The Sands of Rhun: A Middle Earth Story(Book 2)

Chapter 10: Enemy at the Gates

The keen thrill of battle still coursed through my veins, even after the last of the enemy had retreated. However, as I glanced around and began counting our losses, it began to slowly recede, leaving me flushed and breathless.


Still scattered on the battlefield, three of our men lay dead, crimson blood tarnishing their armor. Around twenty green-clad men littered the field, their bodies stained heavily with their own blood, seeping into their cloaks and hair. It had been a relatively clean victory for us, fortunately. But how had they found us in the first place? How had they known where we were camped? Suddenly hearing footsteps, I turned to see a soldier approaching me. He wore the distinctive red scarf of an officer, the thin cloth fluttering loosely in the wind.


"Your bravery today is commendable," he said in a thick Rhunic accent that I almost couldn't understand. "I shall tell Lord Khanar of it. Well done son." Heartily, he clapped a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it in praise. And, though I couldn't see most of his face, the wrinkles around the man's eyes indicated that he was smiling.


"Thank you sir," I said, and saluted crisply. The officer readily saluted back, then turned on his heel and trotted off; to check up on the rest of the men, I assumed. Sighing, I glanced around once more. Hadar stood over the body of an enemy soldier a short distance away. A mournful look was on his face as he stared down... almost guiltily.


Brow furrowing in slight confusion, I made my way over to him, sheathing my sword. Around us, Easterlings took the bodies away one by one.


"It is a sad thing," Hadar murmured as I approached, almost as if talking to himself. "That one should die so young, and so far from home." Interested in my friend's train of thought, I followed Hadar's gaze to the enemy soldier's face. The man was no older than me, and had flowing brown hair. What once would have been rather well-kempt, was now matted with dark blood. The young man's countenance was frozen in fear, as though he had felt much pain in his last moments.


"Why must we fight one another endlessly?" Hadar asked rhetorically. "Nobody wins. This man lost his life, was cut down before he could truly live his life. And I survived. But next time it may be me that dies. Someone always dies." Sighing softly, he looked meaningfully up at me.
"Are these men truly evil? Are they responsible for the sins of their ancestors?" Feeling a spring of emotion well up in my stomach, I didn't answer, instead looking down at the ground. I wasn't quite sure why his words were so... meaningful. They were just said with so much conviction. But more than that, I knew deep down that he was right.  Wincing, I pushed the thought away. If it were true, I had the blood of innocents on my hands... And that wasn't something I was willing to accept at the moment.


"Listen to me Rukil!" Hadar exclaimed, firmly placing a bloodied hand on my shoulder. He shook me gently for emphasis. "Why are we even fighting? What possible reason is there for this to go on?" My head snapped up and I locked eyes with him.


"Because we have a sense of duty to our country! Our country relies on us to keep them safe! You may not understand, you're a mercenary... but I do." Hadar's eyes widened in disbelief.


"The country that enslaved you? The country that killed your friend? You're choosing to side with a country that has done more evil than you can account for! When did you deceive yourself into believing you owe them anything? They murdered someone close to you, and you're just going to stand with them?" His words burned, and I felt the familiar feeling of defensiveness rise within me, tying a knot in my stomach. 


"Do not speak of that. Do not!" Eyes flashing in rage, I turned stiffly and strode away. Who was he to speak like that? He didn't understand... However, deep down, there crawled a small worm of doubt. Something that could not be ignored. But I pushed it away, not willing to believe that I was fighting for an evil cause. If I believed that, I'd have nothing to fight for. And I had to fight.


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The next morning we continued our march. The sun rose in the east as it always did, its soft, golden light fighting to break through the thick fog that rested idly on the plain. It was almost beautiful.


As we walked, the brittle dirt crunched under our feet, creating a cloud of dust behind us. At first no one minded at all; however, it did become an issue at midday.


We had just come to an area where the road grew wider, and the landscape was greener. Suddenly, we heard the orcs take off at a run, hurrying past on either side in a blur. Disregarding the marching order. they loped past us into the front of the line, causing the whole army to falter. The steady march stopped.


"Halt!!" An Easterling officer shouted. The lines paused in their step -at least the ones who hadn't already had to stop because of the interference. We all stood in confusion, unsure of what would take place.  


The orc's leader was a brute named Urgbûz. Despite his hunched, bowlegged stance he stood a full head taller than any of us, making him a rather intimidating Orc. He stepped forward confidently, approaching Lord Khanar.


"We wants a spot in the front of the line," Urgbûz declared, making a strange choking sound in his throat. Lord Khanar looked demeaningly down at him from atop his black steed.


"I have assigned you to the back. You're under my orders." Obviously unsatisfied by this, Urgbûz growled and spat on the ground near the Lord's feet. Khanar didn't even blink.


"Ach! I don't much like yer orders, and neither do my boys over here." He sneered disrespectfully at the Easterling.


"Immediately, as one great crowd, we all drew our swords in defense, the sound of steel being pulled from its scabbards filling the air. It was rather intimidating, and we numbered more than them. Now uncertain, the Orc looked at us in fear, and with no small amount of disgust. But he wasn't going to risk his life. Not now.


"Fine!" He muttered stiffly. "But know 'dis, a happy soldier is a good soldier." With that he ordered his foul company back, and they passed us with growls and sneers. We kept our swords in hand, brandishing them at the orcs.


"We'll have no more insubordination!" Lord Khanar shouted to still the clamor. "The next to disobey or challenge orders will be executed!" He glared back at Urgbûz, who suddenly started studying a spot on the ground below him. Seeing the sudden quiet, Khanar nodded and swung his horse around. We continued our march. Naturally, there were no further incidents.


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