Livewire[LOTR]

Chapter four- So it begins.

Chapter four

War, death and ruin. Far to common in this land, I stood quietly beside my father watching his conciel mutter quietly. The threat of the Orcs was growing by the day, they would not sit dormant for much longer. We all knew it, I knew it. Each morning I would awake to a rumble in the stone and cold earth below me. I knew they were close, to close.  My father spoke hurdly with the other elven that had gathered. The lords of the other lands, we all where aware of the threat. Yet we always hesitated to ask eachother for help. Our kind had never gotten along with the other elves of this land. Our views where much different.  We would more often spring into war then think. Words spoken to me throughout my childhood, whispered by servants or the lords muttering between each other. My eyes darted back from my wishful and absent minded thinking as my fathers angry roar beside me almost caused the ground around him to tremble with fear. “We need to work togeather!” He bellowed into the hall. Causing a serving girl to drop the glass she was holding. She squeaked quietly and raced off to grab a towel to clean it up. Elrond rubbed his forehead. Clearly sick of my fathers constant yelling. His long brown hair flowing over the back of the chair he sat on, green robes causing him to blend with the forest behind the window before he sat.

 I wrinkled my nose slightly and pulled at my shiver clothing, itchy and tight around my midsection. I had to listen to my father blathering on, sadly. I was his only son, to grow up and become the king one day. So I had to learn to listen and pay attention to what and how he does things. My younger sister, my only sibling was watching us from around the hall. She was only a few hundred years younger then I was. Her hair the same wild gold as all of our family. My mother was no where to be found, as usual. The queen rarely showed up for these meetings. She had no interest in politics. None of us did. Aside from my father of course.

I fidged slightly and my fathers head snapped over towards me. “Silence, child.” He snarled. Lady Galadriels blue eyes narrowed slightly at my fathers angry hiss. “Don’t speak to your son like that.” She hissed. Tensions had always been high between my father and her people. She did not like the way he led people, the kind of leader he was. He- If anything. Was more of a human then his own kind. “Do not snap at me in my own hold woman.” I folded my hands behind my back and took a deep breath. Silence. Silence was good for now, it wouldn’t be much longer before one of them walked out on my father. The ladys eyes narrowed further but she said no more. The three went back into deep conversation about the threat and what they where going to do about it. A choice was quickly reached to wait and see what the Orcs would do, if they would try to attack or remain dormant. Soilders would be sent to every village and hold to collect men to fight in the war. The three did not doubt that there would not be a war, of course. In every battle with an Orc the fight was far from small. They prided themselves on the mass of there horde. I had fought my fair share throughout my life. I knew full well what they where capable off. My father turned towards me. “My son will over see the conscripts, I trust you can do this.” I nodded curtly. “Then you will wait here for them to return, I will send them out. When they return with the conscripts I want you to be ready to train them.”

I nodded again. “Yes father.” He cracked a half smile at me. “Good man.” He dismissed me and I strode out of the hall and towards my sister who hid as I approached. “I see you Llevelen.” I said to her. Her large doe like blue eyes peeked around the side of the hallway. “I wanted to listen, you know.” She grumbled. Stepping beside me and stopping, her long green and silver dress dragging on the ground behind her as she walked. My father had tried to wed her off several times but each time it ended badly. The first, a elven lord for Rivendale- had found a rat in his bed. The second, a lord from his own court. Had awoken to a shaved head. She refused to be wed away to anyone, which was admirable of her. I respected my sisters fire. “I would make a better leader then you.” She growled quietly, folding her arms. I snorted.   “Sure, keep dreaming.” We began to walk down the hallway towards the doors into the city below the palace. The palace was slightly elevated above the city. Some of the city was built into the side of the forested hill but most buildings where built high in the trees with crystal spires to connect them. I pushed open the door into the courtyard. It stretched onto the large hill and the forest beyond.

Green glistened and reflected the morning dew. I took a deep breath of the cool morning air and pushed my long hair back slightly. My sister smiled at a villager that passed us with two baskets on his hips. Filled with fruits and greens. I dipped my head to the man as children bustled past him chasing after a large white canine. My sister smiled at the subjects. “I assume you wont try to marry me off once your king.” She said quietly. My blue eyes darted over towards her. “You speak as though that moment will be soon, we have a long time before I will sit upon the throne dear sister.” I said. She glanced over towards me, pursing her thin pink lips. “Don’t dodge the question.” She said. “No.” I said quickly changing the subject. “I assume you know that father put me incharge of the new recruits, Im surprised he would set aside his pride to accumulate the help of humans.” I snorted loudly in disbelief of my father.

My sister nodded slowly. “I am surprised as well, but Im sure the recruits will consists of the strangling elven who live within the human holds and cities….” She said quietly. “I wonder if we will recruit the assistance of the eagle riders.” I rolled my eyes, my sister had always had such a fancy for those damned birds. She was always talking about them, how amazing the people where that could ride them and work beside them. The eagles where a powerful race, strong and large birds of many talents. A hold along the mountains held them along with a supposed town consisting of humans and would help the birds where needed in return they got to ride the eagles. I had never really approved of their ways, they lived like homeless men- no pay was offered for the hard jobs they did with the creatures. “Brother?” My sister asked, prodding my arm when I didn’t say anything. I smiled over at her. “It’s nothing, just thinking.” She nodded and wandered over to bench to the right. Sitting down and looked into the thick forest beyond. “Has father tired to find a bride for you, no doubt he will want a heir.” She said, folding her hands in her lap.

I shrugged. “No, father hasn’t said anything about that to me. He might be planning something behind my back, but I don’t think so.” I muttered quietly, the clinks of metal and the stomping of heavy boots on  stone and grass. The solider marching out, banners in there hands. Some on horses, others on foot. They nodded to us as they passed, then vanished down the hillside into the city out of our sight. “And so it begins.” My sister muttered quietly.