Bound by Shadows | Adar x OFC | Rings of Power

Return to Shadow

The ride back into darkness, under the thickening cloud of ash was relentless. Adar remained steadfastly fixed on the horizon ahead, with renewed vigour. When Eleneth had emerged from the forest to follow him, his resolve hardened further still. It felt as though a warm ember had begun glowing in the pit of his stomach, a subtle furnace of energy that would give him the stamina to see through his plans. Everything now must be done with purpose and haste, no moment lost to false peace until a lasting one was achieved. His children must see him return at the height of his power now, if they were to be persuaded to fight and sacrifice for their futures. Whilst his eyes looked outwards, his mind turned in, mapping ahead the steps and possibilities, preparing the way forwards.

Eleneth rode hard to keep up, driving her horse onwards with elvish words of encouragement. He had become more sure-footed than on the ride out, responsive to the slightest pull on the reins, to the merest alteration of her will. She had no bearings on how much time had passed, her legs grew weary and sore once more, and yet the pace did not slacken. She wanted to cry out to Adar to slow, but could never get close enough that he would hear it. The gloom felt as if it settled on her skin and already, she felt it was pulling something from her, taking it and casting it aside. It continued for what felt like eternity. Eleneth's bones ached, and she felt her eyelids closing over her stinging eyes. She squinted into the distance where at last, black shapes began to appear. The shacks and sheds of the orc settlement. There were small shapes that moved. A tower rose over the horizon, higher and higher. The place she had been confined. And still Adar did not slow. She wondered at her relief on seeing the end of the journey in sight, and felt disgusted by how she could feel this way, arriving back in such a place.

As they charged into a clearing, surrounded by low dwellings, the ground thick with damp, black ash, Adar and Eleneth pulled the reins on their horses hard, bringing them to a halt. He shouted something in the black speech with urgency. Two orcs appeared from the inky darkness of a violently leaning shack. Thrakk was one of them, the other was a skeletal looking orc, taller than Adar, with razor sharp pointed teeth, and a look of fear on his face. Adar was down from his horse, handing the reins to the tall orc. Eleneth could barely move her legs to climb down and swayed forwards in the saddle with exhaustion.

"Get her down!" Adar roared to Thrakk.

Thrakk stumped to her side lazily, looking up at her, his mouth curved into what might be a grin. Eleneth was aware now of a gathering crowd of orcs filing into the space around them, pressing in, to witness the arrival of their lord. Thrakk limply held out his arms, but not to their full extent, so Eleneth had to try to lower herself from the horse some way before she would be in his grasp. 

She paused, waiting for the rough hands to grip her waist, but they did not come. Her arms shook, as she tried to stop herself from falling. She tried to look round to see where the orc was, but could not twist far enough. Then the hands grasped her harshly, and Thrakk pulled downwards hard instead of lowering her slowly. Eleneth crashed into the filthy, hard ground. Thrakk kicking her feet from under her as she landed, so she fell painfully onto her side. Adar had not seen.

The foul guttural voices of the gathered orcs, burst into roars of satisfied triumph and rage. Adar turned to see what had happened, his eyes blazing, staring hard at Thrakk, who immediately lowered his eyes. Adar looked down to Eleneth, covered again in black filth. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. He resisted the urge to go to her. His orcs needed certainty of his allegiance. Eleneth did not appear to be seriously harmed. 

When he did not move, Eleneth began to try and awkwardly climb to her feet. His face showed nothing but coldness. A new fear opened in her, that the orcs may be beyond the uruk's full control. That without his presence, she may be in more danger than before they had left for the garden. What had brought this about? Was the very presence of Sauron's evil, carrying on the breeze, infecting the orcs with a growing violence? Did they detect a change in Adar, something more elvish about him that they despised? She would need him now, if she were to survive this place. She felt a sudden urge to run to him and cling by his side. 

Adar turned back to the tall orc and spoke to him in a low voice. "Glûg, see to it that her clothes are returned, and the bag, not the blade. She will remain in my quarters, guarded by your own men. She will have much work to do. You will make sure she gets everything she requests from the night garden."

Glûg's eyes were wide, shifting from Adar to Eleneth, looking around at the gathered orcs. His eyes met Thrakk's and he thought of what Thrakk had told him while Adar had been away. The food Eleneth had been given, the hot water, his master's own bed. His lord father gave orders he could not comprehend. He was changed, but Glûg could not understand how. It made him afraid. Why had he returned with Eleneth? Why was the horse not bound to his? She appeared unharmed and her skin was brighter than before. A bad feeling came over him, but he bowed and said, "Yes, lord father."

"Then, gather everyone. I will speak to them." Speaking lower still, he gripped Glûg by the shoulder. The hand on him brought some comfort to Glûg that Adar still loved them. "You have my orders. Be sure they are carried out." Glûg nodded dumbly, staring into his father's pale face, searching for what had changed. With a sharp nod, Adar strode away, the crowd of orcs parting to make way. Some stood and stared, some bent their necks, some growled and punched the air with leathery fists. The beat of an orc chant rose around him, louder and louder as he passed through the crowd. He wished to turn back to make sure Glûg was leading Eleneth away from the mob, but kept his eyes fixed ahead. His children would soon understand his plan. They must, if they desired peace and a permanent home.