhere within Dol Guldur was the Witch-king, watching and waiting for Glorfindel. Erestor was watching also, and he would let nothing happen to his lover.* * *The first line of orcs broke free of the fog, and as they emerged, others followed. They spilled from the fortress as though they had been regurgitated from its stone bowels, a never ending flow of filth. They were armed and ready, rusty black blades in position to strike as soon as they were within proper distance. Erestor heard Haldir call out to his archers, and the stretching of bowstrings followed.“Release!” the marchwarden commanded, and the whirring screech of arrows passed overhead. Next was the unmistakable sound of bodies falling, metal from their armor clanking on the cobblestone road. The front lines of orcs now littered the ground, but more came.Haldir gave his orders again, and a second round of arrows arched high above in the darkened sky, many finding their targets as more orcs fell. Still, they were replaced by more wretched creatures.Next, the army captains called to their troops and the soldiers responded by bringing their shields in front of them, their swords ready at their sides. One more set of arrows launched in the air, and the captains commanded to charge forward. Erestor took one last moment to look left and then right. He hoped he would see these men again, but then, this might be the last time he saw them alive.Then the entire force of elves charged ahead, crashing into the oncoming orcs. Metal struck metal, silver clashed with flesh and the shine of clean blades quickly turned black with orc blood. Voices could no longer be distinguished from one another, as it was just one loud roar.Erestor charged ahead, twisting, swinging, slaying, dodging scimitar and spear, saving the elf next to him, saving himself. And every time he had a slight moment to breathe, his eyes scanned the scene for Glorfindel. And every time, he found him, still standing, still fighting with exalted lethality. He was a beast when he fought, moving laboriously ahead as he cut a path into the orc army. He was in constant movement, like a dancer, and the blade was his partner. The orcs that fell dead from his strikes looked as though they parted the way for him. Erestor’s body reacted to the sight, coming alive at a most inopportune time. Death and desire, they really did walk a fine line, but death it would be if Erestor did not pull himself from the awe of watching Glorfindel in combat.The main bulk of the orc army was now out of the fortress, and the conflict spread out over what Erestor assumed used to be a courtyard. It was easier to fight now, with more room to move about. It had been ages since he fought in a war, but it was like second nature to him. When one’s life depended on it, fighting came easily. Stay alive, that was his only goal for the moment. Glorfindel was somewhere up ahead, and Erestor concentrated on the battle happening around himself for now. The gilded warrior could manage on his own.Erestor’s world shrunk to a small area that surrounded him. He had only split seconds to determine whether friend or foe entered his invisible border. An orc … a forward thrust of his sword … black blood sprayed onto his armor. He repeated this movement over and over until the hilt of his sword became a part of his hand, infusing into his flesh as if it were an extension arm. The energy flowed through his body, beginning in his feet, up his legs to his waist. A twist, and the energy continued through his chest and shoulder, finally traveling through his arm where it was released through the sharp blade of Aicalango, Erestor’s sword. This was all the counselor knew of his world. His only goal was to kill and not be killed. Everything else melted away around him. He was a soldier, a warrior once more as he was in his youth. He knew nothing of scrolls or libraries, not even of lovers. He was a weapon of the army and nothing more.He couldn’t say how long he was in this trance, for minutes or days, it did not matter. He could stay here for as long as it took, until the last orc fell. Then his pace started to slow, not from exhaustion, for his adrenaline had kept him vital, but because there were fewer to kill. His invisible border began to extend outward as his vision was no longer tunneled. That’s when he remembered where he was, not that he had forgotten, but for a while it did not matter. Dead or dying bodies littered the forest floor. The smells were horrid. Death had a scent, metallic for blood, putrid waste for spilled entrails, and burnt flesh for those who had caught fire from torches. All of it was unforgettable. Erestor gave a quick thought to Lastar. Thank the Valar he had sent him away. The youth did not need to see any of this. Most of all, he did not need to be a victim of war.The ground was slick with blood, and not all of it black. Red mingled with the dark pools, and Erestor hated to think that they were allowed to mix together as they were. He looked to his left, and found a dead orc covering the body of a fallen comrade. No, he thought, not even in death are you allowed to touch one of us. He pushed the orc from the elf, recognizing the face. It was the one who told them to set their minds to love and family. Well, Erestor said to himself, he died for the protection of those he spoke of, so that they would live on in a world free of fear. From the look of the battle ground, they had accomplished that goal, if just for a small part of the world. Although elves lay dead upon the ground, more of the carnage were orcs, thank the Valar.Now his hearing was returning, the ringing in his ears subsiding as his blood’s pace slowed to normal. If his first thought was that he still lived, his second thought was for Glorfindel. How long had it been since he’d seen him last? He glanced around, looking for his golden head, but found no trace of him. Panic set in quickly, and he automatically called out his lover’s name.