The Last Othellan

The Taste of Victory

After half a second of sitting in line with the men, triumphantly watching our enemies turn coat and run, I noticed something that had certainly not been there the night before. A forest lined up in front of us, as clear as day.

One of the Rohirrim rode up and down our ranks, calling out an urgent warning. "Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!"

As the uruk hai hared into the trees, they creaked and swayed ominously. My eyes widened as I heard torturous, high-pitched screams from their depths, and my mouth fell open. The trees were fighting back. No, the ents and the huorns were fighting back.

Once the screams had stopped, there was not a live uruk in sight. The men began to turn away, looking for wives, children, friends, commanders. I dismounted and led Aelfen into the keep, settling her before coming out again, casting my eyes around for my friends.

Aragorn was with a thrilled Éowyn. She smiled sweetly at him, taking in his filthy appearance. Gimli was sat a while away, casually inspecting his bloodied axe. Gandalf was chatting merrily to the king. I swallowed. Where was Legolas? The last time I saw him, he had fallen behind my horse. Surely, he was alright. I just couldn't see him.

Even so, my heart started to flutter. Forcing myself to stay calm, I wondered around the battlefield for a time, looking for a flash of bright blond hair among the darker, wavy – haired heads. I took a breath in as I realised he was not here.

I jogged into the keep, panicking now, but I could not see him anywhere. Flashes of tears, laughter, the sound of cleaning weapons, came from all around me, but I could not see the person I really needed to find. I swallowed again, and turned.

I breathed out, closing my eyes for a second. He was talking to one of the men of Rohan. I recognised him as the man who had halted us when we were searching for Merry and Pippin – Éowyn's brother, Éomer.

When he saw me walking over, the man of Rohan bowed his head, slightly surprised but smiling politely, and wondered away. Without so much as a hello, I strode over to Legolas and threw my arms around his neck. He chuckled, also a little surprised, and hugged me back gently.

"I couldn't find you anywhere" I gasped, stepping back and smiling. Legolas smiled back.

"I apologise, I should have come to find you". I shook my head and chuckled.

"No, I just panicked, that is all"

Legolas tucked a stray hair that had come loose from my plait behind my ear and I stood on tiptoe to kiss him. Once we pulled away, Legolas looked down at me and laughed.

"You're filthy!"

I looked down at my clothes. The leather was caked with dried mud, and my top was crusty with murky water from when I had fallen over the wall hours earlier. No wonder Éomer had looked surprised. Not only was I a female warrior, but I was covered head to toe in muck. I chuckled and nodded at Legolas.

"I fell off the wall"

"You are not injured?" Legolas asked, his eyebrows creasing. I shook my head.

"Only a few bruises".

"Good." Legolas smiled. After a moment, however, his grin faded. "Have you seen Gimli?"

"He's fine" I assured him "He's perched on a dead uruk, sharpening his axe"

Legolas' shoulders relaxed a little, and I led the way back to Gimli. He was still sitting where I had left him, a pile of uruk hai surrounding him, and sitting on another of their number, his axe caked with black blood. Legolas nonchalantly fiddled with his bow as we approached.