A liaison in the Great Greenwood

Chapter 15

The Great Greenwood.

Adlanniel aimed a kick towards the beast's head with her free leg, connecting with the orc’s jaw. The orc held fast however and laughed cruelly at her, licking its scarred lips with its forked tongue.

“Zan Kurv!” It growled at her as she continued her desperate struggle to break from its grasp. She aimed another kick for the orc’s head, but deflecting it easily enough it lunged at her and took her long, ebony hair tightly into its grasp.

Naturally Adlanniel had been taught and trained predominantly in the art of healing by her father, Lord Elrond and thus was a healer, not a warrior. Indeed, Adlanniel had also been trained somewhat to fight, especially by her brothers and her beloved prince Legolas and his father, the greatest warrior in all of Middle-Earth. However her greatest skills remained in the art of rejuvenation, her fighting skills being more of a defensive nature.

“That is more like it...” The orc hissed into her ear as it pulled her hair back painfully, making her arch back against its body.

“I like my food to be with added spice....” It said, running its disgusting forked tongue along her soft cheek.

The stench of the vile creature repulsed her, fuelling the inner rage that dwelled within her; the hot-headedness and heated spirit that she had inherited from her mother, Celebrían. Little did the orc notice that Adlanniel had begun to pull a hidden dagger from the folds of her hunting tunic.

“I...” Adlanniel began fiercely, the orc still pulling back on her hair and tormenting her.

“Will not be devoured by the likes of you ulunn!” With all the strength she could muster she lunged the dagger into the orc’s body, it stiffening and gasping in both shock and agony. She spun around when the orc released its grasp on her hair, pulling out the dagger to plunge it into the orc’s eye. The beast let out a loud wail of pain as she twisted the blade around in its socket. She lifted her leg between them and placing her foot onto the orc’s stomach she kicked back with all her might, sending the orc flailing back to its inevitable demise, black oozing blood splattering against her with the blade's release.

“Adlanniel!” Legolas called desperately to her, having witnessed some of what had occurred and yet still unable to come within proximity of her due to the continued wave of orcs that besieged them in the scarcely lit darkness of the surrounding forest.

“Legolas!” She cried, dodging a battle-axe that had been aimed at her head. She countered the orc’s swing by diving her short-sword into its abdomen, giving her a brief window to gather herself amongst the carnage.

Through the auburn glow of the fallen torches and fires that scorched small patches of ground she was able to see the battle before her. Her escort of Elves were grossly outnumbered, yet managing to hold their ground, their superior fighting skills compared to the orc’s clearly apparent. Yet still, despite the many orcs that had fallen to elven arrow or sword, some of her comrades had fallen as well, bringing a deep flooding anguish into her heart.

“Lady Adlanniel...” A familiar voice said urgently from behind her, a strong hand grasping her shoulder. Spinning herself around quickly she came to face the tall captain Idhrenion, his porcelain face splattered with the blood of both orc and elf.

“You must flee from here immediately...” He ordered her desperately, his breathing heavy and strained from the exhaustion of the fight.

“But Legolas...” Adlanniel began in protest, her eyes darting across the battle trying to find her prince.

“I will get him away from here safely. But you must hurry, make haste and leave!” With those words he shoved her back sharply, not out of malice but to avoid the mighty swing of an orc’s sword that threatened to come between them. Idhrenion had swung around to counter the orc’s next blow, kicking it back fiercely before swiftly decapitating its head from its shoulders. Glancing over to her, seeing that she was still rooted to the spot most likely out of fear he shouted desperately, “Do not tally here my lady! Flee to safety!”