“Glorfindel!” he exclaimed, “Lord Glorfindel!”“He’s not here,” said an elf, blood covering half of his face. He sat upon the ruins of a fallen pillar, his friend at his side holding a ball of rags to his head.Erestor’s heart sunk, but he held his composure, “What do you mean by that?”“Nothing like that,” the elf quickly corrected, “He left the battle before it ended.”He had been fighting for so long, Erestor thought he misunderstood the elf and shook his head, “He left?”“Yes, he went into the fortress,” came the answer that Erestor did not want to hear.Looking at the injured elf more closely, he thought he recognized him, and realized he was one of the scouts that Glorfindel had sent on earlier, “Tell me all you know,” Erestor demanded.The scout had gone with his brother, to examine the castle before the battle had begun. Glorfindel had sent them to find out more about the orc army before they were released from within the fortress. The elf lord had given them explicit instructions to relay their findings to Haldir, which they had done. But upon their closer examination, and because they snuck in through a back entrance thought to be forgotten about, they found a room, a wooden door unguarded and unlocked. The scouts found it very peculiar, but investigated and found that the room held cells, and within those cells were captured elves.“Most of them looked like they had been caught recently, though they were gaunt in the face from lack of food, water and sunlight. We were about to leave, fearing we’d taken too much time, when we heard muffled cries coming from within the wall of that room. I called out to whoever it was, but I could not understand what they were saying. It was all just moans and cries to our ears. There was no more time to spend. We heard footsteps and fled.”The scout brothers returned to the elvish army encampment, and gave Haldir a general account of the number of orc troops, but they had gone to Glorfindel to tell him about the captured elves. “We knew Lord Glorfindel would want to know, and the marchwarden had too many other things to worry about. His orders were to remain outside of the fortress until most of the orcs were destroyed. Haldir would not risk his companies fighting on the enemy’s terms. Now I know why. The inside of the fortress is a labyrinth of twists and turns, easy to become lost, trapped and ambushed. Perhaps that’s how those elves were captured to begin with. My brother and I were just lucky we found our way out. I’m not sure I could find that room again though.”Erestor finished speaking with the scout. He had found out all he needed to know. Actually, he had already known this might happen, as another part of his vision came to life. The scouts may not know how to get back to the cells, but Erestor knew. He’d seen it. He knew the way. He knew the door that the scout spoke of, though he said nothing about it seeming to be alive and breathing. That had been just part of the nightmare, but the elves captured and held prisoner were real. The trap was set then, and everything he had told Glorfindel did nothing to stop it from happening. This was exactly what the Witch-king wanted. The Nazgúl lord captured and imprisoned elves knowing Glorfindel would come to set them free.“Damn it, Glorfindel,” Erestor said under his breath, “I warned you and still you do not listen.”Shouts from another captain reached Erestor’s ears, “Assume positions! The enemy sends reinforcements! Prepare for the next wave!”Erestor turned to the elf at his side, “What does this mean? Are we not going into the fortress?”“As long as there are orcs to fight out here, we will not go inside. It’s too hazardous, too many hidden dangers lurk beyond those gates. Haldir will not send us in until he is absolutely sure that the threat out here has been taken care of. Even then, he only send in special troops, scouts who will know how to navigate the confusing halls within,” the elf informed.This was bad news indeed. Erestor was counting on the Lothlórien armies to enter the castle. With the fortress under siege, Glorfindel might be safe from the Witch-king. Now, Fin would be alone searching for the imprisoned elves, and possibly walking into a trap. Left with little choice, the counselor knew there was nothing else to be done but to go and find Fin before it was too late. He berated himself for not keeping a better eye on the elf lord. He knew Glorfindel better than anyone, knew he would disobey Haldir and go alone. The scouts he sent in earlier were part of his plan. He must have given them a description of the castle based upon Erestor’s vision. That’s how they found the secret door. Now, with the diversion of another attack, Fin was able to slip away, not only from Haldir and his orders, but from Erestor, who swore not to leave his side. The counselor cursed Glorfindel again, and slipped unnoticed through the preparing crowd of elves, eventually finding himself at the second level and the dark entrance of his dream. He pushed the door open and went inside, cautious of his surroundings. Glorfindel was somewhere within, and hopefully Erestor was not too late.While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo