Traitor

Chapter Eleven

"When are we gonna eat the Elf?" called an Orc who was looking greedily past Esandryya at the limp Legolas.

Knowing that she could not simply let Legolas go whether she was captain or not, Esandryya barked in reply: "I don't know – I was thinking after we'd had some fun with it first!"

The Orcs cheered and excitedly bound his hands and feet with thick, sharp cords after they had taken all his weapons. Then, Esandryya got an idea.

"Do any of you scum know where the Running River is?" she yelled over the pattering of the rain as she slung Legolas over her shoulders.

One Orc piped up, "It's this way, Captain!"

Esandryya gave a guttural laugh that hurt her throat. "Come on, then!"

She led her band of Orcs towards the river, repulsed by their chaotic and loud nature. Her ears hated the jarring din – but she laughed along with the rest when a gruesome joke was told and hated herself for enjoying it.

Once, Legolas stirred, but she instantly knocked him out again, feeling a bit exhilarated when the other Orcs congratulated her on her 'quick save'.

She despised it.

She despised the two conflicting parts of her being: the one that yearned to be accepted by Legolas and the Elves, waited eagerly to step onto the Elven ship – and the one that was harshly content where she was, running with her own kind and accepted by them.

She knew she should hate it, but it was so easy being loud and rough and confident that she had a place among them, without having to fight to be accepted or afraid she would be discovered and killed.

Was this what freedom felt like?

Was it a freedom she wanted?

Sometime in the early morning the rain ceased, revealing a fresh, clear day. Sunlight shone through the beads of rainwater on the grass, making them glisten like tiny pieces of glass. Esandryya relished the warmth of daylight on her mud-caked face, but the other Orcs complained loudly at the sun as it scorched their raw and lightless skin.

When the sun was shining high in the pleasant afternoon sky, the party reached the Running River. Esandryya marveled at the beauty of it – the River was huge and long, and as it flowed merrily westward it roared like a dragon with the sun shimmering in its watery scales. All around it the forest grew greener and bigger, thanks to the life-giving properties of the Celduin.

A short way away Esandryya could see a large, strong dock that went into the river, and she guessed that was where the sunset boat would berth.

That glorious feeling of letting the beauty wash over her was quickly snuffed out as Esandryya remembered she must be like these Orcs for the time being if she wished to be on that boat when it came. She let out a resigned sigh before she shouted to her group, "You rats can take a rest now!"

With some sense of relief, the Orcs began to amuse themselves by rummaging through Legolas's bag and bickering over who would take his weapons. Esandryya watched distastefully as fresh pieces of lembas bread were crumbled before her eyes. Turning away from them bitterly, she walked to a spot away from the other Orcs, still carrying Legolas.

She set him down as gently as she could get away with and sat beside him, watching the river. Out of the corner of her eye, Esandryya saw Legolas stir and awake with a groan.

"Esandryya... what happened?" As he tried to sit up, he discovered his bonds and began to struggle furiously against them, cursing.

"You have betrayed me!" he said as she sat and watched him writhe in the ropes